Celebrating the Life, Legacy & Art of Davon "Nino" Davis

DAVON Nino DAVIS

In the early morning hours of March 19th, 2022, 23yr old Davon Davis was struck and killed by a drunk driver while riding his bike home from work in Brighton, New York. Blaque/OUT and Next Generation Men of Transition have spent the last three months working with the family to get justice for Davon. We work with many families and get to know all too many victims. But for most of the world these cases are reduced to a picture, a narrative and a number. Whether struck by a car or a bullet, each victim is a life lost all too soon and every single one matters. Each person has a family and story and we would like to share one with you. Davon Davis was so much more than March 19th. This month celebrates his 24th birthday and in honor of that and every other life lost we'd like to give you a window into Davon "Nino" Davis' life. A son, grandson, nephew, brother, fiancé', artist, hardworker, family man and friend as told by the people who knew him best. Happy Birthday Nino, rest easy & fly high. -Tamara Leigh

From the moment I got the call about you, chills ran through my body in a way like never before. I couldn't understand how damn near 3 months had passed and I had never heard your name. How could this be? We lost a brother, and I never even knew. Hearing the stories of how we as a community dropped the ball on your existence still gives me nightmares. From the moment your life was taken from the world; it seemed as if they (the judicial system) didn't think anyone would care. Davon was murdered!!! Davon was murdered by a drunk driver around 7am in the morning. The drunken driver Gediminas Backus was allowed to sit in his car for hours as Davon's body laid slain in the middle of the street. The drunk driver was never arrested on the scene, it was suspected that the driver was under the influence... he was sent for a blood test to determine his BAC. ( after sitting for almost 2 hours in his car, why was he never removed from the car? placed in a patrol car anything? ) The BAC test took two weeks to come back, at that time the drunk driver Gediminas Backus was arrested, arraigned and released with in a mater of hours.

Davon's family at that time received a visit from the Sheriffs department, this would be the only visit since Davon's death. The visit was warranted to the family because the news would soon be releasing the information of Backus's release. Could you imagine two weeks of silence for a knock at the door, saying Gediminas Buckus the drunk driver is free! The Grand Jury decided not to indict Mr. Backus on Vehicular Manslaughter charges. We are still waiting to hear the result of of the DWI charges, in which we know Mr. Backus was drunk per his BAC test. This family had to sit and listen to a District Attorney tell them how this tragedy was the fault of 23- year old Davon Davis as he traveled to have breakfast with the love of his life after a long overnight shift. It seems has if all of Davon's intersections of life became a red flag for his erasure. Davon was Black, Trans, Queer, A City Resident, A cyclistand from a community drowning in poverty. No advocate, no communication, no attorney to represent their interest or fight for truth and equity in justice. Nino's life MATTERED. Nino's death MATTERED. Nino's legacy MATTERS and we will NEVER stop fighting for all 3.

Together, the family of Davon Davis, local community members, organizations, cyclist and many more called a press conference in Rochester, NY to bring visible to the mishandling of Davon's life as well as the pain, hurt, and grief of Davon's family. Davon was a young man full of life, he was a provider to many. His presence, I feel often. Seeing his picture, his smile, I can feel the embrace of what his family is missing. We must bring visibility to the continued erasure of Black and Brown Lives. Gediminas Buckas took a life! Does that matter? I question myself daily....Is it because Davon was Black, Is it because he was a Black cyclist, is because he was a Black Trans Male, was it because he was a Black Trans Male Cyclist, a Black son, a Black grandson, a Black Brother, a Black nephew, a Black Lover, a Black Friend, a Black smile, a Black artist, a Black poet, a Black educator? Is there No Justice for the intersections of a Black Life. Davon Davis I hear you. I feel your presence. I will uplift your existence forever! - Brittan Hardgers @ngmt18 @BHardgers @ngmt18 @brittan_nicholas @iambrittanhardgers

******The family of Davon Davis is still in search of a criminal atty willing to review the facts of the case to ensure that appropriate actions were taken in the investigation, arrest, and Grand Jury proceedings. If you can be of assistance, please reach out to: tamaraleigh@blaqueoutmag.com or nextgenmenoftransition@gmail.com

This a letter to my Nino who I love n miss so much. Baby since you been gone nothing has been the same. I look for you all the time to wait to see your head pop out the window saying hello when I pull up to the house. Birthdays and holidays aren’t the same. I didn’t get my happy birthday tete or a Oreo picture. Life is definitely hard without you. I lost track of myself for a while but I’m slowly getting it together because I know you would want me to take care of myself. It’s not a day I don’t think bout you. Life will never ever be the same for me. KK still ask where you are and I never know what to say because she don’t understand. I play your music and see your wonderful smile singing your heart out and being goofy, the kids miss you, your scrap uncle rodney. I been trying to hold it down and do what I need to with your mom, sister and syx and ooma. We love you baby and miss you nephew always. Your birthday is coming up and your not here. We gone celebrate you. You will forever live on in our hearts FOREVERNINO.

- TeTe Pfallon

The Oreo picture is from last year he drew for me every Christmas I got oreo gifts because we loved our oreos

The Davon Davis Gallery

This town is haunted Lined with ghosts One ghost, anyway Copied Then pasted Over And over

These ghosts Aren’t the type to jump at you They don’t hide in the shadows Under the guise of the night They don’t thrive on fear

These ghosts Evoke more than that A bittersweet pain So intense It reduces me to tears Their presence is consistent Day or night There they’ll be Seeming more alive Than the world you left me in

Each one reenacting What was once ours Each hidden kiss Each inside joke Each moment That was solely ours When the world Seemed to fade from around us

I was never ungrateful

Quite the contrary I lined my words with love Even when tensions were high And our world seemed hostile

I was so grateful, yet My desire to do better is insatiable Wishing for one last goodbye One last chance to get it right Wanting to prove to you My undying love

Undying love The phrase Once so theoretical Has taken on a whole new meaning You may have died But my love for you shall never For I can now prove It is, in fact, Undying

I never forgot to remind you of your worth Though looking back I could have said so much more How the moments I spent Serving you Were as great as life could ever get That I was lucky for a man like you To love a girl like me

Come to think of it, I did tell you All the things I wish to say Were never unsaid

I just long for the days I could say them Seeing the expression on your face A mixture of flattery and disbelief You were so humble

The ghosts that line the paths Of this dark town Serve only as a reminder Forever left to dream Hoping that one day my ghost May meet yours

We’d reunite Along the haunted sidewalks Joyous tears running Down our cold dead cheeks I’d fall into your arms Exhausted from being forced To continue for so long A life I never wanted without you

You’d catch me Your embrace just as beautiful and strong As when we were alive I’d be able to feel all the things left unsaid While I as doomed to live And you were doomed to die Our reunion would be beautiful The last leg of our journey across lifetimes Finally able to breathe Knowing one would never be without the other again

-Syx

Dear Davon "Nino" Davis

I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIND THE WORDS FOR SOME TIME NOW. IT’S NEVER EASY PUTTING WORDS TOGETHER WHEN YOU’VE BEEN DANCING AROUND IN THIS BOXING RING WE CALL LIFE. SO I TOOK THE GLOVES OFF… DECIDED TO PICK UP MY PEN. R E M E B E R DAVON "NINO" DAVIS HERE IT GOES, THANK YOU, I KNOW THAT SOUNDS STRANGE RIGHT. BUT NO, SERIOUSLY THANK YOU FOR BEING YOUR TRUE SELF, YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF, YOUR FREE SELF. FROM THE MOMENT I WAS CONNECTED WITH YOUR FAMILY, I BEGAN TO LEARN SO MUCH ABOUT YOU. YOUR SMILE LIGHTS UP A ROOM, YOUR PRESENCE IS ALWAYS FELT. I FELT THE WARMEST, SOFTEST CHILL “HUG” I HAVE EVER FELT IN MY LIFE SITTING IN PFALLON’S DRIVEWAY. THE MAN YOU CREATED IN JUST 23 YEARS, SPEAKS VOLUMES AND DEFINITION OF YOUR TRUE CHARACTER. I THANK YOU FOR BEING PATIENT WITH YOURSELF EACH AND EVERYDAY. I THANK YOU FOR FIGHTING YOUR OWN SELF ON HARD DAYS TO CONTINUALLY SPREAD LOVE, TEACH LOVE, AND TO LOVE THOSE AROUND YOU SO UNCONDITIONALLY. YOU HAVE GIVEN US A GIFT THAT MOST DON’T EVEN SEE NOR UNDERSTAND RIGHT NOW. NINO I COULD ONLY IMAGINE WHAT ITS LIKE TO LOOK DOWN, FLOAT UPON, SIT IN THE MIST OF THE ONES YOU LOVE SO MUCH, SEEING THEM IN PAIN, FEELING THEM MISS YOU IN SUCH A WAY NO ONE COULD POSSIBLY UNDERSTAND. THE THOUGHT IT SELF MAKES ME TEAR UP, SOMETHING WE DON’T THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN. THE STRONGEST OF US ALWAYS GET THE MOST DIFFICULT BATTLES, BABY BROTHER THE JOB ASSIGNED TO YOU IS ONE OF A WARRIOR! SO WE WILL FIGHT THIS ONE TOGETHER. YOU LEFT THIS WORLD A PACKAGE, ONE I WILL CHERISH UNTIL THE DAY I LEAVE THIS EARTH. I WILL CHERISH THIS PACKAGE, I WILL NOURISH THIS PACKAGE, BUILD THIS PACKAGE UP AND SHARE WITH THE WORLD. -Brittan Hardgers

TRUE RESILIENCE AGAINST NEGATIVE STEREOTYPES

Brittan Hardgers. NGMT

Dear Davon "Nino" Davis "I remember sitting in Pfallon's driveway as we listened to your loved ones speak on the great man you are, through tears, smiles, hurt & pain. The wind blew & I felt your embrace. The chills that ran through my body, immediately became warm. The softest hug I had ever felt in my life. I heard you whisper FIGHT!" THAT PACKAGE… BABY BRO IS YOUR VOICE. YOU SPREAD YOUR VOICE SO HUMBLY, YET RIGHTEOUSLY THROUGH YOUR MOTHER, YOUR GRANDMOTHER, YOUR SISTER, YOUR AUNT, THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE, YOUR NEPHEWS, NIECES AND SO MANY MORE. YOU ALLOWED THEM TO TRANSITION THROUGH LIFE WITH YOU. YOU MAY HAVE THOUGHT YOU’RE LIVED EXPERIENCE WAS JUST YOURS, AND THEY WERE ALONG FOR THE RIDE. BUT NO, YOU’RE LIVED EXPERIENCE FOR EVER LIVES ON. EVERYTHING YOU TAUGHT AND SHOWED THEM ABOUT DAVON NOW ALLOWS THEM TO HELP SAVE ANOTHER LIFE. YOU’RE LIVED EXPERIENCE GIVES GEORGIA THE ABILITY SHOW ANOTHER MOTHERS.. LOVE IS LOVE AND WE STAND BY OUR CHILDREN AND HERE ARE THE WAYS IF YOU NEED A HAND. OOMA IS ONE IF THE STRONGEST GRANDMOTHERS I’VE MET, THE LOVE OF NINO SHE WILL POUR OVER AND OVER UNTIL ALL THE CUPS RUN OVER BECAUSE SHE UNDERSTANDS WARNING SIGNS, ACCEPTANCE AND VALIDATION. YOUR SISTER HAS THE GREATEST KEY TO LIFE, LOVE YOUR SELF 1ST. THROUGH LOVE AND POWER YOU PUT THE MICROPHONE TO PFALLONS MOUTH AND WHISPERED SPEAK…. THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF TRUE LOVE, AUTHENTICITY, HUMILITY, SACRIFICE, WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE IS WHAT YOU HAVE GIVEN TO ALL OF US, AND THANK YOU WILL NEVER BE ENOUGH FOR THE GIFT YOUR LIFE HAS LEFT ON US AND WITH US. YOUR LIFE WILL SAVE SO MANY OTHERS BECAUSE YOU GAVE YOUR TRUE SELF TO THOSE AROUND YOU. NOW THEY WILL POUR INTO THE WORLD. THANK YOU FOR BUILDING LEADERS TO HELP US FIGHT THE FIGHT.

B R I T T A N H A R D G E R S

@ngmt18 @BHardgers

@brittan_nicholas @iambrittanhardgers

www.ngmt18.com www.hardgersdigitaloutlet.com bhardgers@gmail.com