Meet David White: Our 2025 Forgiveness Luncheon Keynote Speaker

October 8, 2025

“My name is David Lee White Jr., and I was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee. I’m the oldest of four, and the only boy. My childhood was filled with family; grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, all under one roof. We had our struggles, but we had love, and those bonds shaped me.

When I was 10 years old, my mom was killed. That moment changed everything. My sisters and I went to live with our dad and grandmother. Even in the midst of loss, I learned the importance of family—how they hold you up when you can’t stand on your own. That lesson has carried me through the hardest seasons of my life.

A Change of Seasons

Coming home from prison was one of those seasons. It is no small challenge to reenter society, especially in a city I didn’t know, with almost no resources. Honestly, it felt overwhelming. But Dismas House gave me something I hadn’t had in a long time: a foundation. They provided stability, privacy, dignity, and most importantly a chance to rebuild from the ground up.

The program helped me find work and get back on my feet. Today, I’m a union electrical apprentice. I spend my days on job sites, in school, and in the gym, working toward my goals. My dream is to finish my apprenticeship, become a journeyman, and eventually own my own home. I once lived in ways that tore myself down, but now I want to spend the rest of my life building myself up into something better.

Dismas House also gave me the time and space to reconnect with my daughter. In the beginning, she was angry, and she had every right to be. I caused her a lot of pain. But over time, our bond has grown stronger. Today, she knows I’m present. She knows she can count on me. And my greatest hope is that one day she’ll want to join me in Nashville so we can continue to rebuild our relationship.

The Dismas Difference

What makes Dismas House special isn’t just the roof over your head; it’s the community. The staff, the volunteers, the dinners, the little things that remind you that you’re not alone. Those little things prepare you for the big things: for life outside the walls, for family, for responsibility, for hope.

If I could describe Dismas House in one word, it would be foundation. Because from here, I’ve been able to start fresh, set goals, and actually believe in my future.

To everyone who supports Dismas House… you make that foundation possible. You remind people like me that we are more than our worst mistake. You give us the chance to write a new story, one that includes healing, dignity, and second chances.

I stand today not as the man I was, but as the man I am becoming. And for that, I say thank you!”