The Marcus Graham Project was born from a vision to shift the culture of media and marketing—by building a pipeline for multicultural talent ready to lead, create, and transform the industry from within.

Inspired by the legacy of William “Bill” Sharp, an advertising pioneer who championed opportunities for young Black creatives through his Basic Ad Course in 1967, MGP’s roots run deep. Co-founder Lincoln Stephens discovered Sharp’s work in Jason Chambers’ Madison Avenue and the Color Line—and it planted the seed for what would become MGP.

As a young professional, Lincoln often found himself as the only Black man in agency rooms. His lived experience—shared by many—made it clear that something had to change. A conversation with fellow ad exec Joshua Key sparked a call to action: “We need to bring more of us into the field.”

That call turned into a vision. In 2007, while working at Carol H. Williams Advertising in Chicago, Lincoln put pen to paper and outlined what would become The Marcus Graham Project: a network of creatives and strategists, a movement built on mentorship, collaboration, and access.

With early support from friends and industry peers like Larry Yarrell, Jeffrey Tate, Courtney Hill, John Casmon, and many others across the nation and beyond, the vision gained momentum. And in November 2008, after a powerful moment of prayer and reflection, Lincoln left his job, moved back to Dallas, and made the leap—launching MGP and piloting the first iCR8™ Boot Camp in the summer of 2009 with just seven participants.

Since then, MGP has grown into a national platform that continues to train, uplift, and launch multicultural leaders across the country—from Dallas and Chicago to Detroit, Cleveland, and beyond.

This isn’t just history—it’s a movement in motion.
So we ask: What will you do to shape the future?
Not just for the industry, but for our communities, and our culture.