Circle 2: Lack of Identification with Community/Brain Drain

  • Problems
    • Lack of equity
    • Lack of pride
    • Attention to failing infrastructure
    • Lack of collective thinking (individualized)
    • How do we define equity? (what are we referring to)
    • How was the community designed? (was it designed for beautification)
    • How to get everyone to work together?
    • Lack of equity and resources tied to unfair practices (racial implications)
    • Shift in global economy
    • MS last in STEM careers
    • It’s hard to organize when you can’t visualize. Districts/Communities – information is gatekept
  • Solutions
    • Strengthbased thinking
    • Find ways to tell our own story
    • Establish intentional “pride” projects
    • Educate about our history and pride points/geography
    • Break down silos
    • Education for financial literacy
    • One Mission!
    • Go “All-In” to support businesses (community-minded businesses)
    • Spend your money in Jackson
    • We are in a unique position to grow tech. Jobs in this city/state
    • “One Jackson”/ celebrate cultural identities and diversity/one city celebration
    • Transparency of city gov. (demand)
    • Convince city-leaders we want to work together and help
    • Economic moonshots/fill the void
    • Retail shopping areas in Jackson
    • Neighborhoods – villages

➡️ Read more stories from the Capital City Bureau here.

The mission of the Mississippi Free Press, a new nonprofit journalism website and multimedia network that launched in March 2020, is to publish deep public-interest reporting into causes of and solutions to the social, political and structural challenges facing all Mississippians and their communities. Mississippians need to know each other across regions and share our challenges and solutions despite geographic and other differences. We are introducing Mississippians to each other through our deep accountability reporting and compelling people-focused storytelling, and by convening online and physical “solutions circles,” using our statewide networks to ensure inclusivity and representation.