We met with her to discuss the state of organizing in Mississippi. Ours To Change supports the full funding of the Mississippi Adequate Education Program, as well as increasing the average teacher’s pay in the Southeastern. Mississippi Today: Ours To Change’s mission is to promote civic engagement and advocate for public education in Mississippi. How does this look in practice? Jessica L. Carter It’s also important to have conversations with people who feel that no one has ever reached out to you. Many people feel that they are only heard from when they ask them about their opinions around election time. We don’t want them to feel like they only want a vote. We want them to be involved in the political process and to know how to get involved. We want them to know they can count on us to provide education. Mississippi Today: Your work with Ours To Change is different from other community organizing efforts. You have worked at many levels in various agencies. Jessica L. Carter. Being at Ours To Change allowed me to concentrate on a topic (public education), that has been a passion for me for a long time. Because I am a product of Mississippi’s public education system, I have seen some of its successes and pitfalls and have always longed to be able to make an impact. Mississippi Today: How have your previous experiences influenced what you do now? Jessica L. Carter: Working with the SPLC was one the most rewarding experiences of my professional career. I was able work in juvenile justice. This was also a large part of my job. Many children were forced from their schools and public education by circumstances beyond their control. As a Mississippian, I can tell you that there were many things I wish I could have done differently. DFA had a national perspective. It looked at civic engagement on a national scale. As a Mississippian, I wanted to be more focused on Mississippi. During the Stacey Abrams election, and other national campaigns, I was focusing more on other states. That excitement was what I wanted to bring back to Mississippi. Mississippi Today: What unexpected obstacles did you face in growing your organization into a state-wide entity? Jessica L. Carter. I think everyone would agree that there is a lot to be done. We’re digging our hands deep into it. As our team grows, there is still much to learn and experience. We are up for the challenge and excited to work on public education in Mississippi for all students who would benefit from fully-funded public education.