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Texas Legislators, Community Activists to Meet in San Antonio with Counterparts from Southeast and Southwest States, May 17-19

Center for Policy Alternatives Convenes Community Policy and Leadership Forums

Washington, DC — 13 Texas elected officials and community activists will meet in San Antonio, Texas May 17-19 along with 45 additional legislators and community organization leaders from 21 states to map out plans and policy initiatives for their states.

The Center for Policy Alternatives (CPA), which engages in leadership and policy development across the fifty states, is convening two three-day meetings ﾖ one for African American legislators and community activists who are mostly from states in the Southeast and another for Hispanic legislators and leaders in the Southwest.

This is the fifth meeting for the Southeast Community Policy and Leadership Forum (SECPLF) and the initial organizing meeting for the Southwest Community Policy and Leadership Forum (SWCPLF).

Forum participants determine the issues they want to address and develop plans and legislative strategies. The SECPLF will focus on education. SWCPLF participants will select issues of common interest and begin building an action plan.

San Antonio leaders participating in the SWCPLF are:
Bexar County Tax Assessor-Collector Sylvia Romo
Juan Sepulveda, Executive Director, Common Enterprise of San Antonio (and a member of CPAﾒs Board of Directors)
Janie Barrera, President and CEO of ACCION Texas
C. Sylvia Sierra, AVANCE

San Antonio leaders attending the SECPLF are:
Representative Ruth Jones McClendon
Rev. Kenneth Allen, Pastor, Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Both meetings will be at the Camberly Gunter Hotel in San Antonio.

Media interested in interviewing participants may make advance arrangements by calling CPA contacts listed above until May 15. From May 17-19 CPA staff member Darold Johnson (SECPLF) may be contacted at the Camberly Gunter Hotel (210) 227-3241.