Partner spotlight – Mississippi Urban League: an interview with Dr. Portia Ballard Espy
In this partner spotlight, Dr. Portia Ballard Espy shares how the Mississippi Urban League is advancing health equity through economic empowerment, education, civil rights and community partnerships across Mississippi.
Q: The Mississippi Urban League’s work spans economic empowerment, education and civil rights. How do you see those areas connecting to health equity in Mississippi communities?
A: Economic empowerment, education and civil rights are all foundational social determinants of health that directly shape a person’s opportunity to live a healthy life. Steady employment, income and assets have a powerful effect on positive health outcomes. They also make it more likely that individuals can afford better quality housing, live in safer environments and access health insurance. These factors help reduce the risk of illness.
Education paves the way to better, higher-paying employment opportunities. It also acts as a key driver of long-term health. The more education an individual has, the better equipped they may be to navigate health information, make informed choices and adopt healthy behaviors such as exercise and healthy eating. Research also shows that higher education is associated with lower rates of chronic illness and can enhance a person’s sense of control. Civil rights provide legal, empowering and protective tools that help ensure everyone, regardless of race, class, sexual orientation or other identities, has an equal opportunity to be healthy.
Q: The Myrlie Evers-Williams Institute (MEWI) focuses on advancing health equity through community engagement and collaboration. What role do partnerships between organizations like the Mississippi Urban League and health care institutions play in creating lasting change?
A: Partnerships between the Mississippi Urban League and health care institutions, including our partners at MEWI, help create positive change by identifying and addressing the root causes of health disparities. These partnerships foster opportunities for the collaborative design and leadership of interventions that address issues such as food insecurity and maternal and infant health.
We are honored to work in partnership with MEWI through the EversCare Food Pantry and monthly food distribution. This effort has provided a lifesaving bridge for people in our community who struggle with food insecurity. It takes all of us – MEWI, the Mississippi Food Network and MUL – to make this work successful.
At MUL, we also host interns through our partnership with Jackson State University’s College of Health Sciences. Students have the opportunity to observe our partnerships up close, something many say they will strive to duplicate in their professional lives. We also partnered with organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to serve as a trusted messenger during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the efforts of community-based organizations working collaboratively with health care institutions, we were able to educate residents, facilitate vaccinations and greatly increase vaccine uptake in Mississippi. These partnerships are key to advancing health equity in our state.
Q: You’ve held leadership roles in community building, racial reconciliation, philanthropy and public policy. How have those experiences shaped your vision for the Mississippi Urban League?
A: Our vision at the Mississippi Urban League is to build a bridge that empowers people to overcome adversity and reach their full potential. We seek to create a Mississippi that provides opportunities for all and addresses inequity.
My work in community building has taught me that sustainable change happens with the community, not just for it. These experiences shape my vision for the Mississippi Urban League by emphasizing the importance of empowering Mississippians to define their own futures, elevate their communities and create the best quality of life for themselves and others.
My experience with racial reconciliation has informed my approach to addressing systemic inequities directly and ensuring that difficult conversations about historical barriers are channeled into action rather than division. My understanding of philanthropy and how it supports the communities I serve helps me build sustainable funding streams, leverage public-private partnerships and drive transformative investments into historically underserved Mississippi communities. My experience with public policy helps shape our work by driving us to advocate for policy changes that dismantle structural inequities and ensure we serve as an effective voice for the people.
My vision is to combine deep relational trust through community building with structural solutions through public policy, backed by strategic funding secured through philanthropic partnerships, to drive positive community change.
Q: What are some of the most pressing challenges facing historically underserved communities in Mississippi today and where do you see the greatest opportunities for progress?
A: Pressing challenges currently facing historically underserved communities in Mississippi include severe health care disparities, especially in maternal and infant health, mental health disparities, economic instability and property loss. Major opportunities for progress include expanding Medicaid, making rural telemedicine accessible to more Mississippians, improving maternal and infant health outcomes, increasing local capital for small businesses, protecting family lands and investing in equitable early childhood education and broadband access.
Q: The Mississippi Urban League works to help individuals “embrace who they are, decide their future and join the fight to change their community.” What does empowerment look like in practice?
A: Empowerment means equipping individuals with the tangible resources and self-assurance needed to break systemic barriers. In practice, this translates to programs, auxiliaries and events hosted by the Mississippi Urban League. Empowerment means helping people gain the knowledge, tools and confidence they need to make decisions, improve their lives and strengthen their communities.
Q: What initiatives or programs at the Mississippi Urban League are you most excited about right now, particularly those impacting youth and families?
A: I’m excited about all of our programs. These include our collaboration with MEWI and the Mississippi Food Network through the EversCare Food Pantry and monthly food distribution, our twice-monthly program for seniors to help combat social isolation, our internship program in partnership with Jackson State University’s College of Health Sciences, the SIPPS Mothers’ Forum maternal health program, the Baby Resource Closet, disaster preparedness and response initiatives, the MUL Young Professionals auxiliary, our financial literacy webinar series and our Individual Development Account Program. These programs allow us to share knowledge community members can use to make positive changes in their lives. We believe knowledge is power.
Q: Mississippi communities are known for their resilience and strength. What gives you hope for the future of equity and community well-being in our state?
A: What gives me the most hope is the undeniable power of Mississippi’s people, its grassroots networks and our growing civic infrastructure. Local nonprofit and faith-based organizations are empowering residents to take control of their own well-being through participation in programs and civic engagement. Through strategic capacity-building and by working together, we are building systems where everyone has a voice and the ability to create the change they want to see in their communities.