Dear Next 250 years: Make Joy Part of the Design
As the United States continues in its 250th year, another question has to be asked: what would it mean to repair the systemic conditions that Black women are too often forced to endure, navigate, and transform for generations?
This question sits at the heart of Making Joy Possible, a new poll from The Highland Project, brilliant corners Research & Strategies, and Springboard to Opportunities focused on Black women voters in Mississippi.
The findings are clear. Black women in Mississippi are deeply dissatisfied with the direction of the country and the economy. Nearly nine in 10 are dissatisfied with the country’s direction, and 90 percent say economic conditions are getting worse. A majority say their wages are falling behind the cost of living, and 44 percent say they experience racism and discrimination often. And still, 75 percent say they are highly motivated to participate in the 2026 midterms.
The poll also tells a deeper story: Black women in Mississippi know what wholeness requires, what is breaking it—and what must be repaired.