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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 Henry Barbour, Republican National Committeeman from Yazoo City For the last 19 years, Henry Barbour has served as Committeeman from Mississippi on the Republican National Committee, a role that has given him a front row seat to the American political scene, and not just as an observer. He’s advised presidents and governors…
Written by Empower Mississippi State Senator Daniel Sparks, Chairman, Economic and Workforce Development Committee First elected to the State Senate in 2019, Senator Sparks has distinguished himself as one of the smartest and most hard-working lawmakers in the building. In this conversation, Senator Sparks discusses the intersection of policy and people, emphasizing the importance of human-centered…
Written by Empower Mississippi Dr. Matthew Ladner: What Can Arizona Teach Mississippi about empowering parents? In this episode, Dr. Matthew Ladner, Senior Advisor at the Center for Education Policy at the Heritage Foundation, shares about Arizona’s journey with school choice. Arizona passed the first education savings account (ESA) program in the nation in 2011 for students…
Written by Empower Mississippi State Auditor Shad White: Fatherlessness, Labor Woes, School Choice, and Public Safety In this episode, host Grant Callen sits down with Mississippi’s 42nd State Auditor, Shad White. They discuss Mississippi’s incredible cultural and economic advantages and our challenges, like our low Labor Force Participation Rate and our high number of unwed mothers.…
Written by Empower Mississippi Denisha Allen: Firsthand experience with the life-changing power of a great school Host Grant Callen welcomes Denisha Allen in this episode, unraveling her remarkable journey from childhood struggles in Jacksonville, Florida to her current role as a national advocate for school choice. The conversation highlights the transformative impact of school choice on Denisha’s…
Written by Empower Mississippi Elyse Marcellino: Microschools on the Move in the Magnolia State Join us as we explore the transformative world of education with Elyse Marcellino, the director of Embark: New Schools for Mississippi.. Listen in as Elyse shares her work guiding ambitious individuals through the process of opening charter schools and microschools in Mississippi.…
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.