A new reality show is taking a deep dive into a historically exclusive enclave for Black professionals and families looking to relax and let their hair down over the summer months.
Bravo’s latest reality romp, Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard, finds 12 young Black professionals spending their summer vacation how so many members of the Black elite have for generations – summering on Martha’s Vineyard.
Martha’s Vineyard, particularly its Oak Bluffs neighborhood, has been an annual spot of rest, relaxation, and the occasional turnup for scores of upper-class Black families for the past 100 years. Located just south of Cape Cod, Massachusets, the island was one of the first locations where African Americans could safely vacation and purchase property, and has since become an annual vacation haunt for the likes of The Obama family, Oprah Winfrey, and scores of other prominent rich, famous, and politically connected figures.
Fresh off their summer wedding, Jasmine and Silas Cooper have invited a group of friends—some old and some new—to vacation with them in Martha’s Vineyard and are now trying to figure things out in a house full of hot, successful urban professionals. These include Amir Lancaster, Jordan Emanuel, Preston Mitchum, Bria Fleming, Alex Tyree, Shanice Henderson, Jason Lyke, Summer Marie Thomas, Nicholas “Nick” Arrington, and Mariah Torres.
Meet the cast of Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard below:
Born in the Midwest and raised in Atlanta, Jasmine Ellis Cooper is a budding screenwriter. She has a polished and poised exterior but is loved for her quirky humor. She met Jordan, Shanice, and Bria while they worked together as Playboy Club Bunnies. Upon moving to New York, Jasmine lived out of her car with her best friend, Mariah, and after six months moved into an apartment that she shared with Jason. She recently married the love of her life, Silas, whom she met on Hinge. Jasmine is excited to bring her friends to Martha’s Vineyard, where Silas asked her to be his girlfriend the first time they went there together.
A first-generation Liberian American, Silas Cooper currently resides in New York with a hunger for success. He attended Ivy League schools and is a member of prestigious fraternities and organizations. Silas works in finance, and when he’s not crunching numbers, he’s an officer in the Army Reserve. Always down for a good time, he has been a regular on the Vineyard for the past seven years. Silas is ready to thrive with his wife, Jasmine, as the new power couple while they go in on a share house with their successful friends.
Summer Marie Thomas is a force to be reckoned with, and when she walks into a room, all heads turn. She comes from a Jamaican family but was raised in Pasadena, California. In 2019, Summer’s love of writing brought her to Sundance, where she met Jasmine, and the two have been friends ever since. As Summer pursues a career in screenwriting, she is currently a production coordinator for a boutique production company in Los Angeles while she films and pitches out her first script. She’s in need of a vacation and is looking forward to experiencing the Black excellence of the Vineyard for the first time.
When he’s not serving celebrity clients as a senior flight attendant for one of the top airlines, Jason Lyke is preoccupied with dancing, socializing, and being the life of the party. He’s an entrepreneur with projects such as skin care and beard oils. Born and raised in Chicago, he has a vigorous work ethic and knows how to put his game face on and not let trauma define him. Jason is very close to Jasmine, as they were roommates when she met Silas. While he tends to be the counselor for his friend group, he often finds himself at the center of the drama.
Jordan Emanuel is an outgoing jack of all trades. After college she posed for Playboy, in which she was the fourth Black Playmate of the Year and the very last. She runs a nonprofit, hosts a podcast, and DJs, all while working on a swim line. Jordan is the life of the party who’s always down to try something new and involves herself in all the drama. She met Jasmine when they were Playboy Club Bunnies and considers her to be her sister-cousin. Jordan is a witty, independent woman who loves curating a vibe with music, fashion, and food.
A Texas native and up-and-coming real estate tycoon, Amir Lancaster is looking forward to spending his first summer on Martha’s Vineyard surrounded by Black culture. Amir is biracial with Black and Lebanese roots. He was raised by his Lebanese family and is on a mission to connect with his African American heritage. When Nick invited him out to Martha’s Vineyard, he jumped on the opportunity. With a dating life full of different flavors of the week, Amir is ready to put in the work and find the one worth bringing home to his mom, with whom he is extremely close.
Fashion entrepreneur Bria Fleming loves the finer things in life and, despite what people believe, works hard to maintain the lifestyle to which she’s accustomed. After her boyfriend swept her off her feet at the Cannes Film Festival, Bria recently moved from New York City to Germany, where he resides. She was in Europe last summer and missed out on the share house, so she vowed to have the time of her life on Martha’s Vineyard this summer with her best friend, Shanice, and the group.
An artist, creative director, and music curator, Alex Tyree is all about enjoying life and credits his success to his daily disciplines of journaling and meditation. He and Jasmine are friends from their days as creatives in the Brooklyn circle, and he’s fraternity brothers with Nick. As a preacher’s kid, Alex grew up in a religiously sheltered environment, which led him to explore beyond those bounds at a later age. He’s now looking to be as real as he can with a romantic partner. To him, looks are not everything, and he craves a deep connection.
As the quintessential party girl, Shanice Henderson loves to have fun and knows the hottest spots in town. She’s very close with Bria, as they were Playboy Club Bunnies together back in the day, along with Jordan and Jasmine. She has extremely high standards when it comes to dating — men must be tall and athletic. While she’s healing from her last relationship and working through attachment issues, Shanice is ready to meet her future husband this summer.
An attorney by day and a social butterfly by night, Preston Mitchum truly makes time for it all. As a former prom king, he has an extensive resume that doesn’t end at attorney: he’s an activist and adjunct professor and has appeared on cable news shows as a contributor. He’s also been published across countless media outlets with his political and legal expertise. Preston has been to the Vineyard and considers it one of the most amazing and beautiful places that he has ever seen. Although he will miss Donald, his partner of two years, he’s excited to spend the summer on the Vineyard with Jasmine and his beloved fraternity brother Silas.
Having been exposed to fashion at a very young age by his mother, Harlemite Nick Arrington is a sports brand manager with a flair for style and a passion for running. When he’s not attending the hottest sporting events in New York City, you can find him styling grooms for their weddings. As a self-proclaimed romantic, he loves hard and has high standards when it comes to dating. He insists that his future wife must be in shape and have a skin-care routine that matches his own.
