Wednesday marked Morehouse College’s first Hump Wednesday of the fall semester, a weekly event where Atlanta University Center students come together to enjoy food, music and special guests. The afternoon kicked off with a fireside chat featuring actress Gail Bean, as she spoke to students on the importance of legacy and community, and how to convert their own aspirations into reality.
“One of the things that I truly love about Georgia and the South is that we are who we are. And it truly spills over into everything I do when it comes to my community. When it comes to my acting, I show up as my authentic self, and I think that resonates with a lot of people. I put my authenticity into every character I play,” Bean said. “Also, a big thing about Georgia is community and village, and I think I share that as well with my nonprofit, making sure that I reach back to the community.”
The event, a part of Kingsford’s new Pass The Tongs initiative, featured a conversation on how the history of grilling has a close relationship with heritage and tradition within the Black community.
“We uncovered this idea that recipes and traditions are being lost among the youngest generation,” Mitchell O’Furey, marketing director at Kingsford said. “The barbecue world touches lots of different cultures, but it’s particularly true in Black culture that those recipes are being lost. So we wanted to get back to this youngest, thought leadership, innovative environment, and that list started with Historically Black Colleges and Universities.”
Throughout the panel, Bean reflected on her own history with grilling culture, including cookouts during football games, hosting barbecues with her sorority and grilling as a celebration of life within her family.
The Stone Mountain, Georgia native has graced the screen with roles in Harlem, Insecure, P-Valley and the acclaimed FX series Snowfall. Off the big screen, Bean has turned back to the community she came from with her nonprofit, Dream Above The Influence, which serves Metropolitan Atlanta youth, equipping them through resources, scholarships and mentorship programming.
“Dream Above the Influence is truly a reflection of my upbringing and my life. I had mentors, I was exposed to so many different opportunities at a young age, and then I had the resources from, if not just my mom, the community and our village,” Bean said. “I wanted to make sure I was able to give that back to the upcoming youth, so they can know that there are endless possibilities, and if they ever need help or need someone to talk to, that we’re available.”
When asked about the bridge between acting and philanthropy, Bean said that she has utilized her acting reach as a platform to help others discover their passions. She spoke to the necessity of passing down legacy through one’s work, and discussed Dream Above The Influence’s mission to uplift generations to come.
