Meet Daryl Davis | Public Servant & Nonprofit Executive

We had the good fortune of connecting with Daryl Davis and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Daryl, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I am a native of Fort Worth and have lived in the city all my life, proudly growing up in the Stop 6 neighborhood. Being born and raised in Stop 6 had a profound impact on who I am today. I remember the struggles we faced growing up—the gang violence and poverty that surrounded us. But I also remember the strong sense of community and connectivity. We knew our neighbors, didn’t hesitate to borrow things from one another, and always looked out for each other.

I am the product of proud grandparents who taught me to honor my name, keep my word, and put others before myself. These lessons shaped me into the person I am today. My grandparents believed in service and civic responsibility. Those lessons, along with many others, continue to guide my purpose in life, even 40+ years later.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am proud to serve in varying capacities, including as Executive Pastor of Inspiring Temple Of Praise Church in Fort Worth, where I’ve served in that capacity for almost 10 years. In addition, I am the Vice President of Workforce and Career Development at Presbyterian Night Shelter, leading our social enterprise program named UpSpire. Just recently, I was elected by my peers as the Board President of Crowley Independent School District, where I am serving my first term as a Board Trustee. I am honored that my community, congregation and the voters have placed their faith in my abilities to serve them everyday.

I can’t say that I know what sets me apart from others. Many people in my community are servants in some capacity, who love people and commit themselves to something greater than themselves. What I can say is this: I am proud to have the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives. Whether it’s through employing a member of our homeless community, allowing them to earn a livable wage and escape chronic homelessness, or preaching a message that changes the trajectory of someone’s life, that’s what brings me joy and excitement. Every single day, I strive to make a difference. I may not see the immediate impact of my actions, but I am convinced that every day I do either of my jobs, someone’s life is positively impacted.

How did I get where I am? I served my way here. For decades, I was the person behind the scenes, doing the things most people didn’t want to do. I arrived early, stayed late, and ensured that others presented the best version of themselves. If I may use a biblical reference, I was David on the backside of the mountain, serving while others were being served. Even now, as an executive, I continue to serve others.

It has not been easy to get where I am. It has been tedious, challenging, and even disappointing at times, but it has all been worth it. The only way I’ve been able to endure the disappointment and challenges is through God’s grace and a stubborn refusal to fail. During my career in education, I emphasized to my students that “failure is not an option,” so I had to stand by that truth myself.

As an admittedly overly analytical person, I used every day as a learning experience. While I made mistakes along the way and faced my share of disappointments and frustrations, they were always opportunities to learn. I truly believe that you don’t have to always win to win. Even when things don’t turn out the way I’d hoped, it’s still a win if I learned a valuable lesson. Noble Lauerate, civil rights activist, statesmen and former President Nelson Mandela said it better than I ever could, “I never lose. I either win or I learn.”

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Seeing that my friends love food as much as I do, I would center any itinerary around food! I want to make sure my friends experience everything our area has to offer. As a native of Fort Worth, I know it’s an amazing city, so the ideal situation would be to enjoy the sights and sounds of Fort Worth.

I want my friends to get a great example of the breadth of the food scene in the city, so a few restaurants I would make sure to visit are:

Smoke-a-holics BBQ
Bread & Butter (in Crowley)
Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse
Madea’s Down Home Cookin’
Simply Fondue
Carpenter’s Café
Malai Kitchen
Tinies
A few activities and places that a visit to Fort Worth must include are:

Golf at one of our municipal courses, such as Pecan Valley and Rockwood
Thompson’s Bookstore
Bar Dryce at Hotel Dryce
Jubilee Theatre
Visiting any one of our amazing museums
Proper
Silverleaf Cigar Lounge

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to dedicate this shoutout to my two amazing children, my daughter, Taylor and my son, Gavin. They are, by far, the most incredible humans God created. They remind me daily of the grace and favor in my life, because God deemed me worthy enough to be their dad.

My children sacrifice a great deal in sharing me with so many people. They never complain when I have meetings that last for hours, events that take up our weekends, or when they have to tag along with me for a service project, campaign event, or anything else. They are the real MVPs, and I am sure to show them our sacrifices are not in vain. I am the person I am today because, in many ways, they allow me the freedom to serve others and encourage me to live out my God-given aspirations.

Website: www.daryldavis5.com, www.upspire.org

Instagram: @daryl_davis2

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daryl-davis-ii-

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElderDRDavis