Black Municipal Leaders Converge On Washington
WASHINGTON - Members of the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials (NBC LEO) will gather in Washington, DC, for the 2011 National League of Cities’ (NLC) Congressional City Conference to discuss issues important to the growth and recovery of cities, including education reform, youth violence prevention and immigrant integration.
Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.), Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, will address attendees at the Monday, March 14 Celebrate Diversity Breakfast. During the breakfast, NBC LEO will also present its City Cultural Diversity Awards to four city programs which encourage citizen involvement and show an appreciation of cultural diversity.
NBC LEO Activities
Sunday, March 13; 5:45pm – 7:30pm
• National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials Board of Directors Meeting
o Michael A. Blake, The White House Deputy Associate Director, Offices of Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement, Outreach to African American Community, County and Statewide Elected Officials
Monday, March 14; 7:30am – 9:00am
• Celebrate Diversity Breakfast
o Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.), Chair, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
**This is a ticketed event with limited space. Please see Media Registration Desk for more information**
Monday, March 14; 5:30pm – 6:30pm
• National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials General Membership Meeting
o Antwaun Griffin, Senior Advisory, Federal Operations, US Small Business Administration
o Nicole Lamb-Hale, Assistant Secretary of Commerce, Manufacturing and Services, US Department of Commerce
o William Spriggs, PhD, Assistant Secretary for Policy, US Department of Labor
o Russlyn Ali, Assistant Secretary, Office of Civil Rights, US Department of Education
General Sessions
Monday, March 14; 9:00am – 10:30am
• Opening General Session
o James Mitchell Jr., NLC President, Councilmember, Charlotte, NC
o Trey Grayson, Director, Institute of Politics, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
Monday, March 14; 3:45pm – 5:15pm
• Afternoon General Session
o Ray LaHood, Secretary, US Department of Transportation
o Senator Mark Begich (D-Alaska)
o Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio)
Tuesday, March 15; 8:45am – 10:15am
• Morning General Session
o Mrs. Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States of America
o Ron Sims, Deputy Secretary, US Department of Housing & Urban Development
o Erskine Bowles, Former Co-Chair, National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform
Tuesday, March 15; 3:30pm – 5:00pm
• Closing General Session
o TBD
Workshops of Note
Monday, March 14; 11:00am – 12:15pm
• Meaningful Education Reform – the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
and the 112th Congress
o Discuss how cities and towns can impact and inform the national education reform process and how communities can work to improve educational outcomes locally.
• The New Federal Strategic Plan to End Homelessness
o Discuss how the Administration is supporting local efforts to reduce homelessness among two vulnerable populations, including returning veterans and families with children.
Monday, March 14; 1:45pm – 3:15pm
• Building National Partnerships to Combat Local Youth Violence
o Learn about federal efforts to combine the resources of various federal, state and local agencies to create networks of local law enforcement agencies, educators, public health providers and other key stakeholders to reduce youth violence.
Tuesday, March 15; 10:45am – 12:15pm
• Putting People to Work – Federal Strategies in Times of Slow Growth
o Discuss the numerous tools the federal government has to help put people back to work, including enhanced use to community colleges for job training and economic development.
Tuesday, March 15; 1:45pm – 3:15pm
• Immigrant Integration
o Local leaders are working to ensure that their diverse communities continue to thrive despite the heated national debate on immigration, including initiatives such as the US Mexico Border Mayors Association and the Partnership for a New American Economy.
The National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials (NBC-LEO) was established in 1970 as a constituency group of the National League of Cities to advocate for the interests of African-American local elected officials. Its mission is to provide African American municipal officials and their colleagues with forums to share ideas, discussion groups to develop strategies for improving municipal governance, debates on policy issues, and programs that contribute to the success of America’s cities and towns.
The National League of Cities is the nation’s oldest and largest organization devoted to strengthening and promoting cities as centers of opportunity, leadership and governance. NLC is a resource and advocate for 19,000 cities, towns and villages, representing more than 218 million Americans.
