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DeAnna M. Sherman | Speaker | Social Impact Leader

@deannadeals

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Co-Founder of @truestarchicago
Winner of @google Impact Challenge
‘24 Chicago Innovation Award
Social Venture Partners-SVP
Illinois Vanguard Honoree

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A LEGEND was honored. 🏆

@Rhymefest received the From The ‘GO Fest Legend Award — and what really got us? He didn’t just take the honor and leave. He stayed🙏🏾

Watching the show, showing love to the other artists, interviewing with the youth, taking pictures with everybody who wanted one. That’s real Chicago. That’s real legacy. 🤎

Grammy-winning artist. Chicago Board of Education. From The Block to giving back to the block. This is what it’s about. 🌇

Congratulations to a true ‘GO legend. 🐐

📸 @lockotb x @thoughtpoet77

#FromTheGoFest #Rhymefest #LegendAward #ChicagoLegend #TrueStarMedia taken in Chicago by @deannadeals

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6 days ago

Being a connector has always been my thing ✨

Back when Kanye was a hungry new artist and Twista had the city on lock, I knew they needed to meet.

I stayed in Twista producer’s Tox ear, like “Yo, you gotta meet Kanye, he’s the next big thing.” I also pressed Kanye, “Yall, gotta meet!” That intro? History was then made. As was iconic records! #IwasThere

Fast forward to now, From The Go Fest is my way of keeping that same energy alive.

We’re not just throwing a festival.

We’re building futures and connecting talent.

We’re developing the next wave of artists, creatives, and culture shifters, straight from the ‘Go.

This city made us. Now we’re making what’s next.

Join us on Saturday, July 26th at Dusable Courtyard the 5th Annual @fromthegofest ! 🫵🏾 taken in Chicago, Illinois by @deannadeals

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a year ago

Thank you @dancemari_ for working with the “Go Girls”!! Keep shining like the star you are!!

The @fromthegofest is all about providing a stage and platform for emerging talent. My babies aren’t the demo yet but best believe they can get on any stage I’m a part of, as long as they are willing to put in the work and give it their all. To Jordin, Laci, Clarke and Farrah you did that.💕

My greatest joy and life’s purpose is platforming our babies. Mine, my families, friends, and all who come across my path. God Did!!❤️🙏🏾✨ by @deannadeals

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6 days ago

S/o to @deannadeals & the whole @fromthegofest and all the artists!! Yall Next 🆙 LINE 🆙 🔥 @iamlilmu @mrscubaa @goalden_chyld by @deannadeals

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7 days ago

I didn’t get a lot of pictures but had a great time. Good vibes all around. 💛 by @deannadeals

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13 days ago

It is always inspiring to share space with young people and the adults who believe in their potential.

Thank you to @MikvaChallenge for the invitation and the opportunity to meet young leaders who are learning to advocate, influence policy, and step into their power as changemakers. 👏🏾✨

When asked how my sector is changing, I shared that there is no playbook for media anymore. It is the Wild West, and the greatest opportunities belong to those willing to create, adapt, and lead. 🚀

We are living through unprecedented change, and young people do not have to wait for permission. They can use media today to shape conversations, influence culture, and create real impact.

Their voice is their advantage. 🎥🎙️📱

#YouthLeadership #FutureOfMedia #CreativeEconomy #MikvaChallenge #YouthVoice taken in Chicago, Illinois by @deannadeals

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25 days ago

In partnership with the Chicago Department of Public Health, From The Go Show brought an important conversation to the forefront live, unfiltered, and driven by the voices that matter most.

The “Me & Nic 🚫Broke Up” campaign was designed to empower teens across Chicago to reflect, speak openly, and ultimately make informed decisions about their health and futures. This live episode created space for honest dialogue around nicotine use, peer pressure, and the realities young people face every day.

Through storytelling, shared experiences, and community engagement, this collaboration highlighted the power of meeting youth where they are amplifying their voices while providing the tools and knowledge to make healthier choices.

Together, we are building a generation that chooses awareness over influence, confidence over pressure, and long-term wellness over short-term habits.

Thank you @chipublichealth @explorefcg

#ChicagoDepartmentOfPublicHealth #FromTheGoShow #MeAndNicBrokeUp #TrueStarMedia #AntiNicotine taken in Chicago, Illinois by @deannadeals

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a month ago

‼️CHICAGO, IT’S ON, WE HOPE YOU’RE READY…

🎉 JULY 18TH, 2026 | 1–7 P.M.
📍 DUSABLE MUSEUM
🚫 NO FEES.
😎 NO FOMO.
✅ JUST FREE.

The last free festival in the city…don’t miss it!

🎟️ FREE ENTRY
🎯 FREE ACTIVATIONS
🎁 FREE GIVEAWAYS
🥤 FREE REFRESHMENTS

Tap the link in our bio @fromthegofest @truestarchicago or search Eventbrite for your free tickets!✨

#FromTheGo #ChicagoFestival #FreeFestChi #FromTheGoFest by @deannadeals

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a month ago

There’s a silent tax that comes with leadership, especially when you’re a woman.

It’s the pressure to always look composed… even when you’re carrying decisions that affect people’s livelihoods. It’s knowing that one moment of visible doubt can be misinterpreted as incapability.

So you master the art of holding it together. Not because it’s easy, but because too much is riding on you falling apart.

But here’s the truth no one prepares you for: As you rise, the guidance gets quieter. The circle gets smaller.
And the questions get heavier.

There are days you don’t have the answers.
Days you wish you could pass the weight to someone else. Days you want to ask, “Am I doing this right?”

And still… you lead. That’s the real strength.
Not perfection. Not performance. But showing up fully responsible for a vision, even when you’re still figuring it out in real time.

#WomenInLeadership #FounderLife #EntrepreneurMindset #LeadershipTruth #DeAnnasGems taken in Chicago, Illinois by @deannadeals

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2 months ago

Everyone wants the position… Until they feel the pressure that comes with it. Because leadership isn’t just showing up, it’s holding everything together when it feels like it’s falling apart.

It’s being the answer for everyone else… on days you don’t even have answers for yourself.

It’s carrying weight no one claps for. Making decisions no one fully understands and pushing forward when quitting would feel easier.

This is the part they don’t post. So you better be rooted in something stronger than opinions, pressure, and expectations… Or this role will break you.

Not everyone is built for it and that’s the truth no one likes to say.

#EntrepreneurMindset #RealLeadership
#FaithOverFear #DeAnnasGems taken in Chicago, Illinois by @deannadeals

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2 months ago

The part of leadership people don’t post about? 👀

The calls for help. The pressure to have answers.
The moments you wish you could fix everything, but can’t. And still… they look to you.

That’s the weight. Heavy is the head that holds the crown. 👑 Nearly every day.

#Leadership #DeAnnasGems #FounderLife #Impact taken in Chicago, Illinois by @deannadeals

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2 months ago

Yesterday I had the opportunity to attend the MBK Alliance Welcome Home event at the Obama Presidential Center.

I was so proud hearing @jahkiljackson and the other young men speak about the impact they are making in their communities and across the world. Their vision, leadership, and commitment to service are reminders of what’s possible when young people are given opportunity, support, and access.

Then came the tour of the Obama Presidential Center. Walking through a space that is so historic, thoughtful, and transformative — right in a community where I was raised and where I am now raising my own children was a moment of pride, reflection, and hope.

There is something incredibly meaningful about seeing investment, excellence, and history rooted on the South Side of Chicago. by @deannadeals

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2 months ago