Ruben Banks: ‘Most Likely to Become President’
by Ariel Willingham Photo above of Ruben Banks by Kelsee Ford Light rain drizzled across the ground as Ruben Banks, 16, arrived at Zion Chapel Missionary Church one evening. Although the atmosphere was gloomy, he was excited to be speaking with a small group of young men he could relate to being that they are […]
Z’eani Furdge: A New Life from Dark Times
by Sean Collins Photo above of Z’eani Furdge by Kelsee Ford Z’eani Furdge was 7 years old and living with her parents and sisters in Chicago when she and her stepbrother decided to lie down on the floor and watch some TV. Furdge’s father then grabbed her and beat her with a belt until she […]
At Inaugural, Mayor Chokwe Lumumba Lifts Up Jackson
Mayor Chowke Lumumba and the new first lady, Ebony Lumumba, greet supporters at his inauguration on July 3, 2017. (Photo by Kelsee Ford) By Kenyetta Brown Early on this sunny Monday morning, I went with a team of Youth Media Project students to witness history inside the Jackson Convention Complex as our youngest mayor in the […]
Interview with Jackson’s Mayor-elect, Chokwe Lumumba
On Wednesday, May 3, the day after the Democratic primary for mayor, Chokwe Antar Lumumba visited the Youth Media Project learning space to sit with student journalists from Jim Hill High School and Wingfield High School. Lumumba talked about the community of Jackson, youth engagement, future creative placemaking opportunities, and a message of embrace for […]
Maggie Jefferis: A Teacher and a Filmmaker
by Leslyn Smith Photo above of Maggie Jefferis by Sonni Pressley It was a Tuesday when Maggie Jefferis swung open the door to the old building. The halls of Bailey APAC were dimly lit, the floors slanted, and the then-unfamiliar sound of a metal detector went off as she walked in. There was a faint smell of […]
Kenyatta Brown: ‘Carpe Diem’ and a Journalism Headstart
by Aja Purvis Photo above of Kenytta Brown by Kelsee Ford The drizzle fell lightly from the dark sky. In his maroon and white jersey, the number 11 printed on the center of his back, Kenytta J. Brown strategically kicked the soccer ball as he headed toward the goal. Coming from his blind side, a […]
Darryn Price: Moving to the Anchor Desk
by Kaitlyn Fowler Photo above of Darryn Price by Kelsee Ford When Darryn Price was in the 10th grade, she didn’t expect to find out what she wanted to do with her life. She had signed up for Ridgeland High School’s broadcast journalism class simply because it seemed like a good option. But it was […]
Asia Mangum: ‘I Want Excitement’
by Maleah Briggs Photo above of Asia Mangum by Kaitlyn Fowler Asia Mangum was sitting at her desk when her outgoing teacher, Mr.Clark, instructed everyone to stand up by their desks. The class was about to play an introductory game to get to know everyone. Each student was to state their name, age and favorite […]
Ariel Willingham: From a Life-giver to a Life-saver
by Ruben Banks Photo above of Ariel Willingham by Imani Khayyam It was a sunny Tuesday afternoon as Ariel Willingham, then 12 years old, sat in the the pew of Springridge United Methodist Church in Byram, Miss. She had been told that “they” meet here every second Tuesday at 6 p.m. It was finally the […]
Chloe Bishop: Smart and a Bit Shy
by Jonathan Buckley Photo above of Chloe Bishop by Sonni Pressley Chloe Bishop’s shyness has led to some of her greatest friendships. When she was at Northwest Middle School, she was way more shy than she is now. One day she walked into her sixth-grade band class, her favorite, with her friend Imani. When they […]