Meteorologist Star Harvey and her son Bryce arrived at L.A. Parent’s photo shoot at the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook just a day before Los Angeles braced for a string of atmospheric storms in November. Some drizzle rolled in and out and the sky was splashed with thick, indigo clouds that threatened to let loose buckets of rain any minute, but Harvey never flinched.

Weather has shaped Harvey’s life since she was a girl practicing reading the skies at her grandmother’s side, dreaming of one day standing in front of a forecast map of her own.

Her path wound through nursing, motherhood and a seven-year, cross-country climb through newsrooms — L.A., Colorado, Houston, New York City — before finally circling back home to L.A. in late 2024, just weeks before the January wildfires.

Today, the Emmy Award-nominated FOX 11 meteorologist brings her signature sense of purpose to every part of her life: work, writing, engaging with her large social media community and fulfilling her most cherished role as mom to 13-year-old Bryce, the “sonshine” who fueled her courage to chase her girlhood dream.

I think it’s important what we name our children. What is your name story?

My full name is Starkeshia, and while people sometimes struggled to pronounce it or teased me by calling it “ghetto,” it never really bothered me. I was raised to love my name and to stand in it with confidence. When I asked my mother where my full name came from, she told me a story that made me appreciate it even more.

The name was originally meant for the daughter her older brother Christopher planned to have someday. But he was tragically killed before that ever happened, so my mother chose to give me the name to honor him and keep his memory alive. My name isn’t just a name — it’s legacy, family and love.

Where did you grow up and what was childhood like?

I grew up between South Central Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley. My mom moved us to the Valley to give my siblings and me a better chance when it came to our surroundings and school opportunities. Even so, the heart of my childhood was still in Los Angeles. When I was with my cousins, we were always outside — running through the streets from Helen Keller Park to Jesse Owens [Park] and playing on the playgrounds at West Athens like it was our own world. I also spent a lot of time on 82nd Street with my dad and his friends, soaking in those moments that felt so simple and special.

Weekends often meant tagging along with my grandmother as she hunted for antiques to sell at her thrift shop or helping her out at her plant nursery. With seven siblings and a huge extended family, my childhood was fun, full and sometimes chaotic — but in the very best way.

Your first career was in the medical field. Why had you chosen that profession and what made you realize it was not for you?

Before becoming a meteorologist, I spent a short time working in the nursing field. It wasn’t because it was my passion — it was because I didn’t yet have the confidence to chase the career I truly wanted.

My mom had nursing dreams, and without many examples around me of people pursuing big or unconventional careers, I followed what felt familiar. What I didn’t realize then was how important it is to love the work you do. One day, I was suspended for not taking a manager’s call. Instead of going back, I decided to take the leap into meteorology.

How did you know meteorology was your path?

My love for journalism started in my grandparents’ home. My grandmother watched the news religiously, and she’d sit me beside her every day to watch the weather forecast. It became our special ritual. Anytime a woman meteorologist appeared, she’d smile at me and say, “I can see you doing that one day.”

Hearing that as a little girl planted something deep in me. Some of my sweetest memories are riding in the back of her truck at night, listening to her tell me the moon was following me. That’s where my fascination with the sky began.

After we lost our home in the 1994 Northridge earthquake, my curiosity about weather — and why it changes our lives so dramatically — became even stronger. I remember looking around the San Fernando Valley — at my neighbors, my schoolmates, my entire community — and wondering how something so powerful could change our lives overnight. That moment sparked a deep curiosity in me about why these things happen and how weather and earth science shape our world.

Meteorology became the perfect blend of everything I love: science, storytelling and serving the community. For me, meteorology isn’t just a career. It’s a calling that’s been with me since childhood, and a place where all the different parts of who I am get to live in the same space.

My children’s book, “Shoot for the Stars,” is a love letter to my grandmother, the woman who saw my path before I did. More than anything, the book is a reminder to children everywhere that it’s okay to dream big, no matter where you come from or what anyone else may say.

You were once an L.A. Parent intern! How old was Bryce then?

L.A. Parent came into my life when I was [back] in college. I was a full-time mom, and Bryce was just a toddler then, so any internship I pursued had to be meaningful and worth the time I was taking away from him.

Working there strengthened my writing voice, taught me how to create content with purpose and gave me confidence at a time when I was balancing school, motherhood and big dreams.

What did you feel when you had the opportunity to return home?

It’s still hard for me to put into words what it felt like to finally come home. When I first started this journey, God told me it would happen, so more than anything, I just felt grateful. When I got the call, I dropped to my knees and thanked God because everything he said would happen finally came full circle.

I returned home in November 2024, and two months later, the January wildfires broke out. Even though I had only been back a short time, I was well trained in covering critical and devastating weather events. Stepping in didn’t scare me — it felt like my responsibility. This is home. This is where my parents, my siblings and my entire family live.

Those days were incredibly hard. I barely slept, but I never hesitated. If I had to do it all over again, I would. In moments like that, what I do doesn’t feel like work. It feels like purpose.

What is most rewarding and most challenging about your career?

In my career, one of the most challenging — but also most meaningful — parts is using my platform with purpose. I’ve worked in cities where I was not only the first, but also the only Black woman on TV working in weather at the time. That comes with a responsibility I don’t take lightly.

There aren’t many Black women in STEM, especially in meteorology, so every time I step onscreen, I’m aware that I’m representing something bigger than myself. I want any young girl — Black, Brown or otherwise — to be able to look at me on TV and say, “Because of her, I knew I could do it.”

The challenge is making sure I show up the right way, with integrity, confidence and excellence. But it’s also the most rewarding part of what I do, knowing I get to be the representation I didn’t always have.

How would you describe your son?

At 13, Bryce is a true mama’s boy with the softest heart, polite, giving and always thinking about others. He’s also a full-on jokester who loves to make people laugh. He’s brilliant, curious and observant. Introverted and a little shy at first, but once he’s comfortable, he lights up the whole room.

He speaks Spanish and ASL, plays guitar and has a huge love for music. Soccer is his world, and he’s determined to become a professional player one day. At the same time, he has this engineer’s mind that’s been there since he was 2, especially when it comes to roller coasters and how things work.

Bryce is creative, stylish and a better cook than a lot of grown men — and he’s a full-blown foodie with a surprisingly cultured palate. He teaches me something new daily, often with a little Gemini pride, and he continues to grow into everything I prayed for and more. He’s also the reason I knew I couldn’t settle for any job. He gave me the motivation that I needed to go after my crazy dream. I often call him my “sonshine” because I believe that he lit the path to show me the way.

How do you navigate career and mothering?

Navigating my career while raising Bryce has been one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Early on [in my career], I had to make the painful decision to leave him behind for periods of time.

It was never because I wanted to, but because I had a plan, a timeline and a promise to keep: To build a better life for the two of us. There were moments when I questioned whether I was making the right choices as a mother.

The most beautiful part is that Bryce has always understood, even as a toddler. He would say things like, “I’m proud of you,” or “You’re the coolest mom ever.” Those moments reminded me that even though our path wasn’t traditional, it was ours. And it worked.

On the day of our photo shoot, you told me that the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook holds special memories for you.

I’ve always been big on health and fitness, but like anyone, I have seasons where I fall off track. Whenever I needed to reset or jumpstart my goals again, those stairs were the first place I’d go. And those stairs can feel like death.

Every time I’m halfway up, I start questioning all my life choices and wondering if I really want to be there. But once I make it to the top, I feel amazing. The views make it worth it, and you really do feel like you’re standing above the entire city. It’s always been a place where I could challenge myself, clear my mind, laugh at my own struggle and reconnect with who I am.

What kind of forecast do you want for yourself this year?

The outlook calls for increased inspiration and motivation on social media, with a returning of my fashion posts. There’s also a rising probability of me stepping into content creation and monetizing what I naturally do.

But the biggest focus in my 2026 climate model is Bryce. This year is all about reinforcing the foundation at home, keeping our skies clear and making space for his sonshine to shine just as bright as mine.

Learn more about Star Harvey at starharvey.com and follow her on Instagram at @theweatherstar.