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.

Delta Summit Moved to Oct. 13-14, 2020 in Little Rock Due to Coronavirus

Posted on April 14, 2020 at 03:49 PM

The Delta Caucus errs totally on the side of caution in responding to the coronavirus, and accordingly the Greater Delta Region Summit has been moved from May 28-29 to Oct. 13-14, 2020 in Little Rock.

We will be commemorating the 20th anniversary of the White House Conference on the Delta, the Clinton administration’s bipartisan Delta Regional Initiative, and the Delta Caucus itself that traces its origins back to that period.

We will look at what has worked well, what we have learned over the many years of work for the region’s progress, those issues where we still face challenges, and dedicate our network to ongoing advocacy aimed at effective action in dealing with the Delta’s community and economic progress in 2020 and beyond.

We will be inviting President Clinton, Members of Congress, Gov. Asa Hutchinson and grassroots leaders from all 8 states as well as colleagues in New York, Washington, DC and elsewhere.

SCHEDULE

We have reserved the Clinton Library Great Hall for Wednesday, Oct. 14 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., basically the morning and lunch.

The opening session will be the evening before on Tuesday, Oct. 13 from about 4:50 p.m. to 7 p.m., very likely at the Arkansas Capitol Rotunda. We have submitted this new date to state officials. Most of the organizations and offices we deal with are working with reduced staff and often from home so they are moving as quickly as they can. We appreciate that everybody is staying strong and working hard during this crisis.

We expect the coronavirus to impose restrictions such as social distancing, wearing masks, avoiding large meetings, washing hands with santizers and other changes for a lengthy period. Dr. Tony Fauci estimates that a vaccine is still a year away.

We have no way of knowing what the situation with the coronavirus will be by Oct. 13-14 in Little Rock and will of course follow the recommendations of scientific, medical and other appropriate authorities.

The May 28-29 dates are no longer realistic, of course, given the gravity of the crisis.

The group hotel is likely to be the DoubleTree near the Clinton Library and we are in the process of finalizing arrangements for the new dates. We expect to get a discount group rate to help people out with their costs.

All registrations and sponsorships that were sent in for the earlier planned dates in May, 2020 will be applied to the Oct. 13-14 dates.

REDUCTION IN REGISTRATION FEES IN LIGHT OF CORONAVIRUS’ ECONOMIC IMPACT

You register by paying the registration fees. In light of blows to the Delta’s regional economy from the coronavirus that are expected to be worse in the Delta than the rest of the country, we are reducing the registration fees from the earlier planned level of $125 each to $75 each.

GROUP DISCOUNT: If you can get together a group of three or four or more people we will give further substantial discounts—from $75 to $50 for a group of three or four people, to $40 for groups of more than four, and so on for larger groups.

The easiest and fastest way to pay registration fees is to go on the website at mdgc.us and go to the PayPal link at the top of the site that says “Donate.”

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

Delta Caucus

5030 Purslane Place

Waldorf, MD 20601

There is no way to predict how badly the Greater Delta Region will be hurt by the pandemic. We know that Louisiana has suffered greatly thus far and others may be at some point.

Delta’v vulnerability to the pandemic: While there is some benefit that most of our region is predominantly rural and small-town rather than densely populated—with of course the notable exceptions of New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Jackson, Memphis and Little Rock–on the other hand we are more vulnerable than most regions in many other ways: lower income people tend to have less ability to get quick access to high quality health care, we have larger percentages of people with underlying conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity and other maladies, our rural hospitals were struggling in many cases even before the pandemic and we have less access to health care than most areas of the country.

Many of these characteristics are inter-related with the disturbing data showing that African Americans and other minorities are suffering disproportionately in numbers of cases and deaths. Clearly the Delta’s large African American population, growing Hispanic population in some areas, and other minorities present serious concerns in this light.

We need to remind the federal, state and private sector powers that be that our longstanding health care and economic issues leave us vulnerable. We need to redouble our efforts and bring about change that will let us be much better prepared for the next crisis.

We had earlier been planning to hold the Greater Delta Region Summit in Little Rock in late May and then an Economic Equality Caucus (EEC)/Delta Caucus conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on Sept. 30-Oct. 1, but it would be too difficult to hold two major conferences so close together, so the Washington, DC EEC/Delta Caucus conference will be held in the spring of 2021, exact dates TBD. The EEC conferences have substantial representation from the Delta but also colleagues from Appalachia, the Midwest, Southeast Crescent, Southwest Border, New York, and the Virginia/DC/Maryland Mid-Atlantic region.

Stay safe and let’s all get through this together. Lee Powell, Executive Director, Delta Caucus and Co-Chair, Economic Equality Caucus (202) 360-6347