By Arekia Bennett-Scott
Mississippi Votes Executive Director
We are standing at the edge of another historic moment. November’s presidential election will dominate headlines and conversations, but let’s be real – no matter who wins, the everyday realities of our lives won’t change overnight.
Whether it’s Donald Trump or Kamala Harris in the White House come January, the real work for Mississippi is happening down-ballot. It’s about the choices we make for *ourselves* and our state right here, right now.
Mississippi, we know how to fight. We’ve always had to. It’s something I’ve said before and something I’ll keep saying: we’ve been underestimated, overlooked, and written off by people who don’t know our strength. But we know better. Black voters, women voters, young voters, and all the folks that Mississippi tries to leave behind – you are the engine of this state’s progress. You always have been.
To the Black Voters, let’s not forget that Mississippi IS the birthplace of Black political power in this country. Our elders fought and bled for the right to vote, for the right to stand in spaces that were built to keep us out. That fight isn’t over, and now it’s on us to carry that legacy forward. When we show up, we change elections. When we speak up, we move the needle in ways that are undeniable. The road ahead may be long, but Mississippi doesn’t move without us.
To the Women of Mississippi, I see you holding it down in your homes, your communities, your workplaces. We’ve been facing attacks on our autonomy and our rights for years. The fight for reproductive justice, for health care access, for equal pay – it’s a battle that’s happening right here, not just in Washington. We’re the backbone of our families and our communities, and these down-ballot races are where we make sure our voices are heard, where we elect leaders who will actually stand with us and for us.
To my Young People, you *are* Mississippi’s present, not just its future. You’re already organizing, mobilizing, and making your voices heard in ways that past generations couldn’t have dreamed of. I know folks often talk about you like your time hasn’t come yet – but your time is now. The decisions being made right now will affect your schools, your jobs, your futures. You’ve got power, and when you vote, you change the game. We need that energy in this election, just like we’ve needed it in every other.
And to our LGBTQ+, Immigrant, and Other Marginalized Communities – your existence in Mississippi is a radical act of love and resistance. It’s not easy, but you belong here. You matter here. The truth is, our fight is not just about getting someone different in the White House; it’s about fighting for the Mississippi we know we deserve – a state that honors and protects us all, a state that invests in our lives and our futures.
So while the noise of the presidential election will be loud, don’t lose sight of what’s happening right here at home. Down-ballot elections are where the real work happens, where we make sure we have the right people in place to defend our rights, invest in our schools, and fix the systems that have failed us for too long. These are the races that will decide our day-to-day lives – our healthcare, our jobs, our communities.
Mississippi, we are more than just the history books. We’re more than just what people say about us. We’ve got a power here that’s unique, and it’s time to harness it. Let’s show up for one another. Let’s vote like our futures depend on it – because they do. And let’s prove, once again, that Mississippi is full of people who are ready to lead, ready to build, and ready to demand more.
