Enlightened Ones: Interview with Phyllis Seven Harris
Enlightened Solutions was honored to be able to interview Phyllis Seven Harris for our first newsletter. Ms. Harris is a mother, nonprofit practitioner, mentor, and lesbian feminist. Learn more about her life and experiences below.
“I lead with my identities because they are personal and political.”
Who is Phyllis Seven Harris?
I am a Black lesbian feminist, mom, and non-profit practitioner. I lead with my identities because they are personal and political. I am rooted in Cleveland; from the little 3-year-old girl who began in Head Start on St. Clair Avenue to an Alumna of Case Western Reserve University — I am proudly rooted in Cleveland. My brother and I were born to a single teen mother who raised us with pride; my brother is a Cleveland Division of Police sergeant, and have dedicated this portion of my life to take up space as a daughter, a mother, a Feminist, a lesbian, and a Black woman.
One thing that people are always intrigued about is my name, Seven; it is my real name because I named myself. I believe I was brought to this name through my life experiences, which have happened in seven-year increments. Now don’t get me wrong — my name, Phyllis Michelle — holds serious significance in my heart and familial history; I’m named after my uncle. But I needed a name that represented the phases in my life that have defined me — therefore, my name is Phyllis, but my friends call me Seven.
Describe your advocacy style in THREE words.
Fierce, Grounded and Collaborative.
The quote that encapsulates this for me is “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.” Bees are fierce, yet collaborative. Butterflies are beautiful, but as all creatures grounded in their higher purpose. Similar to Muhammad Ali who popularized this phrase, I believe that stepping up for my people is key — and when I say “my people” I mean all intersections. Those who find themselves most on the margins including pregnant people, queer people, individuals who are family planning, Black people, and women. In order for me to survive, I need to advocate for them.
“I am a Black lesbian feminist, mom, and non-profit practitioner. I lead with my identities because they are personal and political.”
At 30, where did you see your career manifesting? What industry were you working in and why? How is this different from where you are today?
I like to think of myself as a “late bloomer” even though I was financially independent by 18-years-old. But, I began walking into my purpose, who I am, and what I believed in, into my 30s. I returned to Cleveland from living in San Francisco where I was a pharmacy tech at the height of the HIV/AID epidemic where I learned a lot about advocating for people and keeping them safe. When I came back home, I knew I wanted to do more and eventually applied for a job as a community educator at the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center. This amazing opportunity opened a window into my future career: non-profit management, with a focus on community education and social justice advocacy. At this point, I realized I could have a job where I could be myself and out.
What article, journal or book have you recently read which has interested you and why?
I never miss articles from The Chronicle of Philanthropy — one of the articles I just re-read was about how people of color navigate the nonprofit sector in leadership roles. I am always interested in hearing about the experiences of Black women in philanthropy in other leadership roles within the social advocacy industry.
Outside of professional reading, I am currently re-reading a collection of essays and speeches by Toni Morrison called The Source of Self-Regard. Historically, I’ve found that women like myself experience being silenced — in the media, in our communities, and in the boardroom. I’m always looking to hear the voice of women in leadership, specifically Black women and women of color. Morrison’s book stays by my bedside, and every time I feel overwhelmed, I open that book. Each time I open her book she teaches me something new about something that may be happening at the moment.
I’ve always admired Maya Angelou’s voice. Her analysis, perceptions, and interpretations of what’s going on in the world shaped the way I show up for myself and women around me. She was able to give voice to us in a way the media and representations of us in the media couldn’t do. I found myself turning off the mainstream media and curious about what feminist thought leaders like Maya Angelou, Alice Walker, Toni Morrison, and the like were forecasting about everyday life.
I continue to look to women in leadership like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Kamala Harris, and Sonia Sotomayor for the answer.
“[I] have dedicated this portion of my life to take[ing] up space.”
What quote, poem, article or book do you suggest all emerging leaders read or research?
I always recommend the author and scholar Audre Lorde for emerging leaders. The quote that comes to mind is: “The master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house.” Using the oppressors’ ideas and tools will never dismantle oppressive systems.
What can businesses and nonprofits in Northeast Ohio do to create a culture of inclusion for LGBTQ+ individuals?
It’s imperative that organizations and institutions are not leaving people behind — intentionally or unintentionally. When the moral imperative does not compel people to create an equitable and safe environment for individuals, if they truly believe that inclusion supports their bottom-line, they must be willing to take the necessary steps towards it.
They need to listen with an active ear about the experiences that are outside of the heterosexual or heteronormative perspective; a typical “office culture” can be very isolating for LGBTQ+ individuals. I don’t believe that the onus is on LGBTQ+ individuals alone to change the culture or that change would happen overnight…
“Using the oppressors’ ideas and tools will never dismantle oppressive systems.”
I’m proposing long term investments that require a commitment to supporting change within the organization. Each organization must have measurable goals about improving workplace equity and inclusion for LGBTQ+ individuals with tangible and smart plans in place to move the needle forward. What’s your five-year plan to increase LGBTQ+ staff in the office? Where are you recruiting? Where are you posting your jobs? What policies and procedures do you have in place to end discrimination in the workplace? We all have to learn how to do this. We’re all in this journey together and learning to get it right.
“Fierce, Grounded and Collaborative.”
We had our own challenges at the Center, at one time, around centering, supporting, and listening to Trans and nonbinary individuals. We recognized this. We learned from our mistakes. We’re always learning from our mistakes by listening to trans and nonbinary people. But, like so many institutions, we have to do the heavy lifting because the majority of us are not trans and nonbinary. We need to protect individuals who face the highest discrimination and we believe the Center is setting an example for other institutions in Northeast Ohio.
As a Black, female, lesbian community leader, what has been the most significant barrier in your career?
I face many of the same challenges that Black women in leadership have historically and continue to face each day in the workplace. While I remain optimistic, challenges range from pay equity to implicit bias around race, class, and gender. These challenges are often used as weapons to silence or isolate me from advocating for myself and others, like so many other women I know.
A large part of that implicit bias is witnessing individuals make unconscious (or conscious) decisions about who they want to work with, who they want to listen to, who they will support without fact-checking, being collaborative, or open to new ideas and voices. So, not only are voices like mine silenced and isolated, but those who make the decision end up reverting back to what they’re comfortable with, what they know, and the status quo.
We know that advocacy work is never done, it is merely passed along to the next generation — however, will your work in this space end? Why or why not?
Living my life out and proud as Black lesbian, feminist, mother was my first introduction to activism. Those experiences have shaped the work I do and inform my work and advocacy.
I’m committed to elevating this work as intergenerationally, collaboratively, and inclusively with intersectionality in mind. I mean, check out my staff! I’m very proud of the people on my team, the work we do, and how we do it. This would not be possible with the same faces in the room.
“Living my life out and proud as Black lesbian, feminist, mother was my first introduction to activism.”
There are various national articles that describe Cleveland as an extremely difficult place to live and work — what can Cleveland leadership learn from you and the LGBTQ+ Center of Greater Cleveland?
We’re resilient. We tackle issues head-on. We’re not ashamed or afraid of correcting our mistakes. We’re open and collaborative. We’re kind. These things allow us to be the past, present, and future of doing good in the City of Cleveland and we intend on being leaders in modeling this behavior. Our hopes are that people utilize our services and training that we offer to implement within their workplace.
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