Georgia Resident Attends White House Forum In Washington D.C.

Online, July 19, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Erika Y. Aaron, Georgia resident and Director of Community Affairs at a Fortune 200 Company, attended the White House in Washington D.C. on July 18 to take part in a national forum, organized by Building One America (BOA) and the White House Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs.

Approximately 100 elected, municipal and business leaders from across the country were invited to the forum focusing on sustainability, inclusion and economic growth through bi-partisan engagement and grassroots mobilization. Community leaders were encouraged to cultivate and mobilize support within their various regions to address some of the unique issues cities and towns across America face. "We discussed topics such as policy reform to aid in reducing suburban sprawl; we also discussed environmental sustainability, diversity and inclusion in our neighborhoods, heightened education standards and the availability of affordable housing," said Aaron. "These and other issues are like links in a chain - - when one is weak or broken, the entire chain is affected."

In keeping with the President's goal of making government inclusive, transparent, accountable and responsible, national leaders such as the US Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, Cecilia Munoz, were on-hand to detail the President's plans for working with local governments and their communities. Several other national officials spoke on the importance of the President's engagement initiatives: Michael Strautmanis, Deputy Assistant to the President and Counselor for Strategic Engagement; Jon Carson, Director of the Office of Public Engagement and Pete Rouse, Counselor to the President. Mayor Georgine Welo of South Euclid, OH and Councilman Nathanial Goodson of Upper Darby, PA served as moderators for the event.

Building One America advances its agenda through education, organizing and mobilization of diverse constituencies in metropolitan regions - with an emphasis on economically stressed and increasingly diverse older suburbs and small towns. Building One America promotes the goals of social inclusion, sustainability and economic growth by addressing regional housing policy, land use, municipal and educational fiscal structures and major infrastructure investments.