Today we’d like to introduce you to Stacey Davis.
Hi Stacey, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in Kansas City Mo. When I was younger my cousin Terry and my cousin John-John were murdered. As a kid it was difficult to understand and process why this happened to my aunts amd cousins. At the time I didnt realize this trend would continue. In middle school my best friend Critty Brown was murdered and then another good friend Brian Ashley. These deaths shaped my life and have been the catalyst for my purposein life. Several more of my friends from school and the neighborhood also were killed. By the time I graduated, I had lost several really close friends and family members. The summer after highschool one of my friends committed suicide. Everyone was so young. The person hat killed my best friend was just a kid himself and attended my middle school. I wanted to help people but didnt know how. I could barely help myself.. Misha, a friend from my highschool suggested i go to school is St Joseph. I applied and got in. At the time St Joseph was so nice and crime was so low I decided to stay there. I became a mentor to a kid named Cory that was struggling at home. While mentoring him I had to attend Woodson Family first meetings. At that point I realized I wanted to help the people or kids that hurt people bc I realized they were hurt themselves. I thought if I helped then they may not re offend. I have been working with at risk youth for over 23 years. I have coached basketball for years. I did children’s mental health for years through Family Guidance. I was stationed the alternative school. After a decade of work in the St Joseph community I decided I wanted to come home to work with kids from my community. . I started as a youth specialist for the Division of Youth Services. I work my way up to Group Leader and was in control of the treatment process for my own dorm. I promoted to Assist manager and eventually promoted to Facility Manager IV of Northwest Regional Youth Center. DYS works with adjudicated youth in Missouri. The majority of my youth 13-21 years of age are Kansas City/STL youth. The kids were successful and thriving while in program but when they came home a large number of them were murdered or ended up going to the penitentiary. Youth would say while in program that the things we discussed in program that their friends needed to hear. After the death of several of my young men from murder and suicide I decided to leave DYS and work for Kansas City Public School. Currently I run the Recovery Room Paseo Highschool. I provide conflict resolution, mediation and restorative practices. I am in the process of creating a program called The Wailing House, a place for youth and families to come to work through the grief and loss process. I also am working with Larolyn Dodd and Grant Williams on CGI animation called The Outs. The Outs is dedicated to all of pur kids that could not survive the outs. It’s my life’s purpose to save as many young lives as we can. I have personally assisted in burying over 50 kids in KC which doesnt include my family. I also keep in touch and support youth that end up in the penitentiary because they are coming home. Most of the kids I work with the public thinks are monsters. They are not. I all actuality most of them are good kids that never had a chance. My dream is to ignite the community I was born in to do better. The child thats not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth. Kansas City is burning. We must do something dramatic and NOW before we lose and entire generation.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Not at all. I did not always make the best choices. I was one or two decisions away from dying or going to prison myself. God saved my life. The only reason. I believe I am still here is bc God created me to serve His children
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am also a spoken word artist. I go by the stage name Madern Prophet. My poetry was a way for me to express my pain. I joined a group called Soulz of Redemption.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Find a reason to say I am still glad Im here. Work with purpose and passion. Help somebody and God will bless you 10 fold.
