The National Urban League Chose Boston for its 2011 Annual Conference
Last month, the National Urban League (NUL) hosted its annual conference at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center.
The NUL annual conference represents one of the largest gatherings of African-American professionals in the nation including some of the most influential leaders in the corporate, foundation, nonprofit, entertainment and political communities.
The conference was a great success and attracted over 8,000 people from 40 states across the country. It was themed around education, jobs, and the rebuilding of America.
Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates and Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates addressed the convention about education, particularly the importance of higher education for a child’s economic future. A job fair, including dozens of the nation's most dynamic companies, was free of charge and open to the public.
Attendees found Boston to be a very attractive city. “The National Urban League 101st Annual Conference was great. I received nothing but positive feedback from both the attendees and various members of the NUL staff throughout the conference week”, said Toshiba Bodden from the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Everyone was excited to be in Boston and can't wait to return as a tourist to visit the city again”.
Boston is becoming a regular host to national conventions of minority groups. In addition to the National Urban League’s Conference, Blacks In Government is scheduled to hold its convention at the Hynes Convention Center August 22-25.
Carole Copeland Thomas chairs a multicultural committee with the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau and is in contact with minority organizations around the country about bringing their future conventions to Boston. She is currently working on convincing UNITY, the coalition of Latino, Asian American and Native American journalists groups, to come in 2016.
Thomas said she was delighted to see the NUL conference taking place in Boston and honored to sit on its Civic Engagement and Leadership panel.
“Having the National Urban League in Boston was a watershed moment for both the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA) and the City of Boston,” said James Rooney, executive director of the MCCA. “Of course, it brought the economic impact that all of our events create but because of its success and the many ways Boston has transformed over the years, it made attendees and organizers believers in Boston and all that our city has to offer. I’m certain there are conversations going on now across the country about how beautiful Boston was and what a great time it offered and that is worth much more than any form of economic impact.”
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