This Woman Purchased 14 Abandoned Acres To Build A $25 Million Tech Hub In Jackson, Mississippi
If you're familiar with Dr. Nashlie Sephus, then you know she has been preaching the STEM and tech gospel for a while. She has created apps that were purchased by major companies like Amazon, she has hosted her own TED Talks. She has even been awarded Innovator of the Year by Young, Gifted, & Powered.
In an industry where Black women account for less than one percent of the engineering industry, Dr. Sephus knew she wanted to enter the field at a young age. And now, she's bringing the industry to one of the most unlikely of places: her hometown of Jackson, Mississippi.
The powerhouse recently purchased 14 acres and eight buildings to build her own tech space in an effort to bring others along the journey.
She tells BNC News:
"This is very unique because Jackson, MS is a majority black city, with very little black ownership especially on such a large scale in the downtown area. A lot of people who own property are probably not even from the state, or are not as invested in the community. As a top AI expert, I know first-hand what it means to be a hub for technology, especially for people in our community."
Dr. Sephus first started a nonprofit back in 2018 called The Bean Path, which offers free tech help to those in the community. She lived in New York City, the Midwest, Atlanta, and even on the West coast, and noticed that tech hubs were growing up all around her. In being in the space, when going home to Jackson, she realized that was such an advancement of the city that they were missing out on.
"I wanted to be a part of the solution, not the problem. And because I have the expertise, sometimes, especially for the black community, it's no secret that there aren't a lot of people of color in the tech field, and there aren't a lot of women. Sometimes on my teams, I am the only one born in the United States. It gets frustrating at times because you want to see people who look like you."
Dr. Sephus immediately took action and decided to show up for her people in every way possible.
She began to do more to help people expand: she helped people set up their websites, their social media. Even helped people start their own tech companies. And her ultimate goal was to scale it all, with real estate. Oh, and to bring more people who look like her, with her.
Flexxxxx.
"There's so much opportunity. I often say, even though I have a Ph. D from Georgia Tech, and undergrad, Mississippi State, I am not the best person to solve the problems that you all deal with everyday. You are. But we can use technology to help you do that. And if we get more people who are not just thinking the status quo, who are not the typical Silicon Valley people, then we can really build innovation, and we can really reach those that are under-served. That's why this project is so important to me."
She finishes:
"Tech is one of the only industries where you can learn, from scratch, through free resources online and begin making six-figures. This is where you add that generational wealth--where you remove all the boundaries and limitations that have kept us out of Silicon Valley. We're bringing that to our own communities."
It's the audacity of never limiting herself, for me. Congratulations, Dr. Sephus!
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Featured image by Dr. Nashlie Sephus/Instagram
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Charmin Michelle is a southern native and creative spirit who works as a content marketer and events manager in Chicago. She enjoys traveling, #SummertimeChi, and the journey of mastering womanhood. Connect with her on Instagram @charminmichelle.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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ItGirl In Motion: Paige Shari Addison Shows Us Why She's The Hostess With The Mostess
Paige Shari Addison is the epitome of an ItGirl, which is why she is one of 100 ladies on xoNecole's inaugural ItGirl 100 list in partnership with Hyundai. Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, Paige started her journey as a host in high school by hosting parties. Since then, she has made a career in hosting, from parties to big-name events, and she launched Strictly RNB, a platform for new artists and R&B lovers. Paige reflects on her creative path in the limited video series "ItGirl in Motion."
“My first curated event at Criminal Records was incredible. It was all for up-and-coming artists,” she says. “I needed a platform for us as a collective to be able to give ourselves the platform instead of asking for it, instead of looking for it. I was like, I want to make sure I let people get this experience that I would give as a performer but enjoy the experience with them. It was a dream come true.”
The Atlanta native also has her own line of acai bowls called Soulfull Bowls. She started it during the pandemic after events and parties shut down. But it was her love for eating acai bowls and the reactions others had to them that made her want to make it her next business move. Being open to creating new ventures in the midst of uncertainty is a bold move and one of the reasons why Paige has the “it” factor.
“Being an ItGirl means you’re just authentic. There’s an air to us. We have confidence that exudes from the way we speak, the way we put our lip gloss on, the way we walk, the way we talk. I show up as myself everytime I walk into a room. I’m hospitable, I make sure everybody’s good,” she says.
Get to know more about the hostess with the mostess in the video above.
See our ItGirl 100 list in full here. Click through the gallery below for some BTS moments of Paige and our partnership with Hyundai.
Director: Mikkoh @mikkoh
Production company: @polly___studio
Producer/AD: Samuel Cho @choboi90
Producer/Tech: Paul Nguyen @paul__winn
DP: Cristian Bernal @cristianbernal
Editor: @30inthemorning
2nd Cam: Paul Nguyen
1st AC: AJ Paug @ajpaug Gaffer: Dennis Albert @dennisalbert_
Audio Mixer: Victor Chavez @vic_the__
PA: Rick Carreno @ispeakrick
PA: Tiffany Do @tivani.doee
BTS Photo: Prime @theartofprime
Car Detail: @sud_studs @slugglobal
Creative Director @hellobosco
Team Lead @kevgumbo3000
Project Manager @zakk_jullot
Creative Producer @iamkingsheyla
Designers @miacolemxn @noelspiva
@xoNecole
Director, Integrated Marketing @_vang
Campaign Manager @kingchachiii
Talent Lead @kaylawalker
Feature image by Prime/ @theartof prime