Resilient East Biloxi

Resilient East Biloxi

Like many across the Mississippi Gulf Coast, East Biloxi residents have witnessed firsthand the damages resulting from natural and man-made environmental disasters. These stressors have continuously impacted East Biloxi’s natural resources, built environment, and economic stability, which are fundamentally tied to the community’s social and economic well-being.

The Resilient East Biloxi Program started in February of 2022 with the goal of stimulating and sustaining community-led redevelopment while addressing chronic flood risk and other resilience issues.

Resilient East Biloxi (REB) hosts a Community Leadership Cohort and a series of Community Action Events to achieve the following:

Increase organizational capacity for the implementation and funding of community-led redevelopment projects

Promote redevelopment that reflects and has a sense of ownership by the community

Develop strategies to skillfully and effectively direct solutions to address socioeconomic disadvantages

Provide space for community leaders to engage with and communicate resilience issues and solutions to residents

Increase collaboration across diverse organizations and leaders to ensure the impacts of climate are integrated with the needs and innovations of the community under six essential pillars: Transportation, Housing, Economic Development, Healthcare, Recreation, and Food Access

Resilient East Biloxi Community Festival

Started in 2023, the REB Community Festival was created in response to resident conversations and feedback from our Fall 2022 Community Action Event. At this community resource expo, there was an expressed desire from both residents and participating organizations to see a similar event on a much larger scale. With this annual community festival, we build upon the principles of the REB program and provide a safe, supportive, and encouraging space for the community to express themselves and celebrate the steps we are taking towards a resilient future.

Partners

Other Resources:

Community Action Event Highlights

2022 Resilient East Biloxi Program Report

Resilient East Biloxi Cohort Guidelines

Qiyamah Williams, Community Resilience Specialist

qiyamah.williams@msstate.edu

info@placeslr.org

1815 Popps Ferry Rd. Biloxi, MS 39532

Mississippi State University is an equal opportunity institution. Discrimination is prohibited in university employment, programs, or activities based on race, color, ethnicity, sex, pregnancy, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as a U.S. veteran, or any other status to the extent protected by applicable law. Questions about equal opportunity programs or compliance should be directed to the Office of Civil Rights Compliance, 231 Famous Maroon Band Street, P.O. 6044, Mississippi State, MS 39762.

Quicklinks

About the Program for Local Adaptation to Changing environments

PLACE fosters a network of individuals and organizations working to enhance resilience to changing environmental conditions. It increases access to and application of relevant research, stimulates dialogue around vulnerabilities and adaptation strategies, and provides resources that facilitate resilience and mitigation actions. These goals are achieved by working directly with stakeholders across the Northern Gulf to identify critical gaps and address them by leveraging the resources and expertise of the network.