[Conversation with Floyd Statue Unveiling]
[00:00:16]
IT IS GREAT THAT WE HAVE GATHERED HERE TODAY FOR THIS AUSPICIOUS OCCASION, AND, UH, I AM HONORED, UH, TO HAVE BEEN ASKED TO PROVIDE THE OPENING PRAYER, UH, AND THEN TO PRESENT, UH, THE PERSON WHO'S GOING TO BE GIVING US GUIDANCE THROUGH THIS PROGRAM TODAY.
UH, SO LET'S OPEN WITH A WORD OF INVOCATION, AND THAT WORD INVOKE MEANS TO INVITE WITH PASSION.
UH, IT MEANS A SINCERE INVITATION TO INVOKE THE PRESENCE OF GOD, WHICH MEANS THAT WE DON'T WANT TO BEGIN THIS WITHOUT THE INVISIBLE PRESENCE OF THE PROMINENCE OF HIS PRESENCE, BECAUSE IT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE, RIGHT? LET'S JUST BOW OUR HEADS WHERE WE ARE HEAVEN.
FATHER, WE ARE GRATEFUL TODAY TO BE HERE.
THE FACT THAT WE ARE LIVING IN THIS PLACE AT SUCH A TIME AS THIS.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR PROVIDENTIAL PURPOSE, BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER.
EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE EXPERIENCED TRAGEDY IN OUR COMMUNITY, IN OUR NATION, WE DO RECOGNIZE YOUR GOODNESS AND YOUR GRACE.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENCE OF MEMBERS OF THE FLOYD FAMILY, THE GEORGE FLOYD FAMILY WHO GRACED US AGAIN WITH THEIR PRESENCE AS THEY CONTINUE WHAT'S BEEN NOW A YEAR LONG JOURNEY, SEEKING TO HELP AMERICA TO RIGHT THE WRONG OF INJUSTICE, TO RECOGNIZE ALL OF HER CHILDREN EQUALLY AND WITH EQUITY.
THANK YOU FOR THE VIGOR OF THEIR VOICES THAT HAVE HELPED TO CHANGE POLICIES AND LAWS ACROSS THIS STATE AND NATION.
THANK YOU FOR POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND CITIZENS WORKING TOGETHER THAT HAVE NEVER WORKED TOGETHER BEFORE.
THANK YOU FOR OUR MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL WHO QUICKLY RESORTED TO MAKING CHANGES IN OUR CITY TO HELP TO FACILITATE A SYSTEM OF LAW THAT RESPECTS ALL PEOPLE.
WE'RE GRATEFUL TODAY FOR THE COUNTY, HARRIS COUNTY BY HARRIS COUNTY JUDGE AND COMMISSIONER ELLIS AND ALL THE COMMISSIONERS WHO EMBRACE CHANGE IN OUR COUNTY.
WE'RE GRATEFUL THAT MEN AND WOMEN, EVEN BOYS AND GIRLS, HAVE COME TOGETHER AS A RESULT OF THIS TRAGEDY TO MOVE DEMOCRACY FORWARD.
AND SO TODAY WE COME BECAUSE THIS STATUE HAS BEEN DESIGNED AND DEVELOPED TO SERVE AS A MEMORIAL OF WHAT IT MEANS TO HONOR EVERY AMERICAN SON AND DAUGHTER, REGARDLESS OF THE COLOR OF HIS OR HER SKIN, GRATEFUL FOR THE VISIONARIES AND THE LUMINARIES WHO HAD EVERYTHING TO DO WITH IT.
SO WE ASK YOU TODAY TO BLESS THIS ASSEMBLY.
MAY IT MEAN MORE TO US THAN THE UNVEILING OF A STATUE, BUT MAY IT MEAN TO US THE UPLIFTING OF A STANDARD THAT EACH OF US WOULD EMBRACE, THAT WE ARE ONE FAMILY WITH ONE FUTURE, MADE THOSE WHO SEE IT ON THESE GROUNDS BE EVER MORE INSPIRED TO LIVE UP TO THE TRUE MEANING OF OUR NATION'S.
BLESS US TODAY WITH YOUR HONORABLE, PROMINENT PRESENCE IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD TO CHRIST.
I I WANT TO, AND IT GIVES ME THE PRIVILEGE.
I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS GONNA HAVE THIS RESPONSIBILITY.
UH, WHEN YOU ARE A SPEAKER, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE DON'T RECOGNIZE IS SOMETIMES IT'S MORE HONORING TO INTRODUCE A SPEAKER.
SHERIFF FAGAN, UH, YOU KNOW, JOHN DE BAPTIST INTRODUCED JESUS, WHAT AN ASSIGNMENT.
AND TODAY I AM HONORED TO HUMBLY INTRODUCE TO US THE PRESIDER OF TODAY'S PROGRAM WHO NEEDS NO FORMAL INTRODUCTION, BUT HE WHO DOESN'T NEED ONE DESERVES ONE.
I THINK SOMETIMES WE WORK HARDER TO DENIGRATE PEOPLE THAN WE DO TO CELEBRATE PEOPLE.
UH, YOU UNDERSTAND? HEY, Y'ALL SUPPOSED TO BE SAYING AMEN.
[00:05:01]
PREACHER.AND I'M SAYING TO US, WHEN PEOPLE DO THINGS FOR OTHERS AROUND US, LET'S LIFT THEM UP.
I WANT TODAY TO HONOR THE PRESENCE AND THE, THE LEADERSHIP OF COMMISSIONER RODNEY ELLIS.
THIS MAN, FIRST OF ALL, HIS COMPETENCE IS ABSOLUTELY UNPARALLELED.
UH, RODNEY ELLIS IS A SCHOLAR.
HE LEARNS, HE LISTENS, HE READS, HE WAKES UP AT THREE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING READING BOOKS AND THEN TEXTS ME TO BUY THE BOOK AT 3 0 2.
HE'S CONSTANTLY ENGAGED IN LEARNING.
I THANK GOD FOR HIS COMPETENCE AND MIND.
BUT NOT ONLY IS HE COMPETENT, BUT HE IS ALSO COURAGEOUS.
THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE COURAGEOUS, BUT THEY'RE NOT COMPETENT.
AND THEN THERE ARE OTHERS, JEFF BONY, WHO ARE COMPETENT, BUT THEY'RE COWARDS.
BUT WHEN YOU CAN MARRY COMPETENCE AND COURAGE, THAT ELEVATES YOUR CAPACITY FOR MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
AND HE'S SITTING AMONGST THOSE WHO ARE COMPETENT, COURAGEOUS, AND ALSO COMPASSIONATE, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE, THEY ARE COMPETENT, SAYS THAT THEY ARE COURAGEOUS.
THEY GOT THAT, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE COMPASSION, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY DON'T HAVE EMPATHY FOR THE LEAST OF THESE.
BUT WHEN YOU'RE RAISED IN SUNNY SIDE AND YOUR DADDY WAS A, A YARD MAN, AND YOUR MAMA WORKED FOR SOMEBODY ELSE, NOW YOU UNDERSTAND THAT NO MATTER HOW COMPETENT, COURAGEOUS YOU ARE, AT SOME POINT YOU GOTTA HAVE COMPASSION.
WOULD YOU CELEBRATE WITH ME OUR COMMISSIONER FROM PRECINCT ONE COMMISSIONER RODNEY ELLIS.
THANK YOU, UH, BISHOP, WHO'S WHO YOU TALKING ABOUT, WHO'S COMING UP HERE TO SPEAK.
NOW, BISHOP IS THE HEAD OF THE AACP.
UH, HE'S A GREAT COMMUNITY LEADER AND HE'S ALSO MY PASTOR.
AND PART OF WHAT A PASTOR HAS TO DO, JUDGE ADALGO, IS FORGIVE US.
SO I WANT TO GIVE YOU MY INITIAL REACTION BEFORE I GO INTO MY PREPARED COMMENTS.
I AM P****D OFF TO IMAGINE THAT 19 CHILDREN WOULD BE KILLED AND TWO ADULTS AND PASTOR, THE BEST THING PEOPLE WHO RUN THIS STATE CAN DO IS OFF OF THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS.
THEY OUGHT TO KEEP THEIR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS AND PRAY THAT THEY'LL BE FORGIVEN FOR HAVING THE POWER TO DO SOMETHING AND NOT DOING, PARDON ME, PASTOR.
SO I'M SO GLAD EVERYBODY'S HERE, MAYOR, I WAS, I WAS KILLING.
I CHANGED THE PROGRAM 'CAUSE I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I GOT MY MAYOR HERE 'CAUSE I CALLED HIM ON WHEN WE WOULD HAVE THIS EVENT.
AND HE WANTED TO, HE AND THE, THE PERSON WHO CAME UP WITH THE IDEA WANTED TO STICK WITH THIS DATE, THE SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF GEORGE FLOYD'S KILLING.
AND SO WE DECIDED WE'D STICK WITH IT.
THANK THE LORD FOR GETTING RID OF THE RAIN.
IT MAY BE A LITTLE WET, BUT THANK THE LORD FOR GETTING READY OF THE RAIN.
LOOK, I'M GLAD LAW ENFORCEMENT IS HERE.
JUDGE O DOGGO MENTIONED TO ME WAS IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THEM HERE.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT SHOOTING ON YESTERDAY, THERE'S NOT A LOT ON THE COUNTY LEVEL IN PARTICULAR, WE CAN DO, MAYOR, I ALWAYS FOUGHT GIVEN ALL 254 COUNTIES ART THAT'S MAKING POWER WHEN, WHEN I WAS IN THE LEGISLATURE, BECAUSE SOME OF THOSE YAHOOS SHOULDN'T EVEN HAVE OFFICE.
AND THEN YOU GONNA GIVE UP ART THAT MAKING POWER LIKE HOME ROUTE CITIES DO.
NOW, AS I LOOK BACK ON IT, BECAUSE JUDGE, THAT ONLY A LIMITED ARRAY OF THINGS THAT WE CAN DO ON THE COUNTY LEVEL.
BUT I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS SINCE IT HAPPENED.
WHAT WE CAN DO IF WE CAN'T GET THE ARMS OUT OF PEOPLE WHO SHOULDN'T HAVE 'EM, WHAT'S BIDEN'S LYING ARM? THE POLICE ARM THE POLICE, I'M FOR THAT.
WHAT WE CAN DO IS HELP ARM YOU WITH THE RIGHT TO VOTE.
[00:10:01]
WE CAN DO, BUT I'M GONNA ADVOCATE THAT WHATEVER THE LAW PERMITS, NO MATTER HOW MANY HURDLES THEY PUT IN PLACE TO MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO VOTE AGAINST ME, AGAINST JUDGE ALGO OR ANY OF THE PEOPLE UP HERE, WE WANT YOU TO HAVE EASY ACCESS WITH UNDER THE LAW, ON WHAT YOU CAN DO.AND I'M COMMITTED IN HONOR OF THOSE CHILDREN WHO WILL S SLAIN IN THOSE TWO ADULTS.
EVERYTHING THE LAW WILL PERMIT.
I'M GONNA TAKE YOUR TAX DOLLARS AND GET AROUND AS MUCH OF THE VOTER SUPPRESSION STUFF AS WE CAN LEGALLY BY PAYING TO HELP YOU HAVE AS EASY ACCESS TO THAT BALLOT AS WE CAN.
BUT LOOK, WE HERE TODAY TO HONOR GEORGE FLOYD.
ON THE SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF HIS KILLING.
GEORGE FLOYD'S MURDER UNLEASHED A TORRENT OF REACTION, NOT JUST HERE, BUT ALL AROUND THE GLOBE.
THE FAMILY MEMBERS LOST A BELOVED FAMILY MEMBER.
HOUSTON, WE LOST ONE OF OUR OWN.
LOOK, I'VE SEEN A LOT OF THESE CASES FROM WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS TO DEATHS.
I'VE SEEN A LOT OF THE WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS CLOSE UP WHEN I CHAIRED THE BOARD OF THE INNOCENCE PROJECT UNION.
AND I'M ALWAYS AMAZED AT HOW EVERYBODY WOULD DO THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS AND FEEL BAD.
AND THEN AFTER A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME, WE GO TO THE NEXT TRAGEDY AND WE HAVE ANOTHER NEWS CYCLE.
IT'S AMAZING TO SUSTAIN ATTENTION TO EQUITY ISSUES THAT CAME AFTER MR. FLOYD WAS MURDERED AND NOT JUST HERE ALL AROUND THE GLOBE.
UH, AND THAT'S WHY ON THIS OCCASION, IT IS SO IMPORTANT ON OUR LEVEL, CITY AND COUNTY, WE DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO TRY AND DEAL WITH INSTANCES OF POLICE MISCONDUCT AND DEAL WITH ISSUES THAT LEAD TO OVER INCARCERATION.
BUT IT IS NOT JUST A MATTER OF FUNDING THE TRADITIONAL WAYS THAT YOU DEAL WITH CRIMINAL JUSTICE ISSUES.
YES, YOU HAVE TO FUND THE POLICE, WHICH IS WHY ON THE CITY LEVEL AND THE COUNTY LEVEL MAYOR, IT'S AT LEAST HALF OF OUR BUDGETS GOES INTO TRADITIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THEY DO A GREAT JOB.
PLEASE GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR WHAT THEY DO.
BUT IF IT'S JUST A MATTER OF FUNDING WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IN OUR REGION AND AROUND THIS COUNTRY FOR A COUPLE HUNDRED YEARS, I THINK WE'D HAVE SOLVED ANY UPTICK IN CRIME BY NOW.
WE'VE HAD 'EM BEFORE ON THE COUNTY LEVEL AND THE CITY LEVEL.
WE ALSO DOING ALTERNATIVE THINGS.
WE'RE TAKING A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO IT.
MAYBE ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO DEAL WITH VIOLENCE IS TO GIVE PEOPLE AN ALTERNATIVE TO VIOLENCE.
YOU WANNA STOP SHOOTINGS, GET THE GUNS OUTTA THE HANDS OF PEOPLE WHO OH, SHOULD NOT HAVE THE GUNS.
HOW ABOUT ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO DEAL WITH INEQUALITY IS GIVE PEOPLE AN EQUAL CHANCE TO GET A JOB, GIVE 'EM TRAINING, GIVE 'EM A SECOND CHANCE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM AND OUTSIDE THIS ROOM DID A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS THAT IF SOMEBODY HAD KNOWN ABOUT IT, THEY WOULD'VE NEEDED A COUPLE EXTRA CHANCES.
SO WE GOTTA INVEST IN THOSE PROGRAMS. WHY DO WE CALL ON LAW ENFORCEMENT TO DO EVERYTHING? WHATEVER GOES WRONG IN YOUR LIFE, WHO DO YOU CALL? JESUS? ALLAH.
BUT AFTER YOU DO THAT, AFTER YOU CALL ON WHATEVER YOUR FAITH TELLS YOU TO DO, YOU CALL THE POLICE FOR EVERYTHING.
SOMETIMES MAYBE YOU OUGHT TO CALL A MENTAL HEALTH EXPERT.
NOW IT'S DIFFERENT THAN SOMEBODY HAVING A BAD DAY AND HAVING A SEMI-AUTOMATIC WEAPON.
BUT SO WE ARE PUTTING TOGETHER A SYSTEM.
SO WHEN YOU CALL 9 1 1, IF IT'S A NINE, A 9 1 1 ISSUE, CHIEF AND THE SHERIFF SUPPORT IT.
THEY WILL ROUTE YOUR CALL TO WHAT YOU NEED.
SO WE HAVE TAKEN A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO WHAT WE DO TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES SAFER.
I THINK WE CAN BE FAIR AND WE CAN ALSO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES.
SO LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT WHERE YOU ARE TODAY.
I'M AT THAT AGE WHERE YOU CAN REFLECT.
[00:15:01]
TOM BASS WAS A TEXAS LEGISLATOR, RAN AS A REFORM MEMBER.HE BECAME A COUNTY COMMISSIONER AS A COVETED JOB.
THEN WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, EVEN MORE SO THAN IT IS NOW, HE DECIDED HE'D RUN FOR CONGRESS.
HE DIDN'T KNOW YOU HAD TO RESIGN THE RUN.
SO HE AUTOMATICALLY HAD TO GIVE UP HIS OFFICE BECAUSE HE FILED FOR CONGRESS.
IT WAS ALSO A GUY YOU GO HEAR FROM LATER WHO BENEFITED FROM THE FACT THAT PEOPLE LIKED HIM SO MUCH.
THEY LIKED THAT COUNTY COMMISSIONER TOM BASS SO MUCH WHEN HE LOST THE CONGRESSIONAL RACE.
THEY REAPPOINTED HIM TO COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
HE BELIEVED SO MUCH IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUES THAT HE FOUGHT FOR THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE.
HE GAVE UP A SEAT AS A HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER PRECINCT ONE.
HE HELPED DRAW THE LINES IN REDISTRICTING SO THAT AN AFRICAN AMERICAN COULD WIN.
HE DID NOT ENDORSE IN THE RACE.
EL FRANCO LEE BECAME THAT COUNTY COMMISSIONER TOM BASS WENT ON TO BE A SUCCESSFUL, UH, PROFESSOR AT ST.
WE, IN HIS PART, WE'RE GONNA DO SOMETHING TO HONOR HIM HERE, TO PUT MORE OF HIS STORY UP, UH, AROUND THIS BUILDING.
SO YOU REMEMBER TOM BASS RIGHT ACROSS THE WAY.
THERE'S A BEAUTIFUL JOHN BIGGERS COMPARABLE TO THIS ONE.
THIS IS ONE OF JOHN BIGGERS MOST SPECTACULAR MURALS THAT TOM BASS COMMISSIONED OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
I DON'T WANNA LOOK AT MY NOTES.
THE ONE ACROSS THE WAY THIS WAS OUTDOORS INITIALLY FRONT OF THE BUILDING WAS ON THAT SIDE.
SO YOU COME IN THIS WAY NOW TO PROTECT THIS PRICELESS MURAL.
THAT ONE, THERE'S ONE OF CHRISTIANITY THERE ACROSS THE WAY.
UH, THE JUDGE AND I, UH, I DON'T THINK I'VE SAID ANYTHING TO THE OTHER ONE.
BUT WE GONNA MOVE IT TO DOWNTOWN BECAUSE IT'S OUTDOORS.
I THINK COMMISSIONER LEE MIGHT HAVE COMMISSIONED IT FOR ABOUT 60, $70,000.
IT'S WORTH AT LEAST A MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS.
AND IT'S BEEN ABANDONED FOR MAYBE 15 YEARS.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE IT DOWNTOWN IN WHAT WOULD BECOME THE REMEMBRANCE PART.
CHRIS ADAIR WAS A SUFFRAGETTE.
ONE OF THE MOST NOTABLE BLACK ONES WAS SECRETARY OF THE NAACP.
SHE FOUGHT FOR WOMEN TO GET THE RIGHT TO VOTE.
AND IT DIDN'T APPLY TO BLACK WOMEN.
SHE WAS ALIVE WHEN I WAS ELECTED TO PUBLIC OFFICE.
I'VE NOT BEEN IN THAT LONG, BUT SHE WAS THERE.
UH, WE, UH, ALSO HAVE A, WHAT USED TO BE A DETENTION POND.
IT'LL BE THE WILLIAM LAWSON REFLECTION POND ACROSS THE WAY.
THE LAKE CHURCH DOESN'T KNOW IT YET, BUT I'M GONNA ASK THEM TO PAY FOR THAT ART PIECE.
BUT, UH, ART HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN IMPORTANT SYMBOL.
USUALLY PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY HAVE USED IT FOR BAD CHANGE.
THE NARRATIVE ABOUT THE CIVIL WAR, YOU GOT ME.
I SPENT A GOOD BIT OF TIME WITH THE MAYOR AND OTHERS TRYING TO TEAR DOWN CONFEDERATE MONUMENTS.
WE PUT A FEW UP MAYOR, A SPECTACULAR AFRICAN AMERICAN MONUMENT ON THE CAPITOL GROUNDS, ALSO THE TEJANO MONUMENT.
I PUT THE BILL THAT IS JUST DO A BLACK ONE.
ONE OF THE HISPANIC SENATORS, WHEN I GOT UP ON THE FLOOR, I SAID, HEY RODNEY, WHAT ABOUT US, BRO? I SAID, WELL, YOU JUST SAID SOMETHING.
OUR HISPANIC COLLEAGUES RAISED THAT MONEY FIRST.
BEAUTIFUL HANNO MONUMENT ON THE CAPITOL GROUNDS.
WE GOT THAT AFRICAN AMERICAN ONE THERE.
MY POINT IS, ART IS AN IMPORTANT TOOL TO INSPIRE US FOR WHAT WE WANT TO BE AND TO HELP US TOLERATE WHERE WE ARE.
SO THAT'S WHY THIS STATUTE IS SO IMPORTANT.
UH, IF I MIGHT, I WANT TO CHANGE THE PROGRAM, UH, A BIT.
UH, AND I WANNA LET THE CONGRESSMAN WHO REPRESENTS THIS AREA, UH, SAY A FEW WORDS AND THEN I'M GONNA BRING UP MY COUNTY JUDGE, UH, BECAUSE THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT A PARTISAN EVENT, BUT I'M FOR HER.
AND I NEED HER TO GO TO TWO OR THREE MORE EVENTS TONIGHT.
'CAUSE I BLED, I PLAN ON CONTINUING TO BE FOR HER.
UH, SO IF, UH, CONGRESSMAN GREEN'S RIGHT HAND IS HERE.
UH, AND I'M TOLD YOU GOT SOMETHING, HE'S DOING AN INTERVIEW RIGHT NOW.
WELL, ON THAT NOTE, LET ME BRING UP THE DRAGON SLAYER.
[00:20:01]
TO UNMITIGATED GALL AT 27 WISE YEARS OF AGE TO RUN FOR THE TOP ELECTED OFFICIAL IN HARRIS COUNTY.IT IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE POSITION AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT TO JUST, WHAT WILL SHE DO? LEMME TELL YOU, I'VE WATCHED HER UNDER STRESS.
I'VE WATCHED IN THE MIDST OF CONTROVERSY.
I'VE WATCHED HER WHEN THE ODDS ARE AGAINST HER.
SHE IS EVERYTHING THAT I HOPE ANYBODY IN PUBLIC OFFICE WILL BE.
WOULD YOU PLEASE WELCOME THE COUNTY JUDGE IN THE THIRD LARGEST COUNTY IN AMERICA, JUDGE LE ALGA.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER.
I'M A LITTLE SHORTER THAN YOU ARE.
AND MAYOR, CHIEF BISHOP, EVERYONE WHO'S HERE, I'VE JUST SUCH A, A PLEASURE TO SHARE, SHARE THIS TIME WITH MY COLLEAGUES, UH, CONGRESSWOMAN SHERIFF, I KNOW I SEE SEVERAL REPRESENTATIVES, UM, HERE.
THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH AND AND CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEW, NEW REPRESENTATIVE JONES, UM, IN PARTICULAR.
SO, UH, YEAH, I SAW SOME FOLKS GIVING A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
SO CONGRAT, CONGRATULATIONS TO, TO THE FAMILY OF MR. FLOYD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COURT, YOUR COURAGE.
I WILL NEVER STOP BEING PROUD OF GEORGE FLOYD BEING FROM HARRIS COUNTY.
I, WE WILL NEVER STOP BEING PROUD OF THAT.
AND WE ARE SO PROUD TO SEE YOU GUYS, GUYS OUT THERE ADVOCATING, AND OF COURSE OUR ARTIST.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE WORK AND YOUR FAMILY, UH, AS WELL.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR JOINING US HERE.
LOOK, I KNOW WITH THE EVENTS OF YESTERDAY, CERTAINLY THE PAST TWO YEARS, ALL OF OUR INCREDIBLE COMMUNITY LEADERS, YOU'RE NOTHING IF NOT RESILIENT.
AND WE'VE HAD A TOUGH COUPLE YEARS.
WE'VE HAD A TOUGH COUPLE OF DAYS, AND IT'S EASY TO FEEL DISCOURAGED.
BUT WE'RE HERE AS THIS FAMILY HAS DONE TO LOOK TO THE FUTURE, TO LOOK TO THE FUTURE.
AND I WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'VE DONE IN HARRIS COUNTY, WHAT WE'VE DONE IN HOUSTON, I'M SURE THE MAYOR WILL COVER THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT HE HAS DONE IN THIS CONTEXT.
IT'S NOT TO BRAG, NOT THAT WE'RE NOT PROUD OF IT, IT'S TO SHOW THAT THAT CONTINUED ADVOCACY BRINGS RESULTS.
NO MATTER HOW TOUGH THINGS ARE, YOU GUYS HAVE LED TO CHANGE ALREADY.
YOU GUYS HAVE LED TO CHANGE ALREADY IN THE THIRD LARGEST COUNTY, IN THE FOURTH LARGEST CITY IN THIS INCREDIBLE NATION.
WE HAVE SEVERAL PROGRAMS. WE'VE CHANGED OUR USER FO UH, FORCE POLICIES, THE RELEASE, PUBLIC RELEASE OF BODY CAM AND OTHER DATA.
WE HAVE GUN VIOLENCE INTERRUPTION PROGRAMS. AND THESE ARE SIGNIFICANT PROGRAMS. THESE ARE NOT SMALL PILOT PROJECTS, MENTAL HEALTH RESPONDERS AS HE MENTIONED, SO THAT WHEN THERE'S A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS THAT CAN BE DEALT WITH, WE WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH RESPONDERS, THAT'S WHAT WE DO.
WE HAVE PROGRAMS TO STOP KIDS WHO ARE ON THE VERGE OF GETTING INVOLVED WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM FROM ENDING UP IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN THE FIRST PLACE, RATHER THAN LOCKING THEM UP AND THROWING AWAY THE KEY.
WE HAVE MISDEMEANOR BAIL REFORM.
SO IF YOU'RE FIRST TIME LOW LEVEL OFFENDER, YOU'RE NOT IN JAIL JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE $500 BOND.
WE'VE WORKED ON QUALITY OF LIFE, REDUCING HOMELESSNESS, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, FIGHTING BLIGHT, TRANSPORTATION, EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.
ALL OF THAT IS TO GIVE PEOPLE MORE OPPORTUNITY.
AND ALL OF THAT IS A RENEWED COMMITMENT TO YOU GUYS.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO CALL OUT.
WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A CRIME WAVE.
AND IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT TIME, WE'VE SEEN THE WAVERING A BIT IN THE PUBLIC NARRATIVE, IN THE COMMITMENT TO REFORM.
WE'VE SEEN A LITTLE BIT OF WAVERING WHEN IT COMES TO FOCUSING ON GOOD COMMUNITY POLICE RELATIONS WHEN IT COMES TO CIVIL RIGHTS, CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM.
BUT THAT IS WHEN THE HARD WORK IS DONE.
WE CAN'T JUST PANDER TO THIS IDEA OF MASS INCARCERATION.
WE KNOW WHERE THAT BROUGHT US THE FIRST TIME.
AND AS EASY AS IT WOULD BE FOR ALL OF US TO JUST PANDER AND APPEAL TO PEOPLE'S WORST INSTINCTS AND SCARE PEOPLE ABOUT THIS CRIME WAVE WE'VE COMMITTED AN, I'M COMMITTED
[00:25:01]
TO TELL THINGS LIKE THEY ARE TO SAY, WE NEED TO BE TOUGH AND WE NEED TO BE SMART.WE NEED TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES IN A MULTIFACETED WAY.
NOT JUST BECAUSE IT'S THE SMART WAY TO DO IT.
NOT JUST BECAUSE IT'S SOUNDS GOOD.
AND YOU HAVE MY COMMITMENT TO DOING JUST THAT.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT COMMITMENT BEING STRAIGHTFORWARD WITH THE COMMUNITY, NOT PANDERING TO MASS INCARCERATION 2.0, THAT THAT CAN WIN.
BUT WHAT I CARE ABOUT MOST IS GOOD POLICY.
AND WHAT I CARE ABOUT MOST IS WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS COMMUNITY KEEPS MOVING FORWARD INSTEAD OF BACKWARD.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M GONNA CONTINUE TO DO.
AND I'M SO, SO GRATEFUL TO YOU ALL.
AND SO AS WE UNVEIL I'M, I'M BE EAGER TO SEE THIS WONDERFUL SCULPTURE, BUT I KNOW IT IS A CONVERSATION.
IT'LL BE A CONVERSATION NOT JUST TO REMEMBER MR. FLOYD'S LEGACY, BUT SO MANY NAMES THAT ARE VICTIMS OF RACISM, THAT ARE VICTIMS OF A VERY BROKEN SYSTEM THAT'S NOT GONNA FIX ITSELF.
AND ALSO A REMINDER THAT EVEN IN TIMES WHEN IT'S EASY TO PANDER, EVEN IN AN ELECTION YEAR, EVEN IN A CRIME WAVE, THAT'S WHEN THE HARD WORK HAPPENS.
AND WE NEED TO HAVE THOSE REAL CONVERSATIONS ON THE POINT.
COMMISSIONER ELLIS OF THE TRAGEDY JUST YESTERDAY, THAT'S AN EASY CONVERSATION TO HAVE FOLKS, THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS AGREE WITH BASIC COMMON SENSE GUN SAFETY POLICIES.
THAT IS AN EASY CONVERSATION TO HAVE IN THE MIDDLE OF A CRIME WAVE WHEN GUN VIOLENCE HAS GONE UP DRAMATICALLY.
IT WOULD BE EASY TO SAY, LET'S ENACT COMMON SENSE PROTECTIONS AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE.
AND SO LET'S HARNESS THIS MOMENT TO REMIND EVERYBODY ON ANY SIDE OF THE SPECTRUM THAT NOW IS THE TIME FOR ACTION.
AND ON THAT ONE, THERE IS NO EXCUSE.
SO THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING ME, COMMISSIONER.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE INCREDIBLE LEADERS HERE TODAY, TO THE ARTIST, TO THE FAMILY, AND TO ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES.
THIS COMMUNITY IS SO WORTH FIGHTING FOR.
I, I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T, UH, THANK MY STAFF.
THEY, THEY REALLY DO HAVE A TOUGH JOB.
YOU KNOW, I I HAVE A, LIKE A LOT OF IDEAS, MAYOR, YOU HEARD THAT BEFORE.
I GOT A LOT OF BRIGHT IDEAS AND THEY HAVE TO BRING THEM TO, UH, FRUITION.
UH, SO ALL OUR STAFF, ERICA, WHO'S OUR LEAD ON THIS EVENT, YOU OR JAMAL, WHO WAS IT? ERICA LEE CARTER WAS THE LEAD ON THIS EVENT.
GIVE ERICA A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
BRANDON KEPT TEXTING ME, WHERE YOU, MY WHOLE STAFF, EVERYBODY'S BACK HERE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU DO.
WE'RE GONNA CHANGE YOUR PROGRAM A LITTLE BIT.
THE WHITE HOUSE, THAT WAS A GREAT EVENT TODAY.
YOU KNOW, I, I CALLED BEN CRUMP AND MENTIONED WE WERE GONNA HAVE THIS AND WE WERE TRYING TO GET IT TOGETHER TO HAVE IT ON THE ANNIVERSARY.
AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW, THAT'S PERFECT.
UH, COULD YOU MOVE IT? I SAID, WELL, I THINK I KIND OF COMMITTED IT TO A FEW PEOPLE.
AND I, YOU KNOW, WE KIND OF STICKING WITH IT.
HE SAID, WELL, LOOK, THE WHITE HOUSE IS THINKING ABOUT HAVING SOMETHING, AND WE'LL INVITE SOME OF THE FLOYD FAMILY MEMBERS THERE.
I'M WILLING TO BET THAT, UH, CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA, I SAW CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE THERE.
BUT LOOK, I WANT TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE FLOYD FAMILY WHO ARE HERE.
WE APPRECIATE THE DIGNITY, UH, IN WHICH YOU HAVE GONE THROUGH THIS.
JUST SO YOU KNOW, WE INVITED THE PUBLIC, BUT THAT'S FOR SEVEN O'CLOCK.
WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC.
SO THAT'S WHY WE COULDN'T INVITE EVERYBODY IN HERE.
SO DON'T LET HIM GET MAD AT THE MAYOR OR ME.
BUT WE DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE A COVID CLUSTER, UH, IN HERE.
I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO GET OUR SPECIAL GUESTS ON.
WHILE WE ARE WAITING TO SEE, I WANNA INVITE ONE OF HIS COLLEAGUES, UH, CONGRESSWOMAN LIZZIE FLETCHER, WHO IS DOING SUCH AN OUTSTANDING JOB.
THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE GONNA GET YOU, BUT YOU STILL STANDING.
UH, WOULD YOU, WOULD PLEASE WELCOME CONGRESSWOMAN LIZZIE FLETCHER, WHO'S ON THE MONEY COMMITTEE, BY THE WAY, LIKE JUDGE ALGO.
I'M A LITTLE SHORTER THAN YOU.
UH, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER ELLIS, FOR INVITING ME TO BE HERE.
UM, AND I UNDERSTAND WE'LL HOPEFULLY HEAR FROM, UM, MY COLLEAGUE,
[00:30:01]
CONGRESSMAN AL GREEN, WHO, UH, REPRESENTS THIS DISTRICT, THE NINTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT OF TEXAS.I'M GLAD TO BE HERE, UM, ON BEHALF OF ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES IN THE HOUSTON CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION.
AND I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INCLUDING US COMMISSIONER ELLIS, THE FLOYD FAMILY, FOR BEING HERE FOR WELCOMING US, UH, TODAY, JUDGE ALGO, MAYOR TURNER, UH, CHIEF FINN, BISHOP DIXON.
UH, SHERIFF GONZALEZ, AND OF COURSE, UH, MS. DAVIS AND OUR ARTIST.
UM, I'M JUST, UH, UH, ABSOLUTELY THRILLED TO BE HERE WITH YOU AND ALL THESE DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, INCLUDING SO MANY OF OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES AND LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, SO ON BEHALF OF OUR DELEGATION, OF COURSE, CONGRESSWOMAN JACKSON LEE CONGRESSMAN GREEN, CONGRESSWOMAN SYLVIA GARCIA, I'M JUST REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY ON THIS VERY SOLEMN ANNIVERSARY, UH, FOR A REALLY WONDERFUL UNVEILING, UH, FOR A REDEDICATION AND FOR AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION.
THIS CONVERSATION WITH GEORGE, UM, IN THE, IN THE TWO YEARS SINCE HIS TRAGIC AND SENSELESS DEATH, I HAVE THOUGHT, UM, OFTEN ABOUT THE CONVERSATIONS THAT I MIGHT HAVE HAD WITH GEORGE FLOYD.
UM, AFTER ALL, WE BOTH GREW UP HERE IN HOUSTON AT THE SAME TIME.
UH, WE'RE BOTH MEMBERS OF THE MIGHTY CLASS OF 1993.
UH, AND THAT HAS NOT BEEN LOST ON ME, UH, AS I'VE LEARNED MORE ABOUT HIM AND HIS LIFE.
AND, YOU KNOW, NOW I CAN COME HERE TO THIS PARK TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND PEOPLE ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY CAN COME HERE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
AND PEOPLE FROM ACROSS OUR COUNTRY CAN COME HERE FOR THAT CONVERSATION.
BECAUSE IT WAS HIS TRAGIC AND BRUTAL AND SENSELESS DEATH TWO YEARS AGO TODAY THAT EXPANDED OUR NATIONAL CONVERSATION ABOUT RACE AND JUSTICE IN THIS COUNTRY.
AND I DON'T WANNA SAY THAT IT STARTED IT BECAUSE THAT CONVERSATION'S BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME IN A LOT OF COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING OURS.
AND YET IT BECAME AN URGENT AND NATIONAL CONVERSATION TWO YEARS AGO.
A REAL RECKONING FOR OUR COUNTRY.
A TIME TO TALK ABOUT OUR PAST AND OUR PRESENT AND OUR FUTURE, AND HOW WE CHART OUR FUTURE AND HOW WE DEAL WITH OUR PAST AND HOW WE DO IT TOGETHER.
AND WE SEE THE INFLUENCE OF GEORGE FLOYD IN THE TRANSFORMATIVE AND MEANINGFUL LEGISLATION THAT BEARS HIS NAME IN THE CONGRESS, THE GEORGE FLOYD JUSTICE IN POLICING ACT, WHICH I WAS PROUD TO CO-SPONSOR AND TO VOTE FOR.
AND IT HAS PASSED THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TWICE.
UH, IT IS A NATIONAL BILL TO DO WHAT WE HAVE DONE.
SEVERAL OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE HERE IN HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY TO ENACT REAL REFORM IN LAW ENFORCEMENT REFORM SUPPORTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND BY OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WHILE IT'S NOT LAW YET, UM, IT HAS TWICE PASSED THE HOUSE.
AND THE WORK IS ONGOING AND IT'S ONGOING IN THE NAME OF GEORGE FLOYD.
AND THE NATIONAL CONVERSATION IS ONGOING TOO.
IT IS A CONVERSATION THAT ALL OF US NEED TO TAKE PART IN.
IT IS A CONVERSATION THAT ALL OF US NEED TO CONTRIBUTE TO, AND THAT ALL OF US NEED TO ADVANCE.
IT'S A CONVERSATION THAT HAS ITS HOME HERE IN HOUSTON AND IN HARRIS COUNTY, IN GEORGE FLOYD'S HOMETOWN.
BUT IT IS A CONVERSATION THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN EVERY TOWN IN AMERICA.
AND TODAY, WITH THIS DEDICATION, WE MARK THIS ANNIVERSARY AND WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO CONTINUING TO TAKE PART IN THAT CONVERSATION, TO CONTINUING TO COMMIT OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR COUNTRY TO A CONVERSATION WITH GEORGE FLOYD AND WITH ONE ANOTHER ABOUT HOW WE MAKE SURE AND ENSURE IN THIS COUNTRY, LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
I MENTIONED THAT WITH TWO PEOPLE THAT TOM BASS, TWO CAREERS, UH, HE SAVED BECAUSE HE WAS SO WELLLIKE.
THE OTHER ONE, BY THE WAY, YOU GONNA HEAR FROM NEXT, UH, THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN TO RUN FOR MAYOR OF HOUSTON.
MY READ OF HISTORY, MAYOR, YOU AND I WENT THE 10TH GRADE YOU WOULD CLIENT, I WAS AT SAN JO CENTER.
CURTIS GRAYS, THE FIRST BLACK STATE REPRESENTATIVE, UH, SINCE RECONSTRUCTION.
HE WENT TO THE STATE HOUSE WHEN, UH, BARBARA JO WENT TO THE, UH, SENATE.
AND BACK THEN, A HOUSE DISTRICT WAS BIGGER THAN A SENATE DISTRICT.
UH, ISN'T THAT INTERESTING? YOU RAN IN A CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, UH, LIZZIE, IN ORDER TO BE IN THE STATE HOUSE, A SENATE DISTRICT WAS NOT QUITE AS LARGE.
THAT WAS THE AT LARGE SYSTEM PRIOR TO THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT.
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CURTIS, REPRESENTATIVE CURTIS GRAYS, HE HAD A FREE RIDE.THEY HAD THIS BIG OLD THING LIKE A MAYONNAISE JAR.
REMEMBER THOSE? AND HE SAID IT WAS A GREEN, UH, A LITTLE STICKER.
BIG ONE WITH WELL BLACK WRITING.
I DIG GRAVES FOR MAY YOU TOO YOUNG.
YOU REMEMBER THAT I GOT PUT OUTTA SCHOOL FOR PUTTING THAT I CAN DIG IT, DIG GRAVES.
BUT NO SECOND BLACK PERSON TO RUN FOR MAYOR OF HOUSTON WAS JUSTICE OF THE PEACE ALEXANDER GREEN AND MADE A STRONG RUN.
UH, CONGRESSMAN LELAND WAS FOR HIM, WHICH MEANT HIS CHIEF OF STAFF WAS FOR AL GREEN AS WELL, THE PERSON THAT WARREN REMINDED US OF THAT FOR A LONG TIME, BY THE WAY.
UH, BUT AL GREEN HAS BEEN SUCH A BREATH OF FRESH AIR IN THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS.
HE'S ARTICULATE, HE'S CHARISMATIC.
HE JUMPS ON TO, UH, ISSUES THAT SOME PEOPLE WOULD LEAVE TO THE SIDE.
I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE COULD PUT THIS STATUTE.
AND I, I, I GAVE PERSON, HE GONNA HEAR FROM LATER A CHOICE OF ALL OF THE PARKS.
AND I MENTIONED TO CONGRESSMAN GREEN, AND HE'S THE ONE THAT SAID, LET HER DECIDE WHERE SHE WANTS TO PUT IT.
BUT HE SAID, YOU PUTTING LAWSON OVER THERE, YOU GOT MISS ADAIRE OVER THERE REMINDED ME WHO TOM BASS WAS.
HE'S RECOVERING FROM COVID AND DOING VERY WELL.
WOULD YOU PLEASE WELCOME TO THE PHONE, CONGRESSMAN ALEXANDER GREEN.
UM, SENATOR, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, AND NOW OF COURSE COMMISSIONER RODNEY ELLIS, WHO HAS BECOME A GREAT VISIONARY WHO HAS WITHIN HIS POWER TO FULFILL HIS VISIONS AND TO MAKE REAL THESE NOBLE IDEALS.
SO, UM, WOULD YOU KINDLY JOIN ME IN GIVING HIM A BIG EXPRESSION OF APPRECIATION? THE HONORABLE RODNEY ELLIS, GIVE HIM A BIG HAND FOR ME PLEASE.
AND I BELIEVE ALLOWED ME TO ALSO THANK BISHOP DIXON.
I THINK HE WAS VERY ELOQUENT IN HIS EXPLANATION AS TO HOW THE SENATOR, COMMISSIONER, CITY COUNCILMAN HAS BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH SO MANY OF THE MAGNIFICENT THINGS THAT HE'S DONE.
UH, BISHOP DIXON, I ALWAYS ENJOY HEARING YOUR ELOQUENCE, UH, FRIENDS, UH, IN, UH, MY ABSENCE.
BUT IN YOUR PRESENCE, UH, WOULD YOU GIVE BISHOP DIXON A BIG EXPRESSION OF LOVE AS WELL? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND OF COURSE, MY COLLEAGUE WHO'S VISITING US FROM, UH, CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT NUMBER SEVEN, I CAUGHT YOUR MESSAGE, UH, AND I THANK YOU FOR IT.
AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT YOU TOOK THE TIME TO COME OVER AND GIVE US, UH, PEARLS OF WISDOM.
IT MEANS A LOT TO KNOW THAT YOU WOULD TRAVERSE SOME DISTANCE TO COME OUT AND HELP US WITH THIS GREAT UNVEILING.
SO TO MY FRIEND, THE HONORABLE LIZZIE FLETCHER, UH, PLEASE, FRIENDS, ONE MORE TIME.
NOW, MY MESSAGE IS A VERY SHORT ONE.
UM, FRIENDS, THERE ARE MOMENTS IN TIME THAT ARE CALLED SEMINAL MOMENTS.
THESE ARE THE MOMENTS THAT IMPACT THE REST OF TIME.
WHEN A LADY IN A RACIST SOUTHERN TOWN TOOK A SEAT ON A BUS, UM, AND IN SPITE OF ALL OF WHAT HAD BEEN SAID AND COULD BE DONE TO HER KNOWING THAT, UH, SHE COULD BE HARMED, UH, SHE TOOK THAT SEAT ON THAT BUS.
AND WHEN SHE TOOK THAT SEAT ON THAT BUS, IT WOULD BE FOREVER REMEMBERED THAT SHE, SHE DID IT.
IT WAS A MOMENT IN TIME THAT BECAME A SIMILAR MOMENT IN TIME WHEN PERSONS APPROACHED THE EDMUND PETTUS BRIDGE ON BLOODY SUNDAY, KNOWING WHAT THE FATE WAS FOR THAT WOULD BEFALL THEM, SHOULD THEY REACH THE CREST AND GO OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE WHEN THEY DID IT, AND THEY WERE BEATEN ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE CHURCH WHERE THEY STARTED, THAT BECAME A SEMINAL MOMENT IN TIME TO IMPACT THE REST OF TIME.
WELL, FRIENDS, WE HAD SUCH AN OCCASION SOME TWO YEARS AGO WHEN GEORGE FLOYD WAS ASSASSINATED ON CAMERA BEFORE THE WORLD, HIS ASSASSINATION AS HE PLEADED FOR MERCY AND HELP AT THAT ASSASSINATION, HAS BECOME A SIMILAR MOMENT IN TIME THAT IS GOING TO IMPACT THE REST OF TIME.
AND IN FACT, TODAY, IT HAS CAUSED A PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO SIGN AN EXECUTIVE ORDER MANDATING BODY CAMERAS FOR FEDERAL OFFICERS MANDATING NO MORE CHOKE HOLES AND NO MORE NO-KNOCK LAWS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
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A MOMENT IN TIME THAT'S IMPACTING THE REST OF TIME.UH, LET'S JUST REMEMBER THAT WE TOO HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY.
UH, THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE UNACCEPTABLE, THAT ARE UNTHINKABLE, THAT ARE UNCONSCIONABLE, THAT ARE OCCURRING.
WE JUST HAD BABIES, 19 BABIES MURDERED IN THEIR CLASS.
PARENTS TOOK THEM TO SCHOOL, ASSUMING THAT THEY WOULD PICK THEIR BABIES UP AND UP AND GIVE THEM A HUG AND TAKE THEM HOME AND FEED THEM DINNER.
AND AT SOME POINT SEE THEM MATURE AND GO INTO THE WORLD, BUT NOT TO BE FRIENDS.
WE CANNOT ALLOW IN THE STATE OF TEXAS OR ANY OTHER STATE, AN 18-YEAR-OLD TO BUY A WEAPON OF WAR AND USE IT ON THE CHILDREN OF AMERICA.
WE MUST DEMAND THAT ASSAULT WEAPONS BE TAKEN OFF THE STREETS OF THIS COUNTRY.
AND THAT DEMAND IS GOING TO BRING WITH THE COST.
SOME OF US WILL SUFFER AS A RESULT.
UH, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO, UM, DON'T WANT IT SAID THAT WE MUST DO THIS.
AND TO DO IT, WE'VE GOT TO PROTEST.
BISHOP DIXON, THE NA ACPS GOT TO GET OUT FRONT.
WE'VE GOTTA LET THE WORLD KNOW THAT WE WILL NOT TOLERATE THIS.
BECAUSE TO TOLERATE IT IS UNACCEPTABLE.
AND TO IGNORE IT IS A BETRAYAL OF THE TRUST THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO US AS PERSONS WHO ARE LEADERSHIP POSITIONS.
SO, I STAND WITH YOU, BUT I ALSO STAND FOR WHAT GEORGE FLOYD HAS MADE, UH, A A A SYMBOLIC, UH, EFFORT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF ALL PEOPLE.
AND THAT IS, WE MUST NOT GIVE UP.
GOD BLESS YOU AND GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES O AMERICA.
THERE A NUMBER OF OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS HERE.
I MIGHT HAVE SKIPPED SOMEBODY.
I WON'T BE AROUND WHEN SOME OF YOU ALL GET TO BE SYLVESTER TURNER AND RODNEY ELLIS' AGE.
WE'D BE THE SAME AGE, EVEN IF YOU LOOK A LITTLE YOUNGER.
UH, BUT I DO KNOW REPRESENTATIVE RON REYNOLDS' HEAD, WHO WORKS WITH ME ON SO MANY, UH, ISSUES OF, OF EQUITY.
UH, HE, HE'S BEEN GOING TO SCHOOL BOARDS AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES WITH ME ENCOURAGING THEM TO ADOPT MINORITY WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESS PROGRAMS. YOU TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, CRIME GOING UP, HOW YOU GET CRIME DONE DOWN, GET MORE PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD.
NEXT HIM IS HIS COLLEAGUE REPRESENTATIVE.
JOE ROSENTHAL, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
REPRESENTATIVE ELECT JOLANDA JONES MIGHT HAVE JUST TIPPED OUT, BUT SHE GIVE ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN EVANS SHABAZZ IS HERE.
THIS IS HER DISTRICT OF DESTINATION.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TARSHA, UH, JACKSON IS HERE.
TARSHA, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
UH, HC HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE, TRUSTEE REAGAN FLOWERS IS HERE.
ONLY MAYOR'S HELPING US ELECT COUNTIES PUT UP $2 MILLION TO PAY FOR DISPARITY STUDIES.
AND THE MAYOR'S GONNA HELP US CONVENE.
YOU HAVE MORE CONVENIENT POWER THAN WE HAVE AT THE COUNTY.
ALL THESE SUPERINTENDENTS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
ANYBODY THAT DON'T HAVE A PROGRAM IS 'CAUSE YOU DON'T WANT ONE.
THE COUNTY'S GOING TO PAY WITH FEDERAL MONEY.
MIGHT I ADD $2 MILLION TO PAY FOR THOSE DISPARITIES STUDIES? UH, WHO ELSE DID I OH, CHIEF OF.
WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM NATHAN EARLIER IN THE SHERIFF, UH, CHIEF, FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN SHERIFF OF FORT BEND COUNTY.
UH, THERE'S ONE OTHER ONE FROM OUT OF TOWN.
I'M GONNA RECOGNIZE I SKIP ANY OF OUR LOCAL ELEC COUNTY ATTORNEY.
COUNTY ATTORNEY FROM, UH, RICHMOND FORT BEND.
OUR, OUR, OUR ATTORNEY BRIDGE.
LET ME TELL YOU, SAY IT A LITTLE LOUDER.
YOU GOT THAT? I DON'T WANT NOBODY CALLING ME.
HERE'S WHAT THEY PUT ON THE BALLOT FOR 38 YEARS.
JEFF BONY CITY COUNCIL MEMBER FROM MISSOURI CITY.
I GOT A SPECIAL GUEST, CAME IN TO TO SEE ME, MAYOR.
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OF THE FLORIDA HOUSE WHEN YOU AND I WENT, THE LEGISLATURE.UH, HE IS NOW A, UH, MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COMMISSIONER.
WOULD YOU PLEASE WELCOME THE OUTSTANDING LEADER, KEON MCGEE FROM DADE COUNTY, MIAMI, FLORIDA COUNTY.
COMMISSIONER KENDRICK HAS HELPED SO MUCH ON SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES.
HE'S FROM HOUSTON, BUT HE'S IN, UH, LA NOW.
I HAD A ROOMMATE FROM LA LOW ALABAMA.
UH, KENDRICK, WHERE ARE YOU, KENDRICK? YOU WERE HERE EARLIER.
UH, BUT IF NOT, WE WILL YOU SKI A LITTLE LATER WHEN HE GETS HERE.
I I DON'T THINK I SKIPPED ANYBODY ELSE.
THE NEXT PERSON WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM, WE GOT IT.
WELL, IN THAT CASE, SHERIFF, IS THAT ALL RIGHT? I KNOW YOU GOT SOME STUFF TO DO.
THE MAYOR TOLD ME HE'D BE PATIENT.
UH, LOOK, WHEN WE CAME UP WITH OUR ALTERNATIVE RESPONDER PROGRAM, UH, OUR HOLISTIC APPROACH TO GOING INTO THESE NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU KNOW, GEORGE FLOYD WAS REALLY, UH, PRECURSOR OR EARLY VERSION OF VIOLENCE INTERRUPTION.
HE HAD PROBLEMS IN HIS LIFE AND HE WENT OUT WITH NO GOVERNMENT RESOURCES, BY THE WAY, TO ENCOURAGE MORE YOUNG PEOPLE TO PUT THOSE GUNS DOWN.
AND ONE OF THE BEST WAYS, AS THE CHIEF KNOWS TO FIGHT CRIME, IS GET PEOPLE IN THOSE COMMUNITIES TO TALK TO PEOPLE IN THOSE COMMUNITIES.
WOULD YOU PLEASE WELCOME THE SHERIFF OF HARRIS COUNTY, WHO'S DOING A GREAT JOB? COME ON UP.
UH, MAYOR, COMMISSIONER, CHIEF, SHERIFF, CONGRESSWOMAN, UH, TO ALL THE, UH, WONDERFUL GUESTS THAT ARE HERE TODAY, UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST TO THE FLOYD FAMILY, OUR DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO YOU.
AND WE STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH YOU.
GEORGE FLOYD, TWO YEARS SINCE HE WAS MURDERED.
UM, TWO YEARS, IT SEEMS LIKE ONLY YESTERDAY.
UM, AND WE KNOW THAT HIS NAME HAS BEEN HEARD IN EVERY CORNER OF THE WORLD, YOU KNOW, BUT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO SAY HIS NAME.
UH, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO NOT FORGET.
UH, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT HE CONTINUES, UH, TO BE FAR BEYOND THE IMAGE OF RACIAL EQUALITY AND POLICE REFORM.
UH, BUT THAT CONTINUES TO BE, UM, THROUGH THIS ART.
AND I WANT TO COMMEND ADRIAN ISOM, THE, THE SCULPTURIST AND, UH, DANETTE DAVIS FOR HER GENEROSITY IN MAKING THIS HAPPEN.
AND THE KAY DAVIS AND THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION AS WELL, UH, FOR MAKING IT HAPPEN.
OF COURSE, COMMISSIONER, UH, BUT TWO YEARS, A AND HE MENTIONED IT ALREADY, ART IS A BEAUTIFUL THING.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL TO BE ABLE TO COME AND REFLECT AND TO BE ABLE TO REMEMBER, BECAUSE WE MUST REMEMBER MR. FLOYD, WE MUST ALSO REMEMBER THAT BEYOND BEING THOSE SYMBOLS OF RACIAL EQUALITY AND POLICE REFORM, THAT HE WAS ALSO A FATHER.
THAT HE WAS A FRIEND, THAT HE WAS A BROTHER, THAT HE WAS A LOVED ONE.
AND THAT, UM, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
THAT WE COULD RECONCILE AND COME TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY, UM, AND, AND TALK IN HONEST DIALOGUE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONTINUE TO NOT JUST SPEAK, BUT ALSO TO FIND ACTIONS OF WAYS TO MOVE FORWARD.
BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A NEW OCCURRENCE.
JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO, WE REMEMBER JOE CAMPO TORRES THAT I REMEMBER, UH, FROM THE EARLY SEVENTIES WHEN I WAS A YOUNG KID GROWING UP IN HOUSTON, WHEN HE WAS MURDERED AT THE HANDS OF POLICE HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THANKS TO THE MAYOR AND OTHER LEADERS, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF, OF A PLACE OF REMEMBRANCE AND REFLECTION AS WELL.
BECAUSE WE CANNOT FORGET THOSE NAMES.
AND WE MUST CONTINUE TO SAY THEIR NAMES.
AND WE MUST CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER TO BE PART OF SOLUTION OF HOW WE COULD BE BETTER.
AND THAT IT'S NOT WRONG TO BE AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME BEING FOR GOOD POLICING.
GOOD CONSTITUTIONAL POLICING, FAIR POLICING.
AND I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, MY COLLEAGUE, CHIEF FINNER, UH, SHERIFF FAGAN, THAT WE ALL BELIEVE IN.
AND IT'S SOMETHING WE MUST CONTINUE TO STRIVE FOR.
AND THAT'S MY CONTINUED COMMITMENT.
AND, UH, COMMISSIONER, I'D BE REMISS NOT TO MENTION THAT YOU'VE MENTIONED VOTING QUITE A BIT AND, AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
AND, AND I SEE OUR FRIENDS, OUR PARTNERS HERE WITH PURE JUSTICE BECAUSE WE'VE PARTNERED TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT OUR COUNTY JAIL IS NOW A VOTING SITE.
FIRST TIME IN ITS HISTORY, A VOTING SITE HERE, THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL.
WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE CLIENTS AND DEFENDANTS THAT ARE INCARCERATED AREN'T STRIPPED OF THE RIGHT TO VOTE IF THEY'RE ELIGIBLE.
SO THEY'VE BEEN VOTING, UH, THEY WERE THERE AND THEY REGISTERED, UH, AND THEY'LL REACH OUT AND SAY, SHERIFF, WE NEED TO WORK THROUGH THIS HURDLE AND WE'LL WORK THROUGH IT.
AND, AND THEY'RE THERE AND THEY'RE REGISTERING PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
UH, SO AGAIN, IN CLOSING, WE STAND
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IN SOLIDARITY WITH YOU, OUR DEEPEST CONDOLENCES.IT, IT'S AMAZING TO SEE OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER, UH, TO TO HONOR AND REMEMBER, UH, MR. FLOYD.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO REMEMBER.
AND IT'S GREAT TO HAVE A PLACE THAT WE COULD VISUALLY COME AND SEE AND SIT AND REMEMBER AND REFLECT AND LET IT BE A, A PLACE OF, OF, OF CHANGE.
A PLACE WHERE WE COULD BE MOTIVATED TO TAKE ACTION AND MAKE SURE, I THINK THE MAYOR SAYS IT OFTEN THAT, UH, OUR, OUR, OUR FUTURE IS BETTER THAN OUR PAST OR SOMETHING.
I DON'T WANT TO QUOTE YOU DIRECTLY, MAYOR, BUT, UH, UH, WE KNOW THAT, THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE BETTER DAYS AHEAD.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AND GREATLY APPRECIATE THIS HONOR AND OPPORTUNITY.
I, I WANNA BRING UP, UM, AND TELL THE CONGRESSWOMAN THE REASON I CALLED OUT THOSE NAMES SO SHE'D KNOW WHO WAS HERE.
UH, BUT MY DEAR FRIEND AND MY, UH, LATE NIGHT TALKING BUDDY.
'CAUSE WHEN I CAN'T SLEEP AND I HAVE A IDEA AND THE BISHOP WON'T ANSWER THE PHONE, SAY HE'S PRAYING, I THINK HE JUST IGNORES IT.
I KNOW NO MATTER WHAT TIME OF THE NIGHT, I CAN CALL CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE.
SHE'S UP AND THINKING AND WORKING.
I JUST LOVE HER AND SHE'S DOING A GREAT JOB.
SHE PROBABLY STILL AT THE WHITE HOUSE OR JUST LEFT.
WOULD YOU PLEASE WELCOME CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE, COMMISSIONER ELLIS, WHAT A STUPENDOUS DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN FOR HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY TO BE ABLE TO COMMEMORATE, UH, THIS TRAGIC DAY IN OUR OWN HOMETOWN.
THANK YOU FOR THAT, LATONYA AND ALL OF THE FAMILY THAT IS THERE.
EACH OF YOU ARE BELOVED AND LOVED BY ALL OF US.
AND AS YOU WELL KNOW, WE ARE SO GRATEFUL THAT YOU HAVE A LARGE FAMILY BECAUSE YOUR FAMILY WAS PRESENT ON THE FRONT ROW WITH GIGI IN THE WHITE HOUSE AS WE SIGNED THE POLICE REFORM BILL DEDICATED TO YOUR BROTHER.
BUT I AM GRATEFUL TO HOUSTON BEING ON THE MARK OF THE LARGEST PROTESTS, PEACEFUL IN GEORGIA'S NAME AND AS WELL WORKING WITH THE MAYOR, UH, WORKING WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE PRESENT STATE REPS WHO ARE PRESENT, UH, AND ENTIRE COMMITMENT OF ELECTED OFFICIALS, MY COLLEAGUE RICHARD FLETCHER AND OTHERS THAT WE SAY NEVER AGAIN.
THIS STATUE WILL ALLOW BOYS AND GIRLS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT JUSTICE IS AND TO RECOGNIZE THAT GEORGE WAS A HERO.
BECAUSE I'M ALWAYS REMINDED IN CUNY HOMES WHEN YOU WENT THERE, PEOPLE WOULD SAY BIG GEORGE.
SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE PRESIDENT IN TOM BASS PARK OF A STATUTE OF AN AFRICAN AMERICAN WHO GIGI SAID WAS GOING TO CHANGE THE WORLD.
HE HAS CHANGED THE WORLD FROM TOM BASS PARK IN HARRIS COUNTY ALL THE WAY TO THE WHITE HOUSE IN WASHINGTON DC WITH THE SIGNING OF THE POLICE REFORM BILL.
SO I'M DELIGHTED FOR YOU TO ALLOW ME TO SPEAK, UH, TELEPHONICALLY.
AND I MUST CONGRATULATE ALL OF YOU AND YOUR STAFF, CONGRATULATE ERICA LEE CARTER AND ALL THE TEAM THAT WORK ON THIS GRAND PROJECT AND CONGRATULATE HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY FOR NEVER GIVING UP ON TRUTH AND JUSTICE.
THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH, MUCH.
I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING BACK IN TOWN WITH YOU.
AND MY LAST PARTY WORDS IS, UH, LET US PRAY FOR YOU VALDI.
WE'VE BEEN PRAYING FOR UKRAINE, BUT LET US DO SOMETHING ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING RIGHT NOW IN A MEETING ON THAT.
AND LET US MAKE SURE THE NRA KNOWS HOW UNWELCOME THEY ARE.
SO GOD BLESS YOU, GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
THANK YOU MAYOR TURNER'S DONE A LOT OF SMART THINGS, BUT AT THE TOP OF THE LIST WAS NAMING TROY NER FROM SUNNYSIDE, THE POLICE CHIEF OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, CHIEF TROY FINNER.
AND I'M A LITTLE TALL AS WELL.
SO LET ME SAY HOW MUCH IT IS AN HONOR FOR ME TO BE HERE IN THE STAND.
BUT I WANT TO FOCUS SOMETHING.
NOBODY'S HEARD MORE THAN FAMILY AND CLOSE FRIENDS.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THIS, THE SPIRIT OF GEORGE FLOYD LIVES ON TWO YEARS AGO WAS THE
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DARKEST BLOWING IN MY PROFESSIONAL CAREER.AND I DON'T WANT TO EVER FORGET ABOUT IT, BUT I WANT TO REMEMBER HOW HE LIVED AND THEN WHAT HE'S DONE, HIS DEATH, OUR COMMUNITY HERE IN HOUSTON.
AND LET ME ACKNOWLEDGE THIS BEAUTIFUL FAMILY BECAUSE OF THE TRUE BE TOLD THE WAY GEORGE FAM, GEORGE FLOYD'S FAMILY AND FRIENDS WENT THE WAY THE WHOLE NATION WAS GONNA GO.
SO AS WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN HAVING THE LARGEST PROTESTS IN THE NATION, IT WAS SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE YOU GUYS STOOD WITH US.
AND THAT IS THE SPIRIT OF GEORGE FLOYD.
AND I LOOK AT FRIENDS WHO I KNOW, BEEN THROUGH SOME TOUGH TIMES AND SOME PRETTY ROUGH DUDES, BUT LOVE GEORGE AND LOVE COMMUNITY.
YOU STOOD WITH US AND THAT'S THE SPIRIT.
AND LET ME GO A LITTLE BIT DEEPER TO COMMUNITY.
WHEN WE WERE COMING UP, NO MONEY THIRD WARD, JACK YAS HIGH SCHOOL.
MADISON HIGH SCHOOL, WORTHING HIGH SCHOOL.
WHERE DID WE COME AND HANG OUT? AND WE HAD NO MONEY.
WE CAME TO TOM BASS PARK AND SOMETIME ADEL PARK.
SO THANK Y'ALL, WHOEVER PUT IT OUT HERE, BECAUSE JUST AS I GO THROUGH THIRD WARD, NOT AS CHIEF AS TROY FINNER, HERM CLARK SUNNYSIDE, I CAN COME OUT HERE NOW TO TOM BASS PARK AND ALLOW THE SPIRIT OF GEORGE FLOYD TO SPEAK TO ME.
LOVE ME ENOUGH AND LOVE MY PROFESSION ENOUGH TO HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE.
BUT DON'T LET ANYBODY DIVIDE US BECAUSE IT WAS A POWERFUL MOMENT TO ME.
AND I GO AROUND THE NATION AND SHARE THIS.
IT AIN'T ABOUT THE POLICE, IT'S ABOUT THE GREAT RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE.
AND Y'ALL STOOD UP FOR US IN YOUR MOST DARKEST MOMENT, IN THE MOST PAIN.
AND WE ARE GONNA STAND STRONG TOGETHER AND NEVER LET HIS NAME DIE.
SO I'M HONORED TO BE HERE TODAY, THANK YOU'ALL.
I, I'M, I'M SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST.
AND LOOK, HERE'S THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER.
AND IF WE WALK OUT THERE BEFORE IT COOLS OFF IN ABOUT IN THE 15 MINUTES, YOU'LL, YOU'LL APPRECIATE IT.
LOOK, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE TALKED ABOUT WHAT I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO.
WHATEVER I'VE DONE, I'VE DONE WITH YOUR MONEY.
THE PERSON WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS STATUTE DID THIS WITH HER MONEY, ABOUT $110,000.
SHE'S A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS WOMAN.
SHE KNEW ABOUT MY LOVE OF ART AND ART WITH A PURPOSE.
SO SHE CALLED AND AT FIRST SHE WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PUT IT AT, UH, CUNY HOMES.
AND HOPEFULLY AS A PLAN, WELL, WE'RE GONNA TAKE THAT OLDEST PUBLIC HOUSING PROJECT IN HOUSTON, PRESERVE THE HOUSES, BUT PEOPLE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO LIVE THE WAY THEY DID IN THE FIRST PUBLIC HOUSING UNIT.
GERALD WOMACK, THAT'S THE COUNTY SIDE, NOT THE CITY SIDE THAT THE CITY BUILT.
SO IT'S GONNA BE REBUILT MUCH MORE CONTEMPORARY.
IF YOU PUT IT THERE, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE IT.
SHE CALLED ME AND I SAID, WELL, HELL PUT IT THERE.
THEY MOVE EVERYTHING ELSE, MOVE IT
AND WE RAN INTO PROBLEMS WITH THAT.
AND THEN WE WERE TRYING TO PUT IT AT JACK YATES, CARL DAVIS AND HIS GROUP.
BUT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET IN ALL THAT DRAMA.
SO WE GOT TO GO TO SCHOOL BOARD.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, SOME, THEN PEOPLE WORRIED ABOUT, WELL, WHAT IF THEY DEFACE? WELL, HELL, THEY DEFACE EVERYTHING ELSE.
WE GOING FIX IT AND, AND HAVE A PRESS CONFERENCE AND SAY WHY THEY, WHY THEY STILL HATING.
AND THEN WE WERE JUST TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT.
AND KAY WAS GETTING FRUSTRATED AND SHE'S A WONDERFUL WOMAN, BUT SHE CAN GET AN ATTITUDE,
SO I FIGURED BEFORE SHE GO OFF ON SOMEBODY, I SAID, LOOK HERE.
ALL OF THESE COUNTY PARKS, YOU CAN PUT IT, WE'RE GONNA DO A REMEMBRANCE THING.
YEAH, WE PUT IT DOWNTOWN, WE PUT IT IN FRONT OF THE COURTHOUSE.
YOU GOT ANY SENSE HOW CRAZY I AM? I'LL STACK IT UP.
REMEMBER THAT BLACK LIVES MATTER DEAL.
I WAS GONNA PUT IT RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE OF DOWNTOWN, YOU KNOW, SO, BUT KAY IS A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS WOMAN.
THIS WAS HER BRAINCHILD AND IT'S NOT THE ONLY ONE.
[01:00:01]
YOU PLEASE WELCOME SISTER KAY TO STAGE.YOU, YOU, YOU ARE OUTTA YOUR ORDER.
I WAS READING
AND OUR FIRM IS KAY DAVIS IN THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION.
AND UM, COMMISSIONER ELLIS, YOU'RE JUST ONE OF A KIND.
WE, WE WERE FIGHTING FOR THIS.
ADRIAN, I'M CRYING NOW BECAUSE I LISTENED AT, AT THIS, THIS GENTLEMAN HERE.
UH, BECAUSE THE CONVERSATION HAS BEEN HAD.
I'M SITTING HERE AND I'M GOING, WE HAVEN'T EVEN UNVEILED IT YET.
AND WE GOT THE POLICE AND THE CONGRESS AND THE, YOU KNOW, AND THAT WAS WONDERFUL WHAT YOU SAID.
YOU, YOU, YOU EXPLAINED LITERALLY WHY WE, WE DID IT.
THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THAT EIGHT MINUTES WAS THE FIRST INSPIRATION.
OKAY? BUT THEN IT WAS, HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE MOVE TO THE NEXT LEVEL? 'CAUSE WE GOTTA, WE GOTTA DO BETTER.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE HUMANS AND, AND, AND IT'S ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HUMAN KINDNESS.
YOU KNOW, WE CAN HAVE RACE RELATION TALKS AND ALL THOSE THINGS, BUT IT, IT, WE WE'RE, WE'RE THE SAME.
WHEN WILL WE START SEEING THAT AND LIVING THAT? YOU KNOW, IF WE PUT A STATURE OVER THERE, AND I WANNA CALL IT A, LET'S CALL IT A ARTS.
AND THAT WHAT I WAS SAYING, LIKE, WE'RE GONNA STOP SAYING STATUTES.
'CAUSE I DON'T WANT TO GET CAUGHT UP IN THE WORD.
I WANT 'EM TO KNOW THAT IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
'CAUSE THE ADRIAN AND I ARTIST, WE LOVE ART AND UH, MUSIC AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT WE WE'RE SNEAKING IN A, A PUNCH
'CAUSE SHE'S JUST, LIKE YOU SAID, WHEN THEY GO OUT THERE, THEY'LL REFLECT.
AND WHEN YOU SAID GIVING YOU A PLACE TO GO SO YOU CAN BE REMINDED OF WHO YOU ARE AND WHERE YOU CAME FROM AND WHAT YOU'RE ABOUT.
ADRIAN, HOW MANY CONVERSATIONS DID WE HAVE ABOUT WHAT THAT STATUTE WOULD DO? THAT'S WHY WE NAMED IT A CONVERSATION WITH GEORGE.
AND I'M GONNA BRING HER UP SO YOU CAN MEET HER.
HAVE YOU GUYS HAVE ALREADY SAID ALL THE THINGS I CAN SAY, BUT I WAS, UH, AVERY, I DON'T KNOW.
UH, THE, THE GUY WHO DOES MY VIDEO, IT WAS FUNNY.
WE WERE THERE AND THE CHRONICLE WAS TAKING SOME PICTURES YESTERDAY.
IF YOU REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE THERE, SHETA AND AVERY WAS LEANING ON GEORGE LIKE THIS
AND COMMISSIONER SAID, HOW TALL WAS HE? AND I WAS SITTING ON THE SIDE OF HIM.
HE, HE IS A BIG, YOU REMEMBER WHEN YOU SAID THAT? BECAUSE HIS LIFE SIZE BECAUSE WANTED A LIFE SIZE.
'CAUSE HE WANTED YOU TO FEEL THE EFFECT OF WHO THIS GIANT, THIS GENTLE GIANT WAS.
YOU KNOW, WE, I GOT TO MEET HIS FAMILY AND WE WERE DOING SOME INTERVIEWS, WE WERE WORKING ON SOME THINGS, AND YOU GUYS ARE GREAT.
AND I WANT TO TELL YOU, UM, ROXY CALLED ME ON HER WAY.
SHE SAID, OH, THEY CALLED THE WHITE HOUSE.
SO, BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW, SHE, SHE CALLS ME MR. NET, SHE SAYS, MR. NET, I, I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO BE THERE TOMORROW, BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, I, I WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, I SAID, NOW ROX, I THINK IF THE WHITE HOUSE CALLS
AND THEY WANTED TO SEE GIGI LIKE CONGRESSWOMAN SAID.
SO, UM, I DID WANT ADRIAN, I WANTED YOU TO COME UP AND JUST SAY HELLO SO YOU GUYS CAN MEET HER JUST LIKE YOU.
UH, AND HE, HE, HE TALKS TO, UH, BISHOP DIXON.
BUT YOU, YOU TALKED TO, UH, A LOT OF PEOPLE LATE AT NIGHT,
HE, HE, I MADE A, A JOKE ABOUT YOU IN WHAT? IN TWO DAYS.
AND I REMEMBER, AND HE SAID, WELL, I THINK IT'S GONNA RAIN.
HE KEPT SAYING THAT IN THE TEXT.
AND I SAID, WELL, GOD'S GOT US.
AND HE SAID, YEAH, WE, YOU KNOW, BUT I THINK IT'S GONNA RAIN.
I SAID, IF HE SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME, BECAUSE IT RAINED THIS MORNING, I WAS TELLING MY HUSBAND, I SAID, IT RAINED EARLY AND IT'S GONE.
AND I STARTED TO, TO TEXT YOU AND SAY, HEY, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY.
I'M GONNA WAIT BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW WHAT THE WAY THE CLOUDS ARE.
SO I'M NOT GOING TO SPEAK TOO SOON, BUT I DO WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER AND PEOPLE LIKE JEFF, I SEE YOU THERE AND, OH, DR.
SHABAZZ, HE DIDN'T STEAL YOUR STATUE
HE JUST, THIS IS JUST WHERE, YOU KNOW, IT'S WHERE GEORGE MALONE'S NOTE.
OH, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING.
AND I DID WANT TO INTRODUCE ADRIAN AND SAY, WE DO THIS OUTTA LOVE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT, UM, K DAVIS IN THE COMMUNITY IS, IS IS MY FOUNDATION AND MIND, BODY AND SPIRIT IS WHAT I SAY.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, IT'S JUST THAT WE HAVE TO AFFECT WHAT WE CAN AROUND US, RIGHT? SO, AND WHAT I SEE AROUND ME, ALL THE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THE FOLK OUT HERE OR WHAT HAVE YOU, I EVERY DAY, WHETHER GERALD WOMACK IS MY REAL ESTATE AGENT AND, AND YOU KNOW, LONDON AND THIS ONE THAT DOES MY WEBSITE AND THIS ONE DOES MY, THIS WHATEVER, BECAUSE WE, WE, I, I BELIEVE IN WE'RE REACHING IN THE COMMUNITY
[01:05:01]
AND USING THE PEOPLE THAT, THAT HELP ME.YOU KNOW, BISHOP DIXON, EVERYBODY IS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S HOW WE DO THINGS, YOU KNOW? AND I FIGURE IF I DO THAT AND YOU DO THAT AND YOU DO THAT AND EVERYBODY DOES THAT, THEN WE'LL BE ALL RIGHT.
ADRIAN AND I, WHEN WE, WE, WE TALK, THIS IS THE SECOND STATUE THAT WE'VE, BUT WE DO OTHER ARTWORK THINGS TOGETHER.
WHEN I DECIDED I WAS GOING TO COMMISSION HER
AND SO I SAID, NOW ADRIAN, WE GOTTA DO IT IN A WAY SO THAT WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY SEE GEORGE, YOU KNOW, THEY WANNA COME AND SIT DOWN WITH HIM, AND THEY WANNA HAVE A CONVERSATION JUST LIKE YOU.
YOU MADE ME CRY BECAUSE IT WAS THE EPITOME OF WHAT WE SAID.
WHEN THEY SEE HIM, THEY NEED TO BE REMINDED AND REFLECT, UH, ABOUT THESE THINGS IN THEIR OWN LIVES.
BUT HE HAD DREAMS. AND IF YOU NOTICE ON THE TABLE IT SAYS, DREAMS MATTER.
AND WE'RE SAYING TO THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE STILL LIVING, YOU STILL HAVE YOUR LIFE AND YOUR DREAMS CAN, CAN BE AHEAD OF YOU.
AND I THINK CONGRESSWOMAN FLETCHER, YOU SAID THAT YOU SAID THE FUTURE AND YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR FUTURE.
HE CAN'T, BUT HE CAN REMIND YOU THAT YOU CAN BECAUSE YOU, YOU'RE STILL HERE.
WE DIDN'T WANT ANYBODY TO FORGET.
I JUST WANTED YOU TO JUST SAY A, A FEW WORDS, PLEASE.
JUST, YOU KNOW, I'M A LITTLE BIT SHORTER THAN DANETTE.
UM, I REALLY AM THANKFUL THAT, UH, YOU, UH, WANTED ME TO WORK WITH YOU ON THIS PROJECT.
AND YES, WE HAVE BEEN FRIENDS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS SINCE THE SEVENTIES.
WE ATTENDED TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY TOGETHER.
AND ALSO I HAVE, UH, SOME MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY HERE, THE ZAS RAISE THEIR HAND.
THEY'RE ALL RETIRED PROFESSIONALS WHO CAME OUT OF THE CUNY HOMES.
THAT'S FROM ONE OF MY FAMILY,
THIS IS ON BEHALF OF THE RE SON, FAMILY, AND LYNETTE BRUNSON OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK ON THE JOB.
AND HER MOTHER, MY AUNT IS LIKE 95 YEARS OLD AND SHE, I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW ABOUT DREAMS. HER OR SHE AND MY OTHER AUNT WENT BACK TO SCHOOL LIKE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE IN THEIR SIXTIES AND GOT ANOTHER DEGREE AND RETIRED FROM THE ISD IN NEW YORK.
SO, IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW OLD YOU ARE, AS LONG AS YOU GET THERE, YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.
AND SHE'S 95 YEARS OLD RIGHT NOW.
AND TO RODNEY ELLIS, SYLVESTER TURNER, AND ROYCE WEST, WHO'S NOT HERE.
YOU DON'T REMEMBER ME, BUT I REMEMBER YOU.
I WAS A YOUNGSTER AND I MADE A JOB FOR MYSELF.
UH, RIDING FOR, WELL, I'VE ALWAYS WORKED FOR DIFFERENT MEDIA PLACES, BUT AT THAT TIME I WAS WRITING FOR THE AFRICAN AMERICAN NEWSPAPER AND I MADE A JOB BACK IN THE EARLY DAYS.
I SAID I WAS GONNA WRITE ABOUT LEGISLATION THAT THEY WROTE TO IMPROVE THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
THEY'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LONG TIME, BOLDLY.
AND NOBODY WAS WRITING LEGISLATION LIKE THEY WERE.
THEY WERE LOOKING AT EVERYBODY HOW THEY COULD IMPROVE EVERYBODY'S LIFE WRITING LAWS.
I'M GONNA TELL YOU ABOUT THAT DOGGONE INSURANCE THAT YOU CANNOT, IF YOU DON'T HAVE INSURANCE AND YOU GET ARRESTED.
'CAUSE YOU DON'T, THEY DID THAT.
AND THERE'S SOME OTHER THINGS YOU DON'T KNOW THAT THEY DID TOO.
AND I WAS YOUNG AND I WATCHED 'EM.
I SAID, GOD, THESE GUYS ARE BOLD.
YOU KNOW? AND, UM, AND THEN DANETTE, I WANT TO COMMEND HER BECAUSE I REALLY, I HAVE LEARNED A LOT FROM DANETTE AND THE FLOYD FAMILY.
AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU WHAT I LEARNED.
SEE, EVERYTHING IS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE.
I'M WITH THE TRAVIS COUNTY HISTORIC COMMISSION.
AND WHAT I LEARNED FROM THEM IS, AND, AND RODNEY ELLIS AND SYLVESTER TURNER IS, WOW.
THEY CAN REALLY BYPASS THINGS THAT PEOPLE DID TO THEM AND FORGET IT.
I REALLY HAVE TO WORK AT THAT
YOU KNOW, I, I GET MAD AND I SAY, I HOPE THEY DON'T LIVE, YOU KNOW,
BUT THEY, I, I REALLY AM AMAZED AT HOW THEY'RE ABLE TO, I WAS AMAZED AT DANETTE.
HOW COULD SHE DO THAT? I'M UPSET.
SHE SAID, CALM DOWN, WE'RE JUST GONNA MOVE AHEAD.
YOU KNOW, BUT THAT IS A TRAIT THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T HAVE.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S WRONG WITH A LOT OF THE WORLD, IS THEY TRY TO, UM,
[01:10:02]
TRY TO PROJECT THEIR INNER THOUGHTS ABOUT THEIR OWN INSUFFICIENCIES ON OTHER PEOPLE.AND WHEN THEY SHOULD JUST LOOK TO THEMSELVES.
THERE'S EITHER TWO THINGS AFFECT AND CAUSE OR CAUSE AND EFFECT.
WHO MADE IT HAPPEN? COULD HAVE BEEN YOURSELF, YOU KNOW? AND THEN WHAT HAPPENED? OR WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY DID THAT HAPPEN? YOU KNOW? AND I AM WORKING ON MYSELF STILL BECAUSE EVERYBODY HAS THE WORK TO DO ON THEIRSELF.
BUT ANYWAY, I'M THANKFUL FOR THIS.
IN THE GEORGE FLOYD STATUTE, UH, WE AGREED TO.
SO YOU SEE GEORGE NOW, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SEE HIM AT AN OLDER AGE.
I ALSO TAUGHT FROM KINDERGARTEN TO COLLEGE.
AND WE ALWAYS, TEACHERS ALWAYS WONDER, WOW, AM I HELPING THIS KID HERE? YOU KNOW? AND, AND A LOT OF THEM, I'M TAUGHT, UM, UH, MIDDLE SCHOOL SINCE 2007, BUT I HAVE TAUGHT COLLEGE LEVEL.
AND I, AND I RUN INTO SOME OF THE STUDENTS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE TALL, BUT THEY HAVE THE SAME HEAD, YOU KNOW? AND I SAID, WELL, WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW? AND I, AND I'M SO GLAD WHEN THEY SAY THAT THEY'RE SUCCESSFUL.
AND YOU KNOW, GEORGE FLOYD, I WANTED TO DO HIM YOUNG, TO INSPIRE THE YOUNG.
HE HAD A MISSION AND HE WAS TRYING TO DO IT.
BUT, UH, OTHER PEOPLE, SOME OTHER PEOPLE'S DREAMS WERE SHORTSIGHTED.
AND HE GOT SHORTSIGHTED, UH, DREAMS ALL OVER THE WORLD.
PEOPLE WITH SHORTSIGHTED DREAMS ALL OVER IN EVERY FACET OF LIFE.
PROFESSIONAL, POLITICAL, EVERYWHERE.
UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A BIG PROBLEM.
ONE THAT, UH, IS VERY HARD TO ADDRESS.
THANK YOU FOR THE FLOWERS FROM THE CUNY HOME PEOPLE,
AND, UH, I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE STATUE.
I DIDN'T SAY THANK YOU TO MY FAMILY, AND I GUESS I SHOULD.
'CAUSE THEY HAVE TO LISTEN TO ME, UH, AS I TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
GROWING UP IN SUNNYSIDE, THIS IS A LONG WAY FROM THE FOUR FOUR, I'M GONNA TELL YOU.
I WAS ON THE DEBATE TEAM AT WORTHING HIGH SCHOOL, AND I GOT TO MEET THE GREAT TOM FREEMAN OVER TEXAS SOUTHERN.
AND I ALWAYS REMEMBER WHAT HE SAID.
HE SAID, IF YOU GIVE A GOOD SPEECH, YOU GOTTA DO THREE THINGS.
YOU TRY TO MAKE 'EM CRY, AND YOU MAKE SOME SENSE.
HE SAY, IF YOU CAN'T MAKE 'EM LAUGH, IT'S OKAY.
IF YOU CAN'T MAKE 'EM CRY, IT'S OKAY.
HOW'S A PRETTY GOOD DEBATER? AND WE'D HAVE THESE TOURNAMENTS AND YOU KNOW, THEY KEPT SAYING, YEAH, RODNEY, YOU PRETTY GOOD.
YOU COMING IN, YOU PUT ON A SHOW, YOU MAKE 'EM LAUGH.
THEY SAID, BUT THEY GOT THIS GUY OVER HERE FROM AKERS HOME.
IT, I'M TELLING YOU, IT, IS IT TRUE.
THEY'D SAY THAT NEGRO GOT A CLOSING
I SAID, REALLY? IF WE GO TO TOURNAMENTS, AND I NEVER SAW HIM.
I SAY, WELL, HE DIDN'T MAKE IT TO THE FINALS.
I WENT TO THE STATE HOUSE TWO YEARS AFTER HIM.
MOST OF THE BILLS THAT I PUT IN EARLY ON WERE BILLS THAT CRAIG WASHINGTON HAD.
I LUCKED UP, MAYBE NOBODY WANTED THE JOB.
I I WENT BACK, HAD HIM LOOK, DIDN'T HAVE THE INTERNET LOOKING AT HIM STUFF BARBARA JORDAN HAD.
AND I WOULD WATCH SOME HOUSE AND SENATE DEBATES.
IT'S MAINLY CRAIG IN THE SENATE.
AND THEY DIDN'T DO A LOT OF TALKING OVER THERE IN THE SENATE.
BUT ONE TERM I'D INTERN AROUND THE CAPITOL.
I WATCHED VIDEOS, HAD TO GO UP TO THE CAPITOL.
I'M TRYING TO GET READY AND AIN'T MY TWO BLACK ONES IN THERE, YOU KNOW, I GOTTA MAKE MY MARK.
FASCINATING INTELLECT IN A WAY.
HE IS THE FOURTH BLACK PERSON TO RUN FROM AIR HOUSTON.
HE'S THE SECOND AFRICAN-AMERICAN TO BE MAYOR OF THE CITY.
AND I THINK IN THE ANNALS OF HISTORY, HE'LL GO DOWN AS ONE OF THE GREATEST MAYORS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WOULD YOU PLEASE WELCOME MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER.
LOOK, LET ME, LET ME JUST, UH, START OFF BY REALLY GIVING A,
[01:15:01]
A LOT OF KUDOS TO COMMISSIONER RODNEY ELLIS.I MEAN, HE, UH, NUMBER ONE, HE HAS MADE HIS MARK ON SO MANY DIFFERENT FRONTS, UH, WHETHERS AS A CITY COUNCIL PERSON, COUNTY COMMISSIONER, UH, IN THE LE IN THE LEGISLATURE, CHAIRPERSON OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
AND THEN WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE TODAY AND, AND HIS COMMITMENT AND DEDICATION.
SO LOOK, I LOVE THIS GUY, AND INCREDIBLE AND INCREDIBLE PERSON.
DIDN'T MEET HIM WHEN I WAS ON THE NORTH SIDE.
UH, BUT WE CERTAINLY HAVE CROSSED PATHS MANY TIMES SINCE.
UH, LOOK, PLEASE JOIN ME IN JUST THANKING COMMISSIONER RODNEY ELLIS.
LOOK, AND LET ME, LET ME, LET ME BE, LET ME BE VERY BRIEF, UH, TO, UH, MS. KAY.
AND LET ME, LET ME THANK YOU, UH, FOR YOUR GENEROSITY AND THE INVESTMENT THAT YOU ARE MAKING THAT WILL LIVE A LIFETIME AND BEYOND FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
ADRIAN, I MEAN, JUST, JUST INCREDIBLE AND INCREDIBLE ARTISTS.
UM, ALL THE ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT ARE HERE, BUT MOST, MOST SPECIFICALLY, UH, TO THE FLOYD FAMILY.
I MEAN, I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S BEEN ANOTHER FAMILY THAT HAS REPRESENTED OUR CITY WITH THE CLASS AND GRACE THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE.
AND, AND I WANT TO ECHO WHAT CHIEF NER SAID.
UM, WHEN 60,000 PEOPLE MARCHED IN OUR, WAS ON IN OUR CITY, QUITE FRANKLY, I WOULD TELL YOU AS MAYOR, I WAS, I WAS CONCERNED YOU BRING 60,000 PEOPLE WITH ALL THE EMOTIONS AND THE TENSION AND THE ANGER THAT WAS IN THE AIR.
IT COULD HAVE GONE WRONG VERY BADLY.
BUT ONE OF THE MAJOR REASONS WHY IT DIDN'T IS BECAUSE THE FLOYD FAMILY STOOD AND SAID, THIS IS NOT, WE DON'T WANT YOU ALL TO ACT CRAZY.
WE DON'T WANT IT TO BE VIOLENT.
COME AND STAND UP, MAKE YOUR VIEWS KNOWN, BUT DO IT IN A PEACEFUL WAY.
AND I WANNA, I WANNA PERSONALLY THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR JUST BEING, JUST BEING, UM, UM, HUGE REPRESENTATIVE AMBASSADORS, UH, FOR OUR CITY.
I JUST, I WANT TO THANK YOU TODAY, UH, UM, AT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN.
YEAH, PLEASE GIVE THEM AT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN, UH, LIBRARY, UH, TODAY.
UM, GREGORY LINCOLN, UH, WE HAD A NATIONAL, UH, DAY OF REMEMBRANCE FOR GEORGE FLOYD.
LATONYA, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR, FOR BEING THERE TODAY.
UM, BUT I WANNA JUST, I JUST WANNA CLOSE BY SAYING THIS SINCE THIS IS A CONVERSATION, UH, WITH GEORGE.
SO LET ME JUST HAVE A BRIEF CONVERSATION WITH, WITH GEORGE.
AND WHAT I WOULD SAY IS, GEORGE, ON MAY 25TH, 2020, WHAT SOME MEANT FOR EVIL, GEORGE, GOD HAS TURNED IT OUT FOR GOOD, THAT THEY MAY HAVE TAKEN YOUR BODY AWAY FROM US, GEORGE, BUT YOUR SPIRIT IS STILL HERE.
AND HEYMAN, WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT THIS GUY FROM THE TRAY, THIRD WARD, THE CUNY HOLMES NAME WOULD BE REVERBERATED NOW ALL OVER THE GLOBE? AND WHO WOULD'VE THOUGHT, MAN, THAT SOMEBODY THAT MOST FOLK DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HAS CAUSED SO MANY REFORMS TO TAKE PLACE? AND MAN, YOU KNOW, THE DAY AFTER YOUR FUNERAL, EVEN AT CITY HALL, WE INSTITUTED REFORMS. WE SAID, YOU KNOW, NO MORE CHOKE HOLES AND YOU CAN'T PUT A KNEE ON SOMEBODY'S NECK.
THAT OFFICERS NOW HAVE A RIGHT AND OBLIGATION TO INTERVENE.
AND WHO WOULD'VE THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD BE PLACING MORE EMPHASIS ON PEOPLE WITH MENTAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES, THE HOMELESS PEOPLE ON SUBSTANCE ABUSE? I MEAN, WHO WOULD'VE THOUGHT THAT? AND WHO WOULD'VE THOUGHT THAT EVEN ON THIS DAY, SOME TWO YEARS LATER, THAT THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, BECAUSE OF YOU MAN, SIGNING AN EXECUTIVE ORDER AND NONE OF THIS WOULD'VE HAPPENED, BUT FOR YOUR
[01:20:01]
LIFE AND HOW YOUR LIFE WAS TAKEN.SO WHAT THOSE MEANT FOR EVIL, GOD HAS TURNED IT OUT FOR GOOD.
WELL, YOU RAN YOUR RACE, YOU FINISHED YOUR COURSE, AND NOW IT'S UP FOR THE REST OF US TO DO OUR PART, AND WE JUST CAN'T TALK ABOUT IT.
YOU GOTTA MAKE SOME THINGS HAPPEN, OKAY? BECAUSE EVIL DOESN'T STOP WITH ONE AND EVIL DOESN'T STOP WHEN SOMEBODY IS TAKEN OUT UNTIL GOOD CONFRONTS EVIL, EVIL WILL TAKE OUT ONE AFTER ANOTHER.
AND YOU KNOW WHY I KNOW THAT, GEORGE? BECAUSE YESTERDAY AND YOU VOWED EVIL STRUCK AGAIN AND 19 OF OUR BABIES ARE NO LONGER HERE.
SO GEORGE, TELL YOU WHAT WE GOING TO DO.
WE NOT JUST GOING TO OFFER CONDOLENCES AND PRAYERS, GEORGE, IN YOUR MEMORY, WE GOING TO VOTE LIKE HELL AND WE GOING TO VOTE AND WE GOING VOTE AND WE GOING TO VOTE AND WE GOING TO VOTE AND TAKE SOME PEOPLE OUT WHO ARE WORKING AGAINST OUR INTERESTS, AND WE GOING TO REPLACE THEM WITH FOLK WHO ARE GOING TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
AND SO, GEORGE, WHEN WE, WHEN WE MEET AGAIN, WHEN WE MEET AGAIN, GEORGE, LET ME JUST SAY TO YOU, WE GONNA HAVE A SHOUTING GOOD TIME BECAUSE GOD HAS BROUGHT US TOO FAR TO LEAVE US NOW.
SO I'M NOT FRUSTRATED, GEORGE, I'M NOT PESSIMISTIC.
I'M NOT THROWING IN THE TOWEL BECAUSE YOU LEFT US HERE TO FINISH THE JOB AND WE ARE GOING TO DO WHAT WE ARE OBLIGATED TO DO.
AND THEN WHEN WE GET UP IN HEAVEN AND WE ALL MEET, WE GONNA HAVE A GOOD TIME.
UNTIL THEN, GEORGE, WE GOT SOME WORK TO DO.
NOW WOULD YOU PLEASE WELCOME WHOEVER WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE FLOYD FAMILY.
HOW Y'ALL DOING? LATONYA FLOYD, BIG SISTER GEORGE FLOYD.
MY MOTHER, WELL THAT'S MY MOTHER'S SISTER RIGHT HERE.
SO YOU COME HERE, COME BACK KATHLEEN.
THAT'S MY MOTHER'S SISTER, KATHLEEN MCGEE.
GEORGE'S AUNT AS WELL AS MINE.
THIS IS, UM, SHETA MCGEE, HER DAUGHTER, WHICH IS MY FIRST COUSIN.
YOU KNOW HER DAUGHTER? THIS IS JORDAN.
AND I JUST CALLED HIM FREDDY BOY.
LOOK AT HE JUST AS SWEET AS HE WANT TO BE.
UH, IT IS, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY IT IS AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO BE HERE.
UH, WHEN I FIRST HEARD ABOUT THE OCCURRENCE OF MY NEPHEW, GEORGE, THANK YOU.
WHEN I FIRST HEARD ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO GEORGE, I WAS JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE ROOM.
AND I WAS SERIOUS AROUND THE WORLD.
IT WAS NOT A GOOD DAY, BUT WE ALL JUST HAD TO TAKE A LITTLE BREATH AND JUST, LORD, WHAT DO WE DO NOW? AND ALL I COULD THINK ABOUT WAS MY SISTER, HE AND MY SISTER HAD A DAY AND INCREDIBLE RELATIONSHIP SON.
AND, UH, MOM PASSED AWAY 2018 AND, UH, FIVE DAYS APART.
[01:25:01]
FIVE DAYS APART.AND UH, I RECEIVED A, A TEXT FROM HIM NOT TOO LONG AFTER THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF I'M GONNA MAKE IT OR NOT.
HE SAID, WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO MY MOM? I JUST DON'T KNOW.
IT'S GOING TO PROBABLY SET ME BACK AGAIN.
BUT HE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT GOD WHEN HE TALKED TO ME AND HE SAID, ONLY GOD CAN TAKE ME THROUGH THIS AND I JUST NEED ANOTHER CHANCE AND TRY TO MAKE MYSELF BETTER.
BUT HE SAID, YOU ARE THE CLOSEST THING THAT I HAVE TO A MOM SURE DID.
AND HE SAID, I'M JUST PRAYING THAT I CAN GET THROUGH THIS WITH YOUR HELP AND HELP FROM THE FAMILY.
WHEN I GOT THE TEXT, ALL I COULD DO WAS CRY BECAUSE I KNOW HOW THE RELATIONSHIP WAS.
'CAUSE HIS MOM AND HIS MOM AND I WERE JUST REALLY, REALLY CLOSE.
I CAME HERE IN OCTOBER OF 1981 AND UH, SHE WAS IN THIRD WARD.
AND YOU KNOW, I'M FROM THE COUNTRY, THE RURAL AREA OF NORTH CAROLINA WHERE WE BOTH GREW UP.
I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE CITY.
I DON'T LAUGH TANYA AND
THEY SAID SHE FROM NORTH CAROLINA, RIGHT? SHE GAVE ME HER, UH, MAMA SAID, DON'T YOU WANT A SODA WATER,
AND THEN WHEN SHE FINALLY FOUND OUT AND THEY WAS TALKING ABOUT A, A, A SODA, SODA POP, WHATEVER, AT THE SODA WATER, SHE DOWN THERE, MY GRANDMA LAURA, WHICH IS HER MAMA.
SHE'LL SAY, AIN'T GO TO THE STORE AND GIVE ME A DRINK, GIMME A DR.
BUT WHEN YOU SAY DRINK UP HERE, UH OH YEAH.
BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY A THANK YOU TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
AND, UH, ALTHOUGH WE LIVE IN MISS MISSOURI CITY, HOUSTON IS JUST LIKE OUR HOME BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE LIVE WHEN WE FIRST CAME HERE.
AND, UH, WE HAVE A CONNECTION WITH THE HOUSTON AND, UH, THE FORT, THE, UH, FORT BEND AREA IN MISSOURI CITY.
AND I JUST WANNA THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
WE LOVE WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING AND ADVOCATING FOR GEORGE AND ALL THE OTHERS AROUND THEM.
THIS COUNTRY AND ALL THE WORLD THAT ARE COMING TO ATROCITIES, LIKE HIS DEATH.
THEY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN AND HAD A KNEE ON THEIR NECK, BUT THE END RESULT WAS THE SAME.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, ESPECIALLY ON MY SISTER BEHALF.
BEFORE THE FLOYD FAMILY LEAVES, I WANT TO ASK, SINCE I WANT US TO DO SOMETHING, ISHA CORTEZ FROM THE COMMUNITY OF FAITH GONNA COME AND, AND GIVE A SONG OF DEDICATION FOR THIS MOMENT.
BUT I WANT US TO ALL POINT A HAND TOWARDS THE FLOYD FAMILY.
JUST ASK GOD'S BLESSINGS ON THEM.
AND THANK GOD FOR THEIR STRENGTH.
THANK GOD FOR THEIR COURAGE AND THEIR DIGNITY.
AND ASK GOD TO CONTINUE TO USE THEM TO BE THE AMBASSADORS THAT THEY ARE AND HAVE BEEN AS THE MAYOR DESCRIBED.
AND MAY THE THIS FLOYD STATUE KEEP TELLING THE STORY THAT NO PERSON IN AMERICA EVER DESERVES WHAT GEORGE FLOYD EXPERIENCE.
AND NOW HOW POWERFUL WE CAN LIVE.
NISHA CORTEZ IS GONNA COME AND SING AND, UH, WHEN YOU HEAR US SING, YOU ARE GONNA BE INSPIRED.
AND THEN THE COMMISSIONER AND THE FAMILY WILL LEAD US OUT, OUT TO THE UNVEILING OF THE STATUE I WAS BORN.
[01:30:29]
I CAN.SO IF YOU WILL FOLLOW THE, THE MAYOR AND THOSE OF US WITH THE FAMILY, UH, NOW IT WILL BE A RIVER OVER THERE UNTIL WE PUT THAT DETENTION POND.