Young Mississippi lawmakers head to Washington for bipartisan future summit

VICKSBURG, Miss. (VDN) — Five members of the Mississippi Future Caucus are in Washington this week to join nearly 100 Gen Z and millennial state lawmakers from 34 states for Future Summit 2026, Future Caucus’ annual bipartisan convening focused on building bridges across political and ideological divides in order to more effectively serve constituents from all walks of life.

Held July 8–11 as the nation marks its 250th anniversary, this year’s summit, themed Next 250 — The Courage to Build, brings together the next generation of elected leaders from across the political spectrum to explore how bipartisan leadership can strengthen democracy, modernize governing institutions, and advance practical solutions to shared challenges.

The delegation includes Mississippi Future Caucus Co-Chairs Sen. Rod Hickman (D) and Rep. Justis Gibbs (D), Sen. Bradford Blackmon (D), Rep. Fabian Nelson (D), and Sen. Lane Taylor (R). Hickman, Gibbs and Nelson will serve as featured speakers during the four-day summit.

Program highlights:

Building a safer internet for the next generation. State lawmakers are moving faster than Congress on kids’ online safety. This session examines the architecture of algorithmic harm, the legislative levers available at the state level, and what continued inaction costs real families.

Hands-on labs with TikTok and OpenAI. The same platforms at the center of congressional debate become working tools. Lawmakers will engage directly with company representatives on applying AI and social media to constituent outreach, policy research, and the staffing pressures of a lean legislative office.

The Exit Interview: Why decent people are struggling to serve in public office. A generation of young Americans is reconsidering careers in public service. This session examines what’s pushing them out, and what might keep them in long enough to make a difference.