December 18, 2009

MPAC's 9th Annual Convention

Our 9th annual convention brought together 800 activists, government officials, youth, young leaders, civil rights advocates, media professionals, and thinkers for a day of discussion, debate and action. What a day it was!

Featuring our first-ever live webcast, the convention featured government officials, community activists, healthcare professionals, civil rights advocates, Hollywood movers and shakers, and online mobilizers who informed, educated and inspired all those who attended.

During a special workshop session, we also announced our new national initiative, the "I Am Change: Civic Leadership Program." Stay tuned for more information about this exciting and practical opportunity for you to develop skills in advocating issues directly to elected officials and coalition partners.

If you didn't get a chance to make it to Long Beach, you can watch all three of our main sessions online now. Structured as roundtable discussions, the conversations were rich, compelling and sometimes even funny.

Art, Film & Social Change
featuring Howard Gordon (Executive Producer of "24"), Zarqa Nawaz ("Little Mosque on the Prairie"), Debbie Allen (legendary choreographer, actress & director)

Special Address by Thomas Perez, Dept. of Justice Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights (starts at 51:45)

Fort Hood: A Defining Moment
featuring Dr. Maher Hathout (MPAC), Constance Rice (Advancement Project), and Cynthia Venezuela (Mexican American Legal Defense & Education Fund)

Rebuilding U.S.-Muslim World Relations
featuring Tamara Wittes (Deputy Assistant Secretary of State), Dr. Aslam Abdullah (The Muslim Observer), Dr. Laila Al-Marayati (Muslim Women's League), and Jonathan Morgenstein (Dept. of Defense)

Don't waste this great opportunity to share MPAC's message with your friends and family. Forward this message right now to people in your network who should hear more about MPAC and our convention...