Shondell Davis: A Conversation
What began as a friend’s encouragement at a school event has grown into a mission of hope, advocacy, and connection for one local mother determined to make sure no family in her community feels alone.
About seven months ago, Shondell Davis stepped into a new role as Lead Network Coordinator with UC, an opportunity she sees as both personal and professional growth. “To me this is an opportunity to move up and do different roles within the organization,” she said. “I’m always open to learning new skills and new things.”
The position has allowed her to better understand how the organization works while continuing to share resources, experiences, and connections with others. “This new role is just a plus for me,” she added. “It’s learning new skills and a different part of the organization and seeing how things work.”
But the role has also come with challenges. One of the biggest, she explains, is reaching people consistently—especially when life gets in the way. “You want a lot of people to come [to UC events] and sometimes some people can’t make it,” she said. In response, she’s shifted her approach, often connecting with members one-on-one. She’s especially mindful of older community members who may struggle with technology. “I try to encourage them and help them to know that they can do it,” she said. “Sometimes technology for older people can be challenging…you don’t want them to miss out on anything, like their points or information.” For Shondell, ensuring no one is left behind is at the heart of the work, even when it takes extra time and patience to build those connections.
The position has given her the chance to learn new skills, take on different responsibilities, and, most importantly, share her story. Her passion for the work is deeply personal.
For a time, she pushed away from the community she had always called home. After experiencing a devastating family loss, she found herself feeling disconnected and angry. “I felt this connection the whole time,” she said of the community she grew up in, “but after [the loss], I felt angry…this wasn’t supposed to happen here. We were supposed to all be together.” During that period, she sought out support elsewhere, bringing back resources she hoped could help others. But she soon realized many of those resources weren’t accessible to the people around her. “What I learned [was] the resources I was bringing back were outside resources, so people in my community couldn’t access them.”
That realization became a turning point. Through her work with UC, she found her way back. “I believe that UCB has brought me back to my community, which feels really, really good,” she said.
Instead of walking away, she chose to help make the community stronger, especially for other mothers who might one day face the same kind of loss. “I went through a lot of things that no human being should have to go through,” she shared. “And so that has me advocating to help other mothers…so they didn’t go through the same experience that I did.”
Today, her motivation also comes from her growing family. With children and grandchildren of her own, she dreams of a community where kids can safely go outside to play, and families know exactly where to turn for help.
Through her work with UC, she focuses on building social capital: strengthening relationships and helping neighbors support one another. Sometimes that means connecting someone with information. Other times, it means helping families access assistance for essentials like food or gas. But for her, the most important part is the human connection. That’s why she keeps showing up: making calls, offering encouragement, sharing resources, and reminding others that help is closer than they might think.
Even while balancing the emotional weight of supporting others, she says she has learned the importance of setting boundaries and caring for herself, too, so she can continue showing up for her community with strength and compassion.