Events organized by the Mississippi Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Alliance included a youth poetry slam, a film screening of Bootjack & Red, and a panel discussion featuring local Civil Rights Activist Rev. Dr. John Perkins.
Jackson, MS – In recognition of the 2025 National Day of Racial Healing, the Mississippi’s Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation (TRHT) Alliance hosted a two-day series of events featuring youth leaders in partnership with the Foundation for the Mid-South.
The two-day event launched on Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) Day, January 20, with 80 volunteers, including 65 youth leaders, assembling care packages for people in need and later driving beautification efforts for local community parks and centers. Youth leaders also made their voices heard during a racial healing discussion at the Smith-Robertson Museum and a slam poetry gathering at the Bean Barn later in the day.
“Everybody can be great… because anybody can serve,” said George Stewart, Director of Education Programming at FMS, quoting Dr. Martin Luther King. “I believe that the Dr. King Day of Service project was instrumental in helping to drive this message home for our young people that participated.”
The second day of the celebration took place on National Day of Racial Healing (NDORH) and kicked off with a breakfast gathering of community leaders, policymakers, and advocates at the Two Mississippi Museums. Following the breakfast, community leaders and members of the public celebrated the memory of Rev. Dr. John Perkins, highlighting his decades of work in racial reconciliation, community development, and economic empowerment.
Established in 2017, NDORH is a pivotal initiative of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s nationwide racial healing effort. Observed each year on the Tuesday following MLK Day, it serves as a collective call to action to create a more just and equitable society. Both events during the two-day celebration centered on the power of community in moving racial healing work forward in Mississippi and across the Mid-South.
On Tuesday, January 28, community leaders convened for a screening of Bootjack & Red, a powerful film documenting the lives and deaths of Roosevelt Townes and Robert McDaniels, two Black men who were victims of racial violence in Duck Hill, Mississippi, in 1937. This event, originally planned for January 21, was rescheduled due to unfavorable weather conditions.
“Our work has shown us that community engagement is essential to building better futures across the Mid-South,” said Gregory Johnson, CEO and President of the Foundation for the Mid-South. “The Mississippi TRHT initiative is a true testament to the good that comes when organizations work together, especially when it comes to getting young people engaged and committed to bettering their communities.”
Launched with support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Mississippi TRHT initiative follows the Foundation’s national model enabling communities to reshape their futures, address systemic challenges, and work together toward transformation. Mississippi’s TRHT Alliance is a collaboration with Jackson State University, Millsaps College, Mission Mississippi, Neshoba County Youth Coalition, Tougaloo College, and The Alluvial Collectives.
“I am grateful to have witnessed a multigenerational collective that will be the change that not only Mississippi needs but our nation,” said Derykah Watts, Program Associate of Mississippi’s TRHT. “The National Day of Racial Healing youth activities and discussion panels were transformative. Youth are the future and community leaders will help lead them to the future of a healed nation.”
Community collaborators included Alpha Phi Alpha- Alpha Esquires, Briarwood Art Council, Jackson Associations for Black Social Workers Jxnology, Leaving Legacies N the Mix, the Neshoba Youth Coalition, Operation Good Foundation, and The Youth Outreach Company
The TRHT Alliance encourages racial healing by engaging community members in storytelling circles, panel discussions, and listening sessions. Grants provided to community groups support dialogue and partnerships with a particular focus to build coalitions around inclusive economic solutions.
For more information, contact amara@pencilpr.com
About the Foundation for the Mid-South
Established in 1990, the Foundation for the Mid South (FMS) is a regional foundation dedicated to leveraging resources to strengthen economies, build local capacity, and foster positive change for communities in Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana. Over its 35-year history, FMS has invested more than $800 million in the region, serving as a catalyst for transformative change and a collaborative platform for donors and local leaders to create sustainable solutions. As a three-state community foundation, FMS manages funds specifically designed to address the unique challenges of a region that accounts for nearly 30% of the nation’s poverty. This area is marked by rural economic isolation, historic segregation, and lower educational and health outcomes. To address these challenges, FMS has developed economic development programs focused on creating opportunities and spurring significant economic growth in the Mid-South. Signature initiatives include the Mississippi Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Alliance, the Mississippi Delta GEAR UP, and the Mississippi Justice Fund.
About National Day of Racial Healing
The National Day of Racial Healing is a time to contemplate our shared values and create the blueprint together for #HowWeHeal from the effects of racism. Launched by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation in 2017, this annual observance was created with and builds on the work and learnings of the Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation community partners. Fundamental to this day is a clear understanding that racial healing is at the core of racial equity. This day is observed every year on the Tuesday following Martin Luther King, Jr., Day.