The Mississippi We Have Always Known

For the past week, the country has watched Mississippi count votes. A U.S. Senate race this close, in a state national commentators often treat as predictable, has prompted new questions about who lives here, what we believe, and what we want for our future. At Mississippi First, we welcome that curiosity. Whatever the certified result, we hope it leads to a deeper understanding of a state we have always known to be more diverse, more nuanced, and more complex than its reputation suggests.

That complexity lives in our communities, from the Delta to the Gulf Coast, from small towns to growing cities. Each carries its own history and its own vision for what comes next. Understanding Mississippi means listening to all of them.

I know this as a Mississippian, and I see it every day as executive director of Mississippi First. As a policy and advocacy organization, we are nonpartisan by design. We listen carefully, build relationships across political differences, and ask policymakers to consider education policies on their merits and their potential to improve children’s lives.

Across our state, I meet people from many different backgrounds whose commitment to children rarely makes national headlines: parents who want their children to have opportunities they never had, educators who want the support to help their students succeed, and community leaders who want young people to be able to build fulfilling lives right here at home. These conversations have taught me never to underestimate how deeply a commitment to children shapes what people do.

So, while Mississippi has your attention, here is what comes next for our work at Mississippi First.

We will work to ensure more children enter kindergarten ready to learn, more families have access to schools where their children can thrive, and more talented teachers can build lasting careers in Mississippi classrooms. We want every child’s opportunities to match their potential, no matter where  in Mississippi they grow up.

Moving this work forward will take strong policy and collective effort from policymakers, educators, and community members. We are committed to continuing to work collaboratively to expand opportunities for every Mississippi child.

For those taking a fresh look at Mississippi after this election, we hope you keep looking. Get to know the educators, parents, and advocates who have spent years building opportunities for children. You will find serious challenges and people deeply invested in solving them. You will find disagreement, determination, and creativity. You will find people with different visions for this state who are still willing to work together. 

This is the Mississippi we have always known, and we are excited by the opportunity for others to see it more fully.