[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 60 (Thursday, April 6, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E477]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING MR. BERVIN HARRIS

                                  _____
                                 

                          HON. JOSE E. SERRANO

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 6, 2017

  Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, this past February, I was honored to 
recognize outstanding members of the Bronx community during my office's 
annual Black History Month Celebration. During that time, we gave pause 
to commemorate the innumerable contributions that African Americans 
have made--and continue to make--to our Nation. Today, it gives me 
great pleasure to rise in honor of one of those exceptional 
individuals, a trailblazer in youth civic engagement through the power 
of music. It is with great pleasure and admiration that I stand before 
you to honor Mr. Bervin Harris.
  Mr. Harris is the Co-Founder and CEO of Renaissance Youth Center in 
my district. He has over 30 years of social development experience in 
the areas of youth services and community development, and cofounded 
the Youth Center in 2001. As CEO, he has created and managed several 
successful programs throughout the Bronx community. Renaissance Youth 
Center serves close to 4,000 youth a week at multiple sites, providing 
children in the Bronx with educational programming, tutoring, and 
musical lessons. Mr. Harris also manages, writes and directs for the 
center's Music With A Message (MWAM) Band, performing with them in 
close to 100 shows a year. Mr. Harris is also the director of the 
center's citywide youth council, Youth In Power, with more than one 
thousand teens participating.
  Under the direction of Mr. Harris, the youth council participates in 
precinct, community board, and mayoral meetings by partnering with 
community organizations and advocating for their peers and 
neighborhoods. Recently, the council led the charge to hold a local 
slaughterhouse owner accountable for properly disposing of their trash 
and keeping the surrounding area clean. Their efforts brought this 
quality of life issue to the attention of the health department and 
local elected officials which in turn forced the business owner to 
address the community's concerns. Mr. Harris has built many 
partnerships for Renaissance including with the New York Police 
Department, Carnegie Hall, NYC Parks Department, Berklee College of 
Music, and many more.
  Prior to Renaissance, Mr. Harris was the program director at a Beacon 
program where he more than tripled the annual budget and was recognized 
as one of the 4 ``Model Beacons'' by the Department of Youth and 
Community Development.
  Mr. Harris is also an artist on Capitol Records where as an 
accomplished musician, singer, song writer he has produced and written 
songs for a wide variety of musicians, ranging from Hip Hop artists 
like KRS-1 to R&B artists like Mary J. Blige to Jazz artists like 
Herbie Hancock. Mr. Harris has also written the music score for the 
stage play I Sing 4 Luv and recently co-wrote and directed the stage 
play Bronx Side Story. Mr. Harris received his undergraduate degree 
from Old Westbury College and management certificate from Fordham 
University.
  Mr. Harris is an incredible advocate for the youth of our community, 
and he has made our borough a much better place because of his efforts.
  Mr. Speaker, I respectfully ask that you and my other distinguished 
colleagues join me in honoring Mr. Bervin Harris for his passion for 
uplifting the youth in our community.

                          ____________________