Meet Deanna Harris, CEO and Founder of “Chattin w| d” – Empowering Youth On Their Career Journeys

Deanna Harris is a Multimedia Journalist, Producer, On Air Talent & Host. Inspired by her Grandfather, Ralph Mercado, she created “chattin w| d” to provide the youth with informative, educational segments in order to gain a better understanding of what career paths they can take to follow their dreams. Check out what she has to say about her show and her career!

“Being born into a multi-award-winning family, I have been exposed to a high level of creativity and knowledge at a young age. Her grandfather, Ralph Mercado, spearheaded the Latin industry managing artists such as Marc Anthony, Celia Cruz, La India, Tito Puente & more. Inspired by his accomplishments, I challenged myself to figure out what profession could help me achieve that level of success and entrepreneurship. I knew I had a passion for communicating with people as writing came easy to me however, it wasn’t until I was halfway across the world in Belize doing my graduating internship that I got an enlightening understanding of youth and social media being our future. Growing up surrounded by successful people helped me to realize there were two things I wanted in life: to give back to my community and inspire the next generation to come.

Upon college graduation in 2017, I created my show “chattin w| d” via my father’s production company called Eddie Harris Productions:

● My mother, Debra Mercado, produces talent coordination.

● My father, Eddie Harris, takes over the editing and directing portion of the show, creating different angles and lighting to maximize the visuals.

● My brother, Devin Harris, is the production assistant and provides the original musical beats for the background music.

● My sister, Delisa Harris, magnifies my beauty via her makeup and hair skills.

On my show, we cover 5 topics, Lifestyle, Culture, Current Events, Entertainment, and Advice for the Youth. Our previous guests include; Fashion Designer Dapper Dan, Salsa Singer La India, Music Entrepreneur Chris Gotti, Soca Artist, Mr. Killa + more where they discussed their trials, tribulations, and most importantly any advice for the youth. Our mission is to provide the youth with informative, educational segments to follow their dreams. We aim to educate and produce passion in the youth by putting a face to an issue to help them find their purpose. 

Since launching in October 2017, I have created opportunities with BET, New York Fashion Week, Associated Press, HBO, Black Women in Media, traveling internationally to Grenada and various podcasts broadcasted throughout the country. I have developed “chattin w| d” into a viable social media platform that provides positive content. I believe in connecting with my elders, peers, and the future generation who have a creative vision to provide a pathway toward success. In the field of journalism where minorities are often overlooked and underrepresented I am striving to break the status quo and fight for a better future for our children. I strongly believe we need more Afro-Latinas in this field to encourage others to take action to enhance the world, follow their dreams, and have a familiar face they can relate to on TV. Throughout this journey, I want to tell the truth and create stories that resonate with people in every corner of the world. Nonetheless, I desire to create content that will help the future generation relate to and see all the good this world has to offer.”

Learn more and check out Chattin w| d on the official website: www.chattinwd.com.