Fuel the Fight from Belzoni to the Bar!

My name is Zedekiah Toy-Shanklin, and I’m standing at the edge of everything I’ve fought for.

This July, I will sit for the Mississippi Bar Exam, the final test before I become a licensed attorney. But passing the bar isn’t just about books and study guides. It’s about survival. It’s about enduring the pressure of trying to focus, remember, and perform…..all while bills don’t stop, and life doesn’t pause.

I’ve spent my entire law school journey working nonstop, juggling jobs, responsibilities, and expectations while trying to stay afloat in a system that wasn’t built for people like me. I didn’t get the luxury of just being a student. I had to be a fighter every single day, because I knew where I came from and I know where I’m going. I’m not just becoming a lawyer, I’m becoming a weapon for my community.

I’m returning to the Mississippi Delta not just to represent, but to rebuild. I’ve made the decision to move back to Belzoni and become an agent of change, using my degree to bring legal access, economic development, and hope to one of the most overlooked corners of this country.

As a Belzoni native, I know what it means to be overlooked, underestimated, and unseen. I know what it’s like to feel like success is always on the other side of a locked door. But I’ve spent my life clawing out of the abyss, clenching for the rope of success with everything in me, and I’m almost there. Now I need time, and I need help.

I’m raising $15,000 to cover:

• Bar prep materials

• Living expenses while I study full-time

• Exam fees and licensing costs

• Moving Expenses

• Breathing room……the kind that allows focus, rest, and the clarity to finish what I started

People assume success means you’re okay.

But the presence of blessings, favor, or opportunity does not mean the absence of pressure. I carry all of it, and still, I rise.

When my back is against the wall, it gives me more support for when I come out swinging.

Every donation helps. Every share helps. Every word of encouragement reminds me why this fight matters. Adversity is the stone on which I sharpen my blade. And I plan to come out of this with that blade ready, not just for myself, but for every forgotten town like mine.

If you’ve ever believed in me, rooted for the underdog, or wanted to help build something that actually makes a difference, I appreciate you, and this is your moment.