MSA alumna Dr Harriet Harriss, Dean, Pratt School of Architecture, New York
Real Estate Developer / Storyteller / Educator
New York
United States

What inspired you to want a life in Architecture and the creative industries?
My love of interior design and architecture was inspired by my mother and her collection of Architectural Digest and House Beautiful etc. my desire to become a developer was inspired by growing up in the South Bronx and Harlem of the crack era 80’s amidst  urban decay

Who inspired you in finding your path to Architecture/Film and the creative industries?
The film industry found me in a sense . I grew up doing musical theater and dreamt of being on Broadway after my mother took me to see my first play “Alice In Wonderland”  at four years old. I also worked at The Negro Esembme Company as a 16 year old and watched Samuel L Jackson or Angela Bassett perform and I was inspired by folks like them to be a professional actor . When I began to see them in film I felt close to their success. When I went to an open call for the movie “Cool Runnings” and booked it , I had no agent, headshot or resume . I’d heard about it through a friend . The casting director suggested three talent agents for me to come consider . One of  them,  Meg Mortimer , represented Sam and Angela at that point, so because I’d known them as a kid from my days in the theater, I signed with Meg.

How you unlock obstacles and overcome bias in your work
I believe that what is for me won’t go past me so I continue to work towards my goals relentlessly. There will always be obstacle, we only fail when we give up.

What improvements do you feel are required to promote effective change in the academic and working environment?
We have to BE the change we wish to see. We cannot do it alone for sure,  but we can only do what we can do and that I should always be , our  best.