Acknowledgements
Completing this report would not have been possible without the contributions, support and expertise of many individuals and organizations.
Our sincere thanks go to John Simpkins, MDC President and CEO, for his renewed vision for State of the South™, and to Karim Baer, 2022-2024 State of the South Director, for his leadership of the program. We are immensely grateful to team members Clarissa Goodlett, Daniel Bradford, Kristin Feierabend, Jenna Bryant, Rebecca Hall, Nina Rivers, and Simon Palmore, whose collaboration, creativity, and coordination brought this dynamic program to life.
We extend our deepest gratitude to the following:
Community Hosts and Participants
With heartfelt gratitude, we acknowledge the community members and leaders of Atlanta, Georgia, Berea, Kentucky, Central Appalachia, Birmingham, Alabama, Charleston, South Carolina, and Durham, North Carolina, whose experiences, insights, and time have been invaluable to this work. Your voices and truths are the foundation of this report, inspiring us with possibilities for a thriving South.
Guest Authors
MDC extends its appreciation to the guest authors featured in this report. You have provided expert insight into the complex challenges of our region and offered creative solutions to shape a South where all people can thrive. Thank you for sharing your time, talent, and knowledge with us.
Artists
Original cover art and section illustrations by Antonio Alanís Roldan, Antonio Alanís Art LLC (Instagram @antonioalanisart)
“sync/swim, no. 2,” Performance still, Jenny Fine, Artist (Instagram @fannieamericus)
“Carry On,” by Harlem Farr, Musician (Instagram @hrlum)
“Resonance,” by Marcus Amaker, First Poet Laureate of South Carolina and Member of the South Carolina Literary Hall of Fame (Instagram @charlestonpoet)
“In the Wake of Jamal Sutherland,” by A$iahMae, Poet Laureate of Charleston, S.C. (Instagram @asiahmae)
“The Fourth State,” by Johnny Lee Chapman III, Artist (Instagram @thegoldenmoments)
Portraits of Ella Baker and Myles Horton by Robert Shetterly, Artist, Americans Who Tell the Truth (Instagram @americanswhotellthetruth)
MDC Contributing Authors
We are immensely grateful to all our team members who helped bring this report to life—from shaping the early concept to writing and reviewing the final version. We are continuously inspired by our team and the intentionality that each person takes in approaching their work in community. We know the South is a better place because of it.
MDC Lead Authors
Karim Baer, 2022-2024 State of the South Director
Jenna Bryant, Senior Program Director
Kristin Feierabend, Director of Learning and Impact
Rebecca Hall, State of the South Program Coordinator
Simon Palmore, 2023-2024 Autry Fellow
Analysis and Data Visualization
Adrian G. Brown, Ph.D., Evaluation and Applied Research Associate, Duke University Social Science Research Institute
Jessica Sperling (Smokoski), Ph.D., Director, Duke University Social Science Research Institute
Design
Funding and Thought Partners
State of the South convenings and the publication of this report were made possible thanks to the support of our partners throughout the region:
Alabama Arise
Annie E. Casey Foundation
Blackbaud
Brushy Fork Leadership Institute, A Strategic Initiative of Berea College
Charleston Area Justice Ministries
Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina
Duke University Social Science Research Institute
Georgia Policy Labs
Kresge Foundation
Lowcountry Action Committee
Philanthropy Southeast
Share Our Strength
Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina
South Arts
South Carolina Association for Community Economic Development
Southern Research
The Just Trust
Viewpoint Disclaimer
This report underscores MDC’s commitment to amplifying the voices of the communities we partner with and support. We believe in providing a platform for people to express their views and explanatory data about the issues that matter most to them. We stand by this approach and, at the same time, acknowledge that the opinions, data, and viewpoints shared by guest authors in this report do not necessarily represent the official positions or research of MDC.
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