UNITY: Journalists of Color and CNN will be co-hosting a prime time presidential forum at the UNITY '08 Convention in Chicago on July 24.

The two presumptive nominees --Sen. Barack Obama (D-Illinois) and Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) -- will discuss issues facing minorities in the U.S. The two-hour broadcast is a first in UNITY's history.

"Going prime time will show America what the future looks like in terms of the diversity of the press corps that should be covering U.S. politics and the race for the most powerful position in the free world," said UNITY president Karen Lincoln Michel.

Before the 2004 election, UNITY held separate discussions with President George Bush and Sen. John Kerry (D-Massachusetts), the Democratic presidential nominee. Mark Trahant, a member of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of Idaho, asked Bush about tribal sovereignty and received a curious answer.

UNITY represents Asian American Journalists Association, the National Association of Black Journalists, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and the Native American Journalists Association. The conference takes place July 23-27.