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Kendrick Davis

@kendrickbdavis

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The innovation isn’t the AI.

In Pittsburgh at the 2026 State of Black Learning Conference, I shared what we learned through Future Makers 42—USC STEM Center’s work with elementary school teachers and students in Leimert Park, Los Angeles, using engineering design and design thinking to move young people from users of technology to designers and creators.

It left us with a question that extends well beyond AI:

Are we preparing students to use the technologies shaping their future—or to shape what those technologies become?

Thanks @adrirenee2408 for the invite and @kang_chase for the work you do!

#StateOfBlackLearning #FutureMakers42 #STEMEducation designthinking by @kendrickbdavis

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2 months ago

🎙️ Episode 19 — Breaking the Silence Podcast: Men Leading in Academia Series

📍 Presented by Makaila Davis, Founder & Chairwoman of Angels Protection Inc.

🎓 Guest: Dr. Kendrick B. Davis, PhD

Welcome to Episode 19 of Breaking the Silence, part of our Men Leading in Academia Series, spotlighting leaders reshaping higher education, STEM innovation, and public policy through equity-centered scholarship and systems leadership.

This episode goes beyond titles.

It’s about leadership.
It’s about access.
And it’s about ensuring innovation is rooted in justice.

Dr. Davis is a Professor of Research at the University of Southern California Rossier School of Education and founding Co-Director of the USC STEM Center, advancing equitable STEM pathways from K–12 through higher education and into the workforce.

He earned his PhD in Higher Education from the University of Pennsylvania, with graduate training in robotics engineering and law, and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Temple University.

Dr. Davis previously served in the U.S. Senate as a Congressional Science and Engineering Fellow through the American Association for the Advancement of Science and American Educational Research Association, translating research into federal STEM and workforce policy.

🎧 Topics include:
• STEM equity and workforce development
• Bridging research and federal policy
• Cross-sector systems leadership
• Innovation with accountability

🎥 YouTube link in bio
🔗 www.angelsprotection.org
📲 @angelsprotectioninc
📩 info@angelsprotection.org by @kendrickbdavis

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8 months ago

Six states—Texas, Missouri, Tennessee, Iowa, Oklahoma, and Indiana—now lead the nation in anti-DEI legislation targeting higher education (The EDU Ledger).

The USC Critical Policy Collective’s new report, DEI UNDER FIRE, documents how state laws are reshaping diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education—closing offices, redefining programs, and limiting race-conscious hiring and aid.

📊 As of July 2025:
— 14 states have passed 20 anti-DEI laws
— Texas leads with 10 bills introduced and 3 enacted

The report provides research-based insights to help institutions, policymakers, and advocates navigate this shifting landscape.

Congrats to authors @shawntae.mitchum @aamakkk @desireeoneal @glendaquejada @alexiaoduro

🔗 Link in bio to read more:

— Report: https://www.cjrpolicylab.com/policy-reports/dei-under-fire

— Article: https://www.theeduledger.com/leadership-policy/article/15769708/six-states-lead-nation-in-antidei-legislative-push-new-report-finds

— CPC: https://rossier.usc.edu/critical-policy-collective by @kendrickbdavis

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a year ago

California has pledged to cut chronic absenteeism in half by 2030 (EdSource).

In 2023–24, more than 1.2M CA students were chronically absent. For Black, Native & Pacific Islander students, it was nearly 1 in 3.

The Critical Policy Collective’s new report shows how systemic barriers drive these inequities—and how SB 98 could unlock $3.6B for solutions.

Congrats to @uscrossier Ph.D. students and @christophernewportu faculty who authored the report: @aamakkk @Desiree O’Neal @Akunna Uka Taylor McGee @Keena Jones.

Special thanks to Eric Olsen and team for assisting us with the rollout!

🔗 Links in bio: by @kendrickbdavis

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a year ago

We talk a lot about equity in education—but how close are we to actually funding it?

In The Cost of Equity, our team at the Critical Policy Institute breaks down how recent and proposed shifts in California’s education funding system continue to leave Black students behind.

Featured in @The74

✔️ Only 7% of Black students qualify for CA’s Equity Multiplier

💰 Wealthy districts spend $1,500 more per student

📉 Schools lose money when students are absent—even for trauma or illness.

This is about more than policy mechanics—it’s about accountability and impact.

Extremely proud of the @uscrossier students and post-doc who authored this report. @desireeoneal @aamakkk @keenaljones @taylormcgee @kirstenelloitt @taylormcgee

🔗 Link in bio to read the full report and article

#CostOfEquity #EducationOutcomes by @kendrickbdavis

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a year ago

📣 2025 CJRP Awardee Announcement

We’re excited to announce the 15 organizations selected for the 2025 CJRP Community Regrant Initiative!

These organizations are advancing bold, prevention-focused approaches to criminal justice reform—centered on opportunity youth, system-impacted individuals, and the communities that support them.

Over the next three months, each group will engage in a planning and capacity-building partnership with USC Rossier designed to strengthen their strategies, expand their reach, and deepen their impact. Together, these awards represent an investment of over $100,000 in community-led justice work.

We look forward to supporting their work in the months ahead.

🔗 Learn more: www.cjrpolicylab.com

@dr.royeljohnson by @kendrickbdavis

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a year ago

21 years ago, I was a high school intern at DMJM Harris (AECOM) - an engineering firm in downtown Pittsburgh. A woman named Cindy took a chance on hiring me—I had high aspirations, but no experience.

One day, I made the rookie mistake of telling her I was bored. 😅 Her response? More work.

She handed me a set of technical drawings and told me to familiarize myself: They detailed a 1.2-mile tunnel running 80 feet beneath the Allegheny River, extending Pittsburgh’s light rail system from downtown to the North Side. The plans showed underground platforms, track alignments, and station layouts. We simply called it the “North Shore Project.”

Eventually, I suited up in a hard hat and safety vest, walking the stadium parking lot to count the stalls that would need to be removed for the terminal’s construction (an easement)- each one cost something like $20k so I had to count and verify a few times lol.

This year was the first time I ever stepped inside the completed project - or even saw it up close. It opened 13 years ago in 2012 - and 8 years after my internship - it now carries something like 11,000 people per day and 2+ million annually.

Importantly, 80% of its $500+ million cost came from federal funding—a stark reminder of the critical role federal investments play in shaping local communities!

What started as an internship assignment is now a living, breathing part of my hometown! #fullcircle. taken in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by @kendrickbdavis

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2 years ago

🚨 FINAL 2X VOTE DAY! 🚨
Today decides who moves on to the SEMIFINALS! This is the battle of the armies, and we’ve come too far to hold back now!

🗳️ DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT:
💰 If you can donate, now is the time—it maximizes contributions and gives us the best shot at victory!
✅ FREE VOTES COUNT DOUBLE today—every single vote matters!
📢 If you can’t vote, SHARE this with as many people as possible—your reach could make the difference!

This is our moment—let’s charge ahead with FULL FORCE! Appreciate and love y’all! 💪🔥

#EntrepreneurOfImpact #FinalPush #2XVotes #LetsGo #SmallBusiness #EntrepreneurLife #SupportSmallBusiness #VoteForUs #MakeAnImpact #HoustonEntrepreneur #GrindMode #GameChanger #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #BusinessOwner #VoteNow by @kendrickbdavis

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2 years ago

🚨 Deadline Extended for Applications: Community Regrant Initiative! 🚨
The Community Regrant Initiative supports nonprofits, grassroots organizations, and community groups advancing criminal justice reform prevention and creating opportunities for opportunity youth and system-impacted communities.
🔹 3-month strategic planning partnership with USC Rossier
🔹 Funding to strengthen community-driven initiatives
🔹 Resources to expand impact and collaboration
📅 Applications Open: February 11, 2025
⏳ Deadline: March 23, 2025
📢 Notifications Sent: April 13, 2025
🔗 Apply now at www.cjrpolicylab.com
Know an organization working on criminal justice reform prevention? Tag them below! 👇🏽 #JusticeReform #CommunityFunding #OpportunityYouth #CriminalJusticePrevention #USCRossier 🚀 by @kendrickbdavis

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2 years ago

🚨 Now Accepting Applications: Community Regrant Initiative! 🚨
The Community Regrant Initiative supports nonprofits, grassroots organizations, and community groups advancing criminal justice reform prevention and creating opportunities for opportunity youth and system-impacted communities.
🔹 3-month strategic planning partnership with USC Rossier
🔹 Funding to strengthen community-driven initiatives
🔹 Resources to expand impact and collaboration
📅 Applications Open: February 11, 2025
⏳ Deadline: March 6, 2025
📢 Notifications Sent: March 31, 2025
🔗 Apply now at www.cjrpolicylab.com
Know an organization working on criminal justice reform prevention? Tag them below! 👇🏽 #JusticeReform #CommunityFunding #OpportunityYouth #CriminalJusticePrevention #USCRossier 🚀
@dr.royeljohnson @uscrossier by @kendrickbdavis

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2 years ago

Celebrating Juneteenth and its recognition as a federal holiday by @kendrickbdavis

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5 years ago

Have a black child involved in sports? I encourage you to read this (Longish,) post about my exp with HS football. I am NOT anti-sports or anti-football - but if the sports org ain't about developing your WHOLE child, then in my opinion they should NOT be coaching your child:

The NFL's conduct is a continuation of exploitative behavior that starts much earlier. This is MY experience:

When I started playing. I knew very little (my teammates can attest lol) but they helped me fall in love with the game. In my senior year, I received a scholar-athlete award from Fox Sports Network was recognized as a YMCA Scholar-Athlete of the Year and received the KDKA Extra Effort Award. My name was on it, but they really belonged to us:

My teammates made me love the game - Adults made me hate it:

My junior year- a coach told me I WASNT going to college if I didn't learn how to play football:

I played trumpet in HS band. Plenty of suburban HS teams had members that played in band and football– but the idea of me doing it was met with damn-near hostility:

I had an engineering internship that overlapped partially with football summer camp – I was again told to choose. When I chose “wrong” (my internship) I was told that my place on the team was an open question🤷🏿‍♂️. I never actually got permission to come back. I just showed up because I promised one of my teammates that if he went to college 2 play football, I would see it thru with him. Two engineering degrees later, I chose right.

3 rivers Rowing Assoc. helped my HS start a crew team. and I was again pressured to choose, but this time between spring conditioning and rowing…apparently intense core work, respiratory conditioning, and miles long full body workouts on the river werent good enough.

I could go example by example, but the message to me was clear “play by the rules, minimize ur interest and prioritize our":

I was fortunate to have a core team of caring adults that stepped up when it was too much 4 me:

EXPOSURE WITHOUT PROTECTION IS A TRAP:

Too many Black youth feel trapped...by the time the NFL starts treating them like shit, it's already normal. by @kendrickbdavis

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5 years ago