State Representative Patrick Williams, a Democrat who represents District 4 in the Louisiana Legislature, recently attended the African American Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C. The two-day conference provided a forum for nearly 400 African American participants nationwide to discuss a range of policy issues with members of the United States Congress and cabinet officials.

     Conference participants were nominated to attend by their local member of Congress or the state Governor.

     A host of leaders from the United States Senate joined Bush administration officials to address the Summit, including keynote speaker U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Alphonso Jackson. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky addressed the delegates and welcomed them to the summit.