All results / Stories / Laurie Roberts
Whole, Fulfilled, Loved
Standing on the playground that day, it was clear I liked the little blonde girl who was playing in front of me. It wasn't in a "I want to be …
Safe in Our Own ‘Castles’
One of the last places I want to find myself when traveling with my family is on the side of dark stretch of freeway with flashing lights behind me.
OPINION: Domestic Violence is the Problem
Domestic abusers all over the country gun down family members they blame for their problems every day. They take children and bystanders with them.
The Myth of the Welfare Queen
I am old enough to remember the promise of welfare reform in the '90s. I recall quite well the nasty rhetoric used to shred our social safety net.
Dear Pam: Stay in Your Lane
If a so-called activist organization doesn't have the analysis to look at how their suggestions play out for people across income, race, disability and regional lines, then I suggest they …
OPINION: Justice Against Sexual Violence
My middle daughter has always been one of my most outgoing and ambitious children. She was so proud of her uniform and of getting this job all on her own.
Kingston’s Death: The Tragedy It Is
I can't speak for Kingston Frazier's mama, but I know what it's like to be a black single mama who's judged because your child was a victim of a crime.
Let's Clean House
As we move forward as a city and a state, it's time we discussed the difference between blame and accountability.
Who's Moral Now?
In my last column, I wrote about the importance of Medicaid expansion to our state--and specifically to me. Sometimes we pay a price for publicly sharing a story; my price …
Nothing New in 41
Mississippi does need more education around reproductive health. Most of us fighting "personhood round one" found that many people didn't have a good grasp on how reproduction and birth control …
The Swimsuit Body
I challenge myself to question the judgments I make about people, including what makes people attractive, and why I think someone should or shouldn't wear something.
OPINION: Mississippi Women's Activist—Bernie Sanders Can't Come to the Cookout
"This town hall isn't special; they are taking the usual Bernie town hall and putting Martin Luther King's name on it. It's glaringly obvious, offensive and frankly it is just …
Do Better, Jackson
When I became a feminist activist and a visible advocate for a woman's right to choose, I knew that I might lose a few friends in the process. Abortion has …
Rising and Falling
Navigating the tricky world of being The Black Person has been my life. I'm a biracial woman who was raised half her life in an almost all-white town and who …
A Dangerous Game
Rarely does a two-day period go by that I don't get a Facebook message or email asking about how to apply for Medicaid or where to access free or low-cost …
Milking Our Emotions
With all that is going on with the government lately, people on all sides of the political spectrum seem to be on edge. Nothing will make people emotional faster than …
Mississippi’s Gumbo
Mississippi has always had a diverse group of people. Think of an ethnic group and, in all likelihood, its people reside here. Though their numbers may be smaller, all of …
Leading and Loving
As an activist (and a real-life poor person), I am offended when I have to deal with classism within the liberal political and social-justice organizations I work with.
Panic Doesn’t Fight Crime
We in the Jackson area have been rocked recently by some horrific murders. My thoughts are with the families and friends of the victims.
Overcoming Ableism
When my twins were diagnosed with autism at age 2, I did what most parents do: I learned how to advocate for my kids.
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