Life Update

The past couple of years have been a blur of joy, heartbreak, and learning. I have fallen in love with Mississippi—the place and the people. I have found a beloved community of extraordinary advocates and friends. I have found myself incredibly at home.

Which brings me to a bittersweet life update: yesterday was my last day as Director of Public Benefits Law at the Mississippi Center for Justice. On Monday, I will begin a new role as a Reproductive and Sexual Health Attorney with the National Health Law Program in Washington, D.C. I am thrilled to have the chance to focus on my passions at the interface of reproductive and sexual health, Medicaid, and the ACA. I am also excited to work and learn in partnership with my Mississippi friends and chosen family in my new capacity. To those of you who have welcomed, befriended, challenged, and uplifted me over the past couple of years: thank you for everything.

Mental health check: as a person who struggles with anxiety and a chronic health condition, older sister of a grocery worker, family member and friend of many filing for unemployment following job loss, and anti-poverty activist, I understand that this is a challenging, frightening, disappointing, and impossible time for many or most. I appreciate that the pandemic is not only threatening our collective physical health but our mental health as well, and illuminating many of the racial injustices deeply entrenched in our systems. I hope that you are finding the support, resources, space, and community needed to care for yourselves and loved ones as you settle into this new (albeit temporary) normal. On my end, I am leaning on mediation, cooking, reading, yoga, my sassy black cat Finn, and virtual connection with loved ones. And I am feeling incredibly grateful for all that I have right now. Thank you to those of you who helped me get here.