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Harris, a renowned author and motivational speaker, is a testament to the transformative power of literature. His inspiring literary works and passionate advocacy for education and personal growth are rooted in his own journey. As a student, Harris grappled with reading and writing, but his perseverance and love for poetry led him to publish his first collection, ‘Nothing but Skin,’ in 2014. This debut work earned him first place at the 2nd Annual Grand Tournament competition hosted by Writing Knights, marking the beginning of his illustrious career.
Harris’s second published poetry collection, titled “We Made it to School Alive,” was inspired by the experiences of the children he worked with as a teacher.
In 2021, Harris was named the Ohio Poetry Association’s Poet of the Year and became the first Barbara Smith Writer-in-Resident and Baldwin House Fellowship recipient. His work has also been featured on various media outlets, including the Plain Dealer, Ideastream, and City Club of Cleveland.
Lisa Yoskowitz at Little, Brown for Young Readers bought Go Tell It: How James Baldwin Became a Writer by poet Quartez Harris, an ode to the American Icon and to the power of story, illustrated by Caldecott and Loretta Scott King Honoree Gordon C. James. Publication is planned for spring 2025. Harris’s agent Tanya McKinnon at McKinnon Literary sold the text in an 11-editor auction. This is the first of a three-book deal Quartez is working on with his editor.