The Delta Grassroots Caucus (DGC) is a broad coalition of grassroots leaders in the eight-state Delta region. DGC is also a founding partner of the Economic Equality Caucus,
which advocates for economic equality across the USA.

Please RSVP for Regional Delta Conference on May 26-27 in Little Rock, AR

Posted on April 20, 2015 at 03:32 PM

Please RSVP for the Delta Grassroots Caucus regional community and economic development conference on May 26-27 in Little Rock. The deadline for early registration is Friday, May 1.

The focus will be on job creation, women and children’s issues, transportation and other infrastructure improvements, education and workforce development, health care for underserved populations, USDA programs and other hunger and nutrition-related initiatives, renewable energy, and economic equality for working families across our region.

In addition to grassroots leaders from across the eight-state region and Members of Congress, we are inviting the Presidential candidates from both parties in a bipartisan way to inform us what they would do if elected to promote economic equality for working families in our eight states and across the country. Those who have strong ties to the region such as Secretary Hillary Clinton, former Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas and Sen. Rand Paul who represents the western Kentucky Delta are naturally drawing the greatest attention, as well as Gov Jeb Bush. We would expect to hear from them (especially those from the region) to speak by Skype call-in where we can see and hear them, or more likely, to send campaign representatives. It’s important to weigh in with the Presidential campaigns in a bipartisan way.

We have confirmations from US Sen. John Boozman, US Rep. Rick Crawford, US Rep. Bruce Westerman, and have invited Gov. Asa Hutchinson, Rep. French Hill and other Members of Congress.

We will have many distinguished women leaders on the program, due to our focus on women and children’s issues and economic equality for working families in the Delta.

We are glad to have among our speakers the nationally recognized hunger and nutrition expert, Joel Berg, currently executive director of the New York City Coalition Against Hunger and a former Clinton administration appointee at USDA national headquarters in Washington, DC. He conducted many beneficial projects in the Delta during the Clinton years and continues to help a constructive program in the Delta today.

President Clinton has spoken either by live call-in or in person six out of the last seven year (although he confirms very late in the process due to his hectic schedule, along with other prominent leaders from both parties.

The May 26 opening session is at the Arkansas State Capitol from 4 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.

The May 27 session is at the Clinton Library Great Hall from 8 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.

Schedule, registration and group hotel information are below in this email.

Support for health insurance coverage expansion, renewable energy, women and children’s issues, state and federal investments in transportation infrastructure improvements, education and workforce development, small business initiatives for job creation, and the USDA programs and the farm bill for agriculture, opening farm trade to Cuba, nutrition and rural development. Support for Delta heritage tourism initiatives will be included. The goal is for specific actions and policies to be taken and supported as a result of our advocacy.

EARLY REGISTRATION

You register by mailing in the registration fees. We raise our entire budget from private sector donations and the registration fees are an essential part of our budget.

Registration fees are a total of $125– $100 for registration for this conference and $25 for those who have not paid their annual dues. We have a second major regional conference each fall and those paying the dues get a reduced registration fee for the fall conference.

If you can get a group of five or more from your local network, we will give a group discount on the registration fees from $125 each to $75 each.

If you can make the conference, please make out the check to “Delta Caucus” and mail to:

Delta Caucus

5030 Purslane Place

Waldorf, MD 20601

The early registration deadline ends on May 1. After that late registration fees go up to $150 to provide an incentive to get the fees in on time.

More information on the schedule, group hotel, and other details on the conference is provided below and my contact information is Lee Powell, Executive Director, Delta Grassroots Caucus, phone– (202) 360-6347; website is www.mdgc.us and email is leepowell@delta.comcastbiz.net

BASIC SCHEDULE:

Opening session: Tuesday, May 26, 2015, 4 p.m. to 7:45 p.m., Arkansas State Capitol (the old Arkansas Supreme Court room)

Clinton Library session: Wednesday, May 27, 2015, from 8 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. at the Great Hall of the Clinton Presidential Library.

GROUP HOTEL IS HOLIDAY INN PRESIDENTIAL NEAR THE CLINTON LIBRARY

We have a group discount rate of $99.99 dollars for the nights of May 26-27, 2015 at the Holiday Inn Presidential near the Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock. Please call the Holiday Inn Presidential at 501-375-2100 and say you are with the Delta Caucus to get the lower group rate of $99.99, which is a very good rate for a high-quality hotel located near the Clinton Library and the River Market district, which has many fine restaurants and other attractions.

The deadline for getting the group rate is May 12. Many people will only need to pay for one hotel night, because they check in Tuesday afternoon to make the opening at 4 p.m. at the State Capitol and the conference ends the next day at about 2:45 p.m. You can check out the next morning and store luggage at the hotel if necessary and pick it up in the afternoon after the conference ends. We will need to go to the State Capitol in groups of taxis for those who are flying in and do not have cars. The opening session is an important substantive session with key speakers and is NOT a reception. It takes about 10 minutes to drive from the hotel to the Capitol and then another five minutes to go up to the old Supreme Court room.

For the Clinton Library session, the hotel has a shuttle that regularly runs there.

The Holiday Inn Presidential has a very good restaurant, Camp David, on the first floor, and is close to the many fine restaurants in the Little Rock River Market area. Thanks again. Lee Powell, DGC (202) 360-6347; email is leepowell@delta.comcastbiz.net; see the website at www.mdgc.us