Southern Legislative Conference {Events}

In the summer of 2017, Mississippi hosted the 71st Annual Meeting of the Southern Legislative Conference on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.  Each year, the Annual Meeting serves as the culmination of the SLC’s yearly activities and continues to be the largest single convention held within The Council of State Governments.  In 2017, Mississippi’s Speaker of the House, Philip Gunn, served as Chairman of the SLC.  “We were very honored to host the SLC on the Gulf Coast this year,” said Gunn.  “Organizers told us to prepare for about 900 people.  More than 1,300 people attended the conference.  People were excited about visiting Mississippi and all of our partners did a wonderful job showcasing our great state.” ​

Legislators and staff from the 15 member states of the Southern Legislative Conference descended on the Gulf Coast for the conference, which combines substantive programming on pressing state policy issues and also gives the host state the opportunity to shine.  “The SLC Annual Meeting has emerged as the premiere regional public policy gathering for state legislators, legislative staff, and government officials in the South,” says Amanda Wells, Mississippi’s Host State Coordinator.  “At the conference, policymakers are provided a forum to engage on the issues that matter most to them and their constituents.  As host state, we were also able to really showcase Mississippi hospitality to those that may or may not have ever had the opportunity to experience our state and its people.” 
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In addition to policy sessions, Mississippi speakers spoke to issues important to lawmakers.  Laurel’s own Erin & Ben Napier of HGTV’s Hometown spoke to the SLC Executive Committee about small town revitalization and their passion for historic preservation.  Mississippi’s own football king, Archie Manning, spoke at the opening plenary session on leadership and coast native and Apollo 13 astronaut Fred Haise spoke at the closing plenary about his experience in space research.

Throughout the conference, various venues and cities along the Gulf Coast came to life to showcase all things Mississippi.  “At the Opening Reception at Gulfport’s Jones Park (Mississippi’s front yard), we featured Mississippi cuisine like turnip greens, catfish, Delta tamales, and Mississippi mud pie,” says Wells.  “At that event, Emmy-winner Bobby Rush brought down the house and really proved why we are known for our music,” smiles Wells.  “We had fireworks over the Gulf and a really, really great time.  Fresh Cut Catering provided wonderful cuisine, Davaine Lighting helped light up the Park, and Cathead Distillery made a signature cocktail for the reception.”
An old-fashioned beach party was the theme for Family Night in Ocean Springs.  “We had s’mores, carnival food, ice-cold lemonade and the like,” says Wells.  “Country music star and Greenville native Steve Azar provided entertainment as well as the show-stopping march of JSU’s Sonic Boom of the South (my personal highlight of the conference.”  The State Dinner was held at the Beau Rivage and featured music by celebrated pianist Bruce Levingston and American Idol runner up, McComb native La’Porsha Renae. 

Throughout the conference, guests of legislators were treated to guest tours.  They toured the Coast’s craft breweries, visited Shearwater Pottery and learned the history of the Anderson family, had a cooking demo by Chef Martha Foose, and enjoyed a Q&A with Richard Grant, author of Dispatches from Pluto and a Mississippi transplant. 
Even the youth that attended had several great opportunities to see the fun that Mississippi has to offer. They saw dolphins at the Institute of Marine Mammal Sciences and spent a day at Lynn Meadows Discovery Center where the Ohr O’Keefe Museum helped them with an art project, showcasing our state’s rich arts culture. 
“As the host state, we had a unique opportunity to showcase Mississippi hospitality at its finest and to bring a great economic boost to the coast, both of which I feel like we accomplished and more,” remarks Wells.  “It was so much fun to dive even deeper into what our state has to offer than I have in my past work. It was certainly an honor.”
To learn more about the Southern Legislative Conference, please visit www.slcatlanta.org.

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Article written by Jill Dale, Photography by N.T. Bullock