Mississippi Native: Anne Louise Phillips
"I’ve never met someone in Mississippi I didn’t feel at least a little connected to."
What does it mean to call Mississippi home? Why do people choose to leave or live in this weird, wonderful, and sometimes infuriating place? Anne Louise Phillips is a junior at Mississippi State University studying English with minors in creative writing and film studies. Originally from Attala County, she spends her free time pursuing her creative passions, including writing and photography. Anne Louise is also Rooted’s first intern! She’ll be spending three months reviewing our archive of over two years' worth of published issues in order to extract common themes, interesting quotes, and reflections from past contributors. We can’t wait to learn more about her findings. Today, Anne Louise shares why she hopes to stay and build a career in Mississippi.
Where are you from?
I was raised on a homestead in the backwoods of Attala County, Mississippi!
Where are you in school now? What are you studying?
I’m currently a junior at Mississippi State University, studying English with minors in creative writing and film studies.
I’ve cultivated community in Mississippi in a very Southern way—I say hello to everyone I pass by.
What does “home” mean to you? How does Mississippi fit into that definition?
I think of home as an establishing shot in a movie, or a chorus in a song, or an opening paragraph in a book—it’s the people and places that ground you and surround your story. I was born in Oxford, grew up in Attala County, and now live in Starkville. I’ve followed the Trace down to Natchez, chased the blues in the Delta, and cruised the Coast on October mornings. Every part of who I am is irrevocably shaped by Mississippi.
How have you cultivated community in Mississippi? Who are the people who have made you feel rooted here?
I’ve cultivated community in Mississippi in a very Southern way—I say hello to everyone I pass by. I’ve met some of my best friends while waiting in line, searching through stores, participating in community arts and culture. There’s such space for art in Mississippi—there are so many stories to tell, and I want to listen to all of them.
The people that make me feel rooted here are my parents, siblings, boyfriend, friends—the usual prospects. But also, I’ve never met someone in Mississippi I didn’t feel at least a little connected to.
I’ve followed the Trace down to Natchez, chased the blues in the Delta, and cruised the Coast on October mornings. Every part of who I am is irrevocably shaped by Mississippi.
What issues are most important to you as a young person (and voter) living in Mississippi?
I’m concerned about the everyday lives of everyday people. I think there’s a major classism issue nationally that trickles down into Mississippi politics and hurts people.
Do you plan on staying in Mississippi after you graduate? What role do state politics play in your decision to stay in or leave the state?
I do plan on staying in Mississippi—I hope to go to grad school here, and eventually work and teach here. I believe there’s beautiful culture and wonderful stories here, and that’s the work I feel led to do. To me, Mississippi politics are so tied to national politics that I believe I’d see the same issues of freedom versus control across the country. I think there’s work to be done here.
I think of home as an establishing shot in a movie, or a chorus in a song, or an opening paragraph in a book—it’s the people and places that ground you and surround your story.
What do you wish older Mississippians understood about what it’s like to be a young person living in this state?
I wish older Mississippians knew that, sometimes, people my age want to leave because we feel forced out. It’s not that we hate the place or the people—it’s that we feel blocked from building a life here, or unwanted.
Do you have a favorite Mississippi changemaker who you think everyone needs to know about?
Miranda Burchfield is one of my best friends, and is a fantastic photographer serving the state. She’s built her business serving Mississippi, and supports her community as a creator and educator. She really cares about the state and about every person she meets, and I think that’s incredibly important.
If you had one billion dollars to invest in Mississippi, how would you spend your money?
I would invest in literacy programs. When you open peoples’ eyes to literature, you open up the world to them.
What or who do you want to shamelessly promote? (It can absolutely be a project you’re working on, or something you are involved in)
My good friend Sarah Beth and I are rebooting our podcast, Storia! We explore pop culture, primarily films. It’s available on most listening platforms!
Anne Louise “Weez” Phillips is a writer and photographer from Attala County, Mississippi. She has been featured in several publications, and her poetry collection, Freak of Nature, is available on Amazon. When she isn’t writing or taking photos, she can be found perusing record stacks or hanging out with her pet snail, Sheldon.
One year ago:
JXN through the Viewfinder
"What I also love about instant photography is how intimate you are with the geography and landscape of the place you are photographing. In my experience, photography makes you really look at the details of a place—to pay attention—to what is there and what catches your eye. It has made me see things around Jackson that maybe I would not have noticed without my camera."
Mississippi Filmmaker: Talamieka Brice
"Home means, roots, sanctuary, grit and inspiration. There's fertile soil here."
Two years ago:
An Ode to the Southern Exile
"The homesick longing of the Southern exile is sawtoothed with rage. These days I, too, am filled with a righteous, brimming anger for what Mississippi has lost—will lose—in driving out some of its brightest, most creative, most loving citizens. At the end of the day, I just want my people to stay be able to stay here, to grow and thrive. Here. Among the red oak, the magnolia, the tulip poplar."