Mississippi

How Single Moms in Mississippi Make It Work: ‘There Are Times I Don’t Eat to Make Sure My Kids Do’

PUBLISHED 8/14/2024 by

Front & Center is a groundbreaking Ms. series that began as first-person accounts of Black mothers living in Jackson, Miss., receiving a guaranteed income. Moving into the fourth year and next phase of this series, the aim is to expand our focus beyond a single policy intervention to include a broader examination of systemic issues impacting Black women experiencing poverty. This means diving deeper into the interconnected challenges they face—including navigating the existing safety net; healthcare, childcare and elder care; and the importance of mental, physical and spiritual well-being.

Dive into this first-person account from a mother struggling to feed her kids when they’re home from school during the summer, after Mississippi was one of 15 states to decline federal food aid for poor families: “There are times I don’t eat to make sure that they do. When you’re a parent, sometimes you have to make those decisions.”

War on Women Report: Trump’s Mistreatment of Women Is His Downfall; Louisiana Labels Abortion Medication a Dangerous Substance; Mississippi’s Anti-Trans Bathroom Law

PUBLISHED 5/31/2024 by and

U.S. patriarchal authoritarianism is on the rise, and democracy is on the decline. But day after day, we stay vigilant in our goals to dismantle patriarchy at every turn. The fight is far from over. We are watching, and we refuse to go back. This is the War on Women Report.

Since our last report: Harvey Weinstein made his first appearance in Manhattan Supreme Court after his 2020 conviction was overturned; FDIC chair Martin Gruenberg will resign once a successor is confirmed; Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer placed the Right to Contraception Act on the Senate calendar for a vote in June; the Minnesota Supreme Court rejected attempts from an anti-abortion activist group to retry Doe v. Minnesota; and more.

The Latest Way Mississippi Lawmakers Are Failing Women

PUBLISHED 3/22/2022 by

As a Black woman in Mississippi, I know how difficult it is to navigate the road to motherhood. With the recent decision by the state legislature’s House Republicans to deny postpartum care to women, Mississippi continues to demonstrate a lack of regard for the health of mothers—particularly Black women.

Despite the ongoing battles that have been fought to uplift the issues of the maternal health crisis in Mississippi, politicians continuously refuse to center the needs of mothers. And the refusal is cavalier and cruel.

“Alarm Bells Ringing Loudly”: Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Mississippi Abortion Ban Case

PUBLISHED 5/17/2021 by
"Alarm Bells Ringing Loudly”: Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Mississippi Abortion Ban Case

On Monday, the Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal in a case involving a Mississippi law banning most abortions after 15 weeks. The court will consider the question as to whether all previability prohibitions on abortion are unconstitutional.

“Make no mistake: The purpose of any abortion ban—including this 15-week ban in Mississippi—is to snowball into an outright ban on all abortion at any point in pregnancy and for any reason.”

Mississippi Appendectomies: Reliving Our Pro-Eugenics Past

PUBLISHED 10/28/2020 by
Mississippi Appendectomies: Reliving Our Pro-Eugenics Past

This week, 19 additional women came forward to speak out against the medical abuse they were subject to at the Irwin County Detention Center in Georgia while they were detained.

These allegations are shocking but unfortunately, not surprising given the United States’ long history of pro-eugenics policies. It’s time we fully reckon with our shameful legacy to help prevent more tragedy.