From Section 8 to Systems Change

The Foundation: Growing Up in Section 8

Dr. Troy Nash didn't come from privilege. He grew up in Section 8 housing in Kansas City, Missouri, raised by a single mother with six children. The family bounced between public housing projects—Holy Temple Homes and Friendship Village Apartments—never quite sure how long they'd stay in one place.

Labeled "at-risk" early in life and told he wasn't college material, Troy discovered the United States Air Force as a teenager—a decision that changed everything. The Air Force gave him discipline, direction, and access to education through the G.I. Bill.

But Troy didn't stop there. He transformed that determination into an extraordinary educational journey, earning nine advanced degrees that give him unique perspective on the challenges facing overlooked communities:

This isn't academic credential collecting—it's intentional preparation. With expertise spanning law, economics, political science, urban planning, public health, education, business, and data analytics, Dr. Nash understands technology access challenges from every angle: legal frameworks, economic barriers, policy levers, health implications, educational gaps, and implementation realities. He sees what others miss because he's studied these systems from the inside—and lived them from the outside.

Before the AI Revolution: The Access Gap

Long before anyone was talking about artificial intelligence, Dr. Nash was fighting a different kind of digital divide—the access gap that kept hardworking families from opportunity.

When Troy returned to Kansas City after the Air Force at age 25, his first mission wasn't his own career. It was his family. He converted his mother's small house into a classroom, bought used textbooks from thrift stores, and began tutoring his three older brothers—grown men who had never imagined college was for people like them. Read the original story

All three brothers enrolled in college for the first time. But Troy's mother wasn't left out. At 55 years old, with Troy's support, she studied for and earned her GED. Then she enrolled in college herself—the woman who had spent her whole life working low-wage jobs to keep her boys fed was finally getting her chance.

When she passed away on March 15, 2003, she was a junior in college. The University of Missouri-Kansas City posthumously awarded her a Bachelor's degree. Troy accepted that degree on her behalf.

Making History: Shattering Glass Ceilings

Dr. Nash didn't just overcome personal barriers—he shattered institutional ones. After serving on the Kansas City City Council (1999-2007) as Chair of Planning, Zoning, and Economic Development—overseeing more than $10 billion in development—he entered the private sector.

Within seven years at Newmark Zimmer, one of the region's most prestigious commercial real estate firms, Nash made history: becoming the first African American principal at a top-tier real estate company in Missouri history—shattering a glass ceiling that stood since Missouri became the 24th state on August 10, 1821.

"I later found out I was the first not only in my state but in 32 others," Nash reflects.

This wasn't luck. It was the result of mentorship from legendary developer Hugh J. Zimmer, relentless preparation, and the understanding that breaking barriers isn't just about personal achievement—it's about opening doors for everyone who comes next.

Understanding Every Community: Urban, Rural, and Suburban

The AI revolution isn't just an urban issue. It's affecting everyone.

In urban centers, families in public housing face the same digital isolation Dr. Nash experienced growing up—except now the stakes are higher. AI literacy will determine who gets jobs, who gets healthcare, who participates in the economy.

In rural communities, the infrastructure gap is even wider. Dr. Nash has worked with communities from Williston, North Dakota to rural Missouri—places where broadband is unreliable and "AI" sounds like science fiction. But these communities will be transformed by AI whether they're ready or not.

In struggling suburban communities, middle-class families watch as their children fall behind. They did everything "right"—moved to the suburbs, got the house, sent kids to better schools—and now find themselves unprepared for a technological shift no one warned them about.

AGI Affinity serves all three. Because the AI divide doesn't respect zip codes, and neither do we.

Two Generations, One Mission

When Dr. Nash saw the AI revolution beginning to transform every industry, he knew immediately who would be left behind: the same communities he grew up in. The same families still struggling for access. The same neighborhoods where technology feels like a foreign language.

That's when he turned to his daughter, Arielle Nash. Currently at Washington University in St. Louis pursuing Policy, Planning, and Development—and fluent in Chinese and Spanish—Arielle brings fresh perspective and implementation expertise forged on Capitol Hill, where she interned for U.S. Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II on the Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development, and Insurance.

Together, father and daughter represent something rare: two generations united by a shared mission, combining decades of policy expertise with next-generation vision.

Why AGI Affinity ?

The name says it all. AGI represents the frontier of artificial intelligence—the transformative technology reshaping our world. Affinity represents connection, relationship, and natural alignment.

We exist to create affinity between overlooked communities and advanced technology. We're not just consultants—we're bridge builders. We've walked the path from scarcity to opportunity, and now we're lighting the way for others.