Mississippi Native: Katrina Byrd

"It takes a lot of courage to live a life of devastation and demand the best from yourself, give more than you have to a cause you believe in and to see hope when despair is all that is visible. "

What does it mean to call Mississippi home? Why do people choose to leave or live in this weird, wonderful, and sometimes infuriating place? Today we hear from Jackson-based writer and playwright Katrina Byrd, who has dealt with the grief of losing her longtime partner Dora by launching herself into ALS advocacy.

Featured contributor Katrina Byrd, whose alter-ego is the positivity-spreading influencer, The Boa Flouncer.

Where are you from?

I am from Jackson, MS.

How long have you lived in Mississippi?

I have lived in Mississippi all of my life—50 years.

What does “home” mean to you? How does Mississippi fit into that definition?

Home is a whistling tea kettle on the stove, a blue sky and a welcoming front porch. Blooming flowers, tall trees, and fresh cut grass. It’s a gentle rain on a summer day, unscheduled hugs and sweet, encouraging words. It’s purring cats, calm dogs and Black Beauty tomatoes ripening in the Mississippi July heat. It’s poverty, a long list of don’ts, can’ts, and nevers…