James Harris

James Harris is a community media educator, media maker, and storyteller whose work centers on helping people gain the skills and confidence to create their own media. At SPEAK MPLS, he serves as Director of Education, supporting a member-powered Minneapolis media center where residents can learn production, use studios and equipment, and bring local stories to public access television and online platforms.

His work at SPEAK MPLS connects media education with community voice, youth opportunity, and cultural storytelling. Through classes, studio training, field production support, and programs connected to RYSE MPLS and AMPLIFY MPLS, James helps new producers, young people, and community members move from interest to practice. That work includes teaching the technical side of media production while also supporting people as they tell stories rooted in identity, neighborhood, civic life, and lived experience.

James’s community media path also includes work with CreaTV San Jose, where he was identified as a Community Media Specialist in 2020. In 2025, he received the Alliance for Community Media’s Jewell Ryan-White Award for Cultural Diversity, connecting his work to the field’s long-standing commitment to access, representation, and equity. His contribution reflects one of community media’s most important roles: making sure people are not only seen and heard, but prepared and supported to speak for themselves.