Four years have passed since Donna Ladd and Kimberly Griffin launched the Mississippi Free Press on March 15, 2020, coincidentally around the time the COVID-19 pandemic reached the Magnolia State. Reporters such as Christian Middleton, our present news editor, Ashton Pittman, and others hit the ground running, keeping Mississippians abreast of the facts surrounding the virus and telling the stories of people it affected.
From reporting on the retirement of the previous state flag to sudden changes in voting precincts during the 2020 elections, our first year was jam-packed with stories that shed light on important issues. Since those early days, the MFP has risen through the ranks of nonprofit news media to become as respected in many circles as I personally always knew it would when I first learned of its upcoming debut at a Jackson Free Press work retreat.
To date, the MFP has earned 73 awards for its journalism, its leadership and its commitment to truth-telling. And I could not be more proud to be a part of this team.
No matter how many accolades or how much national attention our newsroom receives, however, we will always recognize that the MFP would not have been able to expand as much as we have without the support of those reading this editor’s note now. Our subscribers who check their email day after day, week after week, motivate us to provide the latest news, culturally relevant features and thought-provoking opinion columns. Our donors supply us with the means and resources to serve Mississippians with the information they deserve.
Our current spring campaign is called “You the People” because you all are the reason we do what we do. The encouragement from fellow media organizations is validating, but our bottom line will always be to uplift and inform the residents of this state that we love so dearly.
Giving generously allows us to evolve further and accomplish bigger goals every year. For example, in 2023, the MFP was able to launch an events calendar—something many veteran Jackson Free Press readers have asked us to consider for quite a while. Your dollars did that. I am excited to see what 2024 has in store for the MFP, and I hope you are, too.
Happy Birthday, MFP.
