Our Story
We are descendants of the Ross Family in Pottstown Huntersville. Like many of the other longstanding residents of the community, our foremothers and fathers were sharecroppers, farmers, nurses, educators and a long line of former slaves and Cherokee Indians. The owners and heirs of our family's land in Mecklenburg County span five generations. The hardships endured to keep the land in the hands of families like ours fuels our passion.
Meet The Team
Janelle Harris
President
Janelle is a military kid born at Fort Hood, Texas also known as the “Great Place”. She graduated from Hillcrest High School and continued her education in Dallas and Collin County Community Colleges. Her most recent education was in Central Piedmont Community College where she became a Notary Public in 2016 and is a current active Notary. She opened and currently owns Harris Horizons, a rehabilitation company for persons with learning disabilities in 2021.
Janelle comes from a long line of public servants and ambassadors. She is a 4th generation member of St. Phillip Missionary Baptist Church in Huntersville, NC where she serves as Pastor’s Aide Chair. She is a member of North Mecklenburg Communities United and was elected Executive Secretary and Board Member where she served from 2019 to 2021. She is also a member of the NAACP and ACLU. Huntersville Board of Commissioners appointed her to the Downtown Plan Steering Committee. She is a member of the Pottstown Preservation Committee for Change.
In 2022, Janelle became a part of Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation via David B. Waymer Recreation and Senior Center where she is the planner of community events.
Miss Harris has worked diligently for the preservation and revitalization of Pottstown Huntersville and her work was paramount in the historic designation of Rosenwald School #2 known as the Dellwood Center and most recently the “Stop Valea Village” Campaign success.
Melba Dunn Harris
Treasurer and Secretary
Melba is an Army brat born at Fort Bragg, North Carolina to Ecolia and Hattie "Louise" Dunn. She had an amazing life growing up with the opportunity to live in Germany twice as well as other military installations in the United States. In 1972, her family moved to Fort Hood, Texas from Fort Benning, Georgia where she attended and graduated from Killeen High School in 1974. She continued her education at Central Texas College and Dallas Community College earning Associate Degrees in Legal Technology and Office Management.
Melba spent most of her career as a Medical Transcriptionist, owning her own transcription service in the Dallas area. She also worked as a Legal Secretary and Legal Assistant. in Texas and North Carolina. She had awesome opportunity to live and work in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates from 2001 to 2004 and 2009 to 2014 on a private contract as a Medical Transcriptionist. She returned to Texas in 2014 where she joined the VA Hospital in Temple as Risk Management Program Support Assistant until she retired in 2022.
Melba discovered her gift of serving while living in Abu Dhabi and this gift in still strong in her life today. She served with Youth Services at the Christian Church in Abu Dhabi. She has served as a member of the International Lions Club since 2016. She is a member of St. Phillip Missionary Baptist Church in Huntersville, NC. As the proud mother of Janelle Harris, she is honored to work with her to make our ancestors proud through Mababu Live.