Gwen Ifill

Corrine Brown

Joe Quetone

Frank Wu

Anthony Suarez

Maria Padilla

Majority Population / Minority Voice?
How to Expand Black, Hispanic,
Asian American and Native American Political Power in the 21st Century

Nearly 800 journalists and community members turn out for Town Hall 2001

During the Summer of 2001, UNITY: Journalists of Color, Inc., sponsored a town hall meeting to answer one question: what can be done to ensure that the increasing size of the Black, Hispanic, Asian American, and Native American population is transformed into meaningful political power? Toward this end, invited panelists and members of the audience were asked to address matters of concern in Florida and the nation with a view toward the future.

Titled, “Majority Population / Minority Voice? How to Expand Black, Hispanic, Asian American and Native American Political Power in the 21st Century,” the Town Hall was held on Wednesday, August 22, 2001, from 8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Disney World’s Dolphin Hotel & Conference Center – Northern Hemisphere (located at 1500 Epcot Resorts Boulevard, Lake Buena Vista, Florida). This event served as one of the premiere opening night activities of the National Association of Black Journalists’ 26th Annual Convention.

UNITY Town Hall 2001 was moderated by Gwen Ifill, senior correspondent, “The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer,” and moderator and managing editor, “Washington Week,” both on PBS. Panelists included the Honorable Corrine Brown, U.S. House of Representatives, Florida’s 3rd District; Joe A. Quetone, executive director, Florida Governor’s Council on Indian Affairs, Inc.; Professor Frank Wu, Howard University Law School, specialist on race, ethnicity, politics and the law; Anthony Suarez, attorney, community leader, and former member of the Florida House of Representatives. Shannon Hori , news anchor, WESH-TV 2 (who kindly filled in at the last minute for her ill fellow anchor and friend, Wendy Chioji) and Maria Padilla, Hispanic Affairs Editor, Orlando Sentinel, and editor, El Sentinel, served as media commentators. The Town Hall topic was introduced via videotape by Governor Jeb Bush.

The event was preceded by an hour long Voter Education and Registration Drive conducted by the Orange County Supervisor of Elections.

Special recognition was given to ABC News for partial funding of Town Hall, and to the Ford Foundation for ongoing support of UNITY.

Producer & Writer – JESSE R. BORGES, PH.D.
Production Associate – ALTHEA L. RAY
Production Services – BARTSCH TROTTER & ASSOCIATES