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.

Greater Delta Region Summit on 20th Anniversary of White House Conference on the Delta, May 28-29, 2020

Posted on December 18, 2019 at 01:09 PM

The Greater Delta Region Summit to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the bipartisan White House “Delta Vision, Delta Voices” conference on the Delta in Washington, DC in May, 2000 is set for May 28, 2020 opening session at the Arkansas State Capitol, and main session on May 29, 2020 at the Clinton Library in Little Rock.

We have already been receiving RSVPs and registration fees so please register ASAP as space is limited. Registration information is below.

The key themes for this conference are women’s issues in the Delta and economic opportunity for economically challenged populations. In many cases the two themes are inter-related. Conference Co-Chair is Rupa Dash, CEO of the World Woman Federation along with Delta Caucus Director Lee Powell.

We will have announcements of funded community and economic development projects by major institutions in the region as examples of the productive work that is going on in the Greater Delta Region.

We will also re-dedicate ourselves to strong advocacy for the Delta’s progress in 2020 and beyond.

This is a unique occasion in the history of the Delta Caucus, so it will be on a first come, first served basis. We are already getting reservations and there is limited space. We will have to cut off reservations when the space runs out.

A requirement for admission will be that we have received the $125 registration fees by May 18, 2020, although again the space may run out much earlier than that at some point in early 2020. No late registrations or registrations at the front desk at the time of the event can be permitted in light of the larger scale of this event and the larger turnout. The area close to the podium at the Arkansas Capitol Rotunda has limited space, and seating is limited at the Clinton Library Great Hall.

SCHEDULE:

The opening session is at the Arkansas Capitol Rotunda on the early evening of May 28, 2020 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

(We will have an informal, socializing dinner at the group hotel right after the opening session concludes at 7 p.m. Group hotel will probably be the Doubletree Hotel in the Little Rock River Market District.

MAIN SESSION: May 29, 2020 at the Clinton Library Great Hall from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

We are glad to be working with Rupa Dash and the World Woman Federation in bringing many new partners into our coalition. Equal pay for equal work for women, greater opportunities for women in business, entrepreneurialism, the professions, elected office, the academic world will be among the key issues.

We will be focusing as well on constructive economic policies for economically challenged populations in the Delta, including support for Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), Earned Income Tax Credit, programs similar to the Clinton administration rural Empowerment Zones for attracting investment to lower income areas, job creation at good wages, SNAP and other nutrition programs, health care, infrastructure improvements, and environmentally sustainable agriculture.

KEY SPEAKERS: It is too early to announce the details of the program. Invited speakers will include President Clinton, Gov. Asa Hutchinson, Members of Congress, and leaders from the 8-state Greater Delta Region from southern Illinois and Missouri to New Orleans and eastward to the Alabama Black Belt.

REGISTRATION:

You register by sending in the $125 registration fees.

We offer substantial group discounts on registration fees if you can organize a group of people to attend. This would need to be at least four people to get a discount down to $75, and larger discounts will be given for larger groups.

Space is limited and this will be on a first come, first served basis on who has sent in their registration fees when we run out of space. The Clinton Library Great Hall has limited space, and for the Rotunda there is limited space as far as those who are able to be seated relatively close to the podium.

Space may run out early in 2020. If not, we will close out registrations on May 18, 2020. We will not be able to allow admission for those who have not sent in their registration fees by then. We will not accept late registrations or people who want to pay at the front desk at the time the event is starting.

The best, fastest and easiest way to register is by paying the $125 registration fees by going to the website at mdgc.us and going to the PayPal link at the top of the site that says “Donate.”

The PayPal link accepts all major cards and creates a written record of the transaction. We will be glad to send invoices or receipts where requested.

If you prefer to pay by check, please make out the $125 check to “Delta Caucus” and mail to:

Delta Caucus

5030 Purslane Place

Waldorf, MD 20601

GROUP HOTEL

The group hotel is the Doubletree, down the street from the Clinton Library. To get the discount rate of $99 for the night of May 28, call the hotel at 501-372-4371 or 1-800-222-8733 and say you are with the Delta Caucus group.

EXAMPLES OF PARTICIPANTS THUS FAR:

In addition to the invitations to President Clinton, Chelsea Clinton, Gov. Hutchinson, Arkansas Members of Congress, we will have many distinguished grassroots participants who are doing the daily constructive work on the ground in the Delta. We will be adding more, but to give examples of our grassroots partners:

–Annette Dove, Executive Director of the exemplary TOPPS nonprofit in the largest Arkansas Delta community, focusing on nutrition, education, job preparation for at-risk youths, and has received many accolades including a New York Times article describing her as the “Mother Theresa” of America and she was profiled by Chelsea Clinton when she was a reporter for NBC national TV news;

–University of Arkansas Medical Sciences (UAMS)’ Leesa Freasier and Winrock International program for fighting obesity and improving nutrition in the Delta;

–Donna Gambrell, CEO of Appalachian Community Region from our sister region in Appalachia, formerly Director of the US Treasury Dept. Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) Fund, chairman of the board of Southern Bancorp–a speaker at President Clinton’s event on CDFIs and economic opportunity at the Clinton Library in November last year;

–Janet Ginocchio, Southern Bancorp Community Partners Director of Public Policy and Advocacy;

–Philander Smith College professor and Philander Smith College (a predominantly African American college in Little Rock) young woman student leader as the Carol Willis Scholar, given to a young leader each year who is following in the footsteps of President Clinton’s late, great adviser Carol Willis’ footsteps in working for constructive social, political and economic change;

–Joel Berg, CEO of Hunger Free America, national anti-poverty and hunger nonprofit based in New York, Presidential appointee in the Clinton administration;

–Bill Bynum, CEO, HOPE Enterprise Corp. and Credit Union, major foundation active across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas and Tennessee, speaker at a number of President Clinton’s events during his Presidency and after;

–Wilson Golden, board member of the William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation in Jackson, Mississippi, former aide to Gov. William Winter of Mississippi and an old friend of President Clinton;

–Mike Marshall, CEO of the Sikeston, Missouri economic development corporation and President Obama’s appointee as Alternate Federal Co-Chair of the Delta Regional Authority;

–Brad Cole, Executive Director of the Municipal League for the state of Illinois;

–Gloria Kates, community leader and City Council member of the impoverished Delta city of Bogalusa, Louisiana;

–Mayor Sheldon Day, dynamic leader on economic opportunity in the Alabama Black Belt city of Thomasville, Alabama;

–Herb Simmons, Executive Director of Greater North Louisiana Community Development in the impoverished northern Louisiana Delta, and professor of criminal justice at Grambling State University in Louisiana, one of the nation’s leading predominantly African American institutions of higher learning.

Thanks very much. Lee Powell, Executive Director, Delta Grassroots Caucus (202) 360-6347