2024 Annual Report

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Annual Report

One V oice 2024

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About Us

One Voice is an 18-year-old social justice organization that aims to lift the voices of underserved and marginalized communities in Mississippi and the Deep South. One Voice convenes and connects organizations around its core program areas--education equity, criminal justice, civic engagement, and fiscal policy. Its central work is providing technical assistance, resources, training, and research to social justice organizations. One Voice also offers leadership development opportunities to various community members through its leadership institutes.

+ Mission, Vision, Values

One Voice Team

Contact

Analytics

Media Mentions

Toolkits

Programs

Report Content

Meet the Team

Our Outreach

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Our Team

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+ Leadership

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+ Economic Justice

+ Energy Democracy

+ Voting

+ Public Safety

Programs

Take a look at One Voice's programs which include Education, Criminal Justice, Voting, Energy Democracy, Economic Justice, and Leadership.

+ Education

+ Power of the Sister Vote

+ The Power of The Light

+ Sickle Cell Awareness

+ My Vote Matters

+ Rights Restoration

+ Felony Disenfranchisement

+ Erased at the Polls

+ Election Protection

+ Justice for All

+ GOTV

+ Redistricting

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Our Outreach

In Mississippi, the right to vote—especially for people of color—has been hard-won through sacrifice and determination. One Voice carries this legacy forward through its grassroots voter empowerment work. In the 2024 presidential election, thousands of Black voters and people of color turned out to vote despite persistent barriers like long lines, ballot shortages, and malfunctioning machines. One Voice's "My Voice My Vote" campaign supported this effort through registration drives, education, GOTV efforts, and Election Day monitoring to protect and promote voting access across the state.

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Key Partnerships

One Voice’s policy team partners with grassroots groups, advocacy coalitions, and community leaders to advance community-driven policy solutions. These partnerships strengthen our policy advocacy, amplify local voices, and build collective power for lasting change. Some of our key partners include: CARE for MS, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the Children’s Defense Fund–Southern Regional Office, EARN in the South, the Economic Policy Institute, the Hollis Watkins Muhammad Leadership Institute, the Hope Policy Institute, the Institute for Minority Health, the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law, the Mississippi Alliance of Nonprofits Philanthropy, the Mississippi Association of Educators, the Mississippi Black Caucus–Local Elected Officials, the Mississippi Black Leadership Institute, the Mississippi Black Women’s Roundtable, the Mississippi Center for Justice, the Mississippi Economic Inclusion Coalition, the Mississippi Low-Income Childcare Initiative, the Mississippi Minority Supervisors’ Caucus, the Mississippi State Conference NAACP, the Mississippi Reentry Coalition, the Mississippi Urban League, Mississippi Votes, the NAACP LDF, the People’s Advocacy Institute, PEER, Public Welfare Foundation, Rally, Springboard to Opportunities, the Southern Economic Advancement Partnership, the State Priorities Partnership, and Women for Progress.

Legislative Wrap up Healthcare Expansion

Legislative Wrap up Talks Felony Suffrage

Legislative Wrap up Talks - Education

Legislative Wrap Up

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After successfully getting his voting rights restored, Walter Lewis can move forward with the confidence he needed to support others who are looking to have their voices heard.

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“I was counting on it. Now that my rights have been restored it will hopefully open other opportunities that will now be available to me.”

Ivory Moore

Read their stories

Walter Lewis

Rights Restoration

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Toolkits

This year, we engaged our communities by providing them with more means to advocate for themselves

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In 2024, One Voice Mississippi garnered significant media attention across various platforms, highlighting its impact on civic engagement and policy advocacy. The organization was featured in major local and state news outlets, including television segments discussing voter education initiatives and legislative priorities. Print and digital publications covered One Voice Mississippi’s advocacy for equitable education funding, economic justice, and voting rights. Additionally, the organization was mentioned in national media for its role in mobilizing communities ahead of key elections. Social media buzz and podcast features further amplified its work, solidifying One Voice Mississippi as a leading voice in grassroots advocacy and policy reform.

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Our Media Mentions

One Voice in the Media!

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Email Stats

Instagram Stats

Facebook Stats

Analytics

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Annual Report

One Voice 2024

info@uniteonevoice.org601-960-9594 Mon-Fri 8:00AM - 5:00PM

Energy Democracy is rooted in the belief that those most impacted by energy decisions should have a voice in shaping them. Our work has focused on increasing engagement and transparency within electric cooperatives—institutions that are meant to be member-owned and community-driven. Yet many member-owners remain unaware of their rights or feel shut out of the decision-making process. To address this, One Voice hosted community conversations with members of various Electric Power Associations (EPAs), including Coahoma EPA, to surface concerns about high electricity bills, the removal of payment kiosks, office closures, and a general lack of accountability. In Twin County, we gathered over 600 “Did YOU KNOW” surveys—5% of the 12,600 households canvassed—building trust and pushing for reforms that reflect the community’s needs. Tensions rose when the only candidate for the Twin County EPA board, Mr. Melvin Sias, was disqualified due to a sudden bylaw change about geographic representation. This disqualification raised serious concerns about the cooperative’s democratic integrity. In response, Representative Hines submitted a formal letter addressing these concerns, prompting a reply from the EPA attorney, who acknowledged the issues and reaffirmed adherence to governance practices. We continue to support member-owners in pursuing transparency and are seeking legal counsel to address unresolved issues. Our 2024 Electric Cooperative Leadership Institute advanced this work by training our first intergenerational cohort (ages 25–50) in energy equity, cooperative governance, and climate justice. Participants explored how electric co-ops impact economic opportunity, public health, and chronic conditions like asthma and heat-related illness. The institute also fostered cross-state dialogue with advocates from Georgia and Tennessee, strengthening regional networks and building safer spaces for members to voice concerns and strategize for change.

Energy Democracy: The Power of The Light

Shaungy Rickmon

Advocacy Coordinator

Shirley Mock

Chief Operating Officer

As part of our commitment to challenging mass incarceration and supporting returning citizens, One Voice hosted a Criminal Justice Convening focused on voter disenfranchisement and its impact on Mississippi communities. The event brought together advocates, returning citizens, legal experts, faith leaders, and organizers to explore how to restore justice for those affected by incarceration. Key topics included:

• Mississippi’s 23 disenfranchisement laws and their disproportionate impact on Black and low-income communities
• Barriers to reentry, including loss of civil rights like voting, employment, and housing
• The emotional and generational toll on families

Proposed solutions:

• Voting rights restoration legislation
• Civic education for returning citizens
• Community accountability
• State-level policy reform

This convening was more than discussion—it marked the beginning of a renewed push for systemic change led by those most impacted.

My Vote Matters

After the 2023 passage of House Bill 1310, Mississippi counties are now required to review voter rolls every presidential cycle. Under the law, voters who haven’t participated in an election since the last primary—four years ago—are marked inactive. One Voice found that thousands had already been purged from voter rolls, including 40,000 in Hinds County alone. In response, One Voice launched the Erased at the Polls campaign to raise awareness about voter purging and help eligible individuals re-register. From 2023 to 2024, organizers gathered thousands of voter records from Circuit Clerk offices, identifying those removed due to reasons like death, relocation, or disenfranchisement. Voter purging has become the top complaint received by the Election Protection hotline. To combat this, One Voice held a weeklong volunteer effort where over 40 people reviewed purge lists from multiple counties and helped voters get re-registered in time for the November 5, 2024, election.

Erased at the Polls Campaign

José Rodriguez

Advocacy Coordinator

Energy Democracy Campaigns

"Death at the Faucet" Screening

People's Assembly Convening

"Hold the Line" Screening

Energy Democracy

Achieve environmental justice by empowering 30+ diverse, frontline organizations across the U.S. to drive the energy democracy movement forward. Our collective power fosters expertise sharing, robust relationships, and resource solutions to democratize energy and strengthen our common cause. Together, we forge a path towards a sustainable, equitable, and empowered community through energy democratization, ensuring equal protection for all. We continue that movement by regularly hosting meetings and workshops to continue to foster the education and resources needed to fight the good fight of energy democracy. The events below are a few ways we reached our target audiences.

Ayana Kinnel

Communications Director

Mississippi's 1890 constitution includes a lifetime voting ban, which disproportionately affects the state's Black population, who make up about 38% of residents. This ban has resulted in the disenfranchisement of nearly 60,000 people. In order to regain their voting rights in Mississippi, individuals convicted of a disenfranchising crime must either receive a governor's pardon or obtain permission from two-thirds of the state House and Senate. However, in recent years, very few people have had their voting rights restored through this process. In January of 2024, One Voice sponsored a bus trip for returning citizens and community activists to attend the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals oral arguments. The hearing would determine whether the permanent loss of voting rights for individuals amounts to cruel and unusual punishment and is a violation of the Constitution. During the 2024 Legislative session, One Voice submitted forty-four applications for individual suffrage, but only twenty-one were successful. While we continue to advocate for the end of this law, we also work to educate stakeholders about the process of restoring voting rights.

Felony Disenfranchisement

2024 Instagram Overview

Monica McInnis

Program Manager

Teletown Hall

Ed Funding Coalition

Know your Rights

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Education Equity

One Voice values all Mississippi children having access to quality public education. This means dismantling attacks on public schools through privatization, school choice, and consolidation. It also means championing the needs of community stakeholders to demonstrate the community's power and build the progressive, nurturing centers that our children deserve. In 2024, we partnered with other advocates and hosted several events in a united effort to support public schools and give the community a platform to share ideas, and give them the tools they need to voice their concerns.

Education Equity Campaigns

Leading Through Partnerships: At the heart of our organization lies the recognition that meaningful partnerships are essential for our sustainability. We actively cultivate and foster mutually beneficial collaborations, enabling us to achieve our social justice objectives alongside our partners.

Excellence: Pursuing excellence is our constant goal, reflected in our dedication to developing leaders ready to serve, creating effective tools, and providing high-quality training to maximize our impact in the fight for justice

Empowerment: We believe in empowering individuals affected by injustice, providing them with the knowledge and tools through various training opportunities so they can become change agents for their communities and advocate for their rights.

Community Centered: Our social justice organization is deeply committed to the community, and all our efforts revolve around understanding and addressing the issues that impact their lives through thorough research.

Mission

Guided by principles of self-determination, One Voice ensures historically silenced communities have representation and influence in spaces of power.

Vision

We envision a Mississippi where WE ALL thrive.

Values

One Voice accomplishes its mission through a process that involves research, training, and partnership:

Kyra Roby

Senior Policy Analyst

Christin Calloway

Policy Analyst

2024 Facebook Overview

Over 400 women from across Mississippi came together to attend one of six regional workshops, with the goal of preparing and mobilizing for their right to vote in the 2024 Presidential Election. The stage was set and the message was clear: we are here and will do whatever it takes to vote in the election. Women understand the importance of consistently showing up and using our voices to make a difference. One Voice partnered with the Mississippi Black Women Roundtable and Mississippi NAACP to bring the power of ordinary women together. Through the Power of the Sister Vote, these women participated in a 3-hour training session covering the history of voting, voter registration, and GOTV efforts. The past election has shown the significant impact of women voters. By mid-October, women were pairing up to knock on doors and make phone calls, resulting in over 6,000 doors being knocked on and 15,000 calls being made. These dedicated women are committed to building power in Mississippi every year.

Power of the Sister Vote

Economic Justice Accomplishments

Legislative Priorities

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Key Partnerships

Research Publications

Economic Justice

One Voice’s existing community engagement strategy provides a framework for working with stakeholders directly impacted by unfair, inequitable budget and tax policies. The Fiscal Policy work involves engaging a mix of community organizers, media, and advocates to push forward equitable and fair budget and tax policies for all Mississippians. We hit the ground running every year by focusing on where these decisions are made–in the Legislative session. We provide the community with what’s on the table, how it will affect them, and to whom they should submit their requests. Our top three campaigns were packed with facts and figures that affect the state’s bottom line and our communities. We released the content in several campaigns including the following:

Summer 2024 HWMLI Opening

Statement on HB1453 and SB2332

2024 Legislative Priorities

April 7th Legislative Overview

Crystal McDowell

Communications Manager

The three-day sickle cell awareness blood drive, hosted by One Voice in collaboration with the Red Cross, the Jackson Branch NAACP, and several community partners, had a major impact collecting 438 pints of blood, including 351 from African American donors. According to the MS Sickle Cell Foundation, more than 3000 residents are living with the sickle cell disease in Mississippi. Hence, this initiative played a vital role in supporting sickle cell patients, who often need closely matched blood from donors of similar ethnic backgrounds to reduce the risk of complications during transfusions. By increasing the supply of compatible blood, the drive enhances treatment options and outcomes for those affected by the disease. Citizens of Mississippi can contribute by becoming regular blood donors particularly African Americans, and by helping to raise awareness about the life saving importance of blood donation in our communities.

Sickle Cell Awareness

The pie charts show the percentage of disenfranchised voters in Mississippi versus Jackson for 2024. Jackson has a significantly higher rate, highlighting the disproportionate impact of incarceration on its residents. Our “Erased at the Polls” campaign has identified thousands of disenfranchised voters statewide. In Jackson (Hinds County) alone, over 5,000 people are affected—underscoring how outdated and punitive Mississippi’s voter restoration laws remain. These numbers reflect the urgent need for systemic change.

Since our founding, One Voice has worked diligently to confront the long-term effects of mass incarceration particularly the unjust disenfranchisement of returning citizens. In Mississippi, 23 laws continue to bar individuals with felony convictions from exercising their right to vote, perpetuating cycles of exclusion and economic hardship. Disenfranchisement by the Numbers (2024)

• 16% of Mississippi’s voting-age population is disenfranchised.
• In Jackson, that number climbs to 25%, highlighting a deeper systemic issue within urban areas heavily impacted by incarceration.

Rights Restoration

Sherry Wright

Program Director

As the 2024 federal elections drew near, One Voice focused its efforts on Getting Out the Vote (GOTV). Historically, African American voter turnout tends to rise during presidential elections. However, recent data from the VAN system indicates that in many Mississippi counties and communities, the number of unregistered voters and registered non-voters among African Americans is slightly higher than in previous cycles. While this presents a challenge, we view it as a key opportunity to engage and mobilize voters. To address this, One Voice launched a concentrated GOTV campaign in the Central Mississippi district—an area critical for upcoming judicial races. Our efforts included direct mail, phone banking, and door-to-door canvassing. In total, we made over 200,000 voter contact attempts in preparation for the fall election. Beyond targeted outreach, we conducted over fifteen election education workshops, reaching community groups across more than forty-five counties. These included specialized events like the “Power of the Sister” bootcamp-style workshop. We also hosted three candidate forums to increase voter awareness and engagement. Additionally, we distributed GOTV materials—including information about who was on the ballot—during college football games and tailgating events to reach voters where they were.

Get out the Vote (GOTV)

Mississippi’s redistricting process has historically favored those in power, often at the expense of fair representation for Black communities. With Republicans leading the state, the redistricting cycle began on uneven ground. One Voice responded by equipping communities with tools and knowledge through educational workshops and trainings, raising awareness about issues like vote dilution and precinct splitting. On July 2, 2024, a federal court ruled that Mississippi’s 2022 legislative maps violated the Voting Rights Act by diluting the voting strength of Black residents. The court ordered the creation of new Black-majority districts in the state Senate and House, citing the state’s long history of racial discrimination. One Voice was instrumental in this victory, helping identify plaintiffs and educating community members about the implications of the ruling. Throughout 2024, One Voice also worked on local redistricting efforts, including in DeSoto County, where a lawsuit challenged discriminatory maps that excluded Black voters from meaningful representation despite comprising over 30% of the population. In Jackson, MS, One Voice intervened when city redistricting was being handled behind closed doors in a different city. By offering public access to the same mapping software used by officials and encouraging civic participation, they helped return the process to Jackson and ensured that residents could give public input. This work exemplifies what grassroots power looks like—when informed, organized communities hold systems accountable and demand fair representation.

Redistricting

Catherine Robinson

Program Director

Voting Rights Campaigns

Erased at the Polls

GOTV/Election Protection

My Life My Vote

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Voting Rights

Two programs ground One Voice’s civic engagement work; the MS Civic Engagement Roundtable and Election Protection Call Center. The Mississippi Civic Engagement Roundtable is a network of over one hundred non-partisan organizations dedicated to achieving an inclusive, engaged, just, and equitable state for all Mississippians by increasing voter awareness and education. In partnership with the MS NAACP, our aim for the Election Protection Call Center is to ensure that all voters have an equal opportunity to participate in the political process by tracking election concerns and complaints through a central database. Various campaigns were launched to educated the public on their rights, deadlines and voting dates and times, and stress-free voting processes at the the polls.

Frank Figgers

Program Manager

Deanté Morgan

Information Technologies Specialist

MBLS

ECLI

MWL

MBLI

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HWMLI

Leadership

The Mississippi Black Leadership Institute (MBLI) is a community of emerging leaders from all backgrounds who convene once a month for nine months to exchange information, provide support, and access to other local professionals and political leaders to produce progressive change. Hundreds of Mississippians have completed the leadership program. They include college presidents, medical doctors, attorneys, religious leaders, accountants, law enforcement, and more. In 2024, we surpassed some milestones and celebrated new groups of profound leaders and interns in our programs. Below are just a few of our annual accomplishments.

Nicholas McDaniels

Advocacy Coordinator

Nsombi Lambright Haynes

Executive Director

Ashley Wilson

Program Director

In 2024, One Voice continued its leadership of the Mississippi Election Protection Program, addressing ongoing voter suppression across the state. Through the non-partisan Election Protection Hotline (1-888-601-VOTE), we assisted voters with registration issues, polling locations, ID requirements, and election-related concerns. Leading up to the November presidential election, our team of 90 trained volunteers, including legal experts, staffed a live call center and supported voters on the ground in 53 counties. Our "Erased at the Polls" campaign identified thousands of unlawfully purged voters and helped many re-register. The hotline received 183 calls from 44 counties, with the highest volume from Hinds, Jackson, Rankin, Madison, and DeSoto Counties. Top concerns included absentee ballot delays, voter roll errors, misinformation, and polling site changes. One Voice tracked these issues using the Our Vote Live system and will use this data to advocate for reform during the 2025 Mississippi Legislative Session.

Election Protection

In 2024, One Voice joined with the Rankin County NAACP to confront a deeply troubling pattern of police brutality and abuse of power within the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department. At the center of this crisis was a group of corrupt deputies known as the “Goon Squad.” Who Are the Goon Squad? This group of sheriff’s deputies carried out unlawful raids, torture, and intimidation—targeting Black residents and families in Rankin County. Operating under the protection of their badges, they violated civil rights with impunity, representing one of the most horrific recent examples of state-sanctioned violence in Mississippi. These acts were not isolated incidents but part of a broader culture of systemic racism and unchecked authority within the department. The sheriff’s office failed to intervene, instead enabling abuse through a lack of accountability and transparency. Community Response In partnership with the Rankin County NAACP and other grassroots groups, One Voice led a strategic community response that included:

• Petitions demanding the removal of the sheriff responsible for these abuses
• Town halls to uplift the voices of impacted families
• Public campaigns and legal support to demand justice and systemic reform

We stood firmly with those terrorized by this violence and continue to fight for lasting accountability and change. The Rankin County Sheriff’s Department is now under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice. One Voice remains committed to dismantling systems of oppression and building pathways to justice in communities long harmed by law enforcement misconduct.

Justice for All - Rankin County NAACP

Criminal Justice Campaigns

Voting Restoration

Guatamalan Consulate

Silenced Beyond the Bars

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Criminal Justice

One Voice continues to deepen its strategy around reforming the criminal justice system in Mississippi through developing leaders in impacted communities. Mississippi’s voting laws silence those with prior felony convictions and create reentry barriers for returning citizens. One Voice works with these citizens each year to restore their voting rights. Using statistics, national data, and personal stories from directly impacted Mississippians, One Voice working with MS Votes and the Advancement Project, published a report that shines a light on what people with felony convictions face. We also helped facilitate projects that assisted immigrants in completing paperwork needed for U.S. documentation.