The Mississippi Free Press is proud to announce the hire of Roger Amos, a member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, as our seventh reporter and 13th member of our editorial team. Amos is bringing his unique perspective and cultural insights to cover stories inside the Choctaw community and other parts of East Central Mississippi, deepening the MFP’s commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices and providing local, impactful solutions-focused journalism.
The Pivot Fund, a venture philanthropy organization dedicated to investing $500 million into independent BIPOC-led community news, is funding Amos’ reporting position. “We’re especially excited about Roger covering the Chickasaw and Choctaw Nations—communities long neglected by traditional media,” said Tracie Powell, founder and CEO of The Pivot Fund. “But it’s more than that. We believe in Mississippi Free Press’ vision for the future, including how they plan to cover other communities, such as Latino communities. This is journalism with spunk, unafraid to hold power to account.”
Roger Amos was born in Jackson, Miss., and raised on the Choctaw reservation in Bogue Chitto, Miss., near Philadelphia before relocating to Troy, Ala., during his teenage years. With his personal experience of growing up both on and off the reservation, Amos brings an invaluable understanding of the dynamics between tribal and non-tribal communities.
This, along with his passion for journalism, makes him the ideal candidate to cover cultural events, tribal elections and local news with rich historical context in a state with journalism that has long virtually ignored his community.
“I’ve always had a passion for journalism, even as a teenager, creating my own newsletters for my family,” Amos said. “To now have the opportunity to share stories from my community in a meaningful way, especially those around our cultural traditions like stickball games and the Choctaw Indian Fair, is a dream come true. I want my work to inspire others from minority communities to pursue journalism and break down misconceptions about our history.”
Reporting on the Complexities of Tribal Life
Founding Editor and CEO Donna Ladd did not know Amos before co-founding the MFP in 2020, although they both grew up in the Philadelphia, Miss., area. She discovered him through social media early in the MFP’s tenure and asked him to write opinion essays, which she calls “powerful and essential.” Determined to ensure that the MFP included and covered the state’s Indigenous communities well, she quickly started talking to Amos about training to become an MFP reporter when he was ready—a recruitment effort she called “Project Roger.”
“Roger’s deep ties to the Choctaw community and his dedication to telling authentic stories are exactly what we need to enrich our reporting across Mississippi,” Ladd said. “His background allows us to offer coverage that connects people who don’t know each other. We’re thrilled to finally have him on staff, and we look forward to the stories he’ll tell and the impact his work will have.”
In his new role as a bureau reporter, Amos will cover a range of topics that matter to the Choctaw and the broader East Central Mississippi community, with a focus on cultural heritage, community events and significant local developments. His reporting will include in-depth features on the Choctaw Indian Fair and other important cultural activities, as well as providing coverage of key local issues and elections, including the upcoming Tribal Council elections.
“I hope my reporting can offer insight into the complexities of tribal life and the richness of Choctaw culture, while also shining a light on issues that impact us all in Mississippi,” Amos said.
His early MFP journalism won him a first-place Society for Professional Journalism Diamond Award for sports reporting in the South in 2022. “Excellent piece on cultural heritage, exposing the rich pride and traditions carried out by Native Americans in Mississippi. Also enjoyed the use of multimedia video,” the judges wrote.
Amos aims to bridge the gap between the Choctaw and broader Mississippi communities, offering stories that foster understanding while inspiring others to value local journalism.
Powell: Diversity, Inclusion Not A Checklist or Leftover Scraps
Tracie Powell of the Pivot Fund says that the MFP is the perfect place for Amos to fulfill those inspiration goals. “I’ll never forget a flight I took from Atlanta to Virginia, when a woman from Mississippi sat next to me and spoke of her love and dedication to the Free Press,” Powell said. “She told me how much it means to her that Mississippi Free Press stands up to bullies in power and how she donates to them because she believes in their mission. That’s when I knew The Pivot Fund would support them too.”
“Others treat diversity, equity and inclusion like a checklist or like the scraps leftover after the main meal has been eaten,” Powell continued. “But The Pivot Fund understands what inclusion actually is—what it looks like, what it feels like and what it means. So does Mississippi Free Press. This partnership reflects what happens when shared values align for the betterment of communities.”
The Pivot Fund’s support is a key to expanding the MFP team’s shared vision to create a newsroom that truly looks like the state it serves—which translates into longtime and collaborative team members fully invested in the state’s potential to solve problems from within.
“We are incredibly grateful to The Pivot Fund,” MFP Publisher and co-founder Kimberly Griffin said. “This funding empowers us to expand our coverage to one of Mississippi’s most underserved communities. It affirms the importance of amplifying all Mississippi voices and addressing critical issues in our communities. With The Pivot Fund’s backing, we’re better equipped to fulfill our mission and strengthen the fabric of local journalism.”
Send story tips or congratulate Roger Amos at roger@mississippifreepress.org.
Individual donors can give to the nonprofit Mississippi Journalism and Education Group at mfp.ms/donate. Story tips go to tips@mississippifreepress.org. Media outlets or community organizations interested in observing or partnering in solutions circles can write solutions@mississippifreepress.org.
