About

Julia Marie-Cecilia Ayala Harris

Updated April 24, 2024

I am a first-generation Mexican American, the daughter of an undocumented immigrant, from a large working-class family in the Chicago area. I came to the Episcopal Church 23 years ago, when I was 20 years old, after a crisis of faith in the Roman Catholic church of my childhood and the evangelical church of my teens. In the Episcopal Church, I have continually found healing, blessing, and wholeness in God’s unconditional love. Throughout my lay ministry, I have worked to bring about a church that can share that blessing with all of God’s people.

At the 80th General Convention in 2022, I was elected president of the House of Deputies, the presiding officer who works alongside the presiding bishop. I am the first Latina and woman of color to hold the position. I am passionate about a multitude of issues, such as immigration, race and ethnicity, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and truth-telling, as well as justice initiatives.

For over two decades, I have worked in the nonprofit sector in multiple states, leading organizations and programs that provide transitional housing for homeless women and children, permanent supportive housing for people with disabilities, community and fine arts, alternatives to incarceration for pregnant women and mothers, and collaborative initiatives to close the digital divide. From 2005 to 2008, I was an international aid worker in Kenya and South Sudan with Church Ecumenical Action in Sudan, building the capacity of South Sudanese faith-based nonprofits and dioceses in grant writing, financial management, as well as program design and evaluation.

Today I live in the Diocese of Oklahoma, where I am a member of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Norman. I have a master’s of public administration and further doctoral studies from the University of Oklahoma where I studied topics related to leadership identity (race, ethnicity, gender, etc.), public opinion of nonprofits and faith-based organizations, as well as congregational collaboration.

From my professional, familial, and personal experiences, I am passionate about a multitude of issues such as immigration, LGBTQIA2S+ inclusion, empowerment of women and girls, criminal justice reform, race and ethnicity, disability inclusion and access, sexual harassment and exploitation, as well as justice and peace initiatives.

My husband, John, is a professor at the University of Oklahoma, where he is interim director of the Planning, Landscape, Architecture and Design Division and founding co-founder of the OU Center for Peace and Development. We are parents to Izzy, who is in her tenth year serving as an acolyte and a member of the Junior Daughters of the King. Izzy is proud to have been born in Kenya and lived as an infant in South Sudan. We love spending time in nature with our rescue dog Ani, playing board games, listening to music, and watching movies, but most of all, Star Trek! 

Ver abajo la biografía en español.

Episcopal Church Service

The Episcopal Church.

  • President of the House of Deputies. Vice-Chair of Executive Council. Vice-President of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society. 2022-Present.
  • Executive Council. 2015-2022.
  • Executive Committee of Executive Council. 2018-2024.
  • Chair of Executive Council Joint Standing Committee on Mission Within The Episcopal Church. 2022-Present.
  • Chair of Legislative Committee #6 on Sexual Harassment, Sexual Exploitation, and Safeguarding. 80th General Convention, 2022.
  • Presiding Officers’ Working Group on Truth-Telling, Reckoning, and Healing, 2021-2022.
  • Gathering of Leaders. Lay Leader Pilot Group – First cohort of lay leaders. October 2022.
  • Vice-Chair of Legislative Committee on Social Justice and United States Policy. 79th General Convention. 2018.
  • Nuevo Amanecer. Conference Presenter 2014, 2020. Attendee 2022.
  • TEConversations Planning Group. 79th General Convention. 2018.
  • Vice-Chair of Executive Council Joint Standing Committee on Advocacy and Networking. 2015-2018.
  • Task Force on Women, Truth and Reconciliation. 2018-2021.
  • Creation Care Grants Panel. 2016-2018.
  • Evangelism Grants Panel. 2018-2020.
  • House of Deputies Special Committee on Sexual Harassment and Exploitation. 2018. Proposed D016.
  • House of Deputies #MeToo Lenten Series Blog.
  • House of Deputies News. “Deputies Respond to #MeToo and the Church” video participant.
  • United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. Official Delegate, 2015.
  • Episcopal Migration Ministries. Hometown Podcast. Good Book Club. What are you willing to risk? Episode 11.https://episcopalmigrationministries.org/what-are-you-willing-to-risk
  • Sermons That Work. Office of Government Relations. Requested topic: The U.S. Election and Voting. October 11, 2020 – 19th Sun after Pentecost: Proper 23.
  • AdventWord. 2021. Bless.
  • Task Force for Reimagining the Episcopal Church (TREC). 2013-2015.
  • Example Work on Executive Council:
    • Co-authored The Episcopal Church’s first comprehensive resolution with regard to Domestic Violence, Sexual Violence, Dating Violence and Stalking, which was passed unanimously by Executive Council in February 2016 allowing The Episcopal Church’s Office of Government Relations to lobby for the Sexual Assault Survivor Rights Act.
    • Co-authored resolutions regarding among others: The Episcopal Church’s relationship with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and involvement with the protests at Standing Rock; federal minimum wage increases; support for refugee resettlement agencies; as well as support for Historically Black College and Universities.
    • Collaborated (sometimes authored, sometimes stewarded) resolutions regarding gun safety, racial justice, deradicalization and white supremacy, creation care, disbursement of grants to local ministries on the ground.
    • Created space on Executive Council to hear from voices and perspectives not typically heard from in our church.
  • Churchwide structures (DFMS) search committee service:
    • Director of Operations Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM). 2022. Hire: Sarah Shipman.
    • Staff Officer for Racial Reconciliation. 2019. Hire: The Rev. Isaiah “Shaneequa” Brokenleg.
    • Executive Council Clergy Vacancy Slate. 2019. Elected: The Rev. Charles Graves IV.
    • Asia Pacific Partnership Officer. 2017. Hire: Bruce Woodcock.
    • Director of Office of Government Relations (OGR). 2016. Hire: Rebecca Blachly.
    • Refugee and Immigration Policy Advisor. 2016. Hire: Lacy Broemel.
    • Africa Partnership Officer. 2020. Hiring freeze due to COVID.

Anglican Communion. United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. Official Delegate 2016.

World Council of Churches. Official Delegate to 11th Assembly. Karlsruhe, Germany. 2022.

Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma.

  • Deputy to General Convention. 2018, 2022, 2024.
  • Becoming Beloved Community Commission. 2020-2021.
  • Hispanic Heritage month Podcast. Episode 35.
  • Bishop’s Nomination Committee. 2019.
  • Young Adult Festival to General Convention. 2015
  • Episcopal Church Women. Board of Directors. 2014-2019.

St. John’s Episcopal Church – Norman. Diocese of Oklahoma.

  • Youth Minister. 2018-2020.
  • Norman Pride Festival and Parade Co-Organizer. 2018, 2019.
  • Journey to Adulthood Leader (J2A) 2017-2018.
  • Property Development Committee. 2015-2020.   
  • Vestry. 2015-2018.
  • Episcopal Church Women. 2013-2016.

Advent Episcopal Church – Tallahassee. Diocese of Florida.

  • Sunday School Teacher. Elementary school. 2010-2011.

St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church – Deerfield. Diocese of Chicago.

  • Youth Minister. 2003-2005.
  • Sunday School Teacher. High school. 2003-2005.

Other Community Involvement

  • Graduate Association of Political Science. Vice President. 2021-2023.
  • Norman Public Schools. Baby Steps Graduation. Commencement Speaker. 2022.
  • Oklahoma Arts Council. Major Grant Support Reviewer. 2018, 2019.
  • Mid-America Arts Alliance. Artistic Innovations Grant Reviewer. 2019.
  • Palomar, Oklahoma City Family Justice Center. Steering Committee. 2016-2017.
  • Girl Scouts of Western Oklahoma. Troop Leader. 2013-2018.
  • Women’s Resource Center – Norman, OK. Board of Directors. 2015.
  • 21 Century Council, Tallahassee, FL. Vice President. 2012-2013.
  • Mennonite Central Committee. Capacity Building Advisor. South Sudan (formerly southern Sudan). 2005-2008.
  • AmeriCorps. VISTA Volunteer. Habitat for Humanity of Colquitt County, Moultrie, GA. 2001-2002.
  • The Cradle. Evanston, IL. Birth Parent Advisory Board and adoption education volunteer. 1996-2001, 2003-2005.

Education

  • Doctoral Student – Political Science. University of Oklahoma. Norman, OK. Fall 2020 – Present.
  • Master of Public Administration – Political Science. University of Oklahoma. Norman, OK. 2020.  
  • Bachelor of Arts – Nonprofit Management and Social Sciences. Trinity International University. Deerfield, IL. 2005.
  • Sociology and Philosophy. Wheaton College. Wheaton, IL. 1998-2001.
  • Certification: Conscious Language. Inclusive Language for Leaders. 2022
  • Certified: Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation. International Institute of Rural Reconstruction. Kampala, Uganda Cohort. 2006.

Awards

  • University of Oklahoma, Department of Political Science. John Halvor Leek Memorial Scholarship. 2021-2022
  • Gamma Beta Phi. Honor Society for those who also devote significant time to community service. 2021
  • Phi Kappa Phi. Honor Society for those who rank within top 10 percent of graduating class. 2020
  • Pi Alpha Alpha. Global Honor Society for Public Affairs and Administration. 2020
  • University of Oklahoma, College of Arts & Sciences. David C. Steer Arts & Sciences Scholarship. 2019-2020
  • University of Oklahoma, College of Arts & Sciences. Outstanding Academic Performance & Leadership. 2019-2020
  • Pi Sigma Alpha. National Political Science Honor Society. 2019
  • University of Oklahoma, College of Arts & Sciences. Robert E. and Mary B. Sturgis Scholarship. 2018-2019
  • Zonta Club of Central Oklahoma. Educational Memoriam Award Recipient. 2017

Acerca de mi persona

Julia Marie-Cecilia Ayala Harris

Soy Mexicana-Americana de primera generación, hija de un inmigrante indocumentado, de una familia numerosa de clase trabajadora del área de Chicago. Llegué a la Iglesia Episcopal hace 23 años, cuando tenía 20, tras una crisis de fe en la Iglesia Católica Romana de mi infancia y en la Iglesia Evangélica de mi adolescencia. En la Iglesia Episcopal he encontrado sanación continua, bendición y plenitud en el amor incondicional de Dios. A lo largo de mi ministerio laico, he trabajado para lograr que seamos una Iglesia que pueda compartir esa bendición con todo el Pueblo de Dios.

En la Convención General #80 de 2022, fui elegida Presidenta de la Cámara de Diputados, el cual es el oficial que preside y trabaja junto al Obispo Primado. Soy la primera mujer latina y de color que ocupa este cargo. Me apasiona una multitud de temas, como la inmigración, nuestra raza, el origen étnico, la inclusión de la comunidad LGBTQ+, la búsqueda de la verdad, así como las iniciativas de justicia.

Durante más de dos décadas, he trabajado en el sector “Sin fines de lucro” en varios estados, dirigiendo organizaciones y programas que proveen viviendas de transición para mujeres y niños sin hogar, viviendas de apoyo permanente para personas con discapacidad, artes comunitarias y bellas artes. Trabajé en la búsqueda de alternativas y la prevención de encarcelamiento para mujeres embarazadas y madres en conjunto de iniciativas para proveer acceso tecnológico en áreas no disponible. Del 2005 a 2008, trabajé como Trabajadora Humanitaria Internacional en Kenia y Sudán del Sur con la organización de Acción Ecuménica de la Iglesia en Sudán, capacitando a organizaciones sin fines de lucro. También trabajé con la Diócesis de Sudán del Sur en la redacción de becas para obtener subsidios, en asuntos financieros y el diseño y evaluación de programas.

Actualmente vivo en la Diócesis de Oklahoma, donde soy congregante de la Iglesia Episcopal de San Juan, en la ciudad de Norman. Tengo una Maestría en Administración Pública y Estudios Doctorales de la Universidad de Oklahoma, donde estudié temas relacionados con la identidad de liderazgo (raza, etnia, género, etc.), la opinión pública de organizaciones sin fines de lucro, organizaciones religiosas, así como la colaboración congregacional.

En mi experiencia profesional, familiar y personal, me apasiona una multitud de temas como la inmigración, la inclusión de las personas LGBTQIA2S+, el empoderamiento de las mujeres y las niñas, la reforma de la justicia penal, temas étnicos/raza, la inclusion, el acceso de las personas con discapacidad, el acoso, la explotación sexual, así como las iniciativas de justicia y paz.

Mi esposo, John, es profesor en la Universidad de Oklahoma, donde es Director Interino de la División de Planificación, Paisajismo, Arquitectura, Diseño y es Tambien cofundador del Centro para la Paz y el Desarrollo de la Universidad. Nuestra Hija Izzy, cumple diez años y es acólita y miembro menor de la organización de las Hijas del Rey. Izzy está muy orgullosa de haber nacido en Kenia y de haber vivido cuando bebé en Sudán del Sur. Nos encanta estar en la naturaleza con nuestro perrito que rescatamos Ani y nos gusta jugar juegos de mesa, escuchar música y ver películas, pero sobre todo, la tremenda serie de  ¡Star Trek!

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