[Press Conference: "Launch of Open for Business Grant"]
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GOOD MORNING.WELL, UH, WELCOME TO A VERY EXCITING DAY FOR THE HOUSTON FUND FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND ECONOMIC EQUITY.
I'M JUANELLE HERRON COMMUNICATIONS CHAIRPERSON FOR THE FUND FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND ECONOMIC EQUITY.
AND REALLY TODAY HAS BEEN, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE'VE ALL, MANY OF FOLKS IN THIS ROOM HAVE BEEN WORKING TO GET TO FOR A NUMBER OF MONTHS.
SO, UM, THE VISION FOR THE FUND IS REALLY TO ENACT TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE BY PROVIDING TANGIBLE RESOURCES AND KNOWLEDGE IN DIVERSE COMMUNITIES ACROSS HOUSTON.
OUR MISSION IS FUELED BY PARTNERS, INCLUDING THE DOW CORPORATION, CITRA, VERIZON, BRACEWELL, MICROSOFT, CIGNA, HNBT ENTERPRISE CONRAIL, TO NAME A FEW OF OUR HOST FOUNDATIONS.
AND ONCE AGAIN, WE ARE HERE TODAY AND WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A VERY, VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU TO WELLS FARGO.
YOU KNOW, WHEN I THINK ABOUT, UH, THE SUPPORT, UM, THAT THEY'VE HAD, WE'VE REALLY BEEN ABLE TO MAKE AN INCREDIBLE, UM, IMPACT ALREADY BEFORE TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT.
UH, AND BECAUSE OF THE GRACIOUS SUPPORT FROM THE, UH, COMPANIES I MENTIONED, AND I FAILED TO MENTION A SMALL LITTLE GROCERY CHAIN IN TEXAS, YOU GUYS MAY HAVE HEARD OF THAT I'M ASSOCIATED WITH WHO'S ALSO SUPPORTING THE FUND.
BUT BECAUSE OF THE GRACIOUS SUPPORT WE'VE RECEIVED, WE'VE ALREADY EXECUTED TWO GRANT CYCLES, EMPOWERING 22 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, AND A UNIVERSITY TRAINING PROGRAM TO CONTINUE IMPACTING THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE TODAY.
THE HOUSTON FUND FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE IS EXCITED TO SHARE THAT ITS SUPPORT FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND NONPROFITS CONTINUES.
OKAY, CAN I GET A DRUM ROLL PLEASE? THE OPEN FOR BUSINESS, THE WELLS FARGO OPEN FOR BUSINESS GRANT PORTAL FUNDED BY WELLS FARGO WITH A $20 MILLION CONTRIBUTION LAUNCHES ON AUGUST 9TH AT 9:00 AM AND AS SOMEONE WHO WAS BORN ON THE 10TH AND THE 11TH, AUGUST 9TH, I CAN ASSURE YOU IS A GREAT DAY.
BEGINNING TUESDAY, AUGUST 9TH AT 9:00 AM SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY, UH, FOR, FOR GRANTS RANGING FROM BETWEEN $10,000 AND $65,000.
THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT STEP TOWARDS ACHIEVING THE HOUSTON EQUITY FUND'S GOAL OF CLOSING THE ECONOMIC GAP THAT CREATES BARRIERS TO OPPORTUNITY AND GROWTH.
ONCE AGAIN, WE'D LIKE TO THANK WELLS FARGO, THEIR CONTRIBUTION AND THEIR COMMITMENT, UH, TO THIS ORGANIZATION.
AND THE IMPORTANT WORK OF THIS ORGANIZATION IS GONNA REALLY MAKE A TRANSFORMATIONAL AND MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE IN HOUSTON, YOUR GENEROSITY AND MINDFUL RESPONSIBLE ACTION, WHICH WILL PROVIDE CAPACITY BUILDING SUPPORT FOR HOUSTON'S DIVERSE SMALL BUSINESSES, NON-PROFITS AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, AND FOR PARTNERING WITH, WITH US TO ENACT THIS INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR COMMUNITIES.
TYLER RC AND THE WELLS FARGO GROUP.
AND NOW I'D LIKE TO, UH, INTRODUCE AN INDIVIDUAL WHO REALLY NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION, BUT A TRUE CHAMPION FOR THIS WORK THROUGHOUT OUR CITY, AND ALSO OUR HONORARY CHAIRMAN AND FOUNDER, CO-FOUNDER OF OUR ORGANIZATION, HOUSTON ZONE MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER.
AND I AM SO TEMPTED TO TAKE THIS MASK OFF, BUT SINCE I JUST HAD A LITTLE SURGERY AND, UH, PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT ME TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT I KEEP MY MASK ON
UH, AND MY SISTERS ARE WATCHING, I SHALL KEEP IT ON
UM, IN FACT, IT WAS ALMOST WHAT, OVER A YEAR AGO, WHERE I MET WITH, UM, UH, BOARD MEMBERS FROM THE HOUSTON SOCIAL JUSTICE ECONOMIC EQUITY FUND IN GETTING THIS STARTED, UH, STEPHANIE NELLY, PAGE, TRUSTEE OF TEXAS SOUTHERN, UH, IS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL PERSONS A PART OF IT.
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UH, ALL OF THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO WERE HERE AND ARE PART OF IT.UH, WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY O OVER THE PAST YEAR.
UM, AND I DO WANT TO, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE AGAIN, ARCHIE MUNOZ REPRESENTING WELLS FARGO, UH, FOR THEIR, UM, GENEROUS CONTRIBUTION, UH, TO THE FUND THAT'S MAKING THIS DAY VERY POSSIBLE.
IT IS A, IT IS A WONDERFUL DAY.
WE HAVE MADE SEVERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS OVER THE PAST YEAR ABOUT THE HOUSTON FUND FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND ECONOMIC EQUITY, AND TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT IS AN INCREDIBLE STEP FORWARD TOWARDS THE PROGRESS WE INITIATED IN MAY, 2021 WHEN WE FIRST ESTABLISHED THE FUND.
I'M ECSTATIC TO STAND HERE WITH ALL OF YOU TO NOT JUST ANNOUNCE, BUT LAUNCH, UH, THE OPEN FOR BUSINESS PORTAL FOR DIVERSE SMALL BUSINESSES TO ACCESS FUNDS TO KEEP THE DREAM OF BUSINESS OWNERSHIP ALIVE AND WELL IN OUR CITY.
SMALL BUSINESSES HAVE AN ENORMOUS IMPACT FOR MANY COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT OUR CITY.
THESE SMALL BUSINESSES ARE THEIR LIFELINE AND WHAT MAKES AN AREA SPECIAL AND VERY UNIQUE.
THEY ALSO FOSTER LOCAL ECONOMIES, CREATE JOBS, AND KEEP MONEY LOCAL, WHICH IN TURN SUPPORTS OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND OUR COMMUNITIES.
NEARLY 97% OF BUSINESSES IN OUR REGION HAVE FEWER THAN 500 EMPLOYEES, THE STANDARD TO BE CONSIDERED A SMALL BUSINESS.
AND THESE COLLECTIVELY EMPLOY 44% OF THE REGION'S WORKFORCE, OR ABOUT 1.2 MILLION EMPLOYEES.
BUT MORE, NEARLY 35% OF HOUSTON AREA SMALL BUSINESSES WITH 50 OR FEWER EMPLOYEES ARE MINORITY OWNED, AND THIS REGION RANKS FIFTH IN THE NATION FOR MINORITY ENTREPRENEURSHIP.
THE OPEN FOR BUSINESS PORTAL IS ALSO AVAILABLE TO HOUSTON'S NONPROFITS WHO OFTEN UNDERSTANDS THE COMMUNITY NEEDS AND THE BEST WAYS TO MEET THEM BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE.
THESE GRANTS WILL STRENGTHEN HOUSTON'S NONPROFITS AND ENABLE THEM TO CATALYZE GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY BY ADDRESSING SYSTEMIC INEQUALITIES AND CAN HELP MAKE LASTING CHANGE IN HOUSTON AT THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL.
WE WILL NOT BE HERE TODAY IF IT WASN'T FOR WELLS FARGO.
SO GIVE IT UP AGAIN TO WELLS FARGO.
MR. SECRETARY, WHEN WE ANNOUNCED THE HOUSTON EQUITY FUND LAST MAY, OUR INITIAL FUNDRAISING GOAL WAS $25 MILLION TO ACCELERATE MEANINGFUL CHANGE AMONG THOSE WHO ARE UNDER-RESOURCED AND OVERLOOKED.
WELLS FARGO SHOWED UP WITH $20 MILLION, AND LET ME TELL YOU, MONEY DOES TALK.
AND NOW, AND NOW WE ARE HERE WALKING THE WALK.
STARTING TODAY, WE BEGAN SUSTAINING OUR CITY'S DIVERSE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN DRIVING LONG-TERM ECONOMIC GROWTH AND INNOVATION, WHILE ALLOWING OUR COMMUNITIES TO THRIVE.
AND THIS WILL TRULY HELP LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD.
I CANNOT GIVE YOU A BETTER EXAMPLE OF HOW ALIGNING WITH THE CORPORATION TO WORK THAN THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH WELLS FARGO WE'LL BEYOND GRATEFUL, AND THIS TANGIBLE ACTION WILL DRIVE LONG-TERM FOUNDATIONAL CHANGE STARTING AUGUST THE NINTH AT NINE AM@HOUSTONEQUITYFUND.COM.
AND SO NOW LET ME TURN THE MIC OVER TO WELLS FARGO, ARCY MUNOZ, VICE PRESIDENT OF SOCIAL IMPACT SUSTAINABILITY AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS FOR GREATER HOUSTON RC THANK WELL, GOOD MORNING.
I'M HONORED TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY REPRESENTING WELLS FARGO, AND AS MAYOR TURNER MENTIONED MY NAME, EXCUSE ME, AS CY MUNOZ, AND I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF SOCIAL IMPACT AND SUSTAINABILITY REPRESENTING THE GREATER HOUSTON MARKET.
BUT BEFORE I BEGIN, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE MAYOR TURNER, TOM JONES, AND THE ENTIRE HOUSTON FUND FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND ECONOMIC EQUITY BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
IF YOU ALL COULD PLEASE STAND AND HELP ME GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
ON BEHALF OF WELLS FARGO, WE WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE MAYOR TURNER, THE HOUSTON FUND FOR SOCIAL EQUITY ON THIS IMPORTANT MILESTONE FOR THE WELLS FARGO OPEN FOR BUSINESS FUND GRANT THAT WAS AWARDED EARLIER THIS YEAR.
WE ARE EXCITED TO SEE THE IMPACT THAT THESE GRANTS WILL HAVE ON SMALL BUSINESSES ACROSS OUR HOUSTON COMMUNITY.
OVER THE YEARS, SMALL BUSINESS
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GROWTH AND SUPPORT HAS BECOME A VITAL FOCUS AREA FOR OUR COMPANY.IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT IT'S BEEN NEARLY TWO YEARS SINCE WE LAUNCHED THE HOUSTON FUND FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE, AN OPEN FOR BUSINESS FUND THROUGH WELLS FARGO, A ROUGHLY $420 MILLION NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS RECOVERY EFFORT.
OUR FOCUS WAS TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO RACIALLY AND ETHNICALLY DIVERSE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WHO HAVE BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY THE CVID 19 PANDEMIC.
WE OFTEN SAY THAT SMALL BUSINESSES ARE THE HEART OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
THEY PUMP LIFE INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, MAKING THEM VIBRANT PLACES TO LIVE, WORK, AND RAISE OUR FAMILIES.
AND THEY ARE THE KEY TO MILLIONS OF LOCAL JOBS.
THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC, WE SAW SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS FACE UNPRECEDENTED ECONOMIC CHALLENGES THAT CAUSED MANY TO HAVE TO SHUT THEIR DOORS OR QUICKLY PIVOT TO REMAIN AFLOAT.
AS A COMPANY, WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO FOSTERING INCLUSIVE ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND PROVIDING ENTREPRENEURS WITH ACCESS TO CAPITAL EXPERTS AND RESOURCES TO HELP THEM STAY OPEN, MAINTAIN JOBS, AND CONTINUE TO GROW THROUGH PROGRAMS LIKE THE WELLS FARGO OPEN FOR BUSINESS FUND.
WE COMBINE OUR BUSINESS EXPERTISE AND RESOURCES TO EMPOWER CHANGE, PARTICULARLY IN COMMUNITIES THAT ARE UNDERSERVED BY OPENING ECONOMIC PATHWAYS AND HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES THRIVE.
LAST YEAR, OUR LOCAL TEAM FELT EXCEPTIONALLY FORTUNATE WHEN WE LEARNED THAT HOUSTON WAS ONE OF FIVE MARKETS THAT WAS SELECTED ACROSS THE WELLS FARGO FOOTPRINT TO BE AWARDED $20 MILLION TO DISTRIBUTE TO A LOCAL NONPROFIT TO HELP BUILD UPON THIS WORK.
WE KNEW THAT THE HOUSTON FUND FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND ECONOMIC EQUITY WOULD BE THE IDEAL PARTNER.
AS A COMMUNITY CENTERED ORGANIZATION, WE ARE MORE THAN CONFIDENT IN THEIR ABILITY TO IDENTIFY THE MOST PROMISING SOLUTIONS IN COLLABORATION WITH VALUABLE STAKEHOLDERS.
THEIR DEDICATION TO ENSURING ACCELERATED TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE IN HOUSTON'S UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND NONPROFITS IS UNMATCHED THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION AND COMMITMENT TO INVESTING IN DIVERSE ENTREPRENEURS THROUGH THEIR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PILLAR IS CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH THE GOALS OF THE WELLS FARGO OPEN FOR BUSINESS FUND PROGRAM.
THESE ARE THE TYPE OF COLLABORATIONS THAT WE WANT TO CREATE TO EMPOWER AND POSITION SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS FOR LONG-TERM SUCCESS.
AND SO WE ARE THRILLED TO KNOW THAT THE NEXT PHASE IN THIS JOURNEY WILL BEGIN KNOWING THAT THESE SMALL BUSINESS GRANTS WILL HELP DRIVE ECONOMIC GROWTH ACROSS HOUSTON.
WE CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR THE WONDERFUL SUCCESS STORIES THAT THIS WILL BRING UPON OUR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS HERE IN HOUSTON.
AND SO WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO THOMAS JONES, HOUSTON EQUITY FUND, BOARD PRESIDENT, WHO WILL NOW JOIN ME AT THE PODIUM FOR SOME REMARKS.
YOU KNOW, IT JUST DAWNED ON ME, UH, THAT AUGUST THE NINTH IS, UH, ONLY SIX DAYS AWAY FROM MY BIRTHDAY.
SO, UH, IF WE COULD DELAY THE ANNOUNCEMENT BY SIX DAYS, THAT WAY, I COULD SAY THAT IT WAS DONE ON MY BIRTHDAY
YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHO I BORROWED THIS PHRASE FROM IT UP, BUT I LOVE IT, UM, SAYS THAT, UH, PATIENCE IS MORE OFTEN A NECESSITY THAN IT IS A VIRTUE.
AND, UH, THAT IS CERTAINLY TRUE IN THE CASE HERE, AS IT'S BEEN MENTIONED.
UH, WE LAUNCHED THE FUND, THE GREATER HOUSTON, THE HOUSTON FUND FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE IN THE ECONOMIC EQUITY, UH, ACTUALLY A YEAR AGO IN MAY.
AND THEN IT WAS JUST FIVE MONTHS AGO THAT WE ANNOUNCED, UH, OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH WELLS FARGO TO PROVIDE THIS DIVERSE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WITH A NEW WAY TO GROW THEIR, THEIR BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS.
AND NOW WE'RE HERE, AND AS I AND I, AS I TOLD, UH, RC AND, AND TYLER THIS, UH, THIS AFTERNOON, UH, I'M READY TO SPEND SOME MONEY BECAUSE, UH, WELL, THERE'S $20 MILLION BURNING A HOLE IN MY POCKET.
UM, I DID NOT REALIZE HOW, HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS TO, UH, TO SPEND 20 MILLION.
BUT, UH, I'LL JUST TELL YOU THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TAKEN OUR TIME, WE HAVE BEEN THOUGHTFUL.
WE'VE BEEN DELIBERATE WORKING WITH THE GREATER HOUSTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION AND REBECCA AND HER, HER, HER TEAM, UH, TO GET ALL THE LEGAL AND TAX AND, AND, AND, UH, LANGUAGE ISSUES, UH, RESOLVED AND ALL.
AND SO IT'S TAKEN A TIME, IT'S TAKEN A LOT OF TIME TO GET TO THIS POINT.
AND, UH, AS EVERYONE HAS SAID BEFORE ME, UH, I'M AS ECSTATIC AS, AS THEY ARE THAT WE ARE HERE NOW.
UH, THE FRUITS OF THE PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, WITH WELLS FARGO, UH, INFUSES HOPE INTO THE COMMUNITY AND POSITIVELY IMPACTS BUSINESS TRAJECTORY.
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MADE POSSIBLE BY WELLS FARGO, BUT IT TRULY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A POSSIBILITY WITHOUT, UH, MY DEAR FRIEND MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER.AND, UH, THANK YOU, UH, THANK YOU AGAIN, MAYOR TURNER, FOR YOUR SUPPORT, YOUR LEADERSHIP, AND FOR YOUR INNOVATION THAT BROUGHT US TO THIS LEVEL OF, UH, PROVIDING TANGIBLE SOLUTIONS, UH, FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESS AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, I CANNOT SAY ENOUGH ABOUT OUR BOARD, UH, THANK YOU NEL, FOR, FOR MENTIONING THEM EARLIER.
RC I GUESS IT WAS THAT HAD 'EM STAND UP.
YOU TOOK PART OF MY SPEECH FROM ME, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN, UH, WE FIRST STARTED THIS JOURNEY, IT WAS NEL HERON, STEPHANIE PAGE, STEPHANIE NELS PAGE, UH, BARON WALLACE, WHO'S NOT HERE TODAY, AND SYLVESTER AND THE MAYOR, UH, JUST THE FIVE OF US.
AND WE KIND OF GOT TOGETHER AND, AND STARTED, UH, PUTTING THIS, UH, ORGANIZATION TOGETHER.
AND, UH, IT TOOK A WHILE, BUT AGAIN, WE WERE DELIBERATE.
WE WERE THOUGHTFUL AND, UH, STRATEGIC IN WHAT WE WERE WANTING TO DO AND HOW WE WANTED TO SET, SET THIS FUND UP.
AND, UH, IT'S SO, IT'S SO GRATIFYING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A VISION, UH, YOU KNOW, AFTER JUST A SIMPLE PHONE CALL WITH THE MAYOR ONE NIGHT, HAVE A VISION COME ABOUT, AND THEN WATCH IT GROW INTO A REALITY.
AND AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, WE SET AN INITIAL GOAL OF $25 MILLION AND, AND WE MET IT.
AND OUR NEXT STEP IS TO GROW THAT, UH, GROW THE ORGANIZATION, UH, EVEN FURTHER, BECAUSE WE WANT IT TO BE AROUND FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
IT'S JUST NOT THIS ONE GRANT, ALTHOUGH IT'S A SIGNIFICANT ONE.
IT'S CERTAINLY ONE THAT, THAT, THAT THAT'S ESTABLISHED OURSELVES IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND, AND CERTAINLY WE'RE HOPING TO GROW THAT AND DO SOME OTHER GREAT THINGS, UH, OVER THE YEARS.
UH, FINALLY, LET ME, UH, MENTION AGAIN THE, UH, OUR COLLABORATIVE PARTNER, THE, UH, GREATER HOUSTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, UH, REBECCA.
WHERE'S REBECCA STANDUP? REBECCA STANDUP.
UH, THEY ARE, THEY ARE OUR, THEY ARE TRULY OUR COLLABORATIVE PARTNER.
THEY PROVIDE ALL OF OUR BACK OFFICE SUPPORT.
UH, THEY'VE HELPED US BUILD THE PORTAL, UH, THE APPLICATION PROCESS AND ALL THE TOOLS AND, AND PROCESSES THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT.
AND SO, UH, IT'S BEEN A, AGAIN, IT'S BEEN A GREAT WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH, WITH THOSE FOLK AT THE GREATER HOUSTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION.
AND, UH, AGAIN, THAT WORK IS PRICELESS.
AND I GUESS WE'RE DOING SOME ENERGY CONSERVATION.
EITHER THAT, OR I'M SUPPOSED, I'VE EXCEEDED MY TIME THEN
WHERE ARE YOU, GINA? OH, THERE, YOU'RE, OKAY.
SO THOMAS, IF YOU'LL COME BACK, SO I KNOW THAT IT IS APPROPRIATE TO GIVE, UM, ACCOLADES AND THE LIKE, AND THAT'S JUST MY MENTOR SAYS AND THE LIKE, AND THAT'S JUST THE NORMAL PART OF THE PROGRAMMING.
BUT JUST FOR A MOMENT BEFORE WE ROLL OUT, AND THIS GETS REALLY BUSY IN THE STREETS OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS, I WANNA, I WANT, I, I DON'T WANT IT TO BE LOST ON US THAT THESE BOARD MEMBERS INCLUSIVE OF OUR PRESIDENT, THOMAS JONES WANE, UM, LADIES, STEPHANIE PAGE, VALERIE WILLIAMS. LET'S SEE.
VANESSA, VANESSA, VANESSA, UM, GILMORE, UM, HELP ME.
PAUL CANNINGS, GERALD, GERALD ALLEY BERNARD HARRIS.
AND GORY, GORY BANISTER GO BAN GORDY BANISTER.
YES, I REALLY DO KNOW ALL OF THEIR NAMES.
MY POINT IS THIS, SIMPLY TO PAUSE THOUGH AND TO REALLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY ARE ALL VOLUNTEERS, LITERALLY GIVING TIME, EFFORT, THEIR THOUGHT, PUSHBACK.
WE HAVE SOME OF THE MOST DIFFICULT MEETINGS, CHALLENGING CONVERSATIONS.
THEY LEND ALL OF THAT TO DO AN EFFORT THAT IS TRULY A HARD WORK FOR THEM.
SO IF YOU WILL PLEASE HELP ME ONE MORE TIME TO CELEBRATE THIS AMAZING BOARD OF THIS ORGANIZATION.
UM, MANY OF, I THINK, OH, YOU WANNA STAND UP? I THINK SO TOO.
I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT WHEN PEOPLE ALREADY HAVE WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ASPIRE TO ATTAIN, THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAUSE AND GIVE OF THEMSELVES TO CREATE THIS TYPE OF ENTITY.
SO FOR THAT, I AM EXTREMELY GRATEFUL, LIKE MY NOSE WOULD.
AND THEN TO YOU MAYOR TURNER, A COUPLE OF, YES, YOU CAN SIT DOWN NOW.
AND MEANS, OKAY, DO I TALK NOW WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO DO NOW? OKAY, UM, MAYOR TAR, A COUPLE OF SESSIONS BACK, I SAID YOU SAW THEM BEFORE WE COULD SEE THEM.
AND FOR THAT WE ARE GRATEFUL YOU SAW THEM BEFORE WE COULD ACTUALLY SEE THEM.
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IT IS NOT LOST ON THIS FUND, THAT YOU HAVE A VISION FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT EXISTED BEFORE THIS MOMENT IN THIS ROOM.SO IF YOU'LL COME UP FOR JUST A MOMENT.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AROUND THE ROOM, LIKE APACHE GAU, WILL YOU RAISE YOUR HAND BACK THERE? THE TEA CAKE COMPANY.
THERE'S CHEF BARB OVER THERE, CHRIS MANSON WITH CHAMP'S COMPANY, UM, ON THE FLOOR, THERE'S CARLTON HUDSON OVER THERE.
CARLTON RAISE YOUR HAND EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE VIDEOING RETIA MONTGOMERY.
OVER HERE BEHIND CANDACE WITH HER CUPCAKE BUSINESS.
TAMARA, WHERE ARE YOU BACK OVER THERE? YOU SAW THEM BEFORE WE COULD SEE THEM, BUT FINALLY WE SEE THEM IN ROOMS LIKE THIS TODAY.
AND I DON'T WANT THAT MOMENT TO BE LOST.
SO YOU DON'T CLAP ME TIME YET.
'CAUSE WHETHER WE EVER SAY IT IN THE NEWS MOMENTS LIKE THIS DO NOT OFTEN HAPPEN FROM VENDORS LIKE THIS WITHOUT PEOPLE LIKE YOU.
AND I WON'T PRETEND LIKE YOU HAVE NOT DONE SOMETHING THEN ON MY, SO I WON'T LET THIS GO BY WITH JUST A CASUAL CONVERSATION.
LIKE, YOU HAVE NOT DONE SOMETHING TREMENDOUS WHEN WE JUST CALL THEM THE HOPE IN THEIR VOICE.
WE COULD TANGIBLY TOUCH IT TO REALLY FEEL LIKE I'M INVITED TO COME TO A MAYOR'S PRESS CONFERENCE.
YOU HAVE DONE SOMETHING THAT HAS INSPIRED HOPE IN SMALL BUSINESSES.
THAT, BUT FOR PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND THIS BOARD, I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY WOULD BE IN PRESS CONFERENCES OF THIS MAGNITUDE.
THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
NOW PAT, MAY WE GONNA HUG A LITTLE LONGER SO THEY CAN GET THE PICTURE.
OKAY, YOU GOTTA SEE, I'M GONNA TAKE PICTURE AND NOW I'M GONNA GET ON WITH WHAT? I'M THOMAS
YES, OF COURSE YOU SAY HE THOUGHT IT WAS GIVEN TO HIM.
THEY THOUGHT YOU WERE GETTING EMOTIONAL, THOMAS.
OKAY, SO SINCERELY Y'ALL, 'CAUSE I HAVE TO PAUSE THAT 'CAUSE WE COULD RUN THROUGH THIS REAL QUICK AND NOT REALLY CATCH THE MAGNITUDE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING TODAY.
SO EVERYBODY SAY WITH ME, OH 8 0 9 AT 9 0 8.
OH 8 0 9 AT 9 0 8 0 9 AT NINE.
OH 8 0 9 AT 9 0 8 0 9 AT NINE.
NOW FOR SOME OF YOU, IT MAY BE ORDINARY AND EVERYDAY EXPERIENCES THAT SOMEBODY OPENS A PORTAL THAT WILL ALLOW SMALL BUSINESSES AND NONPROFITS TO APPLY FOR 10 TO $65,000.
BUT FOR ME IT'S OH 8 0 9 AT NINE
OH 8 0 9 AT 9 0 8 0 9 AT NINE.
NOW TO OUR WELLS FARGO TEAM WHO'S HELPED TO SUPPORT US, I SAY THIS, I'VE SAID IT BEFORE, AND I WILL CONTINUE TO SAY IT FOR, I GOT A NEW ONE FOR YOU, TYLER.
ALL RIGHT? BECAUSE I'VE SAID BEFORE, SOME PEOPLE MAKE DECLARATIONS, BUT YOU ALL MADE A DEPOSIT.
WHAT I HAVE NOW IS SOME PEOPLE POST COMMENTS, YOU ALL POSTED A CHECK.
AND FOR THAT, WE ARE GRATEFUL, RIGHT?
AND FOR THAT, WE ARE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL.
SO I'LL BE QUICK AND MOVE US ON.
AND I WANNA EMPOWER EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM TODAY TO BECOME AMBASSADORS.
OKAY? SO IF YOU HAVE A CARD IN YOUR HAND, WILL YOU WAVE THAT AT ME? YOU GOT A CARD? STAKEHOLDERS COUNCIL, THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
I HAD SOMEBODY'S BACK TO TALKING ABOUT OH 8 0 9 8 9.
SO THIS WILL EMPOWER YOU TO HELP ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT YOU WANT TO HAVE BE A PART OF THIS.
SO ON THE CARD, THERE IS A QR CODE, RIGHT IN THE RIGHT IN THE BOTTOM SECTION.
Y'ALL SEE THE QR CODE? EVERYBODY SEE IT.
SO I KNOW Y'ALL KNOW WHERE IT SET.
WHEN YOU SCAN THAT, WHEN YOU SCAN THAT, WHEN YOU SCAN THIS QR CODE, IT WILL TAKE YOU TO THE OPEN FOR BUSINESS.
UM, THE OPEN FOR BUSINESS PIECE ON OUR HOMEPAGE.
IF YOU WANNA SCAN IT NOW TO CHECK IT OUT, YOU CAN TO SEE IF IT WORKS.
I SEE SOME PEOPLE TELL, OH, LET ME GET MINE TOGETHER REAL QUICK.
IT WILL HAVE TWO VERY IMPORTANT PIECES OF INFORMATION.
IT WILL HAVE THE OPEN FOR BUSINESS PORTAL, THE OPEN FOR BUSINESS PORTAL.
IT IS AN ENGLISH, SPANISH, VIETNAMESE, AND CHINESE MANDARIN.
YOU'LL OF COURSE PICK THE LANGUAGE THAT YOU READ IN.
OKAY, EVERYBODY GOT THAT? SO HERE ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU CAN KNOW WHEN YOU GO HERE.
THAT INFORMATION WILL BE THERE WITH SAMPLE.
THE EDUCATOR IN ME SAYS, IF YOU DON'T GO LOOK AT THAT QUIZ AND SEE WHAT IT SAYS.
IT'S AN OPEN BOOK TEST, OKAY? THERE IS A SAMPLE APPLICATION THERE SO THAT YOU WILL ALREADY KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.
THIS IS LIKE, YOU CAN TELL PEOPLE ABOUT THIS, Y'ALL PLEASE TELL 'EM
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THE RIGHT DATE.NOW Y'ALL IN THE ROOM KNOW THAT IT OPENS ON WHAT DAY? OH 8 0 9 9.
NOW DON'T GO TELL YOUR FRIENDS OH EIGHT 11 TO GET A HEAD START, EVERYBODY.
WHEN DOES IT OPEN? OH 8 0 9 9.
SO IF YOU JUST SCAN THE CARD AND YOU GO TO THEIR PICK YOUR LANGUAGE, IT GIVES YOU THE SAMPLE APPLICATION, IT GIVES YOU GUIDELINES, FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS, AND THE LIKE.
ALL OF THAT INFORMATION IS THERE.
YOU ARE WELCOME TO TAKE THESE CARDS TODAY, BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY CENTERS, BACK TO YOUR CHURCHES, BACK TO YOUR VARIOUS LOCATIONS SO THAT PEOPLE CAN ALREADY GET PREPARED.
OKAY? NEXT UP, WE ARE HAVING INFORMATIONAL SECTION, UH, SESSIONS.
WE HAVE A PHYSICAL ONE IN PERSON ON THURSDAY AT HARVEST COMMUNITY CENTER THAT IS LISTED ON HERE.
BUT HERE'S THE THING THAT OUR COMMUNICATIONS CHAIR PERSON SAYS, GO TO THE WEBSITE, OUR WEBSITE, IT IS YOUR SINGLE SOURCE OF TRUTH, RIGHT? SO AS SINGLE SOURCE OF THE TRUTH OTHER THAN THE GOOD BIBLE, OTHER THAN THE GOODBYE, THE SINGLE SOURCE OF THE TRUTH.
OKAY? SO AS THESE DATES ARE UPLOADED, WHICH ARE A QUICK PICTURE RIGHT THERE, IT WILL BE ON THE WEBSITE.
OUR FIRST IN-PERSON ONE IS THURSDAY.
I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT TIME, BUT I'M NOT GONNA EVEN TRY TO REMEMBER.
BUT IT'S ON THE WEBSITE, RIGHT? WE HAVE A VIRTUAL ONE TOMORROW.
SO WE HAVE EIGHT DIFFERENT SESSIONS, AT LEAST VIRTUAL OR IN PERSON.
YOU CAN FIND ALL OF THAT ON THE WEBSITE.
NOW HERE'S WHY THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
SO I CAN TELL Y'ALL WHY THAT'S IMPORTANT.
Y'ALL LEAN TOWARDS LISTEN, BECAUSE IT'S SO MANY PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WE ARE NOT EVEN GOING TO BEGIN TO ATTEMPT TO CALL INDIVIDUALLY AND TAKE INDIVIDUAL PHONE CALLS AND EMAIL YOU ONE BY ONE AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF BECAUSE THE PORTAL WILL BE OPEN AND CLOSED BEFORE WE CAN DO ALL OF THAT.
Y'ALL UNDERSTAND? SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ATTEND VIRTUAL SESSIONS.
IT IS LITERALLY LIKE AN OPEN BOOK TEST.
YOU CAN GO GET THE INFORMATION AND ALREADY START LOOKING AT IT.
IF I WERE YOU, I WOULD PRE-READ.
AND THAT WAY IF I COME TO THE INFORMATIONAL SESSION AND I HAVE A QUESTION, THEN I CAN GO AHEAD AND ASK THAT QUESTION.
BUT AGAIN, WILL WE BE ACCEPTING PHONE CALLS AND ANSWERING THEM FOR EVERYBODY? WILL WE BE EMAILING EVERYBODY BACK? NO.
CAN WE EVEN POSSIBLY DO THAT WITH ALL THESE PEOPLE IN HOUSTON? NO.
SO WE'RE GOING TO INFORMATIONAL SESSIONS.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE GOT TODAY.
UM, THEY START AGAIN TOMORROW.
I'M MISSING ONE NOW THAT YOU CAN THINK OF.
YOU ARE LIKE YOU WE'RE DOING GOOD.
OKAY, SO I THINK THAT ABOUT WRAPS IT UP.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO TODAY IS WE HAVE OUR VENDORS IN THE BACK, IF YOU WILL, MAKE THEM FEEL LIKE THEY BROUGHT THE BEST PRODUCT IN THE WHOLE WORLD BY EATING UP EVERYTHING THAT THEY HAVE.
THEN WE HAVE A SPECIAL TREAT FOR YOU WHEN YOU GO OUTSIDE OF THE DOORS.
HOW MANY OF YOU WOULD AGREE THAT IN TEXAS IS PRETTY HOT? YES.
LEMME SEE YOUR HANDS IF YOU THINK IT'S PRETTY HOT.
THAT MEANS WE GOT YOUR SNOW CONE ORDERS READY FOR YOU ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE DOOR.
SOMEBODY ABOUT TO CLOUD
AND, UM, MAYOR, WE'RE GONNA HAVE YOU STAY UP HERE.
WE'RE GETTING SOME QUICK PICTURES.
COME ON, THOMAS, WHAT YOU WANNA SAY? UM, AND WE'LL BE READY TO GO.
SO AGAIN, ARE YOU EXCITED ABOUT THIS PORTAL? RUN IT ROLLING OUT AND, AND WHAT IT CAN DO FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND NOT, AGAIN, IT'S SMALL BUSINESSES AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
THOMAS, YOU WANNA WRAP US UP? YEAH.
ALRIGHT, UH, JUST WANNA CLICK, UH, ESTABLISH A COUPLE OF THINGS.
ONE, UM, I DID NOT FAIL TO MENTION THAT IN WELLS', UH, IN SETTING THIS UP, WELLS DID SOMETHING THAT WAS, UH, QUITE BRILLIANT AND, AND IN MY OPINION, UM, A A FIRST OF ITS KIND, THE FUNDS, THE GRANTS THAT WE'RE WE GONNA BE GIVING ARE, THAT WE'LL BE GIVING OUT, ARE GOING TO BE FOR TANGIBLE ASSET ACQUISITION, TANGIBLE ASSETS, THAT STUFF THAT YOU CAN FEEL, TOUCH, SEE, MOVE AROUND, UM, LAND BUILDING.
WE CAN HELP YOU WITH PERHAPS BUYING A PIECE OF LAND OR HELP YOU WITH THE BUILDING OR HELP YOU BUY A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT OR EVEN BUY, UH, AN AUTOMOBILE OR A TRUCK OR SOME RESTAURANT EQUIPMENT OR WHATEVER KIND OF EQUIPMENT YOU USE IN YOUR BUSINESS.
TECHNOLOGY, COMPUTERS, PRINTERS, SOFTWARE IN MANY CASES, THAT KIND OF THING.
AND SO I WANTED TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT, AND I REALLY DO THINK THAT BY DOING THAT, UH, WHAT WELLS HAS DONE IS FOCUSED ON WHAT REALLY, REALLY COULD BE A TURNING POINT FOR A SMALL BUSINESS IN TERMS OF ITS SUCCESS AND SUSTAINABILITY.
SO THAT'S, WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THAT.
NUMBER TWO, AS GINA HAS JUST OUTLINED VERY, UH, VERY, VERY GRAPHICALLY, THIS IS INDEED A COMPETITION.
UH, MAKE ANY, LET'S NOT MAKE ANY MISTAKE ABOUT IT.
WE, WE DID A GRANT A FEW MONTHS AGO.
UH, NOTHING CLOSE TO THIS IN TERMS OF SIZE AND SCALE, UH, BUT I THINK WE GOT ABOUT 20,000 APPLICATIONS FOR THE MGI.
YEAH, WE HAD, WE HAD 18,000 APPLICATIONS, 18,900 APPLICATIONS IN SEVEN DAYS.
IN SEVEN DAYS FOR ONLY 500 WINNERS.
I'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO SAY WE CAN ACCOMMODATE EVERYONE, BUT WE CAN'T.
[00:30:01]
AND SO AGAIN, THIS IS INDEED A COMPETITION.OH 8 0 9, WHAT IS IT? OH 8, 0 9 0 9 AT NINE.
AND THE THING THAT YOU WANT TO DO, AGAIN, AS GINA SAYS, GO ONTO THE WEBSITE NOW.
LOOK AT THE SAMPLE APPLICATION.
KNOW EXACTLY WHAT INFORMATION YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TO SUBMIT WITH YOUR APPLICATION SO THAT WHEN YOU SIT DOWN AND DO IT, I GUARANTEE YOU I'VE DONE IT MYSELF A COUPLE OF TIMES.
IF YOU'VE GOT EVERYTHING AT YOUR HAND, IT SHOULD TAKE MAYBE LESS THAN 30, 45 MINUTES.
OKAY? BUT YOU DO WANNA BE PREPARED, AND I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT BECAUSE I DID NOT WANT TO NOT SAY HOW MUCH, AGAIN, HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE WHAT WELLS HAS DONE, BUT HOW MUCH THOUGHT I THINK, AND HOW BRILLIANT THEY WERE IN THE DESIGN OF THIS PROGRAM.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING YOUR APPLICATIONS AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOU COMPETING FOR THESE GRANTS.
I FEEL LIKE SAID, YOU KNOW, LET'S STAND TOP FEET AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE, BUT Y'ALL JUST STAND TO YOUR FEET.
AND ONE MORE TIME FOR OH 8, 0 9 AT NINE.