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GUEST: John Trasviña, Interim President and General Counsel of MALDEF, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund

Starting tomorrow and running through Sunday September 10th, The National Latino Congreso will be taking place in downtown Los Angeles. Organizers are describing the National Latino Congreso as being the most comprehensive gathering of Latino leaders, organizations, and elected officials since 1977. The five-day conference will feature discussions some of the most pressing issues of our time. Among the items on the agenda for the Congreso will be voting rights, elections reform, social justice, economic equality, voter mobilization, and comprehensive immigration reform. As part of the Congreso, a rally and vigil to urge Congress to pass an immigration reform bill will take place on Saturday, September 9th. The roots of the Congreso lie at the non-partisan think tank, The William C. Velasquez Institute. There are expected to be over 250 speeches during the 5-day long National Latino Congreso, include those by LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, State Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez, and Gubernatorial candidate and State Treasurer, Phil Angelides.

Speakers also include Bill and Hilary Clinton, Rudolph Giuliani, John McCain, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Howard Dean and others.

For more information, visit www.latinocongreso.org.

For more information on MALDEF, call 213-629-2512, or visit www.maldef.org.