For Immediate Release
Press Release
September 23, 2009
The Black Ministers Council of New Jersey will have its Annual State Conference September 29th and 30th at St. Matthew AME Church, 336 Oakwood Avenue, Orange, New Jersey. Theme for the conference is, "Educating, Empowering and Equipping: Serving the Present Age." The conference agenda is intended to address major issues that impact and confront the African American community and urban areas of the state. These include improving public urban schools, "greening" urban centers to create jobs and improve the quality of life and proposals for healthcare reform being considered by Congress. The conference will also feature a presentation by the New Jersey State Police as the organization and BMC partner to increase recruitment of African Americans. The conference will conclude with a "Candidates Forum" where the three major candidates for Governor of New Jersey will be present.
It is the belief of the BMC that the most important issue for the African American community is education and that the public schools must be reformed if that is to happen. Representatives of government, education and civil rights organizations will participate in a panel which raises the question, "can the public schools provide a quality education?" The BMC will submit for discussion by the panel proposals that we believe will lead to reform of the public schools and provide urban children a quality education.
The BMC also believes it is imperative that urban centers participate in "greening" that will create jobs and improve the quality of life. A panel composed of representatives from government, the state's largest utility, and environmental interest will discuss how urban centers can become "green" and a workshop will be held for faith based community development corporations to assist them in putting in place infrastructure and accountability to participate in stimulus funding projects connected to "greening" and energy efforts.
Congress is presently engaged in reviewing and debating proposals for healthcare reform. This legislation will impact every American. The largest group in the country without healthcare or health insurance is African Americans. Representatives from Congressional Health Committees will conduct a Healthcare Town Hall Meeting to explain how the legislative proposals will impact our community.
The Black Ministers Council in 1998 led the effort to end racial profiling and reform the New Jersey State Police which resulted in the State Police being placed under a consent decree. That decree was lifted this week. Now the Black Ministers Council has committed to partner with the New Jersey State Police in a recruitment effort to increase the number of African Americans in the New Jersey State Police. During the conference the State Police will conduct a recruitment presentation.
Wednesday afternoon the Democratic, Republican and Independent candidates for Governor of New Jersey will be present. Each will address the conference and then respond to questions from the BMC. Questions from the BMC will address major issues facing the state and will require the candidates to give specific answers. Each candidate responded to three (3) questionnaires from the BMC on issues ranging from education to state indebtedness. Answers to the questionnaires will be released at the conference. The BMC is very concerned that thus far the candidates are not speaking to the issues but to irrelevant side issues that do not inform the citizens as to how they would administer the state in these very difficult times. The candidates should come prepared to respond to tough questions on tough issues such as education, jobs, state finances, healthcare, etc.
The BMC will have press availability at the close of the conference.
For further information you may contact 973-678-1217 or click here.