August 4, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Reformer, Crime Fighter To Headline
Decatur Neighborhood Conference
DECATUR - The keynote speaker for this year’s Regional Neighborhood Network Conference in Decatur was hailed as a “crime dog” mayor by Time Magazine in July 2009 and recently declined a chance to work for President Barack Obama in order to continue his fight to turn around a struggling east coast city.
And oh, by the way, some are suggesting that he could one day be President of the United States.
Newark, New Jersey Mayor Cory Booker will serve as the keynote speaker for the conference being held Sept. 17-19, 2009 at the Decatur Conference Center and Hotel. He is part of an event filled with workshops and speakers designed to empower residents to strengthen and build neighborhoods while providing an outlet to share ideas with an estimated 400-500 attendees from 5 Midwestern states.
The cost for the conference is $100, which includes all meals, workshops, transportation and speakers. The cost is $25 for those wanting to attend the keynote address only.
The focus of Mayor Booker’s campaign was to improve public safety in Newark, a city that for years struggled with high crime, drug infestation and rampant government corruption. His innovative work to turn the city around appears to be working according to many accounts with Newark leading the nation among large cities for reductions in shootings and murders last year and having its lowest number of homicides since 1959 this year according to the Time news story.
According to Time, Booker and his team have also doubled the number of affordable housing units available and refurbished almost a dozen parks while partnering with private business to raise $3.2 million to install surveillance cameras throughout the city.
Mayor Booker has been recognized in numerous publications for his work, including Esquire Magazine, New Jersey Monthly (naming him as one of New Jersey’s top 40 under 40), Black Enterprise (naming him to the Hot List, America’s Most Powerful Players under 40), The Oprah Winfrey Show and The New York Times Magazine. He has also earned accolades from a number of high profile celebrity and political supporters, including Winfrey, Brad Pitt, Barbra Streisand and Jon Bon Jovi.
In 2005 Mayor Booker was the focus of the Academy-Award nominated documentary “Street Fight,” which detailed his 2002 epic mayoral battle with long time incumbent Sharpe James. The New York Times calls the film “engrossing” while the Variety says, “Street Fight will keep you on the edge of your seat.”
For a conference schedule or to register for the conference visit www.decaturrnnc.com or call 424-2864 or 424-2781. For more information on Mayor Booker visit www.corybooker.com.
For more information on this release call Billy Tyus at 424-2753.