In this blog post for RH Reality Check, Jamie H. Bardwell, Director of Programs for the Women’s Fund, makes the case for celebrating progress on sex education policy in Mississippi: “While recognizing the state’s dire statistics, it’s still important to realize that Mississippi is making enormous progress in sex education policy. Progress may not be obvious to the casual observer but it is happening.”

The blog post also makes the connection between building momentum for an issue and celebrating progress–both large and small “wins.” The post states: “But reproductive health advocates can’t forget to celebrate our wins. Including Mississippi voices in the narrative about our state is one of the most important ways we can break this cycle. Advocates within Mississippi (and outside) must be willing to describe the needs but also document the progress. Momentum builds when people believe progress is possible. It is difficult to persuade smart, pragmatic, progressive people to work on social justice issues if they think social change is impossible. This work is not impossible, it’s just not easy. And repeating the same old tired narrative about Mississippi isn’t helping anyone.”

To read the full post click here or download a pdf version here.