Hey,

Spending my childhood growing up in Mississippi, I never thought I’d see the day that our state flag with the confederate battle emblem would be taken down. I know my dad didn’t expect to see that in his lifetime either.

That flag had flown across our state for 126 years, despite countless attempts to change it.

But after young Black Lives Matter protesters mobilized and built a coalition of wide ranging support across Mississippi to finally remove this painful relic of the confederacy – we proved that Mississippi is changing, whether Cindy Hyde-Smith likes it or not.

This seemingly impossible victory was highlighted in the New York Times yesterday, emphasizing that this movement is led by young Black people who for too long have either felt uncomfortable in their own home state, or feel as though the rest of the country misunderstands us because of our reputation for racism.

From the state flag, to the historic number of lynchings, to the statues and monuments honoring confederate leaders, to the racial slurs and bullying folks like my dad had to endure in school – we can’t ignore Mississippi’s history of pain.

But what we proved with this totally unexpected victory is that Mississippi is not only capable of change, it’s already changing before our eyes. I couldn’t be more proud or excited about it.

Like Calvert White, an Alcorn State University student said, this moment is “...A catalyst for change, because we have had this painful discussion about the flag. There are so many opportunities that we can take to get on the right footing and get that equity.”

The momentum for more change is here, but we have to keep it growing. We need a leader who’s ready to move forward with the rest of Mississippi, and that person is my dad, Mike Espy.

My dad marched side-by-side with Black Lives Matter protesters in Jackson a few weeks ago and joined community leaders in calling for a new flag. He’s leading the call for replacing Mississippi’s confederate statues in the U.S. Capitol, and he wants to address the core problems that cause inequity and injustice, like the lack of access to affordable health care, good public schools, and job opportunities.

Mississippi Black Lives Matter organizer Timothy Young said about Mississippi, “If we didn’t love it, we wouldn’t fight for it,” and that’s what drove my dad to run for U.S. Senate again: he loves Mississippi and is ready to put in the hard work to fight for it.

Let’s do whatever it takes to send my dad to the U.S. Senate to fight for a Mississippi where everyone feels comfortable and proud to call this state home. Please, help keep our momentum going into November by pitching in $10 or more today:

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Together, we can make history and shape a new Mississippi.

Thanks for all you do,

Jamilla Espy

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Paid for by Mike Espy for U.S. Senate
Mike Espy for U.S. Senate
4450 Old Canton Rd, Suite 205
Jackson, MS 39211
United States
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