Ray McCants III came to Mississippi from Detroit with a scholarship and curiosity about business. What he found instead was a city full of possibilities. Through marketing, mentorship, and a belief in Jackson’s creative potential, he’s helping write its next chapter.

Perhaps the next best thing to sharing a meal with someone is meeting them for coffee. This is especially true in Jackson, where the opening of local coffee shops has been on caffeine for the last few years. But what’s beginning to stand out about the Jackson coffee scene is the opportunities it provides for people to gather. From coffee clubs to latte art throwdowns and annual events like the Jackson Coffee Festival, these events celebrate coffee culture in completely different ways and help to foster a growing sense of community in Jackson.

Born and raised in a West Side community in Jackson’s Ward 4, Seymore is Jackson through and through. He serves as a board member of the Jackson Association of Neighborhoods, but this title only tells part of his story.