Dr. Nashlie Sephus sees alternative the place others might even see city blight. She has at all times had a unique approach of issues. Figuring out wants and discovering options is her superpower.

Dr. Nashlie Sephus sees alternative the place others might even see city blight. She has at all times had a unique approach of issues. Figuring out wants and discovering options is her superpower. Nashlie is making a optimistic distinction and Jackson is benefitting from her imaginative and prescient.

Because the Utilized Science supervisor for Amazon Synthetic Intelligence (AI), Nashlie focuses on equity and figuring out biases in these applied sciences. Based mostly in Atlanta, Nashlie travels again to her hometown of Jackson often, the place she is making an attempt to create a tech hub that rivals these in main cities within the Northwest. Impressed by Amazon, which owns eight blocks in Seattle devoted to expertise, Nashlie says she envisioned one thing related in Jackson.

On September 11, 2020, Nashlie bought 21 acres subsequent to Jackson State College to create the Jackson Tech District. “That’s simply the identify we placed on it,” says Nashlie, who needs to see Jackson progress the way in which different cities have. “I noticed the necessity for technical expertise and technical literacy in Jackson.”

Nashlie was uncovered to expertise by way of the maths and science camps she attended at Jackson State College when she was younger. “I additionally attended an engineering camp at Mississippi State College the summer season after the eighth grade. I discovered one thing totally different from what I had discovered in class, and I beloved it.”

Nashlie graduated from Mississippi State with a B.S. in pc engineering. She acquired her Ph.D. from Georgia Institute of Know-how’s Faculty of Electrical and Laptop Engineering in 2014.

In 2018, Nashlie based a 501(c)(3) nonprofit referred to as The Bean Path, a corporation that gives technical recommendation and steering to people and small companies. “Our objective is to sow technical experience, develop networks, and fertilize communities,” she says. “We try this by way of technical lessons, tech talks, coding and engineering applications for youth, and scholarships and grants for college students who’re within the engineering subject.”

“We began assembly in a library constructing, then outgrew that and I bought a 17,000 sq. foot barn we referred to as ‘The Bean Barn.’ A bean is a part in expertise, in addition to a seed that sprouts and grows.” Nashlie says that the identical man who bought her the barn bought her the property subsequent to it. “We now educate senior day lessons, tech lessons, in addition to after-school trend expertise lessons and coding lessons. We even have a maker area for arts and crafts the place folks can use our laser cutter and 3-D printer.”

Nashlie envisions occasions within the space that has been deserted for thus lengthy. “We have now a lot untapped potential. I wish to assist get rid of the ‘mind drain’ for stem folks like me. We will try this by coaching up the people who find themselves right here. And meaning discovering methods to make it simpler to remain right here, like housing initiatives providing market price to inexpensive housing.”

The Jackson Tech District has been over 5 years within the making. “I had the imaginative and prescient in December2018, and invested my very own capital to get it began,” Nashlie states. “Now we’re getting traders and personal fairness to convey this imaginative and prescient to life.” Plans embody an occasion heart and workplace areas.

“We’re it from all angles. This can be a group growth challenge with a mission behind the mission – to unite the state and present what we will do after we work collectively. We’re at the moment evaluating the feasibility of Airbnbs and lodges within the space. There are fourteen faculties and universities within the Metro Jackson space –that’s a whole lot of dad and mom coming to go to their children. We have now a robust soccer tradition, plus a robust culinary scene, music, and visible and performing arts.”

Nashlie needs to capitalize on exercise on the Amtrak station, the Two Museums, and other people coming again to Jackson to go to household. “The Two Museums has an enormous draw from Europe. There’s a lot we will do by leveraging actual property.”

Nashlie says she has discovered Metropolis leaders in Jackson to be supportive and welcoming. “On the rezoning listening to there was a unanimous vote providing us funds. We acquired $250,000 in the direction of our first constructing. We have now additionally acquired robust help from the Legislature, Mississippi Growth Authority, and even Federal engagement.”

The roll-out plan for the second section of the challenge is to construct out the barns, together with The Bean Barn and what is called The Child Barn. “We wish to create a meals corridor, occasion heart, and an indoor-outdoor area for actions like film nights, train lessons, and live shows. I’d even prefer to see actions equivalent to drone races and robotics lessons. It will likely be an surroundings that’s family-friendly, and even an after-hours spot. It’s our hope that every one this could come on-line this yr.”

At the moment there are 4 full-time staff at The Bean Path, and eight part-time staff. “We even have twenty further contractors and a whole lot of volunteers,” says Nashlie. Her efforts have been observed on a nationwide stage. Articles about Nashlie, The Bean Path, and the Jackson Tech District have been revealed in inc. journal, Black Enterprise, and Medium.com, amongst others.

Final yr she was awarded Mississippian of the 12 months by the Jackson Chapter of the Computing Know-how Business Affiliation. The excessive profile and prestigious award is offered to a Mississippian who has had a “vital and essential impression on the state by way of the enterprise, innovation, or utility of knowledge expertise.”