Housing Insecurity in Mississippi - Art Gallery Display

The project "Housing Insecurity in Mississippi" collects narratives and documents the lived spaces of individuals and communities that have experienced, are experiencing, or are working to relieve housing insecurity and evictions in Mississippi. It narrates the history of housing insecurity in our state and exposes historic and contemporary issues that lead to the lack of access to a basic human right--an adequate and secure place to live. Through this project, we hope to shed light on the housing crisis in Mississippi and contribute to future solutions to housing insecurity in the state and beyond.    

This project is directed by Silvina Lopez Barrera and Kateryna Malaia, Assistant Professors at the School of Architecture, Mississippi State University in collaboration with the Margaret Walker Center at Jackson State University. The initial stage of the project took the form of a class Lopez Barrera and Malaia taught at Mississippi State in the Fall of 2021. Oral histories and architectural documentation were collected, and produced by Architecture students: Camille Bohannon, Elisa Castaneda, Reagan Douglass, Lucas Elder, Michael Herndon, Jessica Kiger, Sam Marcus, Sarah Mixon, Caroline Prather, Alysia Williams, and Savannah Wilson. 

This program is financially assisted by the Mississippi Humanities Council, as well as Mississippi State University Center for Teaching and Learning, and Office for Research and Economic Development.  Community partners include Starkville Strong and NAACP-Oktibbeha County Branch among other state and local organizations.