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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.
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Interview Library
Written by Empower Mississippi Bill Cork: Mississippi’s Economic Momentum Mississippi’s economy is on fire! In this episode, host Grant Callen sits down with Bill Cork, Executive Director of the Mississippi Development Authority, to discuss Mississippi’s economic surge. With the state ranking No. 2 in the nation for GDP growth in 2024, record-breaking employment numbers, and over…
Written by Empower Mississippi DeArchie Scott: Charter Schools and Educational Excellence This week, host Grant Callen dives into the world of charter schools with DeArchie Scott, Founder of Ambition Prep, Mississippi’s top-performing public charter school located in west Jackson. Ambition Prep is a B-rated school (and climbing) and is the most academically successful open-enrollment public elementary…
Written by Empower Mississippi Richard Cross: Quarterbacking Mississippi’s Political Discourse Following in the footsteps of the legendary radio host Paul Gallo, Richard Cross has quickly become a significant player in every public policy debate because he interviews the policymakers. Every morning Richard welcomes heavyweights like the Governor, Lt. Governor, Speaker, U.S. Senators, and lawmakers from across…
Written by Empower Mississippi Dallis Ketchum: Building a Better Jackson In this episode host Grant Callen sits down with Dallis Ketchum, a real estate broker, co-founder of NeighborHouse, and a dedicated community leader in Jackson. Dallis recounts how entrepreneurship became his defining path, from an unforeseen shift into real estate following his paramedic career to…
Written by Empower Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour: Leadership and Legacy When Mississippians think about consequential leaders who have significantly impacted the Magnolia State over the last half century, it’s hard to name anyone who looms larger than Mississippi’s 63rd governor, The Honorable Haley Barbour. In this episode, host Grant Callen sits down with Governor Barbour to…
Written by Empower Mississippi Doug Deason: First Step Act and Second Chances Conservative activist, businessman, and Texas donor Doug Deason was our guest this week for an in-depth conversation about Doug’s work on criminal justice reform. Host Grant Callen asked him about his relationship with President Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner, and how that relationship resulted…
Capitol Chat Library
Written by Empower Mississippi Capitol Chat: Sine Die Lawmakers returned to Jackson expecting veto overrides, but what followed was one of the more unusual endings to a legislative session in recent memory. We unpack the final day’s twists, the political fallout, and close the book on the 2026 session.
Written by Empower Mississippi Capitol Chat: Week 13 The 2026 legislative session is over… or is it? We break down the budget, education legislation, and a host of other bills that made it across the finish line during a busy week at the Capitol.
Written by Empower Mississippi Capitol Chat: Week 12 In this Conference Weekend Edition of Capitol Chat, we break down key dates and legislative processes for the remaining 9 days of the 2026 Session. We also dive into the latest on teacher pay raises, PBM reform, a controversial veto, and banning lab-grown milk.
Written by Empower Mississippi Capitol Chat: Week 11 With only a few weeks remaining in the 2026 legislative session, lawmakers are narrowing their focus. This week, we take a look at three issues dominating discussions at the Capitol and what’s on the horizon as the 2026 session winds down.
Written by Empower Mississippi Capitol Chat: Week 10 At the Mississippi Capitol, nothing is truly dead until it’s dead, dead, dead. This week’s episode features the resurrection of teacher pay raises, movement on pharmacy benefit manager reform, and the latest on a controversial NIL tax proposal.
Written by Empower Mississippi Capitol Chat: Week 9 With only 30 days remaining in the 2026 legislative session, we cover some of the hottest topics at the Capitol: NIL, teacher pay, and school choice.