Day 2 in LA: Michelle Obama to Speak on Veterans, Education

The Los Angeles Daily News reports that first lady Michelle Obama is visiting Los Angeles and speaking at two separate events about issues near and dear to the Obama administration’s heart: supporting veterans and education. 

On Wednesday, Mrs. Obama will appear at an event hosted by the United Way of Greater Los Angeles, the University of Southern California, and the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza hotel. The program is titled “Unite for Veterans.” The event is to feature consideration of how to help veterans to find employment and housing.

Other officials attending the event are Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti; Maria Elena Durazo, executive secretary-treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor; Elise Buik, president/CEO of United Way of Greater Los Angeles; and USC Provost Elizabeth Garrett.

Buik asserted that there are about 4,600 homeless veterans in Los Angeles County. She added that veterans appear to be “falling into homelessness much more quickly than we’ve had with past returning vets from other wars,” possibly because of the “post-recession environment.” She boasted that the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor will likely announce an apprenticeship program for veterans at the event.

Buik intoned, “We find these summits really galvanizing in getting people to understand the issues and the opportunities. What’s encouraging to me is that these numbers are very do-able. I think if we come together and learn about this, and commit ourselves to tackling this, we can get it done.”

Obama will also speak at the Grammy Museum’s Jane Ortner Education Award Luncheon. The award is given to educators who “find innovative ways to engage students by integrating music in their classrooms and curricula.”

Grammy Museum executive director Bob Santelli gushed, “Just like this year’s honorees, first lady Michelle Obama knows first hand the power that music has to transform the lives of young people. Having produced seven educational programs at the White House with Mrs. Obama over the last four years, we are deeply honored to host her as the keynote speaker for our inaugural Jane Ortner Education Award Luncheon.”