MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – There is something about being on the water that makes Devin Brown feel at home.

Soon, her passion for paddling the mighty Mississippi will go the extra mile. 

“I’m really excited to actually get on the water and start the journey. I’m just really looking forward to the freedom of being on the river,” said Brown.

Brown fell in love with the river during a business trip to the Twin Cities back in 2012.

She decided to change careers and move to Minneapolis from New Jersey to take advantage of the area’s easy access to water.

Brown also took up kayaking and teaches classes tailored to Black and brown people who may not always feel welcome in the great outdoors.

“I have been called racial slurs on the river. Most recently, I was doing a race in Mora, Minnesota and someone just outwardly yelled ‘You don’t belong here’. And for them, I absolutely belong here,” said Brown.

Now Brown will attempt to become the first Black woman to kayak the length of the Mississippi, from the source to the sea, on her own.

She hopes the 2,300-mile adventure from Lake Itasca to the Gulf Of Mexico will inspire other people of color to connect with nature.

“The visibility of this trip is important, so that I can show little Black and brown girls that we belong in nature and to do things that people don’t think are for Black people,” said Brown. 

Brown says the trip will also be a spiritual journey, where she can blaze a trail on the water, one stroke at a time.

“I know that there’s a version of myself out there on the river that I’m meant to meet. I’m really excited to meet the next version of myself to do more for my community, to get more people into nature and on the river,” said Brown.

Brown plans to embark on her journey down the Mississippi at the end of the month.

If you’d like to donate to her mission, click here.

CHARLESTON, Mo. (KFVS) – A growing number of people in southeast Missouri worry about putting food on the table.

That’s according to new numbers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The department’s annual “Map the Meal Gap” report showed food insecurity in southeast Missouri jumped from 14.5 percent in 2023 to more than 17 percent in 2024.

According to the Southeast Missouri Foodbank, higher food prices are driving that increase. The national average cost of a meal is up nearly $3.50 in the food bank’s coverage area.

That report also broke down food insecurity by county in the Show Me State, and seven southeast Missouri counties landed in the top 10.

According to the report, Mississippi County ranks 7th in food insecurity and second in child hunger in Missouri.

We talked with local leaders about how they’re tracking the issue as summer break begins.

“It’s important for us to be a village,” said Lester Gillespie, CEO of Fresh Start Self-Improvement Center in Charleston.

Wednesday, May 15 marked the last day of his winter food program where he feeds up to 200 kids five days a week. The Summer Food Program begins on Thursday.

Gillespie said he’s here to help parents in need.

“It’s not so much we give out a handout. We give it, we give a hand up and I really love the fact that our parents are trying to do the best that they possibly can do under the circumstances,” he said.

Veronica Dunigan is a member of the Fresh Start organization. She said providing children with breakfast and lunch makes a difference.

“A lot of times the parents, they run out of food or either they’re working and they don’t get a chance to come home at all. Some time to feed their children, like during the summer time they’re at work all day,” Dunigan said.

And it fills a real need in this community.

“The parents feel good that their kids are somewhere and they can release them to the program and that’s what I see this program I’ve done and, and I see this continue to do and I pray that it continues to grow more and more,” she said.

Gillespie hoped talking about food insecurity in his county and across the state brings more awareness.

“I really appreciate the fact that we’re putting a light on this. We’ll bring it to full attention throughout our community and allow other people to get involved in any way they want because it is a problem,” Gillespie said.

According to Gillespie, the program provides food to children up to 18 and offers transportation to his program at the C. F. Bowden Civic Center in Charleston, Mo.

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Irving says DNC made decision for him, declines to discuss Hinds Chancery Court case

The former chair of the Mississippi Democratic Party said this week he is no longer seeking reinstatement after an appeal submitted to the Democratic National Committee’s Credentials Committee was denied last month.

The committee threw out the appeal from former state party chair Tyree Irving to be reinstated after he was voted out of office in July 2023 for alleged “long standing and repeated actions of malfeasance and misfeasance.” His appeal was thrown out during the DNC’s April meeting.

The decision came less than two months before the state party holds an election to elect a new chair.

“The Credentials Committee voted unanimously (25-0) to recognize State Representative Cheikh Taylor as permanent chair,” The committee wrote in a press release issued last month. “Taylor was elected by a 2-1 vote by the State Executive Committee at a July 2023 meeting and has served as chair since then. In addition to filing the challenge with the national party, Irving also took the extraordinary measure of suing his own party in Hinds County Chancery Court in connection with his removal.”

The lawsuit referenced is still pending further action in the Hinds County Chancery Court.

That suit was filed in September 2023 and in it, Irving claims the state party violated its constitution several times in the course of ousting him, appointing Taylor and making several position changes within the party. He has also requested a restraining order on all party business until he is reinstated.

Irving had previously submitted a resignation letter to the party a few days before the vote was tallied during a special meeting.

That resignation letter came after Irving ridiculed MDP Executive Director Andre Wagner for trying to clarify an email Irving sent stating DNC funds were coming to MDP if it donated an equal amount to Gubernatorial candidate Brandon Presley. Gifting funds to a political entity to give one candidate funding is a crime.

More on Irving’s resignation The Mississippi Democratic Party chair announced he will resign. What happens next?

Details on Irving lawsuit: Former Mississippi Democratic Party chair sues to reinstate himself, saying his ouster was improper

Irving and several other plaintiffs claim that the party, as well as key executive committee and party members including Taylor and William Wheeler, are essentially acting as a rogue political group without legal ground to conduct business on the party’s behalf.

The party’s response in the case is that Irving claims are all categorically false, and that the party has acted in accordance with its own regulations. It also denounces his claim to be reinstated, and one defendant, Wheeler, even alleges Irving destroyed property at party headquarters in Jackson.

“Irving negligently and intentionally abused and caused damage to the property, including personal property inside of the building, out of spite and malice, all of which will be shown by the evidence at trial,” Wheeler stated.

The court has not yet set a trial date, according to a Hinds County Chancery Court employee.

Irving’s status with state Democratic Party

Irving, a former appellate judge who declined to comment on the ongoing case, told the Clarion Ledger Tuesday that with the decision from the DNC, he has no plans to run against Taylor.

“I devoted nearly three years of my post-retirement time to trying to lay the groundwork to transform the Mississippi Democratic Party into a real political force that would serve the interests of all ordinary Mississippians rather than the interests of self-appointed party bosses,” Irving said. “My term will officially end when the State Executive Committee elects new officers in the next month or two.  I can think of no good reason why I should continue my efforts to bring about such a transformation by seeking another term.”

Irving added that he believes the DNC simply made a political move to support Taylor and ignore the facts of the July 2023 vote to oust him as party chair and the ongoing case.

“The Credentials Committee of the DNC made a political decision without consideration of the facts,” he said. “The DNC sends $15,000 monthly to support the Mississippi Democratic Party. Without that financial support, the Mississippi Democratic Party would not have any substantial operational footprint. Since it is clear that my vision for the Party did not align with the Party bosses of the Mississippi Democratic Party and the Credentials Committee of the DNC, there is no reason to believe that would change going forward.”

Taylor, a Democrat from Starkville, told the Clarion Ledger he is unaware of any other challengers to him, and he hopes he can continue the work of the party as the congressional elections come up in November.

“I am seeking chairmanship again and we’ve moved forward rapidly,” Taylor said. “I want a solid four years to really put my stamp on the vision and the mission along with the great council that I have moving the party forward.”

Read more on Primary races MS Primary results

Taylor added he believes the decision made by the DNC may help push the chancery court in favor of the party over Irving’s claims.

“What I think may happen is that the chancery court will probably look at the ruling of the committee, And will follow suit,” he said.

Grant McLaughlin covers state government for the Clarion Ledger. He can be reached at gmclaughlin@gannett.com or 972-571-2335.