"Breaking Bad" actor Steven Michael Quezada and Michelle Lujan Grisham, the state's first Latina congresswoman, are scheduled to address a League of United Latin American Citizens New Mexico convention aimed at tackling education reform.

Around 800 activists from around New Mexico are expected to take part of the three-day state convention of LULAC New Mexico beginning May 17 in Albuquerque, just as advocates say it's time for lawmakers to put aside difference to work on fixing the state's troubled public school system.

State director Ralph Arellanes said LULAC will begin pushing New Mexico public schools to include more Hispanic history and address the achievement gap between white students and students of color.

"We want our students to learn Hispanic history that happened before New Mexico became a state," Arellanes said. "We have a long history in the area that is important to the foundation of the whole United States."

Lujan Grisham is slated to give the welcoming address Saturday at the Sheraton Uptown Hotel. The first-term U.S. representative made history in November by becoming the state's first Latina elected to Congress.

Quezada, who was recently elected to the Albuquerque school board, is scheduled to address attendees Saturday of the convention dinner.

In addition to education reform, LULAC officials will discuss ways to take advantage of the growing political clout of Latino voters. Arellanes said the state group also wants to use the momentum from the 2012 president election to strengthen the political clout among Latino voters and work to hold both the Democratic and Republican Parties "accountable to Hispanic concerns."

Some LULAC members are helping with a new political action group, CHILE PAC. The group plans to take part in the state's upcoming gubernatorial election, Arellanes said.

LULAC officials also will be meeting with U.S. Justice Department officials over the pending excessive force investigation into the Albuquerque Police Department.

The convention comes as LULAC prepares for the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy's address to LULAC members in Houston the night before he was assassinated. Kennedy's speech was the first time a sitting president ever acknowledged the importance of the Latino vote. A LULAC council in Houston is preparing a 50th anniversary event at the Rice Hotel, where Kennedy and first lady Jacqueline Kennedy stayed.

LULAC is the nation's old Latino civil rights group.

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Follow Russell Contreras at http://twitter.com/russcontreras