#PolicyProfile: “I entered college planning to study the world, but working in my own backyard in Mississippi ultimately changed my path and shifted my focus from diplomacy to the urgent reality of American poverty. I was born and raised in Mississippi, and attended olemiss, where I earned a bachelor’s degree in international studies and political science. Early on, I imagined a career in public service but didn’t know where to focus my energies. As the pandemic reshaped both global and local priorities, I began to question where my impact would be most felt. Through the Grisham-McLean Institute for Public Service and Community Engagement (grishammcleanum), I became involved in community-engaged initiatives and learned about national service. I joined AmeriCorps VISTA to fight poverty in the United States, serving one year as a VISTA member and two additional years as a VISTA Leader with the North Mississippi VISTA Project. In that role, I supported VISTA members working across North M...