Multi-Issue Organizing Leads to Increased Voter Turnout

In 2021, Mississippi Black Women’s Roundtable continued to provide intergenerational civic engagement network and started providing housing and utility assistance, groceries, meals, diapers and formula, clean water, childcare assistance, and laundry services to families in crisis.

This support began during the onset of the pandemic and expanded in 2021 as they responded to Mississippi’s water crisis and winter storms that displaced residents in Jackson and rural cities across the state.

For this organization, integrating direct work with communities and organizing around the reproductive justice issues of family leave, reproductive care, and childcare proved successful.

“This work allowed us to also center the stories of Black women, our families, and our communities. We launched the MS Voices Project which focused on Black and brown women’s access to health care through storytelling and movement building. Our donor base grew and our leadership work expanded. We were able to provide recommendations to improve RAMP (Mississippi’s emergency rental assistance program) to make it more accessible for the community.

As a trusted community organization, we engaged voters across 13 counties and our efforts increased turnout on election day among infrequent Black women voters. Coalition building and partnership with schools, churches, beauty salons, washaterias, entrepreneurs, and even corporations were essential to our success.”