Ellington

Sen. David Blount, D-Jackson, a major voice in the Senate for Mississippi public schools, will speak at a Women for Progress of Mississippi on June 2: the organization's First Tuesdays Lunch & Learn. Women for Progress promotes advocacy, awareness and action with a primary focus on political action, education, economic development and cultural development. The organization's Lunch & Learn series creates an empowering atmosphere for women to get educated and engaged in the political process.

Blount says he loves his state and relishes programs like Women for Progress because they point Mississippi in the right direction. He will cover topics that range from public education to Initiative 42 and voting reformation at the event.

Blount is an eighth-generation Mississippian who grew up in Hinds County. He attended Davidson College in North Carolina, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in English in 1989. He serves on several committees that help his community, including as the chairman of the Senate Public Property Committee and the Senate Education Committee. He also supports The Parents' Campaign, which provides parents with information about legislative initiatives concerning education and gives parents and educators a way to participate in decisions that affect public schools.

Originally elected into the state Senate in 2007, Blount holds a passion for the betterment of public education. He regularly refers to the funding of public education as a "constitutional obligation."

Blount says public elected officials have an obligation to reach out to the people they represent.

"I am always happy to speak to local groups and get out of the capitol," Blount told the Jackson Free Press. "It's important to hear their concerns on both local and state topics. It is a central part of our democracy to have public officials speak directly to the public they are representing. We all need to be out there in our communities."

Lunch & Learn will be at the Penguin Restaurant on Tuesday, June 2, at noon. Participants will have the opportunity to network at 11 a.m. The $15 fee will cover a full-course meal, tax and gratuity included. Interested participants should RSVP at [email protected] or call 601-405-4478.