Are you an educator based in Mississippi? Have you taken paid parental leave, or needed to take paid parental leave, to welcome a new child?
Mississippi Black Women’s Roundtable, in collaboration with A Better Balance, wants to hear from you.
As we continue advocating for stronger paid leave protections for Mississippi’s hard-working educators, your experience matters. Whether you were able to take paid leave, had to use unpaid leave, struggled to access time off, or felt unsupported during a major life transition, your story can help inform advocacy efforts and push for policies that better support educators and families across the state.
By completing this short survey, you can help us better understand the real experiences of Mississippi educators and the impact paid leave has on families, classrooms, and communities.
Your voice can help make the case for stronger paid leave for Mississippians.
Who should complete the survey? Mississippi-based educators who have taken, needed to take, or considered taking paid parental leave to welcome a new child.
Why it matters: Paid leave is not just a workplace benefit. It is an economic security issue, a family support issue, and a policy issue that affects the health and stability of Mississippi families.
Ensuring Safety and Support for Survivors of Domestic Violence and Interpersonal Violence
Safe Leave Policies
Safe leave is a vital lifeline for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or human trafficking. Families—especially women—fleeing abusive relationships need the security of job protection as they seek safety, care for their children, and rebuild their lives. Without the guarantee of employment, survivors are often forced to choose between their safety and their livelihood, perpetuating cycles of abuse and insecurity. Safe leave policies ensure survivors can take the time they need to escape danger, access legal and medical resources, and protect their families without fear of losing their jobs.
Domestic Violence Review Teams
Domestic violence is a leading cause of female homicides in the United States, and Mississippi is no exception. To address this crisis and prevent further tragedy, creating a fatality review team is essential. Such a team would collect and analyze data on domestic violence-related homicides to identify patterns, gaps in resources, and opportunities for intervention. By understanding the systemic failures that lead to these tragedies, Mississippi can implement meaningful prevention strategies to protect families.
Resources
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Strengthening Families and the Economy Through Safety Nets
Ensure that program dollars reach families
Programs like SNAP, TANF, and Summer EBT are essential lifelines for families, providing critical support during times of need. These safety nets ensure that children have access to nutritious meals, parents can keep their families stable while navigating challenges, and households have a foundation to build brighter futures.
The impact of these programs extends far beyond individual families. SNAP and Summer EBT reduce food insecurity, helping children perform better in school and stay healthy, which supports their long-term success. TANF provides families with temporary assistance to meet basic needs, helping parents stay in the workforce and remain economically active. When families are supported, they can focus on education, job training, and other opportunities to break the cycle of poverty.
Safety nets also strengthen local economies by driving consumer spending. For example, every dollar spent through SNAP generates more than a dollar in economic activity, benefiting grocery stores, farmers, and local businesses. Investing in these programs uplifts families while stimulating growth in our communities.
Resources
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Fact Sheet
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Close the hidden loopholes that allow modern discrimination based on hair texture.
Pass the CROWN Act
Discrimination against hair texture in schools, athletics, and workplaces denies individuals the freedom to express their identity and thrive in their environments. Policies and biases that penalize natural hair—such as afros, locs, braids, and twists—disproportionately target Black individuals, creating unnecessary barriers to learning, participating in sports, and advancing in professional settings.
This form of racial discrimination doesn’t just harm individuals—it weakens communities and the economy by sidelining talented and capable people. Embracing and protecting the beauty and diversity of natural hair is essential for fostering equity, confidence, and productivity across all sectors.
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Ensure every eligible Mississippian can register and vote without facing unnecessary obstacles.
End lifetime disenfranchisement
Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy, yet too many Mississippians are denied the opportunity to participate in shaping our future. While 35 other states—a supermajority—have ended lifetime disenfranchisement for felonies, Mississippi continues to bar individuals from voting even after they have completed their debt to society. This policy leaves rehabilitation incomplete and silences voices that deserve to be heard. Restoring voting rights is not just about fairness—it’s a sacred obligation to uphold the principles of democracy and ensure that every citizen has a voice in the electoral process.
Voting modernization and convenience
Ensuring safe and secure elections is vital to maintaining trust in our democratic systems. Policies that expand access to the ballot—such as early voting, same-day registration, and modernized voting systems—strengthen our democracy and empower all Mississippians, regardless of their background or zip code. Protecting the right to vote and ensuring secure elections go hand in hand. Together, these efforts safeguard the integrity of our elections and reinforce the promise of democracy for future generations.
Restoring voting rights and adopting equitable election policies can build a more inclusive and resilient democracy that works for all Mississippians.
Resources
Social Graphics
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Download and share this PDF to learn more and help you take action on early voting in Mississippi!
Protect working families facing serious illness and fulfill the promise of equal pay for Black women.
Paid Family and Medical Leave
Working women, especially mothers and caregivers, often face impossible choices when managing serious illness in themselves or their loved ones. Paid Family and Medical Leave would empower families to take the time to care for themselves and their loved ones without risking their income, savings, or economic stability. This program would also strengthen Mississippi’s economy by helping employers retain skilled workers, reducing turnover costs, boosting productivity, and improving workplace morale.
Salary History and Equal Pay
Mississippi women deserve fair wages that reflect their hard work, but current equal pay laws fall short. They fail to address wage and race discrimination tied to salary history, which is a significant barrier to pay equity, particularly for Black women and low-wage earning families. Supporting bills that close these gaps is critical to delivering on the promise of equal pay and ensuring all families in Mississippi have a fair shot at financial security and prosperity.
Resources
Social Graphics
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Download and share this PDF to learn more and help you take action on paid family medical leave in Mississippi!
Mississippi has the opportunity to join 40 other states in accepting federal dollars to expand health coverage to working families, including Black women, who are the backbone of our communities. Expanding Medicaid will uplift everyone in our state: families juggling work and caregiving, pregnant mothers, hardworking parents, employers, medical providers, and entire local economies.
Access to doula and midwifery services is essential for expecting families. These services improve health outcomes for mothers and babies, reduce maternal mortality rates, and provide critical emotional and physical support during pregnancy and childbirth. Expanding licensures and access to trained doulas and certified midwives will ensure that more families can benefit from these vital services. Furthermore, doulas and midwives must receive fair insurance reimbursements to make their care accessible to all families, regardless of income.
Resources
Social Graphics
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Download and share these PDFs to learn more and help you take action on healthcare in Mississippi!
For the Mississippi Black Women’s Roundtable (MS BWR), 2024 has been a year of activation, leadership, and community power. That power lives in each and every one of us, and can not be taken from any of us. MS BWR offers a way for you to plug in and take your seat at the table – through action or donation. We need your support with us!
Through civic engagement programming like the Power of the Sister Vote Campaign and Black Youth Votes, MS BWR creates pathways for people to step into their power and take the lead on issues impacting their communities.
This year, the Power of the Sister Vote (POTSV) made waves of change by engaging 387 women across 17 counties, and increasing voter turnout in eight counties with historically low participation rates. Not only were these boot camps spaces for people to learn more about the voting process, but also join a network of empowered leaders ready to make their voices heard at the polls. POTSV boot camps also provided child care services, making it easier for families to attend, engage, and get out the vote.
For college students looking to engage their campus community, the Black Youth Votes Ambassador program was an entry point for them to take the lead and make their voices heard. This year, the program expanded to seven Mississippi colleges and universities, increasing the youth vote in critical areas of the state.
Another valuable resource, the result of the dynamic partnerships among MS BWR, the Women’s Foundation of Mississippi, and One Voice, is Mississippi Women in the Lead (MWL). Now in its second year, MWL creates opportunities for women of all backgrounds to prepare for elected office positions and drive change for their communities. This year, 30 inspiring women are set to take the lead with Mississippi Women in the Lead!
Advancing Economic Security
A major component to sparking community power is addressing Mississippi’s economic disparities. We’ve found that economic injustice disproportionately impacts women, particularly Black women, in our state contributing to larger inequities that stand in the way of community development and progress.
Through the Mississippi Women’s Economic Security Initiative (MWESI), MS BWR has brought together key stakeholders and coalition partners to bring the issue of economic disparity to policymakers. During the Mississippi state legislative session, we connected community leaders to training sessions centered on how they could make their voices heard on issues, like economic security, during the legislative session. They then put those skills to work during our advocacy event on the Capitol steps!
Community Rapid Response
MS BWR has addressed the immediate needs of families and communities impacted by natural disasters or infrastructure breakdowns through the Community Rapid Response Initiative (CORRI). Ensuring that families are able to recover from these events ensures that communities stay resilient.
This year, MS BWR assisted over 40 families with rental and utility support, provided free laundry services to over 200 families, and leveraged partnerships with local organizations to grow resource and service networks. We’re thankful to the volunteers from our network and community partners for making this work possible!
The Power is with Us
The spirit of community matters now more than ever. Every step toward justice, every voice raised, every hand extended builds a better future for Black women and their families across the state. We invite you to join the Power of Us and help us continue to shift power where it matters most. Whether you join as a volunteer, a leader, or a supporter, you are helping build a brighter future for our state!
Featuring dynamic presentations from people like MS State Representative Jeffrey Hulum III and our very own Director of Civic Engagement and Voting Rights, Velvet Scott, and Director of Policy Advocacy and Movement Building, Robin Y. Jackson, this event examined the challenges and opportunities present in the current state of Black voting power.
During the event, MS State Representative Jeffrey Hulum III exposed tactics used to suppress and intimidate voters while providing strategies to counter misinformation and ensure voters are informed.
MS BWR’s Director of Policy Advocacy and Movement Building, Robin Y. Jackson, offered a comprehensive look at Project 2025’s potential policy impacts and implications for marginalized communities.
MS BWR’s Director of Civic Engagement and Voting Rights, Velvet Scott, explained how to navigate the absentee voting process, avoid common pitfalls, and empower student voters to participate fully.
Participants also heard from The Steps Coalition’s Gordon Jackson, who guided them through the process of reviewing sample ballots, understanding key races and measures, and ensuring they know their polling precincts to confidently prepare for Election Day.
Event Highlights
Speakers & Topics
MS State Representative Jeffrey Hulum III: Recognizing Voter Suppression, Intimidation, and Fighting Misinformation
(MS BWR) Robin Y. Jackson: A Policy Analysis of Project 2025
(MS BWR) Velvet Scott: Correct Absentee Voting and Student Voting
(Steps Coalition) Gordon Jackson: What’s on Your Ballot?
Thanks to our Partners!
MS BWR wants to thank The Steps Coalition for partnering with it to host The State of the Black Vote brunch, presented by Deeneaus Polk, which examined the current state of Black voting power, addressing both the challenges faced and the opportunities to increase civic engagement and influence.
From checking voter status to taking the lead as a voter mobilizer, MS BWR has something for each level of civic education and engagement. Check out highlights from our local events, which stretch all across the state and lift up the power of our vote!
Voter Registration Events at M-Bar and Names & Faces Lounge
For people looking to have fun, socialize, and check off their voter registration while they’re at it, we host community events like this one at M-Bar and Names and Faces Lounge in Jackson, MS!
We had an amazing evening bringing together organizational partners (shout out to One Voice and Democracy Divas!) and people in the community ready to check their voter status, register, or make a plan to make their voices heard at the polls.
For our young leaders looking to engage their campus, Black Youth Vote offers a great opportunity for them to engage. From civic centers to college campuses, Black Youth Vote has led the charge in registering the next generation of voters and connecting them to the tools they need to make their voices heard at the polls.
Black Youth Vote was developed to connect young people to voting resources and give them the information and guidance necessary for them to lead their communities and increase voter turnout.
According to Census Data, college-aged people make up nearly 20% of Mississippi’s population. Imagine what could be accomplished if they all made a plan to get out the vote!
Power of the Sister Vote in Belzoni (and Across the State!)
For folks who want to step into community leadership and work with organizations to power local voting efforts, MS BWR offers the Power of the Sister Vote Boot Camps.
Our most recent boot camp found us in Belzoni, Mississippi, mobilizing an empowering group of leaders to help get out the sister vote! It was a magical time full of leadership, learning, and inspiration, and we are so appreciative to our partners and supporters for making this event possible.
We appreciate each and every one of our participants for showing up for their communities!
