Dear Vendors:

You are cordially invited to participate as an exhibitor at the 14th Annual NAME Conference. This year's theme is “Unmasking the Legacy of the Brown Decisions Through Multicultural Education.” The NAME Conference is designed for teachers, administrators, community activists, parents and others interested in advocating for multicultural education and social justice. Since NAME is the only national organization whose primary focus is multicultural education, each year, hundreds of educators and activists throughout the country attend our annual conference.

This year the conference will be held in Kansas City, Missouri at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center, 2345 McGee Street. The conference will begin on Wednesday, October 27 and conclude on Sunday, October 31, 2004. The Exhibit Hall will open with a Grand Reception on Wednesday evening from 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. The Exhibit Hall will be open daily on Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. We will be assigning booths in the next few weeks and keep you informed as the program is finalized.

This year we will be utilizing a different agenda for the Exhibit Hall. We have reviewed the comments and suggestions from previous years and will be making some changes that I believe will make a significant difference.

As a vendor, I will be participating in the Exhibit Hall, so I have taken the time to look at, study the site during a conference exhibit and I spoke to vendors at this particular site. I have made some changes as to the flow of traffic, where and how the traffic will flow amongst the various exhibits, and the effects of having some exhibits in different locations. At this time, I would like to say that all of the vendors located in the same room with the exception to the NAME booth. We have enough space to have approximately 75 vendors in the exhibit hall, so space will be limited to first come. I would like to see the vendors that do not have a priority for high backdrops to be located in the center arena and have the exhibitors that are using the higher walls located around the perimeter of the arena. Thus, upon entering the arena there will be a complete view of the entire exhibit arena. Exhibit packets will be forwarded with additional instructions from the exhibit company Geo. E. Fern Co. You will contact Geo. E. Fern Co directly for services.

We have requested having the book signings in the exhibit hall and a lounge area for the conference participants to sit and visit with a view of the exhibits while relaxing. We are planning to have local performances in the exhibit hall (district schools, musical and cultural group performances). Also on the agenda for the Exhibit Hall is the Multicultural Video Fest, Conversations with the Authors, and make and take cultural art projects to include mask making for the Masked Banquet on Saturday night. If you have any suggestions or know of anyone that would be interested in participating at the conference, please send an email or attach a note to your Exhibit Request Form (Word).

Thank you for your participation in the 2004 NAME Conference. I look forward to working together and presenting to the conference participants taking an active interest in the diverse materials available in the Exhibit Hall.

If you have any questions prior to our next correspondence, please feel free to contact Kendra Penrod at KendrasKdz@aol.com. Sincerely,

Kendra Penrod
402-488-1080
402-770-5430

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