Every child deserves a system that is fair, efficient, transparent, and focused on rehabilitation and safety. I support meaningful improvements, but supporting reform does not require supporting every reform bill. Senate Bill 2001, nearly 200 pages long and passed within 48 hours during the 2026 Extraordinary Session, fundamentally restructures how youth courts operate across Mississippi. It creates new full-time youth court judges in many districts, transfers intake responsi

June 29, 2026 - Today, the United States Supreme Court rejected yet another attempt to make it harder for eligible Americans to vote by upholding Mississippi's law allowing absentee ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted if received within five business days. This ruling is a victory for democracy, common sense, and voters across our state. The challenge to Mississippi's absentee ballot grace period was never about election integrity. It was an effort to disenfranch

The death of 1-year-old Kohen Wiley has weighed heavily on my heart. As a mother and a State Representative, I struggle to find words that adequately express the pain and anguish surrounding the death of this innocent child. Regardless of the circumstances, a grieving family has buried a child who should still be laughing, growing, and experiencing life's first milestones. Scripture reminds us in Micah 6:8 that the Lord requires us "to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk h

Serving as your State Representative for House District 68 continues to be one of the greatest honors of my life. As I reflect on the 2026 Mississippi Legislative Session, I am proud of the progress we made on behalf of working families, educators, small business owners, and communities across our state. This session, I worked alongside colleagues to protect public education and defeat school choice legislation that would have diverted critical resources away from our publi

This is an excerpt from my presentation during the Third Annual Juneteenth All Clergy Day Gathering Luncheon at New Horizong Church International on June 19, 2026. As our nation prepares for its 250th birthday, we understand that it was not until June 19, 1865 when General Granger and the federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to inform 2,000 enslaved African Americans that Black folks gained freedom. So this day is significant in acknowledging that Juneteenth represents

Sixty-one years after the U.S. Supreme Court decided the landmark case of Griswold v. Connecticut, Americans once again find themselves debating a question many believed had already been settled: Who gets to make personal decisions about family planning and reproductive healthcare? That question was at the center of a recent gathering near the Mississippi State Capitol, where I joined colleagues, advocates, and healthcare leaders in front of a 20-foot inflatable IUD called Fr

Mississippi continues to face significant maternal health challenges, particularly for Black women and families. During this discussion, we learn about the current landscape of maternal health from UMMC Myrlie Evers Williams Institute for the Elimination of Health Disparities Executive Director Dr. Victoria Gholar, receive a legislative update from Rep. Zakiya Summers, and hear from child care providers any concenrs and ideas that can strengthen the connection between materna

Mississippi recently passed a new voting law called the SHIELD Act—short for Safeguard Honest Integrity in Elections for Lasting Democracy. This bill set to become law on July 1 will no doubt create new barriers for eligible voters and increase the risk of mistakes that keep lawful voters from casting a ballot. What Does the SHIELD Act Do? The SHIELD Act changes how Mississippi verifies citizenship for voting purposes. The law requires the Secretary of State to use a federal

The 2026 election is not just another election cycle. It is a defining moment for the future of democracy, representation, and voting rights in Mississippi and across the nation. In the wake of the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais, communities across the South are facing renewed uncertainty about whether Black voters and historically marginalized communities will continue to have meaningful representation at every level of government. The SCOTUS

The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Louisiana v. Callais is not just a legal decision—it is already reshaping what happens next in Mississippi. Governor Tate Reeves has already announced that lawmakers will return to Jackson for a special session to redraw judicial district lines in response to both this decision and prior federal court findings. What the Decision Means At its core, the Callais decision significantly weakens how Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act is applied. F

In my work as a legislator, I often say that policy is only as strong as the people it serves. Laws are written in the Capitol—but real impact is lived out in our neighborhoods, in our homes, and in the everyday acts of service that too often go unrecognized. That is why the 7th Annual Mother’s Day Brunch is so important. On Saturday, May 23, 2026 at 9:00 a.m., we will gather at the Mississippi State Capitol—not just for a meal, but for a moment of reflection, recognition, an

Mississippi is at a turning point. As we implement the Rural Health Transformation Program through the Governor's office, we have an opportunity not just to stabilize healthcare but to rethink how care is delivered across our state. That work must begin with maternal health. That's why I sent Governor Reeves with a list of recommendations to strengthen maternal and infant health outcomes through the Rural Health Transformation Program. When mothers cannot access safe, timely

I am incredibly excited to work alongside Dr. Denise Jones Gregory as she steps into her role as President of Jackson State University. Dr. Gregory is the embodiment of strong, effective leadership—she is personable, intelligent, team-oriented, and brings a steady, solutions-driven approach to every space she enters. Having had the opportunity to work with her, I can speak firsthand to her commitment to collaboration and her deep understanding of what it takes to move institu

Several years ago, a local salon owner reached out to me with a problem that, on its face, seemed small—but in reality spoke to a much larger issue about access, dignity, and opportunity. He shared that several hairstylists in his salon—experienced professionals, many over the age of 65—had allowed their licenses to lapse. These were individuals who had spent decades serving their communities, building businesses, and mentoring the next generation. They were willing to do the

As the 2026 legislative session comes to a close, Mississippi lawmakers have sent a teacher pay raise bill to the governor’s desk. While this legislation represents movement, we must be honest about what it is and what it is not. The final agreement provides a $2,000 pay raise for teachers , with additional increases for some educators and school personnel. Any raise is something, but this is more symbolic than it is meaningful. At a time when Mississippi continues to rank la

All session long, House and Senate Democrats have been fighting for one of the most basic building blocks of a functioning economy: child care. Despite the urgency, despite the data, and despite the real-life consequences playing out across our state, child care has not been prioritized. We have now seen firsthand the devastating impact of the Child Care Payment Program (CCPP) pause by the Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS): Providers have laid off staff Classroo

I proudly co-sponsored House Bill 1637 because I believe Mississippi must take intentional, data-driven steps to reduce infant mortality. The creation of a Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Panel is an important and necessary step toward understanding why too many of our babies are dying too soon. But understanding the problem is only the beginning. My position remains clear: if we are serious about healthy babies, we must be equally serious about healthy mothers. While HB 1

Mississippi is at a critical juncture in determining the future of Jackson’s water system—one of the most essential public infrastructure systems in our state. While I agree that a long-term governance structure must be in place following the completion of the third-party manager’s work, I have grave concerns about the bill sent to the Governor. As currently structured, the legislation grants the State majority control over the City of Jackson Water Authority Board. That deci

Mississippians know something about resilience. We have lived through systems designed to silence us, policies built to exclude us, and power structures that too often ignored us. Yet—through organizing, education, and sheer determination—we have continued to move this state, and this country, forward. Today, our democracy is under pressure again. Recent efforts to rely on third-party data—like Experian—to maintain voter rolls raise serious questions about accuracy, transpare

Mississippi continues to face one of the most severe maternal health crises in the nation, with Black women disproportionately impacted by preventable complications and deaths related to pregnancy and childbirth. Addressing this crisis requires more than isolated reforms—it demands a comprehensive, coordinated policy response. The Mississippi Maternal Health Legislative Package that I've introduced is a holistic framework designed to strengthen maternal health outcomes acros