Title:Classroom essay helps alumnus tap into creativity

Cole Brown (C’18) is a storyteller who has authored books, produced films and shows, and become a political commentator.

“I’ve always had a curious mind,” says Brown, who walks around with headphones in, always listening to a podcast or an audiobook, eagerly learning something new.

“The project that basically launched my career started in a Georgetown classroom,” he says. “Georgetown’s curriculum challenged me to look at things from every angle. That sort of rigor, ingenuity, and thought process is really necessary to tell a story that cuts through what is a very noisy media environment.”

In an entrepreneurship class, Brown began writing an essay about growing up Black in predominantly white spaces. That essay ultimately turned into his first book Greyboy: Finding Blackness in a White World, which was published in 2020 and resulted in a series of speaking engagements.

He went on to co-author the book First Impressions with his friend Matt James, the first Black star of “The Bachelor” television series, and co-edited an anthology, Black Love Letters, with a foreword from musician John Legend.

Brown then became creator and executive producer of Magic City: An American Fantasy, a docuseries focused on an Atlanta strip club. Through his connection to Jami Gertz (Parent’14, ’17, ’21), who served as executive producer of the show, he was able to finance the series and bring on music industry heavyweights Drake and Jermaine Dupri as executive producers. It aired on Starz in 2025 and was nominated for Best Limited Documentary Series for the 10th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards.

Last summer, Brown directed A Portrait of the American Dream: Oak Bluffs as part of a Ralph Lauren campaign focused on the Black community in Martha’s Vineyard.

“It was the most special thing I’ve done,” says Brown. “All of the models in the campaign were my friends and family, and I directed a film to go along with it.”

He also earned an MBA from Columbia University along the way and took on the role of general manager and head of business operations for the film production company Two One Five, founded by Questlove and BlackThought of The Roots.

Brown’s family traveled extensively when he was growing up, providing him with exposure to many different cultures. But it was at Georgetown that he gained lifelong, global friendships.

“I probably see five or six Hoyas each week,” he shares. “And when I travel, there are very few countries where I can’t call someone and sleep on their couch—and that’s a blessing.”