Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1233243
RAISING SIBLINGS, RAISING SONS When she was 14, Davis lied on a job application, saying she was 16. "I wanted to do something to help my siblings," she said. "It was a dark time in my life and scarred my soul in ways I could not have imagined." Davis was just in middle school, but she made sure her younger siblings went to their elementary school every day: "I remember walking to school after they got on the bus, and arriving at school late." Davis said it was around this time she started "running away from home" and became pregnant at the age of 14, giving birth to her first child at 15. "It was the scariest moment of my life," she remembered. "I gave birth alone at the hospital and was terrified." Davis said her life continued to spiral out of control – she had four children by age 20. A young mother of four boys, Davis wanted to make sure her children had a better life than her own. "is pressure often gave me serious bouts of depression," she said. "I felt like a failure." Davis dropped out of high school in the eleventh grade and had difficulty finding a job to provide for her family, but she persevered. "All of my children have graduated high school and started lives of their own," Davis said. "Two of my sons have been shot – one of the most terrifying experiences of my life, but they survived their injuries." When her boys were younger, Davis promised herself they would have a better life than her own. Now, her sons are all grown, and all but one reside in Macon. "Like many young people, they are figuring out their career paths," she said. "I am very proud of them. I love my boys; they became my inspiration." Today, though Davis' mother and stepfather are no longer together, they both reside in Macon and live productive lives. Davis' mother went on to get her GED after recovering from her addiction and received several certifications and trainings that led to her becoming a welder. Her stepfather is a brick mason. "We are a family that loves spending time together," Davis said. "We truly value life and the precious gift of having a family." EDUCATION AS A PATH TO GIVING BACK Davis earned her GED, attended and graduated from Mercer University with a Bachelor's degree in Human Services and a minor in Psychology, and started a career path. On that road, Davis worked jobs in juvenile justice, mental health, social services and workforce development. "ose jobs provided me the opportunity to give back to individuals who may have been experiencing similar situations as I had in my past," she said. Davis excelled in each of those roles, TOP ROW, FROM LEFT: SHEKNITA DAVIS GIVNG AN ACCEPTANCE SPEECH FOR RECEIVING THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE SYSTEM OF GEORGIA OUTSTANDING GED AWARD FOR COMMUNITY WORK. FORMER CRYSTAL LAKE RESIDENT TIFFANY YOUNG AND HER FAMILY. DAVIS AND HER SONS, ADARIUS DAVIS AND RAMON SMITH, AT THEIR GRADUATION. BOTTOM ROW, FROM LEFT: DAVIS AND HER FAMILY AFTER SHE OFFICIATED HER SISTER'S WEDDING. DAVIS AT A COMMUNITY YOUTH EVENT. 4 2 M ACO N M AG A Z I N E.CO M | F E B R U A R Y / M A R C H 2 0 2 0