Daily Inspiration: Meet Jodie Summers

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jodie Summers

Hi Jodie, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Bio:
Jodie Summers is a self-taught spoken word artist, poet, author, activist, illustrator, motivational speaker, event coordinator, chef, elected official, business owner and content creator. He is the author of the Tears of the wounded series, Childhood Trauma Series and several other unpublished book series, creator of Inked Truth, The DreamBox, Dangly Thangz Charms, owner of Toledo Mud Sauce. Winner of the 2019 outstanding author 419 People’s choice awards. Winner of the 2019 Ode to the ZIP Code. Recipient of multiple Momentum awards Arts Commission Toledo Ohio. Winner of multiple Poetry slams around the country. Keynote poet for the pan-african flag raising in Lucas county for Black History month 2020/2021/2022/2023/2024. National Spoken Word Awards best storyteller and male nominee 2021/2022/2023/2024. Featured artist for the 2021/2022/2023 Momentum Festival and Art Walk. Heirs to the throne class of 2022 Chicago. Featured artist for Survivor’s Speak in the Columbus Supreme Court House 2023. Received a bun from the world famous Tony Packo’s April 2023. Featured poet on Proud to be of Rust and Glass aired on WGTE PBS radio 2023/2024. Featured poet for the Northwest Ohio teen book festival 2022/2023/2024. Featured artist for multiple organizations and boards throughout Lucas county. Writer of ” Your Chapter Awaits ” in conjunction with the Lucas county Library 2021. Award honoree, Grand Marshal and opening performer for the 19th Urban Federal credit Union African-American festival at the Huntington center Toledo Ohio 2024. He has published and performed hundreds of poems, short stories and anthems under the title Spoken Truth J Summers and Child Of The System.
His work is also featured in the 2020 Anthology, “Black Lives” published by: Jonie McIntire.
Magazine Glass Coffin Press, #2 January/February edition 2022,
#3 March/June edition 2022, published by: Rob Roy.
International Print/Online Literary Magazine, 128 Lit First edition 2022, published by: Yehui Zhao/Andrew Felsher.
Volume 55 May-June Rapper’s Delight magazine 2023, published by: Teri L. Scott.
Ode to the ZIP code, the first 7 years: 2016-2022 published by: Jeff McGinnis, Adams Street publishing.
His filmography includes the documentaries:
Parts Per Billion: 2016.
Black Men Unfiltered: 2022.
Sons Of Toledo: 2022.
The Hollow Poems movie: 2022.
Independent films:
Thou Shall Not Lie: 2019.
No Mercy, Season 1 episode 2: 2019.
No Love: filmed 2022.
Klowniac: 2024.
Stage plays:
Stuck In The Rain 2014; Written, Directed and Acted by Della Styles at the Collingwood arts center Toledo Ohio.
Caution 2015; Written, Directed and Acted by Della Styles at the Collingwood Art center Toledo Ohio.
Sweat by Lynn Nottage 2024; Directed by Liam Ellis at the Toledo Repertoire Theater.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It is definitely not been a smooth or well lit road by any means. I chose poetry as my medium to speak to the world which allows me a vast range of places I can be but also limits my access in certain arenas because poetry is a single person art style for the most part. Not as many moving parts as with an ensemble or big production but also everything relies on you. Coming out of foster care, losing my mother, being homeless, and being somewhat of an introvert taught me a lot about self resilience. You don’t get the same offers or opportunities a musician, vocalist, rapper, instrumentalist would get and it’s still more considered a hobby than an actual industry art. I told myself when I found the mic for the first time in my 30s, that I would at least give it a decade and see what happened. Next year is my 10-year anniversary and through all the open mics and exposure shows or just showing up to speak at someone’s event, grand opening, funeral, March, wedding, flag ceremony, has been beautiful. Through every closed door, cut feature, shut down spot or place that I may never go back to, I’ve produced a lot, Over 20 publications, nearly a hundred pieces of artwork, half of them being owned by individual purchasers, countless Awards, being in almost a dozen films and stage plays, my voice has been heard everywhere all across the globe. I’m happy for my accomplishments, regret some of the doors I didn’t open sooner and I know when you search me my history is one that I’ve been diligent on making people inspired, to see their own light within and not doubt how powerful and imagination can be. The more intricate details I leave in my books, artwork and performance so that way it will long outlive me and their opinions I had during the day.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I would say it’s pretty much the same thing as the ups and downs of being a Creative, starving artist and all but, I’ve taken my art everywhere not just from the performance aspect of the stage, but turned those words into illustrations that move and dance. Told a story through poetry and all forms of creative writing, through the sound of my voice. I translated that into stickers, hoodies, hats, gift boxes and charms I personally make, so that way someone can have an individual piece of artwork crafted by someone who is still living. If I had a genre it would be storytelling, through the life that I am physically in. I was a lot angrier when I started writing, a lot more potent in ways that spoke of what I was going through, being an activist and community civil servant there were a lot of things I was battling. Now my work focuses more on healing, trauma, reflection and growth. In my 10-year I’ve written over 7,000 individual pieces, based on emotions and things that I was going through at the moment or other people talk to me about and they did not know how to express better. In my books people that gave me a word or a phrase to think of are part of that piece even in the artwork if you inspired something, that is a gratitude to you not just me so wherever it goes they also know your name. I was never really heard a lot, mostly listen to and being big black guy, that can take a lot of punishment and do a lot of stuff who doesn’t get angry much, worked for other people, until I found me and a way to speak in a multi-sensory art form. I think what sets me apart from a lot of other creatives is I don’t want to specifically learn one thing, because life is full of color and if being a jack of all trades means I’m not bound to one profession, means I can Master several in the time it took for someone to learn one.

What are your plans for the future?
Currently I’m looking towards my first decade as an independent creative. I Have knocked more stuff off my bucket list and had to create a new one just to keep up in the last year, so for me now is to focus more on rest, traveling, relaxing and just letting myself publish more without having to be at everything all the time everywhere. I have performed at every single local and major venue spot in my city traveled around the world went to Japan last year and have performed my poetry at the edge of the Grand canyon both sides of Niagara falls live. For me it would just be incorporating at this point, making sure some of these things provide residuals for my grand, great grand and hopefully future generations. Biggest change coming up on my decade is not being so active in the open mic scene or places where I’m getting exposure for performance.

Pricing:

• Books, between $10 and $25.
• Artwork between$ 10 and $100
• Gift boxes between $100 and $150 dollars
• Hoodies are $40
• All merchandise does not include shipping and handling

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/childofthesystem/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JSummersChildofthesystem/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoLDWqWeVryCR74Rd2HEyAw