Rev. L.M. “Ribbons” Harris brings more than 25 years of experience working at the intersection of faith-based leadership, community resilience, and crisis response—particularly within marginalized and high-risk communities. Her career includes senior roles such as Executive Director of a community development corporation, co-founder of *Operation Starting Line* (a national initiative within the U.S. prison system), and Deputy Director of the National Prison Education Project. She also served as a police chaplain, specializing in critical incident stress management and psychological first aid for first responders and impacted communities.
As Founder and Executive Director of *The Parsonage Project*, Rev. Harris leads efforts to strengthen protective factors within faith communities by promoting clergy wellness, leadership upskilling, and preventative mental health strategies. In 2022, she partnered with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to help fortify the security posture of houses of worship and faith-based organizations. In 2024, she became a certified QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) suicide prevention trainer, equipping clergy and lay leaders to identify and respond to mental health crises before they escalate.
Rev. Harris currently serves as State Chair for Moms of Black Boys United and is an active member of both the New Jersey Interfaith Advisory Council and the Prophetic Council, where she advises on matters of religious equity, community safety, and trauma-informed engagement.
A published academic with advanced training and degrees in theology, ethics, and psychology, she remains deeply connected to local parish life at Grace Episcopal Church on Martha’s Vineyard. Outside of her professional work, she enjoys reading, travel, and kayaking with her son—while navigating life with one famously cantankerous cat.
The catalytic power of this Summit in bringing together those who are devoting their lives to pushing back and working to confront, understand and work towards solutions around hate in our society is a noble and difficult task. The Summit not only energized those who attended but led to connecting the dots in a global network of those doing this work. The stories of the victims of hate were painful to witness but their courage in coming forward was inspirational. Those who attended left energized with the hope that by working together solutions can be forged.
