Los Angeles/Washington DC (5/2009) – Children Uniting Nations (CUN), one of the premier non-profit institutions working with at-risk youth recently announced its partnership with Russell Simmons’ “Hip Hop Summit Action Network”, heading into the 4^th Annual “Keeping the Promise to our Children” conference in Washington DC.  Set for June 9^th, HHSAN president and historic civil rights veteran Dr. Benjamin Chavis held a key role in the new partnership‘s formation, which will be formally introduced through a morning press conference held at the House Capitol Building and the following conference with panel discussions in the famous Woodrow Wilson Plaza located in the Ronald Reagan Building. This year’s confirmed political leaders include former House Majority Leader Richard Armey, Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann, Senator Evan Bayh, Congressman Dennis Cardoza, Congressman Joe Crowley, Senator Amy Klobuchar, Senator Mary Landrieu, Honorable Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Congressman Adam Schiff, Senator Olympia Snowe, Senator John Kerry, Senator Barbara Boxer, Congresswoman Diane Watson, Congressman Howard Berman, Speaker of Assembly Karen Bass and Senator Dianne Feinstein while others are confirming daily. 

In the year since the last conference, Children Uniting Nations has seen significant legislative achievements in support of mentoring for at-risk children. An amendment to provide loan forgiveness to community college students who mentor at-risk youth in their communities was passed by the House as part of the College Opportunity and Affordability Act in 2008, and an amendment to support the mentoring of children in foster care was passed unanimously in the Senate as part of the recent Serve America Act (2009). CUN looks forward to building upon these successes in the coming legislative session.

Children Uniting Nations Chairwoman Daphna Ziman remarked, “We are proud to be partnered with such an exceptional organization like the Hip Hop Summit Action Network.  As advocates for education, health and other societal concerns essential to the empowerment of the world’s youth, we couldn’t have found a better match for this year’s conference”. Russell Simmons, Chairman and Co-Founder of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, emphasized, “Children Uniting Nations is one of the most effective organizations of our time and our partnership will help to raise public awareness about the key public policy issues that are focused on empowering children to have a better quality of life.  The “Keeping the Promise to our Children” Conference in Washington on June 9, 2009 will enable more people to make a real difference on these important issues.”

Dr. Benjamin Chavis, President and Co-Founder of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network concluded, “We are very enthusiastic about our partnership with “Children Uniting Nations.  Together we will help promote change in America and throughout the world in the interests of children.  The opportunity to affect public policy and take action on behalf of millions of children is a welcomed challenge.”

The entire event will also be streamed live on Swaggmedia.com, the leading web portal and social networking site with over 14million viewers.