Exciting times! As @trjackson.bsky.social retires from a fantastic RFA appointment into her new full-time systemic-editor role, our third RFA reporter will be our new Gulf Coast beat reporter.

RFA does local-news support right: not control and deep respect and listening about our mission, strategy.

Our newest editor @trjackson.bsky.social, just published her first editor’s note, and it’s just wonderful, heartbreaking and inspiring.

For the record, I knew wanted Torsheta to help lead the MFP when I lured her from teaching into full-time journalism a couple years back. Here we go. 💜

Give Now to Grow MFP Journalism in 2025! Help us grow our newsroom in Mississippi and our systemic reporting to make a difference for our home state and beyond.

Another way y'all can really help us right now is with a donation. We're a nonprofit newsroom and our stories are free for anyone to read (no paywalls), so your support helps a lot.

We appreciate whatever y'all can give. Here's the link: givebutter.com/mfpdonate

BREAKING: BlueSky is blocking access to Mississippi.

This is the No. 1 platform for @mississippifreepress.org.

We ditched X for BlueSky early this year.

And now, at 3 pm on a Friday, poof.

I don't know what we'll do next.

Keep up with us using our newsletter at mfp.ms/subscribe.

Project 2025 is coming to fruition.

As @trjackson.bsky.social reported in @mississippifreepress.org BEFORE the 2024 election: www.mississippifreepress.org/project-2025...

Torsheta Jackson - Mississippi Free Press Systemic and Education Editor Torsheta Jackson was a long-time educator before joining MFP in 2023 to lead the Education Equity Reporting Lab.

⭐Y'all congratulate the newest @mississippifreepress.org editor! I told the team meetup yesterday that @trjackson.bsky.social is our new Systemic and Education Editor directing in-depth systemic journalism along with her continuing stellar education work. www.mississippifreepress.org/listings/ite...

Mississippi Students No Longer Need U.S. History Test to Graduate The Mississippi State Board of Education voted on June 19 to eliminate the U.S. History end-of-course assessment as a requirement for graduation.

Graduating seniors will no longer have to pass a U.S. history state assessment after the Mississippi State Board of Education voted on June 19 to eliminate the requirement beginning in the fall.

buff.ly/6nmB5d5

Come see me at IRE!

This rocks!!!! I’m so proud of the work of our award-winning Youth Media Project!!!! Check out their work on jxnpulse.com.

Jaylin R. Smith - Report for America Making funny videos and engaging audiences for prospects were skills Jaylin Smith learned from her graduate experience at the University of Mississippi in Journalism and New Media. While receiving her...

DRUM ROLL🥁

Meet our 8th (!) @mississippifreepress.org reporter (and our 3rd concurrent Report for America corps member!) Jaylin will lead our new bureau in her native Mississippi Delta. Thank you, RFA for supporting our journalism vision and growth. www.reportforamerica.org/members/jayl...

Mississippi Department of Education Begins Process to Comply With New Anti-DEI State Law  - Mississippi Free Press The Mississippi Department of Education initiated the Administrative Procedures Act process for a policy that would bring the agency into compliance with Mississippi’s new anti-DEI law.

“If they don't cure it and there is a second violation or subsequent violations, then the State Department can withhold part of (that district’s) student funding formula until there's a certification by either court or the AG that they're back in compliance with the House bill,” Erin Meyer said.

USDA Disrupts Jackson Food Program, Ending Farm-to-School Grant The Farm to Community initiative has served nearly 400 students and 2,000 Jackson residents. But now, Trump’s USDA has canceled a grant that funds it.

Midtown Partner’s Farm to Community initiative has served nearly 400 underserved elementary and middle school students and more than 2,000 Jackson residents since its start, distributing hundreds of pounds of vegetables.

Now, the program is under threat from Trump’s funding cuts.

Tougaloo College Received Threats After Rep. Crockett’s Speech Tougaloo College received “concerning calls” after U.S. House Rep Jasmine Crockett gave the keynote address at the school’s recent commencement ceremony.

Tougaloo College in Jackson, Mississippi, received threats after the school hosted U.S. House Rep. Jasmine Crockett, a Texas Democrat and fierce critic of President Donald Trump, as the keynote speaker for the historically Black college’s graduation ceremonies on Sunday.

I did see those rumors but I have not verified that they are true.

Mississippi HBCU Band Plans to March in Trump’s Inauguration Mississippi Valley State’s band will participate in Donald Trump’s inaugural parade, but the plans have drawn some criticism.

The Mississippi Valley State University band’s invitation to perform at President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration has sparked an uproar for the historically black institution.

Students Across the State Participate in Promote the Vote Students across Mississippi participated in mock elections as part of the Mississippi Secretary of State Office’s Promote the Vote campaign.

"Raising the next generation of educated voters is a duty which falls on all of us, and we are appreciative of those educators who make this commitment," Secretary of State Michael Watson said.

Residency Prevents Some College Students From Voting Poll workers at Mississippi’s Tougaloo College turned would-be student voters away because they did not move their registration to a campus address.

Poll workers at Mississippi’s Tougaloo College turned would-be student voters away because they did not move their registration to a campus address.

JSU made major efforts to engage young voters this election cycle. It worked.

Both teacher and student are recovering well. So glad I got to meet this family and teacher.

Pub Note | YMP Reimagines Journalism for Elections and Beyond Kimberly Griffin writes about the perspectives Youth Media Project student journalists shared over the summer as they reported on the 2024 election.

Kimberly Griffin writes about the perspectives Youth Media Project student journalists shared over the summer as they reported on the 2024 election.

Mississippi College Will Change Name, Drop Football Program Mississippi College will change its name to “Mississippi Christian University” and drop its football program after the current season.

Mississippi College will change its name and drop its football program after the current season, the board of the private institution announced Monday.

I have 1.6K. I can’t wait to share!

I made a starter pack so y'all can follow the Mississippi Free Press team!
go.bsky.app/63uzHJT