Rethink Mississippi and the Mississippi Humanities Council are hosting a series of happy hours Tuesday. The goal is to spark conversation about why young people move away from Mississippi. Mississippi’s population grew only by 0.8 percent between 2010 and 2015. According to the University of Wisconson, 34-year-olds are the most likely to move out of the state. Jake McGraw, of Rethink Mississippi (a policy analysis and advocacy site), will moderate the panel at Hal and Mal’s Restaurant at 5:30 p.m. The panel will include Melvin Priester, Jr., City of Jackson Councilman, Tim Mask, cofounder of the Mississippi Brain Drain Commission, as well as other people who will tell their stories about how they chose to remain in Mississippi despite being pushed to leave. McGraw cited Census reports from the past five years as evidence of this net population loss. It is a common belief that we are doing worse than other states in the area. He noted that Mississippi is turning away many people and that the facts don’t show that we are doing as badly as states like Alabama. Mississippi is not the only one experiencing this problem. Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee and Alabama all saw significant increases in their populations. McGraw described Mississippi’s migration problem as a lack of critical mass. “For every person who leaves, it becomes that much easier for next person to move.” Governor. Phil Bryant spoke at an event in February honoring students from community colleges and universities for their academic success. “Stay here. Bryant stated, “Grow where you’re planted.” “Mississippi requires you here,” McGraw said. However, he added, “I guess I have to work within his metaphor that it doesn’t work without you receiving the water and sunlight you need to grow.” McGraw stated that people are absolutely stating they want to remain in Mississippi. However, they might not be able to. McGraw stated that Mississippi is actively pushing out people of color and LGBT. He hopes there will be enough structure to provide solid information, but enough room for people to tell their stories. The panels that follow will be held on August 19th and 16th, respectively. To support this important work, you can make a regular donation to us today as part of the Spring Member Drive. Our reporters give a human face to policy’s impact on everyday Mississippians by listening more closely and understanding their communities. To ensure that our work is aligned with the priorities and needs of Mississippians, we are listening to you. Click the button below to let us know what you think. Republish this Story You can republish our articles online or in print for free under a Creative Commons licence.