Civil rights groups convene with focus on economy

The nation's largest civil rights groups are gathering this weekend to set their agendas and gear up for fall's mid-term elections. The National Council of La Raza will host its convention in San Antonio, while members of the NAACP meet in Kansas City, Mo.

Both groups will engage national and local political leaders on issues ranging from education reform to overhauling immigration law. The faltering economy will also be a central part of their conversations.

Leaders of both organizations, which expect several thousand attendees, said their members have been frustrated by the lack of progress on unemployment, which is disproportionately affecting minorities. The jobless rate is 15. percent for blacks and 12.4 percent for Hispanics, compared to 8.6 percent for whites.

"There has been a disconnect between the national policy agenda and what we're hearing from the community about the economy," said Eric Rodriguez, vice president of NCLR. "People don't feel like [political] leaders are doing anything to solve these problems."

Benjamin Jealous, president of the NAACP, said his members are also galvanizing to put pressure on Congress and the White House. "We've got a big agenda that still needs to be pushed, and we need to make sure that our elected officials have that agenda top of mind," he said.

He cited Congress's refusal to extend unemployment insurance benefits before leaving for the July 4 recess as an example of the divergence between the needs of his members and the decisions being made on Capitol Hill.

Members of Congress and the Obama administration will hear those complaints and others at the conventions. The NAACP will meet this Saturday through Thursday, July 15; the NCLR will meet Saturday through Tuesday.

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson and Education Secretary Arne Duncan will speak at the NAACP convention along with assistant attorney general for civil rights Tom Perez. First lady Michelle Obama will also attend the NAACP gathering and talk about her campaign against childhood obesity.

President Obama will not visit the convention this year, though he will be in Kansas City Thursday, two days before the event, to visit an electrical car manufacturer and attend a fundraiser for U.S. Senate candidate Robin Carnahan (D). The president gave a speech at the NAACP's centennial convention last year that focused on racial disparities.

Labor Secretary Hilda Solis and Housing Secretary Shaun Donovan will attend the NCLR convention, which includes a large fair for Latino families that is expected to draw 20,000 participants.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R), who is running for reelection, and his Democratic opponent, Houston Mayor Bill White, are both vying for the Hispanic vote and will address convention-goers.

NCLR's town halls, including one titled "What's the Hold Up? Strategies to Jump-Start a Stalled Economy," will stream live on its Web site.