Jackson State University (JSU) proudly partnered with the Farish Forward Festival and Expo (FFFE); a two-day event held at the Convention Complex in downtown Jackson on August 24-25. Aikisha Holly Colon founded the festival, which pays tribute to the Farish Street Historic District—a once-thriving hub for Black-owned businesses.

“I decided to do this because back in the early 1900s, Farish Street was where African Americans from all over the state would come to sell their goods, produce, and products. They came here for the community to support them so they could support their families. I wanted to bring that culture back as we are revitalizing and redeveloping the Farish Street Historic District,” said Colon, who is also the founder and CEO of Holly Colon Development Group and cast member on the Southern reality TV series Belle Collective. Colon’s family has property on Farish Street and are long-time champions in its preservation and renewal.

The event, which showcased Jackson State students, administrators, alums, and the Sonic Boom, featured an array of celebrities, vendors, and performances. There were also panels that covered diverse topics such as technology, health and entertainment.

During the HBCU experience panel, JSU President Marcus Thompson, Ph.D., shared insights on his time in Jackson State’s Executive Ph.D. Program and how it relates to his leadership.

“That program was designed in a way where all came together, about 20 of us, and stayed together for an entire four or five days. [We] worked together, studied together, so those individuals became family. Many of those that I worked with, two or three, are now on my cabinet at the university because of the relationships that were formed. We got to know each other well. So, it was a really great [and] meaningful experience,” he said.

Thompson described his JSU professors as some of the best, and they remain good friends and advisors today. “We’re all one big family. So, it was a great experience being able to not only be served by professors in the program, [but] now I’m able to serve those same professors as their servant leader and as the president of the institution. So, for me, it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life,” he said.

Joining Thompson on stage were Tigers Head Football Coach T.C. Taylor, JSU alumna and multi-hyphenated radio host Tambra Cherie, JSU alum and Tougaloo Provost Josiah Sampson, and Tougaloo alumna LeMia Jenkins, Ed.D., noted communications professional and strategist. Each shared their personal narratives, emphasizing the impact of their HBCU education.

Coach Taylor reflected on his decision to attend Jackson State over more prominent football programs. “You know, I just can’t say enough about JSU. They still take care of me to this day. The relationships I made back then—that’s one thing about family—they are always going to take care of you,” he said.

Cherie echoed his sentiment, crediting her JSU education for a successful 20-plus years in urban radio and entertainment.

“Everything from relationships, how I interact with people, and the challenges that come with it prepared me for the entertainment industry, period. Jackson State University was my foundation,” she said.

The festival’s panels also delved into cutting-edge topics like the Metaverse and health.

JSU senior Tim Magee moderated a technology panel featuring industry leaders such as Nashlie Sephus, Ph.D., the Principal AI/ML Evangelist for Amazon AI, and Muhsinah Holmes Morris Ph.D., the director of Morehouse’s Metaversity Virtual Reality Program.

“I think tech as an entity, a field, a job, or a possibility wasn’t really something that I previously would consider or even think about. I know I used it. I only really thought about it from a consumer standpoint, but not necessarily from a creative standpoint,” Magee explained. “I really learned the importance as a field and how it can really help us as Black people move forward and close the wealth gap, but also for us to keep up and stay within the forefront of creating because so many of us can get so caught up in consuming.”

On the health and wellness panel, JSU alum Dr. Justin Turner, alongside Bravo Television’s Dr. Jackie Walters of Married to Medicine, discussed critical health disparities affecting Mississippi’s Black population.

Turner pointed out that Mississippi has the highest Black demographic in the country, with an equally high percentage of health disparities. “So, we are making decisions here in Jackson that’s responsible for the whole state. And if you don’t have representation and have someone that can be able to have insight and intel regarding everybody, that’s why we continue to have health disparities. When we have this one-size-fits-all approach, there are health disparities,” he said.

Turner, Mississippi’s first Black Chief Medical Officer, revealed that Black people in the Mississippi Delta are losing their limbs at three times the rate of any other demographic, and the area also has the highest amputation rate in the nation. He again stressed the importance of representation.

“So being able to have someone that looks like myself in the state, not just advocating for Blacks, but Hispanics, Vietnamese, we have a very diverse population, so that [representation] matters,” Turner said.

JSU alumna Michelle Boyd, also known as Chelle B, on-air talent and actor Lance Gross, presided over the event. Boyd described the two-day festival as massive for the city of Jackson.

“Often, we go beyond the parameters of the state of Mississippi to immerse in such experiences when the talent, caliber, and phenomenalism are right here in the city,” she said.

Boyd also went on to give Colon her flowers, noting the entrepreneur’s determination to celebrate her Jackson roots despite living in New Jersey.

“It truly means a lot for me to be able to lend my talents as co-host to such an amazing event and also through the lens of Aikisha Holly Colon. My only prayer is that I made her and Jackson, Mississippi, proud, as I pride myself in always doing my best, as “#ItChelleBDone,” Boyd said.

The overall atmosphere of the FFFE centered on issues and information critical to the Black community, reflecting a renewed commitment to education, empowerment, and cultural revitalization—a modern-day tribute to the historic Farish Street District’s legacy, which Colon hoped to capture.

“I wanted to get the foot traffic, the attention, people with their boots on the ground to feel the soil where our ancestors once thrived and survived, so it was very important to me because Farish Street is my history, my legacy, and my future. I want to build generational wealth for my children and our community, starting with revitalizing and redeveloping the Farish Street Historic District,” Colon said.

Additional JSU alums who served as featured panelists were Richard Bradley, president of Metro Booming Training Academy, and Monica Barnes, executive producer of the Steve Harvey Morning Show.