Carpentersville trustee attends world leader's Chicago speech

It's not everyday that a Fox Valley politician gets a personal invitation from a world leader to attend a speaking engagement.

But that's what happened Tuesday when Carpentersville trustee Linda Ramirez-Sliwinski was invited to one of Mexican President Felipe Calderon's speaking engagements in Chicago.

Ramirez-Sliwinski received an invitation from the Mexican Consulate in Chicago. She picked up her invitation on the way to the engagement in the gym at Chicago's Little Village Lawndale High School.

Other local Mexican immigrant leaders, including Carpentersville business owner Jose Rivera, were also invited to attend.

Ramirez-Sliwinski, a staunch opponent to the proposed ordinance cracking down on those who rent to, or hire, illegal immigrants in Carpentersville, said she was privileged to be invited.

"It was very inspiring," Ramirez-Sliwinski said Wednesday. "It was enlightening and awesome to hear the things they were talking about doing."

Calderon, who was on a five-city visit to the United States, spoke at Little Village High School to an invite-only crowd of about 1,500 guests.

There, Calderon outlined his education plan, which included an exchange-type program in which American teachers would go to Mexico to teach students to speak English, while also learning about Mexican culture and how to speak Spanish.

In return, Mexican teachers would be sent here to help with Spanish-language classes, math and other courses.

"He had some very good ideas that would help both countries," Ramirez-Sliwinski said.

One such idea involved recognizing certain Mexican certifications in Chicago, Ramirez-Sliwinski said.

"He talked about an agreement with Gov. Blagojevich where if someone has a certification in Mexico, then they could use it here," Ramirez-Sliwinski said.

Illegal immigration, and its effects on both countries, was also a focal point of Calderon's visit.

"He talked about illegal immigration conversations he had with President Bush," Ramirez-Sliwinski said.

"He said illegal immigration is not a local government issue. The two governments have to work together if there are going to be successes."

One plan is to build roads and highways in Mexico.

"The idea is that people won't have to come across the border because there will be construction work to do down there," Ramirez-Sliwinski said.

Initially, Ramirez-Sliwinski thought she would get a chance to meet one on one with Calderon. Unfortunately, she was relegated to the crowd.

"I would have liked to have had a chance to meet with him for a few minutes," said. Ramirez-Sliwinski, who learned Calderon had met with immigrant leaders earlier in the day.

"But it was a great experience just to be there."

Calderon, who took office in December 2006, also made stops in New York, Boston, Sacramento and Los Angeles during his first official visit to the United States.