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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 Rep. Celeste Hurst: When Helping Hurts Good intentions are not always enough. Sometimes the help we offer can create dependency, reinforce brokenness, or make it harder for people to move forward. In this episode of The Empower Podcast, Grant sits down with State Representative Celeste Hurst to discuss what years of ministry…
Written by Empower Mississippi Dayton Duncan: The Story Behind America’s National Parks In this episode, Grant sits down with award-winning writer and filmmaker Dayton Duncan, longtime collaborator of acclaimed documentary filmmaker Ken Burns and co-creator of The National Parks: America’s Best Idea. Drawing on decades of research and storytelling, Dayton explains how America became the first…
Written by Empower Mississippi Sen. Jeremy England: Neighbors Before Opponents Politics works best when we remember we’re neighbors before we’re opponents. But in an age of polarization, is that still possible? In this episode, Grant sits down with State Senator Jeremy England to discuss the experiences and convictions that have shaped his approach to public service.…
Written by Empower Mississippi Andy Taggart: The Ideas That Made America As America approaches its 250th anniversary, what exactly are we celebrating? In this episode, Grant sits down with attorney, writer, and student of history Andy Taggart to explore the ideas behind the Declaration of Independence and why they remain relevant nearly two and a half…
Written by Empower Mississippi Dr. Branden Henry: How People Change For years, Empower Mississippi has focused on removing external barriers to opportunity. But what if some of the barriers holding people back aren’t external at all? In this episode, Grant sits down with licensed professional counselor Dr. Brandon Henry to explore the internal obstacles that often…
Written by Empower Mississippi Rep. Otis Anthony: Can the Delta Rise Again? On this episode of the Empower Podcast, State Rep. Otis Anthony joins Grant for a wide-ranging conversation about poverty, work, education, economic development, and the future of the Mississippi Delta. Anthony shares how growing up in Indianola shaped his view of public service, why he…
Capitol Chat Library
Written by Empower Mississippi Capitol Chat: Week 2 A sweeping education bill, hours of debate, and a narrow House vote put school choice at the center of Week 2 action. In this edition of Capitol Chat, we unpack what happened with House Bill 2, take a quick look at early budget hearings, and highlight a few…
Written by Empower Mississippi Capitol Chat: Week 1 Capitol Chat is back for the 2026 legislative session, which is off to a quick start after only one week! Host Wil Ervin highlights early Senate action on teacher pay and public school choice, a sweeping House education bill, and a major Senate proposal to shore up PERS, setting the…
Written by Empower Mississippi Capitol Chat: Special Session Lawmakers were called into Special Session to adopt a $7.135 billion budget for State Fiscal Year 2026 after failing to adopt a budget during the 2025 regular session. Although it lasted only two days, the Special Session was not without drama and excitement. We break down all the…
Written by Empower Mississippi Capitol Chat: Week 13 In the Sine Die episode of Capitol Chat, we’re wrapping up the 2025 legislative session, which finished a bit ahead of schedule. However, lawmakers did not agree on a budget before adjourning, which means a special session is on the horizon. We break down the key details,…
Written by Empower Mississippi Capitol Chat: Week 12 The countdown is on! Only 9 days remain in the legislative session. This week, the Governor signed House Bill 1 into law, and this weekend is crunch time on appropriations and revenue bills. All that, and more, on this week’s episode of Capitol Chat.
Written by Empower Mississippi Capitol Chat: Week 11 A little luck of the Irish helped push an income tax elimination bill over the finish line this week. We’ll dive into House Bill 1 and what it means for you, as well as what’s next in the legislative session, on this week’s episode of Capitol Chat.