MFP Impact, Awards and Media Coverage – 2024

(See 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 Impact)

Since the Mississippi Free Press launched on March 15, 2020, just as COVID-19 was hitting the state, the team’s journalism has had a significant impact, as well as drawn consistent attention from other media. Following is a reverse timeline of impact, media collaborations, and international, national, and state media mentions and pickups.

December 26, 2024

The Galveston News and The Facts featured Heather Harrison’s work on the impact of lifetime voting bans faced by thousands of individuals due to past criminal convictions. Harrison’s reporting delves into the ongoing challenges these individuals face in regaining their right to vote, shedding light on the broader implications of disenfranchisement in the criminal justice system.

December 18, 2024

The Voice of Alexandria republished MFP Reporter Torsheta Jackson’s story about the statewide participation of students in the “Promote the Vote” initiative. The piece details how students across the state are getting involved in voter education and civic engagement efforts, emphasizing the importance of young people understanding their rights and responsibilities in the electoral process. 

December 13, 2024

Marketplace recently featured a story by MFP environmental reporter Illan Ireland covering the resumption of oyster harvesting in Mississippi after a prolonged hiatus. Ireland’s reporting dives into the challenges and regulatory hurdles that led to the suspension of the industry, and explores the efforts made to restore the oyster population in the region. 

December 11, 2024

A recent article in NJ.com referenced work by MFP Editor Ashton Pittman discussing a former NFL great’s request to cross-examine Brett Favre regarding his involvement in a welfare fraud case. The article highlights the legal developments surrounding Favre’s alleged misappropriation of funds intended for Mississippi’s welfare program. 

December 4, 2024

The Chronicle of Philanthropy published a story highlighting the MFP and our innovative fundraising model, driven by inclusivity and diversity, as a paradigm that other organizations could emulate.

December 2, 2024

Global journalism nonprofit The Poynter Institute published a profile of the Mississippi Free Press focused on the organization’s out-of-the-box approach to hiring and growing our successful and diverse team of journalists. The piece features quotes from MFP CEO Donna Ladd, CRO Kimberly Griffin, past and current MFP journalists and members of the MFP advisory board.

November 30, 2024

NBC News featured the Mississippi Free Press, and specifically News Editor Ashton Pittman, in their story about the success journalists are having in moving the focus of their social media output from X (formerly Twitter) to its competitor Bluesky. The piece discusses the reasons Ashton and other journalists have moved away from X and turned their attention to Bluesky and the advantages that they have found to using the newer platform.

November 27, 2024

The Louisiana Illuminator and Arkansas Online each republished MFP Environmental Reporter Illan Ireland’s in-depth story on Mississippi’s return to oyster harvesting after a five-year interruption due to numerous natural and man-made disasters that nearly ended the industry in the state for good. The story was written by Illan for MFP in conjunction with the Mississippi River Ag and Water Desk.

November 21, 2024

Mississippi Edition recently featured MFP CEO Donna Ladd. She participated in a two-part interview discussing important local and state issues. In the conversation, Ladd shared insights on key political dynamics, challenges facing Mississippi, and the role of journalism in shaping public understanding. The full interview, available in two segments, delves into Ladd’s perspectives on the evolving media landscape and how her work at MFP continues to inform and engage the public on pressing matters in the region. Listen to it here.

November 5, 2024

The Register-Herald of Southern West Virginia, recently republished MFP Investigative Reporter Nick Judin‘s story highlighting growing concerns that former President Donald Trump’s influence may block critical accountability in the ongoing Jackson, Mississippi, water crisis.

November 4, 2024

The Huntsville Item and the Owensboro Messenger and Inquirer each republished MFP Education Equity Reporter Torsheta Jackson‘s powerful article highlighting the efforts of young people in Mississippi to “Promote the Vote” prior to the election. Jackson’s reporting showcased how students not only learned about the electoral process, but also advocated for greater civic participation among their peers.

The Register Herald of Southern West Virginia republished MFP reporter Heather Harrison‘s story “Mississippi Democrat Embraces Abortion Rights in Senate Run” profiling a Mississippi Democratic Senate candidate who made abortion rights a central issue in his campaign, marking a significant moment in the state’s political landscape. The story provided in-depth coverage of the candidate’s position, the challenges he faced in a conservative state, and the broader implications for voters’ rights and reproductive health.

November 1, 2024

The Register Herald republished Mississippi Free Press Reporter Heather Harrison, report providing voters with an in-depth look at the candidates who ran for U.S. Senate in Mississippi, detailing their backgrounds, policy positions, and the stakes of the election. 

Oct 27, 2024

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO) referenced MFP reporter Illan Ireland’s story delving into the lasting effects of the 2019 ICE raids five years down the road. The mass raids left affected families struggling with economic hardship, legal battles, and emotional trauma. Illan’s work is referenced at the 14:50 point in the video.

October 18, 2024

The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal republished an article from Mississippi Free Press reporter Heather Harrison. The story, “How to Vote Absentee in Mississippi: In-Person or by Mail,” provided essential information on absentee voting procedures in Mississippi.

October 14, 2024

Mississippi Free Press News Editor Ashton Pittman drew on his extensive experience reporting on voting rights and political engagement in Mississippi as a panelist in Electoral Frontiers: Combating Disenfranchisement and Building Transparency, an event hosted by The Pulitzer Center as part of its Electoral Frontiers webinar series. The topic of the event was strategies for safeguarding electoral integrity and expanding voter access, with an emphasis on collaboration and innovation in the fight for fair elections.

October 9, 2024

The Daily Leader referenced reporting by former MFP reporter Kayode Crown in their story about the fight for justice in a Brookhaven, Miss. shooting case involving a FedEx driver as the date for the re-trial date approaches. The first trial ended in a mistrial last year. The piece also highlighted allegations of corruption within the Brookhaven Police Department.

October 1, 2024

The Atlanta Black Star included a quote from a story by MFP investigative reporter Nick Judin, in their story exploring the predatory, for-profit practices of the Lexington Police Department. Tech Dirt also included excerpts from Nick’s article.

September 22, 2024

Louisiana Illuminator and Inside Climate News have reprinted a story by MFP environmental reporter Illan Ireland, highlighting the way advocates are utilizing a turtle in their efforts to prevent a controversial engineering project on the Pearl River.

September 16, 2024

Black Enterprise featured reporting by MFP Education Equity Reporter Torsheta Jackson in their article highlighting the selection of three students from Mississippi colleges as HBCU White House Scholars.

September 15, 2024

Outlets including Nicki Swift and Wausau Pilot & Review referenced reporting by News Editor Ashton Pittman in their coverage of the latest developments in the story of former NFP quarterback Brett Favre’s involvement in the misappropriation of federal welfare funds.

September 13, 2024

The Daily Journal republished MFP reporter Torsheta Jackson’s article detailing how officials placed several Mississippi schools on lockdown in response to threats of violence.

September 2024

The American Press Institute’s Better News showcased MFP CEO Donna Ladd and her use of “Solution Circles” in a piece highlighting the ways media organizations are using candidate forums and listening events to enhance election coverage and increase its impact on readers.

August 19, 2024

MFP Environmental Reporter Illan Ireland collaborated with reporters from news outlets in Arkansas and Tennessee on a story delving into the changes farmers in the Mississippi Delta are being forced to contemplate as the environment changes. The Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk, an independent reporting network based at the University of Missouri produced this collaborative work in partnership with Report for America. The story has been published in the Arkansas Times, the Tennessee Lookout, Ag Daily, My Journal Courier and Investigate Midwest, as well as in MFP.

August 18, 2024

Black Enterprise referenced reporting by MFP Capital City Reporter Shaunicy Muhammad in their coverage of the sudden resignation and indictment of a Jackson City Councilwoman.

August 16, 2024

The Mississippi Free Press and ProPublica co-published MFP Investigative Reporter Nick Judin’s in-depth reporting into the story behind Jackson’s water woes, the result of Judin’s and MFP’s year-long partnership with ProPublica as part of their Local Reporting Network initiative. News outlets Fast Company and the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal republished the story, while the environmental justice media organization Grist referenced the piece in their story highlighting a damning report on the situation from the EPA’s inspector general.

August 12, 2024

The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal republished a culture story by MFP freelance writer Sherry Lucas exploring a Ridgeland fiber arts exhibit featuring Mississippi-themed quilts.

July 24, 2024

The W. K. Kellogg Foundation highlighted the innovative work being done by the Mississippi Journalism and Education Group’s Youth Media Project. The Mississippi Journalism and Education Group is the nonprofit organization through which the Mississippi Free Press, the Mississippi Youth Media Project, and the Jackson Free Press operate.

The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal republished MFP Reporter Heather Harrison and News Editor Ashton Pittman’s story covering new state legislation that took effect on July 1.

July 17, 2024

Outlets including the Atlanta Black Star and Yahoo! News reported on the use by the Republican National Convention of an edited version of the viral video taken by MFP freelance writer Stacey Spiehler at a University of Mississippi protest in May. The video was included in a montage, but was edited to exclude footage of a student making monkey sounds and movements toward a Black woman.

July 16, 2024

Mississippi Public Broadcasting referred to reporting by MFP Investigative Reporter Nick Judin in their look at the Gulf Sturgeon and the threats to its survival as a species.

July 10, 2024

Press Forward featured the Mississippi Free Press and its Co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer, Kimberly Griffin, in a story about their Aligned Grantmaking program and how it is helping rural-focused news organizations serve their communities.

The American Press Institute awarded grants to the Mississippi Free Press and 20 other news organizations as part of its 2024 Election Coverage and Community Listening Fund. The grants are intended to help local media organizations increase community engagement around elections. The MFP, with help from students from the Youth Media Project, will use our grant to fund “Solution Circles” centered on issues related to elections.

July 9, 2024

Black Enterprise referenced reporting by MFP News Editor Ashton Pittman and William Pittman in their story The Caucasity: Brett Favre To Ask Judge To Reinstate Defamation Lawsuit Against Shannon Sharpe.

July 8, 2024

The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal republished a recent piece by MFP Reporter Heather Harrison and News Editor Ashton Pittman covering a few of the many new laws that took effect in Mississippi on July first.

July 6, 2024

The Tennessee Tribune republished MFP Reporter Heather Harrison’s story covering the recent federal ruling declaring that Mississippi must redraw its House and Senate district maps to create more Black-majority districts.

June 27, 2024

Democrats.org highlighted a story by MFP News Editor Ashton Pittman from November of 2022 as one of many stories describing the consequences of anti-abortion legislation.

June 20, 2024

The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal republished a story by MFP Education Reporter Torsheta Jackson about the investigation into an incident that occurred in a Mississippi middle school, in which staff members were found to be exchanging derogatory texts about students.

June 13, 2024

The Mississippi Free Press’ Founding Editor and CEO Donna Ladd was honored as a recipient of the CEO Awards of Mississippi for 2024 by the Mississippi Business Journal. In its seventh year, this award recognizes outstanding chief executives of Mississippi businesses across a wide variety sizes and fields. The awards were presented at a celebratory breakfast at the Old Capitol Inn in Jackson on June 13

June 10, 2024

The Columbia Journalism Review featured MFP CEO Donna Ladd, along with 14 other journalists and media analysts with election coverage expertise, in their piece exploring ways in which media approaches to covering elections can be improved.

June 10, 2024

The Observer included reporting by MFP’s Investigative Reporter Nick Judin in their look at the underlying causes of the 2022 Jackson Water Crisis in light of the recently released report from the Project on Government Oversight.

June 1, 2024

The American Press Institute recognized MFP’s Solutions Circles as an example of a local media organization that is acting to bring community members together to contribute to the public good in their report on the role of journalism as a convener in society.

May 31, 2024

The Pulitzer Center named MFP News Editor Ashton Pittman as a fellow of the inaugural cohort of their StoryReach U.S. Initiative. This initiative is a national project that seeks to use journalistic collaboration and audience outreach to innovate in their stories through breakthrough reporting and effective public outreach.

May 30, 2024

Esquire quoted MFP Reporter Heather Harrison’s story on a 13-year-old from Cleveland, Miss. in a column contrasting comments by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito about flags flown at his residences with the real-life consequences of his judicial rulings.

May 25, 2024

Black Enterprise referenced reporting by MFP Capital City Reporter Shaunicy Muhammad in their coverage of the FBI’s raid on the office of Hinds County’s District Attorney as well as a business owned by him.

May 22, 2024

Report for America awarded MFP Education Equity Reporter Torsheta Jackson first place in the Solutions-Based Reporting category of their Local News awards for her story “Alternate-Route Education Programs Targets Mississippi’s Teacher Shortage.”

May 11, 2024

Wisconsin Sports Heroics and Awful Announcing used reporting by MFP News Editor Ashton Pittman and William Pittman in their stories covering former Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant’s defamation lawsuit against Sports Illustrated.

May 3, 2024

A video captured by freelance reporter Stacey Spiehler reporting on behalf of the Mississippi Free Press on a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Mississippi gained national attention due to racist behavior on the part of a group of counterprotestors. Outlets republishing and/or commenting on the video included Time, Complex, Mediaite, Rolling Out, The New Civil Rights Movement, Know Your Memes, the Guardian, the New York Times, the Daily Mississippian, Scripps News, NBC15, University World News and Wonkette.

Even the White House commented on the video, with White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre calling the behavior of the counter-protesters undignified, racist and sickening, and condemning the decision of a member of the House of Representatives to share the video with a supportive comment. The Hill, Mediaite and the New York Times wrote about the response from the White House.

May 2, 2024

Raw Story used MFP Reporter Heather Harrison’s reporting in their story about the failure of the Mississippi House and Senate to reach a compromise to approve Medicare expansion due to the Senate’s insistence on tying passage to the addition of work requirements.

May 1, 2024

Rachel Maddow’s MaddowBlog referenced two stories reported by MFP Reporter Heather Harrison in their post covering the surprising movement toward a compromise that could allow Mississippi lawmakers to accept Medicare expansion in some form.

April 29, 2024

Mississippi Today credited the Mississippi Free Press with first reporting the governor’s proclamation of April as Confederate History Month in an editorial addressing Mississippi’s continued observance of Confederate-themed state holidays.

April 23, 2024

The Mississippi Free Press recently received the 2024 Robert G. McGruder Diversity Award, for the accomplishments of media professionals who encourage diversity in hiring and coverage. The Poynter Institute awarded this distinction as part of the 2024 Poynter Journalism Prizes. We at MFP are thrilled to be honored with this award in recognition of an aspect of our organization that is so central to our mission and values.

April 18, 2024

DeltaNews.tv used reporting by MFP News Editor Ashton Pittman in their story on recent developments in the Mississippi welfare fraud case. 

April 16, 2024

DeltaNews.tv and the Daily Kos featured reporting by MFP News Editor Ashton Pittman in their stories on Miss. Governor Tate Reeves’ declaration of April as Confederate History Month. The Washington Informer referenced the same piece in an article covering an Alabama bill seeking to update the state’s holiday calendar by adding the observance of Juneteenth and removing that of Jefferson Davis’ birthday.

 April 11, 2024

Buffalo’s Fire reprinted MFP freelance writer Roger Amos’ column reflecting on the significance of the solar eclipse from the perspective of Native American cultures.

MSNBC used reporting from MFP reporters Shaunicy Muhammad and Heather Harrison in their story about the Rankin County “Goon Squad” and calls for the resignation of the Rankin County Sheriff.

April 5, 2024

The Atlanta Black Star, Reason and Essence each used reporting by  MFP Reporter Heather Harrison, in their stories on the attempt by local authorities to remove Aderrian Murry, the 11-year-old Indianola boy who was shot in the chest by a police officer, and  his two siblings from their mother’s custody.

April 3, 2024

MFP Reporter Shaunicy Muhammad’s report on efforts to enact state legislation regarding the handling of unidentified human remains and the atrocities that made the need for such legislation necessary was highlighted by The Bulwark in their Overtime news roundup, while Futurism wrote a piece in reaction to the story, which was also published by Yahoo! News.

The Center for Community Media (CCM) at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY recently announced the inaugural cohort of Fundraising for Community Media, a program designed to support community-based news media that have been historically underserved and underrepresented in philanthropy. MFP’s own Publisher and Co-founder Kimberly Griffin will serve as one of three coach-mentors who will offer the cohort the benefit of their insight and experience. Congratulations, Kimberly on being chosen for this distinguished role. As always, you make us proud.

March 28, 2024

The Atlanta Black Star referenced reporting by MFP ‘s Heather Harrison in their story on a Leland, Miss. teenager allegedly run over and killed by a police officer.

March 1, 2024

The Institute for Nonprofit News’ (INN) Rural News Network-backed collaborative reporting project “Speaking out: Rural communities of color changing the narrative,” in which MFP was honored to be one of six news outlets from across the country  chosen to participate, has been recognized by Editor & Publisher and chosen as one of the top ten journalism  collaborations of 2023 by The Center for Collaborative Media. The MFP’s contribution to the project was an investigation by reporter Christian Middleton into the racial history of Lafayette County, Miss. and the murder of Harry Mitchell there in 1991.

February 26, 2024

The Business of Cannabis  and Investing relied on reporting by MFP’s Heather Harrison in their story about a major Mississippi cannabis testing lab having its license revoked for testing inconsistencies.

February 23, 2024

The Atlanta Black Star credited  reporting by MFP Capitol City Shaunicy Muhammad in their report on the investigation into two Jackson homes that exploded within days of each other.

February 22, 2024

Esquire quotes MFP Reporter Heather Harrison’s story from August about Greenwood LeFlore Hospital’s dire need for funds as part of their coverage of Mississippi’s recent move to consider accepting the offer of Medicaid expansion in their weekly news round-up. 

 February 20, 2024

Vice used and built upon reporting by MFP Investigative Reporter Nick Judin in their story about a group of tenants across the south who are seeking improved living conditions from the Ohio-based company that owns the apartment complexes where they live.

February 16, 2024

The Laurel Leader-Call reprinted MFP Culture Reporter Aliyah Veal’s story about Laurel TikToker Kendria Bland.

February 12, 2024

As a local news outlet, MFP’s decision to publish a story on a national news event, namely statements by former president Donald Trump that he would encourage Russia to attach American allies, became national news in its own right. The merits of that decision were discussed by outlets including  Nieman Lab, Coachella Valley Independent, WAMC Northeast Public Radio, and Media Nation.

February 10, 2024

The Washington Post interviewed MFP News Editor Ashton Pittman for their story about social media platform Meta’s  announcement that they will no longer recommend political content on Instagram or Threads.

Journalist and Northeastern University Journalism Professor Dan Kennedy then used a quote of Ashton from the Washington Post story in a post on his blog, Media Nation, as did NJ.com.

February 2, 2024

KFF Health News featured MFP Reporter  Heather Harrison’s story about  Mississippi House Bill 713, which would criminalize “abortion trafficking,” or the transport of a minor across state lines for the purpose of obtaining an abortion by an adult who is not the parent or legal guardian of the minor, in their Morning Briefing. 

January 24, 2024

The Grio referenced reporting by MFP News Editor Ashton Pittman in their story following up on the case of D’Monterrio Gibson, who was shot at by two white men while delivering packages as a FedEx driver in Brookhaven, Miss. The story was also posted by Yahoo! News.

January 23, 2024

In their story addressing the decision of new Mississippi House Speaker Jason White to continue convening Republican caucus meetings in private, Mississippi Today referenced and recapped the MFP’s role in challenging such meetings as contrary to the state’s Open Meetings Act. The story was reprinted in the Delta Democrat-Times.

January 20, 2024

The Tennessee Tribune reprinted MFP reporter Heather Harrison’s story “Medical Cannabis Advocates Urge Easier Access For Mississippi Patients.”

January 10, 2024

The Poynter Institute, a global leader in journalism, has named MFP Publisher and Co-founder Kimberly Griffin as a fellow of the 2024 Media Transformation Challenge (MTC) Program: A Poynter Institute Executive Fellowship. The cohort of 25 senior executives from media organizations around the country will, over the next year, master tools of performance-driven change, have access to diverse executive coaches and connect with former Fellows.  Congratulations, Kimberly! We are proud to have you representing MFP in this distinguished program.

January 9, 2024

Yahoo! News referred to information from a June 2023 story by MFP News Editor Ashton Pittman in their story about police bodycam footage showing the moment an 11-year-old Indianola boy was shot in the chest by a policeman.