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 Conference Primarily by Zoom from Little Rock on Oct. 20-21, 2022

Posted on July 27, 2022 at 12:09 PM

The Delta Caucus Regional Conference for Oct. 20-21, 2022 in Little Rock will be largely by Zoom due to a resurgence of the Coronavirus.

We will relay the details of how to take part by Zoom shortly before the Zoom meeting.

There will be a small group broadcasting by Zoom from Little Rock on Oct. 20-21. We invite all our partners across the region to take party by Zoom and hear the speakers from the 8-state region.

NOTE: Delta conferences are held regardless of illnesses of individuals, but we would relay the information that unfortunately Caucus Director Lee Powell is suffering from a massive hyatal hernia that pushed the stomach, a lung and part of the colon high into his chest. Major surgery lasting about four hours was required and the recovery time is estimated at two months.

Please continue advocating for USDA nutrition, rural development and other programs, Delta Regional Authority, infrastructure programs, health care, Delta Heritage tourism, job creation and other constructive development initiatives.

Please RSVP and send in registration fees (reduced to $50 due to it being largely by Zoom) ASAP. The address or PayPal link for registration is below in this email.

EXAMPLES OF PARTICIPANTS THUS FAR:

We always invite President Clinton, Gov. Asa Hutchinson, Members of Congress and other distinguished guests, although those in that category usually RSVP only much closer to the time of the event. Other participants will include:

–Todd Shields, the new Chancellor of Arkansas State University, one of the region’s key academic institutions;

–Brad Cole of the Illinois Municipal League, Mayor Jason Ashmore of Sesser, Illinois and other southern Illinois colleagues;

–Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, a faith-based nonprofit that does constructive work in the Delta region;

–Arkansas Hospitals Association, one of the major health care institutions in the region;

–Wilson Golden, Mississippi native now based in Georgia, former Presidential appointee in the Clinton administration where he served as one of the four managers for the Delta Regional Initiative along with Lee Powell, Harold Gist, and the late Al Eisenberg;

–Shaunte McFarland of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, another of our major academic institutions in the region;

–Ruthanne Hill, Executive Director of the Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund, a nonprofit working for greater educational opportunities for single parents in the region;

–Mara Leverett, author of many books on Arkansas topics, including All Quiet at Mena, an account of drug smuggling and gun running out of the Mena, Arkansas airport–she will speak about drug abuse issues in Arkansas;

–Harvey Joe Sanner, long-time Delta regional advocate from Des Arc, Arkansas, president of the American Agriculture Movement of Arkansas;

–we always have representatiion from Sikeston and elsewhere in southeast Missouri and expect to have them in October, speaker TBD;

–we are working on other representatives from Louisiana, Mississippi and elsewhere in the region.

The basic schedule is:

Evening opening session on Thursday evening Oct. 20 from about 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at a central Little Rock location TBD soon,

Main session is Friday morning and lunch, Oct. 21, from 8:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. by Zoom from Little Rock.

Progress for Delta Regional Authority (DRA): We work on many issues and the DRA is only one of them, but we would like to observe the progress we as a region have made in getting the agency’s budget up to $180 million. We have gender and race diversity in the two highly capable senior officials at the DRA in Corey Wiggins of Mississippi as Federal Co-Chairman and Leslie Durham of Louisiana as Alternate Federal Co-Chairman.

This is nonpartisan.

GROUP HOTEL

We have a discounted rate of $122 for the night of Oct. 20, 2022 at the Comfort Inn & Suites in Little Rock.

This discounted rate includes a hot breakfast buffet, complimentary onsite parking & complimentary shuttle service to/from the Bill & Hillary Clinton National Airport, and Clinton Library.

To get the discounted rate call the Comfort Inn & Suites at 501-687-7700 and say you are with the Delta Caucus group.

Address is:

Comfort Inn & Suites

707 Interstate 30

Little Rock, Arkansas 72202

REGISTRATION FEES

The easiest way to register is to go to the website at mdgc.us and go to the PayPal link that says “Donate” and make the payment automatically for the $50 registration fees.

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

SCHEDULE

Opening session is Thursday, Oct. 20, 2022 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Little Rock location TBD, usually at the State Capitol Rotunda or the Clinton School of Public Service.

Main session is Friday, Oct. 21, 2022 from 8:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. by Zoom.

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