She said she felt like she was nobody.

 

Alice Harris AKA Sweet Alice Harris’ story reads like one that doesn’t have a happy ending— jail at 12, mother by 13, homeless with no prospects. Despite all of this, hope springs eternal and her situation would soon be turned on its head by love and kindness.

 

Harris is originally from Gadsden, Alabama and later moved to Michigan. During her teens in Detroit, she struggled to survive.

 

“I understand when people [define] you as being nothing,” said Harris. “They won’t give you anything, don’t want you around them—I was that way when I was 13, 14, 15 and 16.

 

“I had a baby at 13 and another at 14—I was nothing! I couldn’t go back to school and couldn’t even run with the children that went to school.

 

“When you’re nothing, you can’t run with something.”

 

Her situation was bleak but a woman across the street, who worked for a rich Jewish family, wanted to help her. She would give her clothes and allow her to clean her house, which gave Harris something constructive to do.

 

Unfortunately, the woman fell ill but it turned out to be the beginning of light at the end of the tunnel for Harris. She was offered the chance to watch the kids of the wealthy family for a day, which impressed the family so much that they went the extra mile for Harris. She remembered being commended on how well she took care of the kids but with two children of her own at the time, handling kids wasn’t a trial for Harris.

 

“I said ‘I got two of my own, I know how to take care of the children’,” said Harris.

 

She was eventually asked what she wanted to do with her life and the answer was to become a beautician. The family invested in her dream because they had come to care for her as she cared for the family. Harris learned how to read and studied eventually becoming a beautician. Eventually, the family relocated to New York but she remembers the moment that started her journey.

 

“I asked, ‘what can I do for ya’ll? You’ve done so much for me. What can I do for ya’ll? Whatever you say, I’ll do it’,” said Harris.

 

“’When you find somebody wearing the same shoes you were wearing…  I want you to do for them what we’ve done for you’” is what Harris was told and that’s exactly what she’s been doing for most of her life.

 

Harris would eventually move to California to care for her mother and relocate to Watts in the Jordan Downs Housing Project, where she championed for a disenfranchised community. A friend helped get her a place in the area.

 

“She didn’t tell me it was supposed to have been bad,” said Harris. “I’m thinking it’s good, I see all these people and you know what I was looking at—clientele.

 

“I can go in here and fix their hair and I can make them look good.”

 

Her mother wasn’t happy she was living in Watts and feared for her life but Harris had a mission.

 

“It didn’t bother me about what she had said—if they was bad, I could help them,” said Harris. “I could help them to be good because I had been helped to be good.”

 

Her stand and advocacy in Watts would bring about change and give a voice to the voiceless. Harris was even instrumental part in getting the Martin Luther King Hospital in the area, which was severely needed.  She began to bridge the Black and Brown communities of Watts, who are often left to fight for jobs, programs and education. The bridge would give way to Parents of Watts, Inc (POW) in 1979, which continues to operate to this day with more than 15 programs in eight houses purchased by Harris.

 

POW residences provide emergency food and shelter, family counseling, tutoring, parenting classes, employment training, literacy courses, college and career preparation, and housing assistance for anyone who needs it.

 

Harris has made sure youth in the community get immunization and most of its assistance goes to young women and children. Harris is dedicated to keeping kids off drugs and pursuing an education and/or vocation for a successful life.

 

At 81 years young, Harris shows no signs of stopping when it comes to loving on the community.  She has been recognized over the years for tireless work and efforts which include being recognized and honored with an award by Essence magazine 1993, receiving the Woman of the Year in honor in 2002, receiving the Minerva Award from the Women's Conference  in 2007 and honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from the University of Southern California in 2008. She was recently honored at the 50th Year Celebration Gala at JW Marriott at LA LIVE, where guests from all over the nation congratulated Harris for life’s achievements.

 

Harris credits many people with helping her to become the community activist she is today. Among that list of people is the publisher of L.A Sentinel & Watts Times, Danny Bakewell, Sr. and the late Mothers in Action president, Brenda Marsh-Mitchell.

 

“It was [Danny Bakewell Sr.] and Brenda Marsh-Mitchell that got me started to not be so scared working out here in the community,” said Harris. “Just do it.

 

“It was [Bakewell] and Brenda Marsh-Mitchell.

 

“She stayed on me.”

 

Sweet Alice Harris loves the community as if it were her child and mother’s love knows no bounds. She has never turned her back on her community and doesn’t intend to.

 

“I want to keep working with the young people and get them on jobs,” said Harris. “If we can do that, we can change their lives.”

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