Today we’d like to introduce you to Arielle Harris.
Arielle, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I grew up on a little island called Saint Simons Island in Georgia. I never felt as if I fit in there so I moved to Los Angeles when I was sixteen. I quickly learned that I did not know much about the world and was eager to learn more. I would spend every cent I had on plane tickets so I could see the world and would barely make rent the next month. Not very responsible, but it was fun! Since I was little, I always thought that I would be a singer. I didn’t have one doubt. I wanted to travel, sing and perform. After seeing the realities and loneliness of the music industry, I realized that having my friends around and singing at small venues for fun was more than enough for me. So, here I was having no idea what I wanted to do so I did the most logical thing I could think of and moved to France. Why? I have no idea. It was not the fantasy that I had in my head so I, not surprisingly, found myself back in Los Angeles working for a start-up app. I was working for a woman, Mel, who introduced me to an amazing non-profit called POPS the Club. I ended up checking it out and fell completely in love. I started as an intern and am now the Program Manager. I never thought I would fall into the nonprofit field but here I am and I am loving it.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Has it been a smooth road? Absolutely not. It still isn’t to be completely honest. The non-profit field is hard. Not knowing what I wanted to do, being told that I would fail, people taking my ideas as their own and me learning how to finally stand up for myself. I think learning how to stand up for myself and understanding that I have worth in the workforce was the hardest part for me. It was hard for me to speak my mind because I didn’t want to be a bother. Know I look at that and think.. how silly! My advice for other women out there would be that you are worth it, you are freaking beautiful and you are perfect just being you.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I work for a non-profit POPS the Club. POPS stands for pain of the prison system. We are a high school-based club that provides a safe space for students that have been impacted by incarceration. The shame and stigma that surrounds incarceration causes many students to keep their pain silent. One in fourteen children have or have had a parent incarcerated. One in fourteen! That doesn’t even include brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles and other loved ones. POPS meets once a week during lunchtime and is peer-based. It’s so often that students walk in not realizing that their friends are experiencing the same thing. In the clubs we write, talk, listen to speakers and eat together. Expressive art is a major focus and if the students are interested we publish their work whether it be writing, poetry, photography or art, in our annual anthology.
Who have you been inspired by?
My mother. She was a single mom and raised three kids while waiting tables. HOW?! I have a full-time job and stress out about being the best dog mom. She worked tirelessly to give us what we needed and has always pushed us to reach for the stars. If anybody has pushed me to follow my dreams or keep working hard, it’s her.
Pricing:
- Anthology We Got Game 21.95
Contact Info:
- Website: www.popsclubs.org
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: Arielle_alexis
Image Credit:
All photos, except the one taken of me, are of the POPS students.
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