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GONNA GET STARTED TODAY.[Press Conference: "Denver Harbor Multi-Service Center Mural Unveiling"]
MY NAME IS THERESA ESCOBIDO.I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS AND ON BEHALF OF THE CITY, WE WELCOME YOU THIS MORNING.
WE ARE HERE TODAY TO CELEBRATE THIS BEAUTIFUL MURAL AND THE ARTIST FROM WHOSE HANDS IT CAME FOR, AND WE'RE GONNA CELEBRATE RAIN OR SHINE.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, LET'S GIVE THIS ARTIST DAVID MALDONADO, A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR BRINGING SUCH A HEARTFELT SENSE OF COMMUNITY GOODWILL, GOOD CHEER, AND JUST GOOD ENERGY TO THIS PROJECT.
UM, WE'RE GRATEFUL, AND THAT'S AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
WE'VE GOT A VERY SHORT SPEAKING PROGRAM THIS MORNING FOR YOU.
WE HAVE OUR VERY OWN MAYOR, SYLVESTER TURNER WITH US TODAY TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS ROS, WHO IS SUCH A STEADFAST SUPPORTER OF THE ARTS.
WE HAVE DIRECTOR WILLIAMS FROM THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
WE'VE GOT GRACE ZUNI FROM HOUSTON ARTS ALLIANCE, A VERY CLOSE PARTNER OF OURS WHO'S INTEGRAL TO THE EXECUTION OF THESE PROJECTS AND DAVID'S PARTNERS ON THIS PROJECT UP ART STUDIOS.
WE'VE GOT I NOAH, WHO ARE WELL KNOWN IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND THEY HAVE A GROWING PRESENCE AS WELL.
WHILE I'M UP HERE, I'M GOING TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK YOU, MAYOR, BECAUSE YOUR VALUES OF LEADERSHIP, EQUITY, YOUR HEART FOR THE ARTS, YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT ART DOES TO COMMUNITIES, GIVES MOCA THE AGENCY TO DO WHAT WE DO.
AND I THINK THIS MURAL IS THE EPITOME THUS FAR OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU BRING COMMUNITY AND ARTISTRY TOGETHER THROUGH THE ARTWORK ITSELF.
UM, SO IF, IF THAT HASN'T BEEN SAID ENOUGH, LET'S SAY IT AGAIN.
OH, AND TO MY OWN DIRECTOR, NICOLE URBAN, WHO CREATES SUCH AN ATMOSPHERE AT MOCA THAT SAYS, DO MORE, DO BETTER ADVANCE AND EVOLVE.
AND FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A VISION FOR THE CIVIC ART PROGRAM THAT IS TRULY HOUSTON SIM CENTRIC AND COMMUNITY CENTRIC.
SO, WITH THAT, I'LL HAND THE MIC OVER TO MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER FOR A FEW WORDS.
LEMME SAY, GOOD MORNING TO EVERYBODY.
AND LET ME START OFF BY JUST, AND I, AND I HAVE NOT DONE THIS VERY MUCH, BUT I WANNA START OFF BY THANKING LEANNE WITH SPECIAL EVENTS.
YOU KNOW, SHE, THERE GO, SHE FINDS A WAY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
THAT'S THE LADY WITH THE HAT, YOU KNOW, BUT I DO WANNA, I DO WANT TO THANK HER.
WHERE'S CARLOS? RIGHT THERE, CARLOS.
GIVE IT UP TO THESE INDIVIDUALS.
I DO WANNA SAY GOOD MORNING AND THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING TO THIS WONDERFUL GATHERING TO CELEBRATE THE NEW MURAL HERE AT THE DENVER HARBOR MULTI SERVICE CENTER.
UH, I HAVE A NUMBER OF DIRECTORS THAT ARE AROUND HERE.
CHIEF PENA WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS HERE.
NICOLE IRVIN, AS MENTIONED FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS.
YOU'LL BE HEARING FROM THE, UH, UH, DIRECTOR WILLIAMS FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
ANY OTHER DIRECTORS THAT, THAT I MISSED.
I CERTAINLY WANT TO THANK ALL OF THEM FROM BEING PRESENT, BUT I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS CIRO OF JESSE GATES, YOU KNOW, WHO HAS JUST BEEN STEADFAST AND AN INTEGRAL PART OF WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE TODAY.
UH, HOUSTON HEALTH WOMAN AGAINST STEPHEN WILLIAMS, GRACE, SON OF THE HOUSTON ARTS ALLIANCE AND UP ART STUDIOS.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE COLLABORATORS ON THIS PROJECT AND THOSE WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE EVOLUTION OF THIS ARTWORK.
FRANCIS, LET ME ACKNOWLEDGE YOU AS PRESIDENT OF THE CHAMBER ON THE U MUSEUM.
APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU ARE DOING.
THIS PROJECT WAS PROMPTED BY A SPECIAL REQUEST OF COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS CISNEROS, WHOSE DEDICATION AND SUPPORT OF THE ARTS HAS ONLY GROWN DURING A TIME AS REPRESENTATIVE OF DISTRICT H.
THIS PROJECT WAS FUNDED THROUGH THE CIVIC ARTS PROGRAM BY SPONSORSHIP FROM THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND WE THANK HHD FOR BEING SUCH SUPPORTIVE PARTNERS IN COMMISSIONING THIS WORK TO THE HOUSTON ARTS ALLIANCE.
AND OF COURSE, IT IS THE WORK OF THE ARTISTS, DAVID MALDONADO THAT BRINGS US HERE TOGETHER TODAY.
DAVID WAS WITH US WHEN WE TRAVELED TO MEXICO NOT TOO LONG AGO.
SO DAVID, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU ARE DOING, AND WE MUST ACKNOWLEDGE ARTHUR'S WORK AND ART MAKING AS A SIGNIFICANT CATALYST FOR COMMUNITY COLLABORATION.
DAVID MADDO WAS COMMISSIONED AFTER RECOMMENDATION OF A SELECTION PANEL THAT INCLUDED MR. RENEE PORRES, WHO SERVED.
GIVE IT UP TO RENEE, WHO SERVED AS THE
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COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVE.AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOICE IN THIS PROCESS TO THE DENVER HARBOR COMMUNITY.
AND FOR THOSE WHO TEXT ME CONSTANTLY ABOUT THE DENVER HEART, UH, HARVARD COMMUNITY, LET ME THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION AND ESPECIALLY THE SENIORS GROUP WHO VISIT THIS MARKET SERVICE CENTER EACH WEEKDAY.
WE THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR VOICE IN THE PROCESS THAT DEVELOPED THIS HARD WORK.
YOUR HEARTENED BY THE WAY, YOU'VE WELCOMED DAVID INTO THE FABRIC OF YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS IS ONLY THE SECOND MURAL DURING MY TIME AS MAYOR THAT IS ENTERING THE CITY CIVIC ART COLLECTION.
THE FIRST WAS ARMY STAFF SERGEANT OF MY RIO GARCIA AT FIRE STATION NUMBER 20 LAST YEAR.
AND ON THIS MURAL, DAVID TOOK INSPIRATION FROM THE TRADITIONS OF MEXICAN AMERICAN FOLK ART, STORYTELLING, TELL, TELLING STREET CULTURE, AND ESPECIALLY THE CHARACTER AND HISTORY OF DENVER HARBOR AS WE ARE MORE THAN PLEASED THAT THIS NEIGHBORHOOD IS NOW INCLUDED IN THE PERMANENT ARTWORKS, WHICH REPRESENT OUR CITY AS A WHOLE.
AS HE WAS REFINING THIS CREATIVE CONCEPT, DAVID GATHERED FEEDBACK DIRECTLY FROM DENVER HARBOR RESIDENTS AND LISTEN TO THEIR INPUT TO CREATE AN ARTWORK THAT IS EMBLEMATIC OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THIS AND THE SERVICES PROVIDED AT THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT FACILITY.
I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, HEY, AWARE DAVID ADA IS, IS MY SECRETARY, ADA.
MUCH FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU ARE DOING.
AND THIS IS A COMMUNITY THAT IS NOW TAKING CONTROL OF ITS DESTINY AND WHAT BETTER WAY TO CELEBRATE IT AND COME TOGETHER THAN WITH FOOD FROM POROUS.
BUT TITO AND THE SOUNDS OF DENVER HARVEST'S VERY OWN MALE IN ROW OF SHAME ON ME.
I'VE ENJOYED PERFORMING WITH THEM FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO A CONTINUING COLLABORATION, UH, MY VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE.
WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS UPLIFTING SPIRIT OF THIS MURAL THIS YEAR TO COME.
AND AGAIN, DAVID, AND TO EVERYONE THAT MADE IT POSSIBLE, LEMME SAY THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER COLLINS.
UM, MAYOR, YOU, YOU SAID I WAS THE ONE WHO INITIATED THIS PROJECT.
UM, THAT'S REALLY NOT EXACTLY TRUE.
I WOULD SAY THAT THE PERSON WHO INITIATED THIS PROJECT WAS JUAN HERNANDEZ, WHO WAS, UM, WHO'S SLIPPING AWAY BACK THERE.
BUT HE, HE WAS, UM, HE WAS ASKING ME THAT, YOU KNOW, BEYOND THE, THE $3 MILLION THAT WAS GOING ON IN THE RENOVATION OF THIS BUILDING AND THE 1 MILLION THAT HAD JUST GONE INTO THE SWIMMING POOL AND THAT NOW ANOTHER MILLION THAT, YOU KNOW, THROUGH, UM, UH, REPRESENTATIVE ANNA HERNANDEZ IS COMING TO THE PARK.
JUAN WAS ASKING ME, WHAT ABOUT A MURAL? WHAT ABOUT THE OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING? SO I MADE A CALL TO DIRECTOR STEVEN WILLIAMS BECAUSE THIS IS A HEALTH DEPARTMENT BUILDING.
AND, AND, UM, AND THAT'S REALLY WHERE I BEGAN THAT.
AND, AND THE WHOLE THING HAS NOW INVOLVED SO MANY PEOPLE AND, AND, UM, AND YOU'RE HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UM, FOR COMING TOGETHER.
ANOTHER REALLY IMPORTANT COMMUNITY PERSON HAS BEEN RENEE PORRAS, WHO, UM, I DON'T SEE RENEE WHERE THERE HE IS.
HE WAS, UM, THE CONNECTOR WITH THE, YOU KNOW, WITH THE ONGOING, UM, IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PROJECT TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND HE'S BEEN, UM, A, A, A WONDERFUL, UM, ADVOCATE AND, AND, YOU KNOW, VERY GROUNDED, LONGTIME COMMUNITY MEMBER WHO REALLY, UM, IS A REFLECTION OF WHO, WHO'S HERE.
UM, THE MOCA, NICOLE IIN, THE DIRECTOR.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR, FOR WORKING WITH, WITH, UM, WITH, WITH US.
UM, TERESA ESTO HAS BEEN THE REAL HANDS ON PERSON HERE.
UM, I THINK THEY EVEN DISCOVERED THAT, THAT RENEE AND, AND THERESA MAY HAVE A FAMILIAL CONNECTION WAY BACK,
THANK YOU GUYS FOR BEING HERE.
UM, UH, APAR STUDIO, YOU'RE EVERYWHERE.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE, AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE ANOTHER PLACE IN DENVER HARBOR TOO.
WE HAVE THREE MINI MURALS THAT I FUNDED THAT, THAT WERE, WERE, UM, BROUGHT BY YOU, UM, THAT ARE ALSO, UM, CELEBRATING DENVER HARBOR, UM, UH, AND WORKING WITH DAVID MALDONADO, WHO, YOU KNOW WHAT, UM, I WAS HERE WHEN HE WAS GETTING INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY, FROM THE SENIOR CITIZENS, AND THEY WERE SO ENGAGED AND, AND HAD SO MANY GOOD IDEAS THAT HE, THAT HE HAS, UM, YOU KNOW, PUT A LOT OF HIS, UM, UH, BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS INTO, AND YOU CAN SEE HOW BEAUTIFUL THEY ARE AND, AND HOW MUCH A REFLECTION OF, OF, UM, THE COMMUNITY IT IS.
UM, MAYOR, YOU, YOU'VE JUST BEEN AMAZING.
I, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHEN I GO OUT AND I HEAR PEOPLE TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, I WAS AT A MEETING LAST NIGHT AND THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THE CHIEF, THE POLICE CHIEF IS DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT DOING SUCH
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A GREAT JOB, AND WE ARE HEARING MOCHA SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF COMPLIMENTS.SO MOCHA FOR DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB, IT'S YOU, IT'S YOU, YOU TOTALLY ARE THE ONE.
AND I DON'T KNOW THAT PEOPLE ALWAYS REALIZE THAT THOSE DEPARTMENTS ARE YOU, THAT THEY WORK AT YOUR PLEASURE.
SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR YOUR STRONG SUPPORT OF COMMUNITIES AND, AND FOR YOUR STRONG SUPPORT FOR ART, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THAT IS, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVING PUBLIC ART, ACCESSIBLE ART THAT'S INTEGRATED INTO OUR EVERYDAY LIVES THAT'S, THAT'S SO IMPORTANT TO, YOU KNOW, TO, UM, TO LIFE.
YOU KNOW, SO I'M, I'M GLAD YOU SEE THAT TOO.
BUT THERE'S MORE GOOD THINGS COMING.
THE BEZO ACADEMY WILL BE OPENING A CHILDCARE CENTER HERE, UH, LOOKS LIKE IT'LL BE IN THE SPRING OF 2023, AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND THERE'S OTHER GOOD THINGS HAPPENING IN DENVER HARBOR INFRASTRUCTURE WISE.
UM, WE HAVE SQUAT PROJECTS THAT ARE REGRADING DITCHES AND RESETTING CULVERTS AND FOIL LINES.
WE HAVE STREET AND DRAINAGE PROJECTS.
SO, UM, SO ALL IN ALL, I THINK WE'RE DENVER HARBOR'S REALLY MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS UNDER THIS MAYOR AND, UM, UNDER THIS COUNCIL MEMBER.
JUST COULDN'T BE HAPPIER ABOUT TODAY.
THE BASES ACADEMY, IT WILL BE FREE TO THE COMMUNITY.
IT'S, UM, FOR THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS, IT IS HIGH QUALITY, UM, MONTESSORI STYLE CARE.
UM, AND IT WOULD BE, THEY HAVE A COMMITMENT TO BE HERE FOR 10 YEARS.
STAFF, HOW Y'ALL DOING? I'M STEVEN, UH, THE DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
UM, THE COUNCIL MEMBER SAYS THAT THE MAYOR IS INSPIRATIONAL.
WITH, WITH THAT HAND IN OUR BACK, REALLY PUSHING US TO DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN, UH, NO MATTER WHAT OUR CHALLENGES ARE.
I THINK PROBABLY THE BEST DEAL THAT I'VE HAD IN THE 18 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE IS WHEN WE SWAPPED THE DENVER HARBOR, UH, UH, COMMUNITY CENTER, WHICH WAS ACTUALLY A PARKS FACILITY FOR, UH, WEST GRADE.
UH, THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A VIBRANT, UH, FACILITY.
ALWAYS HAD A GOOD LEVEL OF, OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT TO ME.
TO ME, THIS JUST REALLY ADDS VALUE TO WHAT'S ALREADY OFFERED HERE.
OF COURSE, WE HAVE A WIC PROGRAM.
YOU SEE THE BEAUTIFUL SETTING INSIDE THERE.
YOU SEE A SENIOR CONGREGATE MEALS PROGRAM WHERE THE SENIORS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN VERY ACTIVE, UH, AND, AND IN ADVOCATING FOR WHAT, UH, THEY WANTED US TO RESPOND TO.
AND WE STILL HAVE THAT PARTNER, THAT PARTNERSHIP WITH PARKS AND RECREATION, WHERE WE HAVE AN AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM, OUR SUMMER FOOD PROGRAM, AND CERTAINLY OUR PARTNERS WERE TARGET HUNGER.
UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBER MENTIONED, UH, UH, THE BEZOS ACADEMY COMING.
UH, SHE DIDN'T TELL YOU THAT SHE WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN, IN ADVOCATING FOR US TO CHOOSE THIS SITE, UH, FOR, UH, THAT, THAT ACADEMY.
WHEN, WHEN I GOT THE CALL FROM HER, UH, ASKING WHETHER OR NOT THIS WAS CERTAINLY POSSIBLE, IT'S LIKE, WHY NOT? KNOWING THAT THERE WAS GONNA BE SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY, UH, INVOLVEMENT ACTUALLY JUST ADDED TO THE VALUE OF HAVING THIS MURAL HERE.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'RE LACKING IN MURALS AND ANY WAY THAT WE AS A HEALTH DEPARTMENT CAN ADD, UH, TO ADDITIONAL MURALS IN, IN, IN THE CITY THAT REALLY DEPICTS THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY'RE IN.
WE'RE, WE'RE CERTAINLY GONNA BE OPEN TO THIS.
THANK YOU FOR COLLABORATING WITH THE COMMUNITY.
I WANT TO CONTINUE THE, THE, THE INTENSE AND ACTIVE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT HERE, BECAUSE THAT WAY WE ARE REALLY, UH, REALLY INSPIRED TO, TO DO BETTER AND, AND TO SERVE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING.
I'M CHRISTINA, DIRECTOR OF CIVIC ART AND DESIGN AT THE HOUSTON ARTS ALLIANCE.
UM, THE HOUSTON ARTS ALLIANCE IS A LOCAL ARTS AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION WHOSE PRINCIPAL WORK IS TO IMPLEMENT THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S VISION, VALUES, AND GOALS FOR ITS ARTS, GRANT MAKING, AND CIVIC ART INVESTMENTS.
ARTISTS AND ARTS ORGANIZATIONS ARE VITAL TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND TO THE ECONOMY IN HOUSTON.
AND HIA HAS THE HONOR OF HELPING THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S SUPPORT AND GROW THE ARTS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE AND THANK COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS ROS FOR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THE ARTS THROUGHOUT HOUSTON, AND ESPECIALLY HERE IN DISTRICT H FOR THE DENVER HARBOR COMMUNITY.
SHE'S A TIRELESS ADVOCATE FOR HER CONSTITUENTS.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK MAYOR TURNER, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS, AND THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR CONTINUED EFFORTS TO ENRICH THE LIVES FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THE GREAT CITY.
THE PROJECT WAS THE FIRST I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON, FROM START TO FINISH.
AND FROM THE BEGINNING, THE COMMUNITY, THE COMMUNITY OF DENVER HARBOR HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT WELCOMING AND GENEROUS.
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THE START OF THIS PROJECT.WE MET MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
THESE CONVERSATIONS MADE THREE THINGS CLEAR TO ME.
THEY WERE PROUD OF THE HISTORY OF DENVER HARBOR.
THE SUCCESSES OF THE FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS THAT GREW UP HERE IN DENVER HARBOR WERE MANY, AND THEY WERE EXCITED FOR THE FUTURE OF THIS COMMUNITY.
FOR US, AT HAA, THE SENSE OF PRIDE AND EXCITEMENT CARRIED ON AND GREW AS, AS WE USHERED THIS PROJECT TO COMPLETION.
THROUGH A RIGOROUS PRO PROCESS ARTISTS, DAVID MALDONADO WAS SELECTED TO CREATE THE MURAL.
WITH HIS THOUGHTFUL IMAGERY, HE HAS CREATED A MURAL.
HE SHAPES, COLORS, AND CONTENT WILL BE A LONGSTANDING AND CENTRAL BEACON FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT RADIATES WARMTH AND PRIDE.
DAVID MALDONADO IS A MEXICAN AMERICAN VISUAL ARTIST AND CREATIVE WHO LIVES HERE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
HIS CONTEMPORARY ARTWORK IS INSPIRED BY THE TRADITIONS OF ME, MEXICAN AMERICAN FOLK, ART, STORYTELLING, STREET CULTURE, AND THE MEXICAN MURALS MOVEMENT.
HE APPROACHES PUBLIC ART AS A COMMONPLACE, SHARED BY ALL WHERE ALL BRING AND FIND A SENSE OF IDENTITY.
HE HAS DEVELOPED A DISTINCTIVE ARTISTIC STYLE THAT SPEAKS TO DIVERSE PEOPLE AND TIES TOGETHER PATTERNS, TEXTILES, GRAPHIC, AND ORGANIC ELEMENTS.
RECENTLY, DAVID HAS CREATED OVER A DOZEN ARTISTIC COLLABORATIONS WITH MAJOR BRANDS.
HE'S CREATED NEARLY 20 PUBLIC ARTWORKS, PRIMARILY MURALS, INCLUDING TWO IN THE PAST YEAR WITH UP ART STUDIO, AND HAS EXHIBITED HIS WORK PROFESSIONALLY SINCE THOUSAND 16.
IT'S MY PLEASURE NOW TO WELCOME DAVID MALDONADO.
IT'S A LOT DIFFERENT WHEN YOU'RE SITTING THERE AND THEN YOU'RE UP HERE,
I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE PUBLIC SPEAKING TO THE RESUME TODAY.
UM, I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO, WHO IS HERE TODAY.
UM, MY FAMILY WHO'S OVER HERE ON THE LEFT, MY DAD'S RIGHT THERE,
AND, UM, I'M REALLY EMOTIONAL.
UM, NOT BECAUSE SIMPLY THEY'RE HERE, BUT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I I I TO TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS, TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IT TOOK TO CREATE THIS, YOU KNOW, PHYSICALLY THERE, THERE'S, THERE'S ELEMENTS THAT IT TAKES TO CREATE A MURAL LIKE THIS, RIGHT? BUT FOR ME, I, I WASN'T JUST CREATING A MURAL AND I'M NOT HERE TO CELEBRATE A MURAL.
I'M HERE TO CELEBRATE A STORY.
UM, I KNEW WHEN I WANTED TO DO PROJECTS LIKE THIS, I DIDN'T KNOW HOW I WAS GONNA GET THERE, BUT I KNEW THAT I WANTED TO STAY TRUE TO THE PEOPLE.
I WANTED TO STAY TRUE TO MYSELF, AND I WANTED TO STAY TRUE TO THE REASONS WHY I DO THINGS LIKE THIS.
I REMEMBER ONE OF MY FIRST EXPERIENCES WITH PUBLIC ART AND WHAT I LOVED ABOUT SEEING ART ON THE STREET, SEEING ART ON TRAINS, SEEING ART ON BUILDINGS.
IT WAS AN INVITATION THAT DIDN'T REQUIRE FOR YOU TO KNOW THE LANGUAGE.
IT WAS AN INVITATION THAT DIDN'T NEED A GESTURE.
IT WAS AN INVITATION THAT DIDN'T NEED, UH, YOU TO SAY THAT YOU'RE WELCOME.
AND I THOUGHT ABOUT A QUOTE THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME, AND THAT I, I CHERISH, AND I'M GONNA PHRASE IT.
I'M NOT GONNA TELL A WHOLE STORY,
UM, THIS QUOTE SAYS, AND AS WE LET OUR OWN LIGHT SHINE, WE UNCONSCIOUSLY GIVE OTHER PEOPLE THE PERMISSION TO DO THE SAME.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS MURAL MEANS TO ME.
IT'S, IT'S NOT JUST AN AESTHETICALLY PLEASING WALL'S A FIT, AN AESTHETIC OF A COMMUNITY.
IT'S PERMISSION TO CREATE, IT'S PERMISSION TO FEEL, IT'S PERMISSION TO BE PRESENT.
IT'S PERMISSION TO CELEBRATE OUR PAST.
IT'S A PERMISSION TO FEEL THE PRESENT, THE PERMISSION TO CELEBRATE THE FUTURE, AND WHAT'S TO COME.
AND I KNOW THAT THIS IS A BRAND NEW MURAL, BUT I KNOW ONE DAY IT'S GONNA GET REPAINTED.
AND I'M EXCITED BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE'S A NEW GENERATION OF NEW ARTISTS, OF NEW CREATORS, OF NEW STORYTELLERS, OF DANCERS AND SINGERS.
AND, AND I'M SO EXCITED FOR THAT.
I KNOW THAT THIS MURAL IS JUST A SENTENCE AND A LONG STORY, AND I'M SO BLESSED AND HAPPY AND THANKFUL THAT YOU GUYS ALLOWED ME TO BE A PART OF THAT.
HOUSTON HAS CREATED THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR ME, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WILL CHERISH ABSOLUTELY FOREVER.
SO, THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND I WANT TO INVITE UP OUR STUDIO UP HERE TO SEE A FEW WORDS, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK, THANK YOU FOR INVITING US HERE TODAY, MAYOR TURNER, COUNCIL MEMBER CISNEROS MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS, HAA, UH, HELP HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND, UH, DAVID FOR ALLOWING US TO BE A PART OF THIS PROJECT WITH HIM.
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UM, OUR MISSION OF UP ART STUDIO IS TO HELP COMMUNITIES CREATE AND STRENGTHEN CIVIC PRIDE THROUGH CIVIC ART.WE HELP TO FACILITATE PUBLIC ART AND PLACE MAKING PROJECTS THAT ENGAGE AND UPLIFT PEOPLE IN THEIR DAILY LIVES WITH A SPECIAL MISSION, MISSION TO ASSIST UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.
UM, IF YOU'VE SEEN MORE THAN THE 360 MINI MURALS INSTALLED ON UTILITY CABINETS AROUND THE CITY, UM, THEN, YOU KNOW, OUR WORK.
UM, THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO TO CONTRIBUTE AND GIVE BACK TO OUR CITY.
UH, WE LOVE TO MAKE STREETS AND PUBLIC SPACES MORE BEAUTIFUL AND WELCOMING FROM PEOPLE, FOR PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE.
AND EVERY DAY WE WORK TO ENHANCE THE PUBLIC REALM.
UM, TODAY WE ARE ECSTATIC TO BE HERE AS THE PROJECT MANAGER ON THIS PROJECT.
UM, THIS PROJECT ALIGNS WITH THE WORK THAT WE DO BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT PUBLIC ART, LIKE THIS MURAL REFLECTS AND DEEPENS THE CULTURAL CHARACTER OF NEIGHBORHOODS TO CREATE PRIDE FOR PEOPLE OF ALL RACES, AGES, BACKGROUNDS, AND SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS.
PROJECT LIKE THE, LIKE THESE BRING JOY, COLOR, INTELLECTUAL STIMULATION AND EXCITEMENT TO EVERYDAY LIFE.
AND WE'RE PART PASSIONATE ABOUT HARNESSING, UM, THE CREATIVITY OF ARTISTS LIKE DAVID TO IMPROVE PLACES THAT AFFECT PEOPLE'S DAILY LIVES.
SO THANK YOU, DAVID, FOR THE PHENOMENAL WORK.
YOU HAVE, UH, UNWAVERING DEDICATION, UH, TO THIS PROJECT AND TO ALL OF THE PROJECTS THAT YOU WORK ON.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR TRUSTING US TO HELP YOU MANAGE THIS PROJECT.
UM, AND AGAIN, JUST THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO FACILITATED THE FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT AND FOR FACILITATING THE ARTIST CALL AND, AND THAT PROCESS.
AND I KNOW THAT WORKING TOGETHER WE CAN BRING TO THE PRIDE TO ALL OF HOUSTON'S NEIGHBORHOOD THROUGH CIVIC ART.
NOW, TERESA ESCOBEDO, WELL, SHORT AND SWEET.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR PROGRAM FOR THIS MORNING.
BUT ONE, ONE FINAL THING, AND THANKS TO THE ARTIST, DAVID, FOR THE INTERGENERATIONAL ENERGY YOU'RE BRINGING HERE, I THINK THAT'S REALLY SIGNIFICANT AND AN UNTOLD ASPECT OF THE ART THAT WE PUT IN PUBLIC SPACES.
UM, AND WE HOPE THAT THIS COMMUNITY ENJOYS THIS FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
UM, SO, AND ONCE AGAIN, THAT CONCLUDES OUR, OUR PROGRAM FOR THIS MORNING.
IF YOU WILL, JOIN US WHILE WE CUT THE RIBBON AND TAKE A FEW PHOTOS.