How Mississippi Green Artis Burney Stands Out Among This Year’s Green Candidates

What would happen if an African-American environmentalist ran as a Green against a conservative white incumbent in the Deep South? This November, we will find out. 

Artis Burney is the first Green Party candidate for State Senate in Mississippi. He is running  in District 51 in the Gulf Coast county of Jackson, against Republican incumbent Jeremy  England. 

Burney’s entry into the race challenges long-term G.O.P. hegemony in the district, one so red that in England’s first general election for a four-year term in 2019, he ran unopposed; no  Democrat has even contested the district since 2007.  

This year, England will again be the only major-party contender on the November ballot,  appearing with Burney and Libertarian Lynn Bowker. Burney plans to challenge England from  the left with a social and environmental justice agenda. He spoke about his campaign to Green  Pages, at the August 2023 Green Party Annual National Meeting, and for social media. 

An Active Background  

A native of the small unincorporated community of Vancleave, Burney is a multitasker. He is an  oyster farmer. He is a part-time employee of the NORC at the University of Chicago. And a poet  himself, Burney is also the director of the Cosmic Poetry Sanctuary, which he describes as a  “social experiment about peace and love.” 

In the activist world, Burney is an organizer with Mississippi for a Green New Deal and  with Arm in Arm for Climate, both regional environmental advocacy groups. Recently, Burney  and Arm in Arm played a key role in challenging the Southern Company utility firm (and its  subsidiary Mississippi Power) over their culpability for unhealthy levels of lithium in local  groundwater – five times higher than legally acceptable, according to Burney – a problem that  Arm in Arm attributes to Plant Daniel, a coal and natural gas plant operated by Mississippi  Power. 

Running for Office as a Green 

Burney’s participation in that environmental justice work — and his life experience in Jackson  County overall — have shown him the importance of elected office. “Historically, my  community has been very underrepresented. We usually have things happen to us in this  community, instead of having things happen for us.” He continued, “I decided to run because I  don’t want to be that person that says that somebody has to do something.” On the contrary,  Burney wants to be the person who answers to others. “As a community, we stop and have these real conversations about what’s happening in our community. And we understand that this  overwhelming red majority is not serving us to the best of its ability. And we don’t think the  answer is in a two-party system.”

This made the Green Party an attractive vehicle for a candidacy. “The Green Party was familiar  enough with the public and familiar enough with being in the mindset of loving on the planet,  and it beginning with land stewardship, and taking care of the planet,” he said. “That’s why I  chose the Green Party. Because that’s me every day.” 

Burney decided to carry the Green message through a campaign for State Senate because he  believes the office can be influential in changing the power dynamics forced upon Jackson  County citizens. “Conversations that need to be had that I haven’t heard anyone talking about out  in the open are best facilitated through [running for] this position of senator.” 

What are Burney’s prospects? In spite of Jackson County’s deep shade of red, Democrats  received an average of 31% of the vote there in the last three presidential elections, suggesting a  consistent base of voters who do not vote Republican. And in 2023, there is no Democratic  candidate in the race. Burney could persuade them to coalesce around him. 

Confronting Racial Hostility 

Burney seeks to give voice to those alienated by two of Senator England’s most controversial  votes – for state legislation that would authorize Capitol Police to operate in nearly all of the  capital city of Jackson, and to form a judiciary encompassing parts of Jackson with an unelected judge at the helm.  

In a state where he says the Ku Klux Klan remains active, Burney condemns these actions by the  state legislature as racially charged attacks on Jackson’s justice system. “It is an attempt to  separate the BIPOC community from the rest of Jackson,” adding, “You have control of the people and how people move around. It’s definitely not what the majority of the people want.”  The NAACP and the U.S. Department of Justice have resolved to act on such objections. With  support from the federal government, the NAACP contends these laws constitute racial bias that  will harshly impact the largely Black city and has brought a case against them. 

Another major strain on the city of Jackson with racist implications that has made national news  is water insecurity. As The Washington Post reported, “[the] rainfall and subsequent flooding  [from a 2022 summer storm] strained the city’s primary water treatment plant; pump failures  compounded the damage, leaving the city unable to provide a steady flow of safe water.”  Climate change affected what the Post described as “a month of historic rainfall.” 

To renovate its infrastructure, Jackson has had to rely on state and federal dollars. The Biden  Administration allocated $115 million in June 2023 to the city for upgrades. But because the  state has not taken accountability in the matter, Burney says, it is inadequate. “We have this  

Republican super-majority, where it’s set up in the capital, and they’re not supportive of this all Black city.”  

A formal federal complaint lodged by the Southern Poverty Law Center in May of this year  alleges that Mississippi has illegally withheld infrastructure funds to the largely Black Jackson.  Pointing to federal funds Mississippi has used to privilege white areas over Jackson, Burney 

delivered a blunt assessment of the racial bias that led to and worsened the storm’s fallout.  

“This racial discrimination issue, it’s sad to say, but it’s part of the American way. When I go to  Puerto Rico, when I go to Houston, when I go to Atlanta, south Mississippi where I live, in the  Black communities, there’s always somebody there waiting to take advantage of the folks in the  community.”  

If elected, how would Burney act on this issue? In addition to providing more state financial  support to long-neglected Jackson, “I would vote to make sure that the water – the control of the  water – stays in the hands of the people as much as it can,” specifically suggesting a locally based cooperative that manages the water system. “The people who are in charge of our water  don’t live in the community. That speaks volumes about the kinds of attention that they give our  water.” 

Listing “water equity” among his campaign aims, Burney also connects Jackson’s struggle for  clean water with the struggles for safe water outside the city limits. “We have issues with water  coming in from the Gulf, poisoned water with oil in it and oil dispersants in it. We have issues  with Southern Company polluting the water and putting lithium into it and carbon into it.” For  Burney, “We should put water first. Water should be on our minds.” 

Healthcare for All  

Another issue on which Burney strongly disagrees with Senator England is health care.  England opposes broad Medicaid expansion for Mississippi and instead voted to approve a  narrow healthcare reform through longer postpartum coverage by Medicaid. 

Burney calls for general Medicaid expansion, which The New York Times approximated in  March would insure around 100,000 people in the state and allow “$1.35 billion a year in federal  funds to hospitals and health care providers,” though some estimates for enrollment have been  higher. The Times’ analysis came only a few months before Mississippi dismissed over 29,000 people from Medicaid. 

Burney slammed these expulsions and as a state senator would go even further to provide  healthcare to all. “My healthcare priorities would be to make sure that every person is covered.  And those people who can’t afford it, then we figure out what we have to do to get the state to  pick up the bill . . . We expand Medicaid as far as we need to here in Mississippi . . . Whoever  needs health insurance, whoever wants health insurance, should have health insurance.” 

Green Energy  

Larger environmental policy, naturally, will serve as a key component of Burney’s campaign.  According to Mississippi Today, as of 2021, renewable energy provided Mississippi about 2% of  its net electricity. While major utility firm Entergy Mississippi will be relying more heavily on renewable sources over the next four years, it has mostly based its decision on affordability of  the conversion instead of the scale of climate change. Additionally, Mississippi does not have a 

renewable portfolio standard to lay out how much power renewables must provide and at which  point in time. 

“We have to end extractive economies” Burney said in reply to the aforementioned data. “We  have to completely stop the petrochemical buildout. And we have tools in place to do that. And I  think that companies like Southern Company are in a position to lead the way in those areas  instead of working against us . . . We don’t have any choice here in south Mississippi.” 

Burney also has severe concerns with how the state’s energy industry is regulated. “We have  people on the Public Service Commission and the relationships with these energy companies,  they have to change. Because the Public Service Commission just pretty much works for the  

energy companies. It’s pretty much ‘yes’ guys. The PSC is supporting the further poisoning of  Jackson County’s water and air by not pressing them to conduct business without polluting the  environment.” 

Burney hopes his campaign can highlight undue financial influence across the energy industry in  Mississippi – and spur needed reform. “We have Southern Company, Mississippi Power, who is  just buying everything. They buy the media formats, they buy people, pretty much opinions, and  they’ve managed to put five times the legal amount of lithium in our drinking water here in  

Jackson County. And that flies under the radar. That should be a serious conversation in the  community.” 

“It’s hard to communicate with people that don’t see you as real people because you don’t have  the political infrastructure or the money to push back. We’re dealing with people who are  arrogant enough to sue the EPA and raise the customers’ power bills in order to pay the attorney  fees,” he argued. “My job is to connect the dots between the community and the information, and people can decide for themselves what’s best for their families. And I think most folks would  decide that it’s best for them not to drink poisoned water.” 

Empowering Marginalized Groups 

Burney is also focused on the state’s homeless population. As of 2022, Mississippi ranked second worst in the nation for the percentage of unsheltered homeless individuals relative to the  unhoused populace. “We could have temporary housing or housing for houseless people in south  Mississippi if we just redirected funds and, again, brought it to the attention of the  community.” Burney supports utilizing vacant buildings in Jackson County to support the  realization of his goals. “We have the space to put people. We have the resources. It’s just about  putting them together.” 

Then there is the lack of abortion access in Mississippi. Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in  Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, abortion has become mostly illegal in the  state, based upon Mississippi’s pre-existing trigger law. Burney would repeal the state’s anti abortion statutes. “[Family planning’s] not a state decision. It’s a family decision. But it all  comes down to her, capital-H-E-R, and her body.”

Burney is also fighting for the rights of sexual and gender minorities, unlike England, who came out against gender-affirming healthcare for transgender children and voted to prevent trans  students from playing on schools’ gendered sports teams that match their identity. Burney is  concerned that Mississippi has no clear protections for sexual and gender minorities from  discrimination in housing, public accommodations, or private health insurance — something he  would work to change in the state legislature if elected. 

“Everybody should feel safe and nobody should feel bullied or intimidated or prevented from  being their full, genuine selves,” Burney responded in defense of the rights of transgender  children. “The best way to help a child is to help a family . . . Those kinds of decisions shouldn’t  be left up to other people.” 

Building Campaign Momentum  

According to Burney, his allies are of various party affiliations and view the Green Party as a  capable alternative to politics-as-usual. This, he feels, has been one of the most positive aspects  of his campaign. While firmly committed to building the Green Party, Burney expects to  approach the Mississippi Democratic Party for their endorsement as well, in order to help gain  wider exposure and consolidate support among the left-of-center voters. He is resisting traditional left/right divisions, too, “because there is no monolithic thinking amongst the  Republican Party either.” 

A non-partisan way Burney plans to reach voters is through religious institutions. “I think that  I’ll start a lot of conversations and at least have a chance to formally introduce myself by going  to different churches in my district each Sunday . . . If we can connect the dots between being a  good person according to the book and good land stewardship, then maybe we can inspire some  lightbulb moments.” 

Should he be elected, Mississippi Greens hope Burney will be joined in the state legislature by  fellow Green Gregory Todd “Ttodd” Fortenberry, who is running for the State House of  Representatives in District 99. Both have been endorsed by the Green Party of Mississippi. But  win or lose in November, Burney sees long-term value in his groundbreaking campaign. He  hopes that “the constituency will carry over some of this conversation that we facilitated into  holding whoever becomes senator accountable for getting some better work done.” 

His State Senate run this year could inspire more Mississippi Greens to run for office. Presently  they have one party member holding elected office – John Proctor, an alderman in New  Augusta. Including 2023, Mississippi Greens have run for office 13 times since 2004. 

And having entered the electoral arena now himself, what tips would Burney give to people who  believe in his mission? “Listen to your BIPOC friends, they have some good advice. Also listen  to your LGBTQ community, and your trans friends, because they can remind you you can be  whoever you want to be and learn how to love expansively. And change the game. Flip the  table.”