Nation's Latino Elected Officials to Meet as Community Prepares to Turn Numbers Into Clout

After 2010 Census Data Reveals Country's Growth Fueled Largely by Latino Community, Officials Gather to Address Policy Implications and Ensure Fair Opportunity for Civic Participation at All Levels of Government

Participants to be Addressed by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, Texas Governor Rick Perry, and San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro at NALEO's 28th Annual Conference Next Week

LOS ANGELES, June 13, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With 2010 Census data demonstrating that the Latino community now numbers more than 50 million strong, the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) will assemble more than 1,000 Latino officials to focus on the implications of these changes for the country and ensure that Latinos are able to fairly and fully participate in the political process at all levels of government.  The NALEO 28th Annual Conference will take place in San Antonio, Texas from June 23-25, 2011.

The three-day event, which has long served as the nation's Latino political convention, will bring together officials from across the nation, at every level of elected office, with leading policy experts from the public, private and non-profit sectors to address a broad public policy agenda, including issues specifically relating to the State of Texas, healthy communities, education and governance and political empowerment (including sessions on redistricting and immigration).

Sessions at the Conference are designed to enhance the governance skills of participants and deepen their understanding of critical policy issues so they are able to translate their knowledge into strategies for building stronger and healthier communities.  Conference participants will be joined by U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, Texas Governor Rick Perry, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information Anna G. Gomez, San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro and Representatives Charles Gonzalez and Francisco "Quico" Canseco.

Last year's NALEO conference in Denver, CO featured appearances by U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis, than Mayor of Denver John Hickenlooper, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Thomas Perez, and Representatives John Salazar and Lucille Roybal-Allard.

All sessions are open to the press and take place at The Grand Hyatt Hotel San Antonio. To view a full conference agenda and registration info, please visit: http://www.naleo.org/annualconference.html

SOURCE National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO)