“Make sure you’re staying aware regarding the weather. I know people around here are used to ever-changing weather that can be severe at times. Just make sure that you’re staying up-to-date on the weather because it’s very impactful,” advised Deitra McKenzie. “It’s important to have a plan. It’s severe weather season, so know where your safe place is; if you live in a mobile home, know somewhere you can go that’s a little sturdier in case tornadoes are possible. Mobile homes just aren’t that safe in tornadic winds. Just make sure that everyone is aware of the weather and has a plan for any possible outcome.”
As a meteorologist, it is in Deitra’s nature to be concerned about everyone’s well-being when weather is involved. Although she is not originally from this area, Deitra moved to Clarke County after marrying a native from this area, and she loves her new home.
“I am married to Abraham McKenzie, Jr., a detective with the Jones County Sheriff’s Department. That’s what brought me to this area,” stated Deitra. “I lived in Louisville before we got together and lived in various cities doing weather. I’m originally from Chicago. That’s where I was born and raised. I spent a lot of time in Mobile, AL, and was there for about 10 years. My parents live in Mobile now.”
She had a great childhood growing up in Chicago. It was a different environment up north, and she made some great memories.
“I had a good childhood. I loved just being with family. I grew up in the inner city and miss the days of just playing outside,” Deitra reminisced. “We didn’t have technology like kids today. The Nintendo had just come out and was a big deal, but we mainly played outside. I miss those days. We’d play double Dutch in Chicago as a kid. I had great parents and loved the holidays.”
It was while she was a child that she developed a passion for the weather. An experience she witnessed one of her friends go through solidified her desire to one day work as a meteorologist.
“I’ve always loved weather. When I was kid, around the time I was in sixth grade, I knew I wanted to do weather. When I got to high school, it was confirmed,” remembered Deitra. “I had a friend who would go to Oklahoma during Spring Break. They would do that every year from Chicago. I was in seventh grade, and that particular year her family got caught up in a tornado. My friend survived, but she lost her sister and her parents. When I saw something that impactful because of severe weather, I really had an interest in trying to keep that from being the case in the future by keeping people informed. I wanted to be a meteorologist at an early age.”
As soon as she graduated high school, she worked to acquire her degree in meteorology. She was successful, but starting her dream job wasn’t an immediate thing. It would take time, and she endured working a different job while continuously seeking employment with news stations to attain her dream job.
“I went to Northern Illinois University. There, I got my Bachelor of Science degree in Meteorology, and I also got a minor in journalism,” recalled Deitra. “When I graduated from college, I could not find a job to save my life. In broadcasting, you use a demo tape to prove that you’re able to do your job. That’s your resume. I guess when I went to my internship as a college student, I didn’t get a good enough resume via video. For a little while before someone gave me a break based on the bad video I had for a demo, I worked at Hertz Rental Car Company. I worked there after I graduated college in 2002 and worked there until about 2005.”
Finally, she found a news station that accepted her and allowed her to begin her career as the weather woman.
“I finally got my big break,” expressed Deitra. “My first job was in Rapid City, South Dakota. That was my first T.V. job.”
She has worked in different areas since then, and her job is really a dream come true. She loves it as much as she always imagined she would. Her favorite thing about it is how she is able to help others and make them weather prepared so they can hopefully avoid experiencing tragedies due to weather.
“I love that I get to keep people informed. That’s my drive. That’s my passion. It’s not really about me, but it’s about the platform,” proclaimed Deitra. “I love that the Lord has given me the ability to be that servant in terms of keeping people up to date with the weather every day. It’s needed. Everybody is impacted by the weather every day. To do that every day is what I love most about my job.”
Even the most challenging aspect of her job is also rewarding to her. She knows that not everyone knows exactly what goes into predicting the weather, but the feeling of success when everything falls into place the way it is predicted is amazing. With weather patterns and the atmosphere constantly shifting, it can be difficult, though.
“Forecasting is very challenging,” explained Deitra. “The weather is very dynamic, and there is a lot that goes into the weather that we experience: upper level patterns, different spokes of energy that come through, temperatures that we have day to day, etc. If there’s just a little freezing, we could have freezing rain if the atmosphere is right. There is just so much that goes into day to day weather that people don’t understand. All people really see is the actual end result of what the temperature is, if we have rain or not, or if it’s severe or not. To forecast that has so many different elements that goes into it. That’s the most challenging part, but it’s the most rewarding part too when you get the forecast right. I love that part of my job as well.”
In her time as meteorologist, she has earned an award that she is exceedingly proud of: the CBM Seal.
“I got my CBM Seal, which is a designation I received back in 2010. It was a reward to me because I worked so hard to get it through the American Meteorological Society,” declared Deitra. “I am a meteorologist, and that’s my favorite award after taking rigorous tests and being judged before a board. That’s an award I will keep forever.”
It was only in the past year that Deitra has experienced all the changes in her life: getting married and starting her new job with WTOK.
“My husband and I got married in February of 2021, and I started with WTOK in July of 2021,” stated Deitra.
Since then, she has received recognition from the citizens of Clarke County for her accomplishments. She feels blessed to have been welcomed so openly by everyone in the community.
“I did get an award from the MLK group here in Clarke County for being the first African American female meteorologist from the county to work at WTOK,” expressed Deitra. “I really appreciated that because of the culture of it. I thought it was also sweet of them to consider me a local even though I wasn’t born here. It just really shows the connection and closeness of the county.”
While she loves her job and is excellent at working with the weather, she also enjoys her time off. Every chance she gets away from work, she tries to spend it doing something with her husband. She loves being around him, and he has made a huge impact on where she is now in life.
“I love spending time with my wonderful husband. We bike ride a lot and just hang out together,” described Deitra. “When I’m not working, I’m just spending time with my husband and doing various things to get out in the area. We do a lot of outside stuff in terms of biking and exercising. We’ll watch movies, play board games, and spend time with family. We’ll drive around, and he’ll show me different sites in Mississippi as I continue to learn about this area.”
Of course, she and her husband also have other responsibilities. Her husband holds a leadership position in their church, and they work together to make sure they meet the needs of the church.
“I attend Oak Grove Baptist Church in Ellisville. I spend a lot of time there as well,” said Deitra. “My husband is the assistant pastor. I perform my role as his wife at the church and do whatever I can to assist our first lady.”
Deitra doesn’t sit idly and is constantly finding different things to do. Whether she is working hard at her job or fulfilling her role in the church, she is constantly demonstrating her giving spirit and desire to help those around her. She does everything she can to make a difference in the lives of others and will continue to do so.
If you would like to nominate someone for Person of the Week, contact Brittney Mangum at 601-776-3726.
