Mississippi Forum for the Future Launches Built for Babies Campaign Amid Growing Infant Mortality Crisis

Nearly 40 advocates, practitioners, and partners gathered on Wednesday, October 22, for the third annual State of Babies event hosted by the Mississippi Forum for the Future at Eagle Ridge Conference Center. The Forum is a statewide coalition of more than 320 members, including early childhood professionals, advocates, and organizations, all working together to improve outcomes for Mississippi’s youngest children and their families. The event brought together early childhood professionals from across the state to celebrate progress, 

During the event, Forum members officially launched the Built for Babies Campaign, a statewide effort designed to help partners use common, consistent messaging when discussing key early childhood issues — including child care, nutrition, and early intervention. Breakout sessions guided participants through practical tools and language to “soften the ground” for future policy conversations and public awareness efforts.

Attendees also reviewed and discussed a common agenda– or a collective roadmap— developed by the Forum’s Steering Committee in partnership with practitioners, advocates, and families. The  common agenda identifies shared priorities across the early childhood system to strengthen programs and outcomes for young children. An explainer document is available at: https://msforumforthefuture.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/CommonAgendaExplainer.pdf.

The day also featured a Media Panel and Luncheon where Mississippi journalists discussed the role of media in shaping public understanding of early childhood issues and educated attendees about how to engage reporters about critical issues and stories related to infants and toddlers. Panelists included representatives from Kate Royals, Managing Editor of Mississippi Today, @PapaMississippi, and Kayla Thompson, morning anchor for WJTV.

“Events like State of Babies remind us how powerful it can be when early childhood partners speak with one voice,” said Biz Harris, Mississippi Early Learning Alliance Executive Director. “Our work together is about uniting our stories and messages so that policymakers, families, and the public all understand why the earliest years matter so much for Mississippi.”

The State of Babies event concluded with a look ahead to the next steps of the Built for Babies Campaign. Over the coming months, members of the Forum will spread key messages through social media, statewide billboards, and engagement with local media and newspapers to raise awareness about the importance of early childhood supports. 

We invite more individuals and organizations to get involved and join this movement—contact us www.MississippiFuture.org or [email protected] to have a member of the Forum come share why building for Mississippi’s babies is critical for our children, families, and the state’s future.