Transforming South Jackson Through Coffee

This innovative venture emerged from a half-decade vision to revitalize neglected spaces while nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs. The project showcases how creative partnerships can breathe new life into forgotten corners of the community.

Student-Centered Mentorship Programs

Central to this transformation is Vilas Nannavarapu, co-founder and former educator at Blackburn Middle School, who recognized untapped potential in both the physical space and his students. "A lot of the young people who worked on this project were my students. We wanted to create something in the neighborhood that did good work for the community and applied the skills we were learning in the classroom," he told WAPT. Rather than simply teaching business concepts, his students developed the foundational strategy that launched Riverside Collective.

Rani ki Sweet, meaning "Sweets for the Queen" in Telugu and named after co-founder Vilas Annavarapu's mother, operates on the principle that all people deserve royal treatment. The coffeehouse serves specialty coffee from Clarksdale's Meraki Roasting Company, which runs its own youth apprenticeship program in the Mississippi Delta, alongside house-made ice cream and nutritious meals sourced from on-site cultivation or Mississippi's local food systems.

Public Art Meets Community Development

This community art initiative demonstrates collective impact through strategic collaboration. Partnerships between New Horizon Ministries and Briarwood Arts Center enable complementary programming at no cost, establishing "a safe, educational, and inspiring place where young people can thrive," as Nannavarapu told WAPT. The democratic governance model allows workers and community members to vote on operations and profit allocation through modified consensus, ensuring every voice contributes to the establishment's direction.

Rani ki Sweet exemplifies how innovative mentorship, creative placemaking, and authentic community engagement can transform both physical spaces and human potential—brewing hope alongside exceptional locally-sourced coffee in a neighborhood that previously lacked a community coffeehouse.