Conference called
It’s finally here.
Later this week, nearly 3,000 elected officials and administrators representing counties across the country will descend upon Los Angeles County for the National Association of Counties’ (NACo) 81st annual conference in Long Beach. Attendees will meet to discuss a wide range of issues impacting residents living in both urban and rural counties, including health care, jails, the opioid epidemic, child sex trafficking and the economy.
We have worked hard the past four years to host the best annual conference in the history of NACo. We are thrilled to finally roll out the red carpet and welcome local leaders to the largest county in the nation. Hosting this week’s conference is a huge opportunity for the city of Long Beach. With nearly 3,000 attendees, many who are making their first trip to Southern California, it will be a huge economic driver for our hotels, restaurants and attractions, contributing between $5—7 million to the local economy.
The week will be filled with interesting general sessions, workshops and meetings. I’ll even be interviewing six-time NBA champion Kareem Abdul Jabbar on Saturday during the first keynote! But, one of the most important events of the week will be our community service project. Thanks to the support of Walmart and Aetna, we will be stuffing backpacks with basic hygiene products like toothpaste and shampoo for victims of child sex trafficking. The bags will go towards supporting the efforts of Saving Innocence, our partner on the front lines in the war against child sex trafficking. To the victims, these bags represent more than just supplies— they show that someone cares about them and about their basic dignity.
It’s going to be a busy week in Long Beach, so stay tuned to Facebook and Twitter for updates from the 81st annual NACo conference!
Don Knabe
L.A. County supervisor
Fourth District
