[Press Conference: "Embracing Resiliency: A Symposium on the 5th Anniversary of Hurricane Harvey"]
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IS EVERYTHING ACROSS THE ENTIRE, UH, CITY OF HOUSTON.SO, SALLY ALCO, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
SALLY'S GONNA BE ABLE TO STAY WITH US FOR A LITTLE BIT, AND THEN SHE'S GOTTA GO BACK DOWNTOWN TO WORK, UH, ON A LITTLE MINOR PROJECT THAT SOME OF Y'ALL MAY BE FOCUSED ON ABOUT SIDEWALKS IN, UH, IN HOUSTON.
UM, SO THANK YOU, SALLY, FOR SERIOUSLY, FOR ALL OF YOUR, UH, LEADERSHIP.
UM, I WANT TO INTRODUCE JAY GUERO, JAY, UH, REPRESENTING SENATOR CORNIN.
JAY, THANK YOU FOR, FOR JOINING US.
UM, I KNOW THERE'S A COUPLE OF OTHER FOLKS THAT WILL INTRODUCE THROUGHOUT THE MORNING, UH, AS WE GO ALONG.
UM, I WANT TO KIND OF SET THE TONE FOR A LITTLE BIT OF THIS TODAY, UM, AND MAKE SURE I'M DOING THIS RIGHT.
IS THIS THE RIGHT ONE? THAT'S THE REASON WHY.
SO, A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT WE AGREED TO DO IN, IN REGARDS TO ORGANIZING, UH, THE SYMPOSIUM, UM, IS I MADE A PERSONAL DECISION, CHANCELLOR, UM, AND OTHERS THAT WE WOULD NOT FOCUS ON EVERYTHING THAT YOU ALL REMEMBER OCCURRED FIVE YEARS AGO.
IT'S ALREADY KIND OF IN OUR DNA, BUT THIS IS THE ONLY SLIDE THAT I WANTED TO, UH, TO USE AS A REFERENCE POINT, UM, FOR WHAT THIS COMMUNITY, THIS REGION EXPERIENCED.
UH, YOU KNOW, JUST ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO, ALL OF YOU REMEMBER WHERE YOU WERE, WHAT YOU WERE HAVING TO DO.
UH, AT THE TIME, SOME OF Y'ALL WERE BEING AIRLIFTED OUT FROM THEIR HOMES.
UH, SOME WERE, UH, BEING BOATED OUT OF THEIR HOMES, SOME SWAM, SOME WALKED, SOME FOLKS WERE GRACIOUSLY, UH, MISSED THE FLOODS, BUT HELPED A LOT OF OTHERS, UM, IN THIS COMMUNITY IN WAYS THAT STILL GO UNKNOWN AND, AND, UH, NOT APPRECIATED.
SOME, UM, SUFFERED MAJOR LOSSES TO THEIR BUILDINGS AND OPERATIONS AND CAME BACK EVEN MORE RESILIENT.
THIS WILL BE THE ONLY TIME THAT I WANT YOU TO REFLECT, BUT, UM, CAN WE TAKE JUST A MINUTE MOMENT OF SILENCE AND JUST THINK ABOUT ALL THOSE WHO, UH, SUFFERED, WHO WE LOST, UH, BUT ALSO THINK ALL THE FIRST RESPONDERS, THE COMMUNITY NETWORKS ARE FRIENDS, UH, THAT REALLY TOOK THE, THE CHARGE OF HELPING US THROUGH WHAT WAS A SIGNIFICANT TRAGEDY FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING A MOMENT, UH, TO REFLECT ON THAT.
I WANT TO INTRODUCE, NOW, YOU'LL HEAR FROM ONE OF THEM IN A LITTLE BIT, BUT I ALSO WANT TO INTRODUCE, UH, THE VICE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
MONICA, WE'LL WAVE YOUR HEAD HAND.
WE'LL CALL YOU UP HERE IN A FEW.
UM, AND THEN ROBERT, WAVE YOUR HANDS.
ROBERT G GLASSER, ONE OF THE TRUSTEES AS WELL.
ROBERT'S BEEN WITH US ON A COUPLE OF THE EVENTS SO FAR.
UM, I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ALSO, UM, ONE MORE TIME.
APPRECIATE IMAGING BANK, UM, LATHE.
I'M NOT GONNA STEAL YOUR, YOUR SHOW, BUT YOU CAN TELL THE STORY MUCH BETTER THAN I CAN ABOUT HOW YOU ALL TOOK CARE OF YOUR EMPLOYEES, THEIR FAMILIES, WHICH WAS FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE, THE CRITICAL, UM, OBJECTIVE AS PRESIDENT OF A MAJOR FINANCIAL INSTITUTION.
UM, BUT THEN YOUR FOOTPRINT ACROSS THE ENTIRE REGION, UM, HELPING NEIGHBORS, HELPING THE PLACES WHERE YOUR BRANCHES ARE, UM, NEEDS TO BE RECOGNIZED AS AN EXAMPLE AND AN EXEMPLAR FOR WHAT THE BUSINESS LEADERSHIP IN THIS COMMUNITY, UH, HAS DONE AND CONTINUES TO DO.
SO LA I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HOSPITALITY AND FOR HOSTING US, UH, THIS MORNING, UH, AS WELL.
NOW, I'M GONNA CONTINUE TO POINT OUT, UM, DIFFERENT, UM, UH, FOLKS AS THEY ARRIVE, BUT PRIYA, WE HAVE A SEAT UP HERE FOR YOU.
OKAY? IF Y'ALL DON'T KNOW PRIYA, YOU'RE ABOUT READY TO, AS SHE JUGGLES.
PRIYA IS THE CITY OF HOUSTON, CHIEF RESILIENCE, CHIEF RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER, SIR.
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AND DESCRIBE PREA FOR YOU IF YOU DON'T KNOW PREA.OKAY, PREA, YOU'VE BEEN IN THE JOB NOW 18 MONTHS, 16, 10 MONTHS, FEELS LIKE 18, BUT YOU'VE BEEN IN THE JOB 10 MONTHS, UH, HAS TAKEN THE WHOLE MANTLE AND, UH, MOVED FORWARD ON A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES AND ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
SHE'S GOT RESILIENCE ON ONE HAND, WHICH DEALS WITH SOME OF THE DISASTERS AND RESPONSES YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT TODAY, BUT ALSO SUSTAINABILITY, WHICH MEANS THE ENERGY TRANSITION.
UM, A FEW MINOR THINGS, RIGHT? BY THE WAY, HOW MANY OF YOU RIDE ON METRO? HOW MANY OF YOU BEEN NEAR A METRO?
YOU'RE MAKING YOUR MARK NOW IN RESILIENCE.
BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP.
SO, PRIYA, THANK YOU FOR, FOR JOINING US.
I KNOW THE MAYOR IS ON HIS WAY AND WILL BE UP.
UM, BOY, YOUR TIMING IS PERFECT.
LOA MARILLO WITH THE HISPANIC GREATER HOUSTON HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAS JOINED US.
YOU CAN STAND UP, GREAT PARTNER, GREAT, UM, OPPORTUNITY TO NOT ONLY LEARN FROM HER, UM, AND GET HER ADVICE, BUT, UH, AS I'VE TOLD, UH, LAURA, UH, SHE CAN BE VERY MUCH LIKE ELEANOR AND SO, OR DOES KICK ME EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE IN THE SHIN.
UM, BUT LAURA, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND YOUR, YOUR COLLABORATION.
UM, AND THEN ONE OR TWO OTHER FOLKS I'M TRYING TO SEE IN THE AUDIENCE, BUT WE'LL KEEP ON, WELL, LET ME ALSO, AND I'M NOT BUYING TIME SORT OF, UM, BUT JULIANA GLOVER, UM, UM, I MISSTATED IT, BUT RAISE YOUR HAND AND STAND UP.
UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DO NOT KNOW ABOUT GREENTOWN IN THIS COMMUNITY, UM, ORIGINALLY FROM BOSTON, ORIGINALLY, A FOOTPRINT IN BOSTON, FRANKLY, I, I THINK IT'S HOUSTON NOW.
I MEAN, BOSTON'S JUST A SUBURB FOR, FOR, AND SO IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN BY GREENTOWN LABS, UH, WHICH IS OVER NEAR THE ION DOWNTOWN, THIS IS THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE OF THE ENERGY TRANSITION AND CENTER OF WHAT IS GOING TO MAKE HOUSTON, UH, A MUCH MORE RESILIENT, UH, MARKETPLACE.
I LOVE SWEATING, DON'T I? UM, UH, SO THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, MAYOR.
UM, SO WITH THAT, LET ME, UH, SHARE WITH YOU, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF OUR AGENDA AND, UH, INTRODUCE LATH WHO, UH, WILL WELCOME US OFFICIALLY.
UM, AND THEN THE MAYOR WILL, UH, JOIN US FOR REMARKS FOLLOWED UP BY THE CHANCELLOR.
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A SIGNING CEREMONY.
BY THE WAY, CHANCELLOR, I, I, I KNOW THAT YOU AND I ARE ON A HEALTHCARE REGIMEN, BUT MAYOR, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH WEIGHT YOU CAN LOSE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE MAKING ME FEEL LIKE I'M NOT DOING ENOUGH EXERCISE, SO THANK ALRIGHT.
MY NAME IS LATH SEF AND I SERVE AS PRESIDENT OF AMGE.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE EVERYBODY HERE IN PERSON.
IT'S BEEN SUCH A LONG TIME THAT WE'VE OPENED OUR DOORS TO HAVE EVENTS AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WITH, UH, WITH THE PANDEMIC.
UH, BUT IT'S GREAT TO SEE EVERYBODY IN PERSON.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I'M KIND OF WORN OUT WHEN USING TEAMS AND ZOOM AND, AND REMINDING EVERYBODY, HEY, YOU'RE ON MUTE, YOU KNOW,
BUT IT, IT'S, IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE.
IT'S GREAT TO BE CO-HOSTING THIS WITH, UH, HCC.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SUCH A CRITICAL PART OF THE ECONOMY, UH, AND THEY EDUCATE SO MANY PEOPLE AND THEY OPENED THEIR DOORS TO EVERYBODY.
AND, UH, AND I KNOW THAT THEY'RE HELPING LIFT OTHERS UP BY EDUCATING HOUSTONIANS, BUT ALSO FILLING ALL OF OUR WORKFORCE NEEDS THAT WE HAVE IN HOUSTON, WHICH IS, UH, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT THESE DAYS.
AND, AND THEY'RE ALSO PROVIDING LIFELONG LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES TO, TO EVERYBODY.
SO, WE'RE SUPER GRATEFUL FOR A CC BEING HERE TODAY AND, AND HOSTING THIS EVENT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING THAT WE'RE KIND OF GETTING TOGETHER HERE AT THE FIVE YEAR
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ANNIVERSARY OF, UM, OF HARVEY, WHICH ISN'T SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE, BUT IT IS, UH, IT IS A INTERESTING TIME TO REFLECT BACK ON, ON THE IMPACT THAT IT HAD ON HOUSTON.AND, AND IT'S ALSO INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT AM G TOWER OPENED JUST A FEW MONTHS BEFORE HURRICANE HARVEY HIT.
SO WE ARE ON OUR FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF BEING IN THIS BUILDING.
AND IT'S ALSO INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT DURING HARVEY, UM, WHERE YOU'RE SITTING RIGHT NOW, TODAY, ON THE FRONT HALF OF THIS ROOM WAS A DAYCARE FOR FAMILIES THAT NEEDED TO FIND A PLACE TO PUT THEIR KIDS DURING THE DAY.
UH, IN THE BACK PART OF THIS ROOM WAS OUR CALL CENTER.
AND SO WE HAD HUNDREDS OF AMEE VOLUNTEERS REACHING OUT TO TRY TO TRACK DOWN ALL 2000 OF OUR EMPLOYEES ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS TO SEE HOW THEY'RE DOING.
AND NOT SURPRISING, WE HAD OVER 400 OF OUR 2000 THAT WERE SEVERELY IMPACTED AND OVER 75 LOST THEIR HOMES.
UM, WHICH IS ALSO, UH, SIMILAR TO WHAT HAPPENED IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UH, AND WE DID OUR PART, AND I'M SUPER THANKFUL AND PROUD OF HOW AM ENERGY STEPPED UP TO HELP OUR EMPLOYEES.
YOU KNOW, WE PROVIDED GRANTS, WE PROVIDED LOANS, UM, BUT WE ALSO DID MORE FOR THE COMMUNITY TOO.
WE, UH, WE DID PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST DEFERRALS FOR ALL LOANS THAT, UH, THAT, THAT, UH, INDIVIDUALS HAD HERE AT THE BANK.
WE OPENED ALL OUR ATMS UP FREE OF CHARGE, UH, TO ANYBODY TO USE THEM IF THEY, IF THEY HAD ACCESS TO 'EM.
UM, WE, WE PROVIDED, WE WAIVED ALL OVERDRAFT FEES, WE DID EVERYTHING WE COULD, UH, TO HELP THOSE THAT WE HAD ACCESS TO HELP.
UM, BUT I ALSO KNOW THE CITY STEPPED UP, THE MAYOR STEPPED UP, EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM STEPPED UP.
I MEAN, IT'S ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT HOUSTON, RIGHT? I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THEY SAY IT'S A CITY OF OPPORTUNITY, BUT IT'S REALLY A CITY WITH THE BIGGEST HEART, AND THERE'S NOT A CITY OR A MAYOR THAT CARES MORE ABOUT HOUSTON, UH, THAN, THAN THAN WE DO.
AND, AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M SUPER THANKFUL FOR EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE GET BETTER? HOW DO WE LEARN FROM WHAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH? YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR, UM, HAS DONE AN AMAZING JOB OVER DURING HIS COUPLE TERMS OF IN OFFICE.
YOU KNOW, HE RESIDES OVER WHAT, WHAT MANY MAY NOT RECOGNIZE IS, IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST ECONOMIES, UH, IN THE WORLD.
YOU KNOW, IF HOUSTON, IF HOUSTON ONLY WAS A, WAS A ITS OWN COUNTRY, IT WOULD BE THE 23RD LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE ENTIRE WORLD, YOU KNOW, IT'S BIGGER THAN THE, BIGGER THAN THE COUNTRIES OF NORWAY, THEN AUSTRIA, THEN ISRAEL, THEN THAILAND.
I MEAN, IT'S AN AMAZING ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE, BUT THERE IS NEED TO HELP OTHERS PARTICIPATE IN THAT ECONOMY.
AND THAT'S WHERE MAYOR HOUSTON, HIS COMPLETE COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE, IS HELPING LIFT OTHERS UP.
ALSO, APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE'VE GOT THE MOST DIVERSE CITY IN THE COUNTRY.
YOU CAN, YOU CAN LOOK AROUND THE ROOM AND KNOW THAT THAT IS TRUE.
IT'S WHAT MAKES HOUSTON A GREAT PLACE TO WORK.
IT MAKES HOUSTON A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE.
UM, I FEEL LIKE WE ALL, UH, APPRECIATE EACH OTHER'S DIFFERENCES.
WE ALSO FIND A WAY TO, UH, GIVE EVERYBODY A SEAT AT THE TABLE.
AND IT'S MADE IN HOUSTON, UH, THIS GREAT SEAT THAT IT IS.
AND I'M, I'M PROUD TO, UH, TO HAVE, UH, THE HONORABLE SYLVESTER TURNER HERE TODAY TO JOIN US AND, AND PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL REMARKS.
BUT THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'RE DOING FOR HOUSTON MAYOR, THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH.
AND, UH, IT'S GOOD TO BE, UH, OF COURSE HERE WITH AM GA AND, AND RICHARD, IT'S GOOD TO BE WITH YOU.
AND, AND, UH, LOOK, I'M JUST, UM, TRYING TO BE THE FITTEST MAYOR IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
UH, AND OF COURSE, DR. MALDONADO, IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU, AND THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL MOMENT, UH, WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
UH, LET ME JUST ACKNOWLEDGE A FEW PEOPLE.
ALSO, I SEE MY COUNCIL PERSON AS HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN AT LARGE.
COUNCILMAN MALCO, GOOD TO SEE YOU.
AND THEN PRIYA ZACHARIA, WHO, WHO, UH, IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF OVERSEAS AND SUSTAINABILITY LEADING THAT EFFORT.
UH, SO THANK YOU, UH, AS WELL, UH, REPRESENTATIVE JIC FROM SENATOR CORNING'S OFFICE, AND THERE'LL BE SOME OTHER FOLK THAT I, I WILL, UM, ACKNOWLEDGE AS I GO THROUGH.
BUT I WILL TELL YOU, FIVE YEARS, FIVE YEARS THIS WEEK SINCE, SINCE HURRICANE HARVEY, AND THOUGH WE ARE NOT DEALING WITH, UM, UH, FLOODING TODAY, UH, AS I KIND OF LOOKED, UH, AT WHAT'S HAPPENING TO DALLAS, THE GREEN FLASHBACKS, UH, BECAUSE IT EASILY COULD HAVE BEEN, UH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UH, AND THEN HOW IRONIC IT WOULD'VE BEEN, OF COURSE.
WELL, THE RAIN IS, THE CLOUDS ARE STILL IN THE SKY, SO LEMME NOT SPEAK TOO MUCH, UH, TOO SOON.
UH, BUT I DID REACH OUT TO, UH, UH, ERIC JOHNSON, MAYOR OF DALLAS, WHO I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITHIN THE LEGISLATION WHO'S NOW THE MAYOR OF DALLAS, TO
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JUST EXTEND TO, UH, HIM, UH, WITH THE ARTS AND PRAYERS AND ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO.SO IT'S, IT'S ALL ABOUT BUILDING A RESILIENT, SUSTAINABLE, STRONGER COMMUNITY.
AND THE REALITY IS, YOU, YOU CAN'T DO THAT BY YOURSELF.
UM, AND SO THIS IS, UM, THIS IS A PRETTY GOOD MORNING, AND, UH, I HOPE YOU ARE EXCITED ABOUT IT.
I CERTAINLY AM EXCITED ABOUT IT.
UM, THIS WILL BE AN OUTSTANDING DAY, UH, FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE, HCC.
UM, AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE MOU WE ARE SIGNING TODAY.
UH, IT IS A POWERFUL EXAMPLE OF A PARTNERSHIP THAT WILL MOVE HOUSTON FORWARD TOGETHER.
AND I WANT TO UNDERSCORE THAT, UH, BECAUSE HOUSTON CAN'T MOVE FORWARD, BUT ALL OF THIS COMPONENT PARTS MOVING FORWARD AT THE SAME TIME, AND THE CITY ITSELF, IN TERMS OF MUNICIPALITY, CERTAINLY IS NOT IN THE POSITION TO DO IT ITSELF.
TODAY'S SYMPOSIUM, EMBRACING RESILIENCY ON THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF HURRICANE HARVEY FALLS ON THE WEEK THAT WE ARE REFLECTING ON A STORM THAT DUMPED LITERALLY 52 INCHES OF RAIN, UH, ON, ON THIS CITY.
UH, MORE THAN 150,000 HOMES WERE IMPACTED.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE DISPLACED.
AND THE GEORGE R. BROWN, UH, HELD, UH, HOSTED, I WOULD SAY 10,000 OF OUR NEIGHBORS, UH, ALONG WITH 700 OF OUR PETS, UH, RIGHT THERE.
UH, THE MOU WILL BE SIGNING WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE, UH, WITHOUT THE LEADERSHIP OF HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
AND I REALLY CHANCELLOR WANT TO UNDERSCORE, UH, THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH HCC, AND I WANT TO THANK, AND I KNOW THE CHANCELLOR WILL ALSO THANK THEM.
UH, BUT AS THE MAYOR OF CITY OF HOUSTON, I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, UH, UH, ALL OF THEM, UH, BUT CERTAINLY THE VICE CHAIR, MONICA RICHARD, UH, COURSE THE CHANCELLOR, UM, WOULD NOT BE, THIS WOULD NOT BE HAPPENING WITHOUT HIS LEADERSHIP GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT.
THE VICE CHANCELLOR AND PRESIDENT, DR.
MADELINE BARIO HOPKINS, THE VICE CHANCELLOR AND CHIEF OF STAFF, DR.
KURT IRWIN, AND THEN DR. MICHAEL EDWARDS, THE PRESIDENT OF THE NORTHEAST COLLEGE HOME CAMPUS FOR THE NEW TRAINING FACILITY, AND LEADING THE FORMATION OF THE RESILIENCE CENTER OF EXCELLENCE ACROSS HCCS OTHER CAMPUSES AND FACILITIES.
AND I WANT TO COMMAND AND CONGRATULATE HCCS LEADERSHIP FOR ITS COMMITMENT TO ACT UPON THE VI ON THE VISION OF A MORE RESILIENT AND PREPARED HOUSTON REGION.
FIVE YEARS BACK, AS WE FACED THE WRATH OF HURRICANE HARVEY.
IT WAS A MOMENT OF RECKONING, UH, FOR OUR CITY.
IT SPURRED US TO THINK MORE COHESIVELY ABOUT RESPONSE AND RECOVERY.
UH, QUITE FRANKLY, OVER THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, WE HAVE FACED SEVEN FEDERALLY DECLARED, UH, DISASTERS.
IN THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, UH, I DON'T THINK ANY OTHER MAYOR HAS FACED THAT MANY IN SUCH A SHORT TIME.
AND SO OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN IN A CONSTANT STATE OF NEED AND RECOVERY, AND FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN MARGINAL COMMUNITIES, NEED AND RECOVERY, BECAUSE THE SHOCKS AND STRESSES JUST KEPT COMING.
SO IT CAUSED US A THING DIFFERENTLY.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT URGED US TO THINK ABOUT BUILDING FORWARD FROM RECOVERY, FROM RESPONSE TOWARDS RESILIENCE.
AND FROM THAT RESOLVE IN THE AFTERMATH OF HURRICANE HARVEY, THE RESILIENCE HOUSTON PLAN WAS BORN, A JOURNEY THAT I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO MAKE GREAT STRIDES TODAY IN IMPLEMENTING PROGRAMS AND FOR NEW PATHWAYS AND IN BRINGING MORE PARTNERS TO THE TABLE.
SO TODAY ON THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF HURRICANE HARVEY, I'M PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S PARTNERSHIP WITH HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE, NEW RESILIENCE CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN OPERATIONS TRAINING FACILITY, AND ALL THE MANY WAYS WE WILL COLLECTIVELY PAVE THE PATH FOR A STRONGER WORKFORCE AND COMMUNITY AND, AND MORE RESILIENT FUTURE.
QUITE FRANKLY, IF I DON'T SAY ANYTHING ELSE, I THINK YOU CAN APPLAUD ON THAT.
AND THROUGH THIS PARTNERSHIP, CU COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS MAKING A COMMITMENT ON THE EXPLICIT GOALS STATED IN THE CITY'S RESILIENT HOUSTON PLAN TO TRAIN 500,000 OF OUR CITIZENS AND EMPLOYEES TO BE BETTER PREPARED, MORE INFORMED AND CERTIFIED IN SPECIFIC AREAS OF RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY.
HCCS LEADERSHIP AND STAFF HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND ALSO WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND PHILANTHROPIC AND VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS TO DELIVER
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A CURRICULUM COVERING A BREADTH OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR UPSKILLING CURRENT EMPLOYEES AND CREATING A PATHWAY FOR FUTURE EMPLOYMENT THAT IS INCLUSIVE, DIVERSE, AND WELCOMING.IT DEMONSTRATES COLLABORATION AS WE TRAIN OUR CURRENT WORKFORCE TO BE CLIMATE READY TO MEET THE ENERGY TRANSITION, TO ADOPT NEW DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS, AND TO WEATHER RISE AND HARD OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND AS WE THINK OF HOUSTON AS THE ENERGY TRANSITION CAPITAL OF THE WORLD, AND WE THINK ABOUT THE ENERGY 2.0 COMPANIES AND GREENTOWN LABS, HOUSTON IS LEADING IN THAT EFFORT.
HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE WILL PREPARE OUR GROWING WORKFORCE IN SOLAR, ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE, MICRO GRIDS AND ENERGY RETROFITS FOR BUILDINGS AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE EFFORTS THAT NOT ONLY SPEAK TO SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC RESILIENCE, BUT ARE ALSO CRITICAL IN OUR REGIONAL AMBITION TO BE NET ZERO BY 2050.
ALL THESE REQUIRE A WORKFORCE THAT IS BEST IN CLASS FOR THE INSTALLATION, OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF NEW INNOVATIONS, TECHNOLOGIES, PROJECTS, AND DATA SCIENCE TOOLS.
IT IS AS IF HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE HAD ALREADY, LET ME PUT IT THIS WAY.
IT SAYS, THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE ALREADY KNEW THAT CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT WAS GOING TO PASS THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE BILL AND WAS GOING TO PASS, UH, THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT, BECAUSE THE TIMING COULD NOT BE MORE PERFECT, BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT A $370 BILLION INVESTMENT ON CLIMATE INITIATIVES TO MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE AND FUTURE FLOODING FOR HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE, BE THINKING OF A RESILIENT CENTER AND TRAINING A WORKFORCE IS ALMOST PUTS US RIGHT THERE AHEAD OF THE GAME AND ALMOST AHEAD OF OTHER CITIES IN BEING ABLE TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE CITY AND OUR OTHER PARTNERS TO DRAW DOWN THESE FEDERAL DOLLARS FOR PROJECTS AND BUSINESSES THAT WILL START, THE TIMING COULD NOT BE MORE PERFECT.
SO, CHANCELLOR, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL IN ADVANCE, UH, FOR WHAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE AS PART OF THIS PARTNERSHIP.
THE CITY WILL ALSO LOOK ACROSS ALL DEPARTMENTS, AGENCIES, DIVISIONS, AND PROGRAMS FOR TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES WITH HCC THAT WILL HELP PREPARE OUR OWN EMPLOYEES, INFRASTRUCTURE, FACILITIES, FLEET AND OPERATIONS.
AND WITH THE RELAUNCH OF EVOLVE HOUSTON JUST LAST WEEK, BUT THE FOCUS IS ON ELECTRIC CHARGING STATIONS AND, UH, CREATING THAT INFRASTRUCTURE.
ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE COMING, HAPPENING IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AT THE RIGHT TIME WHEN THERE ARE RESOURCES ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL THAT COLLECTIVELY WE CAN PULL DOWN.
SO IN ESSENCE, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? THAT MEANS WE ARE PREPARING OURSELVES THROUGH THIS PARTNERSHIP IN THE SIGNING OF THIS MOU, FOR INNOVATIONS, FOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED BUSINESSES THAT EITHER ALREADY EXIST OR WILL COME INTO EXISTENCE, BUSINESSES THAT WILL EXPAND JOBS AND WORKFORCE OPPORTUNITIES.
AND ALL OF THIS LEADS TO A MUCH MORE RESILIENT COMMUNITY.
AND FOR THAT, WE SHOULD ALL BE VERY PROUD.
I SEE MANY FAMILIAR FACES AND FRIENDS IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY, THOSE THAT WE HAVE RELIED UPON DURING TOUGH TIMES OF RECOVERY AND REBUILD.
AND I WANT TO PRAISE THE GREAT WORK OF OUR TWO FRIENDS FROM HOUSTON NOW LEADING CRITICAL PROGRAMS IN WASHINGTON, DC FRANCISCO SANCHEZ IS ONE, FRANCISCO IS GOOD, LIKE TO SEE YOU HERE IN HOUSTON.
IN HOUSTON, YOU KNOW, FRANCISCO WAS OVER AT THE COUNTY LEADING THE WAY, UH, AND NOW HE'S WITH THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, WAS ONE OF THEIR TOP EXECS, UH, ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
AND, UH, IT'S JUST GOOD TO, UH, TO SEE YOU APPRECIATE YOU.
AND THEN, UH, BRENDA REYES OF THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, WHEREAS BRENDA, BRENDA IS RIGHT THERE, AND WE CAN TELL YOU HOW MUCH, UH, UH, HUD MEANS TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UH, SO BRENDAN, LET ME JUST, UH, LET ME JUST PUT FORTH A WHOLE LOT OF LOVE YOUR WAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, BUT YOU, I MEAN, YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE CITY.
YOU KNOW, THE CITY NOW, YOU AT HUG.
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I, I, I, I PRAY, PRAY FOR YOU ALL LAST NIGHT.I PRAY FOR YOU ALL THIS MORNING.
YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE JUST LOVE US SOME HUG, YOU KNOW, SO, UH, JEFF, MAKE SURE YOU GO AND GET SOME DONUTS OR SOMETHING AND, AND GIVE THEM TO BRENDA.
UM, BUT THE POINT IS, AND I'M GLAD THAT THEY'RE HERE BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO KNOW AND OTHERS TO KNOW THAT HOUSTON IS READY.
AND IT'S NOT JUST AN INDIVIDUAL COMPONENT, BUT COLLABORATIVELY, COLLABORATIVELY, WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER AND YOU WANT FIND A BETTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO WORK FOR, TO COLLABORATE WITH THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE, UM, AND THEN AMEE BANK, OUR FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, AND SO MANY OTHERS.
SO LASTLY, AS I, AS I WRAP UP, I ALSO WANT TO WELCOME, OF COURSE, THE SYMPOSIUM SPEAKERS THAT WILL SPARK NOT JUST NEW IDEAS, UH, BUT PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE WILL BENEFIT FROM IMMENSELY.
UH, DAVID ROBINSON, I CERTAINLY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU AND FOR YOUR EFFORTS, UH, IN THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATIONS.
AND THEN ME NOW TURN TO CHANCELLOR, UH, C MALDONADO TO SHARE HIS REMARKS BEFORE WE SIGN THIS IMPORTANT STRATEGIC AGREEMENT.
AS HE COMES UP, I WANT TO ONCE AGAIN WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE HIS ENTIRE TEAM, UH, VICE CHANCELLORS, PRESIDENTS, FACULTY AND SENIOR MANAGERS THAT HAVE WORKED THE PAST THREE YEARS IN SHAPING WHAT WOULD BE A NATIONAL EXAMPLE, WORTHY OF INVESTMENT BY FEDERAL AND STATE, BY CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION RESOURCES.
QUITE FRANKLY, WHAT WE ARE DOING TODAY IS A BIG DEAL.
IT MAY NOT SEEM MUCH TO SOME, BUT LET ME TELL YOU, IT IS A BIG DEAL.
ANYTIME, ANY ORGANIZATION, WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING AT TRAINING 500,000 OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, AND PROVIDING THAT INNOVATION AND SUPPORT, IT IS A BIG DEAL, AND IT DOESN'T HAPPEN WITH OUR LEADERSHIP.
SO I BELIEVE THAT ON THIS FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF HURRICANE HARVEY, HOUSTON'S COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS AND WILL BE A DRIVING FORCE FOR RESILIENCE FOR THIS AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.
AND FOR THAT, ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE CITY, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO H CCC, DR.
MARIA, ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU.
I WANT TO START OUT BY GIVING RICHARD A DIFFERENT ANGLE OF VIEW TO SEE THAT I'M A LOT MORE LIKE THE MAYOR IN MY PHYSICAL, UH, SHAPE THAN, UH, PERHAPS HE REALIZES, YOU KNOW, UH, THANK YOU LA UH, THANK YOU MAYOR AND RICHARD, IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE.
UH, GOD, IT TAKES THE COLLECTIVE EFFORT OF ALL OF US TO REALIZE THE TREMENDOUS ASSETS THAT WE HAVE.
AND WHAT WE LEARNED IN HARVEY WAS WE DIDN'T MAKE AS EFFECTIVE USE OF THOSE ASSETS BECAUSE OF ORGANIZATIONAL SILOS.
THESE ARE MANMADE BOUNDARIES THAT WE CREATE FOR OURSELVES.
THINK OF WHAT LIFE WOULD BE LIKE IF WE COULD BREAK THOSE SILOS DOWN AND OPERATE TOGETHER, OPERATE AS ONE ORGANIZATION, COMMUNICATING AND SHARING ASSETS.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TO CELEBRATE TODAY.
UH, HCCS HAD A LONG ROAD TO GET HERE, BUT SO HAS THE CITY.
ALL OF US EXPERIENCED HURRICANE HARVEY, AND WE ALL LEARNED FROM HIM.
MAYOR TURNER'S COMMITMENT, UH, TO BRING THE CITY OF HOUSTON RESILIENCY EFFORTS FORWARD IS, IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
HIS LEADERSHIP ENSURES THAT CURRENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS IN OUR REGION WILL NOT, NOT ONLY STRENGTHEN THEIR PREPAREDNESS FOR DISASTERS, BUT I, I WAS SHARING WITH SOME OF YOU THIS MORNING, IT'S NOT ONLY ABOUT THE DISASTER PREPARATION, IT'S ABOUT MAKING US A BETTER CONNECTED COMMUNITY.
WHEN WE STARTED LOOKING AT THE ASSETS OF HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE FIREFIGHTER, PUBLIC SAFETY TRAINING IS WHERE THIS STARTED.
RAPID WATER, RISING WATER TRAINING.
BUT THEN WE LOOKED AT THE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE THAT WE OFFER DEGREES IN, A LOT OF HEALTH, SCIENCE, NURSING, RESPIRATORY CARE, UM, MANY DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES IN HEALTHCARE, TECHNOLOGY, NETWORKING, CODING FOR APPS, MANUFACTURING, MAINTENANCE.
WE HAVE ALL OF THE ASSETS THAT HELP THE CITY RUN.
HOW ABOUT WE BRING THOSE TOGETHER TO NOT ONLY ASSIST WITH PREPAREDNESS,
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BUT MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES BETTER CONNECTED.NOW, AS MAYOR TURNER SHARED, THERE WERE SOME LESSONS LEARNED FROM HARVEY, BUT ONE OF THE MAIN TAKEAWAYS THAT AS A TEAM WORKING TOGETHER, GREATER HOUSTON ALWAYS SHOWS ITS RESILIENCE.
WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR AN EMERGENCY, A DISASTER FOR US TO BE TALKING TO EACH OTHER ON A ROUTINE BASIS.
BY REMAINING VIGILANT AND PREPARED, WE WILL TAKE CARE OF OUR FAMILIES, OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, OUR BUSINESSES, AND OUR ECONOMY.
UH, 23RD LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD.
IS THAT CORRECT? MAYBE EVEN, UH, MAYBE EVEN MORE THAN THAT.
AS WE ARE WORKING THROUGH THE ECONOMIC GROWTH THAT TEXAS IS EXPERIENCING TODAY, THE WORKFORCE THAT HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE EDUCATES IS HELPING DRIVE SUCCESS WITH A THREE AND A HALF TO 4% UNEMPLOYMENT.
THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING IS CRITICAL IN HELPING THE CITY MOVE FORWARD.
AND THE WAY TO DO THAT IS TO COORDINATE WITH THE CITY, TO COORDINATE WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR, WITH THE BANKS, TO COORDINATE WITH THE COUNTY.
SO AS WE SIGNED THIS MEMORANDUM TODAY, A CALL UPON EVERYONE TO JOIN US IN THIS COLLABORATIVE EFFORT, WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU.
OUR INAUGURAL RESILIENCY COURSES BEGIN IN A FEW WEEKS, AND NOW IS THE TIME FOR ALL OF US TO ASSESS WHAT WE NEED IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, IN OUR COMPANIES, IN OUR FAMILIES, AND REGISTER FOR THESE PROGRAMS TO HELP EACH OTHER BE STRONGER AND BETTER CONNECTED.
NOW, NONE OF THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THE LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND I DO WANNA POINT OUT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE EXPERIENCED HURRICANE HARVEY JUST LIKE THE REST OF US DID.
AND WE WANTED TO KNOW WHAT WE COULD DO TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES NEXT TIME.
AND THE BOARD IS VERY COMMITTED.
UH, OUR VICE CHAIR, MONICA REIHART IS HERE TODAY.
UH, TRUSTEE ROBERT GLAZER IS ALSO HERE.
OTHER TRUSTEES COULD NOT MAKE IT.
UH, THE CHAIR HAD SURGERY YESTERDAY, SO SHE'S, UH, AS EXCITED AS SHE WAS ABOUT BEING HERE.
SO WE'RE EAGER TO BEGIN TO DELIVER THE TRAINING.
WE'VE DEVELOPED CURRICULUM AND WORKING WITH THE CITY TO, TO TRAIN THE 500,000.
THAT'S THE STARTING POINT, ISN'T IT THERE? THAT'S WHERE WE START.
SO A LOT MORE TO COME IS SOON TO BE THE LARGEST, MOST MODERN FACILITY FOR WATER DISASTER AND PUBLIC SAFETY, INTEGRATED TECHNOLOGY, EMERGENCY CARE, TRANSPORTATION, MANUFACTURING, ALL COMING TOGETHER TO SUPPORT HOUSTON.
IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO SIGN THIS MOU.
ON BEHALF OF HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE THIS MORNING, I LOOK FORWARD TO US EXPANDING OUR REACH AND BRINGING THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, ALL OF THE LEADERSHIP TOGETHER.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING.
MONICA, DO YOU WANT TO SHARE A FEW QUICK REMARKS ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD AND THEN WE WILL, UH, GATHER FOR, UH, THE SIGN? GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS MONICA FLORES REGAR.
I AM PROUD TO BE VICE CHAIR OF THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES, AND I'M HERE WITH, UH, ROBERT GLAZER, WHO'S HCC TRUSTEE DISTRICT FIVE.
UH, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING FOR THIS IMPORTANT CONVERSATION.
WE ALL REMEMBER HURRICANE HARVEY AND THE DESTRUCTION IT CAUSED.
THE IMAGES WE SAW IN THE MEDIA AND ON THE STREETS OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE STILL VIVID.
IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE IT'S BEEN FIVE YEARS SINCE OUR LIVES STOOD STILL.
FOR A STORM THAT NEVER SEEMED TO LEAVE.
HARVEY CHANGED THE CONVERSATION ALONG THE GULF COAST, AND THAT ONGOING CONVERSATION HAS BROUGHT US HERE TO TODAY TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE.
THE SIGNIFICANCE THERE, THERE IS SIGNIFICANCE IN THE ME MERAN AND OF UNDERSTANDING THAT THE CHANCELLOR AND THE MAYOR ARE SIGNING TODAY.
WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO BUILD A MORE RESILIENT HOUSTON, AND WE ARE HONORED TO PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE AT HCC PROVIDING THE KNOW-HOW AND TRAINING TO AFFECT POSITIVE CHANGE THAT BENEFITS THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
TODAY IS ANOTHER STEP TOWARDS A BOLD VISION THAT SEEKS TO ADDRESS AN IDENTIFIED NEED IN A WAY THAT ENHANCES THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR REGION.
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POSITIONED THAN HCC TO DELIVER THE VARIETY OF COURSES AND PROGRAMS REQUIRED TO BUILD A MORE RESILIENT HOUSTON.WE HAVE THE FACULTY, THE FACILITIES, AND THE INNOVATION TO SUCCEED.
HCC HAS BEEN PROVIDING WORKFORCE TRAINING FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS, AND WE DO IT WELL.
IF YOU HAVE EMPLOYEES WHO NEED TRAINING AND RESILIENCY COURSES, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO WHAT MAYOR TURNER HAS DONE.
SEND YOUR EMPLOYEES TO HCC AND LET US GET THEM PREPARED.
AND IF YOU ALLOW US, WE WOULD LOVE TO VISIT WITH YOU AND SHARE THE DETAILS OF OUR RESILIENCY OPERATIONS CENTER.
WE CAN USE YOUR HELP TO MAKE THIS AMAZING FACILITY A, A REALITY MORE QUICKLY.
UNTIL THEN, THANK YOU FOR KEEPING THE CONVERSATION GOING, UH, AS ALL OF US WORK TOGETHER TO KEEP OUR RESIDENTS SAFE AND BUILD A MORE RESILIENT HOUSTON.
SO MAYOR AND CHANCELLOR, WILL YOU JOIN US AT THE TABLE? UM, AND PRIYA, MADELINE, IF YOU'LL JOIN US BEHIND HERE AS THEY'RE SIGNING RIGHT, MONICA ROBERT BELIEVE, COME ON.