Black Leaders in Marketing 


Hello AMAzing readers and happy February! As many of you may know, February is Black History Month, where we pay tribute and honor the many generations of African Americans who fought and struggled throughout U.S. history. In honor of Black History Month, this blog will focus on a few of the many black individuals who made significant contributions in the marketing world across different industries. 


Tristan Walker 

Tristan Walker is the founder and CEO of Walker & Company Brands, a health and beauty-focused company. He started this company in order to make health and beauty simple for people of color as he struggled to find products that were best suited for him. This struggle of his made him wonder about the other people of color probably going through similar issues. Creating this company was the missing piece that he and other people of color were searching for in health and beauty, also educating the majority. Walker & Company brands have played an important role in the health and beauty industry and have been recognized for their creative marketing strategies. Walker also serves for Foot Locker, Inc., Shake Shack, Inc., and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta board of directors.  

Karen Civil 

Moving more towards the social media realm, Karen Civil is a social media and digital marketing strategist. She has worked with numerous artists and brands, including Lil Wayne, Backstreet Boys, and J.D. Williams, creating fan sites for them to gain more of a social media persona. Civil has created her own website and her marketing agency, Always Civil Enterprise, specializing especially in the Hip-hop industry. Throughout her career, she has hosted events for platforms like BET and Complex. Civil has gained much recognition, earning rewards such as the Black Web Award from Essence and being able to be a guest speaker at the White House Champions of Change event. Not only has she made numerous contributions to the marketing and social media world, but she has been involved in music production, making her have a well-rounded and unique career.  

Steve Stoute 

Steve Stoute is an advertising and music industry entrepreneur. He is the founder and chief executive officer of UnitedMasters and Translation. Translation is a marketing agency that has worked with famous brands such as State Farm, McDonald’s, and the NBA. All through Stoute’s career, he makes sure to promote authenticity and something that resonates with the majority. Through this, he has had to take some creative risks which led him to where he is today. Stoute’s hard work has paid off as he has been inducted into the Advertising Hall of Achievement. While Stoute’s business career is certainly inspirational, he is also well-rounded and diverse in his talents, previously working in the music industry and becoming an author with his book, The Tanning of America: How Hip-Hop Created a Culture That Rewrote the Rules of the New Economy.  

June Ambrose 

Heading toward the fashion world, June Ambrose is a creative director, costume designer, and entrepreneur. She has built her career through culturally significant moments through fashion and style. She has designed costumes and videos for well-known celebrities like Missy Elliot, P Diddy, and Jay Z, creating trends that can be found in the media today. Ambrose’s knowledge and talent in the fashion world have led her to collaborate with brands like Target, Macy’s, and La Mer. Puma recently made her their creative director and designer, showcasing her ambition and talent. Ambrose’s diverse career receives much praise, as she has become an icon in the fashion and marketing world, designing over 200 music videos and styling famous artists on tour. Ambrose’s efforts have also led her to be the author of the book Effortless Style. 


These individuals have each played significant roles in the world of business and marketing in unique ways. They showcase that no matter what industry you are in or where you may start from there is always a way to get to where you want to be with hard work, ambition, and positivity. They’ve created and guided the way for diversity and representation in these industries. Recognizing and showcasing their efforts, and many other black individuals, is important to create more diversity, inclusion, and representation.  

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