Real Mississippi

Students across the United States are frequently taught about the history of racial inequality embedded in the nation. However, there still remain many stories surrounding this dark topic that go untold. America's past of eugenics and forced sterilization has affected thousands of African women for over several decades. Its consequences still linger even today, but why is this important?

This podcast is about how students are affected by school funding, especially children who come from low-income homes. Interviewees give their opinions on how they believe funding affects students.

Frequent moves can make school life challenging, especially for military kids. In this episode, we explore how the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children (MIC3) ensures fair treatment for military students, helping them transition smoothly between schools. Through personal interviews and real experiences, we discuss the mental, social, and academic struggles of relocating—both for military and non-military students. Should MIC3 protections extend to all kids facing frequent moves? Tune in as we uncover the challenges, solutions, and the need for broader support in education.

The great basketball star Lusia Harris-Stewart, born inMinter City, Mississippi, was the first woman ever to be drafted into the NBA by the New Orleans Jazz in 1977. However, she declined the offer in hopes of starting afamily. Her accomplishments include holding every Delta State basketball record, shooting and making the first shot in the Olympics for women’s basketball, and being the first African American female college player inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 1992. Lusia Harris shows that it's not where you come from, but where you go.

In the early 2000s, the American catfish industry was at a crossroads. Southeast Asian products were outcompeting domestic fish, and the industry faced an identity crisis.What was the industry's plan to revive the U.S. catfish industry? Mississippi.

"Catfish Kingdom: The Rise and Reinvention of Catfish in Mississippi" follows the story of the fish from humble beginnings to becoming an aquaculture powerhouse. Written and produced by Walt Giesen and Andrew Meng, "Catfish Kingdom" explores the economic and cultural impact catfish has had on Mississippi, illuminating a surprising chapter in agricultural history.

Pornography is addictive for many. Through a law regulating minors' online viewership for sexual content, Mississippi legislators believed they helped; however, this ban had a major impact on public libraries. In this episode, Alonso Bocanegra interviews several Mississippians to uncover the concerns behind this controversy. Podcast produced by Srujan Chinnapureddy.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program–SNAP– is the food stamp program used nationwide. For over 75 years, SNAP has ensured that American families have nutritious food on their tables. What if we told you that SNAP could do so much more? Many other states have realized the untapped potential of the SNAP program to not only alleviate the public health crisis but also to support local economies. Join us as we dive into the advantages and challenges of making SNAP benefits redeemable at farmers’ markets in Mississippi, and explore how this shift could reshape our communities as we know them, making them healthier and stronger. 

In this episode, Dawson Brewer tells the story of Ovett, Mississippi — a town once built around a busy sawmill. Through heartfelt interviews with his grandmother and a longtime family friend, we hear what life was like back then, and how everything changed when the mill shut down. It wasn’t just jobs that disappeared; it was the heart of the town too. Dawson’s guests share memories of a community struggling to hold on. Even now, with empty streets and fewer families, there’s still hope. Their stories remind us that even after deep loss, a town’s spirit doesn’t fade easily. 

Holly Springs, Mississippi, was once a bustling hub of the cotton trade, but after years of neglect, the town is faced with an aging and unreliable power grid which frequently causes outages and is easily shut down by natural disasters. Despite widespread outcry from residents and state officials, the town’s leadership has failed to resolve the crisis by dodging questions and help from the Mississippi Public Service Commission.

This episode of Real Mississippi discusses the challengesLatino students face in Mississippi, including language barriers, economic hardships, and cultural pressures. The episode also highlights the lack of resources for primary education while emphasizing the benefits seen with higher education programs in community colleges. Despite these efforts, there is still a great divide between the Latino community and academic success.

In this episode of Real Mississippi, we delve into the systemic health inequities affecting Mississippi. We investigate how poverty, limited healthcare access, and racial disparities contribute to the state’s poor health outcomes. Through interviews with experts like Dr. Torrance Green and Dr. Julius Kato, we uncover how policy decisions, such as the refusal to expand Medicaid, have exacerbated these challenges. Byhighlighting real-life stories and expert insights, the podcast offers actionable solutions including Medicaid expansion, investment in rural healthcare, and community-driven public health initiatives. Ultimately, the episode advocates for urgent, systemic reforms to ensure a healthier, more equitable future for all Mississippians.

Mississippi’s history of religious segregation actively harms the state’s future. Most Christian African Americans and white Americans attend congregations of the same race. This prevents the valuable exchange of cultural knowledge needed to succeed in a diverse society. For a better future, Mississippi’s people must acknowledge a past of prejudice, and move forward as a unified church. We decided to interview a handful of MSMS’s student’s and faculty from all different backgrounds to gauge the movement of Mississippi’s churches towards diversity. 

With over 90% of Americans listening to music via a music streaming service, music has a wide impact on us, and it’s important to understand why and how. "Music’s Effect on Us" is a student podcast discussing the effects of listening to music, specifically how music can be used as a coping mechanism, as well as creating said music, and how the emotions a genre evokes can change over time.

This podcast, written by Jayden Wagner and produced by Shaw Prewitt, discusses the benefits of organized sports for communities, for individuals' mental health and self-esteem, and as a catapult to university.

In this podcast I’ll discuss how tipping is viewed, interviewing servers about their personal experiences. I will suggest ways to make the issue on tipping better.

In "Beyond the Plate," we dig into what’s really going on with food in Mississippi, from the rise of ultra-processed foods to struggling small farmers. Are community driven solutions and policy changes even possible? Come with us as we dive into the world of food, culture and sustainability, and how we can work to build a healthier future for Mississippi. Its rich culinary heritage and the comfort of Southern cooking, however, often hide a more serious crisis of food insecurity, poor health, and environmental problems in agriculture.

Imagine a child sitting in class, but their mind is elsewhere—haunted by the violence they experience daily. In Jackson, Mississippi, this is a reality for many kids, and it’s affecting their ability to learn, grow, and dream. But what if we could change that? What if, together, we could create a community where kids are safe, supported, and free to reach their full potential? This episode dives deep into how violence impacts children, how that affects their future, and what we can do to break the cycle. Tune in to learn how we can help them build a brighter future.

“How Activities Help Heal the Mind” is an episode on ways to improve mental health without using medication. In the episode, we talk about ways people were able to feel better from doing activities such as working out, going on walks, and just forgetting about it. Our goal is to focus on approaches that have worked for people and share those solutions with others who struggle with their mental health. If you want a non-medicated way to take of your mental health, this episode is for you.

During this podcast, we explore the significant impact language barriers have on the healthcare system. Through a personal account of an individual affected by these barriers and insights from healthcare professionals, we explore the challenges that arise when inefficient communication causes misunderstandings. Although overcoming language barriers is not an immediate fix, we discuss practical solutions and strategies that could improve patient care and also make healthcare more accessible to everyone.

Young student and martial artist Enoch Clardy examines whether Mixed Martial Arts can benefit Mississippi. He interviews Noel McMichael, a world champion and 24-time national taekwondo champion and jiu-jitsu promoter, alongside his best friend and wrestling teammate, Jayden Wagner. Together, they discuss the personal impact MMA has had on their lives and explore how the sport could contribute to Mississippi’s communities through discipline, opportunity, and growth. 

People’s favorite hangout spots and comfort spaces are fading away right in front of our eyes. While these physical spaces are leaving, a new way to connect with others and have fun is now in the spotlight: video games. This episode talks about how video games can emulate the benefits of these social spaces and could be the face of a new revolutionary way of socializing.

CRISPR-Cas9 is a revolutionary tool for genetic engineering that allows scientists to precisely alter DNA within living organisms. Sickle cell disease is a terrifying problem prevalent in Mississippi. CRISPR-Cas9 can be used to correct the genetic mutation that causes sickle cell disease by editing the patient's stem cells to produce healthy red blood cells. Trial runs using this solution have been performed in Mississippi, and CRISPR has been proven to have the potential to change the medical world.

Throughout the United States, women’s reproductive issues have been significantly controversial since the early 20th century. Mississippi has continuously displayed its complex feelings through deep-rooted restrictions and legal battles. For many years, Mississippi has implemented some of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country, including limited medical care, mandatory waiting periods, and temporary abortion bans. Leading to the overturning of Roe v. Wade through the passing of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization rooted in Mississippi, longstanding efforts to limit reproductive freedom shaped the nation’s abortion access setting back years of progress. Produced by Annaliese Coughlin and Anna Anderson.

This episode of Real Mississippi follows a conversation between Noah Maksi and Raymond Yang as they explore the true essence of blues music. They take a deep dive into the genre’s history, uncovering the raw emotion and cultural significance behind the music. The discussion traces the blues’ role in the Civil Rights Movement through artists like B.B. King, as well as important places like Clarksdale, Mississippi—a city rich in blues history and a hub for musical tourism. 

Brain Drain — or the migration of college-educated individuals out of an area or state — harms Mississippi’s economy and future growth. To what extent does this phenomenon damage Mississippi? Why does it happen, and more importantly, what can we do to stop it?

Performance art has been in steep decline, leaving our schools without vital outlets for students to express themselves. From choral performances to drama and recitals, learn what we stand to lose if we allow these programs to disappear from our education system 

Divorce affects many children of America, and often the children get pushed to the side as parents argue in court. When divorce strikes a family, it affects all members not just the parents. But many times children get forgotten, and their mental health starts to decline as a result. In Mississippi this problem is made worse by the limited mental healthcare options and availability. So what happens to the children of our state? 

This episode of Real Mississippi is centered on the immigrant population in Mississippi. It touches on the effect on immigrants from Mississippi’s support of Trump’s policies on immigration. Mississippians, through personal accounts on topics ranging from everyday life to the labor force, give their unfiltered perspective on the direction Mississippi is headed. This episode brings current immigration policies, including the involvement of ICE and its effects on families and communities, into the light. 

Dyslexia is a learning disability with far-reaching effects, and it should be taken seriously. Dyslexia can be characterized as having difficulty reading and comprehending text. Being dyslexic often times makes children feel embarrassed, especially when the differences between them and the rest of their peers are made obvious. Private dyslexia therapy can give children their confidence back and improve their self-esteem, except private dyslexia therapy is not accessible in eastern Mississippi, with only one non-profit dyslexia therapy organization having licensed dyslexia therapists. 

This episode of Real Mississippi explores how physical spaces shape our memories, identities, and collective history. Through personal stories and local examples, it shows how spaces can act as vital links to the past. It argues that when we neglect or erase these spaces, we risk losing the history and lessons they represent. Preserving them keeps history honest and memories alive. 

In the "Real Mississippi" podcast, Kyle Lin and Sam Smith dive into whether sugar-free products are healthier or not. They discuss how studies show that artificial sweeteners can raise the risk of heart problems and strokes, especially when people overdo it. They further mention that sugar-free products cost more and that big companies have used marketing and social media to make them seem healthier than they are. In the end, Kyle and Sam remind listeners that, just like with regular sugar, moderation is the real key to staying healthy. 

 The Canton Public School District has, in the past, received low accountability ratings from the Mississippi Department of Education. However, within the past few years, the district has been seeing improvements within its accountability ratings. Canton High School finally achieved a "B" accountability rating. Other schools in the district have seen similar improvements in their ratings within the past decade. This podcast explores opinions on what is aiding the district's academic rise. 

As one of the lowest ranked states in America, Mississippi is having a generational struggle with a “brain drain”, a phenomenon in which the state’s homegrown educated students leave to find better opportunities elsewhere. In “Plugging the Drain”, MSMS-student Ashton Spence focuses on what is causing this brain drain in Mississippi, what the brain drain is doing to the state, and how its citizens can help reverse the crisis with inputs and interviews from various Mississippi residents and entrepreneurs. By the end, listeners get a better sense of the brain drain issue in Mississippi and its possible solutions.

High school football is deeply rooted in Mississippi culture, which puts immense pressure on coaches and players to succeed. This pressure sometimes leads to dangerous training conditions, especially in extreme heat, where athletes are pushed beyond safe limits. The culture of toughness discourages players from speaking up about exhaustion or illness, increasing the risk of heat-related injuries and fatalities. This podcast emphasizes the need for better safety measures, such as more hydration breaks, adjusting practice times, and ensuring coaches are properly trained to prevent unnecessary harm to young athletes.

After years of being stuck at the bottom of the list, Mississippi made significant improvements and climbed up from 49th to 30th place on America’s educational ranks. It was mainly supported by the 2013 Literacy Based Promotion Act, as it helped support children who were struggling with academics and provide them with more attention to ensure their success. However, Mississippi is still not considered in the top 25, so in order to figure out what issues prevent education in Mississippi to be even greater, a comparison with New York was made. Studies showed that poverty and low-funding played an important part in the success of students, which was why Mississippi’s education couldn’t reach its full potential. As policies continue to change, these issues in Mississippi may soon be resolved, allowing Mississippi to continue to climb up the ranks for best education in America. 

This podcast delves into the world of Civil Rights tourism by analyzing the problems with the status quo and providing solutions for making it a better and more ethical industry. 

In this podcast, Mirae Nishikawa delves into the importance of the Korean Church for the Korean population of Starkville Misssissippi. She chose this topic because of her connection to the Korean Church. The church has become a haven for Korean families such as hers to get together and share the struggles of living in a foreign country where they are unfamiliar with the customs. These churches hold a special place in rural states such as Mississippi because of the seclusion racial minorities often experience. 

In this episode of Real Mississippi, hosts Aanya Banga and Rebecca Sun explore the pressure college women face to conform to beauty standards, especially in Greek life communities across Mississippi. Through an interview with Grace Fruge, a Phi Mu member at Millsaps College, they discuss how cosmetic procedures are often considered necessary for social acceptance but still carry stigma. Grace’s story highlights both the empowerment and risks tied to cosmetic surgery. The hosts reflect on how true confidence should guide these decisions, not societal expectations, and call for a more open, judgment-free conversation around beauty and self-expression.

In Mississippi, getting kids into sports isn’t as simple as lacing up sneakers. In many Delta and rural towns, fees for leagues, gear costs, and travel miles make joining a team feel impossible—especially for families on tight budgets. Black and Latino kids are hit hardest, with fewer local programs and less community funding compared to wealthier, whiter areas. Girls face extra hurdles too, since there are often fewer teams and coaches paying attention. As club-based, year-round models become the norm, the divide only grows, leaving tons of Mississippi youth cheering from the sidelinesinstead of getting in the game.

Dungeons and Demons, written by John Paul Willhoite, is a short podcast produced as a part of Real Mississippi that analyzes the history of the satanic panic in Mississippi. It lays out a timeline and discusses the rise of satanic fear mongering, the tragic incidents that started its rise, the origins of Dungeons and Dragons as a whole, and how the satanic panic has affected the larger Dungeons and Dragons community as a whole. It includes interviews from those who have been through the satanic panic.

The podcast made by Ainsley Dew and Poppy Bowling challenges the widespread belief among Mississippians that success requires leaving the state. It examines how research into Mississippi’s economy and business culture reveals overlooked growth opportunities. Through interviews with students and teachers, it highlights the tension between Mississippi’s current struggles and its untapped potential. Cited sources explain how the loss of educated workers weakens economic development, while arguments from Eric Hill propose that Mississippi could become a tech hub through investment in workforce development and entrepreneurship. The podcast closes that the state’s future depends on a collective shift in mindset: believing in Mississippi’s potential and actively building it from within.

In the last 60 years, Mississippi has made strides to move forward, but the scars of injustice still haunt its complicated and dark past. Mack Charles Parker was a black man accused of raping a white woman. He was later lynched, and justice was never brought to his case. The brutal lynching of Mack Charles Parker remains one of Mississippi’s deepest scars and stands as a reminder to move towards progress. This episode of RealMississippi looks beyond the headlines and focuses on the human cost of hatred and silence.

 The United Methodist Church, a denomination of Christianity, recently faced a disastrous split. This split is referred to as disaffiliation, and the main issue that caused this split is over the compatibility with the church and homosexuality. This podcast dives into the history of homosexuality and Methodism, along with how pastors and their families have been negatively impacted by this process. 

Theodore G. Bilbo was born in October, 1877, in Poplarville, Mississippi, and after studying law, Bilbo decided to focus on a career in politics. Bilbo’s local success grasped the attention of James K. Vardaman, and through working together, Bilbo would be elected as Governor of Mississippi. During Bilbo’s first term, his actions would benefit the state as he addressed many problems such as education and infrastructure in Mississippi. However, after losing an election for Congress, Bilbo would be re-elected as Mississippi’s Governor, and his following careless actions would wreck the state’s economy. Bilbo’s effects can still be felt through Mississippi even today. 

Our state of Mississippi is second highest for human trafficking rates in the nation! We are the poorest state, and limits to healthcare and education in most parts of the state create vulnerability that traffickers can take advantage of. We have great programs in our state working to stop trafficking, as well as provide resources to victims. While trafficking is a global issue, it is important to do what we can right here in Mississippi to help!

Throughout modern history, Mississippi artists have worked to revolutionize the media’s portrayal of the Magnolia State. Born in Mississippi, artists we consider “The Greats” like Elvis Presley, Eudora Welty, and Walter Anderson have each contributed to the fight against Mississippi's stigma. Today, talented artists across Mississippi have a different problem: artificial intelligence (AI). With the introduction of AI, how we create, view, and value art has changed. Though AI is revolutionizing our world, it cannot replace the artist's role of exploring Mississippi with a new perspective. This episode of the Real Mississippi is written, produced, and hosted by Margaret Parker and Bea Storment. 

 Lawns may not be as “green” as they seem. Revealed in "These Roots in Mississippi," a podcast written and recorded by Zander Dennison and Jett Woods focused on the negative impact of traditional lawn care. In this podcast we unveil the horrors of invasive species, pesticide runoff, and lawn mowing. We offer insight from figures such as botanist Michael Dodson and personal local accounts. And most importantly we offer solutions and alternatives to better root your lawn into Mississippi’s soil. 

The Tombigbee River is a major transportation avenue that runs through the South. It has altered American history, created the foundations of major towns like Columbus, Mississippi, and is the site of the largest civil works project ever constructed in the United States. Despite this, for many in Columbus, Mississippi, it plays a minor role in their life and some have never heard of it. Learn to appreciate The Tombigbee through jazz, heartwarming chats with Columbus locals, and a deep dive into the legacy of rivers.

Cleveland, Mississippi is known for many things, among them a desegregation case decades after Brown vs. Board. Education in Cleveland, Mississippi, was forever changed in 2016 when the U.S. District Court consolidated two high schools. With so many positive and negative aspects arising after the consolidation, Cleveland students, parents, and teachers ask: Was the consolidation a good idea? And is white flight to private schools representing inevitable segregation? Writer Adair Gaines and producer Jose Brevil explore these questions and what they mean in context to Cleveland.

This podcast shares viewpoints on the many “lack of” statements discussed by local residents from the rural area of Cleveland, MS and the small town of Columbus, MS. The podcasters and the residents all voice their opinions on what needs to change and how their hometowns could evolve and better the citizens only if there weren’t issues such as the lack of quality jobs, city officials who do poor jobs, and poor city development. Podcast by Gavin Weatherspoon and Antanae Shelton.