07/25/2026
My POV…
Every year we leave Tales of the Cocktail with something new. This year, it wasn’t a bottle, a handshake, or a business card.
It was confirmation.
A few years ago, JAYO had the idea to start hosting dinners with Brown & Balanced instead of just a “party” because we believed some of the most meaningful conversations in hospitality don’t happen on stage—they happen around a table. Over the last couple of years, that vision became more intentional. We wanted to create a space specifically for Black Men in Hospitality.
Not because we’re the only ones doing great work, but because too often we’re doing it in isolation.
Many of us have been the only Black man behind the bar, in the room, or at the decision-making table. We’ve learned to navigate this industry carrying more than our job titles. So when we sit together, break bread, and speak openly about our wins, our challenges, our families, our businesses, and our purpose, something shifts.
The conversations weren’t about cocktails.
They were about legacy.
About ownership.
About leadership.
About making sure the next generation walks into an industry that’s better because we were here.
I’m grateful to Campari and Anne Louise Marquis for believing in this vision and helping create space for these conversations to happen.
This dinner wasn’t the finish line. It was another step toward building the community I’ve always believed our industry deserves.
We’ll bring this table to another city soon.Another
Until then… we’ll keep building.
📸 & 🎥: Mayo | Photographer | Mayo | Photographer.too
