Black History Month: Summer Selby-Drew

In celebration of Black History Month, News 25 is interviewing African Americans who have had an impact on the Gulf Coast community. There are many who make success look good , but few who make it look easy.

Summer Selby-Drew, a multifaceted artist with a lengthy resume, does just that. An actress, director, writer, producer, and the list goes on, but for Selby-Drew, the journey had its share of challenges. Selby-Drew says, “Let me give you a little back story. I remember overhearing adults saying when I was a little girl, say, ‘She’s dark, but she’s pretty, and she’s smart.’ She’s dark, but she’s pretty and she’s smart.”

The battle many young African American girls face at some point in life is living up to the society’s standards of beauty. Selby-Drew says for her, those standards were debunked through travel. Selby-Drew also says, “Countries outside of this country, the standard of beauty is very different than ours here. Over in Europe, I had to beat the men off.”

With an adventurous spirit with a passion for travel, Selby-Drew says visiting other countries also sheds light on the blessings we have at home. She says, “We live in the best country on the planet. We have so many opportunities here, witness people from other countries come here, open businesses, achieve things that we as Americans dream of.” Growing up in 1950s Indiana and Chicago, her dream brought her to the Gulf Coast, where she’s played a vital role in building the film industry.

Selby-Drew closes, “It takes persistence and guts and willpower, setting aside fear.”