A PassionateTransformational Leader

Grind and single parenthood on one side of his family, mental health and addiction issues on the other

Derek Lewis’ childhood was spent protecting his brothers from hardship and abuse. Growing up in Washington, DC in the 1970s, it was enough just to survive. But Lewis demanded a different future. Growing his just-out-of-college Pepsi sales management trainee route into multiple C-suite roles, he overcame early adversity to achieve the highest level of corporate success possible. Not content with delivering record-breaking financial results, Lewis leveraged his reputation and relationships into building gender, racial, and social equity inside and outside the company. In this personal growth memoir, Lewis shares his path to Black excellence. From Chocolate City to HBCUs, from the Divine Nine to Pepsi’s Team Elite, Lewis has become a catalyst for large-scale social change. Survive and Advance shares Lewis’ intimate family portrait and professional journey, elevating readers and showing them how to imagine themselves into a new future with optimism, conviction, and confidence.