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HELO Leaders Meet With House Majority Whip
by Mary Gordon
 Among its activities at this year’s NLC Congressional City Conference, several members of HELO’s Board of Directors met with U. S. House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) in his office in the U.S. Capitol.
They discussed HELO’s and NLC’s legislative priority issues such as immigration reform, affordable housing, telecommunications, sustainable energy and the activities of the Congressional Tri-Caucus. The HELO leaders were officers Carol Alvarado, councilmember, Houston, Texas (president); Carlos Silva, councilmember, Bridgeport, Conn. (second vice president); Sergio Rodriguez, alderman, New Haven, Conn. (treasurer). At large Board members included Fernando Pedroza, councilmember, Lynwood, Calif., and Steve Salazar, councilmember, Dallas.
HELO convened meetings of its Board of Directors and membership during the Congressional City Conference. HELO President Alvarado presided over the meetings and encouraged members to help build HELO’s membership, help get more members involved in NLC steering committees and plan to serve as future candidates for the NLC Board of Directors.
In addition, HELO collaborated with NBC-LEO to hold a joint Board of Directors Meeting to discuss common issues of concern regarding policy development and advocacy. HELO also cosponsored a reception event with the Asian Pacific American Municipal Officials (APAMO) which is chaired by Otto Lee, mayor, Sunnyvale, Calif.
HELO also held a special election to fill an officer vacancy. Officers include Marie Lopez Rogers, mayor, Avondale, Ariz. (first vice president) and Karen Avilla, city treasurer, Carson, Calif. (newly elected as HELO secretary).
HELO member Louie Lujan, councilmember, La Puente, Calif., was elected as an at-large member of the HELO Board to fill the vacancy created by Avilla’s election as secretary.
NLC Second Vice President Cynthia McCollum, councilmember, Madison, Ala., came to the HELO membership meeting to emphasize the importance of HELO’s presence within NLC and asked members to keep the communications lines open between her and HELO so that NLC could be supportive of forthcoming HELO initiatives.
HELO will be convening a special forum on health issues tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, June 27, at the upcoming National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) conference. It will also be convening its summer Board meeting during the NALEO conference, tentatively scheduled for Thursday, June 28, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Details: For more information about HELO membership opportunities and upcoming events, contact HELO at NLC at (202) 626-3169, or visit HELO on the Internet on NLC’s website under “Inside NLC.”
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