June 29, 2008
BY ERICA L. GREEN Staff Reporter/egreen@suntimes.com
The former president of Nigeria is among the speakers to be featured at this year's five-day Rainbow PUSH Coalition conference, beginning Saturday at Hyatt McCormick Place.
Olusegun Obasanjo is among the many scheduled to speak Tuesday at the conference, which carries the theme "A More Perfect Union -- From Freedom to Equality: Equanomics." The conference runs through July 2.
PUSH officials said they are hoping Michelle Obama, wife of Democratic hopeful Barack Obama, will be part ofthe conference's women's lunch, to be held at noon Monday.
Rainbow PUSH's founder, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, said the conference will celebrate the "54-year-old journey from Topeka to Denver" -- referring to the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education ruling and the upcoming Democratic National Convention in Denver, where Barack Obama is to be officially nominated for president.
Jackson said the upcoming presidential election is at the heart of the conference.
"Barack is running the last lap of a 54-year journey," Jackson said Friday.
His conference will also focus on "leveling the playing field," Jackson said. :jerkit: State and local lawmakers, as well as professionals from many arenas, will be on hand to address hardships facing Americans -- from the economy to education. There will also be free health screenings and booths to register students for school and to vote.
BY ERICA L. GREEN Staff Reporter/egreen@suntimes.com
The former president of Nigeria is among the speakers to be featured at this year's five-day Rainbow PUSH Coalition conference, beginning Saturday at Hyatt McCormick Place.
Olusegun Obasanjo is among the many scheduled to speak Tuesday at the conference, which carries the theme "A More Perfect Union -- From Freedom to Equality: Equanomics." The conference runs through July 2.
PUSH officials said they are hoping Michelle Obama, wife of Democratic hopeful Barack Obama, will be part ofthe conference's women's lunch, to be held at noon Monday.
Rainbow PUSH's founder, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, said the conference will celebrate the "54-year-old journey from Topeka to Denver" -- referring to the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education ruling and the upcoming Democratic National Convention in Denver, where Barack Obama is to be officially nominated for president.
Jackson said the upcoming presidential election is at the heart of the conference.
"Barack is running the last lap of a 54-year journey," Jackson said Friday.
His conference will also focus on "leveling the playing field," Jackson said. :jerkit: State and local lawmakers, as well as professionals from many arenas, will be on hand to address hardships facing Americans -- from the economy to education. There will also be free health screenings and booths to register students for school and to vote.
