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I » Hasan Ilauis Sharas 1uithl'nuth
By Kelli Elam
asan Davis ’96 LAW knows he is "Every single thing I went through has contributed to the person I am to-
doing exactly what he was meant day,” Davis said. "Everything happened for a reason. I know this is what I was I
to do. Whether it’s donning a cos- meant to do. It is an amazing feeling to know that I can have an effect on their
tume and portraying a historical figure lives. I want to help young people understand and believe that there are no I
or simply being himself, Davis has a limits to what they can achieve."  
way of connecting with today’s youth. Davis credits his mother with helping him ,
Where does that connection come get through the rough times, which subse- I
from? Maybe it’s the way he brings quently led to accomplishments such as be-  
the past to life in his living history per- ing the recipient of the 2006 Berea College I
formances around the country —— or Outstanding Young Alumni Award and his    
maybe it has more to do with the ex- selection as a Rockefeller Foundation Next   I
periences he had growing up. Generation Leadership Fellow in 2001.  
The answer is a combination of “My mother used to say to me, ‘If you , A  I I  .  , { A -
both. could only see what I see when I look at you,  I `I   {
Davis lives in Berea and is a moti— you wouldn’t be confused about who you I , _ I‘ I
vational speaker, youth advocate and could be in the world} She always had confi— I   II I  
living history performer. He is vice- dence in me and that gave me confidence in I I I II _ I ·  
I chairperson of the Federal Juvenile myself. She believed in me," he said. I;    
Justice Advisory Committee, which After graduating from Berea, Davis con-   , q}
I advises the president and Congress on tinued his studies and earned a law degree     ,
  matters related to juvenile justice, and from UK in 1996. I ’  
, evaluates the progress and accom- I   .   g.I·..I  
I plishments of juvenile justice activities I A  
and projects. Everything he does is  ... ` jj   
I aimed toward helping kids have better   _    
I lives. When he speaks to young people I I I  I    
about overcoming adversity, he speaks ·    
from experience. _  —    
I "l think I understand a little bit · I I .   In `_~I I  
I better than most what happens to at- j    
j risk kids when we do nothing," Davis ‘ . ' . Q  .  
said. “There are not many things I ' ;· _ . I   
have not experienced. I think kids see "   I I     I 
that when I talk to them. lthink they   j; A ‘    
I can feel it and believe what I am say- I I   I I    
ing.] want them to understand that if · IP I A    Q? 
I can make it, they can make it.”’ AA/’ ._A °   · I     A I II
Growing up in Atlanta, Ga., Davis   A. :   · Ay`? . ,i`AA»· ,»I · ~` ‘  I ;    ’Ij· j .»·.
often wondered what promise his fu- ‘?*A · A A I I J V II     I. ·    .., I " 
ture would hold. He was diagnosed   ‘       Q   ’ I  ~ .    ._I = II I
with attention deficit hyperactive dis- _ `   fg    A I , · I I   ,
order and dyslexia at a very early age.   ” I   I* egg   A W`? ` , ` ‘ I
He had been arrested by age 11 and ..5   ___, A   I II » ir.- ' I
expelled from an alternative school at » {   ‘ * IIII .I  . Q · ‘ I . I
18. He earned his GED and went on     I AQ   V ·.   . A s §% €
. to attend Berea College. .A I j, I    { · / ‘ I °  
Tough times for Davis didn`t end. "   I  
He was expelled twice from college     Hasan Davis in costume I  
before returning to earn a bachelor’s FII   Q  I_ 
in communications. ;; M   Q . I- 
. a i .—“II‘   _  
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14 KENTUCKY ALUMNI _  
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