Our Diversity is Dynamic:

We Are Successful BECAUSE of it, NOT Despite It

Welcome, welcome, welcome…

To Gulf Coast Urban Spectrum. Publisher Rosalind “Bee” Harris, long-time friend and colleague, and I are very excited to launch this “sister” publication of the long-standing Denver Urban Spectrum, where we will bring you a unique prism to life on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

I made our motto, “South Mississippi’s Dynamic Diversity” and you’ll soon see why. We will cover primarily the three Mississippi Coastal counties of Hancock, Harrison and Jackson, but our coverage will also include the upper southern Mississippi counties and cities, the Jackson Metropolitan area and the northern part of the state, much of it known as the Delta. At times, we’ll also overlap and let you know what’s happening in New Orleans, only 90 miles to the west of Biloxi and Mobile, Alabama, only 50 miles to the east.

We will especially be focusing on that “Dynamic Diversity,” the Coast’s people of color community, which consists mostly of a highly visible and progressive African American community, a diligent and industrious Asian community and a rapidly-growing Hispanic community. 

Let’s be honest: Depending on where you live, mentioning the word “Mississippi” doesn’t bring a lot of positive thoughts to people. We’re all familiar with that part of the state’s history which motivates those feelings. We’ll try our best to show you all sides of the “Magnolia State,” the good, the bad, the ugly and the beautiful, including the plentiful “salts of the earth” and golden heart and soul of the people in the southern part of our state who are determined to “Turn Mississippi Inside Out.”

We will also inform our readers about our rich history and heritage, how we have always been important contributors toward moving our communities forward, along with the “battle scars” to prove it.

I’m electrified to be working closely again with Rosalind “Bee” Harris. Among my many endeavors during my years in Denver, I was a feature writer for the Denver Urban Spectrum and I’m happy that we’ve stayed in touch over the years. DUS is celebrating 30 years of “Spreading the News About People of Color” in Colorado. Both she and the publication have earned tremendous respect and admiration.

It’s that outstanding status that we look to bring to Southern Mississippi.

Bee has also always dreamed of franchising her operations out to other markets. I’m happy to be one of the first in the Urban Spectrum family along with Tiffany Ginyard, who is launching the Baltimore Urban Spectrum this month also.

We hope you enjoy our website, as well as our E-Publication. For those who like to touch and feel and read, be on the lookout for a print edition in the near future.

- Gordon M. Jackson Jr., Editor