Let’s keep it real. Firefighting is a male-dominated profession, and women looking to have a career in the fire service face many barriers, but those barriers didn’t stop Ta’Vianna Davis.
From a young age, Davis learned from sports how to persevere, chart her course, and confront life’s challenges head-on. “Life isn’t always fair, but you can choose how you react and respond to obstacles. I’ve chosen to leap over mine,” shared Davis, empowering women to take control of their responses to adversity.
When she decided to take the leap of faith and pursue a career as a firefighter, there were no active Black women firefighters from Tulsa, Oklahoma, on the job. Davis had a chance to make history and didn’t hesitate to knock down anything that stood in the way of achieving her goal. She became the second Black woman firefighter in Tulsa.
Her resilience helped her get to the finish line, but it was a challenging journey. Our minds are the most powerful tool we can harness for all levels of success in life. Our thoughts shape who we are and who we will become. Davis shared how her biggest obstacle was her own mental. “You can do something but hold yourself back because you second-guess yourself. Trust that you can.”
Davis knows what it feels like to fail because she wasn’t successful on her first try. Becoming a firefighter was challenging, but she didn’t give up. Each time Davis tried, she got closer than the time before, and eventually, she ended up where she had prayed to be.
Sometimes, what we pray for puts us in a position to be role models to others. Davis understands the importance of showing young Black girls they can be whatever they dream of.
She acknowledges that her hometown hero, Cledella Evans-Stearns, Tulsa Fire Department’s first Black woman firefighter, paved the way for her. Now it’s her turn to continue to pave the path for girls who aspire to have a career in the fire service.
People often focus on the disadvantages of being a woman in a male-dominated career but rarely on the advantages. Research shows that there is a neurobiological difference between men and women, so it’s not a biased statement to say that women are more nurturing than men.
“I know I’m not as strong as some men, but they are not as nurturing as me, said Davis. “Customer service is a huge part of my job, and I know it’s something I bring daily. I just learned to adjust, adapt, and be the best me.”
Being a mother also helps Davis be more nurturing. She knows that her oldest daughter pays close attention to how she moves, and she thinks it’s important for her daughter to see how she provides and perseveres. Davis recently welcomed her second daughter. She motivates other women to know it can be done; while it’s not easy, it is possible with family and a strong support system. She wants her daughters to grow up feeling like they belong in whatever room they enter.
Davis said, “If you want something in life, pray and get it done.”