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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 Spencer Ritchie: Indictments and Hope for The City with Soul On November 6, Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens, Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, and Jackson Councilman Aaron Banks were indicted on federal bribery charges. A few months earlier, Jackson City Councilwoman Angelique Lee resigned from office and pled guilty to conspiracy…
Written by Empower Mississippi 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…
Written by Empower Mississippi 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…
Written by Empower Mississippi 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…
Written by Empower Mississippi 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…
Written by Empower Mississippi 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…
Capitol Chat Library
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.
Written by Empower Mississippi Capitol Chat: Week 8 As another committee deadline approaches, some bills are gaining steam while others quietly stall. In this week’s episode, we unpack a significant school choice–adjacent tax credit bill, a proposed workforce initiative, and a handful of other bills that could either advance or die in the coming days.
Written by Empower Mississippi Capitol Chat: Week 7 It was a budget-heavy week under the Dome, with more than 100 appropriations bills clearing a critical hurdle. We unpack the latest on education funding, the lingering school choice conversation, and what to watch as the session heads toward its next deadline.
Written by Empower Mississippi Capitol Chat: Week 6 From floor votes to a few “spirited” House measures, Week 6 had a little bit of everything. We break down the education bills still moving, the buzz around a recent voice vote, and what’s brewing as lawmakers eye the next big deadline.