Mississippi Coalition On Black Civic Participation

TO ENSURE BLACK WOMEN AND GIRLS' VOICES AND STORIES ARE ELEVATED IN THE PUBLIC SPHERE.

MISSISSIPPI BLACK WOMEN'S ROUNDTABLE (MSBWR) HAS FOUR MAJOR PROGRAMS THAT INCLUDE MS WOMEN'S ECONOMIC SECURITY INITIATIVE, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH & RAPID RESPONSE. THE PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE: MISSISSIPPI WOMEN'S ECONOMIC SECURITY INITIATIVE (MWESI):MSBWR CHAMPIONED PUBLIC POLICY AND SOLUTIONS THAT PROPEL BLACK WOMEN, THEIR FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES TO ECONOMIC SECURITY BY FOCUSING ON CLOSING THE WAGE GAP. THE ORGANIZATION LAUNCHED EDUCATIONAL AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS THROUGH PUBLIC FORUMS, COLLEGE CAMPUSES AND OTHER FORMS OF MEDIA TO EDUCATE AND ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES FOR BETTER WAGES. THROUGH MSBWR'S EFFORTS THE MWESI EXPANDED THE NETWORK AND COALITION AND ELEVATED THE IMPORTANCE OF WOMEN'S WORK TO THE STATE AND LOCAL ECONOMIC AND THEIR ABILITY TO SUPPORT THEIR KITCHEN TABLES.CIVIC ENGAGEMENT:MSBWR'S CIVIC ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS FOCUSED ON INFREQUENT VOTERS IN FIVE COUNTIES, KNOCKING ON SIX THOUSAND DOORS. PARTNERING WITH BEAUTY AND BARBER SHOP TO CONDUCT VOTER EDUCATION FORUMS. THREE NON-PARTISAN JUDICIAL FORUMS WERE HELD TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE ROLE, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND ISSUES OF THE POSITION. THE ORGANIZATION HELD BLACK YOUTH VOTE KNOW YOUR POWER COSTUME BASH, TARGETING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES ACROSS 3 SCHOOL DISTRICTS. ADDITIONALLY, MSBWR PARTNERED WITH THIRTY-FIVE CHILDCARE CENTERS ACROSS THE STATE TO CONDUCT VOTER EDUCATION AND GET OUT THE VOTE ACTIVITIES THAT CONNECT THE FIGHT FOR ECONOMIC SECURITY- WAGES, HEALTHCARE, CHILDCARE FOR WHY THEY SHOULD VOTE.TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP: THE AMBASSADORS PROGRAM WAS LAUNCHED AND RECRUITED 20 COMMUNITY BLACK WOMEN FROM ACROSS THE STATE TO BE AMBASSADORS AND FOOT SOLDIERS TO HELP MSBWR ACHIEVE ITS GOALS AND MISSION AND STRENGTHEN THEM TO BE CHAMPIONS ON ISSUES IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES. ADDITIONALLY, THE ORGANIZATION LAUNCHED THE MS WOMEN IN THE LEAD LEADERSHIP PROGRAM TO EDUCATE AND TRAIN WOMEN ABOUT THE PROCESS OF RUNNING FOR OFFICE AND THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.COMMUNITY OUTREACH & RAPID RESPONSE:QUARTERS BECAUSE WE CARE - IN SEPTEMBER AND NOVEMBER OF 2022, MSBWR HOSTED 2 QUARTERS BECAUSE WE CARE EVENTS. OVER 500 FAMILIES WERE ABLE TO COME TO LOCAL LAUNDROMATS TO WASH AND DRY LAUNDRY FREE OF CHARGE. PROVIDED OVER $5,000 IN CASH ASSISTANCE FOR LAUNDRY.RENTAL/UTILITY ASSISTANCE - IN 2022 MSBWR ASSISTED OVER 30 FAMILIES WITH EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE PROVIDING OVER $37,000 CASH ASSISTANCE FOR RENT, UTILITIES, GAS AND GROCERIES AS SO MANY ARE STILL RECOVERING FROM THE IMPACT OF COVID AND THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN.JACKSON WATER CRISIS - CURING JACKSON'S WATER CRISIS, MSBWR PROVIDED RAPID RESPONSE SUPPORT TO CITIZENS OVER 10,000 BOTTLES OF WATER WAS PROVIDED, SUPPORTED OVER 50 FAMILIES WITH LAUNDRY SERVICE, SUPPORT DURING ICE STORM, AND PROVIDED LUNCHES TO TWO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.