Neighborhood production company.
 

About Us

So, who is Winnie?

Winnifred “Winnie” Louise Cheesman (1899 - 1988) immigrated to the United States when she was 17 years old from St. Michael Parish, Barbados. Her husband, Allan arrived earlier as a stowaway while building the Panama Canal.

Winnie, Allan, and their children moved to the U.S. in the late 1920s for better employment opportunities. New York City proved to be a tough place for a person of color to get full employment.

In the Motor City, Allan got a job working for $5/day on the Ford Motor Company assembly line while Winnie was employed as a domestic worker in luxurious homes.

Winnie was an intuitively wise, humble, and dedicated Sagittarius woman. She was unpretentious but lived with purpose. Her granddaughter and great-granddaughter inherited her love for stories.

Winnie Media is a Black-owned, women-led, and LGBTQIA+ supportive production company based in Detroit and Los Angeles. Founded in 2021 by mother-daughter content creation duo Patrice Cheesman and Paisley Sutton, Winnie Media seeks to create meaningful content with captivating visuals that spotlight and connect authentic and diverse voices.

 
 
 
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Patrice Cheesman

executive producer

Patrice Cheesman (she/her) is a producer and writer committed to creating an efficient, transparent, and secure experience. Her unique skill set allows her to apply both creative and analytical skills to the production process, resulting in content that inspires and engages audiences. 

 
 
 
 

Paisley Sutton

director/producer

Paisley Sutton (she/her) is a director, writer, and producer from Detroit, MI. She is a graduate of Loyola Marymount University’s School of Film and Television. In 2018 Paisley premiered her directorial debut Descendants in Bonn, Germany. The short documentary earned recognition and praise throughout the festival season from California and Michigan to Barbados.

After graduating, Paisley studied under director Dave Meyers and worked on the creative team for the Grammy-nominated music video "Lockdown" by Anderson.Paak. In 2021 Paisley and producer Patrice Cheesman founded WINNIE MEDIA, a production company that aims to give marginalized folks a seat at the creative table.

Paisley continues creating in Detroit and Los Angeles.