Constituency groups hold elections, convene joint event in New Orleans.

Asian Pacific American Municipal Officials

The Asian Pacific American Municipal Officials (APAMO) Board of Directors, under the leadership of Mayor Otto Lee, Sunnyvale, Calif,, will be convening its Annual Business Meeting at the Congress of Cities, on Thursday, November 15. Among its central agenda items will be the discussion of home ownership for members of Asian communities around the country; increasing membership in APAMO; and exploring ways to help its members become more active in NLC leadership positions.

In addition, APAMO will serve as a cosponsor of a Leadership Training Institute seminar with the Hispanic Elected Local Officials (HELO), "Intergenerational Communication: Tools for Communicating with Your Constituents," on Wednesday, November 14, from 9:00 a.m. to noon.

Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Local Officials

At this year's conference, members and colleagues of the Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Local Officials (GLBLO), under the leadership of Greg Pettis, mayor pro tem, Cathedral City, Calif., will gather for its annual Business Meeting on Wednesday, November 14.

GLBLO members will have the opportunity to discuss the importance of involvement in the NLC steering committee process and contributing to the policy and advocacy development agenda of the organization.

GLBLO will also hold elections for its 2008 Board of Directors at the Business Meeting.

Hispanic Elected Local Officials

HELO, under the leadership of Councilmember Carol Alvarado, Houston, will be convening its Board of Directors Meeting on Thursday, November 15, and its Membership Business Meeting will be held the same day. HELO will also be convening a Nominating Committee Meeting on Wednesday, November 14.

HELO will cosponsor the Leadership Training Institute with the Asian Pacific American Municipal Officials (APAMO), "Intergenerational Communication: Tools for Communicating with Your Constituents," on Wednesday, November 14, from 9:00 a.m. to noon.

"Being a member of a constituency group is an enriching experience," said Marie Lopez Rogers, mayor of Avondale, Ariz., and HELO first vice president and WIMG immediate past president. "It has helped me to grow as a local official and given me opportunities to find adaptable model programs for my city."

National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials

The National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials (NBCLEO), under the leadership of President Terry Riley, Councilmember, Kansas City, Mo., will host its annual Membership Luncheon on Thursday, November 14. The keynote speaker will be Juan Williams, National Political Correspondent and best-selling author.

In addition, NBC-LEO will host its annual awards reception later that evening with co-sponsorship from Anheuser-Busch Companies.

In addition to these events, NBC-LEO will convene the following sessions: the NBC-LEO Historic Heritage and Hurricane Katrina Aftermath Economic Development Mobile Tour with the collaboration of Dillard University, Tuesday, November 13 and Nominating Committee Hearing and New Member Orientation, Wednesday, November 14. NBC-LEO will convene its Board of Directors Meeting later in the day.

NBC-LEO will also convene a new session, its Regional Directors Nominating Session, on Friday, November 16, in order for all regional director candidates to be identified for its Board of Directors vote at the General Membership Meeting later the same day.

Women in Municipal Government

Women in Municipal Government (WIMG) will convene its annual Leadership Award Luncheon on Friday, November 16. At this event, WIMG will announce a winner of this year's Women in Municipal Government Leadership Award.

This year's luncheon keynote speaker is Rosario Marin, former U.S. Treasurer and current Secretary of the California State and Consumer Services Agency.

WIMG will also elect its new Board of Directors as part of its Membership Meeting at the luncheon event. WIMG will convene a Nominations Meeting, Wednesday, November 14, to hear from interested candidates for the WIMG Board of Directors. In addition, WIMG will conduct its Board of Directors Meeting, Wednesday, November 14.

WIMG is also a cosponsor of the Leadership Training Institute seminar, "Leading with the Brain in Mind" on Tuesday, November 13, from 9:00 a.m. to noon.

Marian Tasco, councilmember and majority whip, Philadelphia, and WIMG past president, invites NLC women to become a part of the WIMG network.

"Join WIMG and learn how to be a mentor to women in your community," she said. "Learn how to expand your governance skills and tackle the challenges that arise in our communities. Learn the strategies that we have developed to maximize your leadership."

Joint Constituency Group Event

All of the constituency groups will convene a joint gala reception on Friday, November 16, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The reception is cosponsored by Comcast, Acadian Ambulance Service Inc., and the League of California Cities--Latino Caucus.

Constituency Group Dues and Fees

If you are currently a member of a constituency group, or want to join for the first time, please join or renew your membership by checking off the appropriate codes for dues and fees on the Congress of Cities registration form in advance of the conference or on site in the conference registration area.

Details: For more information about NLC's constituency group programs, visit NLC's home page, www.nlc.org.