Joshua Harris: I come from the place where red-lining was invented
Joshua Harris for Maryland House of Delegates, District 40
Joshua Harris is a leader and visionary who advocates on behalf of the community. He is dedicated to creating attainable solutions for the challenges Baltimore faces. Joshua has passion for, and is commitment to, empowering his community. As a young child, Joshua grew up in poverty and his family struggled to make ends meet. Through access and opportunity his family was able to overcome those struggles. Harris knows there are many hard-working families in Baltimore that are struggling every day and simply need the access and opportunity.
Joshua confronts challenges by working to create positive and sustainable impacts to the issues that our city faces. As co-founder of the Hollins Creative Placemaking, Joshua leads initiatives that foster urban revitalization by including the use of art and creative processes to foster an environment of belonging. His community involvement extends to community leadership, as Joshua sits on the Charles Village Urban Renewal community board, Paul’s Place Community advisory board, Baltimore's Promise Mentoring Task Force, and was the youngest board member for Baltimore’s Southwest Partnership.
Joshua, a product of a public school system, understands the need to reinvest and improve our Baltimore City School system. As such, he has been an invited speaker before the Congressional Black Caucus to discuss education disparities in minority communities. In addition to academics, as an athlete he also believes our youth need activities outside of school that teach them life lessons and motivate them to become leaders. Joshua encourages leadership skills, continuing education, and offers mentoring through his sports mentoring program, Project ‘A’ Game. In collaboration with YouthWorks, Joshua developed a community-led program to employ Baltimore City youth.
Active in the fight for social justice, Joshua is committed to public safety reform. He has also served as a legislative aide for Delegate Charles E. Sydnor and assisted with the passing of police body camera legislation. Joshua believes that it is necessary to rebuild the trust between our neighborhoods and the police department. Outside of Baltimore, Joshua has worked with Black and Brown People Vote, aimed at increasing voter education and turnout in African American and Latino communities.
Joshua spends his time committed to the people of Baltimore. He listens to the concerns of his neighbors and creates ways to better our neighborhoods. From turning vacant houses into homes, to providing jobs for all; from providing renewable energy, to public safety and education reform, Joshua has real solutions for problems concerning Baltimoreans and will continue to engage, assess, and address your concerns.
Joshua resides in southwest Baltimore in the Hollins Market community. A man of family and faith, Joshua attends Carter Memorial Church. He lives by the motto of one of his heroes, Muhammad Ali, “Service to others is the rent we pay for our room here on earth.” His continued service is his way to invest in this city and to ensure the future of Baltimore is for all of us.
