Joint Announcement at Iowa State Capitol Unveils All Events; With Support from Iowa Governor Terry Branstad and Democrat and Republican Parties

July 7, 2015 – Des Moines, IA – Today, the Brown and Black Presidential Forum Co-Founders and Co-Chairs held a joint press conference to outline all 2015 – 2016 Presidential Events. Co-founders, Former Rep. Wayne Ford, and Mary Campos were joined by Hon. Terry Branstad, Governor of Iowa – Honorary Co-Chair; Hon. David Loebsack, US. Congressman – Honorary Co-Chair; Dr. Andy McGuire – Iowa Democratic Chair – Honorary Co-Chair and Jeff Kaufmann – Iowa Republican Chair – Honorary Co-Chair to announce the details for the monumental event leading into the 2016 US Presidential election. Brown and Black Forum sponsors Wells Fargo and MidAmerican Energy also were in attendance.

In a joint press conference at the Iowa State Capitol, the Iowa GOP confirmed they have invited all of the GOP’s presidential candidates to participate, while the Iowa Democratic Party confirmed they would be inviting all presidential candidates to be involved in the Forum. Billed as the oldest Forum addressing minority issues, the Brown and Black Presidential Forum brings candidates together to address issues affecting the African American and Latino communities; which comes after heightened racial conflict across the nation over the past several years.

2015 – 2016 Brown and Black Presidential Forum Events:

Republican Forum

Date: December 3, 2015
Time: 7:00pm CST
Location: Drake University in Sheslow Auditorium

Democrat Forum

Date: January 11, 2016
Time: 7:00pm CST
Location: Drake University in Sheslow Auditorium

For the first time, the Republican Party of Iowa is joining the Democratic Party in hosting this ‘Brown and Black Forum’ for our candidates. This is a great bipartisan effort to maintain Iowa’s leadership position in the nation.

said Iowa Governor Terry Branstad

I am excited about the 2016 Iowa Brown and Black Forum. This reminds me of the Niagara movement of the early 1900s in New York, which was a forerunner of the NAACP. Like the small city of Niagara, this forum will have a significant effect on the political process of minorities across the nation for years to come.

said Brown and Black Presidential Forum Co-Founder and Co- Chair, Former Rep. Wayne Ford

Nuestra voz es Nuestro! Our voice is our vote! We need to reach out to those who are not registered. Advocate to all voters to exercise the right to vote. We must continue to register all eligible voters The Brown and Black Presidential Forum was founded not to build walls but to take down those walls that strive to deprive us as citizens of being educated and well informed of our voting rights. We welcome the opportunity to educate and inform the voters by the participation in the forum of both political parties and their candidates to answer questions from the perspective voters.

Brown and Black Presidential Forum Co-Founder and Co-Chair, Mary Campos