DORiS 8.6 | Linda Harris | Staff Sergeant Joshua Howell | 3.4.21

🎱 This week on DORiS we sit down with Linda Harris a musician, entrepreneur, historian, philanthropist, and founder of the Camp Harriet and the #WeWalkWithHarriet movement. Our special guest host is Staff Sergeant Joshua Howell the regional United States Army Recruiter for the shore. We had a wonderful conversation about Linda’s band, our ancestors and carving out your Path in life.

Linda Harris can be seen performing live every other Saturday outside the downtown Harriet Tubman Museum, beneath the ”Take My Hand” mural. She has been working closely with the organization on creating new ways to engage the community and preserve the legacy of Harriet Tubman. She is also the force behind the trailblazing #WeWalkWithHarriet movement which has been encouraging expertise and physical, mental and spiritual health, all while educating about the one they called “Moses”. They go on extensive treks modeled after the real life foot journey‘s made by Miss Tubman. Last fall the group completed their longest walk to date which would see them crossing through several states. And at the time of this airing they are walking from Selma to Montgomery.

The music, education and fitness all come together in Harris’ next project, Camp Harriet. A long-time passion project for her and her team that is set to open later this year. CH will be an emrsive experience taking visitors into the world of Minty Ross, the charismatic young woman born into slavery in Cambridge Maryland who would go on to free hundreds of people from slavery as a conductor on the underground railroad. Set over several acres of land not far from Cambridge-South Dorchester High School the Park will feature lodging, dining and a plethora of enriching activities for visitors of all ages.

Our guest host is Staff Sergeant Joshua Howell who, like Linda and Harriet, also helps people with carving out a new path in life. He shared his story of drastically turning his circumstaces around by making a career change and joing the United States Army. What at the time was a scary decision, has now, eight years later, become the best decision he’s ever made, providing him with the means to provide for his family and the time to pursue his passions. He is now the regional Army recruiter for the shore helping other people take control of their lives with the use of the numerous resources the Army has to offer.

His office is located in Easton, MD. He will be back on a monthly basis to provide any new updates and answer any of your questions. We reccomend setting up an appointment with your local recruiting office to explore all of the things the Army has to offer.

In line with our over-arching theme for season eight, mental-health awareness, we discussed the different ways in which we practice self-care. Meditation, excercise, time with family, time alone. A big part of that self-care practice for all of us was music. Staff Sergeant Howell likes to blast J. Cole while working out — two things that are therepeutic for the body. Linda Harris describes how she captures her environment in her songwriting, pulling in intricate details of the people and things around her, grounding herself in the present moment — which is also therepeutic for the body. When asked what is a source of love for them, both site first, their relationship with God, and their relationship with their family.

This was an earnest conversation about stepping into your true self, finding your path and walking it. I hope it is as enjoyable and insightful for you as it was for me.