From BraveHawk to Miss Lumbee: Taylor Davis Finds Strength in Heritage and Hope
Before she ever stepped on a pageant stage, before the crown and the public appearances, Taylor Davis '22 was a UNC Pembroke student searching for direction.
She first arrived at UNCP unsure of her path but certain of one thing: she wanted to be near her people.
“The NC Promise tuition caught my eye,” she said, “but being close to my family and tribe is why I chose Pembroke.”
Back then, she never imagined she would one day wear the Miss Lumbee crown, attend a U.S. Senate hearing or become a cultural ambassador for the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. She certainly never imagined she would do it all while navigating a speech disability.
Yet now, during Native American Heritage Month, Davis is doing exactly that by speaking out boldly about her culture and reminding others that they can find their voice in the most unexpected places.
Finding Her Place at UNCP
On campus, Davis was known for her warm spirit and quick smile, but many didn't know she lived with a speech impediment. They also didn't know that she had set her sights on an unusual goal: becoming the university's mascot, BraveHawk.
“I knew early that I wanted to do it,” she said. “I asked around to see if a girl could apply. At the time, there wasn't even an application process, so I made connections and stepped into the role.”
One of her favorite memories was the 2019 American Indian Heritage football game. Beneath the feathers of the BraveHawk suit, she felt the weight of both tradition and pride.
“I was representing Lumbee people as BraveHawk at the heritage game. It was humbling,” she said. “Then, coming back to that same game years later representing as Miss Lumbee was a full-circle moment I'll never forget.”
A Crown Rooted in Resilience
When Davis was crowned Miss Lumbee in July 2025, she fulfilled a dream she'd carried since childhood. But for years, the idea felt out of reach.
“I've been a severe stutterer since the age of three,” she said. “People would tell me I should run, and I'd laugh it off and say, ‘Maybe in my next life.'”
The turning point came through the people she trusted most: tribal elders, culture bearers and the community she served.
“I began to learn traditional songs and dances, and I fell in love with it,” she said. “The elders encouraged me. They gave me this advice: ‘If not you, then who? If not now, then when?'”
Then came her greatest challenge. A thyroid cancer diagnosis in 2022 forced her to slow down and reshape her perspective on fear and purpose. “Since being diagnosed, I've become more open and willing to try new things,” she said. “Cancer pushed me outside of my comfort zone.”
Her platform, Culture Heals, grew directly from that season of her life. The platform centers on empowering others to find their voice through their cultural heritage.
“Being a cancer survivor also gives me a way to connect with people,” she said. “Connecting to my native culture gave me my voice. I used to be introverted and quiet, but I've learned not to be afraid to speak up or stutter. Now I want others with disabilities or struggles to look at me and say, ‘If she can do it, so can I.'”
Symbols That Speak
Every piece of Davis's regalia carries both personal and tribal meaning. Her center-seam moccasins, a traditional southeastern style not seen on the Miss Lumbee stage since 1993, were made by a tribal elder. Her earthy blue and brown colors were selected intentionally to reflect a connection to the land and river.
“I wanted to stay close to the earth,” she said. “Everything I wear reflects our identity and what makes us unique.”
During the pageant, she wore borrowed regalia. She chose tobacco for her jewelry because of its sacred properties and the agricultural history that sustained Lumbee families for generations.
More recently, she was gifted a custom beaded crown that she designed herself. Its symbols include:
A teal, purple and pink ribbon: for her Stage 1 thyroid cancer recovery
The crossed swirl sign: found at sites like Town Creek Indian Mound and Buie Mound
Tobacco leaves: for ancestral survival and sacred medicine
Pinecones and dogwood flowers: Native flora rooted in Lumbee material culture
Twin water swirls: representing the flow of the Lumber River
Pinecone patchwork edging: a distinctly Lumbee motif historically used on quilts and now on modern regalia
“This crown is me,” she said. “It tells my story, my culture, my healing with a little sparkle. It reminds me that a village carried me here.”
A Seat at the Table
In November, Taylor Davis walked into a space no Miss Lumbee had before: a U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing on Lumbee federal recognition in Washington, D.C.
“It was humbling,” she said. “I saw firsthand the fight for recognition. I could feel the strength and persistence of everyone who came before me.”
Federal recognition remains one of the most important issues for the Lumbee Tribe. Davis knows her presence in that room mattered.
“It's a fight bigger than one person,” she said. “But I felt honored to support our tribe alongside the tribal chairman and other members.”
UNCP Shaped the Path Forward
Davis credits UNCP and the mentors she found there for helping her discover who she could become.
Dr. Walter Lewallen, one of her English professors, changed the trajectory of her life.
“He told me I was a strong writer,” she said. “I didn't know that about myself until he saw it in me. If it wasn't for his encouragement, I don't know where I would be.”
She changed her major to English with a concentration in professional writing and minored in public relations. At UNCP, she discovered a love for storytelling, branding and design that she carries into her career today.
“UNCP genuinely cares about its students,” she said. “They don't just teach you; they invest in you. With smaller class sizes, I was able to flourish and find a career I love.”
Looking Ahead
Today, Davis serves as a communications information specialist for the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. She manages social media, coordinates cultural outreach and travels the East Coast to educate others about Lumbee history and heritage. She also owns an event planning firm, Perfectly Put Together, LLC.
Still, the heart of her work remains the same: lifting her people and telling their stories.
“I love serving my tribal community by keeping them informed and telling their stories,” she said. “Since working at the tribe, I can't imagine doing anything else.”
As Miss Lumbee, Davis continues to build a legacy rooted in healing, heritage and purpose. She's not sure yet where the journey will lead, and she's okay with that.
“I'm not selling myself short,” she said. “I'm going to keep pushing myself out of my comfort zone. We'll see where it takes me.”
What she does know is this: her voice now echoes far beyond the stage.
And in finding it, Taylor Davis has made room for others to rise, speak and believe in the power of their own story.
