Alumnus Cole Brown ’14 Directs New Ralph Lauren Film 

The recipient of our 2025 CHA Young Alumnus of the Year Award, Cole Brown ’14, has directed a new film for Ralph Lauren that explores the history of the Black community in Oak Bluffs, Martha's Vineyard. The project, titled "A Portrait of the American Dream: Oak Bluffs," honors the stories of generations of residents, seasonal visitors, and community historians.

Brown, who spent summers on the Vineyard, is a critically acclaimed author and producer, recognized for his NAACP Image Award-nominated book Greyboy and his work on the docuseries Magic City. A former on-air political commentator, his insightful writing has appeared in numerous prominent publications. 

Brown's direction brings these stories to life, adding a personal and powerful dimension to the project. The film aims to be a tribute to the legacy of Oak Bluffs and its enduring place in the American story.

“It’s a story of Black aspiration, Black success in a time and place where that was far from guaranteed in most parts of the country,” Brown said in a recent Good Morning America interview about the project. “We wanted to reach out to the community and say, ‘Hey, what stories have really created this place that has become so special for Black history?’”

The film is part of Ralph Lauren's broader effort to present a more inclusive and complete vision of the American dream. The brand states that its "portrait of American style, and our vision of the American dream, would be incomplete without Black experiences like this."

Ralph Lauren partnered with several prominent institutions, including The Cottagers Inc., The Martha's Vineyard African American Heritage Trail, and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. The project also sought advice from HBCUs, including Morehouse and Spelman Colleges.

You can watch the documentary in its entirety here.