Today we’d like to introduce you to Spencer M. Collins IV.
Hi Spencer M., thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I moved to Los Angeles 18 years ago with big dreams and bright eyes, determined to be part of the entertainment industry I just didn’t know where I fit in. Like so many chasing the Hollywood dream, I stumbled my way through it all: production assistant, first AD, second AD, runner, grip, background actor, commercial actor you name it, I tried it. I was exploring every corner of this industry, searching for my purpose in the middle of all the lights, cameras, and call times.
Then one day, fate introduced me to the one and only Sheryl Lee Ralph, and everything changed.
She was radiant kind, elegant, inspiring, down-to-earth, diva-licious in the best way possible and completely devoted to her mission of educating and empowering others about HIV/AIDS through The D.I.V.A. Foundation. What I didn’t realize at the time was the depth of her purpose. She had lost many friends and loved ones to the disease, and instead of turning away, she turned her pain into power. She used her voice and her visibility, often at great personal cost, to love and uplift those the world had discarded.
That moment shifted everything for me. I knew who I was and what I needed to do.
I wanted to use my creative gifts to make a difference to uplift Black and Brown communities affected by HIV/AIDS, and to empower the LGBTQI+ community, which has too often been silenced, stigmatized, and shut out.
Working with several nonprofit organizations across Los Angeles, I quickly realized that while we were doing important work, much of it felt like placing Band-Aids over deep wounds. Year after year, I watched our numbers climb while others declined. I knew something had to change.
Then it hit me: we don’t have to choose between education and entertainment — we can merge them.
And that’s when the idea of “edutainment” became my calling.
So, in the summer of 2010, B.L.A.C.Mail Productions was born a creative movement built to educate, empower, and entertain. Since day one, more than 85% of our projects have centered on stories that reflect the lives, struggles, and triumphs of Black, Brown, and LGBTQIA communities boldly tackling the topics that others call taboo.
Now, as we celebrate 15 years of storytelling, advocacy, and impact, I’m filled with pride. B.L.A.C.Mail Productions isn’t just a company it’s a community. It’s a stage for truth, a canvas for healing, and a megaphone for those whose voices have too often gone unheard.
Here’s to fifteen years of using art to educate, empower, and entertain and to the many more stories still waiting to be told.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Getting out of my own way.
I’ll admit, one of my biggest struggles early on was my own naivety that deep desire to be liked and accepted. I spent so much time trying to please people that I lost sight of what truly pleased me. In that process, I made mistakes. I’ve taken full accountability for them and learned that good intentions don’t always equal good impact.
I also learned that in this industry especially within Black Hollywood and the Black nonprofit space your first impression can sometimes become your permanent one. Still, I refuse to let that define me. Every challenge, every misstep has shaped me into someone more grounded, self-aware, and purpose-driven.
So yes, I’ve made mistakes, but I’ve also grown. I continue to stand ten toes down in my mission to uplift, educate, and empower our communities even when the path isn’t easy or profitable. Because at the end of the day, my work isn’t about being liked, it’s about making a lasting impact. “I do what I do for the outcome, not the income” but financial resources would help continue and grow the quality of our productions!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
In addition to being a queer-identifying creative, I’m a father to one son (my pride & joy) and a mentor to many other young Black men. In a time when we’re losing too many of our youth to the streets, gun violence, over-policing, and incarceration, mentorship isn’t just important it’s necessary. Navigating life as a Black man in America has never been easy. Even when you do everything right, one moment, one bad call, one attitude, or bad judgement call can still change everything.
That’s why I take my role (no pun intended) as a father & creative seriously. I’m very intentional with my messaging and through my work, I get to use my voice and platform to educate, empower, and prepare young Black men for success in a world that often sets them up to fail. What sets me apart from others is that I actually genuinely care and I show up, I listen, and I do everything in my power to make sure none of us are left behind. I don’t compete, I don’t belittle, and I don’t need to dim anyone else’s light for mine to shine. I was raised to be my brother’s keeper, and I take deep pride in being a Black man who lifts, celebrates, and stands beside other Black men.
How do you define success?
This question always gets me and honestly, it reminds me that I’m still growing, both as a man and as a creative. For me, success isn’t a fixed destination; it evolves just like I do. At its core, success means setting goals, exceeding them, and using those achievements to make a real impact to uplift and change the lives of those around you.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blacmailproductions?igsh=eGVjY2Iza3FwMG91&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamcercollins?mibextid=wwXIfr&mibextid=wwXIfr
- Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0172099/
Image Credits
Sage Kirkpatrick
Scales Media
