Another landmark on a continuing journey
“Things are not good for any of us unless they are good for all of us.” – Anthony Williams, Mayor, City of Abilene, TX
Tiki Davis’ autobiography-in-progress begins with a painful memory involving snakeskin boots.
More than 30 years later, snakeskin boots were also present, this time in celebration of a significant achievement.
On the second Saturday evening in November, Tiki received one of the Black Chamber of Commerce of the Permian Basin’s highest awards: The Business person of the Year.
The following morning, Tiki boarded a flight from Midland to Dallas to address young football players at Trinity High School in Dallas, including the son of former Major Leaguer-NFL standout Deion Sanders.
During a still-young life of peaks and valleys, Tiki has shared the stage with internationally-renowned motivational speaker Les Brown after sharing jail cells with career criminals when incarcerated for a crime he did not commit. In between, he achieved a goal of playing collegiate football, earned two degrees from Sul Ross State University, appeared in two motion pictures, including “Friday Night Lights” and became a successful entrepreneur.
Just this past year, after his accuser came forward following more than 20 years of silence and recanted her testimony, Tiki’s name was cleared, setting in motion the next leg of his journey.
Through a friendship cultivated over more two decades, I have watched Tiki succeed in the oil and gas industry, construction, as a restaurant owner and real estate developer. Five years ago, he was named Young Entrepreneur of the Year by the BCCPB and later as one of the Distinguished Odessan Men of the Year by the Castanettes Social, Civic and Arts Club. In addition, he has mentored numerous teenagers in his community, encouraging them to make positive life choices – educationally, vocationally and behaviorally.
Tiki heeded my challenge to complete his bachelor’s degree and while working on his Master’s, he lived in my home. One night, while we watched commercials far more interesting than the actual TV programming, Tiki said, “Mountain Man, I want you to help me write my life story.”
“I hope the best is yet to be, like the Browning poem,” I said.
“Trust me, the beginning will grab you,” he said, and it did
An angry man wearing snakeskin boots, looking for the money Tiki’s mother stole from him, broke into the apartment where the eight-year-old boy slept and stabbed him in the neck with a screwdriver.
Over numerous talk-and-scrawl sessions over the next 13 years, Tiki’s life story continued, from top of the hill to seemingly-bottomless black holes and back into the bright sunshine of triumph and achievement.
Coincidentally or not, on the day before Tiki’s night of recognition, I tried on a pair of snakeskin boots, previously worn but fittingly comfortable for this celebration, marking both an end and a beginning.
“He did not let what happened to him keep him down,” noted Odel Crawford, BCCPB President/CEO, adding that Tiki’s achievements were a testament to his faith, self-confidence and determination.
As well as the encouragement and support of a community that extended beyond Odessa’s city limits to Alpine and Sul Ross.
Tiki noted that his entrepreneurship is about building his community first, building a bank account later.
“I am humbled (by the recognition) and I am not here without the help of the community,” he said. Now 40, he said he has divided his life into 20-year segments; the first two decades of trial, error and living with the choices; the second 20 of development, growth and maturity required to prove his worth.
The next 20, and he hopes, next 40, involves building a legacy.
“This is my story so far,” he told his audience. “That’s who I was, but not who I am.”
Or intends to become.
Steve Lang salutes his brother Tiki Frank Davis.
Read more here: https://www.oaoa.com/news/local/article_f17a033a-e3a1-11e8-9f3c-47a0d7c56a7d.html