Meet Debbie Deer | Creative Technologist, Educator, Performer, Writer, Black, Woman, Jamaican, Immigrant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Debbie Deer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Debbie, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I started my businesses out of passion and necessity. I migrated to Canada from Jamaica to pursue my goals in the film and digital media production fields over 10 years ago. When I completed University 11 years ago, I didn’t see many women, let alone black women working in the Film, TV and Digital Media Arts. It was a largely, white male dominated industry. I knew that if I wanted to have a position of meaning in either of my fields, I would need to create it or meet a fairy God-parent! Since the fairy God-parent never came along, I decided to start my own business!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve always been an artist. As early as I could remember, being an artists in many different genres was something I excelled at. I could play multiple instruments, dance, draw, act, you name it, I did it! My parents recognized this and put me in the Jamaica Musical Theatre Company when I was 6. This is where my passion for storytelling began. For 12 years I was in the theatrical arts. Learning how to tell stories with music, lighting, costumes and dialogue. I was enthralled. I wanted to be in theatre forever! Until I recognized that theatre was not great at making a decent living. It also wasn’t great at prioritizing the presence and voice of dark skinned girls such as myself. As a teenager, I became First-Runner Up Ms. Jamaica Universe. I also had a reality show called My Jamaican Girl that showcased me preparing for Ms. Universe, this was the mid 2000’s. Apparently, despite popular demand, Jamaica was not ready for a dark skinned beauty queen. This reality, that delineated in one way or another society would view me as a second class citizen, strengthened my empathy and storytelling. It made me seek justice for the voiceless and further fascinated in sharing untold stories. Ms. Jamaica led to me being a TV presenter for a music network in Jamaica. When I wanted to express myself and see the world more, I was prompted to study TV and Film Arts in Canada. That’s how I ended up there. I almost ended up in Atlanta to be with my other two siblings but chose Canada to be with my partner at the time.

As a queer, black, woman immigrant, my art and business is very much about showcasing the stories of marginalized folks. We don’t get our stories told often enough. My work is dedicated to this. My first company Debbie Deer Productions has had the honour of working with some of Canada’s top arts and educational institutions. Some of the work I’m proud of is being an Educational Partner for the Toronto District School Board creating initiatives for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour) youth. I have also been a visual lead for Luminato Festival’s Henry G20, creating photography (Featured as the festivals cover image), augmented reality, video and poster art for the production. This piece was also nominated for a Canadian Heritage Award. I’ve been an artist in residence teaching multimedia arts at The Power Plant Gallery and I ran my feature production ‘Exmas’ (A production about 2SLGBTQIA dating complexities) at The Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. I love being a video and graphic production artist and project lead at Debbie Deer Productions. What has recently excited me is being an Extended Reality Creator!

Through my company Orion Digital Inc. I have ventured into the world or Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality. Being one of few black women in this technology field, in 2 years, I have gone from being mentored to becoming a mentor and starting a corporation. My work in XR features stories of African Kings and Queens and other diaspora tales. My piece, The Nefertiti Experience has been featured in the Toronto International Film Festivals (Deep Focus) and has been selected in the Toronto Fringe Festival. I am also now an educator in the XR field, primarily teaching Hybrid Theatre Production with Institutions such as York University. I’ve been a speaker at the VRTO and Next Summit Conferences. In October, I will be a panelist at the Silicon Harlem conference. Silicon Harlem is a black tech conference run by black Harvard Professor Clayton Banks. I am extremely proud of the work I have accomplished in the XR sector in a relatively short time. Thats being said, this is because challenges have sharpened my tools. Being a black, queer woman doesn’t always open doors. I generally have to work very hard to shine brighter, stay up longer and have more resilience than the average person. I overcome these challenges with a focused and disciplined practice. This includes, mediation, yoga, regular exercise, eating well and challenging myself to push past my fears and comfort zones in the pursuit of excellence. Ive actually learned to dedicate more time to self-care than to work. I figure, if Im not well or optimal then neither is the community I serve. What I want the world to know about me is that I am a very spiritual person. I don’t think I’m particularly special, I do think Im gifted for a reason. I think no matter what your background is, being an entrepreneur is as challenging as it is rewarding. It takes often years of sacrifice, discovery and bravery. Entrepreneurship is a sport for athletes not hobbyist. I want the world to know I was made for this and I am guided by all our ancestors.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My best friend is bad, boogie and sophisticated! I would have to take her to some of the nicest restaurants and bars I know. Eventually, I would also throw in some nature excursions to keep things balanced. Firstly, its all about the food! Toronto is the city to have fun in Canada. Chubby’s Jamaican Kitchen is awesome! It boasts gourmet, Jamaican Food in a chic restaurant setting. Then we would have to head to Patois, a Jamaican Chinese gem. Jamaica actually has a large Chinese population and to me, the best Chinese Food in the world. My friend Simone has some Chinese heritage so I know she’ll appreciate this place. The service is amazing (The bartender Christine nicknamed me ‘big Deborah’ on day 1 and never forgot it). Naturally, Simone would be visiting in summer so we would have to check out the beaches and take a little yacht ride along Hanlan’s Point (a clothing optional Oasis). For bars, the Apartment 200 has some amazing hip-hop and dancehall tunes. Rebel night club also has some great concerts and Dj’s. In the alternative scene, Yes Yes Y’all and Jerk (DJ Bambii) are the best!! We would have to check those events out too.

As cultured ladies, when we’re done restaurant and bar hopping, we would check out some art galleries. The NIA Center for the Arts always has some interesting black exhibits. The Art gallery of Ontario and Distillery District have some incredible Canadian Art as well. Including, The Illuminarium (Secret Location), Toronto’s newest immersive venue. Speaking of art, Kensington Market is a must see in Toronto! This is where all the outcasts and truly interesting people converge in a melange of vintage stores, record shops, graffiti and Reggae music mash ups. Kensington in the most inspiring and fun place for me to be in the summer. Its not boogie in the least but it’s real. There are two many spots to name here!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Wow, this is a big question and a potentially long list! I have to start with my parents. Both of them are career people who encouraged me to seek big things in business and life. My father, Dr. Ainsley Deer pioneered Psychometric testing in Jamaica and is one of the regions leading psychologists. My mother was a senior events planner for the Jamaica Trade invest (she’s retired). My grandmothers were two black women who immigrated to London England from Jamaica on the Domestic Scheme. With very little education and finances, they put my father through the best schools. This act literally birthed a nation. I have 5 siblings and they are all successful. In recent times, one of my biggest supporters have been the Oya Black Arts Coalition. Founder Alison Duke and Ngardy Conteh George have placed me in several incubators including the Scale Up Immersive Program for emerging black artists. Without their support and funding, I may not have pursued a career as a creative technologist. Specifically, I would not have had an introduction to the Extended Reality Industry and formed my company Orion Digital Innovations and Creation Inc. The Canada and Toronto Arts Councils and Weird Ghosts have also funded my art. Other people I would like to thank are all the cheerleaders on the side lines! My two best friends Simone (She’s always been a boss) and Philip (One of the kindest persons I know). These two individuals have been my friends with for over 20 years. They have supported me through the toughest and best times. I would also like to express gratitude for my siblings, who also show their support and encouragement of my endeavours. Other companies that have showed significant support would be the Performance and XR Conference and Single Thread Theatre Company in Canada.

Website: https://www.debbiedeerproductions.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/debbiedeerproductions/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbiedeer/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/debbiedeerproductions

Other: Here is the website for my other company Orion Digital Inc.: https://www.oriondigitalinc.com

Image Credits
Image Credits: A Christmas Carol VR – Alex Coulombe (Agile Lens) Henry G20 – Writer, Christine Brukbaker, Actor (Model) Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah The Nefertiti Experience – Actor (Model) Shanna Armagon