Community activist Eddie Harris Jr. recently received the Mollie Bell Social Activist Award for his continuous work in helping ex offenders reenter society. Harris is proud of his achievement, as he should be, but not because people recognize him. It’s what the award represents, the sheer weight of it encompassing everything Harris had to go through to get here.
“Here in California, I received my education inside the judicial system,” explained the New Orleans native who had his first bout with the law in 1971.
“I stayed from 1971 to 1977,” Harris explained to the Sentinel during a recent interview.
“I went back to prison in 1980, paroled in 1984. I got arrested [again] in 1986 and went to Federal prison until 1999…”
It was because Eddie Harris Jr. wanted money and wealth and he wanted it fast.
“Being a young man from the South and coming to California, I was real country-like. People would make fun of me and I was a fighter so I was kicked out of public school for being too much trouble,” Harris said.
“I went from there to hanging with the wrong crowd. I was with mostly older men and women and they had fine clothes, fine cars, things of that nature and I was attracted to that…”
But living the “big time” as Harris describes, came with a hefty price and he has spent the latter part of his life making sure others don’t have to pay it.
“You want fast and easy money, big cars, fine clothes and freedom of travel,” Harris tells potential criminals via a three page prison manifesto, written during his time of reflection.
“All of this is well and good, as most people dream of wealth and the better things in life. But when you enter a life of crime and try to make it pay, you are headed for a world of trouble for yourself, family, friends and people that care about you…”
“Eddie knows well once you come home, many times the same old problems are still waiting for you,” said officials at the ACTION (A Commitment to Improve Our Nation) Family Network, who gave Harris the award.
“He has worked very hard with many people to help make their transition easier… giving them guidance and helping them to achieve their goals. [This was] very important to him. He recommended volunteer work to help [ex offenders] feel more successful and gave them more of a life’s purpose. Eddie is always one to lead by example.”
Harris is also the founder and CEO of CAPE (Cultural Awareness Pride and Education) Foundation. He has participated in peace walks, he has served on Humanitarian Day distributing food to those in need. He has also been involved in the Stop the Violence anti bullying program.