Name: Deondra Michelle
Family dynamics: I came from a 2-parent household with my mom & dad (Brian & Lois Harrison) and my
older brother, Clarence LaDon Harrison who have all now passed away. I am a divorced, single mom of
3: Darryl Grady III aka Trey-age 20, Davion Grady-age 17 and Damari Grady- age 15
Hobbies/Pastime: I currently hold a national pageant title. I am your Ms. American Beauties Plus under
the leadership of Royal Productions and Events by NM; I sing soprano with a community choir called
“ It’s Up 2U Promotional Choir” under the leadership of Jerome L. Page. I minister in liturgical dance with
“Ministers of Movement” under the leadership of Monica Taite. I’ve also done some theatre acting with
Panama City Theatre Company ( played Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray: The Broadway Musical
production) under the leadership of Leigh Gladden & Leo Ferrulli.
Business/Talent? Creator of The Busy Chair Club- an upcoming creative hub for beauty professionals,
artists, and entrepreneurs. I’m into crafting which is also an upcoming business venture I’m tapping into.
Where are you from? I was born and raised in beautiful Panama City, FL.
What are you passionate about? What’s the driving force behind it? I am passionate about laughter
and healing out loud through life’s challenges. In my life, I’ve experienced so much grief and pain. I’ve
lost friends, family, and other loved ones through death. I’ve survived divorce and heartbreak. Through
it all, I’ve been able to heal with the help of God and laughter. The joy of the Lord has truly been my
strength and pulled me through. That’s what I hope to bring to others. Love, light, laughter, and peace.
Whats your skill set? Creative direction, content creation, branding, community building, performance
and stage presence. I also have strong skills in storytelling, visual design, and bringing concepts to life
through both digital and in-person experiences.
What set you apart from others of your same field? My ability to blend creativity, authenticity, and
purpose. I don’t just create or perform, I connect. Everything I do is rooted in real experiences,
community and storytelling which allows my work to remain relatable.
What’s your purpose in life? I believe my purpose in life is to use my voice, creativity, and experiences
to uplift and encourage others. I believe it is to create spaces where people feel seen, heard, inspired,
and empowered to become their authentic selves.
If you could choose any career in the world, would you still choose the career or talent you have? Of
course if I could choose any career in the world, I would choose to make money in my sleep! I really
don’t want to work for anyone , not even myself. I would love to get paid forever just for being me!
What would you tell your younger self? I would tell my younger self to enjoy life. Don’t believe the
hype that you can help “fix” anything about anyone in relationships. Save your money and invest. Chase
all your dreams and don’t stop!
Knowing what you know now, would you change anything in your past? I wouldn’t change anything in
my past because changing something may cause another person or another experience in my life to not
exist and all of it is what has made me the woman I am today.
Who are your role models? In no particular order: Natasha Shivers-Sutton (Royal Productions and
Events by NM), Dr. Nikita Beck-Burt (Her Crown, LLC), Stephanie Grady-Cole (Multiworks Unlimited), Erica Gissendanner
(Allegory Ministry), Adrian Moore (Nach’Yo Nachos), amongst a few others. These women of God are
groundbreakers, leaders in every sense of the word, resilient, bold and determined entrepreneurs.
These women all know exactly what it means to fight an uphill battle to success and do it with grace,
beauty, class, and their dignity still intact. I could go on and on about these ladies. They are just a few
amongst others who I know have my best interests at heart and who I always want to make proud of me
because I am overly proud of them.
What would you say to those that are starting out in your field? I would tell them to “do it anyway”.
Whatever it is you’re stepping out on faith to do! Do it scared, do it with flaws, do it nervous, do it even
if you don’t understand everything about it. Just do it anyway! If it’s in your desire and you know that
it’s going to make your dreams come true then God will help you figure all the details out. You don’t
have to work everything out first to know that everything will work out!
What is your favorite quote? Explain? My favorite quote is “Take it easy and if it’s easy take it twice!-
Unknown Author”. It’s my motto in life. I know everything won’t be easy but even with life’s twists and
turns I can always find some type of peace and comfort somewhere that makes the challenge a little
easier to deal with and in those moments when life is truly going well, I will bask in it and drink it all in!
What has been your biggest accomplishment? Losing 130+ lbs, no longer needing a cpap machine to
sleep, diabetes in remission, winning a national beauty pageant title, gaining my confidence back and
loving myself again!
Heard you added pageantry to your roster? I’m your Ms. American Beauties Plus 2025-26
Is this your first pageant? Would you like to do anymore? This is not my first time competing but this is
my first time winning. I may do more in the future but I have other endeavors I’d like to pursue. October
2026, I’m considering competing one more time with Royal Productions but after that, I’m going to put
it down for awhile.
What advice would you give first time pageant queens about pageantry? First piece of advice would be
to do your homework on the pageant system in which you’re competing. Make sure your platform aligns
with their mission. Before you even compete, think about the work you will need to do representing
them after you’ve won. If you don’t feel you can reign and hold your weight in your community
representing them, don’t compete there! It’s more than just looking beautiful to have a title behind your
name. You need to have the will to leave your own economic footprint in your community. Use your
platform to generate opportunity not just visibility.
What’s a fun fact about you? I’m a creative at heart. I love all types of visual art from crafting and
design to theatre and film.
If you were an animal, what would it be and why? My favorite animal is a giraffe so if I were an animal
that’s what I would be. They’re gentle until they need to defend themselves (You wouldn’t wanna be
kicked by a giraffe). They have the largest and most powerful heart of any land animal and I think that
speaks volumes in itself. I love like I’ve never been hurt although I’m usually the one who ends up hurt
somehow.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? In 5 years, I see myself as a millionaire living debt-free
or extremely close to debt-free and on my way to, if not already walking in retirement. In 10 years, I see
myself traveling and being fully financially free with no debt, making money in my sleep and enjoying my
latter years teaching others how to achieve a free life. I also see philanthropy in my future. I would
absolutely love to be able to send some youth to college fully paid, building apartment complexes,
group homes and transitional housing for homeless families, recreational centers for at-risk youth.
If you could leave a lasting legacy, what would that look like? If I could leave any legacy it would be
that my life would point back to Jesus! My prayer is that others would encounter Christ through the way
I lived. Not just in what I said, but how I showed up, how I loved, how I served others. I want my life to
reflect that Jesus is Lord!!
