Chris, thank you for taking the time to sit down and speak with me today, how are you?
No problem, I’m doing well. How are you?
I’m doing well, so tell me about yourself, where you come from, etc.
Well, I'm Chris Sumlin, a junior, Cinema, Television & Emerging Media Studies major from Columbus, Ohio. I truly believe my life's work is to help young black millennial's become their best selves. I plan to do this through means of captivating YouTube videos, mentorship and encouraging people to read.
What was growing up in Ohio like?
I grew up in a rough area in Columbus, Ohio. Day in and day out I was surrounded by young brothers like myself who looked liked me but struggled so much.
How did this shape your life, and help you get to where you are now?
I have always felt like an outsider for the way I carried myself and my ambitions. I have always aspired to want to read books, do well in school and succeed but many of my African American counterparts do not share these ambitions. This bothers me and I want to do something about it.
What motivates you?
I'm motivated by the black community; by every negative stereotype that faces our community. Every decision I make, I try to make intentionally with the hopes of inspiring young black people to go after their goals. These decisions have led me to Morehouse, to do well in school and write a self-help book.
What inspired you to write your book?
I simply felt like I had something to say. I knew that I wanted to encourage young people to read. I felt that I could tell funny, captivating stories with insightful life lessons. My intention with this book is to share my biggest moments and life experiences with great lessons to help people become their best selves.
What made you create those YouTube videos? & how have they given you a platform?
Well my goal in life is to always teach my millennial peers. One big struggle that a lot of millennials struggle with is resume building and interviewing for jobs. I wanted to create a video that was captivating and insightful that's when I knew I had to intersect my teachings with Beyoncé and Rihanna. I love YouTube because I can make the videos so easily all I have to do is set up my camera and get to talking it's so much fun!
What is the next phase in life for you? Are there more books to come?
Currently I have an internship offer at a major Television show in the area of production in New York. That's the next big thing for me. I REALLY enjoyed writing this one and hope to write more. I think my next one will be networking tips, and more H&R type work similar to my YouTube videos. I also want to write a comedic tell-all book but I know that won't be for a while. But I definitely think more books are coming.
