Mr.CarlDavis

“FUTURE OF BLACK AMERICA” FACILITATOR

Carl Davis is often referred to as the Gospel Music Advocate because of his love and passion for gospel music.

A native of Houston and product of Houston’s Historic Third Ward. Gospel Music Advocate Carl Davis was part of the leadership team in 2008 lead by Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, D-TX, and Senator Blanche Lincoln D-AR that was successful in passing a resolution in both chambers of Congress H-Res 370 declaring September as “Gospel Music Heritage Month”. As a member of the team, he worked tirelessly that year to create in September of 2008 the first ever Gospel Music Heritage Month Celebration with their new partners the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. a celebration that became known as the “Evolution of Gospel” that has become a premier celebration. He also worked with former Councilmember Michael Berry and Mathew Knowles at the time manager of Houston own Destiny’s Child to secure the production of the “Stellar Gospel Music Awards” in Houston. Both the 2004 and 2005 shows were successfully taped at the George R. Brown Convention Center.

Gospel Music Advocate Carl Davis is very active in the Texas Democratic Party and has served the party in several capacities, including his historic election in 1998 as the first African American male Vice Chair of the Texas Democratic Party. He also represented the State of Texas on the Democratic National Committee, the governing body of the Democratic Party.

Gospel Music Advocate Carl Davis was honored with the naming of a scholarship award in his honor. The Carl Davis Community Scholars Awards which was established to recognized high school seniors who contribute service to their communities “over and beyond” the expectations commonly held for teenagers. In the first year a total of eight students from Yates, Kashmere, Washington, Madison, and Westbury High School received a $1000 scholarship to further their education.

He is a Precinct One Representative on the newly created Harris County African American Heritage & Culture Commission, founding member of Emancipation Economic Development Council a group that works on preserving the historic history of Third Ward and providing opportunities for the residents, He serves on the Port of Houston Maritime Education Committee. Chair of the Gospel Music Heritage Month Foundation. Since his retirement from the City of Houston, he has started a nonprofit Houston Society for Change who partner with other organizations whose work in the community has been very impactful in bringing resources to underserved communities and providing educational tools for the children of those communities. He is launching his ecommerce clothing line “ I AM FREEDOM 1865” which aims to heighten culture awareness.

He is a lifelong member of Wesley African Methodist Episcopal Church in Houston and actively engaged in the Lay governance of the AME Affairs on the Local, State and National Levels. Additionally, he serves as one of the National Coordinators for the “AME V-Alert”, which is a voter education, registration, and mobilization, who is a national partner with Black Voters Matter.

He’s also the Chair of Houston Society for Change a nonprofit who mission is empower, inspire, and activate the community to champion restorative justice practices, equity in economic opportunities, and transformation to the criminal justice and economics structure for the uplifting of marginalized individuals. He is a member of the General Board the governing body of the AME Church the oldest black denomination in America.

Gospel Music Advocate Carl Davis is a proud graduated of Jack Yates High School and the University of North Texas where he pursued undergraduate and post graduate work.