By Rhonda Spears
July 26, 2004

Speaking during the opening session of the National Urban League Convention July 21 in Detroit, Conference President Akron Mayor Donald L. Plusquellic talked about the United States Conference of Mayors sharing the same vision and values for American cities as the National Urban League, led by its President and CEO, former New Orleans Mayor Marc H. Morial.

Plusquellic told the crowd of 4,000 that this year, the Conference will focus on what mayors can do best working with organizations like the National Urban League: job creation and new investment in metro economies. "We want to work with the National Urban League to develop a national agenda that will focus on economic development and investment in metro economies. Mayors are the principal agents of change in maintaining much of America's economic security," he said.

Plusquellic also told the crowd that working together we must attract the attention of the presidential candidates so that they view our cities, our organizations and conventions as more than just a stop on their campaign trail.

"We must work together to make sure that both parties and both candidates for President understand the importance of investing in metro economies and that by doing so, we can empower the people who live in them," he added.

Both President Bush and Senator John Kerry (MA) addressed the National Urban League Convention. In his keynote address during the opening session, Morial said that it's not important whether or not both presidential candidates showed up (to address the convention); what is important is what they said when they showed up.