Deputy Editor Azia Wiggins expresses her thoughts on being a leader and the necessity of difficulty along the journey. “In the trenches is where leaders can show themselves approved simply because you didn’t shy away from the fight. That fight, that uncomfortability as you grow to deal with devils on new levels, is the foundation of excellence,” she writes.
“Student loan borrowers haven’t had to make payments on their federal loans—or accrue interest on those loans—since March 2020, when the Trump administration put the payments on pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” William Chittenden writes. “But that will change on Sept. 1, 2023, when interest will once again begin to accrue on outstanding student loans. Payments on the actual loans is set to resume in October 2023.”
Jerry B. Townsend, an Oxford, Miss., native, writes that the men of color in America, especially Black men, continue to face racism sprouting from centuries of oppressive history: “We all share the experience of racism based on the color of our skin, no matter the shade.”
“Political power does not come from some absolute authority of a king over people, the founders argued. Rather, political power comes from the people themselves. And these people must agree to any authority governing their society,” Joseph Jones writes. “This is why the U.S. Constitution starts with the words ‘We the People,’ and not ‘I, the ruler.’”
For many LGBTQ+ people, Pride Month 2023 was difficult. It highlights the need for journalists to rededicate themselves to people-focused reporting.
“The Supreme Court’s decision against affirmative action will significantly impact college students in the United States for years to come,” Dr. Arianna C. Stokes writes. “The impact can be viewed through the lens of three key areas: college choice, professional school acceptance and career trajectory.”
As part of queer lore, Marsha P. Johnson, a Black transwoman at the forefront of gay liberation, or Sylvia Rivera, a Latina transwoman, was the first,” Deion Scott Hawkins writes. “Their protests, as well as the actions of other Black gay people in an earlier and little-known act of defiance, demonstrate how queer women of color were often overlooked but at the forefront of gay liberation.”
Reporters Aliyah Veal, Nick Judin and Kayode Crown led the Mississippi Free Press’ tremendous showing in last night’s Society for Professional Journalists’ Diamond Awards in Little Rock, Ark.
“The Small Business Administration offers various programs to assist businesses with recovery after a natural disaster,” Allen M. Thomas writes. “These programs encompass financing options for repairing physical damages to businesses and residences, working capital to cover normal business expenses, mitigation assistance, and military deployment of staff support for shortages.”
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The Mississippi Free Press is a project of the Mississippi Journalism and Education Group, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit journalism organization (EIN 85-1403937).
