Presenting...Danita Harris

Ms. Danita Harris is a WEWS News 5 anchorwoman and an Emmy-award winning journalist, who uses her platform to uplift others. One of the ways that she does this is through her spiritually based nonprofit organization, S.H.I.N.E., which provides women with the practical life skills that they need to overcome challenges and to see their true potential. As the founder of S.H.I.N.E, Harris is able to empower women through her encouraging words and actions.

Harris was experiencing a very difficult time in her life when she received what she calls “a divine assignment.”

“I was seeking my own spiritual enlightenment on how to navigate in a particularly tough season in my life, and while I'm trying to do that, I hear God saying, ‘I want you to do S.H.I.N.E. You’re going to meet with women once a month,’” Harris said.

The acronym S.H.I.N.E. stands for S- your SPECIAL to God/ H- You’ve been HANDPICKED by God to do something unique/ I- You will INFLUENCE others to choose God by your lifestyle/ N- You're NEEDED in the kingdom of God/ and E- you will EXCEL in excellence through God: we are women who shine.

During the monthly S.H.I.N.E. meetings (which can get up to 300 to 400 women), attendees are able to listen to encouraging messages from Harris and other speakers. Poetry, singing, dancing, and fellowship are just some of the many things that people are able to see throughout their time at a S.H.I.N.E. event.

Harris uses her resources as a news anchor to bring different people to her meetings to speak about a variety of important topics.

“I bring in life coaches. We’ll talk about financial literacies,” Harris said. “I bring in people who know how to get your credit right, or who can teach you how to budget or write a check, or just things that we need to be aware of.”

In 2018, Harris expanded S.H.I.N.E. by creating S.H.I.N.E. Girlz, her ultimate goal being to empower young girls. She credits her son for the idea to start the organization.

“S.H.I.N.E. Girlz was actually started by my son,” Harris said. “My son said ‘you know Mommy, what you do for women, you need to do for young girls. They need to shine too.’”

After speaking with a Cleveland principal who was trying to find a program that helped young girls, S.H.I.N.E. Girlz was born. An eight week curriculum was created, which primarily focuses on girls in grades fourth through eighth.

As she does for S.H.I.N.E., Harris uses her resources to bring in different people to talk about important topics with her girls. She even brings in women with nontraditional careers so that the girls can have other professions to consider.

Each month, Harris also tries to meet the needs of women and children by giving back to a charity.

She even invites the organizations to her S.H.I.N.E. meetings, so that the S.H.I.N.E. participants are aware of where their money is going and why it is needed. According to Harris, the women really like this because they are able to learn out about charities that they were unaware of.

“I try to pick charities that don't get a lot of corporate dollars,” Harris said. “It also makes the women feel useful.”

As a mother, a news anchor, a minister, a founder of an organization, and so much more, Harris has many responsibilities. When she has free time, Harris enjoys staying at home, watching mindless television, writing, going to different restaurants, and spending time with her son.

As a morning news anchor, Harris takes her role very seriously, her goal being to wake her viewers up with a smile.

“If you choose to watch me, I want to give not just all the bad that's in the world, but I hope I give you some inspiration in the morning, make you laugh a little, and make you smile because I smile everyday on the show,” Harris said.

It is in ways like this that Ms. Danita Harris uses her platform to uplift others, ultimately helping them to shine. The work that she does in her community is truly inspirational and appreciated.