Sold-Out “Big Voices for Little Children” Luncheon with Morgan Freeman Highlights Urgent Need to Prioritize Infant and Toddler Well-Being

JACKSON, Miss. – Ensuring that Mississippi’s infants and toddlers have what they need to thrive was the focus of a sold-out luncheon, Big Voices for Little Children, hosted by the Mississippi Early Learning Alliance (MELA) on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at the Two Mississippi Museums in downtown Jackson.

MELA’s event, headlined by a fireside chat with Academy Award-winning actor, director, and Mississippi native Morgan Freeman, brought together business leaders, philanthropists, policymakers, and early childhood advocates. Guests celebrated recent victories for children while also addressing what is still needed—greater access to quality child care, early interventions such as physical and speech therapy, and family supports like paid leave—to build a healthier, more educated, and more prosperous Mississippi.

“Every single day in Mississippi, nearly 100 new babies are born. That’s 100 new beginnings; 100 new chances for our state’s future to be a little stronger, a little brighter,” said Biz Harris, Executive Director of MELA. From birth to age five, a child’s brain develops more rapidly than at any other time in life. While genetics play a role, research shows that the quality of a child’s earliest experiences shapes how their brain develops, with lasting effects on health, learning, and life success.

Mr. Freeman, in conversation with Dr. Alexander Washington, MELA’s founding board chair, shared vivid memories of his early years in Greenwood—teachers who nurtured his creativity, encouraged his curiosity, and helped him build a strong educational foundation. He recalled becoming an avid reader at age eight, a passion that sparked his lifelong love of stories and ultimately shaped his career as one of the world’s most celebrated actors and storytellers. His reflections underscored the idea that the experiences and opportunities we give children in their earliest years can shape the course of their entire lives—underscoring the importance of MELA’s mission to ensure every Mississippi child has the resources they need to thrive.

Resources like access to high-quality child care. In fact, this year, Mississippi’s legislature provided $15 million—an historic amount of state funding—to the Child Care Payment Program, which offsets the cost of care for working families. Lawmakers also passed a bill granting state employees six weeks of leave following the birth or adoption of a child.

Freeman’s decades of philanthropy—including helping launch MELA through his family’s foundation, the SonEdna Foundation, continue to fuel early childhood initiatives statewide. Known for narrating some of the world’s most powerful stories, Mr. Freeman’s voice at MELA’s event carried a different message: that every Mississippian can and must be a “big voice” for the state’s smallest children

“This year we’ve seen what’s possible when leaders lean in for little children. But we’re just getting started,” Harris told attendees. Mississippi has a chance right now to lead—to be the state that proves when we invest in babies, we invest in everyone… please join us by being a big voice for little children by supporting our work and encouraging decisionmakers to invest in infants and toddlers.” 

Ashley Thompson, CEO of TrueCare Mississippi, the event’s signature sponsor, shared why the organization wanted to be involved: “This partnership represented an exciting opportunity to advance our shared commitment to improving health outcomes across Mississippi. At TrueCare Mississippi, we recognize that early intervention plays a critical role in driving long-term, sustainable improvements in the well-being of our communities.”

The sold-out event marked a major milestone for MELA’s mission to transform early childhood systems across the state. Proceeds from Big Voices for Little Children will directly support programs and partnerships that give Mississippi’s youngest children the strong start they deserve.