Brighter Futures Begin with HOPE.

The 2011 Annual Policy Conference was a great success. Thank you to everyone who attended and the presenters who shared their knowledge and expertise. This year, MEPC expanded our break out session format to allow participants to attend two sessions.

Darrin Webb, opened the conference with an overview of Mississippi’s economy and Bobby Harrison, Capitol Correspondent for the North East Mississippi Daily Journal and Emily Wagster-Pettus, Associated Press political reporter served as respondents to the presentation, offer insight on how the changing political landscape will affect efforts to engage policy makers on issues affecting working families.

Our keynote luncheon address focused on the importance of the role of government in the lives of  all Americans and the need for various constituencies to work together for a more prosperous Mississippi. Video of our Keynote Speaker, Hodding Carter III, Professor of Leadership and Public Policy University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will also be available soon on our website so check back!

Below are brief descriptions of our 2011 Breakout Sessions:

Taxes fund the public structures that make up the foundation of our economy and make job creation possible.

• MEPC Senior Policy Analyst Sara Miller and Elaine Mejia Senior Program Associate with Public Works at Demos present tax reform options and how to talk about taxes effectively in the current political landscape.

Understanding the challenges and opportunities of health care reform implementation

• Corey Wiggins with i-Think Group examine the ongoing efforts of health reform implementation in Mississippi and how those opportunities and challenges affect the lives of working Mississippians.

Measuring basic economic security in Mississippi and building pathways for working families to achieve it

• Wider Opportunity for Women’s Delese Harvey explores the new benchmark for basic economic security and gives hands on guidance on how organizations can use the Basic Economic Security Tables to advocate for programs that support families in their community or to help adults budget and set goals as they re-enter the workforce.

Steps to help Mississippi’s working families protect and build assets

• Mississippi Center for Justice Community Organizer, Alicia Netterville and Felicia Lyles, VP Regional Branch Administrator for Hope Credit Union explain the effects of payday lending and how working families can make responsible financial decisions and move toward economic security.