On Wednesday May 22, 2000, Project X-Change arrived in Jackson, Mississippi where we were welcomed and hosted by Southern Echo. Southern Echo provides organizing trainings and technical assistance to grassroots, community based organizations in Mississippi and all over the Southern United States.
Upon arriving in Jackson, the South African young people met with Hollis Watkins, president of Southern Echo and a veteran of the Civil Rights Movement. Originally from Mississippi, Hollis gave the South Africans an overview of issues that face the Black community in Mississippi, and Southern Echo's work to address those concerns. These issues include voting rights and redistricting, environmental racism, the criminal justice system and the lack of quality education for Black and poor communities in Mississippi. Hollis also shared some of his experiences as an activist and organizer over the past 40 years.
The South African delegation with Hollis Watkins (standing 2nd from the left)
and George Ross (squatting on the right) from Southern Echo.
On May 23, 2002 George Ross took the delegation to Indianola in the Mississippi Delta to meet with the Indianola Parents and Student Group (IPSG), an organization working towards a quality education and a healthy environment for Indianola's young people. After an introductory meeting at their office, the delegation was taken on a tour of the area.
The delegation outside IPSG's office.
Ms. Betty Petty, co-coordinator of IPSG, describing the stench from the cesspool next to a Black community in Indianola.
A cotton field where crop dusters frequently spray pesticides.
The community that lives across the street from that cotton field.
The delegation visited the Robert L Merritt Middle School directlyacross from the cotton field.
The delegation toured the school and are seen here with
some students.
That afternoon the delegation drove to Lexington, Mississippi in Holmes County to visit Citizens for Quality Education (CQE).
Ellen Reddy from CQE describes the uneven distribution of resources and teachers in Mississippi leaving Black children of the Delta with fewer resources than their white counterparts.
Hellen Johnson shows pictures, taken by CQE youth, of illegal dump sites in their community.
On Friday May 24, 2002, the South African youth traveled further into rural Mississippi to visit members of a Black farmers' cooperative and the Black Muslim community of New Medinah.
The delegation visited Mr. Barnes' farm in Marion County, Mississippi. This Black owned farm challenges the chemical dependent agricultural industry by using organic and semi organic methods of sustainable agriculture.
The delegation also got the opportunity to ride a mare belonging to a local Black horse breeder.
Lunch after prayer services at New Medinah.
Special thanks to Southern Echo, especially George, Mac and Preston for showing us around Mississippi.
For more information on Southern Echo please contact them at
233 East Hamilton Street,
Jackson, MS 39202
Tel: 601-352-1500
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