IME KEYNOTE
Picture a 6’2”, 200-pound Black man running down Vernon Street in Harrisburg’s South Allison Hill, with the Pennsylvania State Capitol in the distance. That’s where my story began—and where I wrote In My Eyes, the book that changed my life.
My name is Julian Davenport, but most people know me as Juelz. I wasn’t raised with privilege or a roadmap to success. I grew up with a single mother, a father in and out of prison, and a label that followed me early—“at risk.” The streets became my classroom, and poor choices led me to a place no one dreams of ending up.
But prison was not my ending.
In a world that tried to write my story for me, I took the pen back. Writing became my escape. Poetry became my voice. And now, I use that voice to help students discover theirs.
Through my keynote Words Have Power, I deliver raw, real, and relatable storytelling that connects deeply with students—especially those who feel unheard, misunderstood, or overlooked. I show them that their words can be a weapon against doubt, a shield against pressure, and a bridge to their future.
This keynote transforms lived experience into teachable moments, blending poetry, performance, and truth to inspire confidence, self-expression, resilience, and purpose.
I don’t just speak to students.
I speak for them—because I was them.
Let’s show the next generation the power of their words.
