MDC

Five southern states are a part of 15 states that have refused to participate in a federal assistance program that provides low-income families with assistance purchasing food during the summer. More than 8 million children, half of them in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi, will not have access to the bipartisan supported program that the rest of the country does.

Check out this Southern Poverty Law Center article calling on Southern governors to rethink their decision, explaining the child hunger crisis in the United States.
https://www.splcenter.org/news/2024/03/15/states-federal-summer-food-program

"Working hard and taking care of our neighbors are core Southern values. So when hard work still does not yield a livable wage, and job insecurity feeds economic insecurity, then we aren't truly living our values. To live into our values, and to build a thriving South, we need organized labor."

Check out this op-ed written by MDC President and CEO, John Simpkins. "To Build a Thriving South, We Need Organized Labor's Help" was written following the Volkswagen factory vote in Chattanooga, TN to join the United Auto Workers.

The entire blog post is available here: https://www.stateofthesouth.org/2024/06/25/op-ed-organized-labor-to-build-a-thriving-south-we-need-organized-labors-help/

MDC’s Brandy Bynum Dawson, Senior Program Director for Rural Prosperity and Investment, will be speaking during the National Criminal Justice Alliance’s Forum on Criminal Justice this year! She will join a panel of speakers discussing violent crime reduction strategies for rural law enforcement agencies on Monday, August 12, 2024, at 1 pm.

For more event information, visit: https://www.forumoncriminaljustice.org/agenda

Our team at MDC is sad to learn of the passing of our friend and former colleague, Gerry Hardersen. Gerry worked in the MDC Finance office for almost ten years, retiring (for the second time) in 2018. He was instrumental in working on MDC’s Achieving the Dream program launch in 2010.

Gerry was unflappable when dealing with the intricacies of some of MDC’s financing arrangements, particularly efforts that involved multiple funders or the federal government.

Gerry was comfortable in his own skin and fit in with every group he worked with. After retirement (and even before), he enjoyed traveling and sharing details about his next trip.

His obituary is available here: https://rfhr.com/obituaries/gerald-l-hardersen/

MDC welcomes new board members and elects new board officers

We are thrilled to welcome Jamila Abston Mayfield , CPA, CFE, CFF, to the MDC Board of Directors.

Jamila is the founder and CEO of The Jamila Mayfield Group, LLC, which provides consulting services on compliance, risk, and regulatory matters to financial services clients. With a distinguished background as a former Partner at Ernst & Young LLP in the FSO Consulting Financial Services Risk Management practice, Jamila led over 100 professionals advising top-tier clients in wealth and asset management, private equity, hedge funds, capital markets, banking, and insurance. Additionally, Jamila is a sought-after public speaker, sharing her expertise on risk, compliance, and executive leadership through numerous professional engagements each year.

We are also pleased to announce the election of new board officers: Kweku Forstall as Chair, Susan Gooden, PhD, as Vice Chair, and Stephanie Kang, DrPH, as Secretary/Treasurer. We look forward to their leadership and contributions to advancing our mission.

For more on the MDC Board of Directors, visit: https://www.mdcinc.org/about/board-of-directors/

Last week, MDC and NC IDEA announced the release of “Strengthening North Carolina’s Rural Entrepreneurship Future: Rural Entrepreneur & Ecosystem Partner Perspectives,” a full report including in-depth analysis and recommendations around rural entrepreneurship development. Together, with funding provided by Wells Fargo, NC IDEA and MDC have partnered to explore avenues to better support the needs of rural entrepreneurs across North Carolina.

For access to the full report, visit: https://ncidea.org/rural-entrepreneurship/

LENS-NC is a network of 20 organizations working at the intersection of education equity and learning differences to advance work to reduce disparities in educational outcomes among students with diagnosed and undiagnosed learning differences.

Join us this Friday, June 28 to learn more about NC organizations working to improve outcomes for marginalized students.

Since February 2020, five percent of childcare programs in North Carolina have been closed. Within the last six months of 2023, the closure of licensed childcare programs has outpaced the opening of new programs.

To learn more about the growing closure of NC childcare programs and its impacts across the state, visit: https://www.ednc.org/05-08-2024-north-carolina-loses-licensed-child-care-programs-since-pandemic/

Mark Your Calendars: State of the South is coming to Georgia! For three days, we will gather in Atlanta to appreciate Southern food and arts while imagining ways to make the South more equitable for everyone.

To learn more about State of the South, visit: https://www.stateofthesouth.org/

MDC mourns the passing of the Rev. James Lawson, a dedicated civil rights leader and social justice advocate. Lawson was instrumental in leading nonviolent protests that led to the desegregation of downtown Nashville, fighting for sanitation worker's rights in Memphis, and more. Studying under Mahatma Gandhi and marching alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rev. Lawson lived to support and inspire generations of nonviolent leaders and organizers.

His work and legacy continue to inspire us at MDC as we remain committed to systems change, changing hearts and minds to create systems change.

To learn more about Rev. Lawson, visit: https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/2024/06/10/james-lawson-towering-civil-rights-activist-pioneer-nonviolent-protest-nashville-memphis-dies-at-95/74048239007/

You are invited to the launch of our Student Debt Outreach Platform tomorrow, June 13, from noon to 1 pm. The platform is a living resource for student debt borrowers to receive timely outreach materials related to student debt.

Register today for the Zoom session here: https://ow.ly/gPMa50ShgqV

Washington's 4th annual Juneteenth celebration promotes Unity in the Community Also in Beaufort County, the community is invited to a big outdoor party with an important purpose.The City of Washington will host its "4th" annual Juneteenth

With federal childcare relief funding due to end in less than six weeks; providers, parents, and advocates rallied at the NC State legislature calling for emergency funding to replace federal funds. MDC's own Laterria Lassiter spoke at the rally, advocating for child-care programs at risk of shutting down. Without further intervention, about 20% of North Carolina's child-care facilities are at risk of closing within a year.

To learn more, read: https://www.ednc.org/05-17-2024-child-care-providers-rally-nc-legislature-advocate-stabilization-funding/

MDC invites you to the launch of our Student Debt Outreach Platform on June 13, from noon to 1 pm. The platform is a living resource where student debt borrowers can receive timely outreach materials related to student debt.

Register today for the Zoom session here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAqf-6oqTkvGtLYddG8ubAaSUgRjjC3nGSD

A HUGE win for taxpayers, ! IRS is officially extending the program permanently – it will save people time, money, and peace of mind. That’s why MDC joined more than 250+ other orgs nationwide to call for a permanent Direct File program in more states.

Join Nonprofit Quarterly tomorrow, May 30th, for a webinar exploring how black-led organizations and black leaders are responding to attacks against racial equity and DEI efforts.

For more on the webinar, visit: https://ow.ly/88WH50RYRrP

View the report that sparked the conversation, exploring how black leaders reflect on racial equity since 2020 and what the future holds, here: https://ow.ly/OobR50RYRrx

What is the LENS-NC network? The network is a collective of 20 organizations working at the intersection of education equity and learning differences to advance work to reduce disparities in educational outcomes among students with diagnosed and undiagnosed learning differences. The aim is to create learning environments where students thrive! Join us on June 28th to learn more about the network and their incredible work!

The University of North Carolina Board of Governors voted yesterday to repeal its 2019 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policy, taking effect at the start of the 2024-2025 school year. The 22-2 decision removes several DEI positions and requirements, reallocating funds to "student success initiatives."

To learn more about the decision, visit: https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-diversity-dei-board-of-governors-dc23328c84b9005fc1e916164e44c3fa

Do you know someone who has contributed to understanding public policy, education, labor markets, academic disciplines, or society? If so, the Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management is accepting nominations for the William Spriggs Memorial Award through July 17, 2024!

Dr. William Spriggs was an effective and powerful voice who brilliantly championed the causes of equity, racial justice, and worker's rights. Dr. Spriggs was a professor, and former chair of, the Department of Economics at Howard University, chief economist to the AFL-CIO, and a long-serving member of MDC's Board of Directors. Our work at MDC and the communities we serve are immeasurably better because of Bill's insight, generosity, and wisdom.

For more about the award, visit https://www.appam.org/about-appam/awards/william-spriggs-memorial-award/

MDC is Hiring! We are seeking a Program Director to lead work to advance early childhood education and child-care equity in the South. The primary focus is leading MDC's work on Home-Based child care, a multi-year strategy that currently includes both a community of practice of networks, and Haven, a provider leadership development program.

To learn more about the position, visit: https://www.mdcinc.org/about/careers/

The deadline to apply is Friday, April 26, 2024.

The North Carolina Inclusive Disaster Recovery Network is a cross-sector collaborative that seeks to advocate for communities and equitable access to resources in a disaster recovery system. The collaborative recently conducted a case study looking at the power, politics, and partnership dynamics and priorities to develop actionable recommendations to increase collaboration and inclusivity within disaster recovery networks. Below is an infographic created by Kayla Gilligan, MDC Rural Forward Program Associate, summarizing the case study.

For a map of the participating organizations in the N.C. Disaster Recovery Network, visit: https://kumu.io/ncidr/disaster-landscape

To learn more about the Disaster Recovery Network, visit: https://www.mdcinc.org/projects/north-carolina-inclusive-disaster-recovery-network-ncidr/

“When an entire community is locked out of this essential health care, as many communities throughout the South are, it holds everyone back. We can invest in housing and education, economic development, and social services, but without expanding access to health care, our efforts to root out poverty will fall short. If, on the other hand, we want to unlock a bright future for Southern communities and economies, we know just where to begin.”

We invite you to check out a commentary written by MDC President and CEO John Simpkins on Medicaid Expansion in the South. Published via The Post and Courier

Commentary: Medicaid expansion is a win for North Carolina. It can be for South Carolina, too. South Carolina is among seven Southern states that have not adopted Medicaid expansion, locking entire communities out of stable access to health care.

MDC's Student Debt Relief Coalition has a call to action for federal student loan debt holders. If you have loans that aren't "direct" loans or if you have loans on different timelines, you may need to act by April 30, 2024, to maximize your credit toward forgiveness programs like public service loan forgiveness for nonprofit and government employees and income-driven repayment forgiveness. Student debt isn't a "them" problem, it's an "us" problem - 1.3 million North Carolinians have student debt in the present day. If you don't have it yourself, you definitely love someone who does, so consider sharing it with your networks!

The NC Summer Policy Institute is a four-day program for students in undergraduate programs, recent graduates, or other young people ages 18-25, who are interested in getting involved and learning more about public policy in North Carolina. Applications are now open for the upcoming summer cohort; closing Sunday, April 14th at 11:59pm.

Link to apply: https://ncbudget.org/ncspi/?sourceid=&emci=cdd917f4-8aeb-ee11-aaf0-002248223794&emdi=8cad4607-3cec-ee11-aaf0-002248223794&ceid=9907280

"Because all disasters start and end locally, strong partnerships between community organizations and public agencies are necessary for effective implementation."

Read more about FEMA's new rule changes to address federal disaster assistance programs and MDC's role in addressing some of the gaps in the disaster recovery system. The post features our very own Andy Shoeing, Rural Forward Program Director, and MDC Fellow Dr. John T. Cooper.

https://www.aspencsg.org/fema-rules-aligning-changes-with-principles/

We're Hiring: MDC seeks a Senior Program Director to lead our work to advance equity-centered leadership and philanthropy through fellowships, foundations, and community partners. MDC defines equity-centered leadership as the work of developing collaborative, human-focused solutions to achieve systemic equity and build community. We currently advance this agenda among young leaders in the early stages of their careers, leaders of color established in their careers, and within foundations at varying stages of their equity journeys across the South. The Senior Program Director will drive three significant initiatives to further this work.

For more information, visit https://www.mdcinc.org/about/careers/

We're Hiring: The MDC Rural Prosperity and Investment team seeks an advanced or graduate-level student to support capacity building and technical assistance services in rural communities through the Dan Broun Internship program. This is a hybrid (virtual and in-person) internship and candidates should be available to travel into a community once a month. The internship is a 10-month long opportunity, with a duration of May 2024 - April 2025.

For more information, visit: https://lnkd.in/dhESXHx

"For decades, millions of Americans have been forced to go without internet or pay for subpar service, which thwarts opportunities to participate and thrive in today’s society, especially for Black communities in the rural South, where the digital divide is the greatest. In this region, about 38% of Black households don’t have home internet, a higher percentage than white people in the same region and the national average, a 2021 report from the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies found."

Check out this article on digital redlining and the lack of internet access across the rural South.
https://capitalbnews.org/broadband-internet-black-rural-south/