Perspectives on Balance
What’s missing?
Average, young and marginalized voices.
And stories of local progress.
We asked people what stories are not being told in their communities and what voices aren't being heard. People said they wanted to hear more from average/young/marginalized people and that there was more progress being made in their community than was being reported.
Responses included none (4), progress in my community (3), average-person perspectives (3), youth perspectives (2) and causes of problems (2). People also mentioned local candidates’ stances, diversity in positive coverage, equity for Black farmers, marginalized voices, daily life in Jackson, humanity in Black crime, Black achievements, relevant local news and financial guidance.
"We're not getting enough information in the political field of who is running and what they stand for."
"I come up with guesses in my head about why things are the way they are, but there's no coverage of just daily life in Jackson."
"Just the overall economics of how good our city is doing now. I think there's a sense of civic pride. I realize it's hard to measure that."
"I think we're good. With social media, people get heard. People get heard too damn much."
Black perspectives on what’s missing
I would like to see more positive stories. I know the bad is there, but I love a good story. More about mental health and how it can improve your life.
In the Black community, we see a lot of stigma around mental healthcare. One of the problems we have is people not taking care of themselves mentally, spiritually, physically or emotionally...
I think something that has died a natural death is Black media. Who best can tell our stories but us?
— Akwete Muhammad, Hattiesburg
There are stories that need to be told about how people have overcome and how people have succeeded.
We have started to protest how a negative light is constantly shed on our African-American community. There are more things that are happening in our community other than crime.
If I tell my 9-year-old daughter, "You're lazy, you're dumb, you'll never amount to anything," guess what she's going to grow up thinking? But if I tell her, "You're smart, you're beautiful," and expose her to the world, that will shape her life in a different way. It's the same thing with the media.
— Rev. Chris Diggs, Clarksdale
A complete and comprehensive story of the people of the region is deeply missing and quite frankly ignored by white-controlled media outlets that sensationalize crime and negative black stereotypes while blatantly failing to adequately cover positive Black leadership, achievements and accomplishments...
What is missing is a minority-owned platform to join in the public narrative of how the city of Greenville, the Mississippi Delta and the state are moving forward.
— Mayor Errick Simmons, Greenville
