A Health-Care Oligarchy"The politicians are diligent, persistent and determined to establish a health-care oligarchy. The tables are tilted toward the rich, and the game is rigged against the poor."
Oh, The Places I May GoIt doesn't matter if you're a Democrat from south Jackson or a Republican from Rankin County. We can all agree that the city needs help.
Onward and UpwardOur new mayor deserves the infusion of the collective genius of all who are part of our city. This genius cannot be parked along the sidelines of stagnation. This genius cannot afford to wait on an invitation to the table …
Address Racial Bias in Policing Now, Not LaterDiscriminatory policing has always been a reality in Mississippi, where too many cops have long enforced deeply held racial stereotypes. The excuse from many people is that, well, more black people commit crime.
One Mayoral Candidate’s JourneyMy experience with running for mayor of Jackson was tremendous. I met so many great people that I probably would have never come across had I not jumped in with both feet.
Doers, Builders, Creators: Let’s Get OrganizedI've been saying it for a hot minute about Jackson, and particularly about creatives, professionals and local business interests in Jackson—we need to get organized.
AHCA Would Result in More Uninsured, Costlier Coverage in the SouthThe Congressional Budget Office estimates that the current healthcare legislation proposed by Congress—the American Health Care Act, or AHCA—would cause 24 million people to lose health insurance coverage by 2026.
Taking the Leap, FinallyAs of April 28, I no longer have to clock in for someone else. I am my own boss. I am the chief operating officer for the Kundi Compound, a collective creative computer co-op right in the heart of midtown.
To Fix Schools, Fix the LeadershipUntil we figure out a way to give every school district a top-notch superintendent, every school a competent principal, and every classroom a qualified teacher, we will not improve the system.
It’s Time to Start Talking About Equity in EducationLegislative Republicans gave themselves pats on the back this session for funding the School Recognition Program, which rewards teachers primarily in "A" and "B" schools around the state with salary supplements. The program totals more than $20 million in funds …
How All Can Help Teenagers GraduateGraduation is the most important time for seniors. This is the beginning of the transition from high school to college, and the transition from being told you are just a kid to being told you are an adult.
Voices of Our Youth: Encouraging DiversityFollowing are winning entries in Elmore & Peterson Law Firm's "Encouraging Diversity—Voices of Our Youth" creative competition for students, which the Jackson Free Press co-sponsored.
Next Mayor Must Lead on Preventing Youth CrimeAs I type, the polls for the mayoral primaries are still open, and the outcome is uncertain. What I do know is that Jackson must adopt a new attitude when it comes to "fighting crime," regardless of who wins.
Vetoing Criminal Reforms Shortsighted, DangerousWhether it was due to a "mistake" or a poison pill inserted at the last hour, Gov. Phil Bryant vetoed House Bill 1033 last week after both houses passed the criminal-justice reform measure unanimously.
Getting Ready for the ‘Mother of All Bombs’Mr. Announcement: "Ghetto Science Public Affairs Network television presents coverage of Clubb Chicken Wing's Emergency Preparedness and Strategic Planning Hot Wing Happy Hour. Your moderator for this session is Congressman Smokey 'Robinson' McBride."
How Gov. Phil Bryant Is Hurting MississippiIn my personal journey in the fight for fairness, equality and progress, I have come to a stark conclusion: Gov. Phil Bryant is single-handedly preventing our state from progressing and moving forward.
To My Unborn DaughterI'm here to remind you of the truth. Warriors flow through your veins—brown women who integrated schools, survived Jim Crow. Slavery and Manifest Destiny are a part of your DNA.
Beer: If It Looks Good, Drink ItI've always loved this particular phrase from "Bizarre Foods" host Andrew Zimmern: "If it looks good, eat it."
‘One Lake’ Can’t Outsmart NatureA new Pearl River dam and lake raise huge concerns for the short and long term: lots of lights and lots of traffic; new flooding downstream in Mississippi and Louisiana; and negative impacts to industry, wildlife, air and water quality, …
State Testing Presents Bigger Equity QuestionThe Third Grade Reading Gate certainly serves a statewide purpose: to weed out and ideally save those kids who never learn how to read. But what if catching them isn't enough?
The Myth of the Welfare QueenI am old enough to remember the promise of welfare reform in the '90s. I recall quite well the nasty rhetoric used to shred our social safety net.
What We’re Looking for in a MayorWith the mayoral primary just a few weeks away, we've been discussing our JFP endorsement possibilities; we haven't yet chosen a candidate, but we've been talking about the criteria.
Bill Minor: Mississippi’s Eyes and EarsBill Minor wrote with authority. He had been a frontlines warrior ever since his first big story in Mississippi, the funeral of ranting, racist U.S. Sen. Theodore Bilbo.
State Budget Cuts Mean Dramatic Job LossFor the most part, Republicans are not apologizing for their "small government" priorities to legislating, even if it means health needs and equitable education suffer. Shrinking the size of government as a philosophy, however, has another natural outcome: the loss …
The Enduring Legacy of Emmett TillWhen the news broke that Carolyn Bryant Donham—the white woman infamously at the center of the murder of Emmett Till—admitted to lying in court during the 1955 trial of her husband, Roy Bryant, and his half-brother, J.W. Milam, public outrage …
Don’t Cut the Creative IndustriesA ton of art mediums can provide a different point of view, from painting something in an unfamiliar style, to getting low to the ground and capturing that perfect photo, to telling other people's stories.
"The politicians are diligent, persistent and determined to establish a health-care oligarchy. The tables are tilted toward the rich, and the game is rigged against the poor."
It doesn't matter if you're a Democrat from south Jackson or a Republican from Rankin County. We can all agree that the city needs help.
Our new mayor deserves the infusion of the collective genius of all who are part of our city. This genius cannot be parked along the sidelines of stagnation. This genius cannot afford to wait on an invitation to the table …
Discriminatory policing has always been a reality in Mississippi, where too many cops have long enforced deeply held racial stereotypes. The excuse from many people is that, well, more black people commit crime.
My experience with running for mayor of Jackson was tremendous. I met so many great people that I probably would have never come across had I not jumped in with both feet.
I've been saying it for a hot minute about Jackson, and particularly about creatives, professionals and local business interests in Jackson—we need to get organized.
I often say that teachers are the people who make the magic happen for students in the classroom.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the current healthcare legislation proposed by Congress—the American Health Care Act, or AHCA—would cause 24 million people to lose health insurance coverage by 2026.
As of April 28, I no longer have to clock in for someone else. I am my own boss. I am the chief operating officer for the Kundi Compound, a collective creative computer co-op right in the heart of midtown.
Legislative Republicans gave themselves pats on the back this session for funding the School Recognition Program, which rewards teachers primarily in "A" and "B" schools around the state with salary supplements. The program totals more than $20 million in funds …
Graduation is the most important time for seniors. This is the beginning of the transition from high school to college, and the transition from being told you are just a kid to being told you are an adult.
Following are winning entries in Elmore & Peterson Law Firm's "Encouraging Diversity—Voices of Our Youth" creative competition for students, which the Jackson Free Press co-sponsored.
As I type, the polls for the mayoral primaries are still open, and the outcome is uncertain. What I do know is that Jackson must adopt a new attitude when it comes to "fighting crime," regardless of who wins.
As I look back on the many years I spent living in the city of Jackson, romanticism sometimes begins to set in.
Whether it was due to a "mistake" or a poison pill inserted at the last hour, Gov. Phil Bryant vetoed House Bill 1033 last week after both houses passed the criminal-justice reform measure unanimously.
In my personal journey in the fight for fairness, equality and progress, I have come to a stark conclusion: Gov. Phil Bryant is single-handedly preventing our state from progressing and moving forward.
I'm here to remind you of the truth. Warriors flow through your veins—brown women who integrated schools, survived Jim Crow. Slavery and Manifest Destiny are a part of your DNA.
What does Jackson need? The most often griped-about, joked-about and discussed surface-level fix in this city are potholes.
I've always loved this particular phrase from "Bizarre Foods" host Andrew Zimmern: "If it looks good, eat it."
A new Pearl River dam and lake raise huge concerns for the short and long term: lots of lights and lots of traffic; new flooding downstream in Mississippi and Louisiana; and negative impacts to industry, wildlife, air and water quality, …
The Third Grade Reading Gate certainly serves a statewide purpose: to weed out and ideally save those kids who never learn how to read. But what if catching them isn't enough?
I am old enough to remember the promise of welfare reform in the '90s. I recall quite well the nasty rhetoric used to shred our social safety net.
With the mayoral primary just a few weeks away, we've been discussing our JFP endorsement possibilities; we haven't yet chosen a candidate, but we've been talking about the criteria.
Success in a legislative session means different things to different people.
Bill Minor wrote with authority. He had been a frontlines warrior ever since his first big story in Mississippi, the funeral of ranting, racist U.S. Sen. Theodore Bilbo.
For the most part, Republicans are not apologizing for their "small government" priorities to legislating, even if it means health needs and equitable education suffer. Shrinking the size of government as a philosophy, however, has another natural outcome: the loss …
When the news broke that Carolyn Bryant Donham—the white woman infamously at the center of the murder of Emmett Till—admitted to lying in court during the 1955 trial of her husband, Roy Bryant, and his half-brother, J.W. Milam, public outrage …
A ton of art mediums can provide a different point of view, from painting something in an unfamiliar style, to getting low to the ground and capturing that perfect photo, to telling other people's stories.