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Joecephus Martin

Joecephus Martin, 24, is comfortable in his own skin. As I watch the time, he sits back in a black leather chair, and says, "I'm from the South, I don't rush." He is a teacher, a rapper, a student, a voter, a listener, a talker and a realistic dreamer.

Aven Whittington

Aven Whittington's can-do attitude personifies these Johnny Mercer lyrics: "You've got to accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, latch onto the affirmative, and don't mess with Mister-In-Between."

Elli Williams

In front of Rainbow Whole Foods Co-Op grocery store, Elli Williams, 25, sits cross-legged on a concrete block. A small herb garden breathes behind her. She wears a simple blue and white tie-dyed shirt and jeans. Her long blonde dreadlocks crawl and twist down her back. A small silver hooped earring hangs on her bottom lip. Her originality is refreshing.

Mike Peters

The brightly colored blue and gold building that sits on the corner of North State Street and Fondren Place and clearly reads "Fondren Corner" in bold cursive silver writing has become a favorite of many local students and Jacksonians who talk daily about the good food, original art and endless shopping opportunities one can find in this labyrinth five-story mixed-use building. It also contains studio and living space for young artists.

Debra Kassoff

Seated demurely before me was the first rabbi I'd ever met—a slim clear-eyed young woman who looks like she could be a lawyer, a teacher, a counselor—not the stereotypical picture I have in my head of a rabbi—a man with a beard, wearing glasses and a yarmulke on his head. Debra Kassoff, 33 and a native of Maryland, joined the staff of the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life in April 2003 as the director of Rabbinic services. Based on the old-time tradition of the itinerant rabbi, Kassoff serves small Jewish communities in 12 Southern states.

Fred Hammond

Fred Hammond understands changing careers; his call to church ministry is the third major shift in his life. At 51, "Reverend Fred" is the Unitarian Universalist Church of Jackson's new minister, and a novice to the profession.

Gina Carter-Simmers

After 20 years in working for public broadcasting, Gina Carter-Simmers, 41, has found a tune of her own as the general manager at WJSU.

Pratik Shah

"I have always liked bacteria," Pratik Shah says, laughing. "That makes me look nerdy." But at 28 years old, Shah is no average nerd.

Beth Kimura

When I arrived at Ballet Magnificat! one afternoon, Beth Kimura and the Omega Company dancers were rehearsing in a back studio lined with mirrors and filled with music.

Amy Steadman

When I asked Amy Steadman who dead or alive she would invite to a dinner party, it was apparent that she had thought of this before.

Sean Wade

Sean Wade is a big guy. He could use his stature to threaten, but instead, he exudes tranquility to those in his presence. Wade, 32, speaks with clarity and precision, his voice steady and soft. His demeanor is welcoming and inclusive, and he tends to be almost self-effacing. His kindness and gentleness are evident in every move and word.

Steve Kistulentz

On a warm and cloudy day in November, professor Steve Kistulentz sits calmly at a table at Millsaps College. He smiles and tilts his head slightly as he remembers the events that brought him to Jackson.

Jarvis Dortch

Since 2006, Jarvis Dortch has worked as a communications coordinator for the Mississippi Health Advocacy Program, which aims to improve health care for all Mississippians, "especially those whose health is threatened by poverty, racism, malnutrition and violence."

Otis "Obeyjah" White

Sitting in a lounge chair in his living room, dressed in jeans, a T-shirt and wearing a red, green and yellow Rastafarian crown, Otis "ObeyJah" White beats conga drums in a melodic fashion.

Erica Flannes

Erica Flannes, 28, met me inside Fondren Corner, just about where she sets up for Fondren's ARTMix.

Bob Hudson

Local poet Bob Hudson leans forward, adjusts his reading glasses and plunges me into another universe. His wiry voice guides me through his strange world of words and ideas, illuminating the path through "Enemy Country," a poem in his "Into The Cold Wind" collection.

Gavin Guynes

A Tablet PC with WIFI—that's 28-year-old Gavin Guynes' current favorite piece of the technology pie. Excitement spilled over as he explained: "There's no keyboard. You use a pen to draw and write on it. And it recognizes my handwriting—I write horribly, too." It'll even recognize his voice, minus the Mississippi drawl.

Cindy Griffin

Cindy Griffin, executive director of Habitat for Humanity, has been a Jackson resident for more than 27 years. She came to the city looking for work after earning a marketing degree from Louisiana State University.

That Tired, Rundown Feeling

The past few weeks have been incredibly busy, so I have been losing a lot of sleep. Combined with sinusitis and an iffy diet, I am currently a shell of my former self. I have been concocting all kinds of schemes to get more sleep, everything from renting a hotel room and taking the phone off the hook to parking my car in a remote area just to rest my eyes for a couple of hours. I have scarfed down more coffee than usual, and I even bought an energy drink, which I keep forgetting to put in my purse because sleep deprivation has negatively affected my short-term memory. I've heard that not getting enough sleep can lead to weight gain, car wrecks and so on. I've nodded behind the wheel a couple of times already, so I have got to get more rest somehow. My best option would be to spend Christmas Eve unconscious, and although I dread waiting until then for sweet slumber, I guess I must do what I have to do to minimally function until that glorious day when I can rest and look forward to seeing the six bags under each eye disappear for good.

And So It Goes

July 4th in Lousiana with the family has come and gone. Family was visited, pies were resisted, drive-through daiquiris were acquired. The weather was hot but the water and lemonaid were free flowing. My cousins are having babies already so I was able to shake some kids up and send them home to their mommas. Drama was almost completely nill. As far as health and balance goes, I consider that a pretty big win.

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