Today we’d like to introduce you to David Lewis.
David, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up in Northwest Indiana, about 30 minutes from Chicago as the oldest of four boys. My dad worked as a computer operator in the Steel Mill and my mother taught in elementary schools. I grew up playing baseball in the neighborhood with other kids.
I went to school with people who looked like me and those who did not. My Sunday mornings were spent learning about my Christian faith and honoring the traditions of the Black church. My Sunday afternoons were spent at my grandparents’ house in Gary, Indiana eating fried catfish and my grandma’s delicious pound cake.
I begin with this background because these elements of my life continue to influence the decisions I make daily. Because my parents took care of my needs such as ensuring our lights never went out and that we always had food on the table, I was able to focus on my dreams and desires.
I earned my bachelor’s at Indiana University and I later followed in my mom’s footsteps in becoming a third-grade school teacher. I saw firsthand the lack of educational resources elementary schools were battling with. On many days, I bought my class of 30+ students lunch because what they were eating in the cafeteria was only a beef jerky stick and peanuts (and that was if the school did not run out of lunch to serve that day). This spurred my interest in education policy and specifically understanding the legislative mechanisms enabling or prohibiting school funding.
In 2021, I enrolled at Harvard Kennedy School of Government (HKS). During my time at Harvard, I developed the skill to analyze and assess policy using data. I started aligning myself with my father’s interests. He is also a landlord who provides affordable homes in Gary. In the broad area of affordable housing, I wanted to understand the impact of gentrification and neighborhood changes in communities of color, so I published research about a small neighborhood in Dallas that experienced significant changes in development over the past ten years.
I provide this context for my time at Harvard because there were many moments in which, as a Black man, I was never alone in following my dreams and serving my communities. I came across other Black men at Harvard, from medicine to law, to engineering, to healthcare who were just as ambitious and genuine in their approach to holding the mantel of leadership in domains of influence.
But when people think of students enrolled in Harvard, they do not usually immediately imagine Black men being there. I even realized that when I typed in “black men at Harvard” in Google one day. I saw very, very few photos. And often, the media does not do the best job of depicting Black men in a positive life. So, I wanted to share with the world two things: (1) there are Black men enrolled at Harvard and (2) Black men are making a difference.
On my campus, I learned there were many Black men, hailing from several countries and studying at all 12 Harvard graduate schools and the undergraduate campus. At Harvard, I established lifelong friendships with those who are now living across the world leading their communities. It is by learning from my parents that I discovered the value of serving with passion. And, it is my faith that gives me hope that every day we are all advocating for a better society in our different domains of influence.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My time at Harvard was not always a smooth road. I faced microaggressions and racial biases from Cambridge residents and more broadly Bostonians.
I recall one time when I was running on the campus with a long-sleeve shirt with Harvard on it and shorts when an older white man stopped me and said, “I am trying to see what position you play on the football team.” I was distraught and heavily upset that he assumed a couple of things: (1) I played sports for Harvard or (2) I was at Harvard on an athletic scholarship.
There was another time that I was leaving an event on campus when a white woman asked, “Are you with the people from Africa?” She was referring to an event that took place with one of the African Student Association organizations at the Harvard Hip Hop Archive & Research Institute. I was so shocked.
Currently, I am a first-year law student at Boston College Law School. When I think about my current work, I also think about who I derive my inspiration from. My younger brothers, Daniel, Darius, and Demetrius, are following their dreams in entrepreneurship, journalism, and business management – and they are my inspiration.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting.
Chequan Lewis, a mentor of mine, once told me – “I think you need to think about what you value and whether the things you are chasing right now reflect your values.”
There is so much work to get done and time is very precious. I did not always make the best decisions when I was starting. But as I grow, I am learning that the societal difference I want to make should be grounded in my values, such as my faith and my family.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.davidjlewis.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/siweldivad/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dalewis/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@davidjlewis
- Other: https://corbanswainphotography.pixieset.com/blackmenofharvardpresskit/fordigitaluse/
Image Credits
Corban Swain
