Meet Kat Davis | Poet & Published Author

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kat Davis and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kat, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I’m from Compton, CA and my childhood was very unorthodox, to say the least. Growing up I often heard and experienced many kinds of violence, both inside and out my household. At a young age I found myself really lost while trying to process my emotions. I turned inward to my journal and even started to write and create my own poems/short stories. I started to read them to my adopted father, who was both a pastor and known community leader. People would come from miles away to hear him speak, or just have a conversation with him. So I thought if he liked my words, they must mean something. He LOVED my poems and always encouraged me to use my voice.

Tragedy struck and I experienced one of the most painful events to date, losing my adopted father-my everything. I read a poem at his funeral and was unable to read/write poetry for years. No more morning talks, or any of those moments I felt somebody heard my voice. I turned to social media to start posting videos and created a podcast to start learning how to use my words again. I was also (and still am) consistent with therapy, meditation, and other healing techniques. One day while talking to my therapist, she asked what I enjoyed doing as a child. When I mentioned my love for poetry she said I needed to start journaling or at least writing letters to my inner child. I took her advice and years later I’m the proud author of 4 published books that started from my very own journal entries.

The stories I share on my podcast, videos I create, poetry I write/perform, and every bit of content created for my business, A Black Kat’s Voice, all started simply because I wanted to heal from the ways I felt broken. And I will spend the rest of my life continuing to do so.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
What makes me and my artistry of words different is that every bit of content I create is made with the intention of creating an impact over simply being an influence. The world we see today is full of people who can turn even the most positive of moments into something negative because of how it garners attention. I create my content with the oppositve effect in mind. Every day I get up and do this work it’s a reminder not only to myself, but to others on their paths to healing that you can transform any amount of pain into power. You just have to stay focused on why you started creating in the first place. Was it to make an influence that can change with the trends or an impact that can last a lifetime? I love when people show me support or buy my books, but I feel most proud and excited of the fact that by healing myself, I’ve been blessed to help other people do the same. Money is wonderful, but knwoing I’ve helped others feel less alone is priceless.

Today I’m celebrating the fact my podcast has been listened to in several countries across the world, I’ve published 4 poetry books, I was featured as a mental health advocate in an international publication, performed at 7 poetry shows, landed magazine features, and so much more. This has been a process of many years in the making that was far from easy. I lost friends, business partners, and even felt discouraged by the people I held closest. But I never gave up on my childhood dreams. When I couldn’t look to other people to understand, I learned to look within and learned to understand myself. The biggest lesson I’ve learned in life is that no dream is unattainable if you are willing to do the work and don’t give up on yourself.

The thing I want to be known for most, is my gift, my words. I want people to hear my voice and feel the comfort of a genuine friend. Someone who makes you feel loved and reminds you that you are never as alone as you may feel. I want everything associated with me and my brand, A Black Kat’s Voice to be a gentle reminder that while every day may not be the brightest, there isn’t a day too dark to get past either.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would not call myself a social butterfly in any capacity. But if a friend was visiting, I’d definitely want to take them to eat at my favorite restaurants or to an open mic show. I’d take them to Kalaveras restaurant for their delicious food and drinks! It’s also reasonably priced so if they wanted to drink and eat a nice meal they wouldn’t have to spend too much. Another place I’d want them to enjoy is Bossa Nova. They are considered to be Brazilian cuisine I believe but they have tasty pasta, chicken, and a good size menu to choose from. Their drinks are also good deals in my opinion. After we eat we could look on eventbrite and find an open mic of their choice (comedy, music, poetry, etc.) so they could see the beauty of how talented people truly come from everywhere in all shapes and sizes. I’m not a socialite so this would be my best options to have a good time that’s not too much or too little.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I wouldn’t be who I am, or where I am if it wasn’t for the love of my late adopted father, Birtes Davis. He showed me that no matter what you’re going through, you can still find a way to be a light for yourself and other people if you believe you can. I watched my Dad fearlessly battle cancer while still inspiring everyone around him. When asked if being in the hospital bothered him, he said only because of how it kept him away from me. When I noticed he started losing all his hair, he only said he was excited he gets to wear more of his hats now. He always found that good sunshine, no matter how dark the days seemed. His love and his example are guiding me every day and I’m so thankful for my guardian angel.

I’d also like to dedicate this shoutout to my supporters. I’m blessed to have people who have listened since my first podcast episode, bought my books, came to my poetry shows, and rooted for me on this journey with my business, A Black Kat’s Voice. No like, comment, or any bit of love ever goes unnoticed because I am immensely grateful to have people who genuinely support what I do. Whether you’ve been here since the beginning, or randomly found me along the way, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Website: https://linktr.ee/ablackkatsvoice