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Table of Contents
Plus, much more on the inside
6
Meet Guice Hill
This 20-year-old has purchased a gym, Body Works & Tan in Indianola, and he plans to bring his skills as a personal trainer to the business.
7
Meet Braden Little
Braden Little was so inspired by a 2020 program that he helped launch the trash division for the City of Indianola.
8
Meet Yasmine Brown
Yasmine is about to graduate from the University of Mississippi with multiple degrees, and she plans to enter graduate school by next spring.
10
Meet Will McDowell
12
Meet Pam Chatman
Pam Chatman is transforming the way people in the Delta think about transportation.
16
Meet Mary Nelson Robertson
Now with a Ph.D., Mary Nelson Robertson is dedicated to fighting the opioid crisis in Mississippi.
20
Meet Kimberly Moore
Kimberly is a new entrepreneur in Indianola, launching her business, Kim’s Kreations in March, which features floral designs, home decor, gifts and much more.
22
Meet Mary Madaline Timbs
Mary Madaline Timbs graduated with a marketing degree from Mississippi State University and worked for Will McDowell has always known banking, and he has two years for the state Republican Party. She is now in always had roots in the Delta, but this past year, he was her second year as executive assistant to Mississippi Secable to merge the two coming to work for Planters Bank. retary of State Michael Watson.
4
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Editor’s Notes The future is in good hands with this bunch
O
ne of my cool side duties over the past 13 months has been serving as president of the Indianola Rotary Club. I’ll end up holding the gavel for a few months longer than the typical one-year stint due to the last president moving in the spring of 2020. I took over right as the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and the club pretty much stopped meeting right after our banquet last March. We did some online Zoom meetings, but for the most part, the club did not meet again until Sept. 22. That lasted all of three months until the winter surge of the coronavirus hit and shut us down again. We finally got back into our meeting hall at First United Methodist Church during the
the club. first week of March (2021). My goal throughout the panEven more exciting, there demic was to make sure that has been a steady line of the club kept a pulse. younger professionals who I knew we couldn’t do much have either joined the club or during the lockhave been attenddown and summer ing meetings and and winter are expressing surges, but I interest in joinwanted to make ing. sure that we The younger always had generation is the something going key to the club’s on, whether it future. If we’re was feeding first going to be a responders or thriving club in Bryan Davis posting online 10 or 15 years, Publisher programs. we’re going to Coming out of have to attract the worst part of the pandemic, and bring up young talent to to date, I was pleased at how make that happen. our club rebounded in March. The same can be said for our I have been even more community as a whole. pleased with how many people We have a lot of great young were lined up wanting to join
talented people in Sunflower County who are already doing exciting things with their lives and careers. There are so many who are trying their hands at entrepreneurship before the age of 30, and there are even more who are returning to their home community after college or moving here for the first time. We decided that this spring’s Journey magazine would be dedicated to profiling just a few of these individuals who are making a difference in Sunflower County and beyond. In case you were worried about the future of Sunflower County, the Delta or the state of Mississippi, you don’t have to be. If this small sampling is any indication, the future is in good hands.
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A new business owner 20-year-old Guice Hill takes the reins of Body Works & Tan in Indianola By BRYAN DAVIS
G
uice Hill is no stranger to hard work.
Born into a farming family in Humphreys County, he grew up working in the fields, cutting grass and all things a farmer’s kid has to do. When he was 15 and still a student at Humphreys Academy, however, he discovered that his passion was growing muscles, not crops. Hill started working out and soon became obsessed with all facets of the fitness industry. He did research in his spare time about gyms and personal training. Now 20, Hill is about to embark on something most entrepreneurs don’t do until much later in life. He’s now a business owner. Hill bought Body Works & Tan, which is a long-standing gym on U.S. 49 in Indianola. “I’ve worked out since I was 15, and I’ve always wanted to open my own gym,” Hill told The E-T. “A few weeks ago, my mom called me and told me this place was up for sale and wanted to know what I wanted to do with it.” Hill said he and his mom went to check out the gym. “She loved it,” Hill said. They both saw the potential. The gym is large enough, he said, to accommodate all the equipment he plans to get and also allow him to hold personal training sessions with members. “I decided I’d buy this one and do the best thing I could with it,” Hill said. Hill has been attending Mississippi Delta Community College for the past two years, and will get his degree in May. He has been a personal trainer and has been helping clients in the Cleveland area for the past year. He still plans to pursue his degree in personal training, but Hill is anxious to get started working with clients in Indianola, where he recently moved to be closer to the gym. CONTINUED, Page 9
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Taking ownership
Little inspired by 2020 program
Braden Little has been leading Indianola’s trash division for just over a year.
Braden Little brought idea of trash division to life By BRYAN DAVIS There were about 170 people in attendance when Jeff McManus, director of landscaping services for the University of Mississippi’s Oxford campus, came to speak to community leaders and city workers about taking ownership and pride in their town. One city employee in particular, Braden Little, was moved by the presentation. “I was listening to some of the ideas he was saying like take pride in your work and show good effort in what you do,” Little told The E-T recently. “So I went home that night and thought about it, and I came up with a department called trash division.” It was an idea Little had been toying with for a while, but this seemed like the right time to flesh it out. Little started out as a public works employee almost eight years ago with the City of Indianola. The department always has a backlog of items to tend to like potholes, water leaks and such. But Little has always noticed the
trash dumped in and around the city streets and businesses, and he’d always wanted to do something about it. March 2020 was his chance. “I talked with the mayor and spoke with Mrs. Robin Rosenthal, and they said it was a good idea,” Little said. The only problem was finding the labor to do it. Little, who was Indianola Chamber Main Street’s Public Works Employee of the Year in 2019, had an answer for that too, and that was to use inmate labor. He met with the Mississippi Department of Corrections, and an agreement was reached. Only problem is that it was March of 2020. COVID-19 hit, and although it did not delay the start of the city’s trash division, it hampered the city’s ability to utilize inmate labor. For the last eight months, however, Little said the city has been using labor through the state’s restitution program. This spring, he expects to be back in full swing with traditional inmate labor. Little said the trash division has
been focused on the entire town. “We are focused on north and south ends of town,” he said. “It’s not one end of town. It’s actually both sides. The south side is in worse shape than the north side.’ Little said workers start cleaning before dawn, but his projects start long before that. “I start my projects in the evening time,” he said. “I go look and see what needs to be done.” Little has been so successful in his first year that other towns are starting to come calling, wanting to know how he got the trash division started. Starkville officials, for instance, came to town in March, he said, to quiz him about his success. “They wanted to know how I came up with the program,” Little said. “What it takes and what they needed to do.” For now, Little is staying focused on his town and his mission to keep the streets clean. “My goal is to make sure this town is beautified and upkept and is outstanding,” Little said. 7
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A bright future
No limits
Yasmine Brown already has a long list of accomplishments under her belt, and she doesn’t graduate from college until this spring.
Soon-to-be Ole Miss grad Yasmine Brown is just getting started By BRYAN DAVIS
Y
asmine Brown knew that she was going to attend Ole Miss back in middle school. “I always knew it was going to be Ole Miss,” Yasmine told The E-T recently. The St. Joe graduate started attending summer camp at the University of Mississippi when she was an emerging freshman at the Greenville-based private school. She first attended the William Winter Summer Youth Institute. “After that, each summer after ninth grade, I was going to Ole Miss every summer,” she said. “And the people that I met at Ole Miss, I’m friends with today. I went to Ole Miss already having a leg up…That was the motivation for me choosing Ole Miss, because it was like they say, a second home for me.” And she has been Ole Miss all the way. Yasmine will graduate from the university this spring with a degree in Public Policy Leadership and Integrated Marketing Communications. From there, the sky is the limit for a student who aspires to one day work in the entertainment industry. 8
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“Whatever I do, I want to be in entertainment in some form or fashion,” she said. When the Indianola native was younger, she told people that she wanted to go into nursing. “I always say that after tenth grade chemistry, I kind of started going in the other direction,” Yasmine quipped. One summer, she attended the Trent Lott Public Policy Summer Program. She had been thinking of choosing political science as her major, but she found a fit with public policy. “With political science, you learn all about the Constitution and that you have this structure of government, but with public policy, it was about what people in this government structure do,” Yasmine said. “I wanted to learn more about the hands-on aspect of things.” During the summer before her senior year, Yasmine had to participate in a presentation, which was partnered with the School of Journalism and New Media. That’s when she discovered Integrated Marketing Communications. After adding that major and a general business minor, she soon discovered a whole new skillset related to media, which she has fully embraced.
As part of one of her upper-level IMC courses, Yasmine had to participate in a national competition through the American Advertising Federation. The project was to do research into the possibility of transforming the popular dating app, Tinder, into more of a social app. “We’re doing all the market research on Gen Z and our target audience is 18and-19-year-olds,” she said. “I’m actually in the research portion of the group, and I have been helping to conduct focus groups, polls and things like that.” Yasmine said that after graduation, she plans to take a “gap semester.” She is looking for the right graduate program. “I hope to start spring 2022,” she said. “In the meantime, I hope to gain some field experience. My goal is to have a job in what I want to pursue career wise so that I can have a little bit of knowledge and experience to take into the master’s program.” Yasmine said she is considering Entertainment Law as a long-term plan, but she has not decided for sure. What is for sure is that if the past four years are a predictor of things to come, Yasmine will be a force in whatever field she chooses.
Continued from Page 6 He hopes to pass along all the things he has learned about fitness and nutrition to folks. “I can sit down with them and talk to them about nutrition, training and everything like that,” Hill said. “It’s mainly me wanting to give my knowledge to other people so they learn better and do better for themselves… The main thing I’m excited for is just seeing people come in here and trying to better themselves every day…When I was younger, nobody really taught me anything, and I did all the research myself. I really just want to give back to people to come in here.” On top of being a business owner and a student, Hill is still active in bodybuilding, and he will participate in his first competition in St. Louis this coming fall. “When I was 15, I just started researching everything about bodybuilding,” he said. “I saw different things at each gym. There were some gyms that had certain things others didn’t. From there, I took it to learning everything
I could about improving my health… Then I became a personal trainer.” Body Works & Tan will retain its name, but it will convert to a 24-hour gym, Hill said. “The reason I’m doing 24 hours is that I’ve been to a lot of places and 99% of the gyms are 24 hours,” he said. “Some people want to get up here early in the morning before work and some people, after work, they want to go home and get some food and come up here later in the evening.” Hill still plans to have the tanning beds and saunas from 8 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. each day, and he is excited about the potential for classes like aerobics continuing at the gym. Most of all, he’s ready to get people enjoying working out again. “Instead of people thinking, ‘I have to come to the gym today,’ make it, ‘I’m glad I get this opportunity to come to the gym,’ because I think most people think of coming to the gym as stressful and they don’t want to do it,” Hill said. “I want people to be able to enjoy it.” Hill estimates the gym will open around mid-May.
-------------------------------------------“I can sit down with them and talk to them about nutrition, training and everything like that,” Hill said. “It’s mainly me wanting to give my knowledge to other people so they learn better and do better for themselves… The main thing I’m excited for is just seeing people come in here and trying to better themselves every day…When I was younger, nobody really taught me anything, and I did all the research myself. I really just want to give back to people to come in here.” Guice Hill -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Sunflower Journey
Spring
A new, familiar home Will McDowell joins Planters Bank and a community he’s admired his entire life By BRYAN DAVIS
W
ill McDowell is no stranger to the Delta.
Although he was raised on the northeast side of Jackson, his roots run deep in Sunflower County, on top of the fact that his new bride, Kendall, is a native of Greenville. His father, now a banker for Renasant Bank, grew up in Inverness, where his grandmother Mary Katherine McDowell still lives. “I’ve always been a small-town guy,” he admits. “I’ve always had an appreciation for a very small and close-knit community.” His uncle, Drew McDowell, works for Planters Bank. Randy Randall, well, he’s a close family friend, but life took Will on quite a journey before he found himself living in Indianola last year. Will was finishing up his senior year of high school in May of 2014, and that meant he was wrapping up his last spring of baseball at Jackson Academy. His head coach, former Major Leaguer Jay Powell, knew he had a love for baseball, and he was heading to Mississippi State that fall, a place Powell made a name for himself on the pitcher’s mound. “I wanted to get involved in something,” Will said. “I didn’t want to be one of those college kids that just went to his classes and went back to his dorm or back to his house and was kind of a nobody. I wanted to get involved in some aspect.” So Powell and an assistant coach suggested the baseball team. “They said, ‘Will, have you ever thought about just being a manager?’” he said. “I had never really thought about it, but I was willing to have a conversation.” CONTINUED, Next Page
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Continued from Page 10
the program’s best. They had a losing record in the Southeastern Conference, and he was not even eligible for a scholarship. “The first year, there’s no scholarship opportunity,” he said. “It was strictly volunteer. Sixty hours a week. It was tough. I won’t even lie to you. That first year, we were not very good. We finished last in the SEC. As a matter of fact, I think we went 6-24 in the SEC.”
Will and his wife Kendall began dating during his sophomore year at The following August, he ventured State. Will took an internship with a over to the baseball complex at MSU commercial insurance company, and and filled out an application for one of eventually took a job with that comthe five available student manager popany out of college. sitions. Engaged, both were in the Jackson But they were all filled. area in 2020, Will doing insurance and Still, they took the prospect’s inforKendall working for Raburn Media, a mation and filed it away. marketing company. “It’s amazing how the Lord works. I But Will was looking for a change. was sitting in class, and I get a call And that takes the story back to from Greg Drye (then head of Sunflower County and that longbaseball operations at MSU),” Will time family friend, Randy Ran“It’s amazing how the Lord works. I said. “He said, ‘Will, strangely dall. enough, we had a guy quit, and Will’s dad had never pressured was sitting in class, and I get a call we’d love to interview you for the him into banking, but the pull was from Greg Drye (then head of baseposition. If you can come right getting stronger. ball operations at MSU). He said, after class, that’d be great…’ It “I’ve always been close to Randy ‘Will, strangely enough, we had a was an 8 o’clock class, and I think Randall here in Indianola, and guy quit, and we’d love to interview I had just woken up and thrown a I’ve always been a people person,” hat on and had on Chacos and Will said. “I love being surrounded you for the position. If you can come shorts. I did not look the part at by people, and (Randy) said, ‘Will, right after class, that’d be great… It all.” have you considered banking?’ was an 8 o’clock class, and I think I He rushed over, Chacos and all, The only issue was whether had just woken up and thrown a hat and took a tour of the baseball faKendall could continue to work for on and had on Chacos and shorts. I cilities. It was then that he met her company remotely. She had former MSU Head Coach John been doing so for some time due to did not look the part at all.” Cohen for the first time. the pandemic. “I’ll never forget that moment,” Once her boss gave her the goWill McDowell Will said. “Greg Drye said, ‘Will ahead, the decision was made. this is our head coach John Will arrived in June. He lived Cohen,’ and (Cohen) said, ‘Will, with his grandmother in Inverwho the heck are you?’ That’s a moBut he stuck it out, and the next ness for four months until he and ment I’ll never forget.” year, the program got better. And it got Kendall got married in October. They threw him right into the fire, or better and better. Will is now a credit analyst at at least the laundry pile. He washed The roster his sophomore year pro- Planters Bank, and he is working his and folded clothes until 3 a.m. the next duced a number of Major League play- way into the lending department. morning. ers and also an SEC ring. And that spirit of wanting to get in“I committed the next day and said Junior year was even better, with the volved never went away. Will joined yes,” Will said. “Why wouldn’t I do group going to the Super Regional. the Indianola Rotary Club this spring this?” And his senior year, well that was and says he is looking to become more Well, there were plenty enough rea- Mississippi State baseball history. The involved in his new town, though some sons on the horizon. program went all the way to Omaha might argue Indianola has been his Will’s freshman year wasn’t one of for the College World Series. hometown all along.
507 Hwy 82 East • Indianola visit BankSouthern.com 11
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BOSS Lady keeping the Delta moving
A Model for Success
Pam Chatman is always looking for new ways to move the Delta forward.
Pam Chatman’s getting Deltans from points A to B By RECARDO THOMAS One of the most ardent proponents for economic development in the Mississippi Delta in recent years has been and is “BOSS Lady” Pam Chatman. Chatman, who was raised in Shaw in Bolívar County, has broken glass ceilings throughout her career and has brought about change and diversity while creating opportunities and making history. With a career in the news industry that spanned more than 20 years, Chatman has now set her mind and heart on helping other women (and men) create more opportunities. The former television news director explained that her reason for doing what she does is to create sustainable opportunities for the rural Mississippi Delta. Chatman often references a quote that is attributed to Shirley Chisholm that states, “You don't make progress by standing on the sidelines, whimper12
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ing and complaining. You make progress by implementing ideas.” And in keeping with that philosophy, Chatman added, “It’s our time to bring economic growth and changes to rural communities. It’s our time to use our gifts and talents to save our communities. It is through creating “BOSS Lady” that opportunities began to happen in giving me opportunities to help encourage and help other women birth their vision in building economic empowerment.” The BOSS in her title stands for Bold, Optimistic, Successful Sister. Chatman set out on her goal through a partnership with the Atlanta corporate office of Coca-Cola. In 2010, the beverage company initiated its global initiative to motivate women for leadership roles and entrepreneurship with a national platform called The Coca-Cola 5by20 program. The aim was to enable the economic empowerment of five million women by the year 2020. Since that time, Chatman has cre-
ated and developed organizations to assist women (her priority) and men with finding workforce and transportation opportunities with sustainable salaries. She has continuously worked hard to find new opportunities to bring more of those type projects to the communities through her BOSS Lady Economic Planning and Development Workforce Transportation organizations. Since the creation of the initiatives, she has only worked with Fortune 500 companies such as FedEx Express (Memphis) and FedEx Ground (Olive Branch). “I work with businesses and industries to recruit, create and develop workforce transportation initiatives throughout Mississippi,” she said. Chatman has been able to assist in creating over 3,000 plus workforce transportation jobs with sustainable salaries, benefits and free transportation to and from work at both FedEx locations. CONTINUED, Next Page
Continued From Page 12 The workforce transportation project started in December 2018 has since added three more cities: Indianola, Greenville and Clarksdale. Chatman said, “We are in the process of working with other industries locally and regionally to create more opportunities for rural communities.” She said that the workforce project for Indianola—Sunflower County Workforce Transportation—with FedEx Workforce has been a huge success for industry and the community. According to her, she has received a report from FedEx Ground stating that from August to December 2020 they have hired 1,500 applicants alone from the Indianola workforce transportation project and the new hires have helped them have a successful peak season. Since that announcement, she now has plans to meet with an industry headhunter out of Tennessee who heard about what she has created; and this person will reportedly assist her with locating distribution facilities and warehouses that will come to the Delta. Chatman said she is committed to helping the folks in the Mississippi Delta; and she is committed to keeping close contact with officials in the Sunflower County area to assist in breaking the poverty mindset by creating sustainable opportunities. According to her, she and Mayor Steve Rosenthal stay in close communication, always searching for other opportunities and partnerships to create openings and to study and work with organizations such as the Kellogg Foundation. Kellogg has been working in the area to help bring economic change by bringing in people and working with grassroots organizations who can help provide the tools and necessities to help the community. Chatman has also been working with other organizations to help with her Workforce Transportation Initiative, including Foundation of the Mid South, Family Resource North, Delta Bus Lines, and several others. Her future strategy includes meetings with several different companies and economic development agencies to discuss how she and her team can design and customize a workforce transportation program that will work for each individual company. It involves ways to offer diversity and inclusion efforts, soft skills training, recruitment, leadership training, logistics training, marketing, branding and retention research. Chatman said, “We will work with state agencies to help women who
want to start their business. We will host training and mentoring sessions to prepare individuals for the workplace, meeting them and assisting them from where they are. We will also assist women with starting their business through education, access to beginning funds, support services and entrepreneur mentorship.” Chatman is ostensibly putting together a diverse board that is willing to roll up their sleeves to make the workforce transportation project a continued success for the Delta. She said the Wall Street Journal also saw the uniqueness in this project and came to the Delta to do a report on the success of it. “They were blown away how the folks in the Delta are riding four hours a day to go work from Mississippi to Tennessee,” Chatman said, “They had an opportunity to get on the bus and interview the employees about the jobs.” She mentioned that several Memphis TV stations and newspapers have come to the Delta and she has been on Supertalk Radio several times talking about the success and buzz around Mississippi. State lawmakers have recognized her on the state floor for her job creation accomplishments. And in 2021, her plans are to create over 2,000-plus workforce transportation jobs in the Delta. In addition to all of her other interests, Chatman is also the co-chairperson on an Economic Security Committee for the state called the “Project of Hope” where First Lady Elee Reeves and Justice Dawn Beam serve as chairpersons. The purpose of that organization is to find and discuss policies that can help children and the whole family for better livelihood. Recently, Chatman was selected to be a part of the Bennie G. Thompson Delta Leadership 2021 Initiative. As a result, she will undergo a seven-month leadership training that prepares you to do in-person immersions. The training includes a trip to Washington D.C. In addition to that training, she will be a part of the Reuben V. Anderson Center for Justice project that will focus on food justice and the EBT initiative. Chatman is also the co-founder, along with Bill Blackwelder, of the Mississippi Crisis Foundation, where their focus is on ending poverty in rural communities across the South. The organization has been distributing thousands of pounds of USDA combination food boxes throughout Indianola and Sunflower County during the national pandemic. Although one of her most current undertakings veers slightly away from economic development, it does promote
-------------------------------------------“We will host training and mentoring sessions to prepare individuals for the workplace, meeting them and assisting them from where they are. We will also assist women with starting their business through education, access to beginning funds, support services and entrepreneur mentorship.” Pam Chatman -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
community. Chatman’s Vaccination Transportation Initiative is all about transporting Delta residents—who otherwise might not have access—to the coronavirus vaccine injection sites. VTI is part of a national call for action. The initiative has made the New York Times and the D.C. Today News Channel. It is designed to help those in the rural Mississippi Delta that may have issues with transportation get to the clinics that are providing vaccination. VTI is committed to paying for anyone who needs. Chatman will pay any transportation agency to transport residents to get vaccinated. She also has a mobile vaccination project that is operating in different communities across the Delta, where they are meeting the residents’ needs in their own community. They will also provide special services to those individuals who are bed bound or house bound by bringing their vaccination to their home. So far, she has partnered with Sunflower Humphreys Transportation, the Mississippi State Health Department, United Healthcare, Kids and Family Choice Healthcare Mobile and the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi. Among her many accolades is the honor of being a recipient of the Harriet Tubman Award presented by the Mississippi Bar Association. She also takes great pride in sharing the same birthday and passion for people as civil rights champion Fannie Lou Hamer. Like these strong historical women figures, Chatman too has made history and paved the way for others by being Mississippi’s first black woman news director, serving both WABG-TV and WXVT-TV. 13
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A dream come true Battling a lifelong vision impairment, the next stop is law school for student Quatoiya Warren By RECARDO THOMAS
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hen your mental focus is sure, nothing can distract you and not even a shocking and intrusive optic disorder can block the vision of accomplishing what is set in your heart. Quatoiya Warren has always wanted to be an attorney, and in spite of some medical hurdles, she is still on course. "It's just something I've always wanted to do since I was a little girl, just like I've always wanted to be a Delta," (Delta Sigma Theta sorority). She has accomplished that also. Although achieving any goal normally requires hard work and determination, Warren has had some additional impediments to overcome. At the age of 16, the Moorhead youth was diagnosed with NeuroMyelitis Optica, which is a central nervous system disorder that primarily affects the eye nerves and the spinal cord. Typically, a person who contracts NMO, as it is known, initially experiences nausea and vomiting, which is how Warren’s experience began. That evolved into intense pain and eventually led to some loss of sight, which can be a bit unsettling for anyone, especially a high school freshman. “The entire time I was sick, they didn't know what it was," she said. You would imagine that the degeneration of her eyesight would have left her very distraught, but Warren said there were other factors that dominated her reaction at the time. "I didn't really react at the moment, at that time when I began to lose my vision, it was a lot of other stuff going on, like I was in a lot of pain," she said. Warren was referred to LeBonheur’s Children Hospital in Memphis by her family doctor. There, she was diagnosed and treated for her condition. The treatments helped alleviate the other symptoms, but her vision is still impaired. "The vision thing can't be corrected because my optic nerves were damaged. It was worse than it is now, but it still affects me," she said. CONTINUED, Next Page 14
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Fighting Through
Quatoiya Warren plans to fulfill a lifelong dream of becoming a law student after she earns her legal studies degree.
Continued From Page 14 In high school, Warren missed a full semester due to medical treatments and doctor visits for the NMO. "And they don't know what caused it," she said. Despite all of the stumbling blocks, with the help of her support system— family, friends and teachers—Warren has persevered. She said that neither glasses nor corrective lenses help her vision. After being diagnosed and undergoing the treatments, returning back to high school necessitated some adjustments. She had to use hand-held magnifiers, the zoom feature on her computers, large-print text and other tools. "It was different, but I had a lot of support," she said. When asked about her support group Warren said, "That would be a lot of names, it was family (and) friends." In seemingly direct resistance to what her outlook could have been, she still managed to graduate in the top 10% of her high school graduation class, amassed a score of 21 on her ACT test, attended college and graduated cum laude. Her college of choice was Tougaloo College and she was able to attend on a full academic scholarship, where she majored in political science. "Because of the vision thing, I wanted to go somewhere close, but away. And then a small campus and I knew that Tougaloo was a good school, so it was just kind of perfect," she said. Since graduating in 2019, Warren has gone on to graduate school and is working towards her degree in legal studies. She is in her last term there and plans to fulfill her lifelong dream by applying to law school once she is done. Warren could not put her finger on any person or outside influence that affected her decision to become an attorney, but did acknowledge that people would always say that she would make a good lawyer. "I recognized it," she said. Warren did not mention any specific law school or where she may decide to practice law, but she has a little time yet to figure that out. She has already accepted and participated in internships at Mississippi Legal Services in Jackson and is currently job shadowing Sunflower County Attorney Gwendolyn Jimison. Her list of accomplishments is growing, as is her list of ambitions. She has pledged and become a member of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority, which proved to be another hurdle to overcome. "Crossing Delta, we had to learn a lot of information, so I had to memorize a lot of stuff instead of having to
Job Shadowing
Quatoiya Warren, a prospective law student, has been shadowing County Attorney Gwendolyn Jimison of late. read things off. I would have to memo- dance classes, which is what influrize because of my vision," Warren enced her to teach that. said. She credits the senior Warren as the Now at the age of 24, Warren feels greatest supporter through her ordeal. especially blessed, even though the Her mother founded and operates the condition has left her legally unable to Every Child Whole organization, drive because of her eyesight issues. which specializes in tutoring, after Others who have been diagnosed with school programs, financial literacy the condition also suffered paralysis in classes and more. the legs and arms, muscle spasms and Another of her enthusiastic suploss of sensation, plus hiccups and porters is Leronda Sibley, Sunflower more. Humphreys County Progress Inc., Warren said that she has pretty WIOA Coordinator. Warren is a particmuch adopted the attitude that she ipant and product of the SHCPI Delta can do anything. In addition to her Workforce Development Area, Workpursuits regarding her legal career, force Innovative Opportunities Act Warren also teaches dance and aero- work-readiness work experience trainbics, and has an ambition to also be- ing program. come a fitness coach. Sibley said, “She's always been a The fitness trainer ambition is a by- smart young lady and she doesn't let product of her personal weight her disorder affect anything." She also dilemma. "During the time that I was lauded Warren for scoring at the platsick, I gained a lot of weight and I inum level on the Career Readiness hated it," she said. Although it is hard Certification exam despite her vision to tell by looking at her now, Warren problems. said she gained over 70 pounds as a Warren said her best advice to othside effect of the medications she was ers is to not let what you're going taking. through stop you from pursuing your But, she has since lost that weight. dreams and doing anything you want "I was dieting, counting my calories to do. “Continue to pray, ask God for and exercising, dancing," she said. Her guidance and to keep you motivated,” mother, Veronica Warren teaches line she said. 15
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Dr. Mary Nelson Robertson Educating and fighting opioid addiction in rural Mississippi By MARK H. STOWERS
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elebrating national championships is commonplace for Dr. Mary Nelson Robertson. Growing up in Indianola, Robertson, the daughter of Jim and Elyette (Poindexter) Robertson, got her undergrad degree and Master’s in health science from the University of Alabama and then got her doctorate degree in human development and family science from Mississippi State University. Attending Bama meant winning, being cemented in a foundation of excellence not just on the football field. It’s that winning attitude and understanding what it takes to achieve it that helps her every day. As Dr. Mary Nelson Robertson, she works with the Mississippi State Extension Service managing several opioid prevention grants and also focuses on enhancing the mental health of rural Mississippians and educating others on how to recognize it. Opioids are a major problem across the United States. A problem Mississippi is not immune from but it is a battle that needs a champion – each and every day. No one truly knows how many lives are lost each year to opioid use and abuse. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that in the ten years from 1999 to 2019, nearly 500,000 people died from an overdose “involving any
Making a Difference
opioid, including prescription and illicit” ones. The rise in deaths has been outlined in three waves by the CDC. First, increased opioid prescriptions in the 1990s. The second wave began in 2010 when a rapid increase in overdose deaths included heroin. In 2013, the CDC says the third wave, synthetic opioid overdose deaths began. Those folks dealing illegal opioids began to lace them with fentanyl – a drug that in very small doses can cause immediate death. According to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) “Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 80-100 times stronger than morphine. Pharmaceutical fentanyl was developed for pain management treatment of cancer patients, applied in a patch on the skin.” Opioid abuse in the Magnolia State is rampant with CDC statistics showing that 67 out of 100 patients were dispensed opioids in 2019. Only Tennessee, Arkansas and Alabama had higher rates. No state in the US is under 30. With so much dispersion of the highly addictive drug comes problems. Problems that Dr. Robertson stands on the front lines helping educate those involved how to help and how to get help. “It’s very upstream to preventing opioid misuse. We try to enhance the mental health of individuals in Mississippi to help prevent opioid misuse and
Dr. Mary Nelson Robertson introduces Ted Matthews, a mental health practitioner who specializes in farm stress, at a training seminar for the PROMISE team. Over 350 farmers and agricultural professionals attended Matthews’ presentation at the Mill Conference Center at MSU. 16
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A Calling
Dr. Mary Nelson Robertson has dedicated herself to fighting opioid addiction in Mississippi. other substance abuse,” she said. “It is a mental health disorder and oftentimes people try to self-medicate with substances such as opioids.” She notes that the problem comes because opioids are a short-term solution to pain management and are not intended for long-term use. Her workday includes trainings all over the state. “Our main training is Mental Health First Aid. It’s an international curriculum,” she said. “Anyone can email me to schedule free training with funding through the USDA and Substance and Mental Health Abuse Services Administration. And due to COVID, we can deliver it virtually as well. It’s a skills-based training and it basically teaches people how to better recognize and respond to mental health challenges. We can train anyone 18 years or older. We do a youth version as well.” She noted that opioid misuse is higher in rural areas. “They are disproportionately affected as compared to urban,” Dr. Robertson said. “Rural America gets forgotten about.” She noted the problem rural America faces is first the isolation and the second being close-knit. Someone in need may ask a neighbor for help and gets offered opioids. “The death rates are also higher because there’s not as much access to health care and it takes longer to get to CONTINUED, Page 29
Community minded
A Numbers Guy
Cade Junkin is quickly making a name for himself as a loan officer at Community Bank in Indianola.
Junkin brings youth, energy to role at Community Bank By MARK H. STOWERS
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orn and raised in the Mississippi Delta, Cade Junkin grew deep roots to his homeland. Not on a farm or family business but to the area. So much so, he knew he wanted to go to college, get a degree and come back home to help folks. After attending Mississippi State University and procuring his accounting degree, Junkin had garnered enough knowledge to know he didn’t want to be a full-time accountant but
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something working with numbers and people. That’s when he found himself a job at Indianola’s Community Bank back in 2019. “I was always a big numbers guy and I like seeing things work together – debits and credits wise. They make up the pieces of a puzzle,” Junkin said. “I really didn’t like accounting that much so I didn’t try to get my CPA. I ended up lending money at Community Bank and I took that opportunity and I love it.” He first began as a management trainee and is now a loan officer work-
ing in each and every type of loan available through the bank. “I do all loans, consumer, commercial, farm loans – I do them all,” Junkin said. Even though COVID-19 changed the way folks do business – lobbies were closed and in-person appointments were made while most bank transactions were done through the drivethru. When the federal government made PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) loans available for businesses, Junkin CONTINUED, Page 27
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Kim’s Kreations Kimberly Moore’s love for all things beautiful has sparked a new venture By RECARDO THOMAS
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arly exposure to her parents’ unique aptitude for imaginative designs is what entrepreneur Kimberly Moore credits as the catalyst that drives her gift of creativity. "I got my talent from them; my dad could build anything, my mom could decorate anything," she said. Her love for all things beautiful has spawned a love for handcrafted visual art that she has now sculpted into Kim’s Kreations, LLC, which she describes as being “nestled in the heart of the Delta.” The business is now located in the Lovelace Shopping Center in Indianola. She credits her parents, Esymiel and CONTINUED, Next Page
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Continued From Page 20 Earlcennie, with teaching her and her siblings about how to create and build what she calls “oddities.” “My father inspired me with his unique paintings, drawings, wood workings and construction skills. He could build anything. Also, my mother inspired me with her unique ways of decorating our home, (her) sewings and the vibrant floral arrangements she would make,” said Moore. Moore said she has always had her hands busy, designing her own clothes and shoes as a youth, then painting, followed later on by interior design and decorating as a hobby. That early influence is what she credits for paving the way for her creative genius to flourish. Kim's Kreations specializes in home décor, gift baskets and floral arrangements as well as sorority and fraternity gear. “I'll sell paddles and different types of plaques with that on it, just anything somebody wants me to make. I can pretty much make it, or customize it,” Moore said. Her shop will specialize in silk floral arrangements for the home, office or any event. Latex and Mylar balloons, canvas paintings and gift baskets for any occasion are just a few of the offerings that clients who visit Kim’s Kreations can expect. And soon, Moore is anticipating the introduction of live floral arrangements. In 1998, more than 20 years ago, Moore was given the opportunity to hone her skills even further while working at Gold's department store in Indianola. "I learned to be a florist there and make baskets, so that helped me as well," she said. In addition to the creative compo-
nents of her business, Moore has also allocated space in her boutique to host private gatherings. Esycennie's Events offers adequate room to host any occasion from elaborate weddings and anniversaries to simple birthday parties. The events center’s name is actually a tribute to her parents. "That's my mother's and father's name combined, because they inspired me to do this," Moore said. A portion of the services available through Esycennie’s will be custommade corsages, boutonnieres and other wedding favors. These and other items can be ordered and arranged whether Moore hosts the function on site or if she sets it up at the customer’s chosen venue. The event room will also be the site for future “paint and sip” sessions, and an innovative concept soon to be unveiled concerning the weekday lunch hours. Born in Chicago, Moore and her family relocated to the Delta in the late '80s. And even though the years since then have been spent around Indianola and Inverness, Moore said she has never forgotten her Chicago roots because many of her designs are inspired by her experiences in the Windy City. Shaping objects into beautiful works of art is not her only passion; the skilful originator also has a zeal for shaping and molding young minds. As an educator, Moore has received many accolades and honors, such as teacher of the year, teacher of the month, star teacher, favorite teacher and even as a five-star teacher with billboards and bus signs that reflected that. Her teaching career began in 2006 in the Shelby County School District in
Memphis. As a teacher, Moore has also taught hundreds of other teachers skills and best practices and led professional development sessions that were always chocked full of educators and administrators seeking creative ways to teach. The mother of four has managed to obtain an Associate of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education from Mississippi Delta Community College and Delta State University respectively. She has also earned a Master of Education degree in elementary education, which was conferred on her during a ceremony where actor Morgan Freeman served as the conferrer. Additionally, she also holds a Master of Business Administration in marketing and has acquired some hours towards her doctoral degree. Presently, Moore is a teacher in the Greenwood-Leflore Consolidated School District where she has also received numerous accolades. She was able to accomplish all this while sometimes working two to three jobs in addition to her obligations as a single mother. Moore stated that she was determined to build a quality life for her children. There were times when she actually took them to college with her and other times, after working the overnight shift at a local gas station, she would get off work an hour or so before she had to drive them to two different schools and daycare before racing to Delta State, sleepy and exhausted. All in all, every chapter of Moore’s life simply intertwines to build her a resourceful repertoire of skill sets and networks that show up in her diligent work ethics and beautiful creations.
A winning combination
Working for the People
Mary Madaline Timbs (right) holds the Egg Bowl trophy with her boss, Secretary of State Michael Watson. Timbs serves as Watson’s executive assistant.
Timbs takes servant heart to secretary of state’s office By BRYAN DAVIS
M
ary Madaline Timbs has a gift for helping people.
And she’s not much for partisan politics. At 26, the Indianola Academy and Mississippi State University graduate has sort of found the best of both worlds. Mary Madaline has been working for Secretary of State Michael Watson since he took office in 2020. It has been far from a normal introduction to a job. “It’s been a crazy year but a great learning experience,” Mary Madaline said. “We pretty much went remote last 22
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March for 3 months. Our office was able to function [through] teleworking, so we were thankful for that.” Mary Madaline was no stranger to the political arena before meeting Watson. When she graduated from MSU with a marketing degree four years ago, she went to work at the Mississippi Republican Party headquarters. “I learned a lot during my years at the party headquarters,” Mary Madaline said. “It really prepared and polished me for what I am doing now.” It was at the Party where she learned to be a versatile worker, conducting just about every kind of task that needed to be done. She helped the Party through two elections, but the
bitter, dog-eat-dog world of politics wasn’t for her. “I’m a person who likes to help people and bring people together,” Mary Madaline said. “I like when everyone gets along, so therefore politics wasn’t really for me.” After the 2019 fall elections, Mary Madaline was contacted about an opportunity to work with the newlyelected Watson, whom she met through her work with the Republican Party a few months earlier. “When I heard he had a position he wanted to interview me for, I was like, ‘You’ve got the wrong number,’” she said. CONTINUED, Page 25
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Back on the Road
After spending her first year as Secretary of State Michael Watson’s executive assistant in lockdown, Indianola native Mary Madaline Timbs is excited to be back on the road, serving Mississippians. There are numerous divisions of the “My days are busy running our exContinued from Page 22 office, including Business Services & ecutive team, but I enjoy every minute But it wasn’t the wrong number. Regulations, External Affairs, Commu- of it.” she says. Right now, Mary Madaline is helpShe, in fact, was the favorite for the job nications and Publications, Elections, as Watson’s executive assistant. Wat- Policy and Research, Securities, Char- ing Watson to get to all 82 counties, son, as Mary Madaline would later ities and Public Lands, according to mainly to visit local circuit clerks and to conduct speaking engagements at learn, is a go-getter with a plethora of the office’s website. The secretary of state typically has civic clubs and other events. new ideas aimed to enhance MissisEven though this is an elected office, sippi. He wanted to interview her right a busy schedule, which Mary Madaline then, so she dropped what she was is in charge of managing, and that has Mary Madaline said that they are picked up steam now that many of the there to help anyone who needs it, redoing and headed to the interview. “I was wearing what I had on,” Mary state’s COVID-19 restrictions have gardless of their issue. “Michael (Watson) wants to help Madaline quipped. “I had on my Uggs been relaxed. “It’s been good to get back on the everybody no matter what,” she said. and casual clothes because I had 30 minutes to get to the interview. To this road again and interact with people “He wants to make Mississippi the day, we laugh and joke about my inter- face-to-face,” she said. “He [the secre- best state, and it doesn’t matter which view. He later told me how impressed tary] enjoys speaking to the people of political party you’re from or issue you he was with my previous work at the Mississippi and educating them about may have.” Over the next 12 months, Mary Party and respected how comfortable our office and what his goals are durand well-informed I came off during ing his tenure as secretary of state. He Madaline should get a better feel for has a lot of energy and will to do what- what a normal year is like as the secthe interview.” Mary Madaline accepted the job, ever he can to make Mississippi a bet- retary of state’s executive assistant. She said “I couldn’t ask for a better and she went to work for Watson in ter place!” Mary Madaline performs adminis- boss (Secretary Watson) or a better January of 2020. Two months later, the world, as she knew it, came to a stop. trative duties for the secretary of state staff to work with. I truly enjoy waking Over the course of the next few and his chief of staff, Carla Thornhill. up every day and serving the people of months, Mary Madaline had to learn She spends her day coordinating meet- Mississippi.” After working directly in politics for her new job mostly away from the of- ings and activities for both of them. She also serves as the point of contact two years and making it through one fice. Still, the secretary of state doesn’t between Secretary Watson and execu- of the toughest 12-month periods in tives, clients, and other external part- our nation’s history, she should be up rest. ners. to the task. 25
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MDAA returns For the first time since To Kill A Mockingbird closed in March 2020, the Mid-Delta Arts Association will be back on stage in The Sound of Music, June 17-25, directed by Dr. Eddie Donahoe.
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Continued from Page 18 headed up the program for Community Bank and started helping many businesses of all kinds and sizes across the Delta. “I headed the program for the Indianola branch to help area businesses,” Junkin said. “It started off slow but once word-of-mouth got out about the government-backed-loan that was 100 percent forgivable, businesses signed up. A lot of people ended up needing the money, especially small businesses to keep their doors open and pay employees and keep living life.” He noted the second round of PPP loans were just as popular but with fewer overall loans. Now that state restrictions have been lifted, Junkin is happy to see things get back to some kind of normal. “We still have to wear a mask for safety but we’ve opened up the lobby. Some people are still leery about coming in. I think when the PPP loans finish up in May, everything will get back to normal,” he said. “We’re now focused on getting out and helping folks get loans and start deposit accounts.”
Junkin notes that there is no base plan to fit all customers into. “We really take time to accommodate every customer. We treat everybody differently and individually, based on what they need,” he said. While at State, Junkin was a member of Kappa Alpha fraternity and enjoys hunting and fishing when he’s not making loans. “I’m just your basic hunter,” he said. “I’m just starting to play golf but I wouldn’t call what I do a talent (laughing.)” He also recently joined the Rotary Club and enjoys promoting the Delta to anyone and everyone. “I’m from Indianola and I came back to the area after college. I like being part of Rotary and being part of the community. I want to help make the Delta a place where folks want to come here. That starts with shopping local, banking local and everything that goes with that.” Helping make the Delta, Sunflower County and Indianola a more attractive place to live, work and play, Community Bank’s Cade Junkin.
Coming Home
Cade Junkin came home to Indianola and is shining in his role at Community Bank.
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Who will they become? G
ood Mornin’! Good inspired me since I was a household appliances and wide-eyed sixth grader watch- more was keen but his out-ofMornin’! ing him magically bring the-store talents and on-stage The Journey Magazine Harold Hill to life on the IA abilities made him a treasure. The applause each one got you’re holding or virtually stage. He had plotted a path perusing is filled with young that I fully wanted to walk. was grand but they’d be the Under the tutelage of Sun- first to tell you, it’s all about folks. the cast and each Talented, bright and youth- flower County’s person filling ful with promise ahead of original Music their role. them. With some success to Man – the late I came out of John gird them but with more great high school – unknown than not before Brindley with Eddie Mike would fill them. Donahoe, yes, I think of who the young Delta-area theDr. Eddie. The folks were when I was just atrical stages man that has coming out of Indianola Acad- and music venhelped welcome emy. One day just outside the ues with his hundreds if not He gym and concert choir/madri- talent. a few thousand gal practice room, Mike stayed home, babies to Sunhe worked Anderson was there. Mark Stowers flower County He was all of 24 and at the hard to make Columnist in his work at tender age of 17, I thought he Indianola and was old. But Mike was the surrounding area some- the clinic and hospital. A quite successful doctor already making a difference thing special and meaningful. across Sunflower County as a I’ve never heard anyone bring and one of those “young folks” Lamar Life agent, helping Andre Crouch’s “My Tribute” that we were all looking to for good things. And plenty of folks take care of their insur- to life more so than Mike. And yes, in the 1970s, fresh good things came and continance needs and some investout of college, Mr. Brindley ue to come. ing. He helps fill the MDAA But it was his love for music came to town to manage the and theatre that had long Sears store. His dedication to Stage each year with produc-
tions and in high school I was part of the team that helped christen the MDAA. Who knew then what would be with these new things and young folks? There are literally hundreds more folks spread out across Sunflower County who were once the young folks who had the ability to change the world but chose to do so right here at home. Who will be the next Mr. Brindley? The next Mike Anderson? The next Dr. Eddie? I believe that funnel is full and continually getting stuffed with local talent who are working to make their own breaks and aren’t’ looking to make a change, they’re just doing it, with no fanfare. I’m glad we have a magazine to shine a spotlight on those who are here at home, digging in each day and welcoming the challenges to make Sunflower County better than it was the day before.
Continued From Page 16 the hospital,” she said. “A lot of people innocently become addicted because they have surgery, whether it’s getting their wisdom teeth out or getting a knee replacement, and Mississippi is making huge progress in regard to curbing our prescribing laws. Mississippi is still in the top five states for prescribing opioids. We prescribe some of the most per capita.” Doctors are being limited on the amount of pills they can prescribe. But cancer patients are protected, she said. “Their pain is more chronic,” she said. “Through our research we found that our farmers in Mississippi are also being impacted by mental health issues and opioid misuse. A national survey conducted in 2017 found that three out of four farmers, their families and farm workers are directly impacted by the opioid epidemic. We were able to write some grants and get some funding specifically to help our farmers. We are about to launch a statewide survey on Mississippi farmers about farm stress. Farming is one of the most hazardous occupations. It’s in the Top 10 of Occupations Most Likely to Die by Suicide. They have so many stressors that are out of their own control – weather and government regulations. There’s
just a lot of things out of a farmer’s control.” Some of her other job responsibilities include writing grants and applying for CARES Act money to help pay for educational training for K-12 teachers and administrators. “We also partner with the department of Psychology at Mississippi State to provide a one-hour Suicide Prevention Training. We can do that with high school students and adults,” she said. “I’ve done a focus group with farmers this year and we are in the process of going through that qualitative data. We are also in touch with our Extension agents and others such as chemical salespeople who work with farmers to see their perception of farm stress. People wonder why the Extension is working in this area but I tell them we’re not trying to be psychologists, we’re trying to teach people to recognize the signs and to be available resources in their county.” Dr. Robertson found her way to The University of Alabama out of the grasps of her Bulldog-educated-parents as her dad’s mom is a Tide alumna. “I’m thankful they were supportive of my education,” she said. “It’s funny that I got to come back to Mississippi State and get my degree. It made my family very happy. It’s a special place to everyone in my family. I’ve been very
-------------------------------------------“We also partner with the department of Psychology at Mississippi State to provide a one-hour Suicide Prevention Training. We can do that with high school students and adults.” Mary Nelson Robertson -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
thankful.” When not cheering on the Tide and working to prevent opioid abuse and help rural Americans, Dr. Robertson enjoys traveling and being with her family. The pandemic has limited traveling and she’s also looking to get back into antiquing. “I enjoy baking and I cannot wait to start traveling again. I love hunting for antique furniture as well. That’s what I do for fun,” she said. Taking her crimson excellence to her everyday job and helping those struggling in rural Mississippi win the battles of a lifetime with opioid misuse and addiction, Dr. Mary Nelson Robertson.
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