Projects
Projects
Project 1
Community History & Youth Education
Jeffrey Harris has been deeply involved in preserving and sharing Troy, Ohio's history with the next generation. Working alongside the leadership of the Troy Historical Society and Troy-Hayner Cultural Center, Jeffrey helped lead educational tours highlighting local Underground Railroad history and the courageous journeys of those who sought freedom. He shared these stories with children at the Troy Lincoln Community Center as well as students from Troy High School, helping young people connect the history of their own community to the larger American story. His work reflects his belief that understanding where we came from gives young people the knowledge and perspective to help shape where we go next.
Project 2
Preserving History, Educating Youth, Building the Future
Jeffrey Harris's work with local history and Underground Railroad education provides children with more than a tour—it gives them an opportunity to learn through the history of their own community. By helping lead educational tours for children at the Troy Lincoln Community Center and students from Troy High School, he helped make local history tangible and meaningful.
These experiences can strengthen critical thinking, historical understanding, reading and listening comprehension, research skills, civic awareness, and empathy by encouraging students to examine real people, difficult decisions, courage, freedom, and the consequences of historical events. Connecting classroom learning to actual places and stories can also help students understand that history is not simply something found in a textbook—it happened in the communities where they live.
Most importantly, this work encourages young people to ask questions, understand different perspectives, appreciate the sacrifices of previous generations, and recognize their own ability to contribute to their community.
When children understand their history, they gain perspective. When they gain perspective, they can make better decisions about their future.
Project 3
Honoring Dr. King Through Community Service
Jeffrey Harris has participated in the annual Martin Luther King Jr. community march in Troy, Ohio, helping keep Dr. King's legacy of service, unity, dignity, and civic responsibility alive within the community. His involvement represents more than commemorating a historic figure—it is an opportunity to bring people together across generations and backgrounds around the principle that positive change begins when ordinary people choose to serve their communities.
Through participation in the march, Jeffrey helps create an environment where young people and families can learn about the importance of Dr. King's work while reflecting on the responsibilities that come with citizenship. Events like this encourage civic engagement, historical awareness, community unity, leadership, and service, while giving children an opportunity to see adults actively participating in the community they call home.
For Jeffrey, honoring Dr. King is ultimately about putting the philosophy of service into action:
“We don't honor Dr. King simply by remembering what he said. We honor him by continuing the work of bringing people together and serving the communities we share.”
Project 4
Faith, Fellowship & Community Service
Jeffrey Harris has also participated in community marches following church services, creating opportunities for devotional reflection, spiritual education, fellowship, and community connection. These gatherings brought people together beyond the walls of the church, allowing participants to reflect on principles such as compassion, service, perseverance, hope, and responsibility toward one's neighbors.
For young people especially, these experiences can provide an opportunity to see faith expressed through community involvement. Walking together, sharing messages of encouragement, and participating in community activities can help children and families develop a stronger understanding of service, respect, personal responsibility, and the importance of supporting one another.
The broader purpose is simple: to strengthen the connection between spiritual values and practical service. A healthy community is built not only through what we say we believe, but through how we treat one another and how willing we are to show up for our neighbors.
Faith can inspire us. Education can guide us. Service can bring us together.
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Project 5
Community Outreach & Equal Service
Through his involvement with the Ohio Tri-County NAACP, Jeffrey Harris has continued his commitment to community outreach, civic engagement, and service to people from all backgrounds. His approach is grounded in a simple principle: every person deserves to be heard, respected, and treated with dignity—regardless of race, ethnicity, age, gender, economic status, or background.
Jeffrey's community work has focused on connecting with citizens, listening to their concerns, sharing information, and helping people identify pathways toward greater opportunity. His involvement reflects his belief that advocacy should not create divisions between communities, but should build bridges among them.
Whether working with families, young people, seniors, working adults, or community organizations, Jeffrey strives to make service inclusive and accessible. His goal is not to serve one race at the expense of another, but to help strengthen the entire community while recognizing that different communities can experience different challenges.
His philosophy can be summed up simply:
“Equal service means every person matters. Community leadership means making sure every person has a voice.”
Through his NAACP involvement and broader community service, Jeffrey continues working toward a community where fairness is practiced, opportunity is expanded, and people are brought together rather than divided.
Project 6
Black History: The Power of Unity and Resilience
Today, we stand together, not just to honor Black history, but to recognize the power within us—the power of unity, resilience, and collective progress. Psychological research tells us that when people unite for a common purpose, they become stronger, more innovative, and more unstoppable. History has proven this time and time again. From the civil rights movement to modern-day achievements in business, science, and the arts, our greatest victories have always come from working together. And today, I want to remind you that our future will be built the same way—through unity, vision, and relentless determination.
One of the most powerful psychological principles is the "collective efficacy"—the belief that a group can accomplish more together than any individual can alone. This idea has driven change throughout our history. When Harriet Tubman led hundreds to freedom, she did not act alone—she worked with the Underground Railroad, a network of courageous individuals committed to justice. When Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. marched for civil rights, he stood on the shoulders of thousands who believed in his dream. Today, we must carry on that legacy, understanding that real progress is not just about one leader, one voice, or one action—it is about the power of the many moving as one.
Psychologists also emphasize the importance of "shared identity"—the idea that when we see ourselves as part of something bigger, we become more motivated and resilient. Think about the countless obstacles our ancestors faced—enslavement, segregation, and systemic oppression—yet they pushed forward because they saw their struggle as part of a larger fight. That same spirit lives within us. When we embrace our shared identity as a community, we find strength in each other. We lift each other up, invest in one another, and refuse to let anyone be left behind. We are not just individuals trying to succeed—we are a people determined to rise together.
But unity is not just about the past—it is the key to the future. Studies show that Black-owned businesses thrive when supported by the community, that young minds excel when mentored by those who have paved the way, and that real policy change happens when we vote, advocate, and demand action together. The world does not give power—it must be claimed. And the best way to claim it is by standing side by side, with a shared vision and an unshakable belief in what we can achieve.
So I ask you today—what will you do with the power of unity? Will you lift up the next generation? Will you support Black businesses? Will you mentor, inspire, and advocate? Because the truth is, our potential is limitless when we move as one. We are the embodiment of our ancestors’ dreams, and we have a responsibility to keep building on their legacy.
Let’s rise together, let’s push forward, and let’s show the world what happens when a people stand united. Our history is powerful—but our future will be even greater.