Davis is the former executive director and former director of professional sports outreach for the You Can Play project, an advocacy organization working to eradicate homophobia in professional sports. During his time at the You Can Play project, Davis developed curriculum, programming, training, and facilitated conversations focused on inclusion, equality, equity, and diversity. He formerly worked at the Hetrick-Martin Institute in New York City, New York, as the Assistant Director of Job Readiness, where he helped LGBTQ youth learn practical life skills and how to apply them.
Davis has been invited to keynote and present workshops at colleges, universities, and corporations around the globe. Davis has used his platform as an athlete to become an advocate for positive change through his workshops, keynotes, panel presentations, interviews, and writings.[5][6][7]
Early life and college
Davis was born in Little Rock, Arkansas and spent most of his childhood in Shreveport, Louisiana. He was raised in a Southern Baptist family and went to church four to five times a week.[8] He was the only boy and the youngest child in his family. He suffered from a speech impediment and did not like to talk, which added to his feelings of loneliness. At seven years of age, Davis discovered football.
In 2001, the Titans allocated Davis to the NFL Europe team Berlin Thunder. Starting all 10 games as left cornerback, he wore jersey number 23[12] and led Berlin with 57 tackles in the season and won World Bowl IX with the team. He also made 0.5 sack, 1 interception, and 5 passes defended. After the NFL Europe season, he spent the 2001 preseason in the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks.[10]
Davis was selected in the first round of the 2002 NFL Europe allocation draft by the Barcelona Dragons.[10] In 2002 with Barcelona, he wore jersey number 25[13] and made 41 tackles, 6 passes defended, and 5 special teams tackles.[14]
Wearing jersey number 42,[13] Davis returned to the Tennessee Titans in 2002 for training camp and preseason but was cut before the regular season.[15] In 2003, he participated in training camp with the Washington Redskins and wore jersey #36 but retired from football due to a leg injury.[2][16]
Davis has also been an adjunct professor at both the NYU School of Professional Studies Tisch Institute for Sports Management, Media, and Business and the Rutgers University School of Public Affairs and Administration.
Davis joined the advisory board for You Can Play, an organization dedicated to fighting homophobia in professional sports.[28] On August 20, 2013, he was named executive director of the organization.[29]
Davis co-founded, with Darnell L. Moore, the YOU Belong Initiative, an organization offering LGBTQ and straight allied youth a three-day, comprehensive sports instruction and leadership development clinic.[30] As part of YOU Belong, Davis also began the Speaker's Collective, aimed at providing support, promotion and sense of community for LGBTQ professionals of color.[31]
In 2014, Davis became the NFL's first diversity and inclusion consultant, where he works with the NFL and their corporate sponsors to break down the barriers that exist between the NFL and the LGBT community by leading inclusion training sessions and national engagement initiatives.[32]
Davis created the "#ThisIsLuv" campaign alongside Darnell L. Moore, to highlight LGBT love in the Black community.[33][34]
Davis helped launch the Ms. Foundation campaign "#MyFeminismIs" and later partnered with the Ms. Foundation and Ebony Magazine to launch the "#BlackMenAndFeminism" campaign.[35]
Davis' contributions are included in the book, For Colored Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Still Not Enough: Coming of Age, Coming Out, and Coming Home by Keith Boykin.[45]
His memoir, Interference, was scheduled to be released in 2015.[46] The memoir will chronicle his struggles growing up in a strict religious household and working and advocating for LGBTQ rights.[47]
In 2014, Davis received an honorary Doctorate of Public Service from Northeastern University for his leadership and ongoing efforts to eradicate homophobia and sexism in athletics.[53]
Named one of the 50 Black LGBT Adults That Black LGBT Youth Should Know. 2012, National Youth Pride Services[54]
Named #46 on The Root 100, Black influencers and achievers, in ranked order[55]
Audre Lorde Founder's Award, Hispanic and Black Gay Coalition, 2012[56]
^Keith Boykin (2012). For Colored Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Still Not Enough: Coming of Age, Coming Out, and Coming Home (Magnus Books). ISBN1936833158.
^"Biography". HuffPost. Retrieved October 8, 2015.
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