Malcolm White is the visionary and cultural provocateur behind Hal & Mal's restaurant and the Hal's St. Paddy's Parade founded alongside his late brother, Harold White.

Learn more & transcript: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-malcolm-white/

Parade: https://www.halsstpaddysparade.com

Origins of the Parade: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/legacy-of-celebration

Explore Jackson: https://www.visitjackson.com

On today's episode is pediatric dentist and restaurateur, Dr. Jerrick Rose. When COVID-19 closed his dental practice temporarily in 2020, Dr. Rose took out his notes from years of travel and inspiration – and opened La Cour Kitchen and Bar in Jackson’s Highland Village.

Learn more & transcript: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-jerrick-rose/

https://www.lacourkitchenandbar.com

https://highlandvillagejxn.com

Gwen Harmon is the Director of Smith Robertson Museum and Cultural Center in Jackson’s historic Farish Street District and says the small but mighty museum is a great starting place to discover more about the civil rights story in Jackson, Mississippi.

Learn more & transcript: visitjackson.com/directory/smith-robertson-museum-and-cultural-center/

Living History in February: visitjackson.com/events/black-history-month-living-history/

Sarah Story became executive director of Mississippi Arts Commission in November 2020 and leads the state agency in its mission to be a catalyst for the arts and creativity in Mississippi. Having spent much of her career in museum administration, Story previously served as the executive director of the UMLAUF Sculpture Garden & Museum in Austin, Texas.

In this episode: arts.ms.gov | VisitJackson.com

From the oil fields of his native Oklahoma to the auction world, J.D. Pass has his hands in several ventures, not the least of which is his 150,000 square foot warehouse in Jackson’s Industry Park neighborhood – The Vault, full of classic cars, to his community events that draw thousands. Pass is focused on giving back to the community through The Vault and by inspiring the neighborhood around him to improve, to make Jackson a better place.

In this episode: thevaultms.com

Salam Rida is the operations director and co-founder of Carbon Office and Ecoshed in the Industry Park neighborhood of Jackson, Mississippi. A native of Detroit, Rida worked as part of the team that established the Long Range Planning team at the City of Jackson Planning Department and, more recently, led notable projects like ONELINE: Multi-Modal Corridor, the JTRAN Rebrand, the Downtown Design Dialogue, PARKing Day 2018 / 2019, and The Fertile Ground Project. Rida believes that collaboration and community-driven solutions are the key to Jackson’s future.

In this episode: carbonoffice.net | ecoshedjxn.com | visitjackson.com

A Florida by-way-of San Francisco native, Tim Bennett was a driving force behind the Mississippi Braves in Pearl and the Biloxi Shuckers on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. In his latest venture – managing Smith Wills Stadium and the Hank Aaron Sports Academy located there - Bennett believes baseball can help write the “comeback” story in Jackson, too, empowering youth through education and America’s pastime.

In this episode: hankaaronsports.com | jxn.ms

A champion for the arts, Silbrina Wright was named Executive Director of the Greater Jackson Arts Council in January 2021. The first African American to lead the organization in its forty-year history, Wright says her goal is to reshape the way arts play a role in Jackson. Community-focused, integrating the arts in everyday life, one of her first big projects is the Keith Haring Fitness Court awarded to Jackson and scheduled for completion in summer 2021.

In this episode: www.greaterjacksonartscouncil.com

Tim Mask is the president and CEO of MWB, a 50 year-old creative firm in Jackson, whose mission is to “create for good.”

Saying he “never had a real job” prior to coming here in 1999, Tim worked on political campaigns before finding his niche in the agency world.

In this episode: www.mwb.com | Instagram.com/mwbcreate | visitjackson.com/safertravel | sippjackson.com/tasteoftheislands

Jordan Hillman is the Director of the City of Jackson’s Planning and Development Department. In her role, Jordan is the city’s problem solver and systems analyst, and her work ranges from community development to transit and business licensing. A decade-long resident here, Jordan and husband Matt are raising two boys in the City With Soul.

In this episode: www.jacksonms.gov | www.jacksonms.gov/connectjxn | twitter.com/jordanrhillman | www.jxn.ms