Ep. 17: Faith, Media, and Storytelling w/ Dorissa White
In this episode of Beyond the Threshold, host Sidney Evans is joined by Chicago native Dorissa White, a lifestyle reporter at KMBC 9 News in Kansas City.
The University of S. Illinois Carbondale graduate previously worked as an assignment editor at News 12 Brooklyn NY1, and as a General Assignment Reporter at Bronxnet Community Television.
The moderator and orator has also interviewed notable celebrities including Tyler Perry, Reese Witherspoon, Keke Palmer, and Anne Hathaway.
In this episode we discuss:
- Her journey from aspiring reporter to professional journalist.
- Her experience working multiple jobs in New York to break into media.
- How she leveraged her career to become a moderator and content creator.
- The importance of faith, self-awareness and balance in your life.
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[00:00:00] Dorissa White: I knew that if I were in New York, I wouldn't have sat down, and it didn't really give me a lot of time to introspect internally. Real introspection comes with isolation. You really have to sit with yourself. You have to be alone for a period of time. You have to, you have to build in private.
[00:00:27] Sidney Evans: Thank you for tuning in. I'm your host [00:00:30] Sidney Evans, and you're listening to another episode of Beyond the Threshold.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another episode of Beyond the Threshold. For those who weren't listening at the top, I'm your host, Sydnee Evans, an award-winning audio editor and producer. For those of you who don't know on this show, I interview black men and women working. In media highlighting the lessons and experiences it takes to achieve success in the field.
And we have [00:01:00] another amazing guest in store for today. And you know, I like to give my little spiel about how I was able to get them on the show. Me and this young lady have been following each other on social media. For some time, and I think she's a great example of someone who has built a career for herself in the more traditional landscape of media.
She has used the leverage from her career and branded herself. These more modern [00:01:30] ways of media, uh, in the forms of constant creation and all the things that fall under that umbrella. So we're gonna get both sides of the story. We're gonna jump right into it. But to give a little bit of a background on her, she's a Chicago native and graduate of the University of Southern Illinois Carbondale, and currently a lifestyle reporter at kmb nine News in Kansas.
City. She previously was an assignment editor at News 12, Brooklyn and General assignment reporter at Bronx Net Community [00:02:00] Television. Uh, throughout her career, she has interviewed notable celebrities including Tyler Perry, Reese Witherspoon, Felicia Rashad, Brandy, Kiki Palmer, and Ha, and Anne Hathaway, amongst others.
So without further ado, I'd like to introduce today's guest, dissa White. Welcome to the show, dissa.
[00:02:19] Dorissa White: Thank you, thank you.
[00:02:21] Sidney Evans: I mentioned a few things about you and mentioned that I like to just kind of jump in there and hear more about your story. So can you just share more about your [00:02:30] background? What was, what was the inspiration that you, uh, discovered to pursue the path that you were on now?
[00:02:36] Dorissa White: Yeah. Well, I knew that I wanted to be a reporter from like, when I was a little girl. I actually think I just recently shared a little video of myself when I was like, I think I was seven. Years old and I was at a, just a family cookout and I was pretending like I was, you know, a reporter. But pretty much, I've always wanted to be a reporter.
I mean, I remember seeing Oprah when I was a little [00:03:00] girl and I just, I just like fell in love with her presence because, you know, she had a majority white audience and here this black woman was, who was just so poised and you know, to me it appeared confident. She was articulate. She was just such a force and I was like, I want, that's what I wanna do.
And I didn't even know what it was called at the time 'cause I was so young. I was so little. But that was my earliest memory of wanting to do something [00:03:30] in television. And so because I had this like early memory of that, it kind of just guided me through life. When I got into high school, I joined the journalism team.
And from there, when I graduated high school, I became a comms major, SIU. So there's been like so many different things and I, I really believe that our path, one thing that I believe is our path is already written for us. We just kind of have to these little like guiding lights, like joining [00:04:00] the journalism team and you know, be becoming a comm major and different things like that.
So. That's kind of what got me started.
[00:04:07] Sidney Evans: Okay. That's cool. So you said you joined the, the journalism team, and I know that's a, that's pretty much just writing, but so obviously you, like, you didn't go the path of becoming like, you know, I guess back then that would probably be like getting, you know, write article articles for the newspaper.
Now it's more digital and things like that as opposed to doing actual television. 'cause Oprah's like a TV host, I per se, I guess [00:04:30] obviously you're in front of the camera now. But what did that look like when you were like joined the journalism team and actually, actually physically like become part of a group of people, not just yourself, and you're actually out there with people who have similar interests in you, I guess.
I'm sure that can kind of inspire you to keep going or even the, you know. One person, you may meet somebody that's good in one area, you're good in another area, and you figure out like, oh, okay, there are other different ways that you can participate. So I'm curious like how you kind [00:05:00] of just kind of narrowed in on Okay.
Which you, which path you wanted to go with within that.
[00:05:05] Dorissa White: Yeah. I think that with journalism and with television and all of these other different, you know, television type of. Careers. It's a lot of intersectionality between them. And so because there's a lot of intersectionality, it really kind of like, you know, like overlays itself.
So for instance, I knew that I wanted to do something in television, but I didn't know exactly what [00:05:30] that was. And so the easiest way for me. Was to know that I wanted to do journalism because, you know, this was back in the time where influencers weren't a thing, right? It wasn't influencers. You couldn't just, you know, post on social media and become an influencer.
I mean, you could do like blogs or something like that, but I was in high school and I think that, you know, when we were in high school, I mean, I'm a millennial, but like when you were in high school, you don't really like, have, you, don't, I, you, I don't [00:06:00] think there wasn't Instagram at the time, so. Like, you know, posting, trying to become like an on air personality.
Like I wanted to very traditional. So to me, I looked at the, the careers of Barbara Walters. I looked at the careers of Oprah and those in just like the, in the field like that. And I saw what trajectory they took and they took a very traditional route. So. You know, they started out in local markets. They started out [00:06:30] just on television locally.
Oprah was a reporter in Boston, or she was an anchor in Boston, a reporter in Tennessee. She, you know, she really took this traditional route. And so to me I was like, okay, well what's the easiest way for me to get there? And that's my craft. So that's one of the reasons why I joined the journalism team, because yes, it wasn't like a on air job or it wasn't really like, I didn't have.
Opportunities. But I think like in order to know what [00:07:00] journalism is, you have to, you have to kind of do all forms of journalism. And that is writing, you know, that is editing, that is, you know, it's, it's like not on air, but it's still journalism. But once I kind of grasped article writing and everything, when I got into college, I joined River Regions and I was only there for like, honestly, I think it was like.
Half a semester or something like that. River Regions a for those who don't [00:07:30] know, it's just like a college news station. And you know, when I learned, when I, I think that what makes a really well-rounded journalist is just having all facets of journalism under their belt. Like you could write, you can, you know, you could do radio, like I did radio for a little while and, and then, you know, becoming a television reporter.
[00:07:55] Sidney Evans: I'm glad, I'm glad you touched on that because people who, who may not have any [00:08:00] knowledge of, of like how media works and things like that may just see someone who like, oh, they're a reporter and they don't understand like, 'cause to be honest, like especially when you first started off like. Per, per pursuing a career as a journalist, it doesn't pay enough in the beginning for you to do it if you don't love it.
You know what I'm saying? You kind of gotta work your way up, especially like in more traditional, like corporate America and things like that. Like you, you know, you, it is a process like how, how, I don't know how [00:08:30] many years. I don't know, you, you may be in the field 10 or 15 years before people actually can see you and see your face, and you kind of get the glorious job.
But there are a lot of unglorious things about journalism and being a journalist. So you're in college and you. I think you said that's when you, you got your first on-air experience in radio. What was just because there's, I know there's, you kind of have this idea of how things are when you're young and then you actually start doing it and there's like, okay, [00:09:00] this is another level of commitment that's required, or there's a lot of things that's required behind the scenes that people don't really see.
So what was that discovery process like for you, talking about that experience, your first experience on there and kind of how that was the catalyst for everything else to come?
[00:09:16] Dorissa White: Well, my first experience on air was def, it was WSIU on the radio side and WSIU Radio. It's just like, you know, it's very similar to when you're honestly writing an article because.
[00:09:30] Even though you're on air, you're, it's kind of like you're putting your article, you're just recording your article, you're voicing your article. So I would go out events in Southern Illinois and I would report on these events, write the article, and then I would send it to my editor for approval and then I would, I would get on air with it.
So it was, it was fun to me. You know, I really wanted to. I, I stayed at WSIU for maybe like two months. And [00:10:00] this was after I graduated? No, no, it wasn't after I graduated. It was, yes, it was after I graduated. It was after I graduated, but I was, I was also doing the summer semester too, so like after, even though I walked in graduation, I had to do the summer semester, so I was like.
WSIU and I was like in school at the same time and it was fun. Like I really wanted to just do on air stuff and that's actually what kind of catapulted, catapulted my [00:10:30] trajectory in New York because I was like, okay, I wanted, I wanna get on air. Like on air, you know, not just being a reporter, I mean not just being a radio reporter.
I wanted to be a television reporter. So that's what I decided to, to move to New York.
[00:10:45] Sidney Evans: Yeah, moving from Illinois to New York, that's a, that's a, that's a bold move. And so sometimes that's what's required. But can you just talk about like, I guess getting there, and I'm sure I, I mean, I would hope you wouldn't, would have at least visited before you [00:11:00] move, but even, even, even if that wasn't the case, I'm talking about the experience just like being in, in the hustle and bustle of that.
And really it just seems like there like. Obviously everything's much faster, but everything is sped up, so you gotta feel like, okay, I gotta hustle a hundred times harder here, honestly, if I was anywhere else to make it. So what was your mindset? I would say with, with that, that kind of battery your pack.
Like, okay, I moved out here, I gotta make it.
[00:11:24] Dorissa White: Mm-hmm. Yeah. I mean, New York is very, it's really, if you can make it in New York, you [00:11:30] can truly make it anywhere because New York is one of the hardest cities. To make it in, not only financially, but in any industry, right? There's so much, there's so much competitiveness, and everybody wants a job, right?
Actors, musicians, journalists, everybody wants a job. So when I moved to New York, I had visited one time prior, literally one time prior, and what happened was. I sent a [00:12:00] blind message on LinkedIn to A-N-B-C-U vp, NBC Universal vp, and he actually went to my school. He went to Southern Illinois University and I was just basically asking him for advice.
I said, and I was still in, at the time I was, I had moved back up to Chicago, you know, this was like maybe a couple of weeks after I officially, officially graduated. Just asking him for advice and he pretty much said, you know, if you find [00:12:30] your your way to New York, I'll give you an interview. And I, like, he didn't know at the time, that was all I needed to just move.
I didn't have anything set up. I didn't have a job, I didn't have, you know, I had like a little bit of savings, but I didn't have any real like, reason to move to New York. So. I ended up just packing my entire life up, which was like two suitcases at the time. I had sold everything, packed everything up, and then I just [00:13:00] moved straight to New York.
So when I got there, I, of course, I didn't have housing, so I was staying in Airbnbs and I was quickly running through my savings, like I was running through it so fast. So I ended up, I was like, okay, what is something that can keep money coming in, but I could also like be looking for jobs and stuff like that.
So, of course bartending, right? So I was like, okay, bartend. So I ended up like. One day, I never forget this, like I was like, [00:13:30] okay, I'm just gonna look so cute. I'm just gonna like put on some makeup. I'm a cute outfit and I'm gonna go to downtown Brooklyn and I'm gonna, and I'm just gonna pass out my resume because I had some serving experience in, in college.
And so it was this restaurant that ended up, or it wasn't a restaurant, it was like, kind of like a bar. They ended up hiring me in downtown Brooklyn and it was like a French restaurant or whatever. And I, that's where I was working. So you know, I was getting tips. I was able to like, keep money coming in [00:14:00] and everything while I was like, you know, looking for work.
And this was so crazy. I, so maybe it was like my second week working there. These two producers from CNN ended up walking into that bar and they were on, they were on a lunch break or I, I don't know exactly if they were on a lunch break or if they were just, you know, like off for the day or whatever.
But they were a couple. And they asked me, they were like, oh, we heard you say you were from Chicago. They were like, [00:14:30] what are you doing in New York? Are you, you know? And I was like, oh, I just graduated. I'm, I really wanna be a reporter in New York. And they were like, oh, okay, so where else are you working?
And I was like, nowhere. Like, this is my only job right now. And they, from right there, they told me, they were like, we, we actually work at CNN. And I was like, oh my God. Like, you know, so I wasn't even thinking about them like trying to get me a job. I was thinking about maybe I can network with them, or maybe they could just gimme some advice.
But by the end [00:15:00] of the conversation they had told me, they were like, we're, we can't get you in at CNN. And the reason why is because you don't have a lot of experience. 'cause I had only WSIU, that's it. And they were like. You know, we can't get you in at si at at CNN, but we could get you in at NY1, which is a 24 hour news station.
And so I was just like, okay. And you know, at the time I was like, I'll take anything. So they were like, we actually at NY1. [00:15:30] And so I ended up from there. I got an interview at at New York. One got hired as a news assistant, which is. Just like a photographer, to be honest. It's a photographer. You're out in the field, you're doing the interviews and everything, and I, and I worked there for three years.
[00:15:46] Sidney Evans: Wow. Okay. And man, you, you, you touched on a, a, a lot of things, but I guess the, the one thing that stand out stands out is, first of all people, I know we have like. L Lty dreams and [00:16:00] aspirations and careers that we want to pursue, but don't, especially if you're some, sometimes it might take you to, uh, don't, don't be too good to just take a job that can pay the bills and hold you over while you're pursuing the thing.
The thing. And I think that's really important. Because the media industry right now is requiring because of the state of a lot of people to do that now, who have a lot of experience, and you never know, like the ebbs and flows of how things are gonna be. You never, you never know what may happen. So, [00:16:30] yeah, I, I would say humble yourself as young as possible because down the line you don't, you don't want to have become a person who had had the success and kind of have of a, a inflated sense of ego and.
Feel like you're too good to take a job, to do what you have to do in order to get back on track. I know this was earlier in career, but I think it's a lesson because that's something that you could take forward with you moving on, but that first experience, like you're, how, I guess I would say, how much are you, like this is a full time, like how much are you working?
Kind [00:17:00] of give us like a, I now that you're in New York, like for that first drive, like what is like a, what was like a typical day?
[00:17:06] Dorissa White: Yeah. Yeah, I agree with you. Just, I just wanted to kind of touch on that. I absolutely agree with you. I think a lot of people, you know, they have this like. Okay. I don't wanna, I don't want to take this job 'cause it's going to send me backwards.
Right? There is no backwards and there's also no forwards. It's just you. It is just you versus you. It's your own path. And I think some people can get up, get [00:17:30] caught up in this mindset of comparison and they often compare their trajectory, their their journey to the next person who has a very similar journey.
But the thing is, God gave you your path. For a reason, right? You were supposed to meet people on your path that this person may not, you know, have, have supposed to met. And I think that that's what's beautiful about everybody's individual journeys, right? Like I used to compare myself a lot to Taylor Rook.
'cause [00:18:00] Taylor Brooks and I like, you know, she moved to New York around the same time I moved to New York. She went to U of I and she was, you know, like brown skinned girl went straight to the top, right? And so I used to also be like, oh, like you know, why isn't that me? But also like God gave my path for a reason.
And you know, it's interesting because you don't see it at the time, but you will start to see it like this is why he gave you your path. So I absolutely agree. Getting it back to your [00:18:30] question. So NY1 was hard. Like it was really, I call it a training camp for the rest of my career. It was truly a training camp.
Not only did I not get paid a lot of money, I was getting paid $10 an hour to work there in New York City, $10 an hour. Well, it was hard. So I couldn't quit, you know, bartending. So what I would do, I would work a morning shift. So morning shift starts at like. Three in the [00:19:00] morning and then I would get off around 12:00 PM I would go from that job, I would go back to the bar and then work a whole day, side shift sleep and do the whole thing again.
It was hard. It was so hard. Like there was times I was like, I don't, I can't do this. Like I was literally about to quit. I was about to give up 'cause I'm like. This is so hard and I don't, you know, there's people who still do this now who have families [00:19:30] that do that. So that's one of the things I kept telling myself, well, you know, I don't have a, I don't have kids, so if they could do it, I surely can do it.
You know? So that's what kept me, kept me going. But it was definitely hard. So, you know, at NY1, I would go out and get a lot of interviews and you know, this would be in the summer, in the winter, you know, New York winters are harsh. New York summers are sometimes harsh. I mean, not as harsh as Kansas City, but you know, I [00:20:00] would be out in the elements, out in the rain, getting interviews and doing all this other stuff and you know, still having to work at the bar when I got off.
[00:20:10] Sidney Evans: Yeah, that's, it's, it is not always as glamorous as, as it may seem. That's why, that's why I asked the questions the way that I do. Mm-hmm. Okay. Did you feel like the, uh, the, the, your previous experience set you up better for now that you kind of knew the lay of the land? Were you going into those positions and I'm sure.
Obviously your, your [00:20:30] career has progressed nicely, so you're, you are making more money, getting more responsibilities, maybe also, obviously maybe even working more. But did you, do you think that first experience, set the tone, set the stage for your mindset moving forward with the, as you continue to get, uh, promoted?
[00:20:46] Dorissa White: Oh, for sure. I mean, with NY1 it, you know, like I said, it kind of laid the training camp for the rest of my career and without that experience I wouldn't have known how to handle certain situations, tense [00:21:00] situations, scary situations. I had a guy, you know, he had a gun, he flashed a gun. You know, I was there.
This was at NY1, like, well, not at NY1, but I was in the field and there was a lot of tense situations. But it, you know, all of that prepared me for. Every, almost everything that was to come. So when I was working at Bronx Net, that was the first time I was actually on air. So I had been in New York for three years at the time, going on four years, and I had never been on air before.
So Bronx Net [00:21:30] was actually my first time being on air, and I loved it. I was an arts and culture reporter, so I was covering different things like, you know, coffee shops opening and. You know what's happening in Mott Haven and all of these different things and it was, it was really cool because you know, the Bronx is really booming and it went through like this growth develop, like it went through a growth era.
I mean, it still is in its growth era, but I think a lot of people were starting to [00:22:00] move to the Bronx. And although I didn't live in the Bronx, I would go there every single day for work and there would be something new every single day, which, which is beautiful. 'cause you know, the Bronx is truly like a community.
I can say it's like a, even though there's so many different neighborhoods of the Bronx, it's still like one, it's still one. And there's like a lot of Bronx pride. Like everybody loves the Bronx. So. Anyway. Yeah. So I would work there and that was like, I would say that was actually one of my [00:22:30] easiest roles.
That was one of my easiest jobs because my management was very lax. It was very, I actually, sometimes I miss it, like I look back because now like it, you know, doing what I do now, I work very hard. And so I always look back on, on, you know, Bronx net and I'm like, dang, like those were the days because. I didn't, I didn't have to work that hard.
I was really just doing what I loved. I was telling stories we would have one package per day, which is [00:23:00] so easy. After you're done with your package, you could go home and it, it was great. It was great. I, I was managing other reporters, so it was a, it was really interesting experience. And the only reason that I left that is because I think that internally we all know when we're supposed to evolve, whether we.
Whether we're super conscious of it or not, we all know when it's time to move on and grow. And again, I, what I [00:23:30] believe is that all of our lives have already been written. I think that creation is already finished, so we are just really like, we're, we're just taking steps to get to the final point in our life, if that makes sense.
So. I knew that it was time to evolve. You know, like Bronx net was easy, but I was kind of getting complacent. I was getting complacent and learning as much because I had reached like a peak there. [00:24:00] And you know, some people will reach a peak at a job and they'll be like, okay. You know, and, and they won't listen to their soul's evolution.
They'll be like, okay, well you know what, I'm just gonna stay here forever or stay here because it's comfortable, but really like. We're doing life to experience and so a part of that experience is moving on. So I knew that it was time to move on. So that's when I started working at News 12, uh, Brooklyn Bronx.
[00:24:30] And I, what ha I knew the management there just because when you are working in the Bronx, it's so, like a lot of news stations just. You know, kind of overlap, if that makes sense. Like everybody knows who you are because you're on air, you're at the scenes, you know, have like a social media presence or somewhat.
So the manager there, she ended up reaching out to me and she said that they had a open freelance position. Okay, well freelance, I am the type of person [00:25:00] where I'm not going to jump blindly into something, so I need. Like, I wanna like test it out. So I ended up working there while I was working at Bronx Net.
So we had, at Bronx Net, we had like 25 vacation days. I ran through all those vacation days working at News 12, Bronx, Brooklyn, and yeah, and then, so it came a time [00:25:30] where I had to choose. Do I wanna do this full-time? Do I wanna work at News 12 Bronx full-time, or do I only wanna work at Bronx Net? And, and that's, that's, I kind of had to make a choice and I decided not to do either.
[00:25:46] Sidney Evans: Oh. Oh, okay. Well, and, and how'd you, how'd you come to that conclusion?
[00:25:51] Dorissa White: I just wanted to be out of news. I wanted to see what another side of news was. You know what I mean? Like I really, I knew that I had to make a decision. I was doing [00:26:00] freelance red carpets, I was doing entertainment news. I was working at Rock the Bells with, you know, LL Cool J and all of that.
But I was like, I had never worked anywhere else other than news since I started my career. That was the only thing I was working was. WSIU, NY1 Bronx net News 12. And I just wanted to see what it would be like to work outside of news. So I ended up taking a, a marketing job at a humanitarian aid organization, and that [00:26:30] was also a great experience as well.
And I worked there for two years.
[00:26:34] Sidney Evans: I didn't realize you had that, that twist in there and We'll, and we'll get to what happens after that, but you're. Obviously you're in a huge market in New York. You're really connecting with the community, you know, reporting, doing all this type of stuff, um, building relationships with people.
Um, and I would imagine that would be rewarding in a sense to really be out there like on the ground, uh, with people. And I also respect what you do as well. 'cause some of the situations that people have to [00:27:00] report on, maybe not so much for you, but for, you know, when there are, you know, unfortunate things that happen like, you know, homicides.
Stuff of that nature. The more mor the more morbid stuff people have to report on it. And there may, may, may be a level of like, fear there that you have to overcome because you have to do your job. So I just want, I just wanted to add that, that, that I appreciate, like I said, maybe not you directly, but people have to do things similar to what you do and they may be potentially putting themselves at risk, but outside [00:27:30] of that, so, um.
I know that you have moderated some events. You're an, you were an orator, so I would assume that those opportunities come, came from people seeing you on TV or connecting with you, whether they, you know, it's a community event, they're just seeing you out, uh, doing your thing, and they would, okay, I would love to have her come speak for this thing that we got going on, or things of that nature.
So can you share how some of those opportunities presented themselves?
[00:27:56] Dorissa White: Yeah, like I said, there's like a lot of overlap when it comes [00:28:00] to every. Every kind of media career. So yeah, so a lot of people would see me out. They would see what I post on social media. I feel like I'm very like multidimensional on social media.
Like I don't just do one thing. You're not just going to see my news stuff. You're gonna see a part of my personal life on there. You're going to see engagements, you're gonna see. So, because we are truly, it's like an onion module, right? So there's so many layers. Our personality, and I don't think that we should hide any layer [00:28:30] of it.
I think that every layer should be out there because you, we are such multidimensional creatures. You know, we, we enjoy so many different things and so many different layers reflect our personality. So, um, so yeah, I, of course I put my stuff, like my news things on social media and people would see that and be like, oh, you know, I think that she would be great to speak about this.
Or, or whatever topic it is. I do post a lot on LinkedIn. That's where I get a lot of my speaking engagements [00:29:00] as well. People can see me on television like here. Now they see me. I feel like this is a very, it's a, it's, even though it's Market 33, we have a good viewership. We have a large viewership. So people see me on television and they write into the station and ask me if I could appear here or there.
And, and I think that that's, you know, good. I think the next step for me is getting a PR person to kind of like, manage that for me, if that makes sense. Or, [00:29:30] or, you know, pitch, pitch me to more things. 'cause I, I think that, you know, yeah, my experience has been unique. And I could really, you know, advise a lot of people who have this, this non-traditional or traditional career path in news.
[00:29:48] Sidney Evans: Yeah, I think that's, um, I think that's cool just 'cause today, man, it's kind of like, kind of really necessity if you feel like you want to, um. Like all that is out there for [00:30:00] you to have and experience and not from a, not from a place of, I'm not satisfied, but for, you know, or grateful for what I have now.
I feel like that, and actually the, the moments of satisfaction and the gratefulness is what leads to, to the, to the more abundance. I feel like if you try to just neglect that and just go after it, it's kind of running away from you. So. You established yourself as a reporter. You kind of went over here, did something different.[00:30:30]
Uh, what was next for you and how did you end up in Kansas City?
[00:30:35] Dorissa White: Okay, so New York, like I said, it's very, it's very, it's a competitive market and I wanted to do something very specific. So of course I was doing like these freelance entertainment things. I was doing these freelance lifestyle stuff. I wanted to do something full-time in that space.
And so my agent at the time, I, I don't have this agent anymore, but at the [00:31:00] time I had just told her, I said, only pitch me to entertainment, lifestyle, things like I don't want anything else. She told me, she was very honest with me. She said, I don't think you're gonna find that in New York because. The people who are getting those roles, they have had so much experience with them already.
And you know, I had had one-off experiences like the nocturnal and rock the bells, but it wasn't really consistent. And she said that [00:31:30] if you want inconsistent, I think you should just take a step back again using the quotations for this because nothing is a step back. Nothing is a step forward. It is all an experience.
So she said, you need to kind of take a quote, unquote step back and move to another state just for a contract period, and then you're gonna be able to get a better experience from this. And she said, would you be willing to take that sacrifice? And I told her, I said, yeah. [00:32:00] I said, if I have to move to do that,
[00:32:02] Sidney Evans: let me pause in there.
'cause just a point of, a point of emphasis when you hire people to do stuff and y'all build a relationship and you trust them, listen to them. Because you could've easily been like, I mean, I understand you're, you're, this is what you do and this is why I hired you, but I want this, so I'm only going to pursue this and I'm not going to.
Entertain like an another thought process or somebody presenting idea that may give you a new perspective [00:32:30] because it's all, it's like you said, everything is evolving. It's like how it looked in one season. It might not look like that in another season, but it's still the path. Or that doesn't mean it's still not the path, you know?
So I, I just wanted to touch on that.
[00:32:42] Dorissa White: That's, that's exactly right. Like I knew that, you know it, you know, if I would've, if I would've stayed in New York. I wasn't fulfilling what I wanted to do internally, like, although I really enjoyed working at the humanitarian aid organization. That was actually, [00:33:00] I really, really enjoyed that work.
I know that, again, I believe that it's already written for you, so I knew that I wasn't on, Hmm, how do I say this? I knew that my purpose is television or is speaking. It's, it's a communicator. It's orating. It's that that's my purpose. And if I am not able to do that, then I am not living my soul's purpose.[00:33:30]
So that's when I made a choice to, all right, if I'm gonna get back in it, then I need to just get back in news. And so she, that's when she started looking for roles that were outside of New York, because I knew that if I would've just said, only New York, only Chicago, it probably would've taken honestly another two years just to find me a role that would fit, you know?
And so I told her, I said, [00:34:00] yeah, let's do it. And so she started looking for other roles and she found, she found a role that was in Michigan. It was, I can't remember the township in Michigan, but it was in Michigan and it wasn't quite right, like I did the interview and I don't know, it is just something that I feel that I think very like a discerning person and very in tune with my, my path.
So I just knew that this is [00:34:30] not what I wanted. It was very commercial. Like a commercially type of inner lifestyle reporter. And also the salary, the salary was very low for that area. Um, and although it was Michigan, you know, I'm sure I could have just drove back to, to Chicago if I wanted to and everything.
I was like, I'm not just gonna take anything. So I turned that one down and then. She put me, she put feelers out for some [00:35:00] more. But the one that really like was super interested was K was K, where's where I am now? KBC nine News. They were looking for just a reporter to do fun lifestyle things. That's how they pitched the job.
It looked to do fun lifestyle, um, recording in throughout the shows and. I said, yeah, let's do it. So I ended up doing the first interview and they really liked me and they flew me out from New York to Kansas [00:35:30] City. And I'm not gonna lie, like I'm gonna be so transparent when I am a city girl. I'm from Chicago, Illinois, I'm moved to New York.
Like I've lived in two big cities. I did not, the city didn't vibe with me, right? But I also knew when you take a sacrifice. A sacrifice comes with discomfort or it wouldn't be a sacrifice. If you are, are, if you're saying like, okay, I'm gonna sacrifice this. You have to go through a period of discomfort [00:36:00] in order to get you further, like the people who, let's just say using this for an example.
If you're taking a financial sacrifice in order to pay down debt, you are going to be uncomfortable for two, three years, but it's going to put you 10 years ahead. So it's not gonna, it's not gonna look good. It's not gonna be fun. It's not gonna, so yeah, I, I knew instantly I was like, I'm not, I'm, this is not my vibe.
I'm a very [00:36:30] fast paced girl, but I was like, I'm ready. I'm prepared. I've already prayed about it. So I said, let's do it. And they ended up offering me a contract in October and I told them that I would sign it. End of December, early January, and, and I did, yeah, end of December, 2023.
[00:36:54] Sidney Evans: Okay. So you're, so it's, it's almost been two years going on, two years since [00:37:00] you've been signed that contract.
Okay, cool. And yeah. Well, uh, just, just, just very briefly, what have you gotten out of your experience so far? Being there, just curious.
[00:37:13] Dorissa White: Yeah. No, that's a great question. That's a really great question. I think that, you know, you get so much out of an experience, not just in terms of your career. You get so much in terms of emotional, spiritual [00:37:30] growth, everything.
So when I first moved here, of course, again, it was very slow moving. It was very, um, the pace. I didn't really like the pace. There's not a lot of things to do here. Compared to New York or Chicago, but I knew that if I were in New York, I wouldn't have sat down, if that makes sense. Like I was constantly on [00:38:00] the go in New York and it didn't really give me a lot of time to introspect internally.
And real intro, real introspection comes with isolation. In order for you to face yourself, you have to be alone. You have to be alone because real introspection is not going to come just from, oh, okay, this is what I'm gonna do. And you really have to sit with yourself. You have to be alone for a period of time.
You have [00:38:30] to, you have to build in private. And so that's what I think that, that's what Kansas City has taught me is that. I just needed it. It was, and this has been almost like a reset for me in so many ways, this has been a reset. Not only is in terms of my career, because I'm like more laser focused in what I wanna do next, but.
Also like emotionally, I've, I've gone through some very emotional [00:39:00] things here in Kansas City, and I think if I were work I would've just, you know, moved on fab. You know, I don't want, you don't wanna face pain, so, but when you're by yourself, you have no choice but to face that pain.
[00:39:15] Sidney Evans: Right. That's that's true.
And I, I'm, I'm the, the piece you said about the sacrifice, like you said, if it was, if it, if it made you feel good, feel good all the time, or if it didn't make you uncomfortable, it wouldn't be a sacrifice. But this experience, I'm sure will set you, set [00:39:30] you up moving forward for like, okay, this is how I know how to manage myself.
The habits I'm developing now are gonna. I'm going to carry with me for the rest of my life. So I, I think that's important. So I did wanna make sure I touched on this part because I, I, I definitely promised it at the beginning of the episode, but you shared your experience in, in, in the more traditional sense as far as your career.
How have you been able to basically use everything that's available to us as far as the internet [00:40:00] to brand yourself, whether it's doing social media content, I mean, I'm not sure. You obviously you'll share what's specific to you, but for other people it could be YouTube, it could be. Vlogging, there's a whole spectrum of things that fall under the content umbrella, which ultimately is a, uh, is done for the purposes of branding and, and building awareness about yourself.
Um, how have you been able to utilize that and how, how have you been able to do it in a healthy manner? Because I know. Some people can get obsessed with [00:40:30] it, or they're, they're so focused on it that they don't take for that time for themselves, for that silence that you said that is needed in order for you to become the best version of yourself.
[00:40:41] Dorissa White: Yeah, I mean, one of the things that I do often is just get off of social media, like completely remove the apps from my phone because. I was reading that they said that 66% of adults and that's ages from 18 and up, have a [00:41:00] social media addiction and have a digital addiction, which is they are tied to a digital device, and it's so easy in the morning to reach for your phone and to kind of get that dopamine hit of you getting all these notifications and especially my videos on.
No matter where I post, they do go up and I think that on, they, they go up on TikTok, they go up on, now I'm starting to get a lot of [00:41:30] traction on my YouTube earlier this year, across a thousand, and now I'm at 1400. Right. Which is crazy because it's like, you know, I remember trying to build my YouTube and now it's, it's, it's building so fast.
Um, so I think that. For me, I genuinely just get off and I like have a real life. I'm here in the present, in the flesh, and my social media stuff is, it is a [00:42:00] reflection of me because I'm posting it, but it is not, it is not consuming me and I don't have to be consum by it either. I can say a message, I could, like I'm doing a video today, right?
Like I could put a message out there and I can completely detach. For a while, I realize when you're so consumed with, like, trying to defend your point because, you know, I, I do post videos on TikTok and people, there's some people in my comments that agree with me. There's [00:42:30] some people who don't. There's some people who say like really mean things, but when you get so caught up in the point of trying to defend yourself, trying to defend yourself, it's like that is going to keep you addicted to your phone.
I don't care. I said what I said, like I, and I'm getting to the point where it's like when I say something, when I post something, I'm gonna stand by it. That's it. I don't have to engage, I don't have to argue in the comments and try to convince someone of everybody's gonna have an [00:43:00] opinion. So that's one thing that I do.
Oh, and another thing too is I don't engage with negativity. Like that's, that's another thing, like I think engaging with negativity just brings who I am down brings your aura down. Clouds your aura. So I, I just delete block, keep going. I'm not gonna argue with them. I'm not gonna give them any attention or energy.
Yeah. I think that those are, and, and I guess how to help or how, what advice I would give [00:43:30] other people with their content is, I mean, it's, it one, stay consistent because, and that's something that I'm still grasping because consistency. Is how you get from point A to point B. We're in July of this year. If somebody posted a video every single week from July to next July, their social media would most likely be at 20,000 followers.
100%. It's consistency, right? People [00:44:00] like humans are, we're, we're very routine creatures. We, we like things that are coming consistently for us. That if we like this content, we want it, we continue to want it. I haven't posted a YouTube video in maybe two months, and this girl messaged me and she said, Hey, I just wanna see your next YouTube video.
When are you gonna, that? That was all the confirmation was to be more consistent, you know, because people are watching whether you get [00:44:30] a hundred views, whether you get 50 views, whether you get a thousand. 5,000 people are watching, people are watching. And I would say like, don't let the, you know, because you're not hitting this amount of views or followers or subscribers.
Let that defer you from the process because it was put on your heart for a reason. If you want to do this, if you want a blog, if you want to do a podcast, or [00:45:00] if you wanna do TikTok or whatever. Continue doing it because you enjoy doing it, not because you're trying to go viral, not because you're trying to, you know, get a viral moment or anything like that.
It's going to come organically because like I've been saying, already written, everything that's in everything that has been placed on your heart to do for a reason, and it is just pushing you further.
[00:45:24] Sidney Evans: Yes. It seems like you're very, uh, uh, but believing that like, uh, [00:45:30] obviously the, the not, not engaging with, with negativity, that's, that's a big thing.
Posting and like you said, detaching, like obviously it takes time to, you know, may come up with an idea and film it and edit it. But I think, like you said, the, the, the key point is once you do that. You ha having the ability to be, to remain detached is, is I, I, I think is a key thing that allows for you to really, um, experience life like it's actually supposed to [00:46:00] be experienced.
So you've been super, uh. Honest about, you know, your experience, the ups, the downs, um, what a lot of things people don't actually know. So I'm glad you could bring light to those. Uh, for the last segment of the show, just like to end things on a much more light, fun note. I kind of get an idea of your taste and the soundtracks to your life.
What is your favorite, what's your favorite album? A lot of times people do a list, so just feel free to share how you wanna share.
[00:46:29] Dorissa White: Okay. [00:46:30] I saw that and I was like, you know what? I'm going to look, because I didn't really have time, but I think my favorite album would be The Writings On the Wall by Destiny's Child.
I love child and I like the Old Destiny child too, but it just made you feel so good. Like that was like real music. That was, you know, same Monet, same Monet that was, that just [00:47:00] made you wanna sing along and everything. So I would definitely say writings on the wall. And then you said there's like a make a list.
[00:47:08] Sidney Evans: No, I'm just saying like if you, if you could narrow it down to one, you could provide a list, but that sounds like that was sounds, you sound like you were really, really confident in that. So, uh, I have a, uh, a, a love for that era of music. So everything you said with that album was on point. Um, all right, next, favorite music producer.
[00:47:27] Dorissa White: Ooh, favorite music producer. I think this [00:47:30] is gonna be so controversial, so I'm not even gonna say my initial choice.
[00:47:35] Sidney Evans: Yeah, I say no more.
[00:47:36] Dorissa White: I think y'all know talking about already, I hate to say it though, but he wrote, he either, I think he produced writings on the wall, if I'm not mistaken. He was one of the producers on writings of, of the wall, so on the wall.
So I hate to say it, but yeah, it would probably be him because. He had his hand in so much of that era, and [00:48:00] I'm such a nineties r and b type of girl, like I love nineties r and b. Anytime you get in my car, there's gonna be some Cupid one 12 playing. There's gonna be genuine, there's gonna be tank, there's, there's definitely going to be that era of music playing.
[00:48:17] Sidney Evans: I was pretty much fully expecting like that. That was kind of the vibe I got. So, guy glad to see that that, uh, held true. Okay. Um, on the, uh, picture side of things for the ELA two, uh, [00:48:30] favorite film score or soundtrack,
[00:48:33] Dorissa White: favorite film would be Love Jones. 100% it was in my home city of Chicago. It gives you such a nostalgia, even if you've never experienced love yourself, like real love that it's just like starts out as like, you know what?
We're just going to be cool. We're just gonna be friends. That even if you've never even experienced that, it take, whenever you watch that movie, it just takes you back to [00:49:00] like a, a time that was so, like I, it's something that you can't even explain, but I absolutely love, love Jones.
[00:49:09] Sidney Evans: I'm glad you said, 'cause like you said, a lot of people haven't experienced it.
So if you have, it can, you can compare it to your experience and if you haven't, you can kind of see, okay, this is how it felt for them. So once I start to feel like this, maybe I'm actually in love myself. So I just want to throw that in there. Alright. And favorite film sound? [00:49:30]
[00:49:30] Dorissa White: I would also say Love Jones because yeah, there were so many, I'm looking right now.
There were so many songs that I love that was played in that, in that, um, movie or I don't know. I feel like I'm not, I feel like I'm missing something, but I'm just gonna say Love Jones. Okay.
[00:49:49] Sidney Evans: No, no problem with that at all. Alright, last one. Favorite TV theme song?
[00:49:53] Dorissa White: I love my, I love girlfriends. I love Girlfriends song.
I don't even know who sings that, but my [00:50:00] girlfriends
[00:50:02] Sidney Evans: very non-traditional. Very non-traditional. But it's definitely memorable though.
[00:50:07] Dorissa White: Yeah. What's yours?
[00:50:09] Sidney Evans: I would have, oh, that's a good question. Fresh Prince is the one, is the first one that comes to mind. But I like some older ones. I watched Boy Me's World as a kid, so I would say like the original Boy Me's world theme song is memorable.
I mean, I watched all that. I probably say all that. Yeah. Oh, Keenan Kale. Like they have some, they have some catchy ones too, so. [00:50:30] The Nickelodeon, I'll probably go the Nickelodeon route. Um, but yeah. That's cool. I, I'm, I'm glad. Yeah, that's, um, you kind of, we, we stayed work. I feel like we're kind of in the same universe as far as our taste and responses to those questions, so that's pretty cool.
I, I appreciate you coming on. I know they'd be, uh, like you said, uh, in your field, they'd be working the hell outta y'all. So ire appreciate you giving a little bit of your time on a, on a Saturday. Um, a much, much needed day of rest. Um, so last, last question before. [00:51:00] We end things here. Just what would be like one piece of advice you would leave with someone listening, um, no matter what, um, I guess universal advice, no matter what their passion is or what career they decide to pursue.
What's just a thing that you think they can just always carry with them?
[00:51:17] Dorissa White: I think that the number one thing that's coming to me right now is just if, like, if you don't know God, definitely find God. Definitely find God. Um. [00:51:30] And I know that that's like not really talked about in this world today because there's so many universe and different things and, and I'm not trying to, you know, shame that type of spirituality, but really like discovering Jesus, discovering God, like getting to know God, getting to know Jesus is going to propel your life forward.
In ways that you would not have imagined every single situation, even if it feels like it hurts you. [00:52:00] When you know God, you understand that this situation was for a reason. Even if you can't see that. In the midst of it. It is always for a reason and you have to really be in tune and in touch with the Lord to really understand that because if you're not, you are just going to think that things are just happening to you because, because they just happen to you and that's not the case.
This is a very orderly world that we live [00:52:30] in, whether people know it or not, but this is a very orderly world, and if you are trying to. Become successful if you're trying to get, you know, money or whatever the case is. The way you do that is by forming a relationship with God 100% because God is always going to order your steps because this is a orderly world.
And, and so, you know, that, that's my, that would be my piece of advice for them. [00:53:00]
[00:53:00] Sidney Evans: Yeah. I, um, and. Like you said, the world is, we live in a orderly world, but we can also live in a world that's, there are a lot of things that are outta your control. So having that, you know, relationship with Guy is important for providing context on how things give you a perspective on the, on the things that happen in your life, and then ultimately providing you with a sense of peace, which I think is the, is is the greatest thing you can have.
So that's pretty much it. Thank you so much, dissa, for coming on. [00:53:30] Oh. I almost forgot. How can you, very active on social media, so how can people find you?
[00:53:35] Dorissa White: Yes, you can find me on Instagram. It is just my first and my last name. So it's Dissa tv. And it's Dissa, D-O-R-I-S-S-A tv, two S's one R. A lot of people put two Rs one s.
No, it is one R two S'S tv. YouTube is the same one. DISSA tv. TikTok is my most active, or I should say my [00:54:00] largest following, and it is my first, and my last name Issa, D-O-R-I-S-S-A. Last name White, W-H-I-T-E, and I don't really get on Twitter or X or whatever it's called. Definitely follow my YouTube.
Subscribe to my YouTube because I constantly record my journey. The ups, the highs, the lows, the breakups, the makeups, all everything. Like I put everything on YouTube, and I think that's what things that people really enjoy [00:54:30] watching.
[00:54:31] Sidney Evans: Okay. Well, uh, that's it. Yeah. People, uh, please take he go to go support her online.
Go, uh, especially the YouTube. I feel like the ladies may get, uh, gravitate to you and your, and your, and your vibe and your personality, so definitely check that out and for everybody listening. That's it. We'll catch you on the next episode.
Thanks for listening to today's episode, and please don't forget to subscribe and leave a review. If you want to know more about [00:55:00] me, visit sound by sid.com. And I'm Sid Evans Jr. On Instagram and Threads. If you want to know more about the podcast, visit sound by sid.com/podcast. And if you'd like to see and hear more from our guest, subscribe on YouTube at Beyond the Threshold Pod.
And follow on TikTok at underscore beyond the threshold.