Jenevesque Media Shares First Look at "Atelier: The Story of Brownmill Company"
- Jenevesque Media
- Apr 6
- 4 min read
and hosts its first in-person event at Rutgers University Newark
Last Wednesday, Jenevesque Media partnered with The Rutgers Black Professionals Network (also known as BPN) to host "Built Different: A Not-So-Traditional Fireside Chat" at Rutgers University Newark's newly renovated Conklin Hall 100. The event brought students, creatives, and storytellers from across New Jersey together for a conversation about what it means to build something from scratch and succeed as a creative entrepreneur. In addition to The Black Professionals Network, the Rutgers Newark chapters of Dominican Talks and the National Association of Black Journalists sponsored the event.
Moderated by Theodora Hoegah — Chief Officer of BPN and a senior Supply Chain Management major at Rutgers Business School — the panel featured representatives from both the Jenevesque Media and Brownmill Company teams: Anya Dillard (Director of Atelier and CEO of Jenevesque Media), Godard Aristil (Director of Photography), Laila Hoff (Associate Producer), Justis Pitt Goodson (Founder of Brownmill Company), and Elijah Pitt Goodson (Head of Operations at Brownmill Company).
Each of the panelists shared personal testimonies with the audience, emphasizing the importance of community and dissecting the challenges that come with sustaining a non-traditional career.
Little by little, you figure out the pieces to your puzzle...My journey has taught me that you can really do anything. — Elijah Pitt Goodson (Head of Operations at Brownmill Company)
The discussion served as a living testament to the resilience of young founders, the importance of creative risk-taking, and the foresight it takes to build something sustainable.
Most poignantly, all of the panelists attested to the impact that the Rutgers community has had on each of their journeys. The members of the Atelier production crew all met as video production students at Rutgers University, Newark, and became fast friends. Godard Aristil, who's currently a junior Video Production major, shared what led him to come to Rutgers Newark and affirmed that he met some of the most important people in his life going through the Video Production program there.
I wasn't planning on coming to Rutgers Newark originally... it ended up being the best decision of my life. — Godard Aristil (Director of Photography)
Anya Dillard and Laila Hoff shared similar sentiments and told the audience how a one-off final project for one of their video production classes became the foundation for Atelier, a project that they anticipate will change the course of their careers.
The founders of Brownmill Company were also students of Rutgers University. With Justis having once been a student at Rutgers Newark, Kwaku Agyemang (Brownmill's Co-founder and Head of Finance), a student at Rutgers New Brunswick, and Taha Shimou (Brownmill's Head of Design), a student at Rutgers Camden. During the brand's early years, Justis dropped out of college to dedicate his time to the growth of Brownmill Company, and has since re-enrolled at Rutgers Business School, with the goal of completing his degree.
I never went to fashion school. I've never been classically trained. I didn't finish college... but the community and mentors that have supported me, my family, and my team along the way made it all possible. — Justis Pitt Goodson (CEO & Founder of Brownmill Company)
Anya Dillard closed out the panel with a screening of a never-before-seen piece of footage — the pitch video that helped the production team acquire $25,000 of grant funding from Gucci to complete Atelier: The Story of Brownmill Company. The video struck a chord with many in the room and sparked conversations around the importance of believing in one's ideas, building horizontally, balancing financial limitations, collaborating to solve logistical challenges, and bringing creative visions to life.
Beyond the panel, the event managed to foster an atmosphere of genuine community. Attendees engaged in organic conversations, exchanged ideas, and found common ground in their shared passions and ambitions. For many, simply being in a space filled with like-minded individuals — listening, learning, and connecting — was a powerful reminder of the importance of creative ecosystems built on collaboration.
To all who attended, it was clear that "Built Different" was more than just an event; it was a reflection of what can happen when community, creativity, and purpose collide. As the production team behind Atelier: The Story of Brownmill Company continues in its final stages of post-production, we hope that they will remain committed to carrying this spirit forward — using the film as both a tool to inspire and educate the next generation of builders, storytellers, and creative entrepreneurs.
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