A panel of young Jacksonians at a Thursday evening event urged state leaders to work with Jackson’s local and legislative elected officials — not against them — to find solutions to crime and water problems.

The event, hosted Mississippi Today at Urban Foxes in Belhaven Heights, brought together more than 100 people — political leaders, business owners and everyday Jacksonians — who are concerned about state leaders’ efforts to create a new Jackson judicial and police system and take over the city’s troubled water system. The takeover bills have become subject to intense statewide and national scrutiny, and tensions are historically high between city and state leaders.

READ MORE: ‘Only in Mississippi’: White representatives vote to create white-appointed court system for Blackest city in America

At the event, Mississippi Today Editor-in-Chief Adam Ganucheau hosted a Q&A with state Rep. Ronnie Crudup Jr., who encouraged attendees to “not give up” and “find a way to get involved in the fight.”

Then Mississippi Today Managing Editor Kayleigh Skinner moderated a panel featuring Jackson community builder and entrepreneur Ashlee Kelly, advocacy coordinator at OneVoiceMS Courtney Body, and Hunter Evans, chef and owner of Elvie’s. All the panelists agreed that the best way to address the city’s crime and water problems would be for local and state leaders to work together.

The event was hosted at Urban Foxes, a coffee shop in Belhaven Heights neighborhood of Jackson. Music was provided by Jackson DJ Daddy Bug.

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Young Jacksonians urge state leaders to work with local leaders to solve capital city problems

by Mississippi Today, Mississippi Today
February 24, 2023

<h1>Young Jacksonians urge state leaders to work with local leaders to solve capital city problems</h1> <p class="byline">by Mississippi Today, Mississippi Today <br />February 24, 2023</p> <p>A panel of young Jacksonians at a Thursday evening event urged state leaders to work with Jackson's local and legislative elected officials — not against them — to find solutions to crime and water problems. </p> <p>The event, hosted Mississippi Today at Urban Foxes in Belhaven Heights, brought together more than 100 people — political leaders, business owners and everyday Jacksonians — who are concerned about state leaders' efforts to create a new Jackson judicial and police system and take over the city's troubled water system. The takeover bills have become subject to intense statewide and national scrutiny, and tensions are historically high between city and state leaders.</p> <p><strong>READ MORE:</strong> <a href="https://mississippitoday.org/2023/02/07/jackson-court-system-house-bill-1020/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">‘Only in Mississippi’: White representatives vote to create white-appointed court system for Blackest city in America</a></p> <p>At the event, Mississippi Today Editor-in-Chief Adam Ganucheau hosted a Q&amp;A with state Rep. Ronnie Crudup Jr., who encouraged attendees to "not give up" and "find a way to get involved in the fight."</p> <p>Then Mississippi Today Managing Editor Kayleigh Skinner moderated a panel featuring Jackson community builder and entrepreneur Ashlee Kelly, advocacy coordinator at OneVoiceMS Courtney Body, and Hunter Evans, chef and owner of Elvie’s. All the panelists agreed that the best way to address the city's crime and water problems would be for local and state leaders to work together.</p> <p>The event was hosted at Urban Foxes, a coffee shop in Belhaven Heights neighborhood of Jackson. Music was provided by Jackson DJ Daddy Bug.</p> <div class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow aligncenter" data-effect="slide"> <div class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_container swiper-container"> <ul class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_swiper-wrapper swiper-wrapper"> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-1091501" data-id="1091501" src="https://cdn.mississippitoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/06124657/Jackson-vs-Everybody9.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Jackson community members gather for a Mississippi Today discussion event to share thoughts, opinions and ideas regarding issues plaguing the city and legislative responses to those issues at Urban Foxes in Jackson on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023.</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-1091502" data-id="1091502" src="https://cdn.mississippitoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/06124653/Jackson-vs-Everybody8.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Mississippi Today Editor-in-Chief Adam Ganucheau (right), speaks to those gathered at Urban Foxes on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023.</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-1091504" data-id="1091504" src="https://cdn.mississippitoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/06124646/Jackson-vs-Everybody6.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Jackson community members gather for a Mississippi Today discussion event to share thoughts, opinions and ideas regarding issues plaguing the city and legislative responses to those issues at Urban Foxes in Jackson on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023.</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-1091507" data-id="1091507" src="https://cdn.mississippitoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/06124637/Jackson-vs-Everybody3.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Mississippi Today Managing Editor Kayleigh Skinner, with a panel of young community leaders, discusses current issues plaguing the city and legislative responses to those issues at Urban Foxes in Jackson on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023.</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-1091508" data-id="1091508" src="https://cdn.mississippitoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/06124633/Jackson-vs-Everybody2.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Rep. Ronnie Crudup Jr., D-Jackson, joined Mississippi Today editors and members of the community to discuss current issues plaguing the city and legislative responses to those issues at Urban Foxes in Jackson on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023.</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-1091500" data-id="1091500" src="https://cdn.mississippitoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/06124659/Jackson-vs-Everybody10.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Jackson community members gather for a Mississippi Today discussion event to share thoughts, opinions and ideas regarding issues plaguing the city and legislative responses to those issues at Urban Foxes in Jackson on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023.</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-1091506" data-id="1091506" src="https://cdn.mississippitoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/06124640/Jackson-vs-Everybody4.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Political leaders, business owners and members of the Jackson community joined Mississippi Today to discuss current issues plaguing the city and legislative responses to those issues at Urban Foxes in Jackson, Thursday on Feb. 23, 2023.</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-1091505" data-id="1091505" src="https://cdn.mississippitoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/06124644/Jackson-vs-Everybody5.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Jackson DJ Daddy Bug spins tunes for Mississippi Today's discussion event where members of the community shared thoughts, opinions and ideas regarding issues plaguing the city at Urban Foxes in Jackson, Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023.</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-1091499" data-id="1091499" src="https://cdn.mississippitoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/06124703/Jackson-vs-Everybody11.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Jackson community members gather at Urban Foxes for a Mississippi Today discussion event to share thoughts, opinions and ideas regarding issues plaguing the city and legislative responses to those issues at Urban Foxes in Jackson on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023.</figcaption></figure> </li> </ul> <p><a class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-prev swiper-button-prev swiper-button-white" role="button"></a><a class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-next swiper-button-next swiper-button-white" role="button"></a><a aria-label="Pause Slideshow" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-pause" role="button"></a></p> <div class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_pagination swiper-pagination swiper-pagination-white"></div> </div> </div> <p>This &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://mississippitoday.org/2023/02/24/jackson-young-residents-state-local-leaders/&quot;&gt;article&lt;/a&gt; first appeared on &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://mississippitoday.org&quot;&gt;Mississippi Today&lt;/a&gt; and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.&lt;img src=&quot;https://cdn.mississippitoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/06074517/MT_icon-logo-favicon-1-200x200.png&quot; style=&quot;width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;&quot;&gt;&lt;img id=&quot;republication-tracker-tool-source&quot; src=&quot;https://mississippitoday.org/?republication-pixel=true&amp;post=1091538&amp;amp;ga4=G-VSX4B701MS&quot; style=&quot;width:1px;height:1px;&quot;&gt;&lt;script&gt; PARSELY = { autotrack: false, onload: function() { PARSELY.beacon.trackPageView({ url: &quot;https://mississippitoday.org/2023/02/24/jackson-young-residents-state-local-leaders/&quot;, urlref: window.location.href }); } } &lt;/script&gt; &lt;script id=&quot;parsely-cfg&quot; src=&quot;//cdn.parsely.com/keys/mississippitoday.org/p.js&quot;&gt;&lt;/script&gt;</p> Copy to Clipboard

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