After 30 years of tracking food insecurity, the USDA discontinued a federal report that monitors level of hunger in U.S. households. The USDA labeled the report as “redundant, costly, politicized." capitalbnews.org/usda-ends-fo...

From opening grocery stores to launching online delivery services, I traveled to rural Mississippi to highlight the work of two Black women who are reimagining how their communities eat and thrive. This is part of the RNN's "Sowing Resilience" series. capitalbnews.org/black-women-...

just a woman showing up, for herself 🌱

I traveled across rural MS to learn how Black women are feeding their communities. The story is part of a series in collaboration with 8 other newsrooms and the Rural News Network. My story publishes on Monday, but you can catch a preview in tomorrow’s newsletter. capitalbnews.org/newsletters

The death of Demartravion “Trey” Reed has been ruled a suicide by the Mississippi State Medical Examiner's Office, consistent with findings from the county coroner, which found no evidence of foul play. The FBI and U.S. Attorney will review the case. UPDATE: capitalbnews.org/trey-reed-de...

The news can feel heavy. At @capitalb.bsky.social, we’re building something different — journalism that points to solutions and reminds us that change is possible. Help us raise $6,500 to keep doing this work: capitalbnews.fundjournalism.org/donate/?camp...

Watch @capitalb.bsky.social journalist @aallyahpatrice.bsky.social tell @nationalpress.bsky.social Widening the Pipeline fellows about how sustained community engagement helped get the Hollywood blockbuster "Sinners" screened in her hometown of Clarksdale, MS. nationalpress.org/topic/sinner...

As aging musicians pass on and juke joints continue to close their doors, Red Paden, famed juke house owner in Clarksdale had a vision to pay homage to elders at his Old Timers Blues Festival. Red died in 2023, and now his son is carrying on that legacy. capitalbnews.org/blues-reds-o...

A Gullah Geechee community made home on a set of marshes & estuaries in Coastal Georgia. The land still holds their graves, but in 1942 the federal government seized the area for 'national security.' 83 years later, the fight for it back continues. capitalbnews.org/harris-neck-...

One of my sources told me how amazed he was by a story I wrote that featured him. He said I told the complete truth, captured his words accurately, and somehow managed to express what he couldn’t say. “It was like you were writing with the feeling from the ancestors." 😭

When the Hollywood production of Sinners came to Clarksdale, it gave new life to an idea that had floated around for years: Clarksdale Day, a weekend to celebrate culture, community, and unity. On Labor Day weekend, the Clarksdale Day Fest came to fruition. capitalbnews.org/clarksdale-d...

It’s great to see outlets like the AP & Times covering Mayor Braxton’s story out of Newbern, AL. I was the first national reporter to cover it — going back to '23 — and the only reporter on the ground on Election Day. Grateful for our work at Capital B for elevating this injustice.

Beyond impacting funding for schools, law enforcement and local government, the passage of SEA 1 is expected to impact funds for local libraries. Learn more in my latest for the Indiana Capital Chronicle - and if you're one of those who thinks libraries are just books you might be surprised!

Remember Newbern, Alabama — the rural town where a Black man was blocked from serving as mayor and where elections had never been held? Today, voters are making history as they cast ballots in the town’s first-ever municipal election. NEW: capitalbnews.org/newbern-alab...

Only four Black justices have ever served on the Mississippi Supreme Court, and never more than one at a time. This week, a federal judge found that the state's map used for Supreme Court elections dilutes Black voting power. capitalbnews.org/mississippi-...

I have been MIA on here. How are y'all?

Supporters of Tyesha Long said she is the “poster child” for the state’s Survivor’s Act because of her documented history of abuse. But one advocate said it’s “hard to imagine more Black women benefiting” from similar second chance laws. To learn more about her case: capitalbnews.org/tyesha-long-...

In this spotlight on @capitalb.bsky.social –– one of 90+ newsrooms in @inn.org's Rural News Network –– health care professionals, advocates tell @aallyahpatrice.bsky.social their biggest fear is that Black communities will be the hardest hit and the lack of access could worsen economic disparities.

Health care advocates say their biggest fear with the Medicaid cuts in the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" is that it will reduce access to care, leading to deaths, chronic illnesses, and worsening economic disparities in Black rural communities. MY LATEST: capitalbnews.org/medicaid-cut...

Medicaid Cuts Endanger Life-Saving Care for Black Families in Rural America capitalbnews.org/medicaid-cut... Another important (and sobering) story from @aallyahpatrice.bsky.social. Give her a follow if you haven't already!

To all professionals (and retirees) in the journalism, film, television, theatre, entertainment, and arts world, join the challenge to post a photo of yourself in your job. Just a picture, no description. The goal is to flood social media with our profession.

I joined the @lauraflanders.org 'Meet the BIPOC Press' segment to discuss the challenges Black farmers face in the South — and how they remain undeterred. Catch it today at 5 PM ET: youtu.be/QJL4m9917uw The episode will air on PBS stations across the country on Sunday, 7/27 at 11:30am.

Black farmers are losing more federal support as the USDA eliminates 12 Regional Food Business Centers across the country. These centers helped launch new farms and food businesses, business and marketing support. NEW: capitalbnews.org/black-farmer...

The USDA says it has "sufficiently" addressed its history of discrimination. As a result, it is dropping the label "socially disadvantaged," which includes Black farmers, and will no longer consider race or sex in its decision making on programs. NEW: capitalbnews.org/usda-ends-de...

i graduated with a bachelor’s in journalism w/ a minor in communications and theatre from Delta State University. I’m thrilled to be selected as part of the first 40 Under 40 class for my alma mater! ✨ deltastategiving.org/delta-state-...

i graduated with a bachelor’s in journalism w/ a minor in communications and theatre from Delta State University. I’m thrilled to be selected as part of the first 40 Under 40 class for my alma mater! ✨

Someone recently asked: “Why [aren’t] Mississippians in particular no longer passing on farming knowledge?” My response: They are, and here are some of the Black farmers who are training up the next generation in the Mississippi Delta. MY LATEST: capitalbnews.org/black-farmer...

For generations, Gullah Geechee families on St. Helena Island buried loved ones in the Big House Cemetery. For a year, private landowners have blocked them visiting and burying their loved ones in the cemetery. Now, the residents are suing. NEW: capitalbnews.org/gullah-geech...

Did you catch Capital B’s newsletter this morning? 👀 If you missed it, then you missed big news! I’m launching a FREE newsletter this summer, specifically about & for Black folks in rural America🥳 Be one of the first to get the newsletter and sign up: shorturl.at/e8V7J

Congratulations @aallyahpatrice.bsky.social!! So thrilled to see her repping her Mississippi hometown and her work as a journalist loud and proud ❤️ Aallyah is a reporter at @capitalb.bsky.social, and one of IRE’s Chauncey Bailey JOC Fellows this year. mississippitoday.org/2025/06/03/t...

What a full circle moment — to be interviewed by the first publication I ever worked for about my continued commitment to Clarksdale and Mississippi. Thank you to Adam & @mississippitoday.org for taking a little time to talk to me. mississippitoday.org/2025/06/03/t...

Sinners may have brought Clarksdale into the national spotlight, attracting thousands of visitors to the small city last weekend. One thing about my folks back home is that they have always been proactive in creating the change they wish to see. NEW: capitalbnews.org/sinners-scre...

I need to invest in a new camera. I used to be apart of the Nikon family. What cameras are y'all using? 👀

In Clarksdale, Miss. — where there’s no active movie theater — reporting by AJP-supported @capitalb.bsky.social helped bring "Sinners" home. On May 29, Ryan Coogler, the cast & crew attended a screening, and @aallyahpatrice.bsky.social moderated a panel after. Read more:

I’m reflecting on what we all accomplished over the past 3 days in Clarksdale. I am overwhelmed with joy, gratitude, and deep reverence.

This is happening because of the community effort put in by Clarksdale, MS natives like Tyler Yarbrough and Aallyah Wright. 👏 Grab your tickets to the free screenings of ‘Sinners.’ Celebrate Clarksdale! Celebrate The Delta! (via GulfStatesNewsroom on IG) 🎟️: (clarksdaleculturecapital.com)

“I saw the call, the open letter, and I immediately shared it out to my social-media platforms,” Clarksdale native and rural-issues reporter Aallyah Wright said. “I was like, ‘Wait a minute. I’m from Clarksdale. I need to write this story.’”

This weekend has been nothing short of amazing 🥹

I’m proud to be from the MAGICAL Mississippi Delta ✨

Starr, you didn't have to include me in the main image, but YOU did. As a Clarksdale native, thank you for your coverage and for coming to town to spend the weekend with us. www.nj.com/blackjoy/202...

This is happening.

Clarksdale, Mississippi, is hosting a weeklong celebration of Ryan Coogler's film "Sinners," which is set in 1930s Clarksdale. The celebration includes screenings of "Sinners" and discussions like this one I'll be a part of, "Building a Blues Economy Rooted in Dignity on May 30 at 10:30 am.

Who knew that my initial tweet about the open letter started by Tyler Yarbrough—followed by a story I wrote that quickly went viral—would become the catalyst for screenings of Sinners in my hometown, Clarksdale, on May 29-31. capitalbnews.org/clarksdale-s...

When you're in a season that feels heavy, it's hard to let go when you can't see what's ahead. But, it's ok to release the need to control everything, and trust that your faith will lead you through. Happy Friday!

JAMAL ROBERTS!!! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 Our newest American Idol is from MISSISSIPPI ❤️ Mississippi is EVERYWHERE ✨ @jamalrobertss.bsky.social is the second Black man to win (after Ruben Studdard in 2003) and the first Black man from Mississippi to reach the top spot. 🙏🏽 Let’s goooooo!

American Idol finalist Jamal Roberts is a MS native who has made it to the top 3. His achievement is a personal milestone — it also prompts reflection on the state’s troubled history & the journey of a people striving to rise above its past. Sign up to read tomorrow: capitalbnews.org/newsletters

Since the May 14, 2022 attack, residents’ hopes for a second grocery store in Buffalo’s Blackest community remain unmet. Abandoned homes still line Jefferson Avenue, and grassroots groups continue to be a main resource for essential services, including health care. capitalbnews.org/buffalo-mass...

As Sinners explores Mississippi Delta history on screen, I curated a list of 21 works — books, films, and museums — that delve into the intersections of culture, resistance, and identity within Black life in the South. capitalbnews.org/sinners-blac...

In Clarksdale, there's limited transportation and no movie theater. The town inspired Sinners, but many can't travel to see it in theaters. They created a petition to invite Ryan Coogler & team to host a public screening and experience the Delta. MY LATEST: capitalbnews.org/clarksdale-r...