American Indian Heritage 2003 Local Heroes:
Don "Little Cloud" Davenport
Honoree Don "Little Cloud" Davenport is member of the Florida Seminole Nation with Creek, Chickasaw and Sudanese ancestry. For the past 20 years, Don has devoted his time to elevating environmental and living standards for everyone in Oakland's San Antonio District and the greater city beyond. In 1980, Don founded and became the Executive Director of the San Antonio Community Development Corporation (SACDC). In efforts to improve the quality of community life, the SACDC instituted a tutorial program for elementary school students, established a child care vendor voucher program for single parents undertaking job training, and developed a program to assist small businesses in the district. Through SACDC, Don was also instrumental in getting a housing project in his district dedicated to the original indigenous people of the area, the Muwekma Band of the Ohlone/Coastal tribe. He met with Tribal Elders to gain permission to name the housing development in their honor. The project was named Hismen Hin-Nu, which means, "All nations living under the sun."
Don believes a strong neighborhood community is a vital element in building strong youth. He has organized local homeowners to downsize residential neighborhoods and commercial strips and has inspired a citywide moratorium on shoddy motels. Don organized the 23rd Avenue/East 14th Street Neighborhood Commercial Revitalization Collaborative with merchants, the faith community, other non-profits, and Oakland's Community and Economic Development Agency.
Don is also one of the founders of the Black and Native American Association. This intertribal group, founded in the Oakland/San Francisco area, is comprised of indigenous peoples with African-American and Native American heritage from all over the world. BNA plays an integral role in the activities of urban and rural Native American Communities as well as being active in many different activities in the Black Community.
Don has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors for his years of community service, which include The Native American Eagle Emmy Award for Humanitarian and Community service; The Daniel E. Koshland Civic Unity Award, for his community service in Oakland; and an Award of Appreciation from the Alliance of Native Americans of Southern California for his contributions to the 20th Annual African American Marketplace Celebration in Los Angeles.
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