Lifting Up the Delta: Citizens work together to create possibilities and lasting change in the Delta

Jackson, Miss. – In an unprecedented effort to create opportunities and sustainable change, local residents in Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi are working together to develop a road map to “Lift Up the Delta.” Sponsored by the Mid South Delta Initiative, a W.K. Kellogg Foundation program, this 18-month process engages over 140 individuals, divided into groups by state and focus areas of youth, grassroots and leadership. To date, they have worked to determine local resources, identify barriers and define the most critical issues facing the region.

In Craighead County, 10 citizens are engaged in this groundbreaking effort.

• Logan Clark, Jonesboro, AR - Youth Design Work Group member
• Harold Dotson, Jonesboro, AR - Leadership Design Work Group member
• Dan Freeman, Jonesboro, AR - Grassroots Design Work Group member
• Charles Fullen, Jonesboro, AR - Grassroots Design Work Group member
• Max Herrera, Jonesboro, AR - Youth Design Work Group member
• Patti Reesor, Jonesboro, AR - Grassroots Design Work Group member
• Tyler Reesor, Jonesboro, AR - Youth Design Work Group member
• Shatavia Robinson, Jonesboro, AR - Youth Design Work Group member
• Jennifer Simmons, Bay, AR - Leadership Design Work Group member
• Jerry Smith, Jonesboro, AR - Leadership Design Work Group member

Logan Clark loves the friendliness and closeness of the community. He is involved with his church youth group and college fraternity, Chi Omega. Jones believes that MSDI is a great opportunity to help make the community a better place, and he hopes that the MSDI Design Work Groups will make a positive and lasting impact on the Delta.

Harold Dotson has always lived in the Delta. He chose to go to school in the area and likes that his town of Jonesboro is showing growth.

Happy to be part of a program that presents the potential for making his dreams a reality, Dotson says, “I dream of a community where everyone is working in meaningful jobs, we have schools to offer those who want to move to the area, there is a sense of financial stability, and everyone is working together to make the community all it can be.”

A long-time resident of Jonesboro, Dan Freeman has a vision for his community. He sees his construction background and real estate experience as an asset to the effort to Lift Up the Delta. Freeman hopes to contribute to changing the mindset of the people in his community, state and region. He hopes a change in the way people think will also lead to great changes in the community.

Charles Fullen is another resident of Jonesboro with very specific dreams for the area. “My dream is that children born in my community or other communities in the Delta today will have access to affordable health care and a good educational system from preschool to college or vocational/technical training,” says Fullen. “We also need a safe community, decent housing, ample economic opportunities and leadership roles for active adults.” He hopes that the initiative will move the region toward those goals.

Max Herrera pumps a lot of energy into making Jonesboro a better place. He is a team leader for the American Heart Association Relay for Life Committee and also serves on a committee for the March of Dimes. He wants to see businesses instead of vacant lots, increased revenue, more recreational opportunities and property renovations. Herrera also hopes that the efforts of MSDI will change people’s attitudes about the community.

Patti Ressor is a native of Arkansas and is involved in a variety of community organizations including the American Heart Association and Habitat for Humanity. She loves the small town nature of the area and her hometown, but also desires growth for the area.

“I hope our impact will include a paradigm shift in our community from complacency to involvement,” says Reesor. “I would like to see tangible efforts, not just lip service!”

Tyler Reesor also joined MSDI to create change. His participation in this regional organizing venture comes as no surprise given his experiences in the community. Reesor is actively involved in his church university ministry, campus clubs and the Arkansas Chess Association. He loves the area and looks forward to using his abilities and talents to make a difference in his community.

“The Delta is a wonderful place to live,” says Reesor. “But, just like everyone else, we have our own problems. Anything that we can do to improve the quality of life throughout the Delta would be quite an accomplishment.”

Born and raised in Jonesboro, Shatavia Robinson decided to become active by volunteering in her community. She hopes that her actions will influence others to also become involved in community services. Robinson sees this opportunity as another means to bring about necessary change. She also hopes to identify the resources available in her hometown so that others can take advantage of them.

Jennifer Simmons’ grandparents first came to the Delta in the 1950s, and her family has been there ever since. As a resident of Bay, AR, Simmons really appreciates the hometown atmosphere that is demonstrated through the friendliness and caring spirit of her neighbors. She wants to be involved in preserving the history of the area and teaching that history to a young generation. Simmons hopes to see the legacy of the Delta shared, understood and further developed.

Jerry Smith specifically came to the Delta in 1989 to become involved in the economic development and empowerment of the area. It is his chosen career path and also an outlet for his volunteer time. Smith likes the friendliness of the people in his home of Jonesboro and in the region as a whole. He also recognizes the opportunities available in the Delta, and wishes to see all people at the table planning to take advantage of those opportunities and create change.

At the end of the process, which began in September 2006, the efforts of these individuals, along with the rest of their work group members, will result in prioritized solutions and action steps to develop the educational, health and economic potential of the Delta region. For more information on the Lifting Up the Delta initiative, visit www.msdi.org/liftingupthedelta/.

The Mid South Delta Initiative (MSDI) is a long-term economic, community and leadership development effort focused on the 55 contiguous counties and parishes along the Mississippi River in rural Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Since 1997 the W.K. Kellogg Foundation has invested more than $44 million in MSDI, a partnership with Delta residents to build an enduring way of life that provides opportunities for everyone and creates a sense of community, well being and hope for the future.