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) HAD FOUR ROBUST PROGRAM AREAS INCLUDING MS WOMEN'S ECONOMIC SECURITY INITIATIVE, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND RAPID RESPONSE INITIATIVE. DURING 2021, MSBWR WORKED DILIGENTLY TO HEAR FROM COMMUNITY AND EDUCATE LEADERS AND BUSINESSES ABOUT ADVANCING WOMEN'S ECONOMIC SECURITY IN THE WAKE OF A PANDEMIC AND ECONOMIC DOWNTURN THAT IMPACTED WOMEN AND THEIR FAMILIES. THE ORGANIZATION LAUNCHED THE POWER OF THE POCKETBOOK CAMPAIGN THAT BROUGHT ATTENTION TO HOW WOMEN DO MORE WITH LESS AND BROUGHT FORTH SOLUTIONS TO INCREASING INCOME AND WAGES.MSBWR'S CIVIC ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS REACHED INFREQUENT BLACK WOMEN VOTERS IN KEY AREAS OF THE STATE TO DO VOTER EDUCATION AND ISSUE DRIVEN CAMPAIGNS WHILE ALSO EXPANDED THE ORGANIZATION'S BLACK YOUTH VOTE PROGRAM WHICH ENGAGED YOUTH VOTERS. THROUGH THE TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM, MSBWR ENGAGED, TRAINED AND MOBILIZED WOMEN IMPACTED BY A LACK OF ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE USING STORYTELLING AND NARRATIVE CHANGE AS A TOOL TO MAKE THE CHANGE. ADDITIONALLY, THE FIRST LADIES AND WOMEN FAITH LEADERS CLUB WAS LAUNCHED TO ENGAGE IN THIS PROCESS.THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND RAPID RESPONSE INITIATIVE PROVIDED A SAFETY NET FOR MANY WOMEN AND HOUSEHOLDS WHO CONTINUED TO SUFFER FROM THE IMPACTS OF COVID19 AND COMPLICATED BY BROKEN INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS IN THEIR COMMUNITY. MSBWR PROVIDED WATER, LAUNDRY, CHILDCARE SUPPORT, MEALS, HYGIENE AND SANITARY PRODUCTS TO INCARCERATED WOMEN, AS WELL AS SUPPORT FOR WOMEN TO GET TO WORK AND TO MAINTAIN A ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS FOR THOSE WHO WERE AT RISK OF BEING UN-HOUSED. ALL EFFORTS CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THE ESTABLISHED MISSION.