What a day this is. We are celebrating the start of 22 years of Free Press journalism that began Sept. 22, 2002, at the Jackson Free Press, the predecessor of our newsroom and our ongoing strategy to uncover and inspire solutions for the state and the nation with a county-by-county approach.
Today marks the next chapter of Free Press journalism and the extraordinary accomplishments of Mississippi’s most inclusive newsroom. Since we launched as a statewide nonprofit in March 2020, our fantastic team has reimagined journalism in ways big and small. We come from all over the state: the Pine Belt, Clarke County, Neshoba County, the Gulf Coast, North Mississippi, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and so many places in between. Our writers can produce this incredible journalism because they grew up in the communities they cover.
We’ve had a remarkable ride, thanks in no small part to people like you.
The Institute for Nonprofit News named us Startup of the Year, and we’ve enjoyed over 70 awards and honors, including numerous national awards, in addition to more than 150 awards for the Jackson Free Press over the years.
To say my co-founder Donna Ladd and I are proud of this team, most of whom came with us from the Jackson Free Press, doesn’t describe how we feel. You’ll often hear us gushing about their work ethic, collaborative spirit and commitment to accurate, non-partisan journalism, as well as their commitment to you, our reader. This team is the best Mississippi has to offer. They could go to a lot of places and do a lot of things, but make no mistake, it is a choice. They’ve decided to stay in Mississippi to help make an impact.
The combined awards for Mississippi Free Press and Jackson Free Press journalism now line three full walls in the MFP offices in downtown Jackson, Miss. Photo by Donna Ladd
At the Jackson Free Press, we did a lot with a little. Since we’ve transitioned to a nonprofit statewide model, we do a lot with a medium. (I don’t know if that makes sense,
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