Community activist Donavon Davis has been a pillar in fighting to minimize gun violence in New Iberia.
That’s why the Iberia homeless shelter along with city officials and local organizations awarded the activist with what they said is a “well-deserved faster mode of transportation”.
“His ministry consists of consoling the families when there’s violence in our communities. And walking them through the process, so we felt like he walked a lot. And initiating a drive to help him get a scooter,” Iberia Parish Executive Director Stephen Etienne said.
But his fight, came after his fear of death while sitting in jail.
“I had a turning point in my life, in the Parish Jail where I was on the brink of the threshold of death, death was in my future,” Davis said.
Davis went to jail in 1997 and 2008 for possession with intent to distribute narcotics. He said after his release, he entered the Iberia homeless shelter in 2014 where he began his path to self-sufficiency and began bringing awareness to gun violence in his community.
“All you saw here today is years of hard work and laboring others and seeing the community. And to see the people are better advanced and lives are upgraded through dedicating your life to their life. And to have it come back to my life is definitely greatly rewarding,” Davis said.
The shelter along with city officials, and several organizations have now put together almost three thousand dollars towards a moped scooter.
“His ministry consists of consoling the families with the violence in our community, and walking them through the process. So, we felt he walked a lot and initiated a drive to help him get a scooter would help him continue his ministry in our community,” Etienne said.
“Everything falls and is predicated on the character, this moment here is because of character, great character is what got me from there to here,” Davis said.
“We’re hoping that he can expand his program and reach more of the kids to help alleviate the violence in our community,” Etienne said.
Davis said he will continue to work until the gun violence is down in New Iberia.
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