We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Meesh Harris a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Meesh thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

Growing up and really even now I’ve always been the kinda shy mild-mannered person in the back of the room. Even when I’ve had things to say or opinions, I just took the easy route of not saying anything at all. Even now. It’s easier for me to let people think they’re right or smarter or whatever it is. Well when I noticed other people doing it, people that I know have so many valuable things to contribute it kinda upset me. I know for me I’m always looking for people that truly inspire me. People that make me want to get up and do really whatever my hearts desire. People that make me feel comfortable because they look like me, see the world like me, understand me. Thats where the camera came in. I use it to tell stories that just get lost. Whether its beauty, pain, struggle, heartbreak, etc it all matters. It matters more than you even think it matters. I want to film someone whos story shapes the entire world and sends us in a new direction. I probably wont be just one but a series. So thats what I’m looking for, thats what im waiting for. Thats the mission.

Meesh, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

So my name is Meesh. I live in Arizona but I’m not really from anywhere. I got into filmmaking because my first dream (basketball player) didn’t work out. All the potential in the world but I was lazy with a very low motor. I didn’t love it. I dropped out of school and was doing nothing. All my friends were still on the basketball path so I started filming them for highlight tapes and vlogs etc and it was off to the races. Someone reached out to me on instagram and offered me $40 to film something now here we are 4 years later. I think the discipline for it just came from me actually enjoying it. I’ve never been good at things I didn’t care about. I’ll give about a days’ worth of effort and then I’m off to the next thing. That’s why 9-5 jobs have never really worked out for me. I love this though. I meet so many people and I get to put something into the world that wasn’t there before.

The thing I’m most proud of is sticking with it. Ups, downs, highs, lows I stick with it. Months where I make a lot of money and months where I make no money, the work ethic is still the same. The goal is still the same. Tell some of the best stories that no one ever cared about. For a long time I didn’t know where I fit. And alot of people have that problem. But now I’ve been able to be a part of a community with similar looks on life.

One thing that I want people to know is I’m always going to put people first. If I could do all this for free and still get things done I would. Honestly. One thing I think sets me apart is really my ability to connect with just about anyone. I can meet a stranger and have them tell me everything about themselves without even knowing it. And I love it. People are interesting and unique and I’ll continue to put that on display.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Work for free to get somewhere. – Now this does work. It just works in specific situations. When I first started I wanted to get my hands into everything. I would reach out to everybody I could trying to learn from them or work with them etc. People will see this and take advantage. I remember working with an artist for probably 2 months or so and saw $0. And he kept feeding me this idea that I needed to work with him and he was going to do this that and the third for me. He had money and I had nothing. Didn’t help me one bit. And I thought it was make it worth it in the long run. The only thing I got was overdue bills. So make sure everything makes sense. Theres value on both sides. And theres something in writing so there’s no confusion.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I’ve been homeless a few times now. It never gets easier. But you have to keep going. All I have out here is me and a camera. Sometimes its great and sometimes its not. Sometimes you mismanage money and you end up sleeping in your car for a few months. But no matter what happens, you never let go of the dream. Just keep pushing and things will turnaround. It’s the law.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: instagram.com/wassupmeesh
• Twitter: twitter.com/wassupmeesh
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQtXMY5THGpn5sr34aVon_g