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LET ME, LET ME THANK THE, UH, MEMBERS OF THE PRESS FOR BEING HERE AND WELCOME EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY FOR A VERY SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THIS YEAR'S EMANCIPATION PARK'S S QUIN CENTENNIAL JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION.
UH, BUT FIRST LET ME, UH, LET ME JUST ACKNOWLEDGE A FEW PEOPLE.
I CERTAINLY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, RICH AND NANCY KINDER, UH, WHO ARE HERE OF THE KINDER FOUNDATION, ALONG WITH JACKIE BOSTIC, VICE CHAIR, UM, CHAIRPERSON OF THE BOARD OF EMANCIPATION PARK CONSERVANCY, AND THE GREAT GRANDDAUGHTER OF JACK OF JACK YATES, UM, AND THEN, AND THE EMA AND EMANCIPATION PARK, FOUNDER OF RAMON MANNING, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF THE EMANCIPATION PARK CONSERVANCY.
AND THEN I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, DIRECTOR KENNY ALLEN OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
AND THEN JAY, OF COURSE I SEE WITH SENATOR CORNY IS ALSO PRESIDENT JAY.
GOOD TO SEE YOU, UH, HERE AS, AS WELL.
UH, THEN SUSAN, UH, CHRISTIAN WHO'S OVER SPECIAL EVENTS IS ALSO PRESENT.
SO ALL OF THESE PERSON AND OTHERS, UH, WILL BE, WILL BE HERE.
AND THEN I SEE A NUMBER OF MY CITY DIRECTORS WHO ARE ALSO PRESENT.
LOOK, WE ARE STANDING, UH, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY IT MANY WAYS ON SACRED GROUND.
UH, CERTAINLY, UM, A VERY SPECIAL LOCATION FOR US HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UH, EMANCIPATION PARK WAS FOUNDED 150, UH, YEARS AGO BY FORMER SLAVES WHO BECAME FREEMAN AND DESIRED A PLACE TO CALL THEIR OWN TO COMMEMORATE THE ANNIVERSARY OF THEIR EMANCIPATION JUNETEENTH WITH THIS, WITHIN THIS COMMUNITY, SO 150 YEARS OLD, UH, THERE WOULDN'T BE AN EMANCIPATION PARK WITHOUT THE LEADERSHIP VISION AND COURAGE OF THE REVEREND JACK YATES, RICHARD ALLEN, RICHARD BROCK, AND REVEREND ELIAS DIBEL, UH, WHO COLLECTIVELY RAISED $1,000 IN 1872, UH, TO PURCHASE 10 ACRES OF PARKLAND TO HOST, UH, FOR THIS PARK, FOR THE PEOPLE IN THIS PARK.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, LEADING UP TODAY FOR THE JUNETEENTH CELEBRATIONS.
SINCE 1872, THE PARK HAS BEEN A GATHERING PLACE FOR FAMILIES AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
THE PARK HAS OFFERED NUMEROUS PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES, UH, TO FURTHER ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE, UH, FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, WE LIVE IN A VERY DIVERSE COMMUNITY.
AND SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO COME TO THIS CITY, UH, ACROSS THE BOARD.
IT IS THE OLDEST PARK IN HOUSTON AND OLD AND THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND REFLECTS THE BEAUTY, THE STRENGTH, AND THE RESILIENCE, UH, OF HIS, OF ITS FOUNDERS.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON ACQUIRED THE PARK IN 1916 TO PRESERVE THE HISTORY AND LEGACY OF THE GREEN SPACE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO ENJOY.
AND TO KIND OF PUT, IT CAN GIVE US SOME HISTORICAL CONTEXT.
THE HOUSTON ZOO STARTED IN 1922, A HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
UH, THIS PARK WAS ACQUIRED BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON IN 1916.
TODAY IT IS ONE OF THE CITY'S CROWN JEWELS.
AND I WANT TO THANK THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, UH, FOR WORKING WITH THE EMANCIPATION PARK CONSERVANCY TO MAINTAIN THE PARK GROUNDS AND FACILITIES.
I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THOSE WHO HAVE INVESTED, UH, IN THIS PARTICULAR PARK.
IN A FEW MINUTES, YOU WILL HEAR THE EXCITING DETAILS OF THIS YEAR'S TWO DAY CELEBRATION TO COMMEMORATE JUNETEENTH.
AND IF I CAN ADD, YOU KNOW, UM, I'M, EVERY TIME I SAY JUNETEENTH, I INSTANTLY THINK ABOUT FORMER STATE REPRESENTATIVE AL EDWARDS, WHO IS NO LONGER WITH US, WHO IS AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS THE FATHER OF JUNETEENTH.
IT WOULD BE A JOYOUS IF THIS, OF THIS, THE CELEBRATION, THE UPCOMING CELEBRATION WOULD BE A JOYOUS EVENT ON THE SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF JUNETEENTH BEING RECOGNIZED AS A NATIONAL HOLIDAY.
AND I'LL BE REMISS NOT TO ACKNOWLEDGE CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE, WHO HELPED TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
AND ON THIS VERY SPECIAL OCCASION, WE WILL REFLECT AS A COMMUNITY ON HOW FAR WE HAVE COME, UH, ON THIS FREEDOM JOURNEY AND UNDERSTANDING THE PLIGHT, THE CHALLENGES, THE HURDLES, AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT HAVE SHAPED THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN THIS CITY.
THE MAGNITUDE AROUND THIS YEAR'S OCCASION GOES BEYOND MEASURE.
IT IS THE OLDEST KNOWN HOLIDAY THAT COMMEMORATES THE END OF SLAVERY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND THIS PARK IS COMMITTED TO SERVING THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON AND THE HISTORIC LEGACY OF THOSE WHO JOURNEYED FROM GALVESTON.
BACK ON JUNETEENTH 1865, WHEN GENERAL GRANGER GAVE THE NEWS ON THE VERANDA, UH, THERE WERE SEVERAL CLASSES OF, UH, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY AFRICAN AMERICANS BACK THEN THE SLAVES THAT WERE SOME WHO HEARD THE NEWS AND SAID THAT, UH, YOU HAVE BEEN FREED BY ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
AND THEY INSTANTLY TOOK OFF AND JOURNEYED AND JOURNEYED NORTH.
THERE WERE SOME WHO HEARD THE NEWS, COULDN'T QUITE BELIEVE IT,
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AND THEY KINDA STOOD STILL.AND THEN THERE WERE THOSE WHO DIDN'T WAIT FOR GENERAL GRAND JURY TO FINISH GIVING THE NEWS.
THEY KNEW THE FREEDOM WAS COMING, AND THEY TOOK OFF INSTANTLY.
THEY JOURNEYED NORTH, AND MANY OF THEM ENDED UP IN FREEMAN'S TOWN, WHICH IS KNOWN I AFFECTLY KNOWN AS FOURTH WARD.
AND THEN OF COURSE, UH, THE HISTORY OF THIS PARK SPRINGS FROM THAT.
HAVING SAID ALL OF THAT, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE A HOUSTON NATIVE WHOSE ROOTS RUN VERY DEEP, UH, WITHIN THIS CITY, UH, IN SO MANY WAYS, WHETHER IT'S ATTENDING ANTIOCH, UH, BAPTIST CHURCH, UH, UH, IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, UH, WHETHER IT'S IT RELATES TO THIS PARK, UH, WHETHER IT'S EVEN FREEMAN'S TOWN, THE TOURS OVER THERE IN FREEMAN'S TOWN.
BUT PLEASE HELP ME TO WELCOME THE GREAT GRANDDAUGHTER OF JACK YATES, ONE OF THE EMANCIPATION PARKS FOUNDERS AND BOARD VICE CHAIRPERSON OF THE EMANCIPATION PARK CONSERVANCY, MS. JACKIE BOSTICK, AND SHE, SHE'LL BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, RICH KINDER AND THEN RAMON MANNING BOARD, UH, CHAIR OF THE EPC, MS. JACKIE BOSTIC.
LET ME THANK THE MAYOR FOR THAT, UH, WONDERFUL INTRODUCTION.
LET ME THANK THE KINDERS FOR WORKING WITH US HERE AT THE PARK IN THIS COMMUNITY.
LET ME THANK, UH, OUR CHAIRMAN RAMON, AND LET ME THANK EACH OF YOU THAT'S HERE.
UH, NO MATTER WHAT YOUR INTERESTS MAY BE IN THE PARK FOR, THIS IS TRULY A WONDERFUL OCCASION THAT WE ARE GOING TO CELEBRATE.
FOR 150 YEARS, THIS PARK HAS BEEN HERE TO HELP US ALL TO REMEMBER WHAT JUNETEENTH 1872 IS ALL ABOUT.
IT'S ABOUT FREEDOM, FREEDOM FOR US ALL.
I KNOW WE LOOK EVERY DAY AT TELEVISION AND WE ALL TALK ABOUT HOW WE LOVE FREEDOM AS WE SEE HOW PEOPLE ARE FIGHTING IN OTHER COUNTRIES AND OTHER PLACES FOR FREEDOM.
WELL, JUNETEENTH IS ABOUT FREEDOM.
IT'S ABOUT THE DAY AND THE TIME THAT WE ALL LEARNED THAT THOSE OF US WHO WERE PEOPLE THAT LIVED IN THESE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WHETHER IT WAS IN TEXAS, NEW YORK, CHICAGO OR WHEREVER IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN, THAT FINALLY WE WERE ALL FREE.
AND SO THIS YEAR WE ARE GOING TO CELEBRATE IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.
AND RAMON WILL TELL YOU ABOUT THOSE FREEDOM, FREEDOM FOR US ALL.
AND THE PEOPLE WHO HELPED TO BRING THIS DAY, IN TERMS OF THIS PARK AVAILABLE WERE CERTAINLY PEOPLE WHO KNEW AND UNDERSTOOD WHAT IT WAS NOT TO BE FREE.
AND SO, IN ORDER FOR THEM TO HAVE A PLACE TO GO AND CELEBRATE, TO LEARN TO HAVE THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY AND EVENTS WHERE THEY COULD BRING ABOUT HELPING EACH OTHER TO LEARN ABOUT EDUCATION, ABOUT ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT, ABOUT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT THEY COULD WORK TOGETHER FOR, FOR THEY TRULY WORKED TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY.
THIS WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN HERE HAD THEY NOT WORKED TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY.
AND SO IN ORDER FOR THEM TO WORK TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY, THEY HELPED TO MAKE THE COMMUNITY OF HOUSTON EVEN A BETTER COMMUNITY THAN IT WAS FOR.
IT WAS ONLY 30 YEARS OLD ITSELF AT THE TIME.
AND SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD ALL BE PROUD OF, AND WE ARE THANKFUL FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND TERRORIST NUMBER SEVEN, FOR HELPING TO RE MAKE AND MAKE SURE THAT THIS OUR PARK, THE FIRST PARK IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THE FIRST PARK IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ALL BE PROUD OF.
AND WE ALL WANT TO CELEBRATE THAT IT IS ABOUT FREEDOM.
AND SO WE THANK THE KINDERS FOR THEIR INTEREST, FOR THEIR FUNDING OF SO MANY OF OUR ACTIVITIES, AND THEY'RE GOING TO HELP FUND WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO FOR OUR 150TH ANNIVERSARY.
AND SO WE SAY THANK YOU AGAIN.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, AND THANK YOU TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR ALL
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THAT YOU HAVE DONE TO HELP US TO REMEMBER THAT THIS IS ABOUT ALL OF OUR FREEDOM.EVERY TIME I HEAR JACKIE, I'M MORE IMPRESSED EACH TIME WHAT A, WHAT A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL PRESENTATION AND WHAT A GREAT ASSET YOU ARE TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
IT'S JUST WONDERFUL TO HEAR YOU TALK MORE ELOQUENTLY THAN ANYBODY I KNOW ABOUT THE FOUNDING OF THE PARK AND THE WAY THE MEMORIES OF THE FOUNDING HAVE COME DOWN THROUGH THE GENERATION.
SO WE JUST CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH.
UH, THE KINDER FOUNDATIONS HERE BECAUSE WE VALUE PARKS AND GREEN SPACE VERY MUCH.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A DEEP APPRECIATION AND RESPECT FOR THIRD WARD.
OUR FOUNDATION IS SUPPORTING SEVERAL COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN THIRD WARD WHO ARE DEDICATED TO ENHANCING LIVES AND EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES IN THIS VIBRANT NEIGHBORHOOD.
EMANCIPATION PARK IS SUCH A SPECIAL PLACE, WE ALL KNOW THAT.
BUT IT'S REALLY MUCH MORE THAN A PLACE TO GO FOR RECREATION.
YOU LOOK AROUND AND THIS IS A GREAT AVENUE FOR RECREATION, BUT FAR BEYOND THAT AS WE'RE STRESSING TODAY, AND WE'LL BE STRESSING IN JUNE, IT'S REALLY A PART OF HISTORY AND A PART OF CULTURE FOR HOUSTON, FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND INDEED FOR THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES.
IT WAS FOUNDED, AS WE SAID, 150 YEARS AGO, AND IT'S STILL TODAY, 150 YEARS LATER, STILL SERVING THE COMMUNITY, I BELIEVE, AS ITS FOUNDERS INTENDED.
SO WE ARE PROUD TO HELP THE PARK CONTINUE TO DO SO.
WE'RE VERY PROUD TO BE PART, UH, UH, OF THIS GREAT CELEBRATION COMING UP IN JUNE OF THE SESQUI CENTENNIAL OF THE JUNETEENTH, AND WE'RE JUST DELIGHTED TO BE PART OF IT.
AND I CAN ASSURE YOU, RAMON, WE WILL BE BACK TO HELP CELEBRATE WITH YOU AND YOUR GREAT ACTS WHEN JUNETEENTH ACTUALLY HAPPENS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, UH, AN EXTREMELY MOMENTOUS OCCASION.
UM, AND I HAD SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS TO STAY ON MESSAGE, BUT JUST OBLIGE ME BECAUSE I'M SO EXCITED RIGHT NOW.
WE'VE LITERALLY BEEN ON LOCKDOWN FOR TWO YEARS AND I'VE BEEN CHOMPING AT THE BIT, JUST WAITING FOR THE HUNDRED AND 50TH, AND I'M SO EXCITED TO BE HERE.
UM, I REALLY WANT TO JUST THANK THE MAYOR ONCE AGAIN BECAUSE HE'S BEEN, UM, EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND US DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE AT EMANCIPATION PARK.
YOU KNOW, THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS CONVERSATIONS.
HE'S PROVIDED A DIRECT LINE TO HIM AND ANYTHING WE NEED, HE'S BEEN ON THE SPOT AND RIGHT THERE.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR ONCE AGAIN.
UM, ALONG WITH THE MAYOR, YOU KNOW, UM, I WANT TO SAY A SPECIAL THANKS TO MY NEWFOUND BIG BROTHER, YOU KNOW, KENNETH ALLEN AT HOUSTON PARKS AND REP, AND KENNETH, UH, JUST LIKE THE MAYOR, REALLY, REALLY UNDERSTANDS WHAT WE HAVE IN THIS SPACE AS A GYM FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
AND KENNETH, YOU KNOW, AS YOU ALL KNOW, CONSERVANCIES EXIST, YOU KNOW, FOR THE MAINTENANCE UPKEEP, ENHANCEMENT OF THESE BEAUTIFUL SPACES.
AND MOST PEOPLE DEFINE THAT WORD PARTNERSHIP, IN MY OPINION, A LITTLE LOOSELY.
AND I JUST WANT TO EXTEND ANOTHER COURTESY TO SAY THANK YOU TO KENNETH BECAUSE HE HAS ALSO PROVIDED THAT DIRECT LINE AND BEEN JOHNNY ON THE SPOT WITH EVERYTHING WE NEED HERE AT EMANCIPATION PARK.
SO LET'S GIVE HIM ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
AND LASTLY, I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD HERE AT EMANCIPATION PARK CONSERVANCY.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALL BEEN ON BOARDS AND YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU CAN SHAKE YOUR HEAD AND WONDER, MAN, WHAT AM I DOING? YOU KNOW, AND SOME BEING ON CERTAIN BOARDS CAN BE A PIECE OF WORK.
AND I DON'T WANNA SPEAK OUTTA SCHOOL HERE, BUT I CAN JUST TELL YOU THAT THIS BOARD AT EMANCIPATION PARK IS A BOARD THAT I'M REALLY HONORED TO BE SERVING WITH.
YOU GUYS HEARD FROM MS. BOSTICK SITTING IN A ROOM WITH HER TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE DO EVERYTHING THAT WE DO HERE AND BE DELIBERATE AND INTENTIONAL FROM A HISTORIC AND CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, AS RICH POINTED OUT, THESE SPACES ARE NOT JUST ABOUT RECREATION.
THEY'RE SO MUCH MORE THAN RECREATION.
THESE ARE ASSETS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE USE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
AND THERE'S A PLETHORA OF ACTIVITIES AND THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON THAT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT ARE CELEBRATORY.
HOWEVER, AT THE END OF THIS MONTH,
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YOU KNOW, THIS IS OUR SECOND YEAR DOING A FREE DENTAL CLINIC, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE'RE DOING EXAMS, EXTRACTIONS RIGHT HERE, WHERE WE'RE, WE'RE OUTFITTING THIS REC CENTER INTO A DENTAL CLINIC.AND SO FOR US, IT'S REALLY BEING INTENTIONAL AND DELIBERATE ABOUT WHY THIS PLACE WAS FOUNDED AND ITS USE AND GOING FORWARD, HOW WE CONTINUE TO EXPAND ON THAT.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO TOUCH ON, YOU KNOW, PRESS CONFERENCES ARE USED TO CREATE AWARENESS, UM, AND TALK ABOUT THINGS TO COME.
UM, FOR ME, THIS IS MUCH MORE THAN A PRESS CONFERENCE, RIGHT? AND I THINK TELLING OUR STORY AND HAVING PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS SPACE, IT, IT IS SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST A PRESS CONFERENCE.
AND WE TALK ABOUT SPONSORS AND PEOPLE SUPPORTING STUFF FINANCIALLY.
YOU KNOW, I CAN HONESTLY SAY, AND I'M NOT JUST SAYING THIS BECAUSE THEY'RE SITTING HERE, HER, NANCY AND RICH UNDERSTAND WHAT WE HAVE, AND THEY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF HOW THIS SPACE CAN BE USED TO MAKE THIS CITY BETTER.
AND NOT ONLY SUPPORTING THIS FROM A MONETARY PERSPECTIVE, THEY'RE ALWAYS PRESENT.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING PRESENT.
UH, 'CAUSE MOST FOLKS WILL SET IT AND FORGET IT.
AND SO THAT, I WANT TO, UM, SEGUE INTO, YOU KNOW, MOST PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THESE FOUR MEN, REVEREND JACK, YATES, ELIAS DIBEL, RICHARD BROCK, RICHARD ALLEN.
BUT MUCH LIKE THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, THERE WERE WOMEN THAT PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN MAKING THIS HAPPEN THAT WE REALLY DON'T HEAR MUCH ABOUT.
SO THIS, THESE FOUR MEN WERE COMMUNITY LEADERS, THEY DID THEIR PART, BUT IT WAS A MUCH BIGGER EFFORT THAT WOMEN PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN MAKING THIS HAPPEN.
SO I JUST WANT TO TOUCH ON THAT.
AND, AND, AND LASTLY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THESE CELEBRATIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING OVER TWO DAYS, BUT LEADING UP TO THAT, I WANNA ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS TO GO TO THE WEBSITE, EP CONSERVANCY.ORG, BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA BE HAVING LECTURES, TALKS THAT DIRECTLY, UH, ON ISSUES THAT ARE DIRECTLY AFFECTING OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, I'M, I'M, I'M SO EXCITED WE GOT DR.
JULIUS GARVEY COMING, THE SON OF MARCUS GARVEY, TO TALK ABOUT SACRED SPACES, YOU KNOW, UM, HEALTH AND WELLNESS WITH MEMORIAL HERMAN AND HARRIS HEALTH, TALKING ABOUT HEALTH DISPARITIES IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
SO WE HAVE A BEVY OF TALKS AND THINGS LEADING UP TO THE CELEBRATION THAT ARE GONNA BE VERY, UH, INSPIRING, UM, AND, AND TOUCHING ON THE ISSUES THAT ARE DIRECTLY AFFECTING THE COMMUNITY.
UM, THIS TWO DAY CELEBRATION, JUNE THE 18TH AND JUNE THE 19TH, ALL THIS SPACE OUT HERE WILL BE RE COMPLETELY REDEFINED KIDS ZONES.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE ACTIVATIONS BY OUR LOCAL SPORTS TEAMS, UM, THE MUSICAL LINEUP, YOU KNOW,
AND I REALLY APPRECIATED THAT.
AND SO I'M HONORED AND EXCITED TO SAY WE HAVE A GOSPEL LINEUP LIKE NO OTHER ERNEST PUGH, UM, ZAKARI CORTEZ PASTOR, MIKE MONA, LISA STEVENSON.
AND THEN AFTER WE BLESS YOU WITH THE GOSPEL
SO I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO COME OUT BECAUSE NO EVENT AT THIS SCALE HAS HAPPENED IN ANY COMMUNITY OF COLOR IN THIS CITY'S HISTORY.
SO WE ARE EXTREMELY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT'S ABOUT TO HAPPEN HERE AT EMANCIPATION PARK, CELEBRATING THE HUNDRED AND 50TH, AND I CAN'T TAKE CREDIT FOR THIS, BUT I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR TREASURER ON THE BOARD AT EMANCIPATION AT EMANCIPATION PARK.
UH, YVETTE COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY, BUT YVETTE CAME UP WITH A PHENOMENAL IDEA.
SHE TALKED TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT IF WE COULD DO 150 FOR THE HUNDRED AND 50TH? AND WE LOOKED AND WE SAID, 150, WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU, WHAT ARE YOU SAYING? SHE SAYS, WELL, HISTORICALLY, WE'VE ALWAYS DONE MANY GRANTS WITH OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO PARTNER WITH US AROUND PROGRAMMING AND ACTIVITIES.
HOW ABOUT WE ACCELERATE THAT AND GO BIGGER
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WITH THE HUNDRED AND 50TH? SO I'M HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE WE WILL BE GIVING OUT TO INVITED COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS $150,000 IN MINI GRANTS FOR THE HUNDRED AND 50TH.THIS EVENT WILL BE OPEN AND FREE TO THE PUBLIC TICKET INFORMATION WILL BE ON OUR WEBSITE.
AND I THINK THE MAYOR MENTIONED THIS EARLIER, BUT YOU KNOW, I WAS JUST HAVING A CONVERSATION THIS MORNING WITH REDDICK EDWARDS, WHO'S THE BROTHER OF THE LATE STATE REP, AL EDWARDS.
UM, YOU KNOW, JUNETEENTH NOW IS THE FEDERAL HOLIDAY.
EVERYBODY'S FOCUSED ON JUNETEENTH, BUT AL EDWARDS WAS TALKING ABOUT JUNETEENTH AND ADVOCATING AND MAKING THINGS HAPPEN WHEN IT WASN'T POPULAR.
SO I JUST WANT TO TAKE THAT, THAT MINUTE TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE HIM AND ALL OF THAT WORK THAT HE DID TO BRING ATTENTION TO JUNETEENTH, BECAUSE I REALLY BELIEVE THAT HAD A ROLE IN MAKING ALL OF THIS STUFF HAPPEN FEDERALLY.
AND LASTLY, WE JUST GOT THIS FEDERAL LEGISLATION PASSED A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
IT'S NOW A FEDERAL HOLIDAY, AND THEY DON'T LIKE IT WHEN I SAY THIS, BUT SENATOR CORNY AND CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE, I WANT Y'ALL TO THINK ABOUT THIS FOR A SECOND.
IN THIS POLITICAL CLIMATE, IT TOOK A REPUBLICAN AND A DEMOCRAT TO GET BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
AND I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT IT'S TWO TEXANS THAT DID THAT, RIGHT? SO JUST THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A SECOND.
IN THIS POLITICAL CLIMATE, IT TOOK A REPUBLICAN FROM TEXAS AND A DEMOCRAT FROM TEXAS TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
I'M THINKING ABOUT THE FOUNDERS OF THIS PARK AND HOW EVEN IN THEIR PASSING, THEIR INFLUENCE IS STILL MOVING TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN THAT IS EXTREMELY POWERFUL.
NOW, I GOTTA SAY THIS, AND I'M GONNA SIT DOWN CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE, UM, WHO WE ALL KNOW AND LOVE IS A, UM, VERY, VERY, UH, AMBITIOUS SUPPORTER, TO SAY THE LEAST OF EMANCIPATION PARK.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN THIS DISTRICT, WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, IF THERE WAS ANYBODY I WOULD WANT ON MY TEAM FIGHTING FOR US, IT WOULD BE CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE, IN ADDITION TO HER.
I WANNA JUST GIVE ONE MORE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO SENATOR CORNING AND POINT OUT JAY GUERRERO, WHO STEPS UP EVERY TIME WE CALL ON HIM.
AND HE'S HERE AND HE'S PRESENT AS WELL.
WITH THAT, I WILL CLOSE BY INVITING THE CONGRESSWOMAN UP JUST TO SAY A, A A, A BRIEF, UM, FEW REMARKS ABOUT JUNETEENTH AND THAT PROCESS AND EVERYTHING THAT SHE'S DONE.
WHERE'S THE CONGRESSWOMAN? OH, THERE SHE IS.
FIRST OF ALL, I'M SO PROUD OF THIS CITY, UH, MAYOR TURNER, UH, AND THE KINDERS WHO HAVE PARTNERSHIPPED ON THE ENORMOUS BEAUTY OF THIS WONDERFUL PARK.
AND ALL I CAN SAY IS THIS IS WHAT COMING TOGETHER IS ALL ABOUT JACKIE BOSTIC.
I CAN'T COUNT THE YEARS THAT WE'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK TOGETHER.
AND ALL THE WORK YOU'VE DONE IN FRIEDMANS TOWN.
I'D LIKE TO MENTION, UM, EILEEN AS WELL, AND THE WHOLE TEAM, AND CERTAINLY, UM, I SAID TO THE KINDERS, THEY ARE BOTH INDIVIDUALS, AND I THANK THEM INDIVIDUALLY FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO FOR THE CITY.
AS YOU LOOK OUT, IT IS ENORMOUSLY BEAUTIFUL EMANCIPATION PARK TO MY RIGHT AND TO MY LEFT.
IT IS A PLACE TO BE RECKONED WITH AND TO RECOGNIZE.
AND I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE, UH, THE MEN, UH, THAT PURCHASED FOR NEGROES FREED SLAVES IN 1872, THIS LAND, HOW GRAND AND GREAT THIS IS.
AND THEN OF COURSE, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE YES, HOW DEAR FRIEND HIS CHILDREN
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AND HIS SIBLINGS ARE NOW UNITED IN MAKING SURE THAT, UH, AL EDWARDS, WHO ESTABLISHED THE FIRST STATE HOLIDAY IN TEXAS, UH, WILL IN FACT, UH, BE HONORED AND RECOGNIZED.AND I DO THAT EVERY TIME I GET A CHANCE, BUT I DO WANNA TAKE A MOMENT AND EVERYONE'S DEFINITION OF BRIEF IS THEIR OWN DEFINITION OF BRIEF.
UH, BUT I THINK IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO EMPHASIZE WHAT JUNETEENTH IS IN THIS YEAR.
UH, 20 22 1, THE HUNDRED AND 50TH COMMEMORATION HERE IN TEXAS, EMANCIPATION PARK.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY OTHER PARK IN THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT CAN TAKE THAT STANDING OF BEING THE FIRST PARK PURCHASE.
AND THEN I THINK WHAT IT SHOULD REP REPRESENT, AND I DIDN'T HEAR ALL, BUT IT REALLY SHOULD HAVE A SERIOUS MOMENT.
UH, THE WORK WE DID IN THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS OVER ALMOST A DECADE WAS TO TRY TO ESTABLISH THE SERIOUSNESS OF WHAT EMANCIPATION MEANT IN 1865.
THAT MEANT THAT SLAVES WHO HAD ALREADY BEEN IN SLAVES FOR 246 YEARS WERE EXTRA TWO YEARS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
THIS IS TEXAS BORN, THIS IS GIVEN BIRTH THROUGH TEXAS.
AND I HOPE THAT THIS HOLIDAY WILL CREATE OPPORTUNITIES THAT SEEMINGLY WE HAVE MISSED GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS, BECAUSE EVEN TODAY, THERE ARE NEGATIVE SOCIAL COMMENTARY ON HOW BLACK WOMEN LOOK, BLACK MEN AND STEREOTYPES EVEN TODAY.
AND SO, JUNETEENTH AND THIS COMMEMORATION SHOULD HAVE A VERY SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY TO BRING US TOGETHER TO LET US, UH, BEFRIEND CULTURES THAT ARE DIFFERENT IN THIS INSTANCE, AFRICAN-AMERICANS, INDIVIDUALS, MANY OF WHOM THOUGH OUR D DIVERSITY IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN POPULATION COMES NOW FROM AFRICA AND THE CARIBBEAN AND MANY OTHER PLACES.
BUT THERE ARE THOSE WHO ARE DIRECT DESCENDANTS OF AFRICAN SLAVES.
AND MY MISSION TO YEAR AFTER YEAR INTRODUCE THE RESOLUTION AND THEN BE THE FIRST MEMBER AS WE RECEIVED THE MILLION PETITIONS FROM GRANDMOTHER OPAL LEE IN THAT VERY HOT SUMMER, AS I RECALL, THE FIRST MEMBER OF CONGRESS TO EVER INTRODUCE THE NATIONAL HOLIDAY, JOINED BY MY GOOD FRIEND AND FELLOW TEXANS, SENATOR, CORNY.
WE HAD MANY PARENTS THEREAFTER WHO CLAIMED THEIR BIRTH STATUS.
BUT IT WAS THE TWO OF US THAT CONTINUED TO HONOR JUNETEENTH SO THAT WE COULD BUILD THE SUPPORT IN THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS.
IT WAS JOE BIDEN WHO ACCEPTED THE CHALLENGE AND SIGNED IT LAST YEAR, JUST ONE DAY BEFORE THE OFFICIAL HOLIDAY.
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS TO KNOW THIS HISTORY, THAT IT WAS A TEXAN AND A TEXAN THAT GAVE LIFE AND BIRTH TO THIS FEDERAL HOLIDAY.
IT IS NO LONGER JUST JUNETEENTH CELEBRATED IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, EVEN THOUGH IT HAS BEEN HONORED IN MANY OTHER STATES, BUT NOT OFFICIALLY.
IT IS NOW IN A FEDERAL HOLIDAY THAT MAKES A GREAT AND GRAND DIFFERENCE.
SCHOOLS AROUND CHILDREN CAN BE TAUGHT THE TRUTH, AND MAYBE PEOPLE CAN LEARN THAT THE DIFFERENT FACIAL AND HAIR DESIGNS OF THOSE OF US WHO ARE DIFFERENT IS AS BEAUTIFUL AS ANYONE ELSE.
I SAY THAT TO THE HOUSTON PUBLIC, THAT TAKES UP TO SOCIAL MEDIA AND ATTACKS PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, WHETHER YOU'RE A MUSLIM FROM A DIFFERENT PART OF THE WORLD, UH, LATINO, ANGLO, AFRICAN AMERICAN, AND BEYOND.
I REALLY HOPE THAT THIS HOLIDAY IS A HUMAN HOLIDAY THAT BRINGS MANY DIFFERENT GROUPS TOGETHER.
BUT THE ONE THING THAT SHOULD BE NOTED IS THAT THE FEDERAL HOLIDAY WAS BORN IN TEXAS, GIVEN BIRTH IN TEXAS, BY LEGISLATORS IN TEXAS, LISTENING TO TEXANS, INCLUDING THE BEAUTIFUL AND WONDERFUL OPAL LEE THAT I PAY TRIBUTE TO, BUT NO OTHERS GAVE BIRTH.
THEY FOLLOWED, BUT THEY DID NOT.
SO I HOPE AS WE CELEBRATE AND AS THIS PROGRAM MATURES, UH, THAT THEY WILL BE A MOMENT OF GREAT HUMBLENESS AND HONOR TO WHAT JUNETEENTH IS ABOUT.
AND THAT IS THE YEARS OF SLAVERY THAT SO MANY OF US ENDURED THROUGH OUR HERITAGE.
AND THAT NOW THAT THAT IS BEHIND US, THE STORY SHOULD NEVER BE BEHIND US.
THE STORY SHOULD ALWAYS BE WELCOMED AND EMBRACED, AND IT SHOULD BE A STORY THAT WE CAN CELEBRATE TO GATHER TOGETHER AS FELLOW
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HUMAN BEINGS.HOUSTONIANS AND TEXANS, AGAIN, UH, LET ME THANK THE EMANCIPATION CONSERVATORY.
ALL OF THE OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT HAVE BEEN PART OF IT, CERTAINLY THE HISTORIC JACKIE BOSTIC GRANDDAUGHTER OF JACK YATES, THE DAUGHTER OF MY FAVORITE BELOVED MRS. WHITING, AND OF COURSE, OUR MAYOR, WHO HAS STOOD UP TO RECOGNIZE THE RICHNESS OF OUR DIVERSITY AND HAS BEEN A REAL LEADER AROUND THE NATION FOR LEADING US TO COME TOGETHER AND TO CELEBRATE OUR RESPECTIVE AND WONDERFUL CULTURES.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE KINDERS WHO SEE NO BARRIERS TO INVESTING IN COMMUNITIES AND MAKING A VERY SPECIAL DIFFERENCE FOR ALL OF US TO COME TOGETHER.
150 YEARS FOR EMANCIPATION PARK, 157 YEARS SINCE 1865, AND THE SLAVES OF TEXAS WERE FREED.
THIS CALLS FOR A WONDERFUL CELEBRATION, BUT IT ALSO CALLS FOR THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF OUR SPECIAL HISTORY AND AS WELL THAT THAT HISTORY BE CHERISHED FOR.
IF YOU DO NOT CHERISH AND REMEMBER YOUR HISTORY, WE OFTEN DOOMED TO REPEAT IT, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, YOUR HISTORY BECOMES LOST.
GOD BLESS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, AND GOD BLESS THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE'RE GIVEN BY THE WONDERFUL AND PATRIOTIC VARIOUS MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE CELEBRATE WITH.
LET ME THANK CONGRESSWOMAN, UH, SHEILA JACKSON LEE FOR HER REMARKS, AND CERTAINLY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE HER AND SENATOR CORNY FOR WHAT THEY HAVE DONE, UH, ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
AND AS SHE WAS SPEAKING, AGAIN, I KEPT THINKING ABOUT, UH, STATE REPRESENTATIVE AL LEVELS, STATE REPRESENTATIVE AL LEVELS.
I SERVED IN THE LEGISLATURE WITH HIM AND KNOW HOW, WHAT HE WILL BE SAYING ON THIS DAY.
AND AS WE THINK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN ON JUNE, UH, 18TH AND 19TH, IN FACT, THAT WHOLE WEEK LEADING UP TO THAT, UH, THIS WOULD BE A TESTAMENT TO HOW FAR WE HAVE COME.
UH, MS. BOSTIC, I CAN ONLY THINK ABOUT WHAT REVEREND JACK YATES WOULD BE THINKING IF HE WAS ALIVE TODAY.
NOT ONLY IS IT HERE, IT IS FLOURISHING.
EVERYONE THAT'S GONNA MAKE, UH, THIS EVENT, UH, UH, IN JUNE HAPPENED ON THE SCALE THAT IT IS HAPPENING.
YOU EITHER GO BIG OR YOU GO HOME, BUT YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING HALFWAY.
AND SO THIS PARK IS GONNA BE FULL WITH PEOPLE.
THE ENTIRE CITY IS INVITED BECAUSE THIS IS A, IT IS A TESTAMENT THAT, UH, IN THE MOST DIVERSE CITY IN THE COUNTRY, WE CAN ALL COME AND CELEBRATE BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY IS HOUSTON HISTORY, TEXAS HISTORY, AND THE HISTORY OF THIS GREAT COUNTRY.
HAVING SAID ALL OF THAT, YOU'VE HEARD A GREAT DEAL.
UH, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE, BEFORE WE END IT? AND WE HAVE THE MIC HERE.
IF YOU GUYS WANNA STEP UP TO THE MIC AND ASK QUESTIONS, OR WE CAN ALSO BRING IT TO YOU THEN LET ME, THEN LET ME INVITE YOU TO TALK WITH PEOPLE INDIVIDUALLY.
UH, THEY WILL BE HERE, BUT ON THIS BEAUTIFUL DAY, AND I'M HOPING AND PRAYING THAT THE WEATHER WILL BE JUST AS BEAUTIFUL, UH, ON JUNE ON JUNETEENTH AND THAT WEEK OF JUNETEENTH.
THANK YOU ALSO VERY, VERY MUCH.
AGAIN, LET GIVE A THANKS TO THE KINDERS AGAIN.
I KNOW THEY DON'T LIKE IT, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, DISCOVERY GREEN MEMORIAL EMANCIPATION PARK.
LEMME THANK THE CONSERVANCY FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP.
LEMME THANK PARKS AND REC DIRECTOR KENNY ALLEN.
LEMME THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR MAKING IT HAPPEN.
SPECIAL EVENTS WILL BE OUT HERE IN FULL FORCE, AND WE INVITING THE ENTIRE CITY TO COME AND JOIN WITH US ON THOSE WEEKEND CELEBRATIONS.
HELLO? YEAH, LEMME LEMME SO COME.
SO TO BE VERY, VERY CLEAR, YOU KNOW, YOU GOTTA REGISTER TO COME THOUGH.
YEAH, LEMME MAKE THAT, MAKE SURE THAT YOU GOTTA REGISTER.
SO YOU GOTTA HAVE, IT IS FREE, BUT YOU GOTTA HAVE A TICKET, YOU KNOW, SO YOU GOTTA REGISTER, UH, UH, TO, TO, TO, TO COME.
SO LET ME, LET ME UNDERSCORE, UNDERSCORE THAT IT IS FREE, BUT YOU STILL MUST REGISTER.