Monica Robinson begins her day at 5:30 a.m., driving a school bus before starting her full-time job as a social worker for a Mississippi school district. After work, she heads home to another gig: caring for her three foster children as well as her biological son.
Two new state laws are raising concerns across Mississippi, particularly in communities where support systems for unhoused people are already strained.
One year after 4-month-old Denilson Elligson died during a medical crisis while the Mississippi Department of Child Protective Services tried to find him, a Harrison County committee is pushing for a new law and stronger community partnerships they hope could prevent similar tragedies.
The Vancleave Live Oak Choctaw Tribe, based in Jackson County, is working to preserve and revive its language, ceremonies and cultural identity — despite lacking recognition from both state and federal governments.
At small repairs — flickering lights, broken toilets and a growing list of maintenance needs — are a daily challenge. Amid the wear and tear, the nonprofit organization remains focused on what matters most: supporting individuals with disabilities.
