Messaging Toolkit: 2025 State of the South Report

Thank you for helping us spread the word about the 2025 State of the South Report!

Below are resources to share with your networks and audiences, including key messages, sample email/social media language, graphics/images, press release, and more.

If you have any questions about these materials, please contact Clarissa Goodlett, MDC Communications Director. For program and event details, you can also contact State of the South Program Director, Cate Elander.

Report Details

MDC is proud to announce the release of its 2025 State of the South Report, a landmark publication that has informed and shaped equity and economic strategies since 1996. The 2025 report, “Realizing Meaning, Dignity, and Community in the South,” centers the voices and experiences of Southern leaders, artists, and community members. It reflects our region’s current challenges and opportunities and boldly reimagines our future.

This year’s report emerges from deep conversations MDC had in the communities of Atlanta, GA; Berea, KY; Birmingham, AL; Charleston, SC; and Durham, NC. Through these dialogues, MDC explored what it means to build a truly equitable South—one where economic security, safety, and shared prosperity are realities for all.

2025 State of the South Report: Realizing Meaning, Dignity, and Community in the South: Read the full report here: report.stateofthesouth.org
2025 State of the South Report Printable Brief

Key Messages

The 2025 State of the South Report is a community-driven exploration of equity and economic mobility in the South.
MDC engaged communities across five Southern cities to shape a report that reflects real experiences, connections, challenges, and opportunities.
The report highlights the role of local leaders, artists, and changemakers in advancing meaningful change.
Artistic expression is central to the report, with work from Southern artists woven throughout to illuminate the themes of meaning, dignity, and community.
Achieving equity requires intentional design, investment, and a shared commitment to justice.
The South’s greatest strength is its people, working together to create a more inclusive future.
Call to Action: To transform key systems that perpetuate inequality and exclusion, we must take action to:
- Improve housing security and affordability;
- Stabilize income and eliminate predatory debt;
- Expand Medicaid;
- Invest in equitable education systems;
- Protect workers;
- Adopt inclusive community economic development and decision-making strategies;
- Address historical inequities in philanthropy; and
- Engage artists to infuse collective problem-solving with empathy and creativity.

What people are saying about the report

“There is a theme of intention to understand by connecting with those who are closest to the issues. It does not feel just put together or as if this was put out just to put something out. I appreciate the shared experiences, the cultural focus on lives of the South. This report differs from others I read because it includes the facts with the folk doing the work. A sense of belonging is felt throughout the report.” – Craig Logan, Housing Executive – Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, Director of Education Advocacy & Outreach
“Beautiful and moving report.”

Digital Messaging (Email, Social Media Language, Handles and Hashtags)

Social Media Language:
- Twitter/X:
  - What would the South look like if equity was as ingrained as a value as hospitality is? Explore MDC’s 2025 State of the South Report: report.stateofthesouth.org #StateoftheSouth #EconomicMobility
  - Equity isn’t an accident—it must be intentionally designed. The 2025 State of the South Report explores the future we can build together. Read now: report.stateofthesouth.org #InclusiveSouth
  LinkedIn/Facebook/Instagram:
  - MDC’s 2025 State of the South Report is here! Featuring voices from Atlanta, Birmingham, Durham, and beyond, this report calls for a South where all people thrive. Read it now: www.report.stateofthesouth.org/ #RealizingEquity #StateoftheSouth
  - Join us on March 7th in Durham, NC, to celebrate the release of MDC’s 2025 State of the South Report! Enjoy an evening of art, conversation, and community as we envision a thriving South for all. RSVP now: Event Registration Link #EquityInAction
  - Art is a powerful tool for storytelling and transformation. The 2025 State of the South Report highlights Southern artists whose work helps us imagine a more equitable future. Read more and experience their work: www.report.stateofthesouth.org/ #SouthernArt #StateoftheSouth”
Social Media Handles:
- - MDC Instagram – @Stateofthesouth
  - MDC Facebook – @MDCinfo
  - MDC Twitter – @MDCinc
  - MDC LinkedIn: mdc_3
Hashtags:
- #StateoftheSouth
- #ThrivingSouth
- #EconomicMobility
- #RealizingEquity
- #EquityInAction
- #SouthernArt
- #2025StateoftheSouthReport

Email Messsaging:

Subject: Realizing Meaning, Dignity, and Community in the South

Dear [Name],

We’re excited to share MDC’s 2025 State of the South report with you. This year’s report, “Realizing Meaning, Dignity, and Community in the South,” is a community-driven reflection on the challenges and opportunities shaping our region’s future.

Through convenings in cities across the South, we’ve heard powerful stories of resilience, creativity, and commitment to equity. This report amplifies those voices and offers a roadmap for a more inclusive and just South. Art plays a central role in this year’s report, with work from Southern artists helping to tell the story of our region’s struggles, hopes, and future possibilities.

We invite you to read the full report here: www.report.stateofthesouth.org

Join the conversation using #StateoftheSouth, and be part of shaping the future we all deserve.

Events

Report Release Celebration (March 7, 2025)

Please join us for an evening of arts, food, and conversation to celebrate the release of MDC’s 2025 State of the South Report! We’ll hear from the State of the South team about the process of developing the report, spend time connecting with friends old and new, and celebrate the work of the local artists. Durham-based songwriter and multidisciplinary storyteller Kamara Thomas will perform and lead attendees in singing a freedom song that she has been spotlighting for her project Country Soul Songbook, whose mission is to amplify QT+BIPOC voices in American roots music and culture. NC native storyteller Johnny Lee Chapman III will also perform an original poem at the event.

This event will uplift the themes of the 2022-2024 State of the South convenings while also envisioning an equitable future for the South.