Urban Issues Forum

The Urban Issues Breakfast Forum

of Greater Los Angeles is a monthly forum that discusses relevant urban social, economic and political issues in Los Angeles Central City Communities.

The forum is a lively exchange (debate/counter-debate) founded by two of Los Angeles’ most respected black journalists, Anthony Asadullah Samad and Bob Farrell, both of whom have been active in Los Angeles urban and political affairs for the past 20 years. . The Urban Issues Forum, Inc., founded in 1999, coordinates the Urban Issues Breakfast Forum and is a 501(c)3 tax exempt non-profit organization.

The issues forum format is a combination of breakfast lectures and newsmaker interviews that are held on a monthly basis.

The breakfasts are held on a monthly basis (generally fourth Fridays, except when speaker availability may dictate another day of the week ) from 7:30 a.m. (Breakfast from 7:30 to 8:00) and the program beginning at 8:15 a.m., ending promptly at 9:30 a.m.

The "forum topic of the month" are generally subjects of immediate public interest or one that impacts, either

	the local or national, urban communities. The forum is not used to advance political agendas or promote personal topics, and is strictly an information based public education forum, held for the purpose of involving minority communities in time-sensitive issues or educating the community on breaking news discussions and other issues that impact their lives.

	The forum also provides direct access to news sources for diverse media organizations in minority communities. All forums are open to the public regardless of race, religion, gender, creed or political ideology.

The Urban Issues Forum
has also given annual scholarships (one in each of the past five years) to students interested social advocacy, journalism or public service through such community based organizations as 100 Black Men of Los Angeles, Black Journalists Association of Southern California, and the Los Angeles 10th District Women's Steering Committee. The Urban Issues Forum believes it is important to promote civil involvement and public advocacy by promoting higher education opportunities.