By Edelia J. Carthan, Ed.D.,
Editor ,
On Saturday, March 2, the streets near the Smith Robertson Museum resonated with powerful voices and determined footsteps as the Poor People’s Campaign March commenced, rallying to the Mississippi State Capitol. Under the rallying cry, “This Is A Resurrection, Not An Insurrection,” the event marked a significant mobilization of activists, community leaders and concerned citizens, united in their call for justice and change.
The march, kicking off at 11 a.m., led to a rally at noon, where an impressive lineup of speakers took the stage, each contributing their unique perspectives and insights to the cause. The speaker lineup included:
● Patricia Smith & Band: Leading the march with soul-stirring music, they set the tone for the day.
● Makani Themba, Higher Ground Strategies: Offered strategic insights into community organizing and empowerment.
● Jaribu Hill, MS Workers Center: Discussed the challenges and rights of workers in Mississippi.
● Scott Crawford, Disability Rights, Affordable Housing: Highlighted the critical issues of disability rights and the need for affordable housing.
● Christina Mack, Maximus Worker (CWA): Spoke on behalf of workers striving for fair wages and conditions.
● Emilee Johnson, Sharon Brown, and Pastor Jose Torres – MS PPC Tri-Chairs: Each presented their vision for the Poor People’s Campaign in Mississippi.
● Markyel Pittman, MS Votes and Terun Moore, Strong Arms of Jackson: Discussed the power of voting and community action.
● Amanda Furdge – Spoken Word: Delivered a poignant spoken word performance.
● Pastor Kevin Sauls and Sherry Nolen: Addressed spiritual and social aspects of the movement.
● Family of Michael Jenkins and Marquell Bridges & D’MonteRrio Gibson, Building Bridges: Shared personal stories of survival and resilience.
● Davin Jackson, Simpson County Sheriff’s Dept. and Attorney Claudia Hyman, ACLU, Water Coalition, Legal Team: Brought legal perspectives to the discussion.
● Velvet Scott, MS Black Women’s Roundtable and Nsombi Lambright-Haynes, One Voice: Spoke about the role of women and unified voices in the movement.
● Angela English, Rankin County NAACP and Rukia Lumumba, People’s Advocacy Institute: Emphasized the importance of community advocacy and NAACP’s role.
● Danyelle Holmes, National Social Justice Organizer with Repairers of the Breach and the Poor People’s Campaign: Delivered a rousing speech on the state’s socio-economic issues.
Holmes passionately declared, “In Mississippi, there are more people that die from a lack of health care than gun-violence… It’s asinine for Mississippi’s governor to demand self-sufficiency from poor and low wage workers without federal assistance, while his wealthy cronies exploit the same funds.”
Pastor Jose Torres, highlighting the lack of accessible housing in Mississippi, stated, “Fully one in three Mississippians has some kind of disability… A lot of single-family homes cannot be made accessible. Trust me, I tried… People don’t have that time.”
Community activist Sharon Brown spoke powerfully, urging unity and action: “Until we come together from the bottom and rise to the top, they will always create laws against our better interest here in Mississippi… Create change in your own neighborhood.”
The march and rally echoed with stories of struggle, resilience, and a call to action, emphasizing the need for collective efforts to address the systemic issues plaguing Mississippi. The event, marked by powerful speeches and a united front, was a clarion call to awaken the ‘sleeping giant’ in Mississippi, mobilizing poor and low-income voters to effect change through solidarity and action.
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