Taaj Davis is a Jamaican-American Muslim who grew up in Virginia. As a child, Taaj navigated a variety of schooling environments: Islamic schools, homeschool, public schools, all-boys boarding school, and co-ed private day school. After earning his B.A. in American Studies from Kenyon College in 2019, Taaj entered the field of education, teaching history at Woodberry Forest School, while simultaneously earning his Master of Education from the University of Virginia in 2021. Taaj worked at Woodberry for seven years, as a teacher, coach, and school leader. Administratively, he has served as Woodberry’s Director of Community and Belonging, working most closely with the Dean of Students office. Taaj currently serves as the Head of Middle School at Tarbiyah Academy in Columbia, Maryland.

Since building out and leading the first formal diversity and inclusion program at Woodberry, Taaj has gone on to share his work at conferences such as the NAIS People of Color Conference, the VAIS Annual Conference, and several Virginia Diversity Network Conferences. His speaking engagements have focused on institutional change, religious literacy in schools, and supporting the intersection of Black and Muslim identities in school environments. Additionally, Taaj currently serves on the Board of Directors for Muhammad Preparatory Academy, which is an Islamic-centered primary and secondary academy, soon to open in Maryland’s Prince George’s County.

Taaj has also found traction for himself as a spoken word artist and as a storyteller. As a lyricist, he has offered performances to many stages and has also facilitated educational workshops about poetry and hip-hop. Islamic schools have taken a particular interest in partnering with Taaj to create meaningful and memorable poetry programming. As a co-host of The NuBlack Podcast, Taaj has produced over 50 episodes dedicated to expanding the notions of race, culture, and identity in today’s world.