Remembering Jo Muse: A Pioneer of Multicultural Marketing and AAF Hall of Famer

The following is a statement from Carol Williams, founder and CEO of Carol H Williams Advertising and 4As member. Carol wrote this statement about her friend, colleague and fellow AAF Hall of Famer, Jo Muse:

The phone rang late last Easter Sunday night. A quiet familiar voice came across. It was Mark Robinson. Jo Muse has passed, he quietly said. There was silence between us. I looked around as if looking for Jo. Jo had to be on the path. He had always been there through Muse Cordero Chen, though Frank Mingo and Carolyn Jones….all gone by the way but Jo has always been steady, consistent, moving forth with absolute determination; on the rise, every time it counted and it always counted. He won and knew winning had a price and Jo always paid it.

Suddenly I realized what Maya Angelou had written about. I felt the immense sound of the great tree fall. I felt the rocks shudder, lions hunker down and others cringe in fear and run for safety.

Jo, the man, the voice of cultural influence in the advertising industry. Jo was a cultural force that stood firm and opened doors along our path. When there were no doors but walls, barriers blocking our way, somehow he would force a door and open it. Sometimes he would walk through first as if to test the danger on the other side. Other times he would step back and let others walk through.

Jo is no longer making it down the path with us but what he nurtured and graced us with will forever guide our way. A wonderful, strong, great soul has passed our way but we know he left us his strength, beauty, and knowledge to carry on. The transitioning of a great soul is unimaginable, but yes, Jo was here and will be forevermore.