Celebrating Impact with Winston County's End of Year Celebration

December 8, 2025

Excerpts from WCSHC Publication with their permission

The Winston County Self Help Cooperative (WCSHC) has been a Godsend for BSI and our work to support rural farmers and growers. On December 2, 2025, the Winston County Self Help Cooperative hosted its annual End-of-Year Celebration at the Cooperative Campus in Louisville, Mississippi. The event brought together cooperative members and guests to honor the organization’s 2025 accomplishments and celebrate the holiday season.

The campus hall was packed to capacity with students, university presidents/alum, coop members, and partner organizations, including Black Sustainability. We had the opportunity to highlight our AfroEcology program's efforts to educate underserved communities about available resources to enhance agricultural productivity and promote community well-being and development.

WCSHC had a diverse showing of members from Texas, Louisiana, Georgia and Mississippi. The keynote was delivered by the President of Alcorn State University with the theme of “Bridging Generations”. The common thread amongst all who spoke was how to get the next generation engaged in growing and leveraging all our elders and ancestors have poured into retaining land and their respective farm operations.

To ensure the story was passed down, the history of the Winston County Self Help Cooperative was shared via video with the audience. The video showed the 1985 farming crisis and how five farmers from Louisville, Mississippi joined forces to save their farming operations and support their community. In 1989, the Cooperative welcomed Mr. Frank Taylor as president and expanded its mission to include youth development, housing initiatives, and nutrition programs.

Black Sustainability's Executive Director, Raina Turner-Greenlea was called up to share the progress and work completed as a grantee of WCSHC for our work on AfroEcology and exposing landowners, new and existing farmers to NRCS practices. She thanked T'Arie Todman and Frank Taylor for their dedication and commitment to our organization's success and network of growers. Sister Raina went on to highlight the technical training and hands on workshops conducted at farms in partnership with Eco-PARADIGM and the impact it has had on the next generation of farmers. Attendees were informed of BSI's upcoming virtual Save Rural America event and invited to join the session via Zoom next month.

Mr. Frank Taylor, President of the Winston County Self Help Cooperative, delivered the closing remarks. He highlighted the Cooperative’s forty-plus-year legacy of helping rural communities. Mr. Taylor called on everyone to work together across generations to make a positive difference. With heartfelt appreciation, he thanked all partners, members, and friends for their contributions and for working to uplift rural America.

After Mr. Frank Taylor’s closing remarks, Reverend Alonzo Miller led the blessing of the food. Reverend Miller expressed thanks for God’s protection and for keeping everyone in sound mind. Humbly, Reverend Miller praised the Lord, saying that, without the Lord’s guidance and presence, he would not be standing before the gathering.

The Year-End Celebration recognized over 40 years of empowering rural America, the Cooperative’s accomplishments in 2025, and the bridging of generational gaps. Everyone involved in the program gave their absolute support, successfully creating another memorable event for the Winston County Self Help Cooperative. Winston Self Help Cooperative members appreciate all who supported and attended the event.