Mary Kay Harris is a community champion connecting people and policy in the City of Providence. She serves as a Providence City Councilor for the Eleventh Ward, which includes Upper South Providence and areas of the West End and Elmwood. Harris has secured housing for residents at risk of displacement and is working to strengthen economic development and bring new job opportunities to her ward. She has also established a new neighborhood association to empower her constituents. An eternal advocate, Harris believes in the power of unity and organization to realize positive change.
photo by Agapao Productions
I never imagined I’d become a City Councilwoman. For a long time, I believed people in my position were part of the problem. I believed real change—real, radical change—couldn’t manifest inside an institution. To me, change had to come from the outside.
I was born in North Carolina, nowhere near the fast lane. It’s been a long road from where I started and where I am now. Along this journey, I’ve witnessed desperate human suffering and injustice. I’ve also witnessed immense human compassion and hope.
We live in a country where abundance flows in the face of explicit human need. All too often, prosperity and poverty avert their eyes as they pass in the street. My life has afforded me the unique opportunity to serve from a position of understanding, from a place where I can identify need and work towards a solution. In early adulthood, as a single parent, I knew all too well what need felt like. I was fortunate to get an education and find steady work, first as a welder and later as a full-time community advocate.
In my many years as a community organizer for Direct Action for Rights and Equality (DARE), I advocated for social and economic justice, tenants’ rights, affordable homeownership, better schools, safer streets, and police accountability. At the time, there was no one to turn to if you felt unsafe filing a complaint about police brutality. I worked with a small group of activists to develop the Providence External Review Authority (PERA), a civilian oversight board of the Providence Police Department. Together, we shed light on institutionalized injustice in our city.
Change never knocks politely at the door. Oftentimes, change has to beat down the door and force itself in. Years ago, I met an incredible champion for social justice, Councilman Miguel Luna. His passion for service encouraged me to take the leap from activist to public servant. When a heart attack took his life, I decided to keep his fight for justice alive. Today, as a City Councilwoman, I serve thousands of people who have been underrepresented for far too long. I listen to their needs, I amplify their voices, and I bring people and policy together to bridge the gaps.
