News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 19, 2023
10:00 a.m. ET

MEDIA CONTACT

Margaret S. Knehans
margaret.sasser@andrewgoodman.org
(334) 451-5114

Rashawn Davis brings experience as a leader, practitioner, and advisor to AGF

The Andrew Goodman Foundation (AGF) welcomes Rashawn Davis as its new Executive Director. Davis has served in both the public and private sectors and has a deep passion for social justice and commitment to closing societal gaps that disproportionately affect marginalized communities. 

Davis’ hire coincides with a critical moment for The Andrew Goodman Foundation, as it sets its sights on three major milestones for American democracy and the organization next year: the 2024 presidential election, the 60th anniversary of Freedom Summer, and the 10th anniversary of the Andrew Goodman Vote Everywhere program. As AGF activates and mobilizes young voters, who will account for 44 percent of the eligible electorate by 2024, it will also commemorate Freedom Summer — where Goodman, Chaney, and Schwerner were murdered for registering Black Americans to vote — and celebrate the program that carries forward their legacy of democratic engagement, racial justice, and leadership today. 

In his role as Executive Director, Davis will lead and develop AGF’s staff, with a personal focus on organizational health and growth. Davis will also invigorate and deepen AGF’s relationships with supporters and partners and inform the organization’s strategic direction — particularly related to our Andrew Goodman Vote Everywhere program’s on-the-ground and digital organizing work — as AGF builds momentum toward the 2024 presidential election. 

“When I was 21 years old — close to the age of Goodman, Chaney, and Schwerner in 1964 and our Vote Everywhere Ambassadors today — I became one of the youngest people in the history of Newark, New Jersey to be certified and appear on a municipal election ballot,” says Davis. “I ran for a City Council seat representing the city’s west ward because I felt that young people were disproportionately affected by the decisions elected leaders make, but are too often left out of the decision-making process. With important federal, state, and municipal elections on the horizon, I am thrilled to be part of ensuring that the next generation is equipped and prepared for the obstacles ahead. I believe deeply in the unique power of young people to make a difference in the most critical issues we face as a society and to secure the future we all deserve.” 

Prior to joining The Andrew Goodman Foundation, Davis served as the Director of the Racial Justice Labs at Change.org, where he spearheaded the investment of millions of dollars into Black and Brown leaders driving impactful racial justice work. He has played pivotal roles in designing and implementing transformative impact initiatives, including Newark’s historic Police Review Board, where he was appointed by Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka in 2018 to serve a term as commissioner. 

Rashawn is also a member of the Board of Directors for the W.E.B. DuBois Scholars Institute at Princeton University. Rashawn graduated from Georgetown University with a bachelor’s degree in Government and from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner School with a master’s degree in Public Administration. He resides in Newark, New Jersey.

About The Andrew Goodman Foundation

The Andrew Goodman Foundation’s mission is to make young voices and votes a powerful force in democracy by training the next generation of leaders, engaging young voters, and challenging restrictive voter suppression laws. The organization is named after Andrew Goodman, a Freedom Summer volunteer and champion of equality and voting rights who was murdered, alongside James Earl Chaney and Michael Schwerner, by the KKK in 1964 while registering Black Americans to vote in Mississippi. To learn more, visit www.andrewgoodman.org.

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