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GRAY DAY, BUT IT'S GOOD TO GET SOME RAIN, ISN'T IT? YOU KNOW, UH, WE ALWAYS SAY, UH, THE CULTURES, UH, IN HOUSTON, OUR DIVERSITY IS WHAT MAKES US GREAT.AND I WANT TO THANK, UH, MAURICIO AGAIN, UH, FOR BRINGING THIS INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL PARADE, UH, TO HOUSTON, UH, FOR ITS SECOND, UH, YEAR NOW.
AND, UM, WE JUST THINK THAT THE WHOLE MEANING BEHIND DE DE WORTHLESS IS EXACTLY WHAT HOUSTON, THE COMMUNITY, UH, NEEDS TO BE A PART OF.
AND, UH, SO THANK YOU, MAURICIO.
WITH THAT, UH, PLEASE WELCOME MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER, UH, MAYOR OF HOUSTON.
DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT, BUT LEMME TELL YOU, IT EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS.
THE SPIRITS WERE HIGH AND, UH, JUST CAN'T, COULDN'T WAIT.
SO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS, I KNOW YOU WAS THE HONORARY GRAND MARSHALL, BUT WHAT A BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL PARADE THAT, I MEAN, I WAS, I JUST, THAT WAS IMPROMPTU, OBVIOUSLY, JUST THREW THAT IN.
UH, LOOK, LEMME JUST SAY IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE TODAY WITH ALL OF YOU TO KICK OFF THE SECOND D OF DAY LOS MUTOS FESTIVAL AND PARADE, AND WHAT IS BECOMING AN ANNUAL CITY OF HOUSTON EVENT.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO START OFF BY ACKNOWLEDGING DISTRICT GUY, COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS AND, UH, WHO IS SERVING AS ADE CHAIRMAN EMERITUS THIS YEAR.
LET ME ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE COUNCIL MEMBER, CALL US CISNEROS FROM DISTRICT H AND SEE, LEMME THANK Y'ALL FOR BRINGING THIS PREMIER EVENT BACK TO DOWNTOWN.
THE HEART OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD AND HERE IN HOUSTON HAVE DIFFERENT TRADITIONS AND BELIEFS ABOUT REMEMBERING FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHO HAVE PASSED AWAY.
THE DIO DE LOS MUTA, WHICH MEANS DAY OF THE DEAD, IS A HOLIDAY CELEBRATED IN MEXICO AND AROUND THE WORLD ON NOVEMBER THE FIRST, UH, AND SECOND TOWAN, AND CELEBRATED DEPARTED LOVED ONES.
BUT IT'S NOT MEANT TO BE A SAD OCCASION.
I MEAN, YOU CAN JUST COME AND SEE THE PEOPLE DRESSED UP.
UH, IT IS A CULTURAL CELEBRATION THAT UPLIFTS LIFE, MORTALITY, FAMILY, AND SPIRITUAL CONNECTIVENESS.
IN FACT, IT IS JUST HIGHLY FESTIVE, VERY COLORFUL, JUST A BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL EVENT.
HOUSTON, HOUSTON IS THE MOST DIVERSE CITY IN THE COUNTRY, AND THE 2020 CENSUS, 44% OF HOUSTONIANS IDENTIFIED AS HISPANICS, WHICH IS WHY THIS EVENT IS SO IMPORTANT TO THE CITY AND SO IMPORTANT TO THE CITY THAT'S HIGHLY DIVERSE.
THE INAUGURAL DIA DE LOS MOES FESTIVAL AND PARADE WAS HELD LAST YEAR AND HAD OVER 20,000 HOUSTONIANS IN ATTENDANCE.
UH, PRODUCERS EXPECT THAT NUMBER TO RISE.
UH, THEY ARE SAYING 25,000 THIS YEAR, BUT I THINK IT'S GONNA BE MORE THAN THAT.
ANYONE WHO GOT A TASTE OF LAST YEAR, I KNOW YOU ARE TELLING IT, TELLING IT, UH, TALKING ABOUT IT TO OTHER PEOPLE, AND YOU WILL BE HERE.
I KNOW I WILL BE HERE ON, ON SATURDAY EVENING.
CONGRATULATIONS TO MAURICIO AND NORMA NAVARRO OF THE NAVARRO GROUP FOR A SUCCESSFUL INAUGURAL DAZ DE LOS TIS FESTIVAL AND PARADE LAST YEAR, AND THE FUTURE SUCCESS OF THIS YEAR'S EVENT AND BEYOND.
I'LL ALSO LIKE TO THANK AND ACKNOWLEDGE THIS YEAR'S TITLE SPONSOR, RELYING ENERGY AND OTHER SUPPORTING SPONSORS THIS YEAR, INCLUDING OLA, OLA, HOUSTON, HOUSTON FIRST, THAT WAS HOUSTON FIRST, MICHAEL HECKMAN, THERE HE IS.
UH, HOUSTON HISPANIC, UH, COCA-COLA.
AH, ADA
ALL RIGHT, LET'S NOT HOLD BACK THE HOUSTON HISPANIC CHAMBER.
MARIA, I TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS OUT IN FRONT A B, C CHANNEL 13 EL RANCHO GROCERS AND MANY OTHERS, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE SPECIAL EVENTS.
AND YOUR TEAM WILL HELP WITH THE PARADE AND FESTIVAL.
SO I THANK SUSAN CHRISTIAN AND TEAM, AND WE WANT PEOPLE OF ALL BACKGROUNDS TO COME OUT AND BE A PART OF THE RICH HISTORY AND TRADITION OF HISPANIC CULTURE, WHICH AIMS TO HONOR AND CELEBRATE THOSE WHO HAVE PASSED.
AND THE KEY WORD IS CELEBRATE.
AND LET ME PUT AN EMPHASIS ON THAT.
I'M INVITING THE ENTIRE CITY, UH, TO COME OUT AND CELEBRATE.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER YOU'RE HISPANIC, AFRICAN AMERICAN, ASIAN, JEW, MUSLIM, UH, REPUBLICAN, DEMOCRATS, WHATEVER IT IS, YOU KNOW, UH, COME OUT AND CELEBRATE IT.
AND I PROMISE YOU, YOU WILL LEAVE UPLIFTED AND INSPIRED, AND WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THIS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH, TO CELEBRATE THE SECOND ANNUAL HOUSTON
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DS DE LOS MU PARADE AND FESTIVAL.UH, AND I THINK, AGAIN, I, I AM HONORED FOR THIS EVENT TO TAKE PLACE IN HOUSTON AND A AND A THANK YOU TO MR. AND MRS. NAVARRO FOR BRINGING THIS EVENT, UH, TO OUR CITY.
I KNOW IT WAS ONCE IN DALLAS, DALLAS, RIGHT? WAS NOBODY USED TO IN DALLAS.
OH, BUT IT'S FOUND THIS HOME IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO, UH, LET ME ENCOURAGE YOU TO COME OUT.
AND MY HOPE IS THAT YEAH, WE'LL, FOUR EXCEED 20,000, UH, THIS IS AN EVENT THAT THE ENTIRE CITY SHOULD EMBRACE AND LET'S DO THAT.
WE'RE NOT JUST DIVERSE IN THIS CITY, BUT EVERY DAY WE WORK TO BE INCLUSIVE.
WE CELEBRATE EVERYBODY'S OCCASION BECAUSE IT'S CELEBRATING OURSELVES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THOSE WORDS.
THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR COMING.
WE HAVE A FEW SPEAKERS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE, UH, HEARING FROM.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR COMING.
AND YOU'RE RIGHT, SECOND YEAR BACK IN BEAUTIFUL CITY OF HOUSTON.
YES, THE CITY THAT RECEIVED ME BACK IN 1979, A MEXICAN IMMIGRANT, AND NOW WE ARE CELEBRATING THIS INCREDIBLE TRADITION IN MY HOMETOWN OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.
WELL, AS WE MENTIONED BEFORE, IT'S BEEN CITY LEADERS THAT SAID YES.
AND WHEN WE MET ROBERT GALLEGOS BACK IN JULY OF 2019, NO, 2021, SORRY.
UM, WE, WE JUST MET AT A RESTAURANT AND WE ROLLED OUT THE IDEA AND IT WAS PROBABLY THE HARDEST PITCH EVER MADE IN MY LIFE.
I WAS PROBABLY SWEATING AND HE WAS JUST LOOKING AT ME, VERY CALM, JUST TWIDDLING HIS THUMBS.
JUST, I THINK HE WAS JUST WAITING FOR ME TO STOP TALKING
AND WITH THAT MOMENT, WE PLANTED THAT SEED, AND I REMEMBER WE WERE AT THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP WHEN WE UNVEILED THIS INCREDIBLE EVENT.
AND, UH, HERE WE ARE TWO YEARS LATER THAT BECAUSE OF COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEO'S VISION AND THE VISION OF THE CITY AND THE MAYOR AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, SPECIAL EVENTS WE'RE BACK IN OUR SECOND YEAR.
SO LET ME INTRODUCE NOW, COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS, CHAIRMAN EMERITUS OF THE HOUSTON DE DITO PARADE, CHAIRMAN
TODAY WE OFFICIALLY KICK OFF THE FESTIVITY SURROUNDING THE SECOND ANNUAL HOUSTON DI LOS MUERTOS FESTIVAL AND PARADE, WHICH IS SET FOR THIS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER THE FIFTH.
LAST YEAR'S INAUGURAL EVENT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS.
THOUSANDS CAME TO SAM HOUSTON PARK TO ENJOY THE FESTIVITIES AND THE NIGHTTIME PARADE THROUGH THE STREETS OF DOWNTOWN HOUSTON.
HOUSTONIANS OF EVERY AGE DRESSED IN TRADITIONAL ATTIRE, WEARING FACE PAINT AND VIBRANT COLORS TO CELEBRATE DI LOS MUTOS OR DAY OF THE DEAD, WHICH IS A FESTIVE VOCATION TO HONOR, CELEBRATE, AND REMEMBER LOVED ONES WHO HAVE PASSED.
AND THIS YEAR WE KNOW IT'LL BE EVEN MORE SPECIAL.
THAT IS WHY THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS PLEASED TO PARTNER AGAIN WITH MAURICIO AND NORMA NOVATO WITH THE NOVATO GROUP.
AND WE WELCOME THE CELEBRATION BACK TO DOWNTOWN, WHERE OUR CITY'S PREMIER EVENTS AND FESTIVITIES ARE HELD.
THE DAY LONG CELEBRATION WILL BE ANCHORED NEXT DOOR AT HISTORIC SAM HOUSTON PARK, WITH A FREE FESTIVAL BEGINNING AT 2:00 PM FEATURING ENTERTAINMENT AND ACTIVITIES FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY.
THE EVENING PARADE WILL KICK OFF AT 7:00 PM AT THE CORNER OF BAGBY STREET AND LAMAR STREET AND TRAVEL AROUND CITY HALL AND THROUGH PARTS OF DOWNTOWN HOUSTON, THE PARADE WILL FEATURE LIGHTED FLOATS, MUSIC, TRADITIONAL DANCES, AND AN ARRAY OF FESTIVE ENTRIES.
AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, I'M HONORED TO PLAY A SMALL ROW IN THIS YEAR'S FESTIVAL AND PARADE.
AND AS A LATINO, I'M EXCITED TO SHARE AND SHOWCASE OUR RICH HISTORY RIGHT HERE IN THE HEART OF OUR CITY.
I WANNA THANK THE PRODUCERS AGAIN, NORMA, MAURICIO, NORMA AND MAURICIO NOVATO OF THE NOVATO GROUP, AND THE MANY SPONSORS, INCLUDING THIS YEAR'S TITLE SPONSOR, RELIANT ENERGY.
I ALSO WANNA THANK HOUSTON FIRST, AND OF COURSE OUR VERY OWN MAYOR TURNER, WHO'VE BEEN A SUPPORTER SINCE DAY ONE.
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SUSAN CHRISTIAN AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF SPECIAL EVENTS.IT WOULDN'T BE PO POSSIBLE WITHOUT THEM AND ALL THE FOLKS ON THIS STAGE.
AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PARADE AND THE FESTIVAL THIS COMING SATURDAY.
WELL DONE AS WE'VE DEVELOPED SO MANY LEADERS AND SO MUCH LEADERSHIP HAS STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE HERE IN HOUSTON.
UH, NEXT IS OUR CHAIRMAN AND GRAND MARSHALL OF THE PARADE AGAIN.
AND, UH, IT WAS A SMILE FROM CHIN TO CHIN, AND HIS WIFE WAS GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO JOIN HIM.
AND FROM THERE WE BUILT AN INCREDIBLE RELATIONSHIP.
AND WHEN WE ASKED HIM TO SERVE AS GRAND MARSHALL, HE ACCEPTED WITH A VERY OPEN HEART.
AND MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU NOW, BENNY, A AGOSTO IN THE ABSENCE OF HIS WIFE, NIKKI, A AGOSTO HONORARY, GRAND MARSHALL, STEP BOB, BROTHER, APPRECIATE.
AND I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR AND HIS OFFICE FOR JOINING US TODAY AND FOR BEING A GREAT SUPPORTER OF OUR CITY.
NIKKI AND I ARE THRILLED TO BE GRAND MARSHALLS THIS YEAR.
HOUSTON IS OUR HOME IN OUR CITY.
WE SUPPORT THE CITY IN MANY WAYS, AND THIS IS YET ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY THAT WE'VE BEEN ALLOWED TO SERVE.
AND OF COURSE, UH, WHAT CAN WE SAY ABOUT, UH, MAURICIO AND HIS WIFE, THEY'VE BOTH STEPPED UP HERE IN HOUSTON TO MAKE US WHAT WE NEED TO BE, WHICH IS A CITY OF FAMILY AND COMMUNITY.
SO MY MESSAGE IS THIS, VERY SIMPLE.
THERE'S A LOT OF POLITICS GOING ON.
THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT, UH, BREAK US APART, BUT WE FOCUS ON WHAT UNITES US.
AND I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT FAMILY AND COMMUNITY IS REALLY WHAT MAKES US RUN.
AND MUERTOS THIS YEAR, IN MY MIND, BRINGS THAT TO THE FOREFRONT, FAMILY AND COMMUNITY.
AND THEN WHEN WE GET OUR CITY TOGETHER, IT'S FAMILY, COMMUNITY, CITY, AND OF COURSE OUR GREAT STATE OF TEXAS.
I WANT TO ALSO INCLUDE THE SPONSORS.
WE HAVE, UH, GREAT SPONSORS THAT HAVE STEPPED UP THIS YEAR.
AND ME AS A TRIAL LAWYER, UH, I LIKE TO GO TO THE COURTHOUSE AND TRY CASES, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO MY AND MY WIFE'S COMMUNITY ACTIVITY, WE WANNA BE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND FOR THE FAMILIES OF HOUSTON.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO NOT ONLY THIS YEAR, BUT MANY MORE YEARS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY AND THE MAYOR.
AND HE'S VERY SUCCESSFUL AT IT.
YOU'VE HEARD THAT RUMOR TOO, HUH? WELL, SPEAKING OF, UH, IN THE LEADERSHIP THAT WE STARTED DISCUSSING, WE MET AN INCREDIBLE LATINA.
AND LIKE I ALWAYS SAY, IF YOU WANT IT DONE RIGHT, YOU HIRE LATINO.
IF YOU WANT IT REALLY, REALLY, REALLY WELL DONE, YOU HIRE A LATINA.
SO MY WIFE TAUGHT ME THAT, AND BECAUSE OF THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE DR.
LAURA MURILLO, WOOHOO TO SAY SOME WORDS ON BEHALF OF THE CO-CHAIR AND JORGE FRANZ AS WELL, TO SPEAK ABOUT YOUR ROLE AS CO-CHAIR OF THE PARADE FOR YOUR SECOND YEAR.
AND I WANNA GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE SIDELINES THAT ARE BEHIND THE SCENES DOING SO MUCH WORK.
YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE, ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE.
UH, YOU MAY NOT BE ON STAGE, BUT, BUT HOUSTON THRIVES BECAUSE OF PEOPLE WHO VOLUNTEER AND DO THE GREAT WORK.
MAURICIO NORMA, THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING THE HOUSTON HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
AS YOU KNOW, BUSINESS IS SO VERY IMPORTANT.
AS, AS LATINOS, WE REPRESENT $54 BILLION EVERY YEAR IN CONSUMER SPENDING $54 BILLION.
AND SO THAT YOU'VE INCLUDED THE FESTIVAL SO THAT WE HAVE SMALL BUSINESSES THERE SELLING THEIR PRODUCTS, SMILING, DRESSED IN BEAUTIFUL COLORS, CELEBRATING OUR RICH DIVERSITY AND CULTURE.
WE ASK THAT YOU ALL JOIN US ON SATURDAY.
IT HAS BEEN A TRUE HONOR FOR THE SECOND YEAR TO SERVICE YOUR CO-CHAIR.
AND I COULDN'T COME TO THIS MIC WITHOUT SAYING THAT WE NEED YOU TO PLEASE VOTE EARLY.
VOTING IS STILL AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO DO SO.
MAURICIA AND NORMA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS BEAUTIFUL CELEBRATION TO THE BEST CITY IN THE WORLD.
UM, NEXT, LIKE WE MENTIONED, WE'VE HAD THIS INCREDIBLE SPONSORS AND ONE OF THEM THAT JUST REALLY STEPPED UP.
AS YOU NOTICED, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL LOGO THAT CAME UP ABOARD WITH OUR HOUSTON DE LOS MARTOS LOGO.
AND WHEN THEY CAME ON BOARD, IT WAS AN EASY YES.
AND I'VE BEEN HONORED TO HAVE THEM.
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WITH US, IT'S LIKE A FAMILY FRAME.IT'S LIKE A FAMILY PICTURE THAT WE ALL HAVE.
IT'S LIKE OUR OWN RENDA OF SPONSORS AND WE COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY AND ANY PROUDER TO HAVE THE ONE NAME THAT RESONATES ACROSS THE BOARD WHEN YOU SAY HOUSTON, RELIANT ENERGY AS OUR OFFICIAL NAME AND RIGHT SPONSOR.
AND WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE HAROLD MARKS, DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR PRESENTING SPONSOR.
THIS CAN BE IN SPANISH OR ENGLISH.
I'M HAROLD MARKS FROM RELIANT, AND I'M SO EXCITED TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY.
WELL, MOST PEOPLE KNOW RELIANT AS THE ELECTRICITY PROVIDER FOR THEIR HOME OR BUSINESS.
WE ALSO BELIEVE IN EMPOWERING AND SUPPORTING THE PEOPLE AND TRADITIONS IN THE COMMUNITIES WHERE WE LIVE AND WORK.
RELIANT IS PROUD TO BE THE PRESENTING SPONSOR OF THIS YEAR'S DIA DE LOS METOS PARADE AND FESTIVAL IN OUR HOMETOWN OF HOUSTON.
THIS BELOVED HOLIDAY WHERE FAMILIES AND FRIENDS GATHERED TO REMEMBER, HONOR AND CELEBRATE THE LIVES OF THEIR LOVED ONES WHO HAVE PASSED AWAY IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT CULTURAL TRADITION.
WE'RE HONORED TO BE THE POWER BEHIND THIS HOUSTON CELEBRATION AND ENCOURAGE HOUSTONIANS TO COME OUT FOR A FUN AND COLORFUL EVENING THIS SATURDAY RIGHT HERE IN HOUSTON.
OKAY, THE CLOSEST, UH, A FEW MORE SPEAKERS WE WILL HAVE.
UM, LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT CAME ON BOARD.
IT'S NOW MY HONOR TO INTRODUCE TO YOU MICHAEL HECKMAN, PRESIDENT, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, A HOUSTON FIRST CORPORATION TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
LOOK, SO MUCH HAS BEEN SAID, UM, UH, UH, FOR WHAT A WONDERFUL EVENT THIS IS GONNA BE THIS YEAR.
I KNOW IF YOU LOOK AT THE PHOTOS, UH, YOU LOOK AT THE VIDEO FROM LAST YEAR, FROM THE, THE FACES AND THE HAPPINESS AND THE JOY FROM SO MANY THAT CAME AND HAD SUCH A GREAT TIME, UH, I'M CONFIDENT WHAT THE MAYOR SAID, WE WILL DEFINITELY EXCEED, UH, THE ATTENDANCE THAT WE HAD, UM, LAST YEAR FOR OUR, UH, ROLE AS HOUSTON, FIRST FOR SELLING MARKETING AND PROMOTING HOUSTON AND STEWARDING OUR BRAND.
UM, EVENTS LIKE THIS, UH, DO A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT FOR, FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND, AND FOR OUR PEOPLE.
UM, UH, HOUSTON IS A TAPESTRY OF CULTURES.
UH, THE MAYOR SAID IT'S THE MOST DIVERSE CITY IN THE UNITED STATES, AND WE CELEBRATE THAT DIVERSITY.
IT MAKES US WHO WE ARE AS HOUSTONIANS, UH, SUCH A DYNAMIC, WONDERFUL CITY.
UH, AND IF YOU LOOK AT THIS EVENT AND GROWING THIS EVENT, UH, TO BEING WHERE IT IS A, AN APPOINTMENT FOR FOLKS TO ATTEND EVERY SINGLE YEAR, UH, I THINK THAT WE'RE ACHIEVING THAT AND WE WILL ACHIEVE THAT.
UH, AND IT DOES SO MUCH FOR EXPORTING OUR BRAND OUTSIDE OF WHERE WE ARE IN, IN, IN THE CITY LIMITS.
UM, I THINK THAT YOU LOOK AT THE, UH, ATTENDANCE THAT WE WILL HAVE, WE SAW IT LAST YEAR.
IT'S ATTRACTING PEOPLE TO COME AND STAY IN OUR HOTELS, SPEND MONEY FROM OUTSIDE OF HOUSTON IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY.
SO IT'S NOT JUST A CELEBRATION, BUT THERE'S A REAL IMPACT, UM, FROM THIS EVENT FOR, FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, UH, A FEW MONTHS AGO, UH, I SAT DOWN WITH, UH, UM, UH, MAURICIO AND NORMA FOR DINNER WITH GEORGE FRANZ, WHO'S JUST DONE AN AMAZING JOB.
UM, WHEN GEORGE, FOR THE FIRST TIME, UH, MORE THAN A YEAR AGO, BROUGHT THIS OPPORTUNITY AND SAID, LOOK, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE, I BELIEVE WE SHOULD SUPPORT.
HE GOT TO THE END OF IT AND I SAID, WELL, WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE CATCH? WHAT IS, WHAT, WHAT AM I MISSING? HE SAID, NOTHING.
I SAID, WELL, OF COURSE WE WOULD.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE PROUD AND HAPPY TO NOT ONLY SUPPORT THIS FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, BUT HELP PROMOTE IT.
UH, BUT TO SEE THE, THE, UH, UH, THE PASSION AND Y'ALL'S EYES, UH, FOR MAKING THIS, UH, AN EVENT THAT I THINK ONE DAY WILL, WILL EXCEED MORE THAN 50,000 PEOPLE.
UH, I THINK THAT IT HAS AN INCREDIBLY BRIGHT FUTURE.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS WEEKEND, UM, AND, AND JUST AN ENORMOUS SUCCESS THAT WE THINK IT WILL BE.
AND OF COURSE, ONE, TWO, WHICH I'M REALLY SURPRISED AT 'CAUSE SHE'S PROBABLY NOT USED TO BEING IN FRONT OF THE PODIUM.
'CAUSE FROM MY BACKGROUND, I WAS BEHIND THE, BEHIND THE CURTAIN AND NOW I'M BEHIND THE PODIUM.
BUT ONE OF THE TROUTS SPONSORS THAT CAME ON BOARD ALSO WAS ARCA CONTINENTAL, COCA-COLA, SOUTHWEST BEVERAGES.
FANTA, FANTA, JUAN DE FANTA, WHO WANTS THE FANTA
TRUST ME, IF YOU WANT FANTA, WE'LL SEE YOU SATURDAY 'CAUSE THERE'S GONNA BE PLENTY OF IT.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, IT'S MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE ADA ORTEGA, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND COMMUNICATIONS AND SUSTAINABILITY, SUSTAINABILITY FOR COCA-COLA SOUTHWEST BEVERAGES.
ADA, WELCOME TO YOUR HOME HERE,
AND I WANNA THANK THE MAYOR FOR ALLOWING ME BACK IN
UM, NO, I SURELY WANNA, YOU KNOW, ECHO EVERYONE, WHAT EVERYONE SAID HERE TODAY.
AND YOU KNOW, AS YOUR LOCAL BOTTLER, COCA-COLA, SOUTH WEST BEVERAGES, WE ARE MORE THAN, YOU KNOW, HAPPY TO BE PART OF THIS AMAZING EVENT THAT IS COMING HERE TO
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THE CITY FOR, FOR THE SECOND TIME.AND, YOU KNOW, IT SHOWS THAT AS A COMPANY, OUR DIVERSITY IS OUR GREATEST STRENGTH.
AND BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN THE VALUE AND POWER OF INCLUDING DIVERSE VOICES, PERSPECTIVES, AND TALENTS, WE SUPPORT INITIATIVES AND ORGANIZATIONS IN OUR REGION.
LIKE SHE'S A CEO FOUNDATION, THE HISPANIC WOMEN'S NETWORK OF TEXAS, LULAC, THE NAACP, AND NUMEROUS CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE, INCLUDING OUR VERY OWN HOUSTON HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE VERY PROUD TO BE PARTNERS AND WE'RE, YOU KNOW, VERY PROUD TO BE THE THE SPONSOR, UM, THROUGH FANTA THIS YEAR.
SO, UH, WE'RE GONNA DO A LITTLE INTRODUCTION TO MY WIFE WHO'S DOING A LITTLE, UH, SPANISH, UH, SPEAKING POINTS FOR SPANISH MEDIA AND ATTENDANCE.
AND NOT ONLY THAT, BECAUSE I THINK SHE LOVES THE MICROPHONE.
SO MEMOIR, SAY SOME WORDS FOR US, NOR NAVARRO, PLEASE.
SO IN CLOSING, UH, JUST WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
UH, JOE, MY ITALIAN MEXICAN
WE STARTED IN DALLAS AND JOE SAID, HEY, WHAT ABOUT HOUSTON? AND I WAS LIKE, WELL, LET'S TRY IT.
BUT EVERY SEED THAT WE PLANTED HAS SPROUTED INCREDIBLE FRUIT.
WE HAVE A BOARD OF DIRECTORS, ILSA GARCIA, AS CO-CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS STANDING BEHIND HIM.
WHY DON'T Y'ALL ALL COME UP HERE AND JUST TAKE A QUICK BOW BEFORE WE CLOSE EVERYBODY, JUDGE, BECAUSE I'M GONNA TELL YOU ONE THING.
WHAT, WHAT WE DID IN ONE YEAR HAS SURPASSED MY EXPECTATIONS.
UH, WE WENT FROM A PARADE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS TO A BOARD OF DIRECTORS, INCREDIBLE LEADERSHIP AND EXECUTIVE STEERING COMMITTEE, AND A WEEK LONG SCHEDULE OF EVENTS.
WE'RE GONNA KICK IT OFF TONIGHT AT THE BALLROOM AND TANGLE, UH, TANGLEWOOD BALLROOM FOR THE KICKOFF TONIGHT, TOMORROW, BECAUSE OF
IT'S EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE LOS MUERTOS UNDER ONE ROOF IN FIVE HOURS AT THE HOBBY CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS WITH KEYNOTE ALEX LOPEZ, NEGRETE, STAPLE MARKETING GENIUS FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
FROM THAT, WE'RE GONNA DO OUR FIRST GALA.
IMAGINE THAT THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD AT THE BEAUTIFUL PETROLEUM CLUB.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH, WE'RE GONNA BE OUT VOLUNTEERING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I'M NOT GONNA RELEASE WHAT WE'RE GONNA VOLUNTEER WITH, BUT IT'S VERY ERIA AND HOUSTON AS A HINT.
HOUSTON, DID I JUST SAY IT? I THINK I JUST SAID IT.
AND THEN OF COURSE, SATURDAY IS THE MAIN EVENT IN BEAUTIFUL SAM HOUSTON PARK.
AND THEN GUESS WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO? WE'RE GONNA DO A FREE BREAKFAST WITH THE COMMUNITY AT BOS ON TELEPHONE ROAD SUNDAY FROM 12 TO FOUR.
WE'RE ACCEPTING DONATIONS OF FOOD AND WE'RE JUST GONNA BE THERE GIVING AWAY A FREE MEAL FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
WHAT BETTER WAY TO SAY THANK YOU THAN WITH FOOD? THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ALL ABOUT.
WE BOND AS A FAMILY WHEN WE'RE SITTING, WHEN WE'RE ENJOYING, WHEN WE'RE BREAKING TORTILLAS IS WHAT I LIKE TO CALL IT.
WE DON'T BREAK BREAD, WE BREAK TORTILLAS,
BUT I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU EVERYBODY.
I WAS AN IMMIGRANT HERE IN HOUSTON IN 79.
HOUSTON RECEIVED ME, BUT WITH HOUSTON RECEIVING ME, IT RECEIVED THE GIFT OF DEATH.
I LOST MY FATHER IN HOUSTON, MY MOTHER IN HOUSTON, MY SISTER IN HOUSTON, MY BROTHER IN HOUSTON.
AND THE REASON I WENT TO DALLAS IS BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE I NEEDED TO HEAL.
AND WHEN I HEALED IN DALLAS, IS WHAT I BROUGHT BACK TO YOU NOW, IS THE MAN YOU SEE IN FRONT OF YOU.
DEATH WAS A GIFT THAT HOUSTON WAS THE ONLY CITY THAT COULD GIVE THAT GIFT TO ME.
AND THIS IS MY GIFT TO THE CITY THAT GAVE ME SO MUCH.
US HISPANICS HAVE GONE THROUGH THIS PENDULUM SWING OF CULTURAL.
WE WENT FROM BEING CULTURALLY DISRESPECTED TO CULTURALLY APPROPRIATED, AND NOW WE'RE FINALLY BEING CULTURALLY RESPECTED.
AND FOR THAT, THANK YOU EVERYBODY, AND WE'LL SEE Y'ALL THIS WEEK,