Mississippi Native: Fatimah Wansley
"Mississippi built a bright-eyed black girl with a voice that demands to be heard, and no matter where I am, I always remember that.
As we approach Election Day on November 7, Rooted is bringing you into the minds of candidates and young voters across the state. What does “home” mean to Mississippians who are working to affect political change this election season, or who have the most to lose or gain from elected officials’ actions? This week Fatimah Wansley, a student at the University of Mississippi, tells us how she’s feeling about the upcoming elections and her hopes for Mississippi’s future.
Where are you from?
I am a Shuqualak (pronounced “sugar lock”), Mississippi, native, but I’ve lived most of my life in Jackson, Mississippi.
How long have you lived in Mississippi? Where are you in school now?
I am Mississippi born and bred, and I‘ve lived here my entire life. I attend the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) and my major is International Studies with a focus in International Government and Politics in the Middle East—and minors in Arabic and African American Studies.
What does “home” mean to you? How does Mississippi fit into that definition?
Home is wherever you feel grounded. It can be a person, or a place, but wherever it is, it makes you feel safe, like no matter where you go, it’ll always be there connecting you to what matters at your core. Mississippi is where my big dreams were born, where I learned how to aim high despite the odds, stereotypes, or just general negativity that is associated with this state.
Mississippi built a bright-eyed black girl with a voice that demands to be heard, and no matter where I am, I always remember that. Mississippi is my home, and whether I’m on Capitol Hill or even a whole new continent, it’ll always be a part of me.
No matter where I go, you can still hear that southern twang in my voice, because this place is where I learned how valuable my voice is, and always will be. Mississippi is home for me, because home isn’t always perfect. It can hurt sometimes, and feel confusing but it is still the place where your growth happens. Mississippi built a bright-eyed black girl with a voice that demands to be heard, and no matter where I am, I always remember that. Mississippi is my home, and whether I’m on Capitol Hill or even a whole new continent, it’ll always be a part of me.
How have you cultivated community in Mississippi? Who are the people who have made you feel rooted here?
There are a million negative things people can say about Mississippi or the South in general, but I don’t believe in telling “single stories.” The black contribution to this state is enormous, and I am proud to have roots here, because there’s always someone who looks like me, fighting to make this place better. I feel rooted here because of teachers, community members, family and friends who have always supported me and never given up on me, even when I could’ve given up on myself.
How are you feeling about the upcoming elections?
Election years are very stressful for a lot of Americans, but I have hope that there will be a large turnout this year. Politics in general are stressful, and with so many pressing issues happening now, our government makeup is as important now as it’s ever been, on both a local and national level.
Mississippi is where my big dreams were born, where I learned how to aim high despite the odds, stereotypes, or just general negativity that is associated with this state.
What issues are most important to you as a young voter that Mississippi candidates are or aren’t talking about?
On both a local and national level, our discussion of the public school system is often kept too quiet. I wish there was more discussion about improving the curriculum and providing better funding towards our education. I like that funding for community college has been mentioned by one governor candidate, but the link between money and education needs to go further than higher education, because without proper resources, too many Mississippi public school kids will not make it that far.
Do you plan on staying in Mississippi after you graduate? What role do Mississippi politics play in your decision to stay in or leave the state?
I have yet to decide whether or not I‘d remain in Mississippi after graduation, but I know that my ultimate goal is to end up working in DC. However, because I am in a politically oriented major, I would definitely consider working with Mississippi politics and policy before making it to DC. Mississippi motivated me to be a changemaker, and I am passionate about the future of this state, but whether or not I stay is a question I‘ve been asking myself for a while.
The black contribution to this state is enormous, and I am proud to have roots here, because there’s always someone who looks like me, fighting to make this place better.
What do you wish older Mississippians understood about what it’s like to be a young person living in this state?
I wish they’d realize that the world we live in today is nothing like the world they lived in 50 years ago. We are all trying to navigate living in this state, as we learn from the tragedies of its past, and fight for growth in the present. Living in the past keeps the South stagnant, but so many young people are actively working to unlearn the ignorance many of us acquired in our youth. The laws being voted on, and the people being elected into office, nine times out of ten will have a greater effect on our lives than theirs, and I feel like many older Mississippians don’t recognize that.
Do you have a favorite Mississippi changemaker who you think everyone needs to know about?
MAISIE BROWN! She inspires me every single day and I look up to her so much. She has done some amazing things for this state, including helping to get the flag changed, getting water to poor families during the Jackson water crisis, and countless other things all for the betterment of this state.
If you had one billion dollars to invest in Mississippi, how would you spend your money?
I would contribute a lot to the public schools and nonprofits designed to help low income families. I think state-wide beautification projects, like fixing the streets in Jackson, would go a long way in improving the daily lives of many Mississippians.
Lastly, a large portion of this fictional billion dollars would go towards a mentorship program designed specifically for young black boys and men. Every year, so many young black boys are incarcerated, and usually the underlying reason is because of things like violence, gang activity, and drugs—this is a statistical fact. However, what statistics won’t tell you is how many of these young black boys are pushed into this lifestyle because many of them have never seen a better alternative. Black bodies fill prisons and graveyards far too soon than they should.
As a black person in the South, it can be easy to feel that people aren’t advocating for you, but I will always advocate for the improvement of this state and all of its constituents.
And if I had a billion dollars to invest in this state, I would create a program that starts within schools to find the strengths (academic, technical, or otherwise) of these young men and actively engages them to cultivate these strengths. It would be a mentorship program between people in these respective disciplines, while also having a component that facilitates discussion and community service between formerly incarcerated individuals so that the boys who are products of violent environments can really see what the outcomes could be if they pursue the life that is traditionally laid out for them.
There would be opportunities for these young men that many of them have never even heard of or thought that they could have. Mentorship would be crucial in this program, because it would be more than just information being thrown at these kids; it would serve as a deterrent from going down the “wrong path” and as encouragement towards a better one.
As a black person in the South it can be easy to feel that people aren’t advocating for you, but I will always advocate for the improvement of this state and all of its constituents.
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.)
I want to promote the Ole Miss Mississippi Outreach for Scholastic Talent (MOST)_Conference. MOST is a mentorship program that provides academic and social resources to young black Mississippians to prepare them for college and for their futures in general. I had the opportunity to be a mentor for this amazing program and it was by far one of the best experiences I’ve had during my time at the university. When people think of the history associated with the university they often think of it in a way that excludes the black contribution to this institution. The conference taught me so much about this place, and I’m so proud and grateful to be following in the footsteps of the people who paved the way for me. The MOST Conference is the reason a lot of black people get to call this university theirs, and I am so thankful that I got to be a part of it.
Reading your interview made me hopeful for the future of our state. Thank you, Fatimah! And when you make it up to D.C., keep Mississippi in your thoughts!