* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:20] ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. HOW Y'ALL DOING? SO WE ARE HERE FOR A RALLY, SO I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE WARM, SO WE'RE GONNA ASK Y'ALL FOR THIS BRIEF TIME THAT WE'RE TOGETHER TO, TO GIVE US SOME ENERGY, RIGHT? BECAUSE THIS IS ALL ABOUT SENDING UP SOME GOOD VIBES TO SUPPORT BRITTANY GRINNER, YOU GOT A GREAT PROGRAM. WE'RE GONNA KEEP IT MOVING, BUT WE NEED Y'ALL TO BE ENGAGED. SO FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR BEING OUT HERE TODAY. IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT AND ADAM'S GONNA TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHY WE'RE HERE. IT IS GREAT TO SEE EVERYBODY HERE. UM, IF YOU'VE WATCHED ANY NEWSCAST, YOU KNOW, THEY TELL THE SPORTS PERSON, HE'S GOT LIKE 90 SECONDS AND IT'S USUALLY LIKE 45 SECONDS. SO I'M GONNA TRY AND KEEP THIS REAL QUICK AND SUM IT UP. BUT IF YOU DO NEED A REMINDER AS TO WHY WE'RE HERE, WE'RE HERE FOR OUR OWN BRITTANY GRINDER. SHE IS, I'M FORTUNATE TO GROW UP HERE IN HOUSTON. BG GREW UP HERE IN HOUSTON, HERE AT CHANNEL 13, OUR INCREDIBLE SPORTS PRODUCER, JOE GLEASON. IT WAS A SLOW THURSDAY NIGHT IN THE HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS PLAYOFFS. HE WENT AND GRABBED DINNER, DECIDED TO GO OVER TO DEL MAR AND THEN SHOOT A NIMITZ GAME. BG HAD 15 BLOCKS AND THREE DUNKS IN THE FIRST HALF. HE WAS ON THE PHONE WITH THE ESPN ASSIGNMENT DESK IN THE THIRD QUARTER. SHE WAS IN THE A BLOCK OF SPORTSCENTER THAT NIGHT. THE REST IS HISTORY. UNFORTUNATELY, THE LATEST CHAPTER IN THAT HISTORY AS TO WHY WE'RE HERE MORE THAN A HUNDRED DAYS. BRITTANY GRINDER, ACCORDING TO OUR GOVERNMENT, HAS BEEN WRONGFULLY DETAINED IN RUSSIA. THIS WOULD BE LIKE AARON ROGERS BEING DETAINED IN RUSSIA. YES. AND AARON ROGERS IS NOT DETAINED IN RUSSIA, BUT BRITTANY GRINER IS. SO WE'RE HERE TONIGHT WITH THE HELP OF, WE'RE HERE TONIGHT WITH THE HELP OF A WHOLE BUNCH OF IMPORTANT PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND DIFFERENT PLATFORMS TO MAKE THE VOICES HEARD, TO FEEL YOUR LOVE AND FEEL YOUR ENERGY TO HOPEFULLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE. AND IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU. AND WE'RE GONNA GET GOING WITH THIS PROGRAM, KIM. ALRIGHT? IN CASE YOU DON'T KNOW, ALSO A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN, JUST A LITTLE BIT OLDER THAN BRITTANY GRINDER. ALL RIGHT, SO LISTEN, ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE ARE HERE IS BECAUSE OUR VERY OWN CONGRESSWOMAN, WHO IS ALWAYS WORKING FOR THE PEOPLE, RIGHT? ALWAYS WORKING FOR THE PEOPLE, DECIDED THAT WE SHOULD DO SOMETHING IN BRITTANY'S HOMETOWN SO THAT THE WORLD CAN HEAR, SO THAT OUR GOVERNMENT CAN HEAR HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR SOMETHING TO TAKE PLACE. I'D LIKE TO BRING UP CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE, WHO IS A CO-SPONSOR OF HOUSE RESOLUTION 1132, WHICH IS CALLING FOR THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF BRITTANY GRINDER, WHO'S NOT JUST, SHE'S A HOUSTONIAN, BUT SHE'S ALSO A CITIZEN OF THIS GREAT COUNTRY. CONGRESSWOMAN, DON'T WE HAVE THE BEST WHEN WE CAN HAVE KIM AND ADAM, MAYBE THEY'LL JUST DO A SHOW TOGETHER. KIM AND ADAM, THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU THAT HAVE GATHERED, THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE STILL COMING, GET OUT OF THOSE BUILDINGS AND MAKE SURE THAT, UH, IT'S COOL WHERE YOU ARE. I CAN JUST SEE YOU SITTING ON YOUR BALCONY. COME ON DOWN HERE AND SHOW THAT SUPPORT. BUT I'M SO PROUD OF YOU AND PROUD OF THOSE WHO'VE COME TO BE A PART OF THIS DEMAND. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? WE ARE NOT GONNA BACK DOWN BECAUSE WE WANT BRITTANY TO COME HOME. WE WANNA SHOUT AS LOUD AS WE CAN FOR HER FAMILY TO HEAR US, UH, FOR CHERYL TO HEAR US, A MOM AND DAD TO HEAR US. AND WE ARE SO DELIGHTED THAT WE HAVE AUNT DORSEY HERE. AND ALSO, UH, WE'LL HAVE THEM IN SPIRIT AND IN VIDEO. BUT HERE'S WHERE WE ARE. HERE'S WHERE WE ARE. IN A MINUTE OR TWO, BRITTANY GRINER WAS IN AN AIRPORT FOR ANYBODY THAT KNOWS. NO ONE WILL ADMIT IT. YOU GOT SOME BAD FOOD, SOME FRUIT, SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD TO CUSTOMS, THEY CONFISCATE IT, SEND YOU ON YOUR WAY. IT MIGHT BE THAT THEY SAY DON'T COME BACK. BUT LO AND BEHOLD, A FEW DAYS BEFORE RUSSIA'S INVASION INTO UKRAINE, AND AS I WAS SITTING IN LITHUANIA AS THEY CAME IN ON FEBRUARY 24TH, I REMEMBER IT. AND BY THE WAY, WHEN THEY TOOK BRITTANY, THEY LET NO ONE KNOW, EVEN WHEN THEY WERE GOING INTO UKRAINE, SOMETHING WAS AWRY. THEY HAD SOMETHING WORLD [00:05:01] RENOWNED OLYMPIAN. REMEMBER, IT WAS JUST AFTER THE COMPLETION OF NOT A GOOD TIME FOR RUSSIANS AT THE WINTER OLYMPICS. AND HERE WE HAVE AN OLYMPIAN. BUT GUESS WHAT? SHE HAD PLAYED FOR YEARS FOR THE RUSSIAN TEAM AND MADE THEM WINNERS. IT WASN'T LIKE THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHO BRITTANY WAS. AND SO, JUST AS MY MILITARY HAS TRAINED ME TO KNOW THAT NO ONE IS LEFT ON THE BATTLEFIELD, WE AS AMERICANS SHOULD ALWAYS EMBRACE OUR OWN. WE STAND TODAY WITH A CONGRESSIONAL DEMAND THROUGH H RES 1132 TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT WE WANT BRITTANY HOME RELEASE HER IMMEDIATELY. IMMEDIATELY. AND AS WE ARE THE FIRST IN THE NATION TO RAISE OUR VOICES, WE WANNA SHARE THIS. AND WE WANT YOU AROUND THE NATION TO REMEMBER BRITTANY GRINER AND PAUL WHALEN THAT'S BEEN SENTENCED TO 19 YEARS. AND SO HOUSTON NIMITZ HIGH SCHOOL, BELLA, SHE IS TRULY TEXAN. AND THEN IN PHOENIX, EVERYONE THERE SAYS SHE HAS A HEART OF GOLD. ONE OF THE MAJOR CHARITABLE DONORS IN HER COMMUNITY WILL GIVE YOU THE SHIRT OFF HER BACK. RIGHT NOW WE ARE HERE FIRST TO SAY, AND THAT HEARING THAT IS DESIGNATED FOR JUNE. IN FACT, JUNE 19TH, WHAT WE WANT IS BRITTANY GRINDER HOME BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT JUSTICE IS ONLY RENDERED WHEN THE TRUTH COMES OUT. AND THAT WE KNOW THAT SHE'S A HOSTAGE THAT NEEDS TO BE RELEASED RIGHT NOW. SO I AM LOOKING FORWARD, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE COLLECTIVE VOICE OF ALL OF YOU AND MAKING A LOUD NOISE, ALL OF US, TO BRING BRITTANY GRINER HOME. GO AHEAD. YOU CAN SAY IT. PRAISE. TURN YOUR SIGNS THAT WAY. TURN YOUR SIGN, TURN YOUR SIGNS. ALRIGHT, I AM DELIGHTED. I'M GONNA JUST TAKE THE LIBERTY OF BRINGING UP THE CEO OF THIS COMMUNITY WHO INSISTED ON TAKING A RED EYE. ONLY THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON CAN FIND A RED EYE. I CAN'T FIND A RED EYE. THAT'S THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN FIND A RED EYE. I'M LOOKING FOR A RED EYE, TRYING TO GET BACK TO WASHINGTON. UH, BUT I THINK THAT IS WELL NOTED BECAUSE WE ARE A NEIGHBORLY CITY. WE'RE A CITY THAT REALLY, REALLY CARES. AND MAYOR, WHEN I SAID THE MAYOR, THE COMMISSIONER, THE TREVOR REED FAMILY SAID, WE ARE GONNA GET DOWN HERE AS FAST AS WE CAN BECAUSE WE WANNA BE PART OF A CITY THAT'S SHOWING LOVE. WILL YOU WELCOME TO THE STAGE THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, SYLVESTER TURNER. LOOK, LET ME, LET ME JOIN IN BY, BY THANKING NUMBER ONE, LET ME THANK CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE, PLEASE GIVE IT UP TO CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE, COMMISSIONER, SHE CALLED ME. I WAS ATTENDING THE CONFERENCE OF UNITED STATES CONFERENCE OF MAYORS, UH, IN NEVADA. AND SHE CALLED ME AND SAID, LOOK, I I REALLY WANT TO, UH, SPEARHEAD, UH, THIS EFFORT TO, UH, BRING, UH, BRITTANY HOME AND ASKED IF I COULD COME AND PARTICIPATE. UH, AND LOOK, THE CONGRESSWOMAN IS ALWAYS OUT FRONT, UH, FIGHTING, FIGHTING FOR EVERYONE, EVEN FOR PEOPLE THAT YOU MAY NOT EVEN KNOW. AND SO, UH, UH, EARLIER MIDNIGHT, UH, TOOK THIS RED EYE FROM NEVADA, UH, BECAUSE I WANTED TO BE HERE ON BEHALF OF SOMEONE WHO HAS GIVEN SO MUCH, UH, TO THIS SIDNEY. BRITTANY GRANA IS HOUSTON OWNED, AND, UM, FOR SOMEONE, UM, THE MAYOR OF CITY OF HOUSTON LIVES IN ALDEN. SHE PLAYED FOR NIMITZ HIGH SCHOOL AND PLAYED EXTREMELY WELL FOR NIMITZ HIGH SCHOOL. IN FACT, SHE SLAPPED DOWN 25 BALLS IN ONE SINGLE GAME AT DI MS HIGH SCHOOL. EVERYBODY TALKED ABOUT HER THEN, THEN WENT ON TO BAYLOR. UH, THIS IS SOMEONE WHO HAS REPRESENTED OUR CITY EXTREMELY WELL. SO MUCH SO, UH, THAT THERE ARE MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL WHO ARE HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN AND SHABAZZ IS HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY JACKSON IS HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN IS PRESENT. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER EDWARD POLLY IS PRESENT BECAUSE SHE REPRESENTS THIS [00:10:01] CITY AND THE BEST OF THIS CITY. LEMME JUST SAY TO TO THE LEADERS OF THE COUNTRY THAT'S HOLDING HER, LET HER GO AND, AND LET HER GO. FREE HER, SET HER FREE. UH, AND NOT ON A POLITICAL NOTE, BUT BECAUSE SHE REPRESENTS, UM, WHAT THIS CITY IS ALL ABOUT, HER FAMILY IS HERE. UH, THIS IS SOMEONE WHO LITERALLY, WHO LITERALLY HAS GIVEN EVERYTHING TO THE CITY, TO THE STATE, AND TO THIS COUNTRY. YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY WHO WENT TO THE OLYMPICS IN 20 16, 20 20, WON THE GOLD. SOMEBODY SEVEN TIMES HAD BEEN A PART OF THE, OF THE OF, OF JUST THE ALL STAR TEAM. THE WNBA. THE NBA IS HERE. PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF OUR CITY IS HERE REP REPRESENTING THE DIVERSITY OF OUR CITY. SO CONGRESSWOMAN, I JUST WANTED TO COME BY TO JOIN IN THE CHORUS TO SAY, BRING BRITTANY HOME. BRING BRITTANY HOME, BRING BRITTANY HOME, BRING BRITTANY HOME AND BRING HER HOME NOW. THANK YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH. THANK GOD. OH, I HAVE ONE LAST THING TO DO BECAUSE SHE'S SO IMPORTANT TO OUR CITY. AND EVEN THOUGH SHE MAY BE DETAINED IN A FOREIGN LAND BECAUSE SHE'S GIVEN SO MUCH TO THIS CITY, I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SAYING, THEREFORE I, SYLVESTER TURNER, MAYOR OF CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROUDLY PROCLAIM THIS DAY IN 2022. AS BRITTANY, HOW DAY IN THE CITY OF YOU SON BRING BRITTANY HOME. WOW. HOW INVESTED IN ME? LET, LET ME DO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AGAIN BECAUSE I IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE YOU STOOD UP. COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCON IS ALREADY STANDING UP. EVERYBODY, COME ON, SHOUT IT OUT. COUNCIL MEMBER TASHA JACKSON. WHO ELSE DO I HAVE? COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, WHERE ARE YOU? DID YOU TALL THAT YOU ARE? ALRIGHT, GIVE HIM A HAND PLEASE. COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ. STAND ON UP. ALRIGHT, REPRESENTATIVE RON REYNOLDS, A REPRESENTATIVE JARVIS JOHNSON, JUDGE MIKE ENGLEHART, COMMISSIONER ADRIAN GARCIA. I GOT TASHA JACKSON, JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, DELORES LAZARO AND THEN DESHAUN PATE, GULF COAST REGIONAL COALITION DIRECTED FOR THE FORMER FORMER CONGRESSMAN. THAT WAS MY COLLEAGUE, BAD O ROCK. AND YES, RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR. BAD O' ROCK. ALRIGHT, HISD, TRUSTEE KENDALL BAKER. GOOD TO SEE YOU TRUSTEE. VERY NICE TO SEE YOU. GOOD. OH, KENDALL HAS BEEN WORKING FOR A LONG TIME, SO GLAD TO SEE YOU OUT FOR SURE. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. UM, AND THEN I'M GOING TO STEP AWAY AFTER THIS ONE, BUT I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SAY THESE FOLK ARE THAT THIS IS A COMBINATION OF FEDERAL, A COMBINATION OF THE CITY AND THE COUNTY AND THE WONDERFUL STATE. UH, WE KNOW WHAT HIS LOVE IS. IT IS MAKING HARRIS COUNTY AND HOUSTON BETTER. AND SO WE ARE GRATEFUL THAT HE HAS TAKEN HIS MANY TALENTS AND REALLY JOINED IN WITH THE CITY AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR JUSTICE, FOR BEAUTIFICATION, FOR MOBILITY, AND FOR BEING THE ONE MAN STOP GAP FOR FLOODING, BUT A MAN WITH PASSION FOR SERVING. COMMISSIONER RODNEY LS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NOW, MAYOR, I WAS MINDING MY OWN BUSINESS, WHICH IS ALL OF YOU ALL KNOW I DO ON A REGULAR BASIS. TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, THREE DAYS AGO, CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE CALLS AND SHE SAID, ARE YOU AWAKE? I SAID, HELL NO, BUT I'M AWAKE NOW. SHE SAID, AN IMPORTANT COURT DATE IS COMING UP FOR BRITTANY GRINER. AND THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THE STATE DEPARTMENT SAID, YOU SHOULD LAY LOW. AND NOW THE CONGRESSWOMAN SAID, I'VE BEEN TOLD IT IS TIME TO MAKE NOISE. AS JOHN LEWIS WOULD SAY, [00:15:01] GOOD NOISE. SO SHE SAID, ON SHORT NOTICE, WE GONNA PULL TOGETHER A RALLY. AND THEN SHE SAID, I HAVEN'T TALKED TO HIM YET, BUT THE PERFECT PLACE TO DO IT IS WHERE THE ROCKETS PLAY. AND THEN SHE SAID, I'M GONNA ASK THEM TO GET AS MANY OF THEIR STARS TO SHOW UP AS POSSIBLE. IT'S APPROPRIATE THAT WE WOULD BE HERE AT THIS PLACE TO HONOR BRITTANY GRINER. CONGRESSWOMAN, THANK YOU. NO MATTER WHAT IT IS, YOU ARE ALWAYS OUT THERE ON THE BATTLEFIELD. AND FIRST, IT'S IMPORTANT, THIS IS THE FIRST PUBLIC GATHERING TO PUBLICLY SAY, BRING BRITTANY HOME. BRING BRITTANY HOME. YOU GOT IT. NOW LOOK, BRIEFLY, I WANNA MAKE THIS COMMENT. YEARS AGO I WORKED FOR ONE OF THE CONGRESSWOMAN'S PREDECESSORS. MAY YOU REMEMBER, MICKEY LELAND WAS ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE WHO HAD RELATIONSHIPS WITH FIDEL CASTRO IN CUBA. AND HE WOULD ALWAYS TELL HIS COLLEAGUES WHO WANTED HIM TO GO AND GET SOMEONE FROM THAT DISTRICT MAKE THE POINT, NO MATTER HOW MUCH GOVERNMENTS MAY DISAGREE, DON'T PUT CITIZENS WHO HAVE NO INVOLVEMENT IN THOSE DISAGREEMENTS IN HARM'S WAY. HERE YOU HAVE A YOUNG WOMAN IN THE PRIME OF HER LIFE. SPORTS, MORE THAN ANYTHING, NO MATTER WHAT PROBLEMS WE HAVE AROUND THE GLOBE, IT TENDS TO BE MUSIC AND IT TENDS TO BE SPORTS THAT BRINGS US TOGETHER NO MATTER HOW DIFFERENT WE ARE. BRITTANY GRINDER WAS NOT ONLY A CHAMPION HERE, AS SHEILA SAID, SHE WAS A CHAMPION IN RUSSIA. SHE HELPED PUT BASKETBALL ON THE MAP THERE. BY THE WAY, THE WAY ING PUT IT ON THE MAP IN CHINA. SO YOU SHOULDN'T TAKE A YOUNG WOMAN. I'M SENSITIVE TO THE FACT THAT SHE'S PART OF OUR IMPORTANT GLBT COMMUNITY. WE GET THE UNDERCURRENT THERE. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THIS YOUNG WOMAN GET A CHANCE TO LIVE A LIFE. IN CLOSING, I WENT TO RUSSIA AS A YOUNG CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, 1984. IT WAS A TIME WHEN OUR JEWISH NEIGHBORS HAD TO PRACTICE THEIR FAITH IN RUSSIA UNDERGROUND. THEY CALLED HIM REFUSENIKS. SHEILA, YOUR PREDECESSOR, AGREED TO GO. THEN HE COULDN'T GO. THEY SAID, WELL, WE GOTTA HAVE ELECTED OFFICIAL. AN ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE CAN'T GO. SO HE SAID, ALMOST SEND RODNEY. I SAID, WELL MICKEY, WHAT DO THEY CARE ABOUT? A HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL MEMBER? THEY LOCKED ME UP. BUT I WENT BISHOP AND WE MET WITH PEOPLE UNDERGROUND EVEN BACK THEN. WHAT STRUCK ME WAS THE SUBWAY SYSTEM IN MOSCOW WAS BEAUTIFUL. I WAS TOLD WHEN WE TOOK THE TRIP, ALL OF THE PEOPLE ON THE DELEGATION TRIED TO BLEND IN. I KINDA LOOKED BLEND IN IN RUSSIA. MUCH TO MY SURPRISE, WHEN PEOPLE WOULD SEE US ON THE SUBWAY, THEY'D LOOK AT THE OTHER DELEGATION. THEY KNEW WE WERE NOT RUSSIANS, BUT THEN THEY'D SALUTE ME. IT'S BECAUSE THEY WERE ACCUSTOMED TO SEEING BLACK SOLDIERS FROM AFRICAN COUNTRIES CAUGHT UP BEHIND THE IRON CURTAIN IN THAT WAR. BUT LOOK, I FOUND EVEN BACK THEN, NOT THE GOVERNMENT, BUT THE RUSSIAN PEOPLE WERE DECENT HUMAN BEINGS JUST LIKE US. SO MY APPEAL, THE CONGRESSWOMAN, THE STATE DEPARTMENT, WOULD DEAL WITH THE GOVERNMENT. MY APPEAL IS TO EVERYDAY PEOPLE IN RUSSIA, EVEN IF THEY CUT OFF FROM THE NEWS, THEY GET THE INTERNET. SOMEHOW. WE APPEALING TO YOU FOR A HOMETOWN HERO, A DAUGHTER, A SPOUSE, A YOUNG WOMAN. LET BRITTANY COME HOME. WE LOVE HER. BRING BRITTANY HOME. BRING BRITTANY HOME. BRING BRITTANY HOME. THANK YOU. Y'ALL CAN MAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE NOISE THAN THAT. WE HAD A FAMILY THAT HAD JUST CAME IN QUIETLY AND SAT DOWN. AND BEFORE ADAM TAKES THE MIC BACK AND BRINGS ON THE STATE DEPARTMENT, I WANT Y'ALL TO GIVE THE LOUDEST SHOUT OUT FOR MR. AND MRS. REED. UH, PAULA AND JOEY REED. AND THEN OF COURSE TREVOR REED. HE'S HOME. HE'S HOME. HE'S HOME. HE IS HOME. HE IS HOME. STAND UP GUYS SO THEY CAN SEE YOU. STAND UP. STAND UP. TREVOR. STAND UP A FORMER MARINE. HE IS HOME. THEY DROVE ALL THE WAY HERE TO BE WITH US. [00:20:03] WOW. ALL THE WAY HERE. BECAUSE THEY WANT BRITTANY AND PAUL WHALEN TO COME HOME. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. ADAM, IT'S YOURS. DID I LOSE YOU AGAIN? . ALL. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. CAN'T GET RID OF ME THAT EASILY. YOU WANT TO INTRO INTRODUCE WHAT YOU GOT GOING ON? KIM, YOU WANT ME TO HOLD THE MIC FOR YOU? YOU CAN SHOW THAT. SO HERE'S A QR CODE AND IT'S ALL, WE ALSO ONE ON THE SIDE. YOU CAN SCAN THIS CODE, WHICH WILL TAKE YOU TO WHERE YOU CAN SIGN A PETITION. SO IT'S GONNA BE ONE ON THE SIDE OF THE STAGE, BUT I WANTED TO HOLD IT UP IF YOU CAN GET IT FROM HERE. BUT IT'LL BE AROUND FOR THE REST OF THE RALLY. SCAN THIS WITH YOUR PHONE. IT'LL TAKE YOU TO A PETITION THAT YOU CAN SIGN FOR. THE REASON THAT WE ARE HERE TO FREE BRITTANY GRINER. AND AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, THE REASON WE'RE HERE IS WE'RE IN THE GREATEST CITY IN THE COUNTRY AND WE'VE GOT AN AWESOME VOICE AND AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE THAT VOICE. EXACTLY. AND WE WANT EVERYBODY TO BE ABLE TO HEAR IT, INCLUDING THE FOLKS IN POWER IN WASHINGTON, DC WE HAVE A VIDEO THAT WE'RE GONNA PLAY FROM THE US STATE DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW. I BELIEVE THAT IT IS QUEUED UP AND WE ARE READY TO GO. CAN YOU EVENING? MY NAME IS ROGER CARSTENS AND I'M THE SPECIAL PRESIDENTIAL ENVOY FOR HOSTAGE AFFAIRS. THE US GOVERNMENT IS COMMITTED TO SECURING THE FREEDOM OF US CITIZENS, BRI GRINER AND PAUL WHALEN IN RUSSIA AND ALL US NATIONALS HELD HOSTAGE OR WRONGFULLY DETAINED ABROAD. AS SECRETARY BLINKEN HAS SAID, THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE HAS NO HIGHER PRIORITY. THE STRENGTH AND COURAGE THAT I HAVE PERSONALLY WITNESSED FROM THE WAYLON AND GRINDER FAMILIES SINCE THEIR LOVED ONES WERE WRONGFULLY DETAINED IN RUSSIA IS REMARKABLE. AND THE OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT FOR BRITTANY AND PAUL THAT IS ON DISPLAY TONIGHT IN HOUSTON AND THAT WE HAVE SEEN AND HEARD FROM MANY OTHERS AROUND THE COUNTRY IS TRULY INSPIRING. I WANT TO RECOGNIZE CONGRESSWOMAN JACKSON LEE, MAYOR TURNER, COMMISSIONER ELLIS, AND EVERYONE HEAD TO HAND IN MAKING TONIGHT'S VIGIL POSSIBLE. OUR COMMITMENT TO BRINGING HOME US NATIONALS HELD HOSTAGE ARE WRONGFULLY DETAINED, GOES RIGHT TO THE TOP. PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS SAID THAT UNJUSTLY HOLDING AMERICANS CAPTIVE IS ALWAYS UNACCEPTABLE. AND THAT WE MUST REMEMBER THE NAMES AND STORIES OF EVERY AMERICAN WHO'S BEING HELD UNJUSTLY AGAINST THEIR WILL. WE RECENTLY WELCOMED HOME ANOTHER EXCEPTIONAL TEXAN WHO'S WITH YOU TONIGHT? TREVOR REED. HIS SAFE RETURN IS A TESTAMENT TO THE PRIORITY. THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION PLACES ON BRINGING HOME AMERICANS HELD HOSTAGE AND WRONGFULLY DETAINED ABROAD. THE UNITED STATES WILL NEVER STOP FIGHTING TO BRING THEM ALL HOME. THANK YOU. SO THERE'S THE OFFICIAL WORD FROM OUR STATE DEPARTMENT. THE UNITED STATES WILL NEVER STOP FIGHTING TO BRING BRITTANY AND OTHERS LIKE HER HOME. NOW, I'D LIKE TO INVITE UP BISHOP JAMES DIXON. UM, NOT ONLY IS HE A BISHOP, HE IS ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL NAACP AND IS ALWAYS ON THE GROUND FIGHTING FOR HOUSTONIANS FOR WHAT'S RIGHT. MR. , COME ON UP. THANK YOU KIM. THANK YOU ADAM SO MUCH. CONGRESSWOMAN, LEAVE FOR YOUR STELLAR LEADERSHIP'S DEPENDENCE AS ALWAYS. AND UH, THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS DISTURBING OUR PEACE. THANK YOU FOR DISTURBING OUR PEACE. MAYOR. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. COMMISSIONER ELLIS, ALL OF THE PASTORS. I WANT ALL THE FAITH LEADERS TO STAND WHEREVER YOU ARE. ALL THE PASTOR FAVOR YOU STAND BECAUSE COME ON, GIVE 'EM A HAND. WE'VE RECOGNIZED THE ELECTED OFFICIALS. ALL OF THEM ARE AMAZING AND WE'RE ALL AMAZING TOGETHER. LET ME QUICKLY SAY THIS, WHEN I SAID TO THE CONGRESSMAN, THANK YOU FOR DISTURBING THE PEACE THE WAY THAT YOU GET THINGS DONE IS YOU HAVE TO DISTURB PEOPLE'S PEACE. THANK YOU ROCKETS FOR LETTING US COME HERE TODAY. WE APPRECIATE THAT. IF WE DON'T DISTURB THE PEACE, WE WON'T GET JUSTICE. PEOPLE SAY THAT JESUS WAS A PEACEMAKER. JESUS WAS A DISTURBER OF THE PEACE. HE UPSET THE STATUS QUO. YOU DON'T GET CRUCIFIED IF YOU DON'T DISTURB THE PEACE. I DON'T MEAN COMMITTING CRIME, I MEAN DEMANDING JUSTICE. WE ARE OUT HERE IN THE SPIRIT OF JOHN LEWIS MAKING GOOD TROUBLE. AND IT'S MAKING SURE THAT OTHER PEOPLE HEAR OUR VOICES TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN'T SLEEP. WHILE BRITTANY CAN'T SLEEP, THEY CAN'T REST. WHILE BRITTANY CAN'T REST, WE CANNOT [00:25:01] RELAX UNTIL BRITTANY CAN RELAX TONIGHT, WHEN WE FINISH, ALL OF US ARE GOING TO OUR HUMBLER BOWS. WE'VE GOT BEDS TO SLEEP IN THAT ARE COMFORTABLE. WE'VE GOT CENTRAL AIR AND HEAT TO MAKE US COMFORTABLE. WE'VE GOT QUILTS AND WE'VE GOT PILLOWS TO MAKE OURSELVES COMFORTABLE. BUT BRITTANY, OUR SISTER, IS NOT COMFORTABLE. I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO DO SOMETHING TONIGHT. DO SOMETHING TO MAKE YOURSELF UNCOMFORTABLE AT HOME. DO SOMETHING TO REMIND YOU THAT I CAN'T BE COMFORTABLE AT MY HOUSE WHILE BRITTANY IS UNCOMFORTABLE IN A JAILHOUSE. SEE HOW QUIET Y'ALL ARE NOW? SEE, SEE, IT'S, IT'S ALL RIGHT TO SIT IN THE SEAT AND AND WAVE A LITTLE BIT. BUT I NEED SOMETHING TO REMIND ME THAT BRITTANY IS NOT COMFORTABLE IN A JAILHOUSE WHILE I'M COMFORTABLE AT MY HOUSE. THIS RALLY IS SO IMPORTANT. IT IS STARTING A MOVEMENT. IT'S A SPARK. BRITTANY IS NOT JUST AN AMERICAN ATHLETE. BRITTANY IS AN AMERICAN CITIZEN. AND EVERY VOICE IN NEEDS TO BE CALLED ON TO LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SAY, BRING BRITTANY HOME. BLACK VOICES. BRING BRITTANY HOME. WHITE VOICES, BRING BRITTANY HOME. REPUBLICAN VOICES, BRING BRITTANY HOME. DEMOCRATIC VOICES. BRING BRITTANY HOME BECAUSE SHE'S NOT JUST A GREAT ATHLETE, SHE IS A GREAT AMERICAN. I'M GLAD THAT THE CONGRESSWOMAN HAS A RESOLUTION. WE WANNA SEE DR. UH, PRESIDENT BIDEN. WE WANNA SEE THE CONGRESS AND THE SENATE, BUT IT STARTS WITH THE PEOPLE. AND I CLOSE WITH THIS. LET'S TAKE THE SOCIAL MEDIA AND LET'S MAKE SURE THERE'S A MOVEMENT ACROSS THIS NATION THAT SPREADS ACROSS THE WATERS THAT SAYS THERE IS LOCKED UP IN A RUSSIAN JAIL. A YOUNG AMERICAN WOMAN WHO DOESN'T DESERVE TO BE THERE. AND UNTIL WE MAKE PEOPLE UNCOMFORTABLE HEARING THAT MESSAGE, WE ARE NOT GONNA GET THIS DONE. THANK YOU FOR BEING IT. LISTEN, DON'T EVER DESPISE SMALL BEGINNINGS. I READ A BOOK ABOUT A MAN NAMED GIDEON AND THE BIBLE SAYS HE ONLY HAD 300 SOLDIERS, BUT THOSE 300 SOLDIERS, COACH LUCAS, WERE WILLING TO DIE FOR A CAUSE. AND WHEN YOU GET 300 PEOPLE WALKING IN UNITY AND SPEAKING, ONE VOICE, ONE MESSAGE, FOR ONE REASON, GOD HAS A WAY OF PUTTING THUNDER IN YOUR FEET. I WISH I HAD ABOUT FIVE PEOPLE IN HERE WHO WILL STAND UP ON YOUR FEET AND SAY, I'M A PART OF THE ARMY. NOW Y'ALL TWO, COME ON. I'M A PART OF THE ARMY TO BRING BRITTANY HOME. I'LL MARSH SHALL BRING HER HOME. I'LL PRAY TO BRING HER HOME. I'LL SAY TO BRING HER HOME. I'LL PREACH, TO GIVE HER HOME OUR GIFT TO BRING HER HOME. I'M A PART OF THE ARMY. COME ON, PUT SOME MARCHING IN YOUR FEET BECAUSE WE GOT TO DO THIS UNTIL BRITTANY COMES HOME. I DON'T FEEL NO WAY TIRED. WE'VE COME TOO FAR FROM WHERE WE STARTED FROM. NOBODY TOLD US THE ROAD WILL BE EASY. BUT I DON'T BELIEVE GOD BROUGHT US THIS FALL TO LEAVE US. SHOUT IT. BRING BRITTANY HOME. BRING BRITTANY HOME. BRING BRITTANY HOME. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.