By 2040 the state income tax will be completely eliminated in Mississippi. What caused this decision? What are some of the the potential consequences, and what are the potential benefits of this bill? These questions and more will be answered in this Real Mississippi student podcast featuring an interview with gubernatorial runner-up Brandon Presley. 

In this episode of Real Mississippi, we discuss how arts and cultural festivals impact small rural towns, using the Bentonia Blues Festival in Bentonia, Mississippi as an example. Through an interview with Irene Doyle, a student from MSMS, she explains how the festivals celebrate local music and history while bringing in people from different places. Festivals give people a chance to connect and learn from each other and help the towns' economies since visitors spend money and support the area.

On this episode of the The Real Mississippi, we are discussing the history of African Americans and the voting system in Mississippi. The course of voting in Mississippi changed from systems such as the Three-Fifths Clause to the Mississippi Convention. It is important that we learn and preserve this sort of history in order for us to continue moving forward and not backward. 

In 1860 and 1861, eleven states seceded from the Union. These states waged war solely for their ability to own another human being. The Union’s leaders failed to punish these treasonous states, and their choice has haunted the country since. From people still pledging their faith to a losing side, to systematic oppression, the “noble” Confederate ideals still refuse to die, even after 160 years. In this podcast, we’ll take a dive into some of the effects seen by this absence of punishment. 

Once a derogatory term, punk has expanded from an underground fad to a growing community in America. Punk started as a counterculture measure for mainly younger people to express themselves freely, and it still holds onto most of those merits today. This phenomenon is especially important in more conservative areas of the United States, like Mississippi. Punk rock in smaller towns provides a very important community for people who express themselves differently than the norm established around them. This podcast examines the hardcore punk scene in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and the tight knit community it harbors.

Mississippi is deeply rooted with a dark past of racial injustices. In the late twentieth century, thousands of African American women were forcibly sterilized. This was called the “Mississippi Appendectomy,” and this term is a depiction of one of many systemic injustices that caused mistrust of the healthcare industry within the black community . Ultimately to resolve this trauma, medical institutions must take proactive measures to acknowledge the past; therefore, trust can be rebuilt. 

This episode of The Real Mississippi, The Music Industry vs. Mental Health, explores the hidden tension between Mississippi’s rich musical legacy and the silent struggles behind the spotlight. From the deep blues echoing through the Delta to gospel rising from small church pews, music once served as refuge and release for artists seeking healing. But somewhere along the way, the melody shifted. Fame grew louder. Expectations tightened. And beneath the rhythm of success, a quieter story began to unfold; one of pressure, isolation, and unanswered questions lingering in the dark…

In this podcast, we follow the story of Lillian, a dark-skinned girl, who is actively battling colorism. Colorism is discrimination towards someone with darker skin, usually perpetuated by the same racial group. We talk about what colorism is and how it came to be, from the origins of slavery to its full development, to what it is now. Two interviews are conducted with two people talking about their own experiences with colorism, whether that meant being directly in it or peering in from an outside point of view. We teach you how colorism is implemented in society by social media and others.

In this episode, Angelina Tan explores the decline of fireflies in Mississippi and the South, tracing it to habitat loss, pesticide use, and artificial light pollution. She reflects on a personal childhood memory and interviews a teacher and conservation biologist to illustrate the emotional and scientific stakes. Ultimately, she argues that fireflies' unique charisma makes them powerful "flagship species" for broader insect conservation, capable of mobilizing public awareness and community science efforts in ways other insects cannot.

The hospital transfer system is a serious cause for concern in Mississippi. For both doctors and patients, it is inefficient, burdensome, and dangerous. Doctors make futile calls to other hospitals, attempting to transfer patients who wait in the emergency room all day. Change can only be demanded when the truth about Mississippi’s hospital transfer system is in the light. This podcast was written and produced by Cecelia Buehler.