Ahead of her visit on Wednesday to North Carolina, the Democratic National Convention Committee and Obama for America announced this morning that First Lady Michelle Obama will speak on the opening night of the 2012 Democratic National Convention, on Tuesday, September 4th, at Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte. President Obama will formally accept the Democratic nomination on Thursday, September 6th during an event at Bank of America Stadium.Rising Democratic star Julián Castro, the 37-year-old Mayor of San Antonio, Texas, will offer the keynote speech alongside Mrs. Obama, as part of OFA's ongoing effort to woo Latino voters, who have large populations in battleground states, including Nevada and Colorado. Castro will be the first Latino keynote speaker at a convention, according to the DNC.
"Having both the First Lady and Mayor Castro speak on the opening night of our convention will bring together two incredible leaders whose life stories both embody the promise of America, that if you work hard and play by the rules, you can make it," said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Convention Chair, in a statement issued by DNC.
"The First Lady is an inspiration to millions of Americans, and has been a tireless advocate for military families and our nation’s children," Villaraigosa added. "As the person who knows him best, she will offer unique insights into the President as a husband, father and a leader over the last four years.”
Mrs. Obama will woo North Carolina supporters on Wednesday during a 1:15 PM event at the University of North Carolina Greensboro, before heading to a fundraiser in Raleigh at 6:25 PM.
Castro's bio from DNC:
"A 37-year-old San Antonio native, Mayor Julián Castro is the youngest mayor of a Top 50 American city and is serving his second term as mayor of San Antonio, the nation’s 7th largest city. Raised by a single mother and educated in public schools on the working-class West Side of San Antonio, Mayor Castro and his identical twin brother, Joaquin, received bachelor's degrees from Stanford University before earning law degrees from Harvard Law School.
While Mayor, he has focused on attracting well-paying jobs in 21st century industries to the city, positioning San Antonio to be a leader in the New Energy Economy and raising educational attainment across the spectrum. Under his leadership, the city in 2010 opened Café College, a one-stop center offering high-quality guidance on college admissions, financial aid and standardized test preparation to any student in the San Antonio area. In 2011, those efforts resulted in the Milken Institute ranking San Antonio the nation’s top-performing local economy.
In March 2010, Mayor Castro was named to the World Economic Forum’s list of Young Global Leaders and Time magazine’s “40 under 40” list of rising stars in American politics. Mayor Castro also serves on the board of directors of the National League of Cities, is a member of the Inter-American Dialogue and is an Aspen-Rodel Fellow. In giving the keynote address, Mayor Castro follows other prominent Texans who have served in that role, including former Texas Gov. Ann Richards in 1988 and former Congresswoman Barbara Jordan in 1976 and 1992. He is married to Erica Lira Castro, an elementary school teacher, and they are the proud parents of Carina, born in 2009."
*Photo by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama
