E2ED8129-E943-4B7C-9C54-9A49F1BBE7BB

Listen To The Latest

Welcome To The Empower Podcast

Empower Mississippi is committed to helping all Mississippians rise by removing barriers to opportunity. In this podcast, we talk with state and national experts about ways the Magnolia State can grow and thrive. These conversations help shape the debate for future legislative sessions and highlight policy changes that are necessary to make Mississippi the best place in America to live, work, and raise a family.

Subscribe below to The Empower Podcast on your favorite podcast platform to stay updated on our latest episodes. Join us as we explore some of Mississippi’s biggest challenges and brightest opportunities!

B412F862-6933-41FB-9235-FA7A8ACD3B22
Empower Podcast Cover - Capitol Chat 2000x2000 copy

Interview Library

B412F862-6933-41FB-9235-FA7A8ACD3B22

Alesha Judkins: Public Safety, Crime, and Second Chances

November 12, 2024

Alesha Judkins: Public Safety, Crime, and Second Chances This week, host Grant Callen sat down with Alesha Judkins, Mississippi State Director at FWD.us to discuss Mississippi’s criminal justice system and our high imprisonment rate – the highest in the nation. Alesha has over 16 years of criminal justice advocacy in Mississippi and Alabama. Alesha and…

Listen Now

Lucien Smith: Prognostications and Punditry

October 29, 2024

Lucien Smith: Prognostications and Punditry  This week, Empower’s Senior Vice President, Wil Ervin, took over the Empower Podcast and sat down with Lucien Smith to talk all things politics – from the 2024 national election to the Mississippi governor’s race and everything in between. Smith is certainly no stranger to Mississippi politics – he has…

Listen Now

Bill Crawford: Former GOP lawmaker, Syndicated Columnist, and Now Published Author

October 15, 2024

Bill Crawford: Former GOP lawmaker, Syndicated Columnist, and Now Published Author This week, host Grant Callen sat down with columnist Bill Crawford to discuss his recently published book “A Republican’s Lament: Mississippi Needs Good Government Conservatives.”  Callen and Crawford talked about why Crawford got involved in Mississippi politics in the 1970s and the profound influence…

Listen Now

Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann: Whistle While You Work

October 1, 2024

Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann: Whistle While You Work This week, we took the podcast on the road, recording in the beautiful Mississippi State Capitol. Host Grant Callen sat down with Mississippi’s 33rd Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann to discuss all things related to work and the Magnolia State’s economy. Historic low employment, record private capital investment,…

Listen Now

David Bahnsen: Author of “Full-Time: Work and the Meaning of Life”

September 23, 2024

David Bahnsen: Author of “Full-Time: Work and the Meaning of Life” The topic of “work” has been in the news a lot lately since Mississippi has record low unemployment and the lowest labor force participation rate in the nation. So, this week host, Grant Callen sat down with author, David Bahnsen, to discuss his most…

Listen Now

State Rep. Fred Shanks: Rankin Countian with Jackson Roots

September 23, 2024

State Rep. Fred Shanks: Rankin Countian with Jackson Roots For this episode of the Empower Podcast, host Grant Callen sat down with State Rep. Fred Shanks, Chairman of the Rules Committee, to discuss nearly a dozen legislative topics including: the ballot initiative, suffrage bills, the new education funding formula, police officer safety and training, the…

Listen Now

Capitol Chat Library

Empower Podcast Cover - Capitol Chat 2000x2000 copy

Capitol Chat: Week 6

February 14, 2025

Capitol Chat: Week 6 Roses are red, violets are blue, lawmakers are busy, and we break it down for you on this week’s episode of Capitol Chat! Tune in to hear about the latest happenings from week 6 of the 2025 legislative session.

Listen Now

Capitol Chat: Week 5

February 7, 2025

Capitol Chat: Week 5 With a big deadline on Tuesday, floor action on DEI and school choice, and the death of a high-profile bill to limit the power of the State Auditor, Week 5 of the 2025 session was action-packed! Tune in to this week’s episode of Capitol Chat to hear about all this and…

Listen Now

Capitol Chat: Week 4

January 31, 2025

Capitol Chat: Week 4 What do a critical deadline, State of the State address, and Presidential Executive Order all have in common? They’re all a part of this week’s episode of Capitol Chat! Be sure to tune in for the latest on all this and more from Week 4 of the legislative session.  

Listen Now

Capitol Chat: Week 3

January 24, 2025

Capitol Chat: Week 3 Things got crazy in a subcommittee hearing, some new and interesting bills were introduced, and the House passed PBM reform. Hear about all this and more as host Wil Ervin breaks down what happened in Week 3 of the legislative session.  

Listen Now

Capitol Chat: Week 2

January 17, 2025

Capitol Chat: Week 2 Empower Senior Vice President Wil Ervin highlights what happened at the Capitol during week 2 of the legislative session, including the latest on tax reform, key legislative deadlines, and Empower’s new labor force participation report. Don’t miss it!  

Listen Now

Capitol Chat: Week 1

January 10, 2025

Capitol Chat: Week 1 Capitol Chat returns as the 2025 session is underway! Check out what happened at the Mississippi state Capitol during the first week of the legislative session. Empower Mississippi’s 2025 Legislative Session Guide: https://empowerms.org/session-guide/  

Listen Now