Broadview Creative Company and The Mississippi Independent are proud to announce the launch of “Don’t Look Around,” a narrative history podcast that takes an in-depth look at brain drain in Mississippi. Hosted by Mississippi native and media personality Melvin Robinson, the show premieres today, Oct. 13, 2026.
Brain drain refers to the departure of educated or skilled workers from an area, often in pursuit of higher-paying jobs or better living conditions. From 2010 to 2024, Mississippi had the sixth-worst net migration rate in the U.S. and ranked 49th in population change over the past decade, ahead of only West Virginia. What that means is that only one state experienced greater population loss than Mississippi.
“Don’t Look Around” explores the root causes of this outmigration through interviews with Mississippi natives who left the state in search of better opportunities, including a filmmaker in California, a business owner in upstate New York, a therapist in Illinois, and others.
“Growing up in Mississippi, everyone is confronted with possibly leaving for better opportunities. No matter where you are from, leaving your home is a possibility, but leaving Mississippi can become a necessity,” Robinson said. “I wanted to make Don’t Look Around to talk about some of the issues with the state, to be honest about them and to ask how we can resolve those issues.”
Ryan “R.L.” Nave, a veteran Southern journalist and executive editor of The Mississippi Independent, said recent news events, such as the mysterious death of Nolan Wells on the Gulf Coast and a hotly contested U.S. Senate race, have thrust Mississippi into the national conversation.
“You can’t log onto social media right now without seeing hundreds of posts from people questioning why anyone would live in Mississippi—and hundreds of proud Magnolia State natives clapping back, defending and fighting for a vision of their Mississippi that is equitable and just,” Nave said. “It’s so inspiring and really beautiful to see that passion from expats and current residents, which makes this show timely and critically important,” he added.
“Don’t Look Around” is available on all major podcast platforms. Episode 2 premieres next Tuesday, Oct. 20. Look for Episode 3 on Oct. 27.
For more information, contact Broadview Creative Company at melvin@broadviewcreative.com. Contact The Mississippi Independent at editor@msindy.com and follow us @msindynews.
🎧 Listen to Episode 1: Don’t Look Around Episode 1