“When you go to Inkwell … you see all kinds of people there,” said DeVard, when asked about the possibility of some attendees seeing the space as exclusionary.

“It’s a total 360 experience. The food we eat. The music that’s played. The conversations that are had. [A] week of people hugging each other because they haven’t seen each other. If anyone has something against that, they don’t understand what the spirit is of what’s being done.”

An uplifting legacy

While BECA and its Future Leaders are excited about the week ahead, they stress that they will remain “undaunted” by what comes next: ensuring the next generation of Black marketers continues to get seats at the table.

“We will continue to advocate aggressively for diversity and representation in our organizations, in our work: who shows up on screen, who is behind the camera, who gets an ability to showcase their talent and creativity,” said Kenny Mitchell, adding, “It is a proven fact: More diverse organizations, more diversity of thought, more diverse leadership lead to better business outcomes.”

“One of the things that [is] profound about the BECA membership is that they are proven business leaders,” said Kenny Mitchell.

For Amanda Mitchell, who has another 18 months to go in the program, it’s already been “transformative.”

“To be in a room with people who have basically walked your same path and who are along that same path with you, and who are three, four steps ahead of you is absolutely incredible,” she said. “I’ve made lifelong friends with my teammates.”

“BECA has been the manifestation of legacy and impact and meaning and purpose—in life, really,” added DeVard. “When you can open people’s eyes to what it truly takes to be successful, and if they can hear it from people that look like them, then the confidence and the ability to achieve what you know you can is a beautiful thing.”