Pass The Tongs is Kingsford’s first-of-its-kind program focused on preserving the legacy of Black barbecue culture while inspiring and equipping the next generation of innovators and storytellers. It’s all about passing down skills, traditions, and opportunities from one generation to the next, celebrating heritage, and creating space for cultural continuity.
The program engages HBCU students and the local Atlanta community, connecting past, present, and future while fostering pride in heritage and empowering young people to shape their own legacy. In partnership with Morehouse College, Kingsford is creating experiences that honor traditions, celebrate cultural heritage, and expand career pathways. This includes the upcoming
Pass The Tongs Fireside Chat featuring Gail Bean and Isaiah "Zai Steppa" Evans, which was designed to inspire students to embrace their heritage and step confidently into their futures as leaders, as well as a special appearance by legendary pitmaster Pat Neely during Homecoming.
Pass The Tongs builds on Kingsford’s Preserve the Pit program, which has invested over $355,000 since 2021 in mentorships and grants for entrepreneurs and small businesses in the barbecue community. You can learn even more about how Kingsford's showing up across the event series at THIS link.
Check out the interview with Mitch O'Furey about the
Pass The Tongs initiative.
A bit about Mitch O’Furey: he’s a brand-marketing executive with over 13 years of experience leading national brands at The Clorox Company and Procter & Gamble. A former U.S. Navy officer, he brings strategic leadership, brand growth expertise, and a focus on team development. He has an MBA from the University of Maryland and a B.S. from the U.S. Naval Academy, and he lives in North Carolina with his wife and three kids.
Posted By: Reginald Culpepper
Tuesday, August 26th 2025 at 9:21PM
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