Meet Stacey Summers | Filmmaker, Author & Artist

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

Hi Stacey, how does your business help the community or world?
I tend to center my work on social issues that influence people in today’s society and hopefully make a difference in the lives of others. I strive to produce documentaries that convey messages of inspiration, positivity and courage that can be shared within communities to spark conversation and dialogue for change. For the past few years, I have focused my research on mental health and well-being because it is apparent that so many of us face mental health challenges and perhaps do not know how or where to get help. I recently produced and directed the documentary, Keeping The Chaos Together, (www.keepingthechaostogether.com), which sheds light on mental health struggles and shows that with the right care, treatment and resources, one can live a happy and successful life. Presently, I am especially interested in delving deeper into the scientific discoveries on well-being and happiness and the practices children and adults can use to better manage anxiety and depression. Keeping The Chaos Together will have a virtual screening and panel discussion before the end of this year and I hope this film will reassure others that despite life’s challenges, there is always hope, the ability to change, and most importantly, always a tomorrow.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I was born in Brooklyn, lived in San Francisco and the UK and now reside in Houston. After studying psychology and sociology at university, I became an elementary school teacher and children’s book author. Later on, I channeled my creativity and background in the arts in a new direction and ventured into filmmaking while still focusing on projects that help children. My first film, Unbreakable Threads, (www.unbreakablethreads.com), highlights the many different family structures our world is made up of and aims to help children feel happy and proud of whoever is raising them. I was fortunate to have interviewed Houston Mayor Annise Parker and many other remarkable Houstonians. Screenings and panel discussions were held at multiple universities as well as the Jung Center in Houston. Following this, I wanted to experience working within a different genre, and co-wrote, produced and directed a comedy feature, Krazy Meets Karma, which premiered last year at the Chelsea Film Festival in New York City. Soon after, and by chance, I met a woman also named Stacy, (spelling her name without the “e”) and produced an award-winning documentary short, Dear Cancer, Love Stacy, (www.dearcancerlovestacy.com), about her inspirational journey of having cancer twice and being a carrier of the BRCA gene. This film emphasized awareness about BRCA-related cancers and genetic testing. Currently, I am working on a documentary about mental health and writing a screenplay, among several other projects.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My parents, husband and three daughters have always supported and encouraged me in all of my endeavors and continue to do so, which I am extremely grateful for. I would like to thank all of the amazing people I have met and interviewed, many of whom have shared their own personal stories and struggles for the documentaries I have produced. I would also like to recognize the incredibly talented crew that I was lucky enough to have worked with, too. Another thank you to the Houston Arts Alliance for awarding a number of individual artist grants to me, so that I could pursue my passion in documenting stories that inspire, educate and offer hope to many.

Website: www.poppyproproductions.com