By JOE ARCE (KC Hispanic News)
http://kchispanicnews.com/news_01.html
This past Monday, the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) President and CEO Janet Murguia made it official, “It’s exciting to bring the NCLR Annual Conference back to Kansas City, and it’s especially exciting to have the conference in my hometown.” Murguía delivered the news during a press conference in the Grand Ballroom of the Kansas City Convention Center in downtown Kansas City.
“As many of you already know, the Kansas City area Latino community has had a strong presence for more than a century, and the 2015 annual conference will not only highlight the area’s Hispanic community, but will reaffirm how our community has grown and continues to positively influence our country. I want to thank Mayor Sly James, the Kansas City Convention and Visitors Association, our Kansas City Affiliates and everyone who has made this possible,” said Murguia.
She added that the area also boasts some of the “most respected and acclaimed members of our (NCLR) network.” Included in that group are: Cabot Westside Health Center, the only primary health care clinic targeting the Latino community, El Centro Inc., with a history of 40 years serving the Latino community in Kansas City, Kansas. Guadalupe Centers Inc., the oldest and one of the largest nonprofits serving the Latino community. Other agencies included Harvest America, Kansas Hispanic Economic Development Corporation and Mattie Rhodes Center.
“When most people think of the Latino community, they think about California, Texas, or Florida. And we are certainly big parts of all those states. The roots of the Hispanic community in the Midwest are nearly as long and deep. In fact, in addition to Mattie Rhodes, GCI started in this city nearly a century ago,” said Murguia.
NCLR is the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States. The NCLR Annual Conference is the nation’s largest annual gathering of leaders, advocates, elected officials, business executives and change-makers whose work impacts the Latino community. NCLR will also bring the National Latino Family Expo one of the largest events in the country focused on resources and activities for the Latino family, averaging 200 exhibitors showcasing their products and services.
This is NCLR’s second time hosting its annual conference in Kansas City. The last time was in 1989. “NCLR is a tremendous civil rights and advocacy organization that does great things across the country,” said Mayor Sly James. “I’m thrilled to welcome the group back to Kansas City, Missouri and look forward to a long-standing relationship with NCLR leadership, affiliates, and supporters. The fact that NCLR is headed back to Kansas City shows that we are a diverse, inclusive community that values people of all backgrounds.”
Cris Medina, president/CEO of Guadalupe Centers Inc., (GCI) was excited by the announcement. “A lot of things have happened since the last time they were here. It is a great opportunity to showcase the city.”
“We have been a part of the NCLR charter school network. We have done things with them across the country. We have been a part of their early college prep program ... their early Latino childcare network program. We have been involved with NCLR on a number of initiatives that they have spearheaded,” explained Medina in talking of the close relationship between the two organizations.
Medina added that the conference would provide an opportunity to highlight the work of the center. “There will be major Fortune 500 company representatives here. There is going to be a lot of the national foundations, corporate companies and a lot of elected officials, national as well as local. There will be an opportunity to network and meet a lot of these individuals to show them the work that our agency is doing here in Kansas City and that of other affiliate agencies as well.”
Medina’s enthusiasm for the conference is vindication of sorts for having taken a position back during Mayor Mark Funkhouser’s term against the organization coming to Kansas City for its annual conference. At that time, Funkhouser had appointed Frances Semler, a Minutemen supporter, to the Parks board. Her strong views on immigration and those of the Minutemen did not sit well with local and national Latino organizations and individuals.
At a national affiliate meeting in Miami prior to the conference, Medina told his colleagues that he did not feel comfortable inviting the organization to have their conference in the city as long as the mayor refused to remove Semler from the Parks board.
“That was very difficult because I love this city and always love to highlight it whenever possible,” explained Medina. “What kind of message are we sending to our organization? Here we are a national advocacy civil rights organization. We are going to come and this city has members of the Minutemen who are anti immigrant and a lot of hate rhetoric they passed on.”
Rick Hughes, president and CEO of the Kansas City Convention and Visitors Association, said he believes by the city hosting the NCLR conference in 2015 it could lead to other national Latino conferences coming to KC.
Medina added that the conference “Is going to have a huge economic impact on the city once people see the amenities and how affordable it is. … The people that are coming here will be pleasantly surprised to find that there are so many things to see and do and I hope that a lot of these people will come back and make some vacation plans with their families.”
El Centro president and CEO Mary Lou Jaramillo said, “It’s been a long time… it is good for us and it elevates our affiliates here in Kansas City and as Mayor Sly James said it shows others the value and strength of the Latino community.”
Medina conceded that the presence of Murguia as president and CEO of NCLR was a big help in getting the organization to Kansas City. Murguia is a native of the area, having been raised in the Argentine neighborhood of Kansas City, Kansas.
“Having Janet as the CEO of NCLR made our job easier. We did not have to sell her on Kansas City. She already knew that this is a great city and that we could host it and do a great job. … Once she knew that we had support from the local affiliates and the corporate community and there were no political issues we had to deal with, she was on the board,” said Medina.
http://kchispanicnews.com/news_01.html
This past Monday, the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) President and CEO Janet Murguia made it official, “It’s exciting to bring the NCLR Annual Conference back to Kansas City, and it’s especially exciting to have the conference in my hometown.” Murguía delivered the news during a press conference in the Grand Ballroom of the Kansas City Convention Center in downtown Kansas City.
“As many of you already know, the Kansas City area Latino community has had a strong presence for more than a century, and the 2015 annual conference will not only highlight the area’s Hispanic community, but will reaffirm how our community has grown and continues to positively influence our country. I want to thank Mayor Sly James, the Kansas City Convention and Visitors Association, our Kansas City Affiliates and everyone who has made this possible,” said Murguia.She added that the area also boasts some of the “most respected and acclaimed members of our (NCLR) network.” Included in that group are: Cabot Westside Health Center, the only primary health care clinic targeting the Latino community, El Centro Inc., with a history of 40 years serving the Latino community in Kansas City, Kansas. Guadalupe Centers Inc., the oldest and one of the largest nonprofits serving the Latino community. Other agencies included Harvest America, Kansas Hispanic Economic Development Corporation and Mattie Rhodes Center.
“When most people think of the Latino community, they think about California, Texas, or Florida. And we are certainly big parts of all those states. The roots of the Hispanic community in the Midwest are nearly as long and deep. In fact, in addition to Mattie Rhodes, GCI started in this city nearly a century ago,” said Murguia.
NCLR is the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States. The NCLR Annual Conference is the nation’s largest annual gathering of leaders, advocates, elected officials, business executives and change-makers whose work impacts the Latino community. NCLR will also bring the National Latino Family Expo one of the largest events in the country focused on resources and activities for the Latino family, averaging 200 exhibitors showcasing their products and services.
This is NCLR’s second time hosting its annual conference in Kansas City. The last time was in 1989. “NCLR is a tremendous civil rights and advocacy organization that does great things across the country,” said Mayor Sly James. “I’m thrilled to welcome the group back to Kansas City, Missouri and look forward to a long-standing relationship with NCLR leadership, affiliates, and supporters. The fact that NCLR is headed back to Kansas City shows that we are a diverse, inclusive community that values people of all backgrounds.”
Cris Medina, president/CEO of Guadalupe Centers Inc., (GCI) was excited by the announcement. “A lot of things have happened since the last time they were here. It is a great opportunity to showcase the city.”
“We have been a part of the NCLR charter school network. We have done things with them across the country. We have been a part of their early college prep program ... their early Latino childcare network program. We have been involved with NCLR on a number of initiatives that they have spearheaded,” explained Medina in talking of the close relationship between the two organizations.
Medina added that the conference would provide an opportunity to highlight the work of the center. “There will be major Fortune 500 company representatives here. There is going to be a lot of the national foundations, corporate companies and a lot of elected officials, national as well as local. There will be an opportunity to network and meet a lot of these individuals to show them the work that our agency is doing here in Kansas City and that of other affiliate agencies as well.”
Medina’s enthusiasm for the conference is vindication of sorts for having taken a position back during Mayor Mark Funkhouser’s term against the organization coming to Kansas City for its annual conference. At that time, Funkhouser had appointed Frances Semler, a Minutemen supporter, to the Parks board. Her strong views on immigration and those of the Minutemen did not sit well with local and national Latino organizations and individuals.
At a national affiliate meeting in Miami prior to the conference, Medina told his colleagues that he did not feel comfortable inviting the organization to have their conference in the city as long as the mayor refused to remove Semler from the Parks board.
“That was very difficult because I love this city and always love to highlight it whenever possible,” explained Medina. “What kind of message are we sending to our organization? Here we are a national advocacy civil rights organization. We are going to come and this city has members of the Minutemen who are anti immigrant and a lot of hate rhetoric they passed on.”
Rick Hughes, president and CEO of the Kansas City Convention and Visitors Association, said he believes by the city hosting the NCLR conference in 2015 it could lead to other national Latino conferences coming to KC.
Medina added that the conference “Is going to have a huge economic impact on the city once people see the amenities and how affordable it is. … The people that are coming here will be pleasantly surprised to find that there are so many things to see and do and I hope that a lot of these people will come back and make some vacation plans with their families.”
El Centro president and CEO Mary Lou Jaramillo said, “It’s been a long time… it is good for us and it elevates our affiliates here in Kansas City and as Mayor Sly James said it shows others the value and strength of the Latino community.”
Medina conceded that the presence of Murguia as president and CEO of NCLR was a big help in getting the organization to Kansas City. Murguia is a native of the area, having been raised in the Argentine neighborhood of Kansas City, Kansas.
“Having Janet as the CEO of NCLR made our job easier. We did not have to sell her on Kansas City. She already knew that this is a great city and that we could host it and do a great job. … Once she knew that we had support from the local affiliates and the corporate community and there were no political issues we had to deal with, she was on the board,” said Medina.
BREAKING NEWS IN 2015 FOR KANSAS CITY IN 2015:JANET MURGUIA PRESIDENT AND CEO. OF NCLR.IS BRINGING HER ORGANIZATION TO KANSAS CITY.SHE HAS BEEN AND IS THE VOICE FOR MANY IN OUR SYSTEM THAT HAS NO VOICE IN OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM.THANK YOU JANET MURGUIA ONE OF OUR LOCAL HOME TOWN CHAMPION AND HERO:BORN AND RAISED IN THE ARGENTINE NEIGHBORHOOD OF KANSAS CITY, KANSAS..
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