Mississippi People’s Movement (MPM) is a nonprofit coalition of more than 20 grassroots organizations working to advance social, economic, and environmental justice across the state of Mississippi. Founded in 2024 to address longstanding systemic inequities, MPM focuses on issues such as climate change, environmental degradation, and economic disparity, which disproportionately affect low-income communities and communities of color. These problems are pronounced in Mississippi, where nearly 30 percent of Black residents live in poverty, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. MPM combats these injustices through advocacy, education, and community organizing. Serving disadvantaged communities across Mississippi, from Hattiesburg to the Gulf Coast, MPM works to bridge short-term needs with long-term visions for a just and resilient future. “We strive to create a future where all residents can thrive in a healthy society that values justice, equity, and environmental stewardship,” says Antionette McKay, MPM’s regional organizer.
MPM provides disaster relief to tornado-impacted Mississippians in 2025. Photo: Mississippi People’s Movement
A people-of-color-led organization with two contractors, an active board of directors, and dozens of volunteers, MPM is a grassroots, community-driven group working to build a more just, equitable, and sustainable Mississippi. In 2024, MPM held its “Climate Learning Convening” in Jackson, Mississippi, to help communities understand how climate change works, explore local solutions, discuss how energy-intensive sectors fit into a green future, and provide a forum for community members to ask questions. MPM has also been active in opposing Drax’s wood pellet facility in Gloster, Mississippi, which has polluted the region’s air and water for nearly a decade. The organization is currently collaborating with other environmental groups to submit complaints to the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, documenting the plant’s effects on local residents’ health. MPM is also working to establish a community garden in Jackson to advance food sovereignty and teach youth how to harvest and prepare their own food.
MPM member organization ReRootD Futures Initiative teaches youth how to grow their own food in Jackson, MS. Photo: Mississippi People’s Movement