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For six years, Shymika has served as Senior Youth Coordinator at Dallas Leadership Foundation, but as she tells it, her leadership journey began long before her job title.
“My leadership started at birth,” she explains. “I am the eldest child, grandchild, and great-grandchild on both sides of my family.”
As a matriarchal figure in her family, leadership was personal.
“Everyone is a leader, because you lead yourself every day. Every decision you make affects you and the next generation.”
Before joining Dallas Leadership Foundation, Shymika worked as a College Readiness Contractor. Though meaningful, the role often felt transactional rather than relational. When she felt called back to a traditional 9-to-5 role, she sensed God’s direction clearly.
“Dallas Leadership Foundation is where God led me. It was the first job I applied to, and everything from the interviews to the offer went so smoothly.”
Shaped by Leaders Who Modeled Courage
When asked which Black leaders shaped her understanding of leadership, Shymika points both to history and to home.
Her husband, Danny Davison, Michelle Obama, and Martin Luther King Jr....from them, she’s drawn strength, voice, conviction, and courage.
But she also points to one defining moment that stands out in her own journey.
In 2004, she became a Unit Director at a Boys & Girls Club. Almost overnight, she realized her voice carried weight beyond her office walls.
“I quickly realized that in this role, I automatically became one of the voices of that community, for community development, youth development, safe spaces, violence prevention, and family engagement."
Leadership also became a means of advocacy.
|  | Leading with the “Politics of Care” As a Black woman leading in her city, Shymika describes her approach as rooted in what she calls the “politics of care."
It’s a framework passed down by the Black women who raised her, women who knew how to stretch resources and build community out of very little.
“My lived experiences have made me show up more, care harder, and lead with love.”
With more than 20 years of experience serving youth, she sees her work clearly: “It is my job to build and lead the next generation of leaders by demonstrating God’s love consistently.”
When asked what strengths Black leaders uniquely bring to faith-based community work, she emphasizes a notable few: having a voice for justice, empathy, resilience, resourcefulness, and holistic stewardship.
|  | When reflecting on what it means to lead right now, she pauses.
"This moment in history has made me reflect on God's love and reminds me to love everyone as God loves us."
She references 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, a reminder that love is patient, kind, and enduring. In a world that often feels divided, she centers leadership that is rooted in love.
A Word to Young Black Leaders
Her message to young Black leaders is both tender and affirming:
"You come from a rich heritage. Never be ashamed of it."
She encourages young people to invest in learning their history.
"The more I know about our history, the more empowered I become. The more empowered you become, the more authentic your contribution to the world becomes." | | | |  | |  | When Mentoring Saves Lives
After losing his brother to gun violence, 16-year-old Dominique found steady, trusted support in his mentor, Stephen.
“I think mentoring is saving lives,” Dominique says. "I really mean that."
In a city where too many young people face limited opportunities and who are navigating impossible circumstances, one-on-one mentoring relationships are paving pathways to hope and possibility.
| | The Power of One Hour
“You never know how impactful one hour of your life can be,” April says.
Because of consistent mentorship, Ajon is growing into herself, confident, discerning, and full of life.
Black history is shaped in classrooms, churches, community centers, and in weekly meetings that remind a young girl who she is becoming.
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