The Honorable Ronald Kirk, mayor of Dallas, will be the keynote speaker at a community luncheon on Saturday, April 4, at Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall on the UNLV campus.

The luncheon, commemorating the 30th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., will be held at 11 a.m. Tickets are $15.

Kirk was elected the 51st mayor of Dallas on May 6, 1995, with more than 62 percent of the popular vote. He is the first African-American mayor of Dallas or of any major Texas city.

Since taking office, Kirk's efforts related to economic development have helped secure 19,600 jobs and the investment of $2.55 billion in Dallas.

He serves on the advisory board of the United States Conference of Mayors and chairs the Standing Committee on Urban Economic Policy for the United States Conference of Mayors.

Prior to being elected mayor, Kirk served as Texas' secretary of state under then-governor Ann Richards. In addition, he served as a legislative aide to U.S. Senator Lloyd Bentsen and as chair of Texas' General Service Commission. He also served as Dallas' assistant city attorney and chief lobbyist from 1983 to 1989.

Recognized for his service to the citizens of both Dallas and Texas, Kirk has received numerous honors and awards, including being named the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Metropolitan Dallas Volunteer of the Year and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Leadership Institute's Leader of the Year.

The luncheon is being cosponsored by the UNLV Office of Marketing and Community Relations and the Martin Luther King Jr. Committee of Las Vegas.

For more information, contact the Martin Luther King Jr. Committee of Las Vegas at 229-2128 or the UNLV Office of Marketing and Community Relations at 895-1939.