Mississippi Recovery Day Brings Hope to State Capitol

Lakeisha Pannell walked into the Mississippi Capitol with a powerful story to tell. The 44-year-old woman, sober since October after decades of addiction that started at age 14, joined dozens of others for Mississippi Recovery Day to show lawmakers that recovery works.

Pannell lives at Grace House, a transitional housing program in Jackson for women rebuilding their lives after prison. She's determined to stay sober for herself and her granddaughter, though finding work with a felony record remains challenging.

"I'm glad I'm doing my recovery because I was going down a bad road," she said. "Now that I've stopped my drug use I'm better now."

Mississippi Recovery Day gives people impacted by addiction a platform to share their experiences and push for policies that treat addiction as a medical issue rather than just a criminal one. The event was co-sponsored by End It For Good, a nonprofit founded by Christina Dent after she met the biological mother of one of her foster children.

"She is a mom like me, who loves her son just as much as I love my sons," Dent said. That meeting changed how the conservative Christian viewed addiction entirely.

Jerica Hill, 36, also a Grace House resident, found her motivation to get sober in prison when she lost custody of her six-year-old son. Stacey Spiehler, 45, cycled through homelessness and multiple treatment programs before Grace House gave her the stable foundation she needed.

Spiehler graduated from the University of Mississippi last year and now leads the board for Families as Allies, advocating for children with disabilities. She wants lawmakers to understand that people in recovery need "kind, compassionate, informed paths to recovery."

The Ripple Effect

The advocacy is working. Previous Recovery Days helped pass laws decriminalizing fentanyl testing strips and expanding access to Narcan, a drug that reverses opioid overdoses. Rep. Fabian Nelson highlighted these wins during this year's event, reminding attendees their voices matter.

Grace House Director Emilee Shell, herself a program graduate, knows firsthand the potential of people in recovery. "People that are in recovery are some of the hardest workers, the biggest go-getters if you just give them a chance," she said.

The Mississippi Senate formally recognized Recovery Day in the Senate Chamber, and attendees spent hours meeting with legislators, sharing meals, and connecting with others who understand their journey. Many gathered afterward at the All Recovery Meeting to continue building their support network.

Recovery looks different for everyone, but these women proved one thing: with the right support, people can rebuild their lives completely.