Mississippi Votes Hosts Organizing for Change Volunteer Training in Central Mississippi
JACKSON, Miss. — Mississippi Votes brought together community members on August 18 for its Organizing for Change volunteer training, a hands on session focused on relational organizing and the power of everyday relationships to drive civic change.
The training was led by Jermarius Everett, Field Organizer for Central Mississippi, and centered on a simple idea: the people we already know and trust are often the starting point for building stronger, more engaged communities.
“Relational organizing goes beyond voter turnout,” Everett said. “The same skills we teach can be used to identify concerns, bring people together, and advocate around issues affecting our neighborhoods.”
Throughout the session, participants explored how personal relationships open the door to civic and community involvement. They mapped out their own networks, identifying friends, family members, coworkers, and neighbors they could realistically engage and mobilize. Using a simple framework built around asking, listening, connecting, and inviting, participants practiced turning everyday conversations into real opportunities for community action.
The training also included role play scenarios and a live texting exercise, giving participants a chance to put their new skills into practice in real time. Each attendee left with a personal commitment to reach out to at least five people in their network, and every participant who completed the training received a certificate recognizing their commitment to organizing and civic engagement.
“Organizing starts with the people we already know,” Everett said. “Everyone has the ability to organize.”
Mississippi Votes is inviting participants and the broader community to keep building on what they learned by getting involved in several upcoming opportunities:
- Volunteer Sign Up: msvotes.org/volunteer
- Phonebanking: Mondays and Wednesdays, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.
- Canvassing: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.
- National Voter Registration Week: September 14 through 18, 2026
- Next Volunteer Training: October 2026
- Election Protection Academy: September 12, 2026. Sign up at tinyurl.com/MSVEPAcademy
The Organizing for Change training is part of Mississippi Votes’ ongoing work to build civic power across the state, one relationship at a time.
