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Night of Storytelling

Last month, Springboard to Opportunities gathered at the Mississippi Museum of Art in Jackson for our Night of Storytelling — a community celebration we have made an annual tradition of.

For the first time, we featured the kids of Magnolia Mother’s Trust recipients who showed a room full of adults how smart, powerful and deeply insightful they are.

We were especially grateful to have New York Times bestselling young adult author Jason Reynolds as a facilitator. He met the kids with respect and deep care, creating space for them to have a brilliant conversation about their experiences and big plans for the future.

At Springboard, we believe storytelling is a form of power; and that true change comes from centering people over pundits. Thank you to everyone who joined us in sharing the joy of working toward brighter days while celebrating the wins big and small, and above all — always being rooted in community.

Huge shoutout to our entire team for helping bringing this night to life with such care!

Watch our video recap from this event and listen closely for some highlights from each of our youth storytellers. John, Kentavius, and Tamya bravely showed up and spoke with confidence. We are so proud of each of them!

Read Kentavius’ Feature Here

READ JOHN’S FEATURE HERE

READ TAMYA’S FEATURE HERE

Front & Center: Javonica

READ JAVONICA’S FULL FEATURE ARTICLE HERE

As costs climb and support systems lag, one Mississippi mother shares what it

takes to raise three children, stay in school and fight for

stability in an economy that isn’t built for families like hers.

TANF in Mississippi

A message from our CEO, Aisha Nyandoro, explaining the recent acquittal of officials in the welfare fraud scandal and how this impacts the narrative of low-income families ⬇️

SNAP Work Requirements Article

Written and Published by Mississippi Today 3/11/2026

SNAP work requirements stifle access to food for older caregivers and grandchildren, experts say. MS Today spoke to one of our moms, Carleen Hicks, on her experience as a caregiver for her two grandchildren and the time consuming struggle to apply for SNAP.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE

Hicks, who is 54 and a custodian at Chapel of the Cross Church in Madison, said she’s happily taken on that responsibility, but it can be hard to make ends meet. She previously relied on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps, but the paperwork was confusing and time-consuming. In 2024, she felt she could no longer justify missing work to go to hours-long recertification appointments for the benefits, and fell off the program. As a result, she said, her family eats less fresh produce and meat.

Experts say that versions of Hicks’ story will become more common after newly-expanded federal work requirements took effect in November. Previously, adults over 54 and people who care for children under the age of 18 were exempt. Under the new rules, adults between the age of 55 and 64 and caretakers of children older than 13 must now work 80 hours a month to keep their food benefits. An already-burdened system will become more strained, according to state and national experts who spoke to Mississippi Today.

Work requirements and the red tape that comes with them could disproportionately hurt older caregivers and their families. That’s because older adults are more likely to have fixed incomes, limited access to computers, age-related health problems and care for older children who do not qualify them for the exemption. In Mississippi, 3.3% of children live in grandparent-caregiver households – more than double the national average and one of the highest rates in the country.

Nationwide, family members who step into parental roles save taxpayers and states $10.5 billion by keeping children out of the foster care system. But these families face higher rates of poverty.

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Join us for a Night of Storytelling

Our 6th Annual Night of Storytelling will take place on Wednesday, April 22nd at 6:00 PM. RSVP Today!

Join us for our annual night of story and conversation!

This year’s Night of Storytelling marks a powerful and joyful first. For the first time, the stories shared from the stage will come directly from Springboard youth. Their voices, creativity, and lived experiences will guide the evening, reminding us why we do this work and who we do it for.

We are honored that the evening will be moderated by Jason Reynolds, a #1 New York Times bestselling author and MacArthur Fellow. Jason has received numerous honors, including the Newbery, Printz, Coretta Scott King, NAACP Image, and Kirkus Awards, and served as the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature from 2020 to 2022. His work centers young people, truth telling, and imagination, making him a meaningful steward for this moment.

A Night of Storytelling is a celebration of dignity, possibility, and the power of story to shift narratives and how we see families and communities. We hope you will join us for this special evening.

A virtual option is also available if you are unable to attend in-person. The event is free, but please RSVP to let us know you’re coming. If you RSVP for the virtual option, we will send you the livestream link once it is available.

RSVP for a Night of Storytelling