Mona Davids is an American activist who is the founder and president of the New York Charter Parents Association and the New York City Parents Union.
Early life and education
Davids was born in South Africa and raised in Brooklyn, New York.
Business career
Dutch companies
Early in her career, Davids worked for the Dutch companies Schiphol USA Inc. and MeesPierson Investment Bank.
Azania
Davids co-founded, along with Eric Steinhilber, Azania Holdings International Inc., a firm that promoted trade and investment between the United States and African countries. Taking its name from the historical geographic region Azania, the firm identifies itself as a "Black Economic Empowerment Company" registered both in the U.S. and South Africa. Azania also describes itself as "a business development and communications consulting firm based in New York" providing business consulting services that include: business development, strategic investment counseling, communications & marketing services, project management, branding and web development.
As an officer of Azania, Davids reportedly organized investment conferences in partnership with JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, and other banks, and sponsored trade and networking events in New York City. In 2007 Brooklyn Goes Global Director Steve Kaplansky praised Azania for facilitating the creation of a memorandum of understanding between the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and the Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture that would create "mutually beneficial" relationships between business leaders and decision makers of the two groups. She also "conducted country briefings and trainings for U.S. executives leading Fortune 500 companies stationed in South Africa."
During the early period of her education advocacy, Davids was sometimes described as being on leave from Azania. In September 2010, she spoke at a conference as head of Azania. In September 2014, as CEO of Azania, Davids gave a talk opening the International South Africa ICT & Telecom Tactical Investment Forum in New York City. At the event, Elizabeth Daly, Director of the Division for International Business of the Office of the Mayor of the City of New York, "offered words of support from the Bloomberg administration to the attendees and applauded Azania Holdings International Inc. for bridging the gap and facilitating partnerships between New York City based and South African companies."
Education advocacy
Davids "became involved in education advocacy while on maternity leave in 2008," serving as co-president of the PTA at her daughter's school, according to the website of the New York City Parents Union.
A November 3, 2009, article described Davids as a "Bronx parent who went from charter school foe to cheerleader in under a year." In 2008, it was reported, Davids had been co-president of the parent association of P.S. 160 in the Bronx, where she led the opposition against a new charter school, Equality Charter School, which was set to be located in the same building. After leading protests against the school, however, Davids "sent in her daughter's application to the charter school and began helping the charter recruit other students." She later explained she had been misinformed about how big the charter school would be, and that "A lot of parents are just opposed to charter schools in general, and that's because most parents don't know exactly what a charter school is."
New York Charter Parents Association
After her daughter was accepted into the charter school, Davids founded the New York Charter Parents Association in April 2009. Davids later stated that she founded the group after her daughter began attending a charter school and Davids "learned that charters are not required to have PTA's."
A May 5, 2009, article in the New York Post reported that Davids, who two months earlier had been fighting against charter schools, was now "leading the charge in the opposite direction — as the founder of the first citywide parent association for charter schools."
A November 3, 2009, article noted that Davids was popping up "everywhere from charter school board meetings and charter renewal hearings to district Community Education Council gatherings," and that she had been "featured in a television advertisement for Mayor Michael Bloomberg's reelection campaign, in which she blasted rival William Thompson's education record."