Meet Lincoln Stephens and Larry Yarrell | Co-Founders of Marcus Graham Project

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lincoln Stephens and Larry Yarrell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lincoln Stephens and Larry Yarrell, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
The Marcus Graham Project exists to create equity and representation in the media and marketing industries by developing, mentoring, and empowering the next generation of diverse leaders. Through programs like the iCR8 Bootcamp and initiatives housed at Gamma House, we provide immersive training, career exposure, and professional placement for emerging talent—particularly from underrepresented backgrounds.

Gamma House, our creative campus in South Dallas, extends this mission into the community. It serves as a hub for connection, collaboration, and creativity—where young professionals, students, and entrepreneurs can access mentorship, resources, and a network that reflects them. By bridging education, industry, and culture, our work not only changes who gets a seat at the table, but who designs the table itself.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If our best friends were visiting Dallas, we’d give them a week that truly captures the city’s creative pulse, cultural depth, and Southern soul. We’d start at Gamma House and show them our vision of building a hub for creativity, collaboration, and community..

From there, we’d head to Whiskey’s Lounge in Exposition Park, a Black-owned neighborhood staple where conversation, good music, and craft drinks flow effortlessly. For a speakeasy vibe, we’d make our way to Atlas in Deep Ellum—perfect for a late-night cocktail and easy conversation surrounded by art and energy.

No Dallas experience is complete without an evening at RL’s Blues Palace, where you can soak in some gut-bucket blues and real, unfiltered Southern soul. During the week, we’d visit Lincoln’s favorite mixologist at Mar y Sol, whose artistry behind the bar always makes you feel like family.

We’d definitely carve out time for some seafood at Hudson House, TJ’s Seafood Market, or Greenpoint Seafood & Oyster Bar—each with its own take on freshness and hospitality.

If the Cowboys or Mavericks were playing, that would be an easy “yes”—because nothing says Dallas pride like catching a game under the lights.

And of course, we’d end the week the way all great visits should—with a home-cooked meal at Lincoln’s house, good music in the background, and laughter that lasts well into the night as we walk down the street to play dominoes at Larry’s house.

Dallas has a rhythm all its own—equal parts innovation, heritage, and heart—and this itinerary would show just how deeply that rhythm runs.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
We’d love to dedicate our shoutout to the people and institutions who have shaped our journey from the very beginning. First and foremost, to our parents—especially our mothers, Gretta Griffin-Hurd and Sandra Stephens—whose faith, resilience, and unconditional love laid the foundation for everything we’ve built. Their belief in us was the original investment that made every dream possible.

A heartfelt salute to our fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., which taught us the meaning of achievement in every field of human endeavor. That creed has guided us through every chapter of The Marcus Graham Project, reminding us that excellence is both a standard and a service to others.

There are far too many friends, mentors, and partners to name between the two of us—but one we must recognize is Randi, Larry’s wife and the creative force behind Rae Lawson Productions. From our galas and Good Soil events to corporate luncheons and community activations, Randi has a way of making everything she touches more intentional, more elegant, and more impactful.

And finally, to our MGP alumni and extended community—your continued work in boardrooms, agencies, and classrooms around the world is living proof that what started as a movement has become a legacy. But at the beginning and end of the day- GOD GETS ALL THE GLORY!

Website: Marcusgrahamproject.org

Instagram: @MGProject