Harris, Melanie
Melanie Harris
Rev. Dr. Melanie Harris is prominent in Black feminist thought and womanist theology. An ordained clergy and professor of religion and social thought, Rev. Dr. Harris’ work examines social and environmental justice, religion, and ethics. As a professor at Wake Forest University, she has authored many scholarly papers and delivered impactful talks on subjects intertwining race, gender, spirituality, and ecology. Her work also delves into the pivotal role of Black women in environmental justice. Rev. Dr. Harris is an educator and a dedicated community leader whose fervor is deeply rooted in a steadfast commitment to advancing social justice.
“Honoring the earth is also an act of honoring divine light in ourselves.” - Rev. Dr. Harris, 2023
Harris, M. 2010. Gifts of virtue, Alice Walker, and womanist ethics. Springer.
Harris, M. L. 2016. Ecowomanism: An Introduction. Worldviews: Global Religions, Culture, and Ecology, 20(1), 5-14.
Harris, M. L. 2020 Ecowomanism: African American women and earth-honoring faiths. Orbis Books.
Harris, M. L. 2017. Ecowomanism and ecological reparations. The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Religion and Ecology, 195-202.
Harris, M. L. 2017. Reshaping the ear: honorable listening and study of ecowomanist and ecofeminist scholarship for feminist discourse. Journal of feminist studies in religion, 33(2), 158-162.
Rev. Dr. Harris’ grandparents, Lucy and Singleton Harris, departed from Mississippi’s Jim and Jane Crow era around 1918. They were among the first pioneers of the Great Migration and journeyed west to establish Colorado’s first black farming settlement, Dearfield. They dedicated their agricultural expertise to nurturing the land’s wisdom, transforming the challenging rocky soil of the West through their labors and prayers. Eventually, they chose to begin a family and relocated to Denver, where the next three generations of the Harris family were born.
Rev. Dr. Melanie Harris came into the world in September of 1975, born to Rev. Dr. Naomi O. Harris and John A. Harris. During that time, her mother was an educator within the Denver Public Schools, while her father was the first African-American City Planner at the City and County of Denver. From an early age, she was instilled with a deep reverence for the Earth in all aspects of life, particularly in the spiritual realm. She learned to foster a profound connection with nature, whether it be through gardening, hiking in the mountains, or harmonizing with the Earth through song.
Rev. Dr. Harris attended Cherry Creek High School in Greenwood Village, Colorado. After high school, she attended Spelman College, earning a Bachelor of Arts in English with a Sacred Music minor in 1997. Rev. Dr. Harris earned her Masters in Divinity in Ethics, Social Protest Thought, and Freedom Movements in 2001 from the Iliff School of Theology. Rev. Dr. Harris earned a Master of Arts in Christian Social Ethics from Union Theological Seminary in 2004. Rev. Dr. Harris continued her education at Union Theological Seminary and earned her Ph.D. in Religious and Environmental Ethics in 2006.
In 2015, Rev. Dr. Harris completed a Professional Administrative Education in Management Leadership Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Rev. Dr. Harris’ first career was in media and broadcasting. While studying at Spelman, Rev. Dr. Haris held several TV-related jobs. From 1995 to 1997, she was a media specialist for Spelman College, and from 1996 to 1998, she was a traffic producer for the Atlanta ABC affiliate. From 1994 to 1997, Rev. Dr. Harris spent her summers in Denver as a Production Assistant and intern for the local NBC affiliate.
After graduating from Spelman College, Rev. Dr. Harris returned to her hometown of Denver as a News Writer and Producer for the local CBS affiliate. In 2000, she became the Community Affairs coordinator for the station.
In 2001, while completing her first master’s degree at Iliff School of Theology in Denver, Rev. Dr. Harris was an instructor of Supervised ministry from 2000 to 2001. In 2001, she joined the American Academy of Religion and served on the organization’s Womanist Scholars Steering Committee from 2003 to 2005. In 2002, she joined the Society of Christian Ethics.
Rev. Dr. Harris moved to New York City to attend Union Theological Seminary. While in New York City, she was the worship coordinator for the Riverside Church from 2003 to 2004. In 2010, she was elected to the board of directors for the Society of Christian Ethics and served a five-year term. In 2005, she joined the Society of the Study of Black Religion and served on the society’s executive committee from 2014 to 2015.
In 2005, Rev. Dr. Harris joined the Texas Christian University (TCU) faculty as an Assistant Professor. In 2011, she was promoted to Associate Professor. Her scholarly pursuits center on exploring the intricate intersections of race, religion, gender, and environmental ethics. In 2008, she was a visiting professor and researcher at her Alma mater, Iliff School of Theology. In 2009, Rev. Dr. Harris was a visiting professor at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta.
Since 2007, Rev. Dr. Harris has been a member of the American Academy of Religion Southwest Commission on Religious Studies. In 2009, Rev. Dr. Harris received a Teaching and Mentoring Award from Southern Methodist University, Perkins Youth School of Theology Summer Academy College. She won the award again in 2010 and 2015.
While at TCU, Rev. Dr. Harris published her first book, Gifts of Virtue: Alice Walker and Womanist Ethics, in 2010. Soon after, she co-edited Faith, Feminism, and Scholarship: The Next Generation in 2011. In 2016, Rev. Dr. Harris founded TCU’s African American and Africana Studies Department and directed the program until 2018.
Since 2010, Rev. Dr. Harris has been active in the Ford Foundations Fellowship Program. She joined as a National Academies member and a Philosophy and Religious Studies Committee reviewer. In 2012, she became chair of the academy.
In addition to her work at the university, Rev. Dr. Harris is active in social justice work in the church. From 2011 to 2015, Rev. Dr. Harris co-directed the Earth Honoring Faith Program for the Presbyterian Church’s Ghost Ranch. From 2012 to 2015, she was the Project Director for Wisdom Sharing with Alice Walker, Gloria Steinem, and Hyun Kyung Chung. In 2015, Rev. Dr. Harris received an AddRan College of Liberal Arts Administration Fellowship and was a Green Faith Black Church Studies and Environmental Justice Scholar. Since 2017, Rev Dr. Harris has also directed the ACE Fellows Program at the University of Denver.
Dr. Harris has lent her leadership acumen to various boards, most notably as a member of the board of directors for the American Academy of Religion. She is also a co-facilitator for teaching and pedagogy workshops in partnership with The Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion, collaborating closely with the Lilly Foundation.
Rev. Dr. Harris completed the Harvard Leadership Program in 2015, which has amplified the experience and contributions she makes with her work. A prolific writer, Rev. Dr. Harris published a second book in 2017, Ecowomanism: African American Women and Earth Honoring Faiths. She has also written numerous scholarly journal articles and book chapters and is working on two new book projects. These books examine the profound topics of Black Interfaith Contemplative Thought Activism and Climate Justice, as well as the proto-womanist activism of Harriet Tubman and Fannie Lou Hamer.
Her commitment to community and education has led her to serve as an educational consultant for organizations, including the Ford Foundation, the Forum for Theological Exploration, and the Lily Endowment Inc. funded- Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion. Rev. Dr. Harris has been an executive board member of the Society for the Study of Black Religion, KERA-TV/Radio, the Society of Christian Ethics, and the American Academy of Religion.
Dr. Harris’s academic journey has seen her thrive at institutions like Texas Christian University. In 2019, she became the Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Her scholarship encompasses diverse subjects, from Buddhist-Christian Dialogue and Critical Race Theory to Religion and Environmental Ethics.
Rev. Dr. Harris is the visionary founder of Ecowomanism, a pioneering approach to environmental ethics. Ecowomanism uses an intersectional analysis and spotlights the invaluable contributions of women of African descent in work, scholarship, and spiritual activism within the environmental movement.
Beyond her profound work in the environmental ethics field, Rev. Dr. Harris possesses a rich and diverse skill set. She is a trained opera singer, a proficient yoga instructor, and a compassionate meditation guide. Furthermore, her leadership extends to facilitating Buddhist-Christian meditation retreats, where she fosters an environment of mindfulness and spiritual connection. Dr. Harris is also deeply engaged in interreligious dialogue and actively participates in interfaith movements that explore the intersections of religion and ecology.
In 2020, Rev. Dr. L. Harris became a professor at Wake Forest University. She was jointly appointed by the School of Divinity and the African American Studies Program. She is both a Professor of Environmental Studies and Professor of African-American Studies and Religion and Ethics. When she joined Wake Forest, she also became director of Food, Health, and Ecological Well Being.
Rev. Dr. Melanie Harris has been fortunate to receive guidance from one of her most cherished mentors, Alice Walker. As the trailblazing figure behind the concept of “womanist” and the womanist movement, Walker is an inspirational exemplar of excellence in writing, teaching, and activism. Rev. Dr. Harris considers it a profound honor to have benefited from Walker’s wisdom and support.
In turn, Rev. Dr. Harris has embraced the role of mentor to many emerging scholars in various fields, including religion, environmental studies, and the realms of womanist and black feminist thought. Her dedication to mentoring extends to her role as an ordained clergyperson within the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) tradition, where she provides invaluable guidance and encouragement to fellow clergy members. She passionately promotes the importance of spiritual self-care and spiritual direction, fostering growth and well-being within her religious community.
As a professor at Wake Forest, she frequently supports and advises her students. She often provides recommendation letters and references for student’s fellowship, graduate, and professional applications.
Rev. Dr. Melanie Harris imparts her wisdom with these words of advice: “Honoring the Earth is, at its core, an act of honoring the divine light that resides within each of us. As we engage in the tireless pursuit of earth justice, it’s paramount that we remember to care for ourselves. Self-care is not merely a luxury; it’s an essential practice for every guardian of the Earth. By cultivating a consistent spiritual practice – be it meditation, prayer, writing, or mindful walking within a supportive community – we fortify our spirits and forge strong communal connections. These connections serve as a wellspring of encouragement during the demanding journey of justice work. In this way, we become not only defenders of the Earth but also bearers of the divine light within, sharing it with the world” (2023).
Harris, Melanie. 2016. TCU Vita. https://www.tcu.edu/directory/files/Harris-Vita-September-2016.pdf. Curriculum Vitae.
Harris, Melanie. 2023. Melanie L. Harris. https://www.buddhistinquiry.org/teacher/melanie-l-harris/
Survey and interviews conducted by Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Sustainability Initiative staff. 2022-2023. Yale University-School of the Environment. New Haven, Connecticut. Wake Forest University. 2023. Melanie L. Harris. https://divinity.wfu.edu/academics/faculty/melanie-l-harris/
Westar Institute. 2022. Melanie L. Harris. https://www.westarinstitute.org/person/melanie-l-harris.
Harris, Melanie. 2023.