Hodari B. Davis
Partner at Edutainment for Equity
Executive Director at E4E Arts
Artistic Director of Young Gifted and Black of Oakland
Hodari B. Davis is “Mr Davis” of Mr Davis Classroom. He is the Artistic Director of Young Gifted and Black and a Partner at Edutainment for Equity. Hodari served as the National Program Director for Youth Speaks for over 12 years, including as the visionary and key organizer of the Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Network. His extensive experience as an educator and arts administrator has made him a leader in the field and a sought after speaker and pedagogue. He has presented his work and pedagogy in countries around the world including Iran, Malta, Spain, Ghana, and London. He has organized events in the most prestigious theaters in the United States including The Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, the Lincoln Theater, the Apollo Theater and other spaces around the United States. He developed and produced the largest and most accomplished International Youth Poetry Festival in the world for over a decade. As an artist he writes and curates the material performed by the groups of YGB. He has also received commissions to create art and produce events from the Climate Investment Fund, Dr. Tommy Smith, the Cascadoo Poetry Festival, and others. Hodari’s work has been featured in in films including “In Defense of Food”, the HBO “Brave New Voices” Series, “Freestyle the Art of Rhyme”, and “Frontline: Berkeley School Colors”. Hodari also serves as the Executive Director of E4E Arts, a non profit arm of Edutainment for Equity that coordinates world tours, facilitates artistic campaigns, creates short films and supports the work of the award winning YBCA100 group, Young Gifted and Black. E4E Arts also works with organizations in countries around the world to engage in the Brave New Voices pedagogy. He is currently an Equitable Futures Fellow at the Institute for the Future.