Page 3 - Florida Sentinel 6-21-19

Feature
Attorney Writes Children’s Book About Adoption
BY MONIQUE STAMPS Sentinel Feature Writer
Monica Williams Harris, Esq., has always known that she would be a mother. What she didn’t know was how she was going to be a mother.
Her unique journey is captured in her recently published children’s book, God’s Promise, after she and her husband, Keith Harris adopted a lit- tle boy.
The book shares how the main character, Isaac, learns about his birth and how he came to have his mom, dad, sisters and extended fam- ily. The book is available on Amazon.
Atty. Harris and her husband had prayed fervently for a child. After a failed medical intervention, her hus- band reminded her of her prayer. "You asked God to be a mother, not to be pregnant." The couple felt that God was moving them toward a new direc- tion – adoption. They adopted their newborn little boy in October of 2015. Right away they wanted to provide an environment where their son would know he was adopted and know that he was wanted and loved.
As she searched for inspiration, she discovered an absence of books
Atty. Monica Williams Harris and her new book, God’s Promise.
about African American adoption. As her son grew older and his love of story time grew, Monica prayed to God for an answer and received his answer that she should write a book. This dovetailed with her need to pro- vide education for her son and explain how he grew in her heart, instead of her belly.
The book's title, "God's Promise," was inspired by the prayer Harris and her husband recited during their quest to have a child. The book is the first in a series of books designed to lovingly help adopted African Ameri-
can children with a main character that looks like them.
Atty. Harris was born in Mem- phis, Tennessee and lived in several Florida cities, due to the careers of her parents, the late Judge Gerald A. Williams and Mrs. Carolyn L. Williams. Her beloved mother keeps busy in her community in West Palm Beach and sits on the Board of Palm Beach State College. The family is rounded out by her brother, a promi- nent educator, and her sister, also a
Tampa attorney.
A graduate of Florida A&M Univer-
sity and the University of Florida's Levin College of Law, she is a member of the George Edgecomb Bar Associa- tion and the Virgil Hawkins Florida Chapter of the National Bar Associa- tion.
In 2013, she was appointed to serve on the Florida Supreme Court's Standing Committee on Diversity and Fairness, a committee appointment she currently holds. She also sits on the Board of the Florida A&M Univer- sity Foundation.
Atty. Harris practices law with a very renowned national law firm. She follows her passion for justice by prac- ticing employment law, often working with federal, state, and local govern- ment. Her federal work includes working with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
A tireless worker, Atty. Harris enjoys mentoring and encouraging young people. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorpo- rated, and the Tampa Chapter of The Links, Incorporated. She and her fam- ily are members of Love First Chris- tian Center. She is also stepmom to 3 daughters.
FRIDAY, JUNE 21, 2019 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 3-A