McCain and Obama Attending Largest U.S. Latino Gathering

NCLR Conference Kicks Off in San Diego

SAN DIEGO, Calif. With Latino voter turnout expected to reach historic levels this election year, The National Council of La Raza (NCLR), a civil rights and advocacy organization, is using their annual conference to address key issues facing their community.

At a press briefing Friday, NCLR president and CEO, Janet Murguía, explained their vision of service, advocacy, and education at the largest Latino gathering in the country. From July 12-15 at the San Diego Convention Center, at the 40th annual conference the major themes are healthcare, immigration reform, and the foreclosure crisis.

“As our community gathers here in San Diego this weekend, we want to see and hear from the candidates specifics on where they are on these issues, so that we can make informed and educated decisions because Latinos are listening and we are voting,” Murguía said.

Presumptive Presidential democratic nominee, Senator Barack Obama is slated to address conference participants on Sunday, while Presumptive Presidential republican nominee Senator John McCain will speak on Monday.

The conference is free to the public and will include more than 200 exhibitors at Latino Expo USA. Attendees can also visit a health fair and seminars on topics from naturalization, voter registration, to refinancing a mortgage.

San Diego City Councilmember Anthony Young welcomed the NCLR to San Diego. “Organizers believe that the immersion and increasingly vocal Latino presence in national public policy debates will draw many to San Diego for the event. NCLR’s message of civic engagement and voter registration will resonate long after the conference has held it’s last workshop. We will make sure that the momentum started this weekend will continue,” said Young.

Other political leaders speaking at the conference include San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, U.S. Representative Joe Baca (D–CA), Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, U.S. Representative Loretta Sanchez (D–CA), and California State Assembly Members Lori Saldaña and Mary Salas.