Delta Grassroots Caucus Events

Credit Michael Hibblen/ KUAR News, Arkansas Public Radio; Former President Bill Clinton speaking to the Delta Grassroots Caucus on May 2, 2013, at the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service, Little Rock

U. S. Senator John Boozman, Arkansas, at a Delta Grassroots Caucus meeting at the US Capitol

Brad Cole, Executive Director of the Municipal League of Illinois; previously a senior aide to former Republican US Sen. Mark Kirk of Illinois, earlier Mayor of Carbondale, Illinois, veteran Delta regional advocate, speaking at the Delta regional conference in West Memphis, Arkansas on April 26, 2019.

President Bill Clinton makes a comment to Delta Caucus Director Lee Powell at a meeting in Blytheville, Arkansas (in the northeast Arkansas Delta) on Nov. 2, 2014

The Delta Caucus would like to pay tribute to the late, great U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi, a powerful force in the US Senate for decades and a champion for the Delta. Sen. Cochran passed away on May 30, 2019. He spoke to the Delta Caucus on many occasions over the years (he is pictured above speaking to a Caucus event on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC) and his thoughtful, courteous and bipartisan leadership will be sorely missed.

Marcie Lawson, Executive Director, Sikeston, Missouri Regional Chamber and Area Economic Development Corporation, speaking at the Delta regional conference in West Memphis, Arkansas on April 26, 2019.

Alan Gumbel, Greater Memphis Alliance for a Competitive Workforce, Memphis, Tennessee, speaking at the Delta regional conference in West Memphis, Arkansas on April 26, 2019.

Mayor Shirley Washington of Pine Bluff, AR, speaking to the Delta Caucus at the Arkansas Capitol Rotunda in 2017.

Latest Draft of Delta Caucus Agenda for May 30-31, 2024 Zoom Meeting

Posted on May 16, 2024 at 12:43 PM

Agenda

Delta Grassroots Caucus Zoom Meeting

May 30-31, 2024

NOTE: All times are Central Time.

The speaking times should be fairly close to what is listed, but we have to be flexible so there might be a few minutes difference as to when you speak. Of course, it’s not exactly to the minute listed.

OPENING SESSION—Thursday, May 30, 2024, 5:30 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. (Central Time)

5:30 p.m. to 6:05 p.m.–The Delta Regional Initiative—an Overview from the late 1980s to the Present

Lee Powell, Delta Caucus Executive Director, former Clinton administration Presidential appointee, one of the managers of the Delta Regional Initiative with Wilson Golden and the late Al Eisenberg, originally from Arkansas now based in Washington, DC area

Wilson Golden, distinguished attorney, former Clinton administration Presidential appointee, Mississippi native

Mike Marshall, banker and former Mayor of Sikeston, Missouri, former Alternate Federal Co-Chairman of the Delta Regional Authority

6:05 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.–Health, Hunger and Nutrition

Joel Berg, CEO, Hunger Free America

Pat Van Burkleo, Feeding Louisiana

Sylvia Blain, Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance

Bo Ryall, Arkansas Hospitals Association

Mayor Tomeka Butler, Eudora, Arkansas

Friday, May 31, 2024—9 a.m. to about noon Central time

9 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.–Speakers from several major organizations in the Greater Delta

9 a.m. to 9:10–Ralph Brown, Southern Bancorp Community Partners

9:11-9:21–Keesa Smith, Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families

9:22-9:32–Joyvin Benton, King Foundation

9:32—9:44–Brad Cole, Municipal League of Illinois

9:45—9:55 a.m.–Clint O’Neal, Arkansas Economic Development Commission

10:15 to 10:25 a.m.–Elizabeth Rooks, Rooks Mediation Services

10;15 a.m. to 10. 45 a.m.–Diversity in the Greater Delta

10:15 a.m.–10:25 a.m.–Erendira Vasquez, Arkansas United

10:25—10:35–Elzadia Washington, National Black Growers Council

10:35 to 10:45–Alan Gumbel, Black Business Association of Memphis

10:45 a.m. to noon—Education, Regional Culture and Tourism

10:45 to 10:55 a.m.–Cody Behles, University of Memphis

11:05 – 11:15 A.M.–Von Gordon, William Winter Institute, Mississippi

11:15—11:25 A.M.–​INVITED—Arkansas State University representative

11:25—11:35 a.m.–Munnie Jordan, King Biscuit Blues Festival

11:35—11:45 a.m.–​Kyle Miller, Delta Cultural Center

11:45 a.m. to noon or whenever she finishes–Joyce Elliott, Get Loud Arkansas voter registration program