Mickey Ibarra Commerates 10th Anniversary of Latino Leaders Luncheon Series with Latino Leadership Book Project

The Latino Leaders Network (LLN) Chairman and Founder, Mickey Ibarra, announced the launch of a book project that will celebrate Latino leadership using the keynote remarks of those honored at the Latino Leaders Luncheon Series started in 2004.

LLN is a non-profit organization founded by Mickey Ibarra to bring leaders together to establish relationships, build unity, and help each other succeed. "I believe our personal stories of obstacles overcome to achieve success have the power to inspire, re-energize, motivate, and unify us all," said Ibarra. Understanding that there were plenty of events regarding policy and politics, Ibarra set out to build a platform for prominent, national Latino leaders to share their personal stories of obstacles overcome to achieve success.

Now those inspiring personal stories will be memorialized in the new book, "Trailblazers & Visionaries: Lessons in Latino Leadership." Author and television producer, Maria Perez-Brown, who touched many hearts through her first book, "Mama: Latina Daughters Celebrate Their Mothers," partnered with Ibarra to tackle the question of what does it mean to be a Latino leader in America today. Through the personal anecdotes and revealing interviews of successful Latino leaders, the authors will reveal "lessons" from the inspirational stories of men and women who beat the odds to become leaders in their respective professions-from politics to education to entertainment. Publication of the book is slated for the fall of 2014.

"I have admired the efforts that Mickey and LLN have dedicated to honoring Latino Leaders over the years," said Perez-Brown. "And I thought a book celebrating these courageous men and women who have been pioneers in our community would serve not only to pay homage to those who came before us, but to inspire the next generation of leaders who are in such need of mentors and role models to emulate."

The first Latino Leaders Luncheon event took place in Boston during the Democratic National Convention in 2004 when LLN honored then Congressman Bob Menendez in front of over 500 delegates, elected officials, corporate executives, and community leaders who attended. Due to the overwhelming response, Ibarra established the Latino Leaders Luncheon Series™ hosted by LLN quarterly, in Washington D.C.

Now celebrating a decade of "Bringing Leaders Together," the Latino Leaders Luncheon Series™ has brought together nearly twelve thousand elected officials, community activists, supporters and friends to recognize the efforts of exceptional mayors, individuals, and organizations from around the country.

About the Authors

Mickey Ibarra is the Chairman and Founder of The Ibarra Strategy Group (ISG), a leading government relations and public affairs firm offering unparalleled expertise and strong relationships with prominent elected officials, policymakers and national leaders at every level of government across the country. ISG's client roster includes Fortune 200 companies and leading national organizations. Ibarra is a member of the Ibarra Foundation Board of Directors and recently completed six years of service on the MALDEF Board. He served as the Assistant to the President and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs at the White House for President Clinton from 1997 to 2001. Ibarra received the inaugural Medallion of Excellence for Government Relations from the U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute in 2012 and the NALEO President's Award in 2001. He is a graduate of Brigham Young University, the University of Utah, and the recipient of an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the University of Utah in 2007

Named one of the most powerful women and minority in the cable industry for 2012 and 2011by Cable Fax Magazine, Maria Perez-Brown is a nationally recognized leader in media with over 20 years experience developing and producing content for leading television brands including ABC, CBS Nickelodeon and NuvoTV. She is the President of Perez-Brown Media Group, a New York production company that creates, develops and produces original content for television and digital platforms and provides consulting services to companies interested in reaching targeted audiences. Most recently, Perez-Brown led the Programming department for NuvoTV, the premier cable channel for bicultural Latinos, where she developed and oversaw the production of original content and participated in advocacy efforts in Washington DC. Perez-Brown is the author of Mama: Latina Daughters Celebrate Their Mothers, published by Harper Collins in 2002. The book is being re-released in a digital format in May 2014. Perez-Brown is currently an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University School of the Arts, where she teaches "The Art of the Pitch". She received a J.D. from New York University Law School and earned her B.A. at Yale University.

For more information, visit: http://www.latinoleadersnetwork.org/