White House Hosts African American Leadership Conference

White House African-American Policy Agenda Conference

White House Releases New Policy Report Outlining the Obama Administration Achievements in the African American Community

Today, Wednesday, November 8, the White House held an African American Policy in Action Leadership Conference, bringing community leaders from across the country together with a broad range of White House and Cabinet officials for an in-depth series of interactive workshops and substantive conversations on the Administration’s efforts and achievements in the African American community.

Participants including community leaders, professors, faith leaders, civil rights leaders, and elected officials, have the opportunity to interact with Administration officials on pressing issues that directly impact African Americans. Discussion topics included strengthening the economy through the American Jobs Act, job training, access to capital for growing businesses, reforming our nation’s education system, protecting civil rights, community development initiatives, and strategies targeting poverty.

At the conference, the White House released a new policy report, outlining how the President's policies directly impact the African American community.

EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson joined President Obama, Secretary Sebelius, Secretary Vilsack and leaders from across the country at the White House to talk about issues affecting African American communities. As the first African American Administrator of the EPA, Administrator Jackson is proud to be working to address the health and environmental disparities we see in minority communities - and to help strengthen local economies through pollution clean ups and by giving these neighborhoods what they need to compete for business investments.

AFRICAN AMERICAN POLICY IN ACTION LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE--AGENDA

Date: November 9th, 2011
Time: 9:00-4:30PM ET

Agenda

9:00-9:15AM Welcome: Michael Strautmanis, Deputy Assistant to President Obama and Heather Foster, Director of African American Outreach

9:15-9:30AM Opening Remarks: Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to President Obama

9:30-10:30AM Panel Session One: Economic Security, Job Creation, and the African American Community

Panelists

Danielle Gray, Deputy Director, National Economic Council
Rebecca Blank Acting Deputy, Department of Commerce
Seth Harris, Deputy Secretary, Department of Labor
Don Graves, President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness
Undersecretary Martha Kanter, Department of Education

10:50-12:00PM Panel Session Two: The President’s Domestic policy agenda and the African American community

Panelists

Melody Barnes, Domestic Policy Council
Secretary Tom Vilsack, Department of Agriculture
Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Health and Human Services
Acting Deputy Secretary, Estelle Richman, Housing and Urban Development
Administrator Lisa Jackson, Environmental Protection Agency

12:00-12:45PM Working lunch with Attorney General Eric Holder

1:30-3:30PM Afternoon Breakout sessions

Track one: Education Reform and Job Training
Track two: Economic Growth, Jobs Creation, and Business Development
Track three: Anti-Poverty Strategies
Track four: Prevention and Health Disparities (Let’s Move)
Track five: Fatherhood, Prevention, and Reentry Issues
Track six: Housing and Urban Affairs

3:45-4:15PM Report and Action Steps: Jon Carson, Director, White House Office of Public Engagement

4:15-4:30PM Closing Remarks by Gene Sperling, Director of the National Economic Council and Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to President Obama

(The White House)