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THERE.[City Pulse]
I WANTED TO SAY HAPPY 2023.I NEED TO GET IN THE HABIT OF REPEATING 2023 SO I KNOW THAT IT IS 2023.
EVEN THOUGH LIKE TAYLOR SWIFT, I'M FEELING 22.
WE HAVE SOME GOOD STORIES I THINK YOU'LL ENJOY, BUT NO GOOD HABITS TO SHARE ON HOW TO BE A BETTER YOU IN 2022.
UM, YOU SEE WHAT I MEAN? 2023.
I AM TRAVIS LEMONS HERE TO GUIDE YOU THROUGH SOME RECENT EVENTS WITHIN THE CITY.
A LOCAL SCHOOL MAKES HISTORY HOUSTON POLICE ADD SOME NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK.
AND WE SPEND A DAY WITH A PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN DELIVERING MEALS LONG BEFORE UBER EATS.
BUT FIRST, HERE'S MAYOR TURNER, METRO HOUSTON AND THEIR COLORFUL COMPLETE COMMUNITIES COLLABORATION ON BEHALF OF METRO, WE ARE HONORED TO BE PART OF THIS MILESTONE MOMENT FOR THE BIG WALLS, BIG DREAMS MURAL FESTIVAL.
AND ALSO TO CELEBRATE THE 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE UP ARTS STUDIO.
WE WANT TO TEAM UP WITH LOCAL ARTISTS WHO WOULD REFLECT THE RICH HISTORY, DIVERSITY, PRIDE, HOPE, AND VIBRANCY OF THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE ART GETS INSTALLED.
THE MORE THAN 15 MURALS AND ARTISTS FEATURED HERE AT THE METRO FACILITY ALSO LIFT UP THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
AND AS WE'VE SEEN THIS FESTIVAL EXPAND CITYWIDE IN ITS SECOND YEAR, IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT EACH OF THE 10 COMPLETE COMMUNITIES WERE ENGAGED.
THIS WAS GOING TO BE A TREMENDOUS EFFORT TO REALLY ADDRESS THE NEEDS FOR MORE PUBLIC ART IN OUR CITY, IN OUR MOST UNDER-RESOURCED AND UNDERSERVED NEIGHBORHOODS, WE HAVE AT LEAST ONE MURAL IN ALL 10 OF THE COMPLETE COMMUNITIES, AND WE WILL BE GOING BEYOND.
ART IS RESPONSIVE TO THE COMPLETE COMMUNITY'S ACTION PLANS THAT ENCAPSULATES RESIDENTS HIGHEST ASPIRATIONS FOR THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
THESE MURALS WILL IMPROVE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES OF HISTORIC DISINVESTMENT.
A POWERFUL CHANGE IN EFFECT THAT GREAT ART CAN DO.
I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THE ART STUDIOS AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE MAYOR AND EVERYBODY WHO SUPPORTS THE ARTIST SUPPORTS THE ARTWORK AND JUST KNOWS THAT ART CAN REALLY LIKE CHANGE A COMMUNITY.
THEY PROPOSE ME TO TO CREATE SOME ILLUSION, UH, ON THE STAIRS BECAUSE I WORKED ON THE SEVERALS IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, UH, TO MAKE THAT KIND OF, UH, AMORPHIC PAINTING, WE, UM, ABSOLUTELY LOVE GIVING THIS GIFT TO HOUSTON.
AND WHEN WE ARE DONE, WE WILL HAVE BRIGHTENED MORE THAN 30 LOCATIONS IN MORE THAN 20 NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGHOUT HOUSTON.
THAT'S 5,000 CANS OF SPRAY PAINT, 600 GALLONS OF RECYCLED PAINT AND NEARLY 100,000 SQUARE FEET OF WALLS PAINTED.
AND RESIDENTS ALSO HAVE THE ADDED SATISFACTION IN KNOWING THAT MANY OF THE TALENTED ARTISTS RESPONSIBLE FOR CREATING THE MORE THAN 60 MURALS AROUND THE CITY ARE ALSO FROM HOUSTON AND HAVE INFUSED THEIR CREATION WITH A LITTLE LOCAL PLAN.
THE BIG WALLS BIG DREAMS PROJECT IS BUT ONE AVENUE THAT ALLOWS LOCAL ARTISTS TO SHOWCASE THE RICH CULTURAL DIVERSITY OF HOUSTON.
ANOTHER CAN BE FOUND BEFORE TAKING FLIGHT.
AS HOUSTON AIRPORTS HAS BECOME ONE OF THE LARGEST PUBLIC ART PROGRAMS IN AVIATION WITH 10 NEW PIECES ON DISPLAY, WE WANNA WELCOME YOU ALL OUT TODAY TO CELEBRATE THIS GREAT ACHIEVEMENT.
THESE 10 NEW SITE SPECIFIC ARTWORKS BY TEXAS ARTISTS.
OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, MANY PEOPLE WORKED INCREDIBLY HARD TO BRING TO LIFE 10 NEW, ONE OF A KIND SITE SPECIFIC PERMANENT ART COMMISSIONS.
THESE COMMISSIONS REPRESENT AND DEMONSTRATE WORK FROM A DIVERSE GROUP OF ARTISTS, A VARIETY OF ARTISTS, MEDIUMS, AND COMPELLING SUBJECT MATTERS.
OFTENTIMES TRAVELING CAN BE STRESSFUL, IT CAN BE RUSHED, IT CAN BE HURRIED, AND THE ART IS AN INTERVENTION TO BRING A NEW EXPERIENCE TO, TO PASSENGERS AND TRAVELERS TO OUR CITY.
NEVER BEFORE HAS THE CITY ACQUIRED 10 SITE-SPECIFIC COMMISSIONS CREATED FOR THESE PARTICULAR SPACES.
SO NOT ONLY IS IT AN UNPRECEDENTED INVESTMENT, BUT IT KICKED OFF AN UNPRECEDENTED AMOUNT OF ACTIVITY FOR OUR CIVIC ART PROGRAM.
IT'S AN HONOR TO BE, YOU KNOW, STANDING HERE HAVING COMPLETED THE SCULPTURE AND HAVING THIS RECEPTION BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE
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WANT THIS TO BE A REALLY DYNAMIC PIECE.IT LOOKS LIKE AN OBJECT IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS SPACE, BUT THE PERSON WHO'S CONSTANTLY USING THIS AIRPORT AS A HUB, THEY'RE GONNA SEE THIS PIECE CHANGE BE DIFFERENT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
AND THAT KIND OF TIME PIECE IS LIKE YOU DON'T GET AT THAT SCALE.
WE ARE THE ENERGY CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.
THAT IS TRUE, BUT WE ARE ALSO THE ART CITY AND THAT'S HAPPENING EACH AND EVERY DAY.
AND WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE FURTHER DEFINES WHO WE ARE, UH, AS A CITY FROM THE AIR TO THE GROUND.
THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT RECENTLY GOT SOME NEW BOOTS ON PATROL.
CHRISTOPHER SOLY SWEAR THAT I WILL, WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THAT I'LL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF POLICE OFFICER, THE DUTIES OF POLICE OFFICER OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.
CAN I GET UP? WHAT?
YOU ARE ABOUT TO VENTURE INTO A CAREER PATH.
WE WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION AND PATIENCE OUR LEAD INSTRUCTORS HAD THROUGHOUT OUR JOURNEY HERE AT THE ACADEMY.
I'M LOOKING OUT HERE IN THE AUDIENCE AND FIRST I SEE THE MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM WHO WERE SOON TO BE POLICE OFFICERS.
YOU CHOSE THE RIGHT DEPARTMENT, YOU CHOSE THE RIGHT CITY.
I AM SO PROUD OF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
I'M SO PROUD OF THIS ORGANIZATION AND I TELL YOU, FOR SEVEN, EIGHT YEARS HAD THE PLEASURE OF TRAVELING AROUND THIS NATION.
WE ARE THE BEST IN THE NATION.
SO THANK WE GOD, CONGRATULATIONS.
MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU.
HTV WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT SINCE SHOOTING THIS PIECE, HPD HAS HAD ANOTHER CLASS OF GRADUATING CADETS GIVING THE CITY OF HOUSTON MORE NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK THAT HAVE THE RIGHT STUFF.
WHEN CITY POLLY RETURNS A SCHOOL IN DISTRICT A GETS A LITTLE SPARK.
ONE OF THE DEADLIEST MASS SHOOTINGS IN US HISTORY AT POST NIGHTCLUB IN ORLANDO.
WALKING INTO THE BUILDING FOR THE FIRST TIME AFTER THE SHOOTING.
IT WAS CRIPPLING, BUT IT HAD TO BE PRESERVED.
IF YOU ARE AN ALLY OF THIS COMMUNITY, SPEAK OUT.
THERE ARE MORE OF US TOGETHER THAN APART.
IT IS THE POWER OF LOVE AND IT'S RAW FORM.
THE HOUSTON FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT CENTERS OFFERS FREE ONE-ON-ONE FINANCIAL PROFESSIONAL COUNSELING, EVEN BY PHONE OR REMOTELY.
IF YOU WERE IMPACTED BY COVID-19 OR YOU LOST YOUR JOB, YOU HAVE A STUDENT LOANS.
OR EVEN IF YOU ARE AN SMALL BUSINESS OWNER WHO NEEDS FEDERAL ASSISTANCE, WE ARE HERE TO HELP EVEN THOUGH WE DIDN'T GROW UP TOGETHER.
HEY SIS, I'M THE BABY OF THE FAMILY AND HE'S THE GENTLE GIANT.
WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT PORT GEORGIA MAHEEN, PLEASE? THAT'S A CLASSIC.
YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY SAY PEOPLE ARE RED BREED MY HOUSE.
BRIDGET FLOYD, AND THIS GUY GEORGE PERRY FLOYD JR.
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REC AND SPARK HOUSTON HAVE RE-ENERGIZED.ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU HAVE TREES.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT? DID YOU NOTICE THOSE TODAY? YEAH.
HEY, IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT THAT WE INVEST IN PARKS FOR OUR YOUNG STUDENTS.
UH, QUITE FRANKLY, IF WE HAVE GREAT SCHOOLS, WE HAVE GREAT COMMUNITY.
SO, AS A COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT A THAT COVERS ANDERSON ELEMENTARY, I'M SO EXCITED TO SEE SO MANY ELECTED OFFICIALS, SO MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS, PARENTS AND STUDENTS HERE.
SUPER EXCITED ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING AT ANDERSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
THIS YEAR MARKS THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF SPARK.
AND OVER FOUR DECADES, THE PROGRAM HAS HELPED BUILD MORE THAN 200 COMMUNITY PARKS IN HOUSTON.
AND HARRIS COUNTY SPARK'S LONGEVITY IN ENRICHING THE LIVES AND THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF CHILDREN AND NEIGHBORHOODS IS QUITE A FEAT, BUT I THINK THE GREGORY SCHOOL MIGHT TOP THAT.
TODAY WE ARE HERE TO UNVEIL THE OFFICIAL STATE OF TEXAS HISTORICAL MARKER, WHICH IN MANY WAYS SOLIDIFIES THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE GREGORY SCHOOL BUILDING IN HOUSTON'S HISTORY AND AFFIRMING THAT BLACK HISTORY IS ALSO AMERICAN HISTORY.
THIS HISTORICAL MARKET'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN GIVEN IN RECOGNITION OF THE HISTORY FROM THE TIME OF THE EMANCIPATION, UH, TO WHERE WE ARE, TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
AS YOU KNOW, THE GREGORY SCHOOL IS THE OLDEST SCHOOL FOR THE PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT IN HOUSTON.
AND IT IS ON THE ORIGINAL SPACE THAT IT WAS BUILT, WHICH IS SIGNIFICANT.
I BEGAN MY CAREER AT THE CITY OF HOUSTON UNDER MAYOR WHITE.
HIS FIRST DIRECTIVE TO ME WAS THIS BUILDING.
I ENTHUSIASTICALLY EMBRACED THAT CHALLENGE.
SO TO HAVE IT RECOGNIZED AS A HISTORICAL SITE AND TO PLACE THE HISTORICAL MARKER HERE ON THIS DAY IS WONDERFUL.
YOU CAN SAY FREETOWN GAVE BIRTH, UH, TO OTHER AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES WHERE OTHER AFRICAN AMERICANS EVENTUALLY LIVED, UH, IN THIS CITY.
AND THE GREGORY SCHOOL IS ONE OF THOSE STRONG SYMBOLS, UH, IN THIS AREA AND THE CITY THAT'S GONNA DO IT FOR ME.
BUT I'D LIKE TO LEAVE EVERYONE WITH A FEEL GOOD STORY ABOUT A PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN PROVIDING SENIORS WITH WARM MEALS ALONG WITH A SMILE AND A HUG.
IT'S A GREAT MORNING, A GREAT DAY.
OUR MEALS ON WHEELS ORGANIZATION HAS, UH, GROWN TO OVER 5,200 CLIENTS, UH, EVERY MORNING.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, HOT MEALS THAT COME IN FROM OUR VENDOR.
THE STAFFS, YOU KNOW, UH, ASSEMBLE ALL THE EXTRA PIECES THAT GO WITH THOSE MEALS.
THE MILKS, THE JUICE, THE THE SWEET TREATS, WHATEVER GOES WITH THAT MENU THAT DAY, THEY ASSEMBLE THEM.
THEY ASSEMBLE 'EM FOR THE FULL-TIME DRIVERS.
OUR PART-TIME DRIVERS, TRUCKS ARE GETTING LOADED.
YOU CAN SEE THE TRUCKS BEHIND US, LOADED WITH ANY FROZEN MEALS, ANY BREAKFAST BAGS, ANYTHING ELSE THAT GOES AFTER TO THOSE CLIENTS.
IT IS IMPORTANT 'CAUSE WE, I CAN'T DRIVE NO MORE.
HE DRIVES, BUT HE HAS AN ACCIDENT.
BUT IT'S ALSO THE, THE CHECK-IN FROM THE DRIVER, SAY HELLO TO MAKE SURE IT'S A WELLNESS AS WELL.
HOW YOU DOING ENGAGEMENT WITH THEM? TO LET 'EM KNOW THAT YEAH, THIS MAY BE THE ONLY PERSON THEY SEE DURING THE DAY, MAYBE EVEN THE WEEK.
YOU HAVE TO STOP AND TALK TO 'EM, ENGAGE WITH 'EM.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THEY MAY NEED SOMETHING EXTRA, YOU KNOW, AND WE OFFER THOSE SERVICES TOO.
SO I MAKE SURE I SPEND A LITTLE TIME WITH EVERYBODY AND HOW THEY'RE DOING AND HOW THEY'RE FEELING.
IF SOMEBODY NEEDS THIS SERVICE AND THEY QUALIFY FOR IT, WE'RE DEFINITELY GONNA PUT 'EM ON THE PROGRAM.