This promising young African-American filmmaker offered a woman's perspective on the urban black experience in her acclaimed debut, "Just Another Girl on the I.R.T." (1993).
Harris began her post-college career as a minority intern in advertising but shifted to film production when she was unable to land a slot directing commercials for the agencies. She formed her own company and moonlighted making "info-mercials" for NYC hair companies while working on her feature screenplay. Harris financed her film through grants and the support of family and friends including producer-director Michael Moore ("Roger & Me", 1989), screenwriter-journalist Nelson George ("Strictly Business" 1991, "CB-4" 1993) and novelist Terry McMillan ("Waiting to Exhale"). Touted as "the first major commercial feature to be released by an African-American woman filmmaker", "Just Another Girl on the I.R.T." was a smart, sassy comedy-drama detailing the tumultuous coming-of-age of Chantel Mitchell (Aruyan Johnson).