We’d like to introduce you to Krista Summerville.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Krista. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Overall I was a good kid but I always got in trouble for talking too much in class. I never ran out of things to say and always had a story to tell my friends, but little did I know I was a journalist in the making. When I was selected to be my high school’s morning announcer my love for reporting grew even more. It was cool to hear my voice echoed across the campus and all the compliments I received helped boost my confidence. Despite it being a fun moment, I low key used that time to practice on my voice, delivery, and alibiing.
My freshman year in college I was still undecided about what type of journalism I wanted to pursue. There were so many options from radio, TV news, entertainment, and politics. Then one of my professors gave me an opportunity that helped get me to where I am today. Professor John Geraci recommended that I be the host of The Daily Delivery. Every day when students walked the halls or logged in on a computer, there I was! The Daily Delivery was a 2-minute video showcasing everything happening on campus from entertainment to sports to blood drives.
I decided to finish my last two years of college in the Big Apple. It was there I got my first internship at Fios1 News in New York City. That internship and a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism helped get me my first job in the news biz. Since I loved to write, edit, and was comfortable in front of the camera, it made me a triple threat. My first three years in the industry was split between Tallahassee, Florida and Little Rock, Arkansas.
Being a black woman in this business, you better have thick skin! That thick skin and years of sleepless nights helped get me to sunny San Diego. I currently work for ABC affiliate KGTV better known as 10News. I’m the producer for the # 1-morning show in San Diego, and I’ve hosted the annual Martin Luther King Jr. parade as well as Comic-Con for 10news.com. San Deigo has opened up so many doors and this is just the beginning.
I’ve managed to accomplish so much in my career over the past six years. But sometimes, my happiness and accolades were overshadowed because I was a single woman. I can’t tell you how frustrating it is for someone to say, “Wow, your killing it. I’m so proud of you, but when are you gonna get a man and settle down.” I realized some of my amazing friends were dealing with the same thing and that’s when I decided to change the narrative.
In December 2018, I launched Single and Unbothered, SAU is a platform to inspire women during their single season, encourage them to seek their happiness first, emphasize that not having a man makes you less of a woman, grow from past relationships, build a female tribe, and to remind them that being single is a strength and not a weakness. And what better way to do that than to use my own life as the centerpiece. I’ve gone speed dating, hosted dating events, and interviewed single women from across the country. And this is just the beginning.
Great, 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?
Being a black journalist, I’ve struggled with getting the same opportunity as my peers. Overall, there are very few black reporters, producers, or managers in the news industry. So I reached out to a few mentors and decided to join the National Association of Black Journalists, aka NABJ. NABJ host several networking events every year, and they advocate in the community on behalf of black journalists. During their annual conference, I was able to connect with others dealing with the same challenges. My advice for other women is to don’t stay silent and reach out. We’re more powerful when we come together. That’s another reason why I started Single and Unbothered.
But during the building process of my brand, I started to feel anxious of never being good enough and struggled with ways to get my platform out there. So I started to attended entrepreneurial networking events in San Diego. If you want to be your own boss and start a business, I recommend researching the networking events happening where you live. That’s where you’ll get the best guidance, pinpoint your target audience, and helps get the word out about your business. Without attending, I would have never felt confident to launch S.A.U.
Please tell us more about your work. What do you do? What do you specialize in? What sets you apart from competition?
I specialize in balancing the good with the bad and I give a voice to the voiceless. As a journalist, you typically meet people on their worst day for example a tragic car crash or shooting. But you also have to search for those feel-good stories like a child raising money for a local charity or a person who mows the grass for disabled veterans.
It’s my priority to make sure local news has a face in the community. I’m most proud of myself when I host the Martin Luther King Jr. parade because it’s a chance for the entire community to unify and remember we are all created equal.
Single and Unbothered is changing the narrative one woman at a time. I got fed up with people assuming a relationship or marriage completes you as a woman. Why do we have to wait until we’re married to celebrate? No. Let’s do it now! Don’t get me wrong I want a husband and family but if it’s not God sent, I don’t want it, Ladies, we need each other and have to hold each other accountable. Let me tell you something, you are the greatest project you’ll ever get to work on. And the best part about self-discovery… is it scares off all the wrong people.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 773-660-1357
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/single__unbothered/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kristasummervilletv/
- Twitter: @LIVEWith_Krista
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/user/KristaAlexandriaBlog/videos
Image Credit:
Credit: Rob Buchanan and Krista Summerville
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