Community leaders held a forum to express their agenda for the new administration. Senior advisers to President-Elect Obama, who had pledged to sit down with grassroots leaders during his transition period if he were elected, attended. Valerie Jarrett had been recently designated to be a White House senior adviser and assistant to the president for intergovernmental relations and public liaison, and Melody Barnes to be the next director of the Domestic Policy Council at the White House.

Juan Williams moderated two roundtable discussions with leaders of grassroots community organizations, members of Congress, representatives of organized labor, policy experts and President-Elect Obama's transition team. Topics included the economy, health care, employment, immigration reform and the role of community organizations in strengthening our nation's democratic system.

Valerie Jarrett made closing remarks about the Obama administration's policy agenda.

"Realizing the Promise: A Forum on Community, Faith and Democracy," was held at the Washington Hilton by the Gamaliel Foundation and the Center for Community Change's Campaign for Community Values.