The Wyandotte County mayors, in cooperation with the Wyandotte County Mayors’ Prayer Breakfast Committee, are holding the 41st annual Mayors’ Prayer Breakfast at 8 a.m. Friday, Nov. 6.
The guest speaker will be Kansas City, Mo., Mayor Sly James.
Seating begins at 7:45 a.m. The breakfast buffet and program will be held at the Reardon Convention Center at 500 Minnesota Ave., Kansas City, Kan.
Tickets are $22 per person. All ticket reservations must be paid in advance. To purchase tickets, reserve a table of eight, or to inquire about a company sponsorship, call 913-634-6019 or email [email protected].
Local organizers expect a bigger turnout than last year’s event, which was close to 350, a record high for the prayer breakfast. Last year Unified Government Mayor Mark Holland invited all area pastors to meet with him after the breakfast, and he plans to do the same this year.
Kansas City, Mo., Mayor James will offer the keynote motivational speech at this year’s breakfast.
Mayor James was sworn in as mayor of Kansas City, Mo., May 1, 2011. He was born and raised in Kansas City and learned valuable lessons about resiliency and dedication watching his parents work hard to take care of their family.
Despite the challenges they faced, James’ father, a chef, janitor, and small business owner; and his stepmother, who helped manage their business, still made sure that Sly and his brothers had the opportunity to go to a good school and follow their dreams. This laid the foundation for Mayor James’ commitment to education and ensuring every child receives a high-quality education regardless of where they live or their socio-economic background, according to the mayor’s biographical information.
Mayor James focuses his efforts to make Kansas City best in four areas: Education, Employment, Efficiency, and Enforcement. A few of his many major accomplishments include: streamlining processes at City Hall to encourage small business development; providing safe activities for young people during summer break through Mayor’s Nights and Club KC; Implementing a Women’s Empowerment initiative to help city government work better for the women who work with it and work for it; and leading efforts for the installation of Google Fiber and promoting Kansas City as the first region in the nation to have such cutting-edge technology.
Nationally, he is a member of Black Mayors for Education Reform, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, and was elected in June 2013 to the Advisory Board of the United States Conference of Mayors. Prior to his election, Mayor James enjoyed a successful legal career which spanned almost three decades. He joined Blackwell, Sanders, Matheny, Weary and Lombardi in 1983, and became the first African-American partner in the firm’s history in 1990. In February, 2002, he started his own successful small business, The Sly James Firm, where he worked with victims to seek justice and positive outcomes to disputes.
The mayor attended Bishop Hogan High School in Kansas City, Mo., graduating in 1969. After serving his country as a military police officer for four years in California, the Philippines, and Japan during the Vietnam War, Mayor James graduated cum laude from Rockhurst College. He then went on to earn his law degree, also cum laude, from the University of Minnesota in 1983.
Mayor James has been married to Licia Clifton-James since 1981 and is the proud father of four children. He has long had a passion for music and was the lead singer in the Amelia Earhart Memorial Flying Band. Little known fact: his band once opened for Jefferson Airplane in Kansas City.
“We encourage the community to attend the Mayors’ Prayer Breakfast and hear how Mayor Sly’s faith and dedication has had a given him a special direction in life and commitment to our community,” said Tom Johnson, Mayors’ Prayer Breakfast committee chairperson.