Real Mississippi

In the early 2000s, the American catfish industry was at a crossroads. Southeast Asian products were outcompeting domestic fish, and the industry faced an identity crisis.What was the industry's plan to revive the U.S. catfish industry? Mississippi.

"Catfish Kingdom: The Rise and Reinvention of Catfish in Mississippi" follows the story of the fish from humble beginnings to becoming an aquaculture powerhouse. Written and produced by Walt Giesen and Andrew Meng, "Catfish Kingdom" explores the economic and cultural impact catfish has had on Mississippi, illuminating a surprising chapter in agricultural history.

Pornography is addictive for many. Through a law regulating minors' online viewership for sexual content, Mississippi legislators believed they helped; however, this ban had a major impact on public libraries. In this episode, Alonso Bocanegra interviews several Mississippians to uncover the concerns behind this controversy. Podcast produced by Srujan Chinnapureddy.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program–SNAP– is the food stamp program used nationwide. For over 75 years, SNAP has ensured that American families have nutritious food on their tables. What if we told you that SNAP could do so much more? Many other states have realized the untapped potential of the SNAP program to not only alleviate the public health crisis but also to support local economies. Join us as we dive into the advantages and challenges of making SNAP benefits redeemable at farmers’ markets in Mississippi, and explore how this shift could reshape our communities as we know them, making them healthier and stronger. 

In this episode, Dawson Brewer tells the story of Ovett, Mississippi — a town once built around a busy sawmill. Through heartfelt interviews with his grandmother and a longtime family friend, we hear what life was like back then, and how everything changed when the mill shut down. It wasn’t just jobs that disappeared; it was the heart of the town too. Dawson’s guests share memories of a community struggling to hold on. Even now, with empty streets and fewer families, there’s still hope. Their stories remind us that even after deep loss, a town’s spirit doesn’t fade easily. 

Holly Springs, Mississippi, was once a bustling hub of the cotton trade, but after years of neglect, the town is faced with an aging and unreliable power grid which frequently causes outages and is easily shut down by natural disasters. Despite widespread outcry from residents and state officials, the town’s leadership has failed to resolve the crisis by dodging questions and help from the Mississippi Public Service Commission.

This episode of Real Mississippi discusses the challengesLatino students face in Mississippi, including language barriers, economic hardships, and cultural pressures. The episode also highlights the lack of resources for primary education while emphasizing the benefits seen with higher education programs in community colleges. Despite these efforts, there is still a great divide between the Latino community and academic success.

In this episode of Real Mississippi, we delve into the systemic health inequities affecting Mississippi. We investigate how poverty, limited healthcare access, and racial disparities contribute to the state’s poor health outcomes. Through interviews with experts like Dr. Torrance Green and Dr. Julius Kato, we uncover how policy decisions, such as the refusal to expand Medicaid, have exacerbated these challenges. Byhighlighting real-life stories and expert insights, the podcast offers actionable solutions including Medicaid expansion, investment in rural healthcare, and community-driven public health initiatives. Ultimately, the episode advocates for urgent, systemic reforms to ensure a healthier, more equitable future for all Mississippians.

Mississippi’s history of religious segregation actively harms the state’s future. Most Christian African Americans and white Americans attend congregations of the same race. This prevents the valuable exchange of cultural knowledge needed to succeed in a diverse society. For a better future, Mississippi’s people must acknowledge a past of prejudice, and move forward as a unified church. We decided to interview a handful of MSMS’s student’s and faculty from all different backgrounds to gauge the movement of Mississippi’s churches towards diversity. 

With over 90% of Americans listening to music via a music streaming service, music has a wide impact on us, and it’s important to understand why and how. "Music’s Effect on Us" is a student podcast discussing the effects of listening to music, specifically how music can be used as a coping mechanism, as well as creating said music, and how the emotions a genre evokes can change over time.

This podcast, written by Jayden Wagner and produced by Shaw Prewitt, discusses the benefits of organized sports for communities, for individuals' mental health and self-esteem, and as a catapult to university.