We at the Mississippi Early Learning Alliance are so pleased with the outcomes of this year’s Power the Future: The Early Childhood Development Capitol Day! We cannot thank our planning committee and co-hosts, guest speakers, participating Mississippi legislators, and attendees enough for coming together to make this year’s virtual event a success.
This year’s Capitol Day focused on childcare, and our agenda was designed to accomplish the following goals:
- Provide a platform for childcare providers and early childhood organizations to build working relationships with legislators and one another.
- Raise awareness of childcare issues and opportunities in Mississippi, explore the roles legislators can play in supporting early childhood education, and the impacts policy can have in this arena.
- Help childcare providers and early childhood organizations understand how policy is made, and how they can exert influence on the system.
We recognize that building partnerships, influencing policy, and reshaping the early care and education landscape in Mississippi takes time. We hope that the resources and videos we shared during Capitol Day can bolster the continued efforts of early childhood professionals in Mississippi.
Early Childhood Development Day 2022 was hosted by Mississippi Early Learning Alliance, Mississippi First, Mississippi State University-Meridian, the Mississippi Early Childhood Association and select childcare centers.