If you were to Google The Marcus Graham Project (MGP), the search leads you to the phenomenal legacy of Dallas-area native and advertising vet Lincoln Stephens. The Marcus Graham Project is a grassroots nonprofit organization that began with a vision to make the advertising and creative industry more inclusive for all ethnicities. Through MGP, Stephens was successful in creating a diverse pool of young talent, cultivated by mentorship and intensive training via his iCR8 Boot Camp. He has made inroads for many African-American and Latino creative professionals into agency environments that many would not have access to otherwise. So, for that – he is a celebrity-next-door, a most “known, unknown” in the Dallas community and beyond.
A graduate of the University of Missouri and Full Sail University, Lincoln set out to set the advertising business ablaze with his first agency position at TracyLocke in 2004. Since that first taste of an agency environment, he has built quite a portfolio at several organizations including AQUENT, Rock The Vote, and Carol H. Williams Advertising. Yet, something was missing and he knew that he had a greater purpose to fulfill in his journey. In 2007, MGP was launched and hence, birthed Stephens’ philanthropic mission.
Stephens has been featured in many publications including Black Enterprise and Ebony, but recently gave Examiner.com insight into why his work is so impactful to the creative and media community in Dallas and why he was listed as one of the “11 People You Should Follow on Twitter Now!” in 2011.
So, you are originally from Dallas. What motivated you initially to go into advertising, an industry where so few African-Americans are represented?
A few different things. I think I have always been interested in the media space overall. And [while] growing up, just watching TV was a big influence; as well as [an opportunity] to see some behind the scenes production of a show with my father, Tom Joyner Sr. and Tom Joyner Jr. In high school, I became interested in photography. So I think telling a story with an image was the draw. That is what advertising and media is, essentially. Advertising is art for commerce…television is art for entertainment; photography is art for enjoyment. Just being interested in arts and communications, I decided to make my college selection based on the institutions’ programs. I went to University of Missouri, majored in advertising – upon graduating, found my first ad agency opportunity in Dallas.
The Marcus Graham Project is now in its 5th year, congratulations on igniting such a groundbreaking movement for talented young people. I read many success stories about the organization as well as the iCR8 Boot Camp. What impact, do you personally think, the Boot Camp and MGP has had on the industry?
Yes, I am excited about where we’ve come from -- and where we’re going. Also, [this year marks the] 20th anniversary of [the movie] Boomerang. It’s funny to be inspired by something like that - where so many people looked at this movie and decided to go into an industry that many of us knew little about at the time.
Successes thus far – roughly 28 students have come through the boot camp since 2007 and many have been able to secure jobs in the industry. The greater impact is that of inspiration – starting with nothing but an idea, very little resources and being able to grow and garner exposure from the media. Also, the impact on people who are outside looking in – that MGP [has] led them to starting their own thing as well. Saying – ‘hey – you too can be an agent of change in your own community and industry.’ I hope the impact of what they are doing is a “boomerang” effect (no pun intended) as well. [Although] we don’t do it to get it back – we do it to help others. It’s what you do for others that’s important – not what you do for yourself.
I know that statistically the ad business serves a broad spectrum of consumers, including many African-Americans and Latinos – but it is ironically underserved by these ethnicities across the industry. In forming MGP, did you meet any major obstacles and challenges along the way?
The biggest obstacle was the lack of financial resources in starting a nonprofit, but [there have been] no obstacles as it relates to its formation that are race-specific. I do recognize the challenges of bringing more ethnicities into the industry – (although [ironically] in 20 to 30 years, minorities will be majority in the US). [Some of these challenges are] that [so] few of us are in Corporate/agency environments we have a feeling of isolation (as the “only one”) – [posing issues with] inclusion into the culture of the organization. There is often a fear injected in those situations that doesn’t need to be [there]. [Additionally], a lesser pool of talent [exists] due to the low ratio of African-American male graduates versus other ethnicities, as well as lack of exposure to potential opportunities [or career paths] in this industry. Although this is not unique to the ad industry – the good news is, since the 1960s, a lot of strides [have been made]. We need more to be done to help the next generation come forward.
I read that you work with NeoSoul Café/DJ Frances Jaye – an entity which has made a great impact in its own right on the “underground” artistic culture in Dallas. I have also been to your joint event, The Lemonade Stand. Is this event your primary source of fundraising?
I actually share office space in South Side on Lamar with NeoSoul Café – and South Side, as you know, is a breeding ground for creative artistry. The Lemonade Stand is not actually to raise funds, but more like a culture lab where likeminded individuals in the industry can congregate and network.
Beyond the Marcus Graham character in Boomerang (which is like one of my fave movies, by the way), who inspires you to do what you do daily?
A fellow philanthropist and friend of mine, Kim Peters, started her own nonprofit called the Prom Shop Project, and inspired me to do something better for the world. My father is an inspiration for all his work as an entrepreneur and his civic work in Dallas over the years. [Another inspiration is] Bill Sharp [because he] created a firm to address diversity issues. MGP actually gave an award in his name to an industry ‘up and comer’ to honor his legacy.
So what’s next for the organization, and for you?
We want to increase our financial resources to provide more scholarships and exposure to our program participants. We want to develop a social enterprise to extend our summer program to run year-round. Also, increase more exposure and visibility that will gain the necessary support to have a longer story to tell. Most nonprofit organizations don’t make it past three years – so we want to build a lasting legacy.
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