The worlds of media and marketing have not always reflected diversity in the materials they produce or in the people who produce them. It's one of the key reasons why entrepreneur Lincoln Stephens launched a nonprofit organization to help to change that. 

However, another reason for his motivation to make change was Eddie Murphy.

In 2007, Stephens founded The Marcus Graham Project, a Dallas-based organization that encourages the inclusion of Black professionals in the advertising and marketing industry. It is also an ode to the thriving marketing executive Marcus Graham, played by Murphy, in the timeless 1992 film Boomerang.

In our latest interview for Blavity's video series Regarding, Stephens discussed the void he was looking to fill in the marketing industry and said a group of friends and co-workers agreed on the need for mentorship, community building and exposure in their field. When they shared why they got into the business, Stephens noticed a theme. 

“An overwhelming amount of individuals said ‘It was because of Marcus,’” Stephens told Blavity. “It really shows what the power of television and film can do to expose you to a world that you didn’t know.”

In the romantic comedy, Graham is an accomplished advertising executive who falls in love with his replacement, played by Robin Givens, as the company is sold to Lady Eloise, depicted by the timeless Eartha Kitt. 

The cast took viewers on a trip that screamed black excellence with scenes of working, thriving, competent sisters and brothers making big decisions and using their talents to bring their visions to life. Although the film hardly won any awards – it lost the '93 NAACP Outstanding Motion Picture Award to Sister Act – the characters won over hearts and continued to inspire generations of creatives of color to dive into the industry.

“The Marcus Graham Project specifically has been inspired to continue to help develop the next generation by really taking a look at some of the challenges,” Stephens said. 

He also said MGP was inspired by Chicago advertising expert William “Bill” Sharp’s Basic Advertising Course, created to help Black people learn about the business over 50 years ago. 

“If you think about the fact that 50 years ago somebody created a program that said ‘Hey we need to bring more Black people into this business," he said before taking a pause, "it’s not a new conversation”

However, Murphy and Sharp weren't the only black men to inspire Stephens to persevere. Just two weeks after Barack Obama's first historic presidential election, Stephens was fueled with momentum that compelled him to quit his job in Chicago, return to Dallas to kickstart his vision for MGP and begin gathering community support. By the following summer, the program launched with seven participants and has since become a global initiative. 

“It’s really important that if you want to get into advertising and marketing and work at an agency or work behind the scenes at a media company or a brand, that you understand how to do the work. So we think about opportunities to bring people together and do the work,” Stephens said. 

“We have rolling applications for our programs that are running around the country like our sports marketing program with the Cavaliers,” he added.

Stephen also called for “thought leaders” and others motivated by the infamous Graham to join the organization to “grow the opportunity for others seeking to find their place and purpose.”

Watch our full video with Stephens below to learn more about The Marcus Graham Project and how you can get involved and support!