September 1, 2023
On August 28th, scholars from Dawson Elementary School and Capital City Alternative School, community leaders, and elected officials rallied together for the Jackson Citywide Day of Action to beautify and restore public and educational spaces on Percy V. Simpson Drive. Day of Action is one of the month-long series of events to commemorate the anniversary of the Jackson Water Crisis and honor the tenacity and togetherness of Jackson residents that laid the foundation for historic and long-overdue investments in our water system.
“Since last year’s water crisis, we have made remarkable progress in securing the funding and expertise necessary to provide us with a water system our residents and businesses deserve,” said Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba. “As we look back, I’m especially proud of the community leaders and volunteers who endured the water crisis by coming together to help one another. Today’s event is just another reminder of the love, dedication, and impact these unsung heroes have on our city on a day-to-day basis.”
“It is part of our restorative practices too,” Tanya Mason, principal of Capital City Alternative School, told the Mississippi Free Press. “So, we try to get them to understand the behavior and expectations, then what (they can) do to change. Change only happens if you change. These students are contributing to their communities.”
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Volunteers in Jackson provided meaningful services, from cleaning up streets where trash was clogging storm drains, to participating in art beautification efforts, and setting up barriers to deter further dumping at one of the worst illegal dump sites in the city. A time capsule was also buried in front for the Dawson Elementary Pre-K scholars to unearth in 2035 as a historical cache.
