April 9, 2024 • 26 mins
Meet Teara Harris, a visionary in affordable housing and empowerment. As the founder of Communities of Tomorrow and a dedicated HUD Contract Specialist, Harris is transforming lives by bridging the gap for middle-class families through innovative housing solutions and homebuyer assistance programs across several states. Discover how her passion for social change is creating a brighter future for many. Teara Harris is fueled by an impassioned desire to bridge the housing gap for middle-class families. She has diligently worked towards establishing affordable housing resources in several states, including Georgia and North Carolina. With a keen focus on homebuyer assistance programs and senior living, Teara is determined to assist those who find themselves caught in the financial gap, unable to qualify for luxury homes or government subsidies.
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Episode Transcript
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Nan McKay (00:06):
Is the middle class left out of housing opportunities?
Find out what Tiara Harris is doing to help.
Welcome. I'm Nan McKay, the voice behind trailblazers impact, your beacon to
extraordinary women trailblazing unique paths.
Our podcast spotlights luminaries whose life
stories inspire and empower delivered to yourears bi weekly.
(00:30):
Buckle up for another episode packed withpowerful narratives and empowering journeys on
trailblazers impact.
Stay with us.
This is Nan McKay, and in today's episode, we have the pleasure of chatting with
Tiara Harris, the dynamic founder and CEO ofCommunities of Tomorrow.
(00:52):
Fueled by an impassioned desire to bridge thehousing gap for middle class families, Tierra
has diligently worked toward establishingaffordable housing resources in several
states, including Georgia and North Carolina.
With a keen focus on homebuyer assistance
(01:13):
programs and senior living, Tierra isdetermined to assist those who find themselves
caught in the financial gap unable to qualifyfor the luxury homes on this side or the
government subsidies on the other side.
So apart from spearheading communities of
(01:34):
tomorrow, she also serves as UDS, a packagefor the 502 direct loan program and affordable
housing development for the rail district,where her role encompasses a gamut of
responsibilities, from mentoring acquisitionpersonnel to negotiating contract terms.
(01:56):
Join us as we delve into the journey and theimpactful work of this committed trailblazer
in the housing sector.
So welcome, tiara.
Teara Harris (02:06):
Hi. How you doing? I'm so happy to be here today.
Yes, ma'am.
Nan McKay (02:13):
Could you start by telling us about the genesis of communities of tomorrow and
what ignited your passion to assist middleclass families in securing affordable housing?
Teara Harris (02:26):
Well, everybody deserves a stable place to live, right?
Whether you are rented or home ownership.
And so that was the goal, to have stable
living environments.
And we are in a family now that the housing
market is very hard to come by.
We are dealing with inflation on a day to day
(02:49):
basis.
So for me, my background was HR, and I seen a
lot of people on the, on the production floorthat was making the money to live, to live in
home ownership, but did not have the resourcesto help them out with that.
(03:12):
So with that being said, it may know mythought process is if you create opportunities
and resources for people, that they thrive andthat makes the community thrive.
So now we will have a stable community thatpeople are spending money into the community.
(03:35):
So the goal is whether you are wanting to dohome ownership or be a, or if you want to just
be a realtor, it's about being stable andcomfortable enough to spend money into your
community.
Because when a community thrives, you know,
then people take pride in the community, thenwe want, we will have less crime, we will have
(04:01):
a beautiful community and we will have, youknow, a place that we can call home and
everybody is accepted.
So for me, it was very important for me to
start this back in the community systemtomorrow, back in 2020.
Nan McKay (04:21):
In 2020.
Teara Harris (04:23):
Yes ma'am.
Interesting because.
Yes ma'am.
Cause we was in a pandemic and, you know,
nobody didn't know where the resources were orhow you do this as I'm a resource program
nerd.
And so I was getting calls from, from the
mayor to the chief of police, state officialsabout, you know, what is the resources?
(04:45):
And we went from there and I just created, Istarted out doing resource events and I was
doing them in the pandemic even though wedidn't supposed to gather, but I did them
outside and make sure everybody was, you know,the proper feet apart.
And we just, I had the school system there, Ihad the jobs, I had, you know, homeownership
(05:11):
programs and people in Lagrange, Lagrange,Georgia community got to take part of that.
And seeing, okay, we have a whole bunch ofresources, whether it's state, federal or
local.
It was my job to bring all those resources
together in one area.
(05:32):
And so basically the vendors set up a table,
no cost to them and no cost to theparticipant.
And we fed them lunch.
We had the mayor, the Mayor Lagrange just
speak and let people know what was availableto them as on a local, we had a state
(05:54):
representative and they explained on the stateand then we had better.
And so they just broke down everything.
So everybody knew where the resources were,
how to tap in at the contact person.
Nan McKay (06:09):
That is so important because there are so many resources out there, but without a
guide to help them, it's really hard to findthem.
How does communities of tomorrow identify andselect the regions where they plan to develop
affordable housing?
Teara Harris (06:26):
Well, for me is I'm a southern girl and so, you know, everybody dreams of
moving to the big cities, but we have likeNorth Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee,
Mississippi, these are untapped market.
Even Georgia's are untapped markets that
(06:48):
people want to have a stable stability ofhome, either home ownership or just a home.
And most people just want a safe, clean placeto live.
And sometimes the rural areas get left out.
And so my main focus is going to different
(07:09):
states that's very underserved to give themthe resources on a state, federal and a local
basis.
It also create home ownership or just building
up a community.
The community is what America really were
(07:29):
found out.
I look at back in the day, how everybody used
to help each other and everybody was there foreach other.
The reason why is because they had a sense ofcommunity, consist of togetherness.
And so now I want to help to create thatagain.
And I just enjoy getting no people with theUSDA as me being a USDA packager, I can talk
(07:58):
to people that never thought they could dobeing a home or have home ownership and get
excited because it's a great program.
I mean, know the 502 direct loan program,
they'll pay a percentage of your mortgage, andthen you can get it up to 38 years at 4.125%.
(08:20):
And so depending on the area, because someareas, you know, it depends on the income, it
depends on the dependence in your householdand depending on the county that you stay in.
But still, that's a good program.
And it's all in, in all 50 states in the rural
area.
So even in California, they got the program.
(08:41):
So this is a great program to put, to giveback a sense of community and just, you know,
put people in very low to low income thatnever thought in a million years that they can
get a home.
I know that one young lady got.
I helped to get pre approved for 310,$310,000.
(09:06):
She was, like, blown away.
Like, oh, my God, that's a. That's a lot of
house.
What am I. And.
But, you know, I tell people, just because youget a one amount, do not, you know, kind of be
below that, because you got to think.
And then we do continue educational home
ownership where, you know, okay, you got tothink about, if you get two stores, you won't
(09:30):
have two units, right?If you get, you know, so you got to factor in
that light bill cost, utility.
It costs.
If you get acres of land.
If you get two acres, then you got to pay that
lawn, that landscaping company, or you gonnahave to invest in a lawnmower.
So it is those types of things.
Because now my job is to make sure you wrap
(09:52):
your head around home ownership and how it,you know, and how with the steps of home
ownership and the different things that youneed.
And that's important.
Nan McKay (10:04):
That's a really good idea, because people who have not been homeowners don't
sometimes realize all the additional coststhat they're getting into.
They just think of that mortgage payment.
But there's a lot more of communities of
tomorrow is really quite distinctive.
It caters to families who earn between 60 and
120% of the median household income.
(10:26):
Can you elaborate on the challenges and maybe
the rewards of working with this.
Teara Harris (10:33):
Niche, I think for me is I come from part b and I didn't know that I was in
poverty till I moved to Atlanta.
I was like, oh my God, I was in poverty.
But for me it's challenging and rewarding atthe same time is having people to understand
(10:56):
they resources and helping them being selfsufficient.
Because if you're not self sufficient, how Iteach people, if something, if I was to move
to another country tomorrow, you will stillknow the tools and resources.
I don't want you to be dependent on me and Iwant you to do your own thing.
(11:19):
So what I do, I give people the resources andthe contact person.
A lot of people don't like to give.
I'm giving out the contact person in case
something happens.
So for me it just the mindset.
And once you, when people feel like, you know,they are our leader of their own life, then
(11:39):
that's when they really take hold and take offand do the things that they want to want to
do.
I'm like a one stop shop because I know about
the programs.
Like if you wanted to go to school, I'd be
like, okay, you know, if you want to go toschool, the technical college in, you know, in
(12:00):
Lagrange will help you with that.
But then I also research other technical
college in the area or in Georgia, Mississippiand different places they could because they
have government funding for those, for the,for high demand trades.
And so I encourage like what do you want todo?
(12:21):
What do you see for your life?I think in this today's world, we need to help
empower people to be more self sufficient.
And it's just like when you self sufficient
you can do so much more.
But if you are always trying to help, well,
(12:42):
not so much help, but do it for them.
We're going to be in the same situation, the
same ongoing cycle and they just gonna bedoing enough to just survive, not thrive.
So my, my goal and my, my focus is helpingthat person be self sufficient.
How can we do that?Okay, change mindsets.
(13:05):
Okay, how do you do that?And not just reaching it, them just coming
alongside them saying, you know, and I gotthis from circles of Lagrange, Georgia.
It's a group.
And I went through, I went through the group
or whatever.
And one thing I learned from that is you are
(13:26):
the leader of your own life.
I'm here and they call allies.
I'm here to root you on, to help you with theresources, but you are the leader.
So whatever you want to do, that's yourdecision.
Whether it's bad good or indifferent is yourdecision, and it's your responsibility, and
(13:49):
you are held accountable whether it's good orbad.
And that course helped me to do the work thatI do now.
So, you know, it's about holding peopleaccountable, helping them be self sufficient,
and help them.
They mindset to change and not always look at
the negative part of life, but turn it into apositive, because I have had negative things
(14:15):
to happen in my life.
But when I look back on it, it was just like a
test or a lesson that I needed to learn thenso I can apply it now.
I have a saying in my office, and one is,like, the nutrients to be successful,
basically.
And one of the items that you're going to feel
100% of the time, and that's okay, but are yougoing to stay there and glow on, or are you
(14:42):
going to do it better next time?Because you.
I have been doing this in all, helping out thecommunity for ten years.
In 2020, I stepped out on faith to get a fiveoh c one, c three.
And I was scared out my mind.
I have had so many roadblocks or
(15:06):
discouragement or, I can't do this.
And this after I'm being teared.
However, I kept the course.
I kept focused.
And every time I was about ready to give upit, something showed me that I can do this.
Currently, I am proud to announce that I havebeen working on a project with my business
(15:31):
partner, Philip Abbott.
He owns a lot of real estate in LaGrange,
Georgia.
Well, he brought me in to help him out, be his
partner in this endeavor.
So actually, I'm redeveloping the neighborhood
I grew up in, and we have finished the firstphase.
And people, I could be sitting here in theconference room doing work, and people be
(15:55):
peeping through the door, and I just said, Iinvite them in, like, come and see what we
have done.
This is a landmark.
This used to be this.
We still call it the Newman building.
And when we did the grand opening back inAugust, it was so rewarding to see that the
Newman family actually came to the river campfrom across the country, and they were in
(16:20):
tears on how it looks now.
And so we completed the first phase, and it
took us one year, and people like, oh, my God,y'all done with the first phase in one year
where we have an awesome team, we have ourawesome, we have an awesome relationship
wherein, you know, Philip basicallyconcentrates on the prescription, and I'm,
(16:45):
like, the strategic thinker and, like, tryingto figure out, you know, the different things
and kind of keep everything going and just,you know, I'm like a jack at all trade.
So it's just, no, I have had some big tasks,but I'm enjoying this.
I love.
We did a rural affordable housing summit last
(17:07):
Thursday, and we did a tour here, and it waslike, oh, my God.
And we had people from across the country.
I was shocked.
I had somebody from Texas.
I was like, you came from Texas to come to
this?And she was like, yeah.
And I was like, oh.
And it just helped out of love and support
(17:28):
from the community, from the local officials.
So I'm from the state.
I'm just excited about everything that is tocome.
The next phase we are working on, we aretaking.
And this is very innovative, but we are.
It's called the yard, and we going to take
(17:50):
some shipping containers and turn it into afood court.
And so, yes, so we do have the drawings forthat.
Actually, my office is just like a. It's myoffice, but it's also a showroom.
So we have the concept drawings throughout sopeople could come in and kind of, you know,
(18:10):
look at the walls and see where all we haveand all that good stuff.
So we are excited.
We have did so much in a year's time, a little
bit over a year, and so we hope to have theShiva container up and running next year.
And I'm just happy about it.
I'm thrilled.
Nan McKay (18:30):
As someone who's carved a path in both the nonprofit and the government sectors,
what advice would you give to individuals whoare really looking to make a tangible impact
in their communities through similar kinds ofthings that you do?
Teara Harris (18:48):
Well, when we first started, don't give up the whole, I'm gonna say this,
you gonna fail 100% of the time.
I'm being honest, but.
And you, we help.
We was told that this was a pipe dream or, you
(19:08):
know, people ain't gonna see the vision,especially where you, you.
When I come to the real vista, I see what itis.
I could see, you know, but everybody can't seewhat you see because it might not be David,
don't ever give up on your dreams.
If you know that this is your God given
talent, do it.
Yes.
(19:29):
When I have no. Last year, I didn't even knowabout affordable housing.
I thought, I'm being honest with you.
I thought it was a low income, but then I got
with a group of women, and that's how I metyou.
I got with a group of women.
They got one national.
I think they're going about to be in 32states.
(19:49):
And they took.
I walked into the Atlanta chapter.
And I walked into the luncheon and I was like,I'm home.
And it was just like women just like me thatare doing a lot to help their community and
they, and they can spearhead.
And I, and I thank God for the warring women.
(20:12):
I thank God for the Atlanta chapter.
They have been phenomenal to me because I
didn't know what I was doing.
And if you don't know, that's okay.
Just don't go in with an open mind.
And don't go in thinking one way.
Be very open.
And I thank God for the Warren women.
I thank God for the atlas, um, chapter.
(20:33):
I thank God for the national, actually, north
cut.
I mean, because, you know, you don't never
know who is going to give you that lookbecause it's a puzzle.
So everybody got a piece of a puzzle that youhave to put together.
And I love doing networking events.
(20:54):
I'm always in Atlanta, even though it's
Lagrange is like an hour and some hour andeight minutes from Atlanta.
I'm there like, do you want to go to lunch?Oh my God.
You won't come all the way up here for lunch.
Yes, because sit here talking.
If I go to lunch and we sitting there talkingand you bring up something that I haven't
thought about it, then I could take, I couldrun this back and try to implement it into the
(21:18):
development project or into the rural area.
I'm open and I want to.
Because when you get into the rural area, itkind of gets a little bit, a little difficult
because of, you know, everybody.
Some people think one way, but, and then the
(21:39):
people don't know the resources.
So if you can capitalize on understanding the
resources, then that can, how you can betterserve your community.
So, yes, networking, that's your friend.
Getting on committees, serving, you know, I
guess I went to Maureen Freehill and that'sthat nano chapter programmer.
(22:03):
And I was like, can we do a rural affordablehousing summit?
And she was like, yeah.
And I was like, for real?
And we started meeting at the first of theyear and we planned every two weeks.
We planned, we set aside time and we had over100 people there.
I couldn't have not did that event withoutone.
(22:24):
I could not have been sitting here talking toyou today without, you know, the connection of
one, you know, communities.
They seen my vision when I, well, I seen my
vision, but I couldn't really articulate it.
And they helped me to articulate my goals,
dreams and aspirations.
I thank God for Philip Abbott for bringing me
(22:47):
on this crazy wilderness I mean, I'm justthankful, you know, that people, because
people watch you, right?They watch you.
And a lot of, you know me, I'm type of personwhere I'm very outspoken.
And I tell you what, you know, I'm just me.
Like, here I am.
(23:07):
But people watch.
Most people say about me is passion.
And I was like, oh, it's just my personality.
But people watch you, and they, and they sit
back and see what you gonna do.
So don't think that you're doing it in vain.
People do watch.
They people watch.
I say, man, so just keep doing what you'redoing and enjoy.
(23:31):
Yes, it's hard, and yes, it's that.
But at the end of the day, it's so much
rewarding.
And then when you doing what you love to do,
it's not work.
It's something that you get up in the morning
and you enjoy doing.
It don't feel like work to you.
So, I mean, that's my advice.
Nan McKay (23:51):
I'd say just keep doing what you're doing.
So thank you so much, tiara, for being with ustoday.
And we really appreciate everything you'redoing to help other families get that
homeownership going that they really wouldlove to have and find the resources that they
need to survive and to thrive, as you said.
(24:13):
So, thank you so much for being with us.
Teara Harris (24:16):
Yeah, thank you.
Nan McKay (24:18):
Thanks for being with us.
Have you seen our new podcast and YouTube
website, trailblazersimpact.com?Join us there, and please leave a review on
iTunes.
Check out our new shorts on our YouTube
channel, trailblazers impact interviews.
Until next time, check out my newsletter on
LinkedIn.
(24:38):
Also, I host a new lead and succeed community
to quickly accelerate your leadership skillsand explore our regular website, Nanmack
Connects.com, with new resources.
Is the middle class left out of housing opportunities?
Find out what Tiara Harris is doing to help.
Welcome. I'm Nan McKay, the voice behind trailblazers impact, your beacon to
extraordinary women trailblazing unique paths.
Our podcast spotlights luminaries whose life
stories inspire and empower delivered to yourears bi weekly.
(00:30):
Buckle up for another episode packed withpowerful narratives and empowering journeys on
trailblazers impact.
Stay with us.
This is Nan McKay, and in today's episode, we have the pleasure of chatting with
Tiara Harris, the dynamic founder and CEO ofCommunities of Tomorrow.
(00:52):
Fueled by an impassioned desire to bridge thehousing gap for middle class families, Tierra
has diligently worked toward establishingaffordable housing resources in several
states, including Georgia and North Carolina.
With a keen focus on homebuyer assistance
(01:13):
programs and senior living, Tierra isdetermined to assist those who find themselves
caught in the financial gap unable to qualifyfor the luxury homes on this side or the
government subsidies on the other side.
So apart from spearheading communities of
(01:34):
tomorrow, she also serves as UDS, a packagefor the 502 direct loan program and affordable
housing development for the rail district,where her role encompasses a gamut of
responsibilities, from mentoring acquisitionpersonnel to negotiating contract terms.
(01:56):
Join us as we delve into the journey and theimpactful work of this committed trailblazer
in the housing sector.
So welcome, tiara.
Teara Harris (02:06):
Hi. How you doing? I'm so happy to be here today.
Yes, ma'am.
Nan McKay (02:13):
Could you start by telling us about the genesis of communities of tomorrow and
what ignited your passion to assist middleclass families in securing affordable housing?
Teara Harris (02:26):
Well, everybody deserves a stable place to live, right?
Whether you are rented or home ownership.
And so that was the goal, to have stable
living environments.
And we are in a family now that the housing
market is very hard to come by.
We are dealing with inflation on a day to day
(02:49):
basis.
So for me, my background was HR, and I seen a
lot of people on the, on the production floorthat was making the money to live, to live in
home ownership, but did not have the resourcesto help them out with that.
(03:12):
So with that being said, it may know mythought process is if you create opportunities
and resources for people, that they thrive andthat makes the community thrive.
So now we will have a stable community thatpeople are spending money into the community.
(03:35):
So the goal is whether you are wanting to dohome ownership or be a, or if you want to just
be a realtor, it's about being stable andcomfortable enough to spend money into your
community.
Because when a community thrives, you know,
then people take pride in the community, thenwe want, we will have less crime, we will have
(04:01):
a beautiful community and we will have, youknow, a place that we can call home and
everybody is accepted.
So for me, it was very important for me to
start this back in the community systemtomorrow, back in 2020.
Nan McKay (04:21):
In 2020.
Teara Harris (04:23):
Yes ma'am.
Interesting because.
Yes ma'am.
Cause we was in a pandemic and, you know,
nobody didn't know where the resources were orhow you do this as I'm a resource program
nerd.
And so I was getting calls from, from the
mayor to the chief of police, state officialsabout, you know, what is the resources?
(04:45):
And we went from there and I just created, Istarted out doing resource events and I was
doing them in the pandemic even though wedidn't supposed to gather, but I did them
outside and make sure everybody was, you know,the proper feet apart.
And we just, I had the school system there, Ihad the jobs, I had, you know, homeownership
(05:11):
programs and people in Lagrange, Lagrange,Georgia community got to take part of that.
And seeing, okay, we have a whole bunch ofresources, whether it's state, federal or
local.
It was my job to bring all those resources
together in one area.
(05:32):
And so basically the vendors set up a table,
no cost to them and no cost to theparticipant.
And we fed them lunch.
We had the mayor, the Mayor Lagrange just
speak and let people know what was availableto them as on a local, we had a state
(05:54):
representative and they explained on the stateand then we had better.
And so they just broke down everything.
So everybody knew where the resources were,
how to tap in at the contact person.
Nan McKay (06:09):
That is so important because there are so many resources out there, but without a
guide to help them, it's really hard to findthem.
How does communities of tomorrow identify andselect the regions where they plan to develop
affordable housing?
Teara Harris (06:26):
Well, for me is I'm a southern girl and so, you know, everybody dreams of
moving to the big cities, but we have likeNorth Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee,
Mississippi, these are untapped market.
Even Georgia's are untapped markets that
(06:48):
people want to have a stable stability ofhome, either home ownership or just a home.
And most people just want a safe, clean placeto live.
And sometimes the rural areas get left out.
And so my main focus is going to different
(07:09):
states that's very underserved to give themthe resources on a state, federal and a local
basis.
It also create home ownership or just building
up a community.
The community is what America really were
(07:29):
found out.
I look at back in the day, how everybody used
to help each other and everybody was there foreach other.
The reason why is because they had a sense ofcommunity, consist of togetherness.
And so now I want to help to create thatagain.
And I just enjoy getting no people with theUSDA as me being a USDA packager, I can talk
(07:58):
to people that never thought they could dobeing a home or have home ownership and get
excited because it's a great program.
I mean, know the 502 direct loan program,
they'll pay a percentage of your mortgage, andthen you can get it up to 38 years at 4.125%.
(08:20):
And so depending on the area, because someareas, you know, it depends on the income, it
depends on the dependence in your householdand depending on the county that you stay in.
But still, that's a good program.
And it's all in, in all 50 states in the rural
area.
So even in California, they got the program.
(08:41):
So this is a great program to put, to giveback a sense of community and just, you know,
put people in very low to low income thatnever thought in a million years that they can
get a home.
I know that one young lady got.
I helped to get pre approved for 310,$310,000.
(09:06):
She was, like, blown away.
Like, oh, my God, that's a. That's a lot of
house.
What am I. And.
But, you know, I tell people, just because youget a one amount, do not, you know, kind of be
below that, because you got to think.
And then we do continue educational home
ownership where, you know, okay, you got tothink about, if you get two stores, you won't
(09:30):
have two units, right?If you get, you know, so you got to factor in
that light bill cost, utility.
It costs.
If you get acres of land.
If you get two acres, then you got to pay that
lawn, that landscaping company, or you gonnahave to invest in a lawnmower.
So it is those types of things.
Because now my job is to make sure you wrap
(09:52):
your head around home ownership and how it,you know, and how with the steps of home
ownership and the different things that youneed.
And that's important.
Nan McKay (10:04):
That's a really good idea, because people who have not been homeowners don't
sometimes realize all the additional coststhat they're getting into.
They just think of that mortgage payment.
But there's a lot more of communities of
tomorrow is really quite distinctive.
It caters to families who earn between 60 and
120% of the median household income.
(10:26):
Can you elaborate on the challenges and maybe
the rewards of working with this.
Teara Harris (10:33):
Niche, I think for me is I come from part b and I didn't know that I was in
poverty till I moved to Atlanta.
I was like, oh my God, I was in poverty.
But for me it's challenging and rewarding atthe same time is having people to understand
(10:56):
they resources and helping them being selfsufficient.
Because if you're not self sufficient, how Iteach people, if something, if I was to move
to another country tomorrow, you will stillknow the tools and resources.
I don't want you to be dependent on me and Iwant you to do your own thing.
(11:19):
So what I do, I give people the resources andthe contact person.
A lot of people don't like to give.
I'm giving out the contact person in case
something happens.
So for me it just the mindset.
And once you, when people feel like, you know,they are our leader of their own life, then
(11:39):
that's when they really take hold and take offand do the things that they want to want to
do.
I'm like a one stop shop because I know about
the programs.
Like if you wanted to go to school, I'd be
like, okay, you know, if you want to go toschool, the technical college in, you know, in
(12:00):
Lagrange will help you with that.
But then I also research other technical
college in the area or in Georgia, Mississippiand different places they could because they
have government funding for those, for the,for high demand trades.
And so I encourage like what do you want todo?
(12:21):
What do you see for your life?I think in this today's world, we need to help
empower people to be more self sufficient.
And it's just like when you self sufficient
you can do so much more.
But if you are always trying to help, well,
(12:42):
not so much help, but do it for them.
We're going to be in the same situation, the
same ongoing cycle and they just gonna bedoing enough to just survive, not thrive.
So my, my goal and my, my focus is helpingthat person be self sufficient.
How can we do that?Okay, change mindsets.
(13:05):
Okay, how do you do that?And not just reaching it, them just coming
alongside them saying, you know, and I gotthis from circles of Lagrange, Georgia.
It's a group.
And I went through, I went through the group
or whatever.
And one thing I learned from that is you are
(13:26):
the leader of your own life.
I'm here and they call allies.
I'm here to root you on, to help you with theresources, but you are the leader.
So whatever you want to do, that's yourdecision.
Whether it's bad good or indifferent is yourdecision, and it's your responsibility, and
(13:49):
you are held accountable whether it's good orbad.
And that course helped me to do the work thatI do now.
So, you know, it's about holding peopleaccountable, helping them be self sufficient,
and help them.
They mindset to change and not always look at
the negative part of life, but turn it into apositive, because I have had negative things
(14:15):
to happen in my life.
But when I look back on it, it was just like a
test or a lesson that I needed to learn thenso I can apply it now.
I have a saying in my office, and one is,like, the nutrients to be successful,
basically.
And one of the items that you're going to feel
100% of the time, and that's okay, but are yougoing to stay there and glow on, or are you
(14:42):
going to do it better next time?Because you.
I have been doing this in all, helping out thecommunity for ten years.
In 2020, I stepped out on faith to get a fiveoh c one, c three.
And I was scared out my mind.
I have had so many roadblocks or
(15:06):
discouragement or, I can't do this.
And this after I'm being teared.
However, I kept the course.
I kept focused.
And every time I was about ready to give upit, something showed me that I can do this.
Currently, I am proud to announce that I havebeen working on a project with my business
(15:31):
partner, Philip Abbott.
He owns a lot of real estate in LaGrange,
Georgia.
Well, he brought me in to help him out, be his
partner in this endeavor.
So actually, I'm redeveloping the neighborhood
I grew up in, and we have finished the firstphase.
And people, I could be sitting here in theconference room doing work, and people be
(15:55):
peeping through the door, and I just said, Iinvite them in, like, come and see what we
have done.
This is a landmark.
This used to be this.
We still call it the Newman building.
And when we did the grand opening back inAugust, it was so rewarding to see that the
Newman family actually came to the river campfrom across the country, and they were in
(16:20):
tears on how it looks now.
And so we completed the first phase, and it
took us one year, and people like, oh, my God,y'all done with the first phase in one year
where we have an awesome team, we have ourawesome, we have an awesome relationship
wherein, you know, Philip basicallyconcentrates on the prescription, and I'm,
(16:45):
like, the strategic thinker and, like, tryingto figure out, you know, the different things
and kind of keep everything going and just,you know, I'm like a jack at all trade.
So it's just, no, I have had some big tasks,but I'm enjoying this.
I love.
We did a rural affordable housing summit last
(17:07):
Thursday, and we did a tour here, and it waslike, oh, my God.
And we had people from across the country.
I was shocked.
I had somebody from Texas.
I was like, you came from Texas to come to
this?And she was like, yeah.
And I was like, oh.
And it just helped out of love and support
(17:28):
from the community, from the local officials.
So I'm from the state.
I'm just excited about everything that is tocome.
The next phase we are working on, we aretaking.
And this is very innovative, but we are.
It's called the yard, and we going to take
(17:50):
some shipping containers and turn it into afood court.
And so, yes, so we do have the drawings forthat.
Actually, my office is just like a. It's myoffice, but it's also a showroom.
So we have the concept drawings throughout sopeople could come in and kind of, you know,
(18:10):
look at the walls and see where all we haveand all that good stuff.
So we are excited.
We have did so much in a year's time, a little
bit over a year, and so we hope to have theShiva container up and running next year.
And I'm just happy about it.
I'm thrilled.
Nan McKay (18:30):
As someone who's carved a path in both the nonprofit and the government sectors,
what advice would you give to individuals whoare really looking to make a tangible impact
in their communities through similar kinds ofthings that you do?
Teara Harris (18:48):
Well, when we first started, don't give up the whole, I'm gonna say this,
you gonna fail 100% of the time.
I'm being honest, but.
And you, we help.
We was told that this was a pipe dream or, you
(19:08):
know, people ain't gonna see the vision,especially where you, you.
When I come to the real vista, I see what itis.
I could see, you know, but everybody can't seewhat you see because it might not be David,
don't ever give up on your dreams.
If you know that this is your God given
talent, do it.
Yes.
(19:29):
When I have no. Last year, I didn't even knowabout affordable housing.
I thought, I'm being honest with you.
I thought it was a low income, but then I got
with a group of women, and that's how I metyou.
I got with a group of women.
They got one national.
I think they're going about to be in 32states.
(19:49):
And they took.
I walked into the Atlanta chapter.
And I walked into the luncheon and I was like,I'm home.
And it was just like women just like me thatare doing a lot to help their community and
they, and they can spearhead.
And I, and I thank God for the warring women.
(20:12):
I thank God for the Atlanta chapter.
They have been phenomenal to me because I
didn't know what I was doing.
And if you don't know, that's okay.
Just don't go in with an open mind.
And don't go in thinking one way.
Be very open.
And I thank God for the Warren women.
I thank God for the atlas, um, chapter.
(20:33):
I thank God for the national, actually, north
cut.
I mean, because, you know, you don't never
know who is going to give you that lookbecause it's a puzzle.
So everybody got a piece of a puzzle that youhave to put together.
And I love doing networking events.
(20:54):
I'm always in Atlanta, even though it's
Lagrange is like an hour and some hour andeight minutes from Atlanta.
I'm there like, do you want to go to lunch?Oh my God.
You won't come all the way up here for lunch.
Yes, because sit here talking.
If I go to lunch and we sitting there talkingand you bring up something that I haven't
thought about it, then I could take, I couldrun this back and try to implement it into the
(21:18):
development project or into the rural area.
I'm open and I want to.
Because when you get into the rural area, itkind of gets a little bit, a little difficult
because of, you know, everybody.
Some people think one way, but, and then the
(21:39):
people don't know the resources.
So if you can capitalize on understanding the
resources, then that can, how you can betterserve your community.
So, yes, networking, that's your friend.
Getting on committees, serving, you know, I
guess I went to Maureen Freehill and that'sthat nano chapter programmer.
(22:03):
And I was like, can we do a rural affordablehousing summit?
And she was like, yeah.
And I was like, for real?
And we started meeting at the first of theyear and we planned every two weeks.
We planned, we set aside time and we had over100 people there.
I couldn't have not did that event withoutone.
(22:24):
I could not have been sitting here talking toyou today without, you know, the connection of
one, you know, communities.
They seen my vision when I, well, I seen my
vision, but I couldn't really articulate it.
And they helped me to articulate my goals,
dreams and aspirations.
I thank God for Philip Abbott for bringing me
(22:47):
on this crazy wilderness I mean, I'm justthankful, you know, that people, because
people watch you, right?They watch you.
And a lot of, you know me, I'm type of personwhere I'm very outspoken.
And I tell you what, you know, I'm just me.
Like, here I am.
(23:07):
But people watch.
Most people say about me is passion.
And I was like, oh, it's just my personality.
But people watch you, and they, and they sit
back and see what you gonna do.
So don't think that you're doing it in vain.
People do watch.
They people watch.
I say, man, so just keep doing what you'redoing and enjoy.
(23:31):
Yes, it's hard, and yes, it's that.
But at the end of the day, it's so much
rewarding.
And then when you doing what you love to do,
it's not work.
It's something that you get up in the morning
and you enjoy doing.
It don't feel like work to you.
So, I mean, that's my advice.
Nan McKay (23:51):
I'd say just keep doing what you're doing.
So thank you so much, tiara, for being with ustoday.
And we really appreciate everything you'redoing to help other families get that
homeownership going that they really wouldlove to have and find the resources that they
need to survive and to thrive, as you said.
(24:13):
So, thank you so much for being with us.
Teara Harris (24:16):
Yeah, thank you.
Nan McKay (24:18):
Thanks for being with us.
Have you seen our new podcast and YouTube
website, trailblazersimpact.com?Join us there, and please leave a review on
iTunes.
Check out our new shorts on our YouTube
channel, trailblazers impact interviews.
Until next time, check out my newsletter on
LinkedIn.
(24:38):
Also, I host a new lead and succeed community
to quickly accelerate your leadership skillsand explore our regular website, Nanmack
Connects.com, with new resources.
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