Continuing our efforts to protect the health and safety of Mississippi’s immigrants, MIRA lead organizer Luis Espinoza has launched an important campaign called “Tu Salud es Importante… ¡Vacunate!” (Your health is important…get vaccinated!), which focuses on two major fronts: first, distributing booster shots to those who have already been vaccinated during MIRA’s earlier outreach and are eligible for follow-up doses. The second area of focus is expanding outreach to people who are resistant to getting the vaccine. Through personal testimony from people who have received the vaccine, educational flyers and pamphlets, visits to community centers and churches, relationship-building with management in poultry plants, and live video sessions with health experts, we’re fighting misinformation and providing solid answers to questions people have about COVID-19 and the vaccine.

As of November 2021, MIRA and its partners have distributed more than 1,600 doses of COVID-19 vaccines in immigrant communities across the state, including Carthage, Canton, Forest, Morton, Laurel, and Hazlehurst.

Luis Espinoza is working closely with the Mississippi State Department of Health, the Jackson Free Clinic, the Institute for Advancement of Minority Health, Jackson State University, and others, to provide free vaccination drives. Our efforts to reach immigrant communities with this life-saving vaccine have been recognized by local (WJTV, channel 12) and national (The Washington Post) media.

Please remember that we rely on your financial contributions for this important work—donate whatever you can, so we may continue working for the benefit of all our communities in need.