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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.

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!

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Interview Library

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Jere Nash: Reconstruction in Mississippi

September 30, 2025

Written by Empower Mississippi Jere Nash: Reconstruction in Mississippi On this episode, host Grant Callen sits down with historian Jere Nash, a Greenville native, retired political consultant, and co-author of award-winning books. Jere’s latest work, Reconstruction in Mississippi, 1862-1877, offers a definitive look at a pivotal era. We discuss why Jere chose to explore Reconstruction, debunk common…

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Rebekah Staples: Work Work Work

September 16, 2025

Written by Empower Mississippi Rebekah Staples: Work Work Work More than just a paycheck, work is the foundation of prosperity and the pathway to earned success. This week, host Grant Callen sits down with Rebekah Staples President & Founder of Free State Strategies and a Contributing Fellow at Empower Mississippi. Hailing from The Free State of…

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Attorney General Lynn Fitch: Breaking Barriers & Defending Life 

September 2, 2025

Written by Empower Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch: Breaking Barriers & Defending Life  On this episode, host Grant Callen sits down with Mississippi’s 40th Attorney General Lynn Fitch. A Holly Springs native, General Fitch has 35 years in public and private legal service, made history as the state’s first female Attorney General, and earned national recognition…

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Mike Hurst: School Choice Showdown

August 19, 2025

Written by Empower Mississippi Mike Hurst: School Choice Showdown With Speaker Jason White and Governor Tate Reeves signaling school choice as the top priority for the 2026 legislative session, momentum is building—but so is the opposition. On this episode, host Grant Callen sits down with the Chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party for a deep dive…

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Speaker Jason White: Education Freedom and Mississippi’s Future

August 5, 2025

Written by Empower Mississippi Speaker Jason White: Education Freedom and Mississippi’s Future Fresh off his speech at the Neshoba County Fair, Mississippi’s 62nd Speaker of the House, Jason White joins host Grant Callen for this episode of the Empower Podcast. We recap his fair speech and talk about the experience of walking out on that storied…

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Former Speaker Philip Gunn: Faith, Resilience, and Leadership

July 22, 2025

Written by Empower Mississippi  Former Speaker Philip Gunn: Faith, Resilience, and Leadership In this episode, host Grant Callen sits down with former Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn to trace his journey from Clinton’s small-town roots to state leadership. Gunn shares how a personal tragedy at Ole Miss Law upended his life, yet God’s faithfulness sustained him,…

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Capitol Chat Library

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Capitol Chat: Week 8

February 28, 2025

Written by Empower Mississippi  Capitol Chat: Week 8 Taxes, taxes, taxes. That and other news from the Capitol this week, including a new entry on “how a bill really becomes law – or doesn’t.”

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Capitol Chat: Week 7

February 21, 2025

Written by Empower Mississippi Capitol Chat: Week 7 Halfway through the legislative session, we’re covering tax cuts, direct wine shipment, critical deadlines, and a scary situation in the Senate. Tune in to learn more on this week’s episode of Capitol Chat.

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Capitol Chat: Week 6

February 14, 2025

Written by Empower Mississippi 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.

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Capitol Chat: Week 5

February 7, 2025

Written by Empower Mississippi 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…

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Capitol Chat: Week 4

January 31, 2025

Written by Empower Mississippi 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…

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Capitol Chat: Week 3

January 24, 2025

Written by Empower Mississippi 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.  

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