Dear Readers,
It is with great pride and deep gratitude that I welcome you to the inaugural edition of COLOR Magazine’s Most Influential Men of Color. This publication marks an important milestone for our community and for our mission: to illuminate the leaders whose work, integrity, and impact push us all forward.
Our inaugural honorees represent the very best of leadership in its truest sense. They are not only achievers; they are mentors, builders, and catalysts for change. They lead with a level of resilience born from lived experience and a vision shaped by hope for a more equitable future. Their stories remind us that influence is not measured by accolades alone, but by the hearts and minds a leader touches along the way.
My hope is that as you read through this first edition, you feel the same inspiration we felt while curating it. May the stories shared here reinforce what is possible, energize your own leadership journey, and remind you that every barrier crossed creates a pathway for those who will follow.
Thank you for joining us for this inaugural celebration. And thank you for being part of a community dedicated to elevating excellence, equity, and opportunity.
With gratitude,
Jaime Raul Zepeda Executive Vice President, COLOR Magazine
COLOR, an a liate of BridgeTower Media, provides premier events focused on empowering professionals of COLOR. For over a decade, COLOR has maintained a strong reputation for creating informative content and thought leadership as highlighted on its online publication ColorMagazine.com.
COLOR Magazine - 40 Court St., 5th Floor Boston MA, 02108 publisher@colormagazineusa.com
Executive Vice President Jaime Raul Zepeda Jzepeda@bridgetowermedia.com
Sales Manager - Best Companies Group James Delaney jdelaney@bestcompaniesgroup.com
Studio Design Manager Jordan Mazuranic jmazuranic@studiobtm.com
Publisher
www.colormagazine.com
RAWLE ANDREWS
Executive Director
American Psychiatric Association Foundation
EDUARDO ARABU
CEO
National Hispanic Corporate Council
KENNETH ELLINGTON
Founder + Lead Consultant
Ellington Cyber Academy
KYLE GRIFFITH, CBI, CM&AP
Founder and CEO / Managing Partner
Eminae Network / The NYBB Group
AARON HENRY
Veterans Housing Case Manager, Founder of Black Employee Networking Employee Resource Group (ERG)
Clackamas County Veterans Services
JOSH
W. HOWARD Chief of Sta
Baton Rouge Youth Coalition
Josh Howard is a seasoned communications professional with over a decade of experience in community engagement, nonprofit leadership, and branding. Josh has been an adjunct professor with LSU since the Fall 2022. As Chief of Sta for the Baton Rouge Youth Coalition (BRYC), a postsecondary-access nonprofit serving under-resourced students from 8th grade to careers, Josh drives BRYC’s day-to-day operations across its campuses and talent and culture development. Josh was BRYC’s fi rst alumni director in 2017, growing the alumni from 280 to 800. Largely due to Josh’s leadership, BRYC has earned recognition for its organization culture, winning Best Place to Work in Baton Rouge in 2022, and in both 2024 and 2025, being named to the Nonprofit Times’s Best Nonprofits to Work For list.
Josh’s recent honors include receiving the Mosaic Champion honor from the American Advertising Federation, an award that highlights excellence in promoting diversity. Under Josh’s leadership, BRYC won the Mosaic Champion award in 2024. He was recently honored with the LSU Black Alumni Distinguished Young Alumni award and named the Public Relations Association of Louisiana’s Practitioner of the Year. He’s also been named a top 40 under 40 professional locally and nationally.
He’s involved in Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Leadership Baton Rouge Alumni, and the international Chief of Sta Association.
Josh holds a bachelor’s in mass communication from Louisiana State University and a master’s in applied positive psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.
LARRY R. HYGH JR. Assistant Professor
California State University Dominguez Hills
JAMES LIGHTFOOT Director of Education & Youth Development Urban League
