when I reflect on my very long 31 years here on earth I realized I’ve been a
here on earth I realized I’ve been a
here on earth I realized I’ve been a planner since inception growing up in
planner since inception growing up in
planner since inception growing up in New Orleans my dad and I will often ride
New Orleans my dad and I will often ride
New Orleans my dad and I will often ride our bikes from Gentilly to the French
our bikes from Gentilly to the French
our bikes from Gentilly to the French quarters interesting thing I told my mom
quarters interesting thing I told my mom
quarters interesting thing I told my mom about this and she is completely pissed
about this and she is completely pissed
about this and she is completely pissed about this this is like the pre helmet
about this this is like the pre helmet
about this this is like the pre helmet days by the high school I begged my
days by the high school I begged my
days by the high school I begged my parents to allow me to catch the bus for
parents to allow me to catch the bus for
parents to allow me to catch the bus for the night wore it to the garden district
the night wore it to the garden district
the night wore it to the garden district all the cool kids were taking public
all the cool kids were taking public
all the cool kids were taking public transportation so I want to be a part of
transportation so I want to be a part of
transportation so I want to be a part of that it took us two buses and a
that it took us two buses and a
that it took us two buses and a streetcar to get to school but I loved
streetcar to get to school but I loved
streetcar to get to school but I loved it
it
it I love being a tourist in my city we
I love being a tourist in my city we
I love being a tourist in my city we spent our weekend it’s at the rural walk
spent our weekend it’s at the rural walk
spent our weekend it’s at the rural walk the lakefront in the Garden District and
the lakefront in the Garden District and
the lakefront in the Garden District and uptown I think about my neighborhood we
uptown I think about my neighborhood we
uptown I think about my neighborhood we have sidewalks corner stores and parks
have sidewalks corner stores and parks
have sidewalks corner stores and parks everything we needed was a block or so
everything we needed was a block or so
everything we needed was a block or so away so it sounds pretty perfect right
away so it sounds pretty perfect right
away so it sounds pretty perfect right well subtract the flooding as many of
well subtract the flooding as many of
well subtract the flooding as many of you know
you know
you know New Orleans is below sea level then
New Orleans is below sea level then
New Orleans is below sea level then there’s the fact that my neighborhood
there’s the fact that my neighborhood
there’s the fact that my neighborhood was built on a former land field that
was built on a former land field that
was built on a former land field that was not cleaned properly
was not cleaned properly
was not cleaned properly so Google agriculture Street landfill
so Google agriculture Street landfill
so Google agriculture Street landfill but doing your own time plan on being a
but doing your own time plan on being a
but doing your own time plan on being a bit too long I’m carrying a bit of a
bit too long I’m carrying a bit of a
bit too long I’m carrying a bit of a load with me today then there’s the fact
load with me today then there’s the fact
load with me today then there’s the fact that crime may be a issue too but let’s
that crime may be a issue too but let’s
that crime may be a issue too but let’s not get into details about that but all
not get into details about that but all
not get into details about that but all these experiences led me to enrolling
these experiences led me to enrolling
these experiences led me to enrolling and graduating from Jackson State
and graduating from Jackson State
and graduating from Jackson State University’s Urban and Regional Planning
University’s Urban and Regional Planning
University’s Urban and Regional Planning program where I received my master’s in
program where I received my master’s in
program where I received my master’s in urban and regional planning
urban and regional planning
urban and regional planning concentrating environmental planning and
concentrating environmental planning and
concentrating environmental planning and land use so a fun fact I did graduate
land use so a fun fact I did graduate
land use so a fun fact I did graduate what highest GPA and I’ll let you
what highest GPA and I’ll let you
what highest GPA and I’ll let you applause right now
surely after I got the opportunity to
surely after I got the opportunity to work in economic development so like
work in economic development so like
work in economic development so like many bright-eyed and bushy-tailed
many bright-eyed and bushy-tailed
many bright-eyed and bushy-tailed graduates I want to change the world or
graduates I want to change the world or
graduates I want to change the world or the city at least but that’s not how
the city at least but that’s not how
the city at least but that’s not how things really work particularly when one
things really work particularly when one
things really work particularly when one is entry-level drowning in bureaucracy
is entry-level drowning in bureaucracy
is entry-level drowning in bureaucracy and
and
and red tape not to mention a glacial pace
red tape not to mention a glacial pace
red tape not to mention a glacial pace in which government usually moves right
in which government usually moves right
in which government usually moves right but I did get the opportunity to be a
but I did get the opportunity to be a
but I did get the opportunity to be a part of all these groups and social
part of all these groups and social
part of all these groups and social networks in these committees fill with
networks in these committees fill with
networks in these committees fill with Jackson’s creative class so a consistent
Jackson’s creative class so a consistent
Jackson’s creative class so a consistent of other economic development experts on
of other economic development experts on
of other economic development experts on small business owners entrepreneurs all
small business owners entrepreneurs all
small business owners entrepreneurs all pouring their minds resources experience
pouring their minds resources experience
pouring their minds resources experience this and it’s learning to fill a
this and it’s learning to fill a
this and it’s learning to fill a long-term commitment necessary to create
long-term commitment necessary to create
long-term commitment necessary to create an environment where entrepreneurs could
an environment where entrepreneurs could
an environment where entrepreneurs could thrive so this may be through webinars
thrive so this may be through webinars
thrive so this may be through webinars seminars networking events providing
seminars networking events providing
seminars networking events providing financial capital mentoring co-working
financial capital mentoring co-working
financial capital mentoring co-working spaces all in hopes of increasing
spaces all in hopes of increasing
spaces all in hopes of increasing entrepreneurship community and economic
entrepreneurship community and economic
entrepreneurship community and economic development creating jobs retaining the
development creating jobs retaining the
development creating jobs retaining the thousands of college students Jackson
thousands of college students Jackson
thousands of college students Jackson has I’m stabilizing communities thereby
has I’m stabilizing communities thereby
has I’m stabilizing communities thereby improving the quality of life here this
improving the quality of life here this
improving the quality of life here this is what we call entrepreneurial
is what we call entrepreneurial
is what we call entrepreneurial ecosystem and it’s awesome being a part
ecosystem and it’s awesome being a part
ecosystem and it’s awesome being a part of it you know it made me really feel
of it you know it made me really feel
of it you know it made me really feel like I found my place here in Jackson
like I found my place here in Jackson
like I found my place here in Jackson but I never thought I would personally
but I never thought I would personally
but I never thought I would personally benefit from it for two years in a row I
benefit from it for two years in a row I
benefit from it for two years in a row I saw presentations from innovate
saw presentations from innovate
saw presentations from innovate Mississippi about start weakened at 1
Mississippi about start weakened at 1
Mississippi about start weakened at 1 million cups of I’m one of the
million cups of I’m one of the
million cups of I’m one of the organizers that second year told my
organizers that second year told my
organizers that second year told my husband we have to pitch tiny homes he’s
husband we have to pitch tiny homes he’s
husband we have to pitch tiny homes he’s equally passionate about planning and
equally passionate about planning and
equally passionate about planning and he’s obsessed with tiny home so we
he’s obsessed with tiny home so we
he’s obsessed with tiny home so we acquired the student discount : bar
acquired the student discount : bar
acquired the student discount : bar tickets sorry I’m a student by the way I
tickets sorry I’m a student by the way I
tickets sorry I’m a student by the way I want you guys to think of unethical
want you guys to think of unethical
want you guys to think of unethical anything and I mean but surely after us
anything and I mean but surely after us
anything and I mean but surely after us Bonnie’s tickets from our friend of mine
Bonnie’s tickets from our friend of mine
Bonnie’s tickets from our friend of mine was torn apart so I was super excited
was torn apart so I was super excited
was torn apart so I was super excited about that she’s gonna have pieces and
about that she’s gonna have pieces and
about that she’s gonna have pieces and booths so I’m like what do I do
booths so I’m like what do I do
booths so I’m like what do I do and then surely after that I found out
and then surely after that I found out
and then surely after that I found out that being for 2016 was technology
that being for 2016 was technology
that being for 2016 was technology innovation education so tying homes
innovation education so tying homes
innovation education so tying homes really does offense that category so I
really does offense that category so I
really does offense that category so I told my husband let’s still go
told my husband let’s still go
told my husband let’s still go that’s pitch we’ll probably lose and we
that’s pitch we’ll probably lose and we
that’s pitch we’ll probably lose and we can go get pizza right but of over 40
can go get pizza right but of over 40
can go get pizza right but of over 40 pitches seven were selected
pitches seven were selected
pitches seven were selected and we were one of them right so we
and we were one of them right so we
and we were one of them right so we recruited additional members and we
recruited additional members and we
recruited additional members and we spent the next 54 hours that weekend I’m
spent the next 54 hours that weekend I’m
spent the next 54 hours that weekend I’m crafting our presentation our business
crafting our presentation our business
crafting our presentation our business model for finding our pitch and going
model for finding our pitch and going
model for finding our pitch and going around Jack’s and excellent individuals
around Jack’s and excellent individuals
around Jack’s and excellent individuals about their interest in tiny homes this
about their interest in tiny homes this
about their interest in tiny homes this I was super tired I wanted to quit but I
I was super tired I wanted to quit but I
I was super tired I wanted to quit but I have to sell this motivated by the food
have to sell this motivated by the food
have to sell this motivated by the food sir we can have their really good food
sir we can have their really good food
sir we can have their really good food there so so that kept me around but I
there so so that kept me around but I
there so so that kept me around but I mean we worked really hard too so that’s
mean we worked really hard too so that’s
mean we worked really hard too so that’s Sunday we made our final pitch we end up
Sunday we made our final pitch we end up
Sunday we made our final pitch we end up winning first place and we took those
winning first place and we took those
winning first place and we took those winnings and form tiny Jack’s and so
winnings and form tiny Jack’s and so
winnings and form tiny Jack’s and so we’ve been in business for a year and a
we’ve been in business for a year and a
we’ve been in business for a year and a half now right so let’s get back to you
half now right so let’s get back to you
half now right so let’s get back to you systems because people think they’re not
systems because people think they’re not
systems because people think they’re not a part of it but everyone is a part of
a part of it but everyone is a part of
a part of it but everyone is a part of it everyone contributes and benefits
it everyone contributes and benefits
it everyone contributes and benefits from this system let me tell you how you
from this system let me tell you how you
from this system let me tell you how you pay taxes right that goes to those
pay taxes right that goes to those
pay taxes right that goes to those government agencies that provide
government agencies that provide
government agencies that provide services and then cinemas right dinners
services and then cinemas right dinners
services and then cinemas right dinners people who invest those are those people
people who invest those are those people
people who invest those are those people who work for nonprofit organizations who
who work for nonprofit organizations who
who work for nonprofit organizations who provide financial capital they host
provide financial capital they host
provide financial capital they host these competitions networking events
these competitions networking events
these competitions networking events then we have the educational
then we have the educational
then we have the educational institutions those who are bringing up
institutions those who are bringing up
institutions those who are bringing up the next generation of entrepreneurs
the next generation of entrepreneurs
the next generation of entrepreneurs providing research and development and
providing research and development and
providing research and development and entrepreneurship training then we have
entrepreneurship training then we have
entrepreneurship training then we have those organizations agencies and
those organizations agencies and
those organizations agencies and institutions such as Millsaps I’m team
institutions such as Millsaps I’m team
institutions such as Millsaps I’m team Jackson 1 million cups Jackson State
Jackson 1 million cups Jackson State
Jackson 1 million cups Jackson State University in the East Center the nurse
University in the East Center the nurse
University in the East Center the nurse those groups dedicated to minority
those groups dedicated to minority
those groups dedicated to minority disadvantaged small and women-owned
disadvantaged small and women-owned
disadvantaged small and women-owned businesses then we have laborers
businesses then we have laborers
businesses then we have laborers employees and intrapreneurs those within
employees and intrapreneurs those within
employees and intrapreneurs those within the agency they’re promoting innovation
the agency they’re promoting innovation
the agency they’re promoting innovation and creativity then we have the
and creativity then we have the
and creativity then we have the customers the supporters those
customers the supporters those
customers the supporters those advocating for a better Jackson for
advocating for a better Jackson for
advocating for a better Jackson for current and future generations so as you
current and future generations so as you
current and future generations so as you can see we’re all part of the system
can see we’re all part of the system
can see we’re all part of the system thank you
”
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