Omega Community Development Corporation (CDC) has announced they will host the first Hope Zone Honors to recognize individuals and families who have overcome insurmountable challenges and organizations contributing to their work. Hasan Davis, Founder/CEO of Hasan Davis Solutions, LLC, who has dedicated his career to advocating for youth justice and empowerment will deliver the keynote address at the HOPE LIVES HERE Gala. The event, with a fundraising goal of $1.6 million dollars to support efforts to increase self-sufficiency and stability or thousands of families, will take place November 6 at Sinclair Community College.

The HOPE LIVES HERE Gala will celebrate Omega CDC’s most recent success in expanding services across 17 neighborhoods in northwest Dayton. This success comes as a result of being awarded a U.S. Department of Education grant for the Hope Zone Promise Neighborhood.

Keynote speaker, Hasan Davis is a renowned thought leader and a self-proclaimed Hope Dealer. A distinguished lawyer, juvenile justice advocate, trainer, and author, he is a passionate advocate for infusing Humanity, Optimism, Perspective and Empathy (H.O.P.E.) into justice and youth empowerment systems, and his work has had a significant impact on the lives of countless youth, adults and families across the United States and around the world.

“Omega CDC is honored to have Hasan Davis deliver what is sure to be a dynamic and memorable keynote address.” said Vanessa Ward, President of Omega CDC. "Mr. Davis’s work has had a profound impact on improving the lives of young people wherever they encounter government and social systems, and his own journey, experiences growing up in poverty and navigating the juvenile justice system, is a message of inspiration and hope.”

Having served as the Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice and as Vice- Chair of the Federal Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee, Mr. Davis worked to reform the juvenile justice system and improve outcomes for young people involved in child serving systems including Juvenile Justice, Child welfare, and Education.

“I was a tough kid. Growing up in inner-city Atlanta in the 1970s and ‘80s, I had to be.” said Hasan Davis, Founder/CEO, Hasan Davis Solutions, LLC. “My teachers didn’t know what to do with me, so they just ignored me. After my 7th-grade year, I was put in an alternative school, which I was expelled from in my senior year before anyone discovered that I suffered from dyslexia and attention deficit disorder. By that time, I had joined a street gang. I grew up angry and in conflict because I didn’t think there was a reason to be in school and learn.”

Today, Mr. Davis has a college degree and a law degree and travels the country to help young people and adults find their voice, personal power, sense of self-respect, and dignity. He has been recognized for his work with numerous awards and honors, including the Kentucky Council on Crime and Delinquency, Leadership Award, Education Trust, Family Engagement Fellowship, and the prestigious Annie E. Casey Children and Family Fellowship.

The Omega CDC Hope Lives Here Gala will take place on Monday, November 6, from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. at Sinclair Community College. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Online ticket purchases through Monday, October 23. For tickets and sponsorship information go to omega-cdc.org/hope-livesheregala.

About Omega Community Development Corporation (CDC)

The Omega Community Development Corporation (CDC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established by the Omega Baptist Church in 1997. With over 26 years of active involvement in the community, Omega CDC has developed a strong presence in Northwest Dayton, Ohio, and built a unique level of trust and familiarity with thousands of residents and numerous community organizations. Omega CDC's mission aims to equip individuals, families, and children with the resources, tools, and opportunities to break the cycle of generational poverty and achieve self- sufficiency through education, employment, economic development, and advocacy. omega-cdc.org

About Hasan Davis J.D. Founder/CEO, Hasan Davis Solutions L.L.C.

For more than 25 years, Hasan Davis has held to the belief that each child can and will succeed if adults in their world create hope. Starting as a counselor and a teaching artist, and through his years as a youth development specialist, Hasan has transformed the attitudes and strategies of school and facility staff, parents, and members of the community to help hundreds of children graduate from high school and go on to earn degrees from colleges and universities. hasandavis.com

This article originally appeared on Dayton Weekly News and republished through its partnership with Elevate Dayton.