Naima Ramos-Chapman facts for kids

Naima Ramos-Chapman is an American director, writer, and actress. She is known for making short films that explore serious topics. Her two most famous short films are And Nothing Happened (2016) and Piu Piu (2018).

Early Life and Education

Naima Ramos-Chapman grew up in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Her family background is Puerto Rican and Black.

From a young age, she studied dance at the famous Alvin Ailey School for Dance. After finishing her dance training, she went on to graduate from Brooklyn College.

Filmmaking Career

First Film: And Nothing Happened

Ramos-Chapman's first film as a writer and director was the 2016 short film And Nothing Happened. To get the money to make the film, she used the fundraising website Kickstarter and worked several jobs.

She also starred in the movie, which was inspired by a difficult personal experience. The film explores the challenges of healing from violence. In an interview with Essence magazine, she explained why she made the film. She said that when one person is hurt, their whole family and community are affected too. She believes people need to understand this to help survivors heal.

Later Work

In 2018, Ramos-Chapman wrote and directed another short film called Piu Piu. She described it as a "psycho surrealist" film, meaning it uses dream-like and strange visuals to tell a story. The film, which was first shown at the 2018 BlackStar Film Festival, was based on a scary experience she had when a stranger followed her.

Ramos-Chapman also works on the HBO show Random Acts of Flyness. For this series, she is a writer, director, and actor. She also helps with editing and production.

In 2019, it was announced that she would direct a new series for the TV network Showtime. The show was called How to Make ... to a Black Woman (...). However, in 2020, Showtime decided not to make the show.

In 2021, Ramos-Chapman received a special honor. She was named a United States Artists (USA) Fellow in recognition of her creative work.

Personal Life

Ramos-Chapman was in a relationship with filmmaker Terence Nance. She met him while she was working for a creative agency owned by the singer Solange Knowles.