By Charity Bruce Sweet, MCJ Director, Economic Justice
Tax season arrives each year with a mix of anticipation and anxiety.
For some families, a tax refund represents a significant opportunity to build toward their financial goals. Yet this is also a time when our communities are targeted with fraud and predatory financial schemes promising quick and large refunds.
During these crucial months, conversations about financial empowerment are essential. Understanding your options for protecting and leveraging your tax refund can be the difference between falling into a debt trap and taking a meaningful step toward financial security. Whether you’re considering eliminating debt, building an emergency fund, or investing in education or homeownership, the choices you make now ripple throughout the years ahead.
At the Mississippi Center for Justice, we work year-round to meet the financial needs of all Mississippians and help them on their journey to financial stability and empowerment. The goal of the Economic Justice campaign is to strengthen economic prosperity for all Mississippians
Every day, we meet people at different points along this journey. Some are working to break free from debt that has held them back for years. Others are ready to open their first bank account or finally start that business they’ve been dreaming about. Still others are taking the courageous step toward homeownership, seeking to build generational wealth for their families.
Our role is to meet each person exactly where they are, without judgment, without barriers, and with a genuine commitment to opening doors that have too often been closed.
Unfortunately, many of our financial systems weren’t designed with working families in mind. From minimum balance requirements that penalize those living paycheck to paycheck, to lending practices that exclude people with non-traditional credit histories, to the proliferation of high-fee payday loans in Black and Latino neighborhoods—some families have very little opportunities to build financial security.
That is why our work at MCJ centers not only on providing people with the information they need to meet their financial goals, but also working with financial institutions to make their products accessible and affordable for more families.
First, we empower families with knowledge. We help people recognize predatory lending, understand the true cost of payday lending, navigate the banking system, and identify legitimate resources. Information is power, and we believe every family deserves to make financial decisions with full awareness of their options and rights.
Second, we push institutions to do better. We work directly with banks, credit unions, and other financial service providers to dismantle exclusive practices and create products that truly serve all communities. When institutions commit to fair lending, accessible banking, and transparent practices, everyone benefits.
We have built a strong network of financial partners as well as a wealth of resources you can find at this page: https://mscenterforjustice.org/our-work/economic-justice/financial-empowerment/. (Be sure to click the link on the left under Related Pages to access our resources).
In the last few years, Mississippi Center for Justice’s Economic Campaign has assisted over 700 participants with financial literacy, investing, and homebuyer education under our New Roots Credit Partnership (NRCP). NRCP is MCJ’s program that offers financial solutions and alternatives to Mississippians by bringing together employers, community leaders, and financial institutions to help individuals get banked, create a financial plan, build a relationship with a banker, and find financial freedom. It is a sound alternative to predatory lending practices.
Join us for one of our upcoming virtual workshops to learn more about the work we do to support families and to on your way to financial empowerment:
- March 11, 2026 – Investing 101 (register here)
- April 8, 2026 – Cryptocurrency
- May 13, 2026 – Retirement Planning
- June 10, 2026 – Financial Planning w/Life Insurance
Economic empowerment isn’t a transaction; it’s a relationship. It is about showing up consistently, listening to people and their financial dreams and goals, and working together to remove obstacles, create pathways, and believing in the potential of every family to build the financial future they deserve.
This tax season and beyond, we’re here. Not just to help you navigate your refund, but to walk alongside you on the entire journey toward lasting economic security.