[Houston Equity Fund Wells Fargo Inaugural Recipient Reception]
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WE ARE SO EXCITED TO SEE EVERYONE HERE THIS MORNING.
WELCOME TO THIS AMAZING MOMENT, THIS TIME THAT WE HAVE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR THE HOUSTON FUND FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND ECONOMIC EQUITY INAUGURAL RECIPIENTS RECEPTION.
WE ARE ABSOLUTELY THRILLED TO HAVE YOU HERE THIS MORNING.
MY NAME IS VANESSA GILMORE, AND I SERVE AS THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE GRANT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE FOR THE BOARD OF THE HOUSTON FUND FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND ECONOMIC EQUITY.
IT IS MY HONOR TODAY TO ENGAGE IN THIS MILESTONE MOMENTS WITH YOU.
BACK IN FEBRUARY, WE WERE HERE WHEN WE ANNOUNCED THAT WE WERE PARTNERING, UH, WITH WELLS FARGO FOR THE OPEN FOR BUSINESS GRANT OPPORTUNITY, AND WE OPENED THAT PORTAL FOR APPLICATIONS IN AUGUST OF THIS YEAR, AND WE RECEIVED OVER 2000 APPLICATIONS THROUGH THAT PORTAL.
AND NOW WE ARE HERE IN DECEMBER TO DELIVER ON WHAT WE PROMISED YOU.
UH, AS EARLY AS THE LATTER PART OF THIS WEEK, WE WILL START DISTRIBUTING FUNDS FROM THE OPEN FOR BUSINESS GRANT FUNDED BY WELLS FARGO, $20 MILLION GIFT FROM EARLIER THIS YEAR TO HOUSTON AREA, DIVERSE SMALL BUSINESSES AND NONPROFITS.
AND WE WANNA REALLY THANK WELLS FARGO.
THESE GRANTS ARE MEANT TO PROVIDE LOCAL, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WITH NEW WAYS TO ESTABLISH OR EXPAND OR STABILIZE THEIR BUSINESSES AND NONPROFITS.
WE ALSO CONSIDERED HOW THESE ORGANIZATIONS WOULD IMPACT OR REPRESENT THE HOUSTON FUND'S FOUR PILLARS.
AND THOSE ARE SOCIAL AND RACIAL JUSTICE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, YOUTH EMPOWERMENT, AND EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY BUILDING.
IT IS TRULY A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN US AND THE AWARD RECIPIENTS.
THESE SMALL BUSINESSES AND NONPROFITS WILL NOW RECEIVE ON THIS FIRST ROUND OF OUR GRANTS, A COMBINED $5 MILLION RANGING BETWEEN 10,060 $5,000.
MANY OF THE 219 RECIPIENTS THAT WERE CHOSEN AND WERE SELECTED ARE HERE IN THE ROOM TODAY.
AND WE REALLY WANT TO TAKE OUR HATS OFF TO YOU AND CONGRATULATE YOU.
AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND FOR YOUR DEDICATION AND PROVIDING OUR COMMUNITY WITH EXCELLENT LOCAL SERVICES AND, UH, BUSINESSES.
WE ARE HONORED TO CELEBRATE AND TO SALUTE YOU THIS FIRST GROUP OF SMALL BUSINESSES AND NONPROFITS.
WE ARE EXTREMELY PROUD OF YOU.
WE WERE SO IMPRESSED WITH THE QUALITY OF THE APPLICATIONS AND THE, THE, THE DIFFERENT BUSINESSES WERE BEING, UH, PROMOTED THROUGH YOUR APPLICATIONS.
I'M VERY PROUD OF YOU, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO NOW AT THIS TIME, SALUTE YOU.
THIS IS MY DAUGHTER, TASIA LANE.
WE'RE EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY.
I AM SEEING YOU COME ALIVE IN A THOUSAND DIFFERENT WAYS.
I'M SEEING YOU COME ALIVE, AND I'M AMAZED BY HOW YOU ARE GROWING, HOW YOU ARE CHANGING.
I'VE SEEN YOU CHANGE OF SEEING YOU PUSH THROUGH LIFE, SEEING YOU BE BRAVE.
AND I WANNA SAY I'M SO PROUD OF YOU.
I THINK YOU HAVE SO MUCH TO OFFER TO THE WORLD, SO MUCH TO OFFER TO THE WORLD.
LIKE YOU HAVE THE DEMONS OF YOUR PASTS, THE FEARS OF
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SOUL.YOU ARE THE I KNOW WHO YOU BRAVE.
I SEE YOU'RE BRAVE AND YOU, BECAUSE, BUT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, YOU TY YOU, YOU UP EVERY MORNING AND YOU WALK.
YOU JUST, YOU JUST, AND YOU, YOU THE BRAVE.
WASN'T THAT LOVELY? I USED TO BE ABLE TO SING LIKE THAT AND, UH, NOT ANYMORE.
WELL, ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I'M, UH, CO-FOUNDER AND BOARD PRESIDENT OF THE HOUSTON FUND FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE IN ECONOMIC EQUITY.
UH, AND I THINK IT'S GOOD THAT TO HAVE A, A LITTLE BIT OF PERSPECTIVE ON, ON HOW WE GOT HERE.
UH, THIS JOURNEY STARTED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, UH, AUGUST OF 2020.
AND, UH, THE MAYOR AND I WERE ON THE PHONE ONE NIGHT HAVING A NICE CHAT, TALKING ABOUT PROJECT THAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT DOING.
UH, THAT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PANDEMIC SHORTLY AFTER THE GEORGE FLOYD, UH, INCIDENT.
AND, UH, WE GOT A TEXT FROM A MUTUAL FRIEND IN BOSTON ABOUT A GROUP THAT HAD SET UP THE COMMONWEALTH FUND FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND ECONOMIC EQUITY.
AND, UH, I SAID, I LIKE THIS MAYOR.
I, I CAPTAIN, WHEN THE MAYOR SAYS, LET'S DO IT, WHAT THAT MEANS IS GO DO IT, THOMAS.
UH, I PICKED UP THE PHONE, MADE A CALL TO, UH, ONE OF MY BOARD MEMBERS.
IS THERE MUSIC IN THE BACKGROUND OR SOMETHING, OR IS THAT ME? OKAY,
UH, BUT I CALLED, UH, BAR WALLACE.
IS BARON HERE? BARON DID BARON MAKE IT? HE'S IN NEW YORK.
BARON DIDN'T MAKE IT CALL BURN, CALL BARON.
AND, UH, SENT HIM OVER, YOU KNOW, I DID THAT.
AND, UH, OF COURSE, BEING A LAWYER THAT HE DID, HE REWROTE THE WHOLE THING.
UH, AND, UH, WE QUICKLY REALIZED AFTER A COUPLE OF MEETINGS THAT WE NEEDED HELP.
AND SO WE STARTED ASSEMBLING A BOARD OF, UH, OF SUPPORT, UM, JUANELLE, HER AND STEPHANIE PAGE, WHO'S HERE, VANESSA GILMORE.
AND, UH, SEVEN OR EIGHT OTHERS THAT ARE NOT HERE.
UH, BUT ANYWAY, WE WE GOT IT OFF THE GROUND.
WE WERE PREPARED, WE PREPARED FOR THIS.
WE WERE, YOU KNOW, RIDING DOWN THE STREET PREPARED, YOU KNOW, IN OUR PREPARATION CAR COMING DOWN, EMANCIPATION, AND GOT TO THE CORNER HERE AT ELGIN.
AND, UH, HERE COMES THAT WELLS FARGO COACH OF OPPORTUNITY.
YOU KNOW, THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, LUCK IS THE, YOU KNOW, WHERE, UH, PREPARATION AND OPPORTUNITY CROSSED PATHS.
AND, UH, WE, WE, WE, WE, WE NOW ARE AN INTERSECTION AND WE'RE A PARTNERSHIP.
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AND THIS CONCEPT THAT AT WELLS FARGO, I MUST TELL YOU, IS UNIQUE IN ITS DESIGN, ITS CONTENT, AND IT'S, UH, IT'S, UH, CONSTRUCT.UH, I HADN'T SEEN THIS BEFORE.
I'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS 45 YEARS AND, AND I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS WHERE A COMPANY SAYS THAT WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE CAPITAL INTO THE COMMUNITY WITH A GRANT FOR BOTH SMALL BUSINESSES AND NOT-FOR-PROFITS.
OKAY? AND I, WHAT I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UH, IN MY 45 YEARS THROUGHOUT MY, MY BUSINESS CAREER, I LEARNED THE DEFINITION OF WHAT A GOOD CORPORATE CITIZEN IS.
AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT WHAT WELLS FARGO HAS DONE, WHAT ITS LEADERSHIP HAS DONE, AND ITS PEOPLE, UH, HAVE DONE, IS, UH, CERTAINLY WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER A MODEL FOR GOOD CORPORATE CITIZEN, WHAT GOOD CORPORATE CITIZENS DO.
SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO WELLS FARGO.
UH, THESE FUNDS WILL BE USED AS THE, UH, FOR AS, UH, AS, UM, MENTIONED EARLIER, VANESSA MENTIONED EARLIER, THE IDEA BEHIND THIS IS TO PROVIDE CAPITAL.
WHAT IS THE FIRST THING MOST SMALL BUSINESSES SAY OF THE, THE, THE, THE, THE, THAT KEEPS 'EM OUT OF BUSINESS, KEEPS 'EM FROM HELP GETTING STARTED, LACK OF WHAT? ACCESS TO CAPITAL.
UH, AND IT MET THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT BASIC NEED, UH, IF YOU ASK ANY SMALL BUSINESS, THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE HURDLE THEY HAVE.
AND IT MET THAT IN IT'S MEETING THAT NEED.
AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW PROUD IT IS TO BE A PART OF SOMETHING THAT WAS HATCHED TWO YEARS AGO, AND NOW TO SEE IT COME FRUITION AND BE HERE THIS AFTERNOON, UH, WHERE WE'RE GONNA GIVE OUT $5 MILLION IN, IN, UH, OVER 200 INDIVIDUAL CHECKS TO SMALL BUSINESSES AND NONPROFITS.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A MAJOR, MAJOR MILESTONE AND WORTHY OF AN AMEN.
I'VE BEEN KNOWING, UH, MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER FOR 40 YEARS.
UM, AND HE HAS A WELL-DOCUMENTED JOURNEY AND IN PUBLIC SERVICE AND WELL-DOCUMENTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN PUBLIC SERVICE, ALL YOU GOTTA DO IS GOOGLE HIM.
SO, YOU KNOW, HE COULD, THERE COULD BE, HE COULD FILL UP TWO OR THREE DIFFERENT SERIES, COUPLE OF MOVIES AND, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT SERIES OVER HIS, UH, OVER HIS FOUR YEAR JOURNEY, UH, 20 PLUS YEARS IN THE LEGISLATURE, AND NOW THE LAST SIX AND A HALF YEARS AS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND, UH, IT IS, UH, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW PROUD I AM AND PROUD OF, UH, OF MY BOARD AND WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED, BUT IN OUR FRIENDSHIP.
AND TO BE ABLE TO STAND HERE TODAY, UH, STARTING SOMETHING TWO YEARS AGO AND NOW, AND NOW HAVING IT COME TO FRUITION, IT'S, UH, IT'S EXTREMELY GRATIFYING AND, UH, AND PERSONALLY MEANINGFUL.
AND, UH, I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT, WHAT, HOW PROUD I AM AGAIN, OF, UH, WHAT WE HAVE DONE AND WHAT HE'S DONE AS OUR, AS OUR LEADER, AS A CO-FOUNDER, UH, OF THIS, OF THIS GREAT BOARD.
AND SO I WANT TO BRING TO YOU, UH, MAN WHO NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION, THE HONORABLE SYLVESTER TURNER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
LOOK, LET ME, UH, LEMME START OFF BY THANKING, UH, THOMAS AS, AS HE INDICATED, WE'VE KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR A LONG TIME.
UH, HE'S MY, UH, OLDER BROTHER.
AND SO, UM, I, I, UH, I APPRECIATE, APPRECIATE THAT.
AND I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE EACH ONE OF THESE BOARD MEMBERS, UH, UH, AND THOSE WHO ARE HERE, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW GINA PROBABLY ACKNOWLEDGE 'EM LATER, BUT IF Y'ALL JUST STAND UP, JUST THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE PRESENT, UH, STAND UP, UH, OF COURSE, JUDGE STEPHANIE NELS PAGE, PAUL CANNONS, AND SO MANY OTHERS, THANK YOU.
AND THEN THE, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THIS GROUP, GINA JERK, AND GINA, JUST COME GIVE IT UP TO GINA.
AND LOOK, I'M NOT GONNA, I'M NOT GONNA TALK LONG.
I I CAME HERE TODAY BECAUSE THIS IS A CELEBRATORY MOMENT.
AND, UM, AND I, WHEN I WALKED IN, I, I SAID TO THOMAS, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM.
AND, UH, AND UH, AND THEN HE SAID, YEAH, $5 MILLION IS BEING HANDED OUT.
AND THEN, AND THEN IT DAWNED ON ME, HELL, THERE'S $5 MILLION BEEN HANDED OUT.
YOU KNOW? AND, UH, AND QUITE FRANKLY, BECAUSE OF THAT, AND BECAUSE YOU'RE HERE, I'M HERE.
AND SO, LOOK, THERE ARE 219, UH, RECIPIENTS.
AND, AND JUDGE VANESSA GILMORE, UH, SAID, WHEN WE STARTED THIS
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JOURNEY, UH, IT WAS, IT WAS AFTER GEORGE FLOYD.AND, AND THE KEY, UH, TO ANY CITY, UH, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE INVESTING IN YOUR COMMUNITY PRIOR TO ANY CONFLICT OCCURRING.
BECAUSE IF YOU START INVESTING AFTER, IT MAKES IT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT.
AND THEN THE TRUST LEVEL IS NOT THERE.
SO IF YOU WANT A PEACEFUL CITY MOVING FORWARD IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION, UH, YOU HAVE TO INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY, AND I MEAN IN ALL ASPECTS OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
UM, PRIOR TO, AND THIS IS THE MOST DIVERSE CITY, AND QUITE FRANKLY, WHAT KEEPS A VERY DIVERSE CITY MOVING IS THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE IN OUR COMMUNITIES, WHETHER THEY'RE AFRICAN-AMERICAN BUSINESSES, ASIAN BUSINESSES, UH, HISPANIC BUSINESSES, YOU NAME IT.
THOSE, THOSE, THAT'S THE LIFEBLOOD OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND THEN WHEN YOU COMBINE THAT WITH THE NONPROFITS IN THOSE COMMUNITIES, BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE CAN'T FIND ANY PLACE ELSE, WHEN THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE TO TURN, THEY LOOK TO THE RESOURCES THAT ARE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, AND WHO ARE THE ONES THAT ARE HIRING THOSE PEOPLE? THOSE ARE YOUR SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE HIRING PEOPLE, COMING FROM THOSE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES.
AND WHEN YOU LIFT THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES UP AND YOU HELP SOLIDIFY THOSE NONPROFITS, THEN THE CITY AS A WHOLE THRIVES AND MOVES FORWARD IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION.
AND I'LL BE VERY HONEST AND CANDID, THE CITY OF HOUSTON CAN'T DO IT BY ITSELF.
WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE RESOURCES TO DO NOW.
WE CAN DO, WE NEED TO DO OUR PART, BUT WE REALLY CAN'T.
AND EVEN AT THE SAME TIME, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOLLARS WILL COME, THAT HELPS.
UH, BUT THESE DOLLARS TOO WILL GO AWAY.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I AM EXCITED, UH, TO BE HERE, UH, WELLS FARGO CAME ALONE AND OFFERED TO BE A SIGNIFICANT PARTNER.
NOW, THE BOARD HAD AN IDEA, AND, AND, AND, AND IT WAS, WE COPIED THAT IDEA FROM WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE BOSTON AREA AND THE HOUSTON FUND FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND ECONOMIC EQUITY WAS AN IDEA, UH, THAT WAS PUT ON PAPER, BECAME A NONPROFIT.
BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY TO PUT INTO THAT IDEA, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE AN IDEA BY FORMING A BUSINESS, BUT, UH, AN IDEA WITH NO MONEY REALLY IS NO BUSINESS THAT'S THRIVING AND MOVING.
SO IT WAS AN IDEA, BUT IT NEEDED FUNDING.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, IT NEEDED SIGNIFICANT FUNDING IN ORDER FOR IT TO BE IMPACTFUL.
AND THAT'S WHY I'M EXCITED ABOUT WHAT WELLS FARGO DID, BECAUSE WELLS FARGO CAME ALONG, AND LEMME TELL YOU, THE FUND WAS GENERATING A HUNDRED THOUSAND HERE, 200,000 THERE, UH, WITH THOMAS AND, UH, FORMER JUDGE DENNIS GILMORE, THEN TELL YOU ELLI PAGE, PAUL, CAN, YOU KNOW, EACH ONE OF US COMMITTED TO GIVING $50,000 TO THE FUND AS SEED MONEY TO GET IT GOING, YOU KNOW? BUT EVEN WITH THAT, WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH BOARD MEMBERS TO REALLY HAVE THAT SIGNIFICANT IMPACT.
BUT THAT WAS THE COMMITMENT THAT WE PERSONALLY MADE.
AND THEN OTHERS WERE COMING ALONG GIVING ONE, 200, $300,000.
UH, BUT WELLS FARGO CAME ALONG AND MADE THE, UM, WHAT I CALL A TRANSFORMATIVE GIFT OF GIVING $20 MILLION TO THE FUND.
AND THEN WHEN YOU, AND GIVEN THE $20 MILLION AND ESSENTIALLY SAYING, YOU ALL KINDA SET THE CRITERIA ON, ON HOW THESE DOLLARS, UH, SHOULD WORK AND BE DISTRIBUTED, WE SIMPLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE DISTRIBUTED TO OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND THEN IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE DOLLARS GET INTO THESE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE IN THESE COMMUNITIES, OKAY? AND, AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING.
SO THIS, IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, 12 MONTHS PORTAL OPENS, UH, OPEN FOR BUSINESS GRANTS ARE, UH, ARE BEING GIVEN, YOU KNOW, 10,000 TO 65,000.
AND SO I'M HERE BECAUSE WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE TODAY BENEFITS THE CITY IN WHICH I AM MAYOR.
AND IT HELPS TO CREATE A HEALTHIER, THRIVING, ECONOMICALLY VIBRANT COMMUNITY.
AND THE HOPE IS THAT IF YOU'RE GETTING $10,000, THAT IT WILL TAKE YOU FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD IF YOU'RE GETTING ANYWHERE BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, 10 TO $65,000, THAT IT WILL HELP TO SOLIDIFY WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND THEN PROVIDE SOME ENCOURAGEMENT TO GO EVEN FURTHER.
AND THEN IF YOU FEEL GOOD AND YOU'RE THINKING GOOD, AND YOU'RE INSPIRED, IT JUST MAKES YOU WORK HARDER AND TO GO HIGHER.
AND IT, IT JUST CREATES A, A GOOD ENVIRONMENT
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FOR THE CITY IN WHICH TO LIVE, UH, TO LIVE.YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M, I'M HAPPY FOR YOU.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND LASTLY, THIS MORNING I HAD ABOUT 25, UH, YOUNG AFRICAN AMERICAN BOYS THAT CAME TO VISIT ME AT CITY HALL.
UH, THEY WERE ABOUT BETWEEN 10 AND 13, FIRST TIME AT CITY HALL, FIRST TIME PERSONALLY MEETING, YOU KNOW, A MAYOR.
UM, AND THEY WERE SO ENCOURAGED, AND ALL THEY TOOK FROM ME WAS A LITTLE TIME JUST INVESTING A LITTLE TIME.
MY HOPE IS THE INVESTMENT OF A LITTLE OF MY TIME WILL CAUSE THEM TO GO EVEN HIGHER.
AND SO I CLOSE WITH THIS, THE INVESTMENT OF 10 TO 65,000 INTO YOUR BUSINESS WILL HOPEFULLY PROVIDE YOU THE ENCOURAGEMENT AND SUPPORT YOU NEED TO GO EVEN HIGHER WITH THE THOUGHT OF THE BEST HAS YET TO COME DURING YOUR BUSINESS IN THE CITY.
NOW, MY PLEASURE TO BRING UP TOM DE BEST, WHO IS THE BRANCH REGIONAL MANAGER FOR WELLS FARGO.
UH, THAT HAS HELPED TO MAKE, GIVE IT UP TO WELLS FARGO.
COME ON, YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT.
GIVE IT UP, GIVE IT UP TO WELLS FARGO.
REALLY APPRECIATE THEM AND THE INVESTMENT THAT THEY HAVE MADE.
WELL, THANK YOU, MAYOR TURNER.
UM, IT HAS BEEN AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE WORKING WITH YOU, UH, PROBABLY OVER THE LAST DECADE, UH, AS, AS YOU HAVE BEEN THE BIGGEST CHEERLEADER, UH, UM, ARM TWISTER, WHICH I HAVE ACTUALLY APPRECIATE VERY MUCH.
UM, AS A, AS A CORPORATE LEADER HERE IN HOUSTON, UM, I, I HAVE TO TELL YOU, IT'S A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE TO SIT IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND HAVE HIM SAY, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO TO HELP US? WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO TO HELP US? UM, BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THE PASSION THERE, UH, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT I HAVE TO WALK OUTTA THAT OFFICE AND I HAVE TO DELIVER FOR THIS MAN BECAUSE HE IS, HE'S A WONDERFUL LEADER.
HE'S A FANTASTIC, UH, UH, CHEERLEADER INVESTOR IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND IN SMALL BUSINESSES IN HOUSTON.
AND OUR, GIVE IT UP FOR HIM, ABSOLUTELY.
AS, AS THE REGION REGIONAL BANKING DIRECTOR FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS, YOU KNOW, OUR, WE ALIGN BECAUSE WHEN THE ECONOMY IS VIBRANT, THE ECONOMY IS GROWING, THE ECONOMY IS THRIVING, THEN OUR BUSINESS, MY BUSINESS THRIVES, AND IT THRIVES BECAUSE OF SMALL BUSINESS.
AND IT'S, IT THRIVES BECAUSE WE'VE GOT GREAT ORGANIZATIONS, WE'VE GOT GREAT LEADERS IN OUR REGION THAT HELP BRING CORPORATE PARTNERS TOGETHER WITH NONPROFITS, WITH SMALL BUSINESSES TO HELP INVEST.
SO I JUST WANNA GIVE IT UP AGAIN TO YOU.
I'M PROUD TO BE A, A CITIZEN OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THOMAS AND THE, THE HOUSTON EQUITY FUND BOARD LEADERSHIP TEAM, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR, FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
YOU HAVE EXCEEDED ALL OF OUR EXPECTATIONS, AND, AND WE COULDN'T BE PROUDER TO BE PART OF THIS MOMENT.
AND I GOTTA TELL YOU, I'M SO EXCITED.
THIS IS LIKE A, GONNA BE A BIG PARTY TODAY.
SO, UM, WE COULDN'T BE MORE EXCITED TO CELEBRATE TODAY.
A ANOTHER IMPORTANT MILESTONE WITH THE FUNDS OPEN FOR BUSINESS GRANT PROGRAM, IT, IT KIND OF FEELS LIKE YESTERDAY, BUT IT WAS FEBRUARY WHEN OUR CEO CHARLIE SCHARF CAME DOWN TO ANNOUNCE THIS $20 MILLION GRANT DONATION TO THE HOUSTON, UH, EQUITY FUND.
AND WHEN OUR O WHEN THE OPEN FOR BUSINESS FUND GRANT APPLICATION PORTAL OPENED THIS SUMMER, WE WERE ABSOLUTELY BLOWN AWAY BY THE DROVES OF PEOPLE WHO EXPRESSED INTEREST AND APPLIED FOR THESE GRANTS.
AND NOW WE'VE COME FULL CIRCLE, THE MOMENT WE'VE ALL BEEN ANXIOUSLY AWAITING FOR, FOR TWO YEARS, FOR US SINCE, FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF, I THINK THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS, UH, TO START DISTRIBUTING THESE DOLLARS TO SMALL BUSINESS, TO SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY HERE IN HOUSTON.
ON BEHALF OF WELLS FARGO, WE WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THIS AMAZING GROUP OF OVER 200 SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AND NONPROFITS WHO ARE NOW RECIPIENTS OR ARE GETTING READY TO BE RECIPIENTS FOR THE OPEN FOR BUSINESS GRANT.
WE HOPE THESE GRANTS WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL CAPITAL TO HELP POSITION YOUR BUSINESS FOR GROWTH AND SUCCESS.
WE KNOW THE LAST TWO YEARS HAVE PROBABLY NOT BEEN THE EASIEST.
THEY HAVEN'T BEEN THE EASIEST, BUT WE HOPE THIS GRANT WILL GIVE YOU NEW EXCITEMENT AND ENERGY TO FULFILL THE MISSION UPON WHICH YOUR BUSINESS OR NON-PROFIT PROFIT WAS FOUNDED.
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VOW TO REMAIN COMMITTED TO PROVIDING ENTREPRENEURS WITH ACCESS TO CAPITAL, TO EXPERTS AND RECOVERY RESOURCES THAT WILL HELP YOU STAY OPEN TO MAINTAIN JOBS AND TO GROW YOUR BUSINESSES.MORE THAN TWO YEARS AGO, WE LAUNCHED THE WELLS FARGO OPEN FOR BUSINESS FUND, ROUGHLY TWO, $420 MILLION NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS RECOVERY EFFORT.
OUR FOCUS WAS TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO RACIALLY AND ETHICALLY DIVERSE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WHO HAVE BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY THE PANDEMIC THROUGH PROGRAMS LIKE WELLS FARGO OPEN FOR BUSINESS FUND, WE COMBINED OUR BUSINESS EXPERTISE AND RESOURCES TO EMPOWER CHANGE, PARTICULARLY IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.
BY OPENING ECONOMIC PATHWAYS AND HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES THRIVE.
WE HAVE FELT EXTREMELY FORTUNATE.
AND AS THE MARKET LEADER FOR THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS REGION, I WILL TELL YOU, WE WERE EMPOWERED AND EXCITED AND WE CERTAINLY FELT FORTUNATE, FORTUNATE THAT HOUSTON WAS SELECTED FOR ONE OF ONE OF ONLY FIVE MARKETS TO MAKE THE $20 MILLION DONATION.
AND PART OF THAT'S BECAUSE THIS MAN'S SITTING RIGHT HERE.
I PROMISE YOU, WE ARE THRILLED TO BE ON THIS JOURNEY WITH THE HOUSTON FUND FOR SO FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND ECONOMIC EQUITY, AN ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL DEDICATED GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE REALLY INVESTING IN OUR HOUSTON ECONOMY.
THESE ARE THE TYPES OF COLLABORATIONS THAT WE WANNA CREATE TO EMPOWER AND POSITION SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS FOR LONG-TERM SUCCESS.
IN CLOSING, WE OFTEN SAY, AND I SAY ALL THE TIME, SMALL BUSINESSES ARE THE HEART OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
THEY ARE THE HEARTBEAT OF OUR ECONOMY.
AND WE KNOW THAT'S ABSOLUTELY TRUE HERE IN OUR HOUSTON ECONOMY.
TO EACH OF THE SMALL BUSINESS AND NON-PROFIT GRANT RECIPIENTS HERE TODAY, WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR PERSONAL STORIES AND LEARNING ABOUT HOW THIS GRANT WILL IMPACT YOUR BUSINESS.
PLEASE ENJOY THE REST OF THE PROGRAM.
AND NOW I BELIEVE GINA JENKINS IS GONNA JOIN US, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSTON EQUITY FUND.
I AM ACTUALLY GONNA JOIN RIGHT HERE ON THE FLOOR FOR JUST A MOMENT.
SO EVERYBODY NOISEMAKERS, Y'ALL GOT 'EM, Y'ALL GOT 'EM, Y'ALL GOT 'EM, Y'ALL READY? LET'S GO.
SO TO THE BOARD, FIRST, TO THE BOARD LIT.
LITERALLY WHEN WE SET AND MAYOR TURNER PART THE BOARD AND, AND TO YOU AS WELL, RIGHT? WE'VE HAD SO MANY MEETINGS TRANSITIONING FROM OCTOBER TO THIS MOMENT, OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR, PAUL, UNTIL THIS MOMENT.
BUT THERE WERE MANY TIMES ALONG THE WAY, JUDGE V, WHEN THINGS GOT WHAT THEY GOT, AND WE WOULD SAY, BUT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO RECEIVED THESE GRANTS, THOMAS, THEY'RE GOING TO COME IN THE NICK OF TIME FOR SOMEBODY, IT'S GOING TO SHOW UP WHEN THEY LEAST EXPECTED IT THE MOST FOR SOMEBODY DEPENDING ON THEIR FAITH, THEY GAVE GOD A GOOD PRAISE FOR SOMEBODY ELSE.
IT'S AN ANSWER TO A PRAYER FOR SOMEBODY ELSE.
IT FEELS LIKE THAT LATE IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR FOR SOMEBODY ELSE.
IT HELPS 'EM TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION ABOUT WHETHER THEIR BUSINESS WILL CONTINUE OR WILL CLOSE.
SO I GET THAT MOST OF US ARE DRESSED UP AND IN OUR DIGNIFIED SPACE TODAY, BUT THE REALITY IS, BUT THE REALITY IS, BUT THE REALITY IS, BUT THE REALITY IS, BUT THE REALITY IS, BUT THE REALITY IS LIKE, WHO Y'ALL PLAYING WITH? BUT THE REALITY IS, BUT THE REALITY IS, I'M WAITING ON YOU TO GET UP OUT YOUR SEAT.
'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW THE LAST TIME SOMEBODY MAILED YOU A 10,000, 30,000, COME ON.
BUT THE REALITY IS, BUT THE REALITY IS, BUT THE REALITY IS, SO TO THIS BOARD, Y'ALL, AND Y'ALL KNOW I SAY THIS, EVERY MEETING YOU COME TO, I DON'T CARE IF YOU GET TIRED OF HEARING IT, THIS IS NOT A REMUNERATED BOARD.
THESE PEOPLE ON THIS STAGE THAT YOU SEE, THEY VOLUNTEER TO MAKE OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THIS HAPPEN.
SO SOME OF Y'ALL PADDED EARLIER AND NODDED EARLIER AND SMILED EARLIER, BUT RIGHT ABOUT NOW IS YOUR TIME FOR THEM TO SEE YOU SAY THANK YOU FOR WHAT THEY DID FOR THESE BUSINESSES.
PUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER REAL LOUD AND HARD.
AND SO, AND THEN I'M GONNA COME UP.
Y'ALL STAY WITH ME JUST ONE MORE SECOND.
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AND THE REST OF THE BOARD PRESIDENT THOMAS JONES AND THE REST OF THE BOARD, BECAUSE IT HAPPENS IN ANYTHING WHEN THE NAYSAYERS AND THE PEOPLE DO AND SAY WHAT THEY SAY, I WANT TO ECHO IN YOUR MINDS THIS MOMENT WHERE PEOPLE PAUSE AND ONE LAST TIME THEY PAUSE TO SAY THANK YOU.IF Y'ALL WILL GIVE THEM YOUR BEST, GIVE THEM YOUR BEST, GIVE THEM YOUR BEST.
GIVE THEM YOUR BEST, GIVE THEM YOUR BEST, GIVE THEM YOUR BEST.
AND THEN MAYOR, I'M GONNA TALK TO YOU FOR JUST A SECOND.
AND TO THE TEAM, HEY APACHE, I SEE YOU BACK THERE GRINNING,
SO MAYOR, I CONTINUE TO TELL YOU IN THE TEAM, YOU COULD SEE THEM BEFORE YOU SAW THEM.
ISN'T THAT INCREDIBLE? THEY'RE IN THE ROOM TODAY.
AND SO I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OF ENGAGING WITH THE BOARD REGULARLY.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO IS HAVE CONVERSATIONS.
AND I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK BOARD MEMBERS, SO WHY, WHY DO YOU VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME AND YOUR ENERGY AND YOUR EFFORT? SOME OF THE WHYS THAT WE HEAR ARE THINGS LIKE, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BE OUR OWN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION, WE HAVE TO CREATE WHAT WE WANNA SEE IN OUR OWN COMMUNITIES.
I'VE HAD OTHER BOARD MEMBERS TELL ME THAT I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE LEAST AND LOST AND LAST.
AND I WANNA CREATE WAYS FOR OUR PEOPLE TO BE FIRST.
I'VE HAD BOARD MEMBERS SAY THINGS LIKE, THIS IS MY WAY OF MARCHING.
I DON'T NECESSARILY PUT ON MY HEELS AND GO MARCH DOWN STREETS, BUT I SIT ON BOARDS AND STAND UP IN CORPORATIONS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THESE TYPES OF OPPORTUNITIES.
SO WHEN TALKING TO THE MAYOR, I CAN ASK HIM IN FRONT OF Y'ALL, I'M, IS IT OKAY IF I SHARE YOUR WHY?
WHAT DID HE SAY? HE SAID, IT'S NOT REALLY ABOUT THE SMALL BUSINESSES ARE THE NONPROFITS.
YOU REMEMBER TELLING ME THAT, MAYOR? AND I SAID, BUT THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT OF THIS ORG IS TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
HE SAID, BUT FOR ME, IT'S NOT ABOUT SAVING SMALL BUSINESSES AND SAVING NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
HE SAID, I'M TRYING TO SAVE LIVES.
SO I HAD TO LEAN IN A LITTLE BIT CLOSER AND HERE WHAT HE HAD TO SAY ABOUT THAT.
IF I'M LYING, HE'LL SHAKE HIS HEAD.
AM I TELLING THE TRUTH? TELL ME YOU'RE TRYING TO SAVE LIVES.
I SAID, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? HE SAID, I WAS A 6-YEAR-OLD BOY LAYING SOMEWHERE WATCHING TV, WATCHING A DEBATE.
I BELIEVE YOU SAID THE KENNEDY'S WATCHING.
I'M NOT TRYING TO DATE YOU, SIR, BUT THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID.
I MEAN, YOU SAY YOU WATCHING, HE'S WATCHING THE KENNEDY'S DEBATE.
AND UM, AND HE SAID HE WAS WATCHING THAT AND HE SAID, ONE DAY I'M GOING TO DO THAT.
HE SAID HE EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT WAS, BUT HE KNEW IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH, WITH CHANGING LIVES AND, AND BEING ENGAGED ON THE LARGEST PLATFORM.
SO MAYOR TURNER IS A LAWYER, WAS A LAWYER, IS A LAWYER.
YOU STILL CERTIFIED AND STUFF, SIR.
OKAY, SO HE IS A LAWYER AND UM, AND HE SAID THAT HE WAS SERVING FOR LIKE A WHOLE LOT OF YEARS DRIVING HIS FANCIEST CAR.
I'M GOING SOMEWHERE WITH THIS.
AND HE SAID HE WAS JUST DRIVING THAT BUICK TO THE REALMS ALMOST BECAUSE HE WAS JUST DRIVING THAT BUICK, HE WAS DRIVING THAT BUICK Y'ALL FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS.
BUT THIS IS THE ONE THING THAT HE HAD, Y'ALL ASK ME, WHAT DID HE HAVE? HE HAD A LINE OF CREDIT
HE HAD A LINE OF CREDIT WORKING AS A LAWYER DRIVING HIS BUICK FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS.
AND THAT $50,000 LINE OF CREDIT KEPT HIS BUSINESS OPEN.
ONE DAY, STEPHANIE, AS HE SAYS IT, HE GETS THE CASE THAT BECOMES THE RAINMAKER FOR HIS COMPANY AND HE ENDS UP BEING ABLE TO FUND HIS OWN CAMPAIGN TO RUN FOR MAYOR.
SO HE REALIZES THAT THE LINE OF CREDIT THAT KEPT HIS BUSINESS OPEN THAT ALLOWED HIM TO GET TO HIS RAINMAKER CASE IS WHAT THEN FUNDED WHAT THE 6-YEAR-OLD BOY SAW LAYING ON THE BED WATCHING TV.
SO HE SAID THAT OPPORTUNITY ALLOWED HIM TO STAND ON HIS OWN PRINCIPLES, HIS OWN MORALS.
BUT HAD HE NOT HAD THE $50,000 LINE OF CREDIT, HE PERHAPS WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN ABLE TO KEEP HIS BUSINESS OPEN, WHICH WOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED HIM TO GET TO HIS RAINMAKER CASE THAT ALLOWED HIM TO BECOME THE MAYOR.
[00:35:01]
A REFLECTION OF THE 6-YEAR-OLD BOY.Y'ALL GET IT? IT WAS ALL A DOMINO EFFECT.
SO WHEN HE THINKS OF YOU ALL, I SAID, WHAT IS, WHAT IS YOUR HOPE? THEN HE SAYS, HE HOPES, AND HE JUST SAID IT, THAT YOU GET THAT HE'S VOTING ON YOU, THAT HE'S ROOTING FOR YOU WHETHER THIS BUSINESS IS SUCCESSFUL OR NOT, WHETHER THIS VENTURE BECOMES THE FACT THAT SOMEBODY VOTED ON YOU AND BELIEVED IN YOU AND BELIEVED THAT YOU WERE WORTH SOWING INTO WHETHER YOU MAKE THIS BUSINESS WORK OR ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY WORKS.
HE'S TRYING TO HELP SAVE LIVES.
I THOUGHT IT IMPORTANT ENOUGH.
OH, YOU WANNA CLAP THERE? CLAP THERE THEN GO ON.
HEY, GLOW
SO AS YOU ARE CASHING THESE CHECKS AND WE'RE ABOUT TO DO A SYMBOLIC GESTURE, KELSEY, IF YOU'LL COME JOIN ME AS YOU ARE CASHING THESE CHECKS THAT ARE GOING TO START BEING MAILED OUT.
WAIT, LET'S JUST SAY WILL G-H-C-F-I LOVE Y'ALL.
Y'ALL GONNA WORK FAM
DON'T Y'ALL RUN UP ON THESE PEOPLE THEY YEAH.
WHO ARE GONNA HELP US START MAILING OUT CHECKS LATER THIS WEEK? I HOPE THAT YOU REMEMBER THAT HE COULD HAVE DIRECTED MONEY TOWARDS LIGHTS FOR THE CITY, POTHOLES IN THE CITY.
HE'S VOTING ON SMALL BUSINESSES AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND THAT IS WORTH YOU BLOWING YOUR HORN AND CLAPPING.
YOU WANNA GET THE OTHER SIDE BOARD MEMBERS IF YOU WILL COME.
MAYOR TURNER, WE HAVE A PEN FOR YOU.
HERE WE GOT, WE GOT A PEN FOR YOU RIGHT THERE.
IT SAYS TO ROUND ONE GRANTEES $5 MILLION.
AND IT IS SYMBOLIC OF THE SUPPORT THAT COMES THROUGH THIS ORGANIZATION THROUGH WELLS FARGO.
UM, AND, AND MAYOR, YOU GONNA COME ON THIS SIDE RIGHT OVER HERE.
NOW YOU CAN, YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO PUT YOUR FULL NAME.
THAT WAY THEY WON'T BE TRYING TO HUNT YOU DOWN.
UM, AND, AND BOARD MEMBERS, Y'ALL CAN COME.
WE WANNA PUT Y OH, Y'ALL TRYING, THEY TRYING TO GET A PICTURE OF YOU SIGNING MAYOR.
THEY WANNA GET A, THEY WANNA SEE YOU SIGNING FIRST AND THEN THEY WANNA BE IN THE PICTURE.
MY LAST NAME PUT Y'ALL LAST NAME, OKAY? YOU SAID YOU WANT EVERYBODY NAME ON THIS.
YOU DON'T WANNA BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE BY YOURSELF.
Y'ALL GO TO ANYBODY'S NAME, WE GONNA ERASE IT.
Y'ALL GET HIM SIGNING THIS CHECK BOARD MEMBERS.
WE WANTED TO HAVE Y'ALL BEHIND IT TOO SO Y'ALL CAN PIN THE PICTURE.
THOMAS, YOU GETTING IN IT TOO? WHY NOT? YOU'RE GETTING HIM SIGNING IT.
DID I TELL YOUR STORY RIGHT SIR? YES YOU DID.
OH, COME ON, MR. CANDACE, PUT YOUR FULL NAME SO THEY CAN LOOK YOU UP,
I'M GONNA GET OUTTA THE PICTURE, KELSEY AND I, OKAY, AND LET Y'ALL, WE'RE GETTING PHOTO OPS RIGHT NOW.
MAYOR TURNER, WE PUTTING YOU RIGHT ON OVER THERE.
LET ME GET OUTTA THE WAY, PAUL SO Y'ALL CAN ALL BE IN IT.
KELSEY, WE'LL MOVE AND LET THEM HOLD YOU.
Y'ALL CLAP IT UP SO THEY CAN GR YOU READY? AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME.
'CAUSE YOU'RE GONNA TAKE THAT.
AND BEFORE ALL OF Y'ALL SIT DOWN IN TRUE MILLENNIAL FASHION, WE'RE GONNA TAKE THE BIGGEST SELFIE EVER.
SO EVERYBODY STAND UP FOR THIS SELFIE MILLENNIAL.
THAT'S OUR MILLENNIAL PERSON ON TEAM.
KELSEY, MAYOR TURNER, SHE WANTS YOU IN IT.
YOU READY? CHANDRA AWESOMENESS.
SO CHANDRA'S GONNA COME AND GIVE OUR WRAP UP INSTRUCTIONS, BUT AS WE INDICATED, UM, WE PLAN TO ACTUALLY START MAILING OUT, UM, AS SOON AS DECEMBER THE EIGHTH.
CHANDRA, IF YOU'LL COME AND GIVE FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS AND THEN WE'LL HANDING IT OFF TO YOU.
UM, MY, UH, MY LITTLE BROTHER REMINDED ME THAT I DID NOT INDICATE OR MENTION THAT THIS IS JUST ROUND ONE.
WE'VE GOT ONE IN 2023 AND ONE IN 2024.
[00:40:01]
SO YEAH, WE'RE NOT JUST GIVING AWAY $5 MILLION, WE'RE GONNA MAKE $15 MILLION.UH, AND UH, WE ANTICIPATE THAT THE PORTALS WILL OPEN, UH, MID TO LATE FEBRUARY.
SO JUST TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT IT.
TELL YOUR YOUR FOLKS THAT YOU DO BUSINESS WITH.
I'M ENCOURAGING OUR BOARD TO TELL ALL OF THEIR, ALL OF THE, THE, UH, THEIR FRIENDS THAT HAVE BUSINESSES THAT THEY SUPPORT AND FREQUENT THAT THIS MONEY IS AVAILABLE.
NOT-FOR-PROFIT IS THE SAME THING.
THERE IS NO, UH, THERE ARE A FEW BUSINESSES THAT WE DON'T WANNA SEE, LIKE LIQUOR STORES AND, YOU KNOW, SEXUAL ORIENTED BUSINESSES AND THAT SORT OF THING.
BUT PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING ELSE IS, UH, IS, UH, IS IS THERE THE OPPORTUNITY IS THERE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT.
SO WE'VE GOT TWO OTHER ROUNDS.
LET'S GIVE THE BOARD ONE MORE ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
GIVE THEM ONE MORE ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
GIVE THEM ONE MORE ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
AND THEN HOW ABOUT THIS? GIVE YOURSELF A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
NOW LOOK AT THE PERSON SITTING NEXT TO YOU AND GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
WELL, ON BEHALF OF THE HOUSTON EQUITY FUND, OUR BOARD, OUR STAKEHOLDERS, EVERYONE THAT IS ATTACHED TO THIS ORGANIZATION, WE SAY AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS.
YOU HAVE EARNED THE PLACE TO BE IN THE ROOM.
AND WE'RE SO ECSTATIC FOR YOU TODAY.
UM, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT YOU CAN PROBABLY SMELL BARBECUE RIGHT NOW.
YOUR STOMACH STARTED GROWLING JUST TO LET LOOK.
THEY HIGH FIVING OVER HERE IN THE CORNER.
WELL, WE'RE GOING TO RELEASE YOU TO PATRONIZE OUR VENDORS WHO ARE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, VENDORS, IF YOU'LL WAVE AT EVERYONE, OUR VENDORS, WE DO BELIEVE IN SUPPORTING OUR SMALL BUSINESSES WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
I'D BE REMISS
YOU KNOW, UH, ANNA JAMES
THE DOWNTOWN PARADE JOINING WITH THE BLACK CARRIAGE SOCIETY.
YOU KNOW, LEMME JUST SAY I'M TIRED OF TWO PARADES ON MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY THAT, UH, THAT DOESN'T WORK.
SO DOWNTOWN, OKAY, DOWNTOWN MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE SHOW UP AND BE SUPPORTIVE.
OKAY, GOVERNOR YOURSELVES ACCORDINGLY TO THAT LAST ANNOUNCEMENT, WE'RE GOING TO RELEASE YOU TO PATRONIZE OUR VENDORS IN THE BACK CORNER.
WE HAVE BARBECUE, BAKED BEANS, SALAD, WE EVEN HAVE A VEGETARIAN OPTION FOR YOU.
DON'T JUST TAKE THEIR FOOD, BUT ASK THEM HOW YOU CAN, UH, BE A PART OR SERVE THEIR ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL.
AND NOW I'M GONNA ASK OUR SPECIAL GUEST, WELLS FARGO AND GHCF, IF YOU WOULD MAKE YOUR WAY OVER HERE TO THE CORNER AND OUR STAKEHOLDERS, IF YOU WOULD, MAKE YOUR WAY OVER TO THE CORNER STAGE HERE FOR PICTURES.
CHRIS WITH CHANCE MAYOR TURNER SAID, MAKE HIS BARBECUE AND BAKED BEANS AND STUFF TO GO
AS THEY ARE MAKING THEIR WAY OVER FOR PICTURES, WE WANNA SAY AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
WE HAVE PLENTY OF PHOTO OPS FOR YOU.
IN THE BACK CORNER, THERE'S A STEP AND REPEAT THERE.
THERE ARE BANNERS ALL OVER THE ROOM.
WE ASK THAT YOU PLEASE POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA UTILIZING OUR HASHTAGS THAT ARE HERE IN THE CORNER OPEN FOR BUSINESS.
CAN YOU SAY GET MONEY? OH, YOU DIDN'T SAY IT RIGHT.
THAT'S ONE OF OUR HASHTAGS AS WELL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
YOU ARE DISMISSED AND CONGRATULATIONS ONCE AGAIN.