Mayor's next road trip: Philadelphia

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is off this weekend on another quick trip -- this time to Philadelphia to address members of the National Education Association, kicking off the organization's minority community outreach campaign during a keynote address.

The NEA Grassroots and Media Minority Community Outreach Campaign is designed to engage minority communities in support of public education. Villaraigosa will headline the official launch of the new initiative, aimed at efforts to reach out to the American Indian, Alaska Native, AsianPacific Islander, African-American, Latino, Carribean and African populations in cities across the United States.

Since taking office, Villaraigosa has made education reform a top priority. Even though legislation giving him broader powers in the school district was invalidated by the courts, he supported a number of candidates who agreed with him on educational issues and who are taking control of the Los Angeles Board of Edudation.