Election 2014 and 50th Anniversary of Civil Rights Act to be at Forefront of Agenda for Latino Policymakers at NALEO 31st Annual Conference

WASHINGTON, June 18, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) today announced that Election 2014 and the 50^th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act will be at the forefront of the NALEO 31^st Annual Conference agenda for the largest gathering of Latino policymakers in the country on Thursday, June 26. Considered the nation's annual Latino political convention, the event will take place June 26-28, 2014 at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort in San Diego, California.

This year's conference will include nearly 1,000 Latino public officials and supporters from communities across the country. The event takes place less than five months before Election 2014. As in the 2010 midterm elections, Latinos are once again poised to play a vital role in the outcome of races nationwide this November -- from the local level to the U.S. Senate. NALEO Educational Fund estimates that more than 7.8 million Latino voters are expected to head to the polls this year, an increase of 1.2 million from 2010.

The opening conference plenary "Politics and Power of the Latino Vote in 2014" will address the critical influence of the Latino electorate this November, as well as the potential impact deepening partisan division, policy gridlock, and the stalling of immigration reform may have on the mobilization of Latino voters and the choices they make at the ballot box this year. NALEO Educational Fund will release state projections for Latino voters and host a moderated discussion with NALEO Executive Director Arturo Vargas, The LIBRE Initiative Executive Director Daniel Garza, Latino Victory Project President Cristobal Alex and University of Texas at Austin Adjunct Professor Dr. Victoria DeFrancesco Soto.

Following the National Leadership Luncheon featuring remarks from U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez, California Governor Jerry Brown and California Attorney General Kamala Harris, NALEO will highlight the 50^th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act. An engaging line-up of speakers will discuss the progress our nation has made since passage of this landmark legislation, as well as the future of the civil rights movement and its place in society today-for Latinos and all Americans. The session "50 Years After the Civil Rights Act: Where Are We Now?" will feature Former United States Attorney General Alberto A. Gonzales, Civil Rights Leader Dolores Huerta and Fox News Channel Host and Political Analyst Juan Williams.

A live stream of the Election 2014 opening plenary (8-9:30 a.m. PDT), leadership luncheon (12-1 p.m. PDT) and Civil Rights panel (1-2 p.m. PDT) will be available for online viewing at http://new.livestream.com/NALEOConf.

In addition to sessions devoted to Election 2014 and the Civil Rights Act 50^th anniversary, conference attendees will also participate in policy discussions on a range of other national agenda issues, including immigration reform, education (with an emphasis on efforts to bridge the digital divide), healthcare, voting rights, Latina political leadership and U.S.-Mexico bi-national issues.

The NALEO 31^st Annual Conference is made possible through the generous support of Presenting Sponsors, Southwest Airlines, Official Airline Sponsor of NALEO Educational Fund, and Toyota. For information about the conference and registration, please visit the NALEO website at http://www.naleo.org/sandiego2014/.

What: NALEO 31^st Annual Conference

Who: NALEO, the leadership organization of the nation's more than 6,000 Latino elected and appointed officials.

When:Thursday, June 26, 2014

Where:Loews Coronado Bay Resort
Commodore Ballroom, 1^st Floor
4000 Coronado Bay Rd
San Diego, CA

*Live stream available at http://new.livestream.com/NALEOConf.*

Media:Advance registration is required. For more information or to register, please contact Amanda Bosquez ([e-mail]; 202-546-2536) and Paula Valle Castanon ([e-mail]; 213-765-9414).

About NALEO
The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials is the leadership organization of the nation's more than 6,000 Latino elected and appointed officials.

Contact: Amanda Bosquez, [e-mail]
June 18, 2014 [phone] ext. 12, [phone] (cell)

Paula Valle Castanon, [e-mail]
[phone] ext. 4414, [phone] (cell)

SOURCE NALEO