44th Annual MLK Celebration Keynote

44th Annual MLK Celebration Keynote

Wade Alan Davis II

Educator and Athlete

Wade Alan Davis II is an American speaker, activist, writer, educator and former American footballplayer.

Wade Davis, who is now an equality advocate and educator, presented the keynote address, in which he urged the audience that as they fight for equality and justice, “the work must become personal.” Photo: Joseph Lee/MIT News
Wade Davis, who is now an equality advocate and educator, presented the keynote address, in which he urged the audience that as they fight for equality and justice, “the work must become personal.” Photo: Joseph Lee/MIT News

Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, Davis grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana and Aurora, Colorado. He played college football at Mesa State and Weber State. In 2000, he signed with the Tennessee Titans of the NFL as an undrafted free agent but was cut after the preseason. He made his professional debut in 2001 with the NFL Europe team Berlin Thunder and won the World Bowl IX title with the Thunder. After spending the 2001 preseason with the NFL's Seattle Seahawks, Davis again played the 2002 regular season in the NFL Europe with the Barcelona Dragons. He then participated in training camps and preseasons with the Tennessee Titans in 2002 and Washington Redskins in 2003 before retiring due to injury.

In 2012, Davis came out, publicly speaking about what it was like to be closeted and gay in the NFL.

Davis is the former Executive Director and current Director of Professional Sports Outreach for the You Can Play project, an advocacy organization working to eradicate homophobia in professional sports. He develops curriculum, programming, training and conversations focused on inclusion and diversity. He formerly worked at the Hetrick-Martin Institute in New York City, New York, as the Assistant Director of Job Readiness, where he helped LGBT youth learn life skills.

Davis has been invited to keynote and present workshops at colleges, universities, and corporations nationally and internationally.

Adapted from Wikipedia