Friday, September 17th from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. as a component of The Congressional Black Caucus weekend, selected clergy from across the country will be privy to a briefing by President Obama's senior staff. My invitation and attendance demonstrate how far The Obama Administration has drilled down into communities across the country to provide access to indigenous leadership. I have been honored to develop relationships with his senior advisory team throughout every agency of government, including the White House. What does this mean on the local level? It allows me on the grassroots level to have access to the same information that is available to Senate, Congressional, State and Local Government leadership. It creates a true partnership with the Federal Government that is invaluable when dealing with local political leaders who insulate themselves from the local community. In the mind of the Obama Administration, "place matters." The zip code that ones lives in is as valuable as the State in which you reside. One's efforts on within a local community merit the same support that State Government receives as it seeks to carry out is state-wide objectives. This Administration understands that there has been a long history of local neighborhoods left out and left behind. Through senior level interaction bureaucratic barriers are broken down and access to information is in "real time." While the conversations within the room are confidential, the ability to raise salient questions and advocate for change within my local neighborhood is buttressed by knowing that you have a friend in the White House and Jesus. Now, that's good news.
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