All results / Stories / Donna Ladd
The Truth About Today’s Youth
Today's generation of young people may be the safest, smartest and most resilient we've ever experienced. Yes, including here in Jackson and Mississippi.
Hunting and Gathering
Last week, I had a young documentary crew called subSIPPI in my office asking me questions about whether Mississippi has changed.
Hinds DA, Sheriff Hopefuls Share Plans, Philosophies in Primary Bid
During the run-up to the Hinds County primaries on Aug. 6, the word "reform" flies around a lot in the two races that have the most direct effect on the local criminal-justice system—district attorney and sheriff.
Cedric Willis: Honoree of YMP Crime Forum at Walton Elementary
The late Cedric Willis is the honoree of a youth-crime forum tonight in Jackson where participants will brainstorm both causes and solutions of violence in the capital city.
EDITOR'S NOTE: None of Us Is Safe from Hate
Each of us must use our gifts to heal our city, our state and our nation. We are kicking off our #MSCitizensAgenda to better understand challenges facing Mississippians through public gatherings, social media and deeper reporting.
UPDATED: Mississippi ICE Raids: How to Help Children, Families (New Funding Links)
After news broke Wednesday of the workplace immigration raids in Mississippi, with 696 arrests and leaving many children stranded at school with nowhere to go, local ministers, advocates and lawyers began mobilizing and compiling resources to share with the public.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Media: Horse-Race Election Reporting Signifies Nothing
It is vital to stop treating elections like a fun, two-sided thrill ride, which (usually male) political reporters and campaign strategists love—and they're getting paid either way, even if your hospital closes.
Judge Disqualifies Attorneys In Water Lawsuit Against City of Jackson
The City of Jackson, a defendant in a lawsuit over how it is handling the current water-billing crisis, sent out two press statements Wednesday night announcing a victory for its defense in the legal action.
DOSSIER: Hitting Transparency Brick Walls, Scolded for Immigration Coverage
"I'm officially launching my new weekly Dossier, which will spotlight our accountability journalism, whether about how ICE raids are conducted or when public officials aren't being transparent or not following proper protocols for informing the public about how they reach their decisions and the motivations behind policy."
DOSSIER: County Documents At Risk, Public Meeting Confusion, No to WJTV
The Jackson Free Press scored a transparency victory this week, at least for now, when the Hinds County Board of Supervisors provided us a list of the documents it plans to destroy, which I addressed in last week's Dossier after reporter Seyma Bayram learned about the impending destruction.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Dehumanization Spreads Racism, Destroys Lives
Dehumanizing other human beings, as Trump does with about any person of color who dares criticize him, is ripping our country apart, just like it did during the Civil Rights Movement and back when the South fought the Civil War to continue its right to dehumanize and enslave human beings and to force new states to allow it.
DOSSIER: Hinds Doc Destruction Still Threat; Disrespect in Green's Court; N-JAM Club
If you've been reading Seyma Bayram's coverage of the Hinds County Board of Supervisors and my previous Friday columns, you know that she was shocked to discover that the county voted one month ago to destroy a long list of documents spanning 23 years.
DOSSIER: GOP's Red-baiting Mailer Template, Campaign Lies, Bryant Miffed
Republicans are already sending out glossy mailers warming up the crowd in Mississippi and other southern states to the necessity of electing Trump apologists and enablers—that is pretty much what Reeves' whole campaign is about at this point.
Mississippi Democratic Party Needs to Overhaul Strategies, Outreach, Diversity
Prominent novelist Angie Thomas is planning to leave Mississippi due to the toxic politics here, on prominent display in last night’s election outcome. The wildly successful graduate of Belhaven College grew up in Georgetown in Jackson and travels frequently to Atlanta, Los Angeles and beyond. Her first novel became a popular feature film, and now her second film is in production.
DOSSIER: Of Corporate Media and Insulting Shenanigans
What a week. The last 10 days saw not only the official demise of the Mississippi Democratic Party, at least the way it's run and strategized now, but it was filled with disillusioning encounters with local representatives of national media corporations for us, revealing a certain callous regard of other reporters and editors.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Mississippi Women, It’s Your Time to Speak Up, Lead
Election season was tough for Mississippi women as usual. It was a time for broken promises and slights as we watched male candidates, and their women enablers, show little apparent interest in our safety, prosperity, health and voices and be elected to all statewide offices.
DOSSIER: From Bashing 'Boys of Spring' to Unpacking a Mississippi-Brexit Love Affair
"TV networks may live and die on ratings and people screaming opinions at each other from two "sides," but our democracy really can't take much more of this kind of dangerous political gamesmanship."
DOSSIER: Shanda Yates' Win in Mississippi Inspires Voters, Teaches Lessons
If the last week has proved anything, it's that people in the U.S., in Mississippi and especially in the Jackson metropolitan area are excited about a political newcomer, Shanda Yates, defeating a long-time incumbent for the District 64 seat in the Mississippi House of Representatives.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Meet the Mississippi Free Press, Focused on Causes and Solutions
The need for a new moral and cultural compass is why I and my co-founder Kimberly Griffin are announcing a new media project today called the Mississippi Free Press, which, like my newspaper, is named in homage to a Civil Rights Movement newspaper in Jackson.
DOSSIER: Mississippi Secrets Revealed, from 'Ole Miss' to RFK to Charles Overby
"Most people in Mississippi who do not agree with the radical-conservative, racist status quo have always been afraid to speak publicly about it—certainly at least the white ones."