October 11, 2002

Black Student Union hosts African-American Leadership Conference

How to keep New Orleans' educated and qualified workforce from fleeing the city is a question that has been debated for decades. The benefits of developing an economy or business climate that can provide well-paying jobs for citizens are lost on no one. The ways to achieve this goal are less assured. The Black Student Union (BSU) at Loyola has developed an event to bring together the various factionsbusiness leaders, political officials and college studentsneeded to get the ball rolling.

The third annual African-American Leadership Conference will be held Friday-Sunday, October 11-13, at Loyola, Xavier and Dillard, the hosting universities. This year's theme is "Pressing Forward from Mediocrity to Might." The conference kicks off Friday with a Jazz Spoken Word and Networking at 8 p.m. at Xavier University. New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin will deliver the keynote address at 9:45 a.m., Saturday, October 12, at Loyola University. Workshops and panel discussions on economic empowerment, education, politics, and social stratification also will fill the day Saturday. The conference wraps up with an Ecumenical Service: A Prayer for the City at Dillard University at 3 p.m., Sunday.

According to Telley Madina, conference chair, "the conference will allow students and community leaders to interact, form relationships, and learn from one another."

Other confirmed guests include: U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu, U.S. Congressman William Jefferson, Louisiana State Attorney General Richard Ieyoub, State Representative Cedric Richmond, State Representative Karen Carter, and Entergy CEO Dan Packer, as well as members of the New Orleans City Council and Orleans Parish School Board.

Registration fee is $15 for college students and $10 for high school students. The fee includes admission to all three events. To register on-line, go to www.africanamericanleadership.com