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HOW ARE Y'ALL TONIGHT? AMAZING.
SHOULD BE, YOU KNOW, FULL OF ENERGY, RIGHT? TODAY'S THE DAY,
WELL, LET ME JUST SAY I'M THANKFUL THAT WE MADE IT TO THIS DAY.
UM, FIRST OFF, LET ME ACKNOWLEDGE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE, UH, DIRECTOR FRANCIS, MY DAWN, COLLEAGUES, DIRECTOR, BUGS, AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF COMPLETE COMMUNITIES, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.
UM, WE HAVE DEDE WITH DISTRICT K, UM, KATE DITTLER WITH DISTRICT C, MIKE KNOX AT LARGE, COUNCIL MEMBER MIKE KNOX AT LARGE.
UM, ONE STEVEN JAMES FROM DISTRICT D, WHO JUST CAME BY AND MARY FROM DISTRICT B.
UH, GUEST SPEAKERS THAT WERE FOR THE COHORT, FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND OF COURSE, THE DISTINGUISHED HONOREES OF THE EVENING.
WELCOME TO THE GRADUATION CEREMONY FOR THE SPRING COHORT OF COMPLETE COMMUNITIES UNIVERSITY 2023.
TONIGHT IS A SPECIAL NIGHT, NOT JUST TO CELEBRATE YOU COMPLETING THE PROGRAM, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY IT'S TO HONOR AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT EACH OF YOU WERE WILLING TO TAKE ON THE RESPONSIBILITY OF STEPPING UP FOR YOUR COMMUNITY AND BEING THE ANCHOR YOUR FELLOW NEIGHBOR NEEDS SO THAT YOU CAN, YOU CAN MAKE CHANGE HAPPEN.
WE KNOW IT CAN BE A DIFFICULT TASK TO TAKE ON, BUT OUR HOPE WAS TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND RESOURCES TO AID YOU ON YOUR JOURNEY.
EACH OF YOU POSSESS UNIQUE QUALITIES, PASSION, DETERMINATION, AND RESILIENCY THAT IS NEEDED TO BE AN EFFECTIVE LEADER.
WE BELIEVE IN YOU AND WE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOUR WORK AT PLAY IN YOUR COMMUNITY TONIGHT.
THERE WILL BE SEVERAL GUEST SPEAKERS, UM, THAT WILL COME AND GIVE THEIR REMARKS TO EIGHT, TO ENCOURAGE YOU, KEEP ENCOURAGING YOU AND SUPPORTING YOU, GIVING YOU WORDS OF WISDOM SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THAT WHEN WE INVEST IN YOU, WE INVEST IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, MY FIRST GUEST SPEAKER, MY DIVISION MANAGER, PAUL GREEN.
HOW IS EVERYBODY DOING? WHERE'S THE ENERGY AT? COME ON.
BEFORE I GO FORWARD, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK RACHEL.
UH, THIS IS A LABOR OF LOVE FOR HER.
UH, WE FIGHT AND WE YELL AT EACH OTHER, UM, ABOUT THE EVENT AND THAT SHE WANTS IT THIS WAY AND I JUST HAVE TO SHUT UP AND, AND LISTEN.
UM, BUT SHE HAS REALLY INVESTED A LOT IN YOU, UH, BECAUSE SHE BELIEVES IN YOU.
UM, WHEN WE WERE DOING THE INTERVIEW PROCESS, I, I, I SAID TWO THINGS.
HER PASSION FOR THIS IN YOUR COMMUNITIES AND THEN HOW QUICK THIS WAS GONNA GO, RIGHT? YOU CLOSE YOUR EYES AND IT'S OVER WITH.
AND SO NOW IS THE BEST PART WHAT YOU DO NEXT, RIGHT? THE NEXT STEPS.
BUT DON'T FORGET, WE HAVE OTHER WORK TO COMPLETE.
AND SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO PASS IT OVER BACK TO RACHEL 'CAUSE I KNOW Y'ALL COME TO HEAR ME TALK.
AND I JUST CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT YOU GUYS ARE GONNA DO IN THE FUTURE JOB.
UH, NEXT UP YOU SAW HIM AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CO UH, THE COHORT.
UM, AND AGAIN, HE DOESN'T GIVE HIMSELF ENOUGH CREDIT, BUT I LIKE TO GIVE HIM CREDIT BECAUSE HE POURS NOT ONLY INTO ME AND THE STAFF, BUT HE POURS INTO THE COMMUNITY.
HE POURS INTO PEOPLE WITHOUT HIM REALIZING IT.
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, HERBERTS SINCE WOO.
NOW RACHEL, WHO SPEAKS AFTER ME.
THEY ALWAYS PUT ME RIGHT BEFORE DIRECTOR FRANCIS.
[00:05:01]
NOT I.SO I JUST LIKE TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS, YOU GUYS LOOK AWESOME TONIGHT.
UM, IT'S SO, SUCH BEEN A, SUCH A LONG JOURNEY FOR YOU GUYS.
WE HAD SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES.
YOU ARE OUR FIRST, UM, EVERY OTHER WEEK HYBRID GROUP, I THINK, RIGHT? MM-HMM
SO TO SEE YOU GUYS UP HERE TODAY RECEIVING THE RESPECT THAT YOU GUYS DESERVE FOR THE JOB, WELL DONE IT, IT'S AWESOME.
AND I THINK YOU GUYS SHOULD GET A HAND OF A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
I KNOW YOU GONNA GET A LOT, BUT GIVE YOURSELF A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
BUT ALL I'M GONNA SAY TO YOU, I KNOW, WAS THIS THE GROUP THAT I GAVE MY EMPOWERMENT SPEECH TO? YES.
SO, SO, SO, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST GONNA CONTINUE.
YOU, UM, CONTINUE WITH THAT SAME SPEECH.
UM, I WENT TO THE MEAT MARKET ON CULLEN, AND UM, YEAH, I WAS, I NEEDED SOME, SOME TURKEY CUT GUMBO STYLE.
AND THEY DON'T DO THAT BY ME
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS AT THE MEAT MARKET, YOU KNOW, WHEN I LEFT THE MEAT MARKET AND I, UM, I TURNED DOWN ALITO AND I WAS SHOWING MY, MY BOY WHERE MY DAD GREW UP WHEN THEY MOVED IN FROM LOUISIANA ON AMEE AND EAST MAN, EDON ON DWAYNE.
AND ALL I COULD THINK ABOUT Y'ALL WITH WHAT YOU'RE DOING TODAY AND WHAT, WHY YOU DECIDED TO COME IN, WHY I'VE BEEN AT THE CITY FOR FILL IN THE BLANK NUMBER OF YEARS IS WE DO IT FOR THE LEAST OF THEM.
AND SO JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE ONE OF THE LEAST OF THEM DOESN'T MEAN THAT'S WHERE YOUR VALUE LIE.
DOESN'T MEAN THAT'S WHERE YOU HAVE TO STAY AND DON'T MEAN THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE TO KEEP PEOPLE.
SO WHEN YOU'RE DOING FOR THE LEAST OF THEM, YOU'RE DOING IT TO MAKE THEM A BETTER LIFE, TO IMPROVE THE COMMUNITY, TO IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT.
AND WHAT I THOUGHT ABOUT WHEN I DROVE THROUGH THAT, WHEN I GOT TO ALVIN FINALLY, AND I SAW THAT A LOT I TOLD YOU ABOUT, I CUT, DID I TELL YOU ABOUT THAT A LOT MORE? MAN, YOU JUST MADE ME CUT THAT LOT.
SO WE NEED TO PROBABLY SEND SOMEBODY OVER THERE.
BUT ANYWAY,
AND, AND WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT IT IS, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE, I SAY I ASK MY MARIA BECAUSE WHY? NOBODY, WHAT? NOBODY GONNA CUT THAT LOT.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE KIDS THAT PLAY AROUND HERE? WHAT ABOUT THE FOLKS THAT HAVE TO LIVE AROUND THIS HIGH LOT? SO DO IT FOR THE LEAST OF THEM.
NOT BECAUSE THEY MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD, NOT BECAUSE IT'S MINE, NOT BECAUSE YOU KNOW IT'S GONNA GIVE YOU ANY ATTENTION, BUT DO IT FOR THE LEAST OF THEM.
'CAUSE AT ONE TIME, ALL OF YOU AND YOUR MAMA, YOUR DADDY, GRANDMA, SOMEBODY WAS THE LEAST OF THEM, AND NOT FOR SOMEONE LIKE YOU, YEAH, THEY WOULD NOT BE HERE.
'CAUSE YOU WOULDN'T BE HERE ON A WEDNESDAY NIGHT IF IT WASN'T FOR THAT
SO, YOU KNOW, JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND AND CONTINUE TO EMPOWER.
REMEMBER WHEN YOU'RE PUTTING THAT HAND ON ONE BACK, USE THAT OTHER ONE TO LIFT SOMEBODY UP.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS FOR BEARING WITH US AND, AND, UM, RACHEL, FOR DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB.
EVERY, EVERY COHORT Y'ALL NO COHORT SURPRISES US.
SO WITH THAT, I JUST WANNA SAY CONGRATULATIONS, AND I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE PROUD OF THEM AS WELL, AND GREAT JOB.
THE NEXT SPEAKER, UM, IS THE REASON THAT THIS ALL STARTED.
UM, SHE WAS PART OF THE REASON WHY IT'S ALL STARTED.
UH, WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO HAVE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, HER DEPARTMENT.
UM, IT'S BEEN A BLESSING TO US TO BE ABLE TO, UM, PACK OUR, USE OUR BRAINS TOGETHER AND PUT ON SOMETHING THAT, UM, IS FOR THE PEOPLE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE'RE IMPACTING THE CITY AS A WHOLE.
SO IF WE CAN WORK INTERNALLY, I KNOW YOU GUYS CAN WORK EXTERNALLY WITHIN YOUR COMMUNITIES COLLABORATING AND PARTNERING WITH ONE ANOTHER.
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, DIRECTOR SHANNON BUCKS.
IT IS SO GREAT TO BE HERE THIS EVENING FOR THE FOURTH COHORT OF THE COMPLETE COMMUNITIES UNIVERSITY.
YOU GIVE ME WAY TOO MUCH CREDIT.
UM, THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS HAS BEEN DOING THIS PHENOMENAL WORK OF REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE ALL THEIR RESOURCES TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO WORK WITH THE CITY.
AND THEY HAD DECIDED THEY WERE GONNA DO A PROGRAM AND THEN THEY DECIDED THEY WERE GONNA PARTNER WITH COMPLETE COMMUNITIES OFFICE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS PROGRAM REALLY GETS TO THE HEART OF WHAT HOUSTON IS ABOUT.
IT'S NOT JUST PEOPLE LIVING IN THE COMPLETE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE DOING THIS WORK.
THE GOAL OF FOR MAYOR TURNER, FOR THE COMPLETE COMMUNITIES IS THAT EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IN HOUSTON BE A COMPLETE COMMUNITY.
THAT EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD HAS THE RESOURCES
[00:10:01]
AND THE SERVICES TO HAVE THE BEST QUALITY OF LIFE THAT THIS CITY CAN OFFER.THAT'S DIFFERENT FOR EACH PERSON, RIGHT? THERE'S NOT ONE WAY OF DOING HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY SHOULD KNOW WHEN WE'VE ACHIEVED IT FOR YOURSELF.
AND IT IS WITH TREMENDOUS RESPECT FOR EACH OF YOU, FOR SAYING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO THIS WORK ALONGSIDE THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THAT I'M HERE THIS EVENING TO SAY THANK YOU TO YOU FOR COMING OUT AND SAYING THAT YOU WOULD BECOME A PART OF THIS COMPLETE COMMUNITY'S MOVEMENT OF MAKING OUR CITY A CITY WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE TO LEAVE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD TO LIVE IN A BETTER ONE.
IT DOESN'T TAKE MOVING FROM AKERS HOME TO WEST UNIVERSITY FOR YOU TO HAVE A GOOD LIFE IN HOUSTON.
MAYOR TURNER HAS NOT LEFT HIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
HE WENT AWAY TO SCHOOL AND HE DID SOME OTHER THINGS, BUT HE ALWAYS CAME BACK AND HE, LIKE YOU, IS A RESIDENT WHO SAW POTENTIAL IN THIS CITY AND DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING TO MAKE THAT POTENTIAL A REALITY.
HE WILL TELL YOU AND TELLS EVERYBODY THAT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO LEAD IN THIS CITY.
AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO BECOME MAYOR TO BE A LEADER, EVEN THOUGH ISN'T THAT A GREAT WAY OF DOING IT?
BUT REALLY THAT YOU CAN, FROM THE RESOURCES THAT YOU HAVE, DO YOUR BEST WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAS WHAT IT NEEDS, THAT YOUR NEIGHBORS KNOW YOU, AND KNOW THAT YOU ALL CAN COME TOGETHER TO DO THE WORK TO MAKE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD BETTER.
AND I'M REALLY HAPPY TO SAY THAT THIS EVENING I SEE PEOPLE THAT I ALREADY KNOW ARE NEIGHBORS DOING GOOD WORK.
PAULA AND YUSEF AND SHARON AND JULY.
I KNOW JULY IS NOT PART OF THE COHORT, BUT I DO KNOW
YOU ALL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO WONDERFUL PROJECTS TOGETHER.
AND WE AT THE CITY OF HOUSTON ARE LOOKING FOR ALL KINDS OF WAYS TO SUPPORT YOU IN DOING THAT WORK, TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE INVOLVED IN THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS PROGRAM, WHICH THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS CONTINUES TO SUPPORT AND ELEVATE AND ADVANCE SO THAT THAT GRASSROOTS LEVEL OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZING CONTINUES TO HAVE THE SUPPORT THAT IT NEEDS TO FLOURISH.
TOMORROW WE'RE GONNA BE IN SUNNYSIDE, UH, AT THE SUNNYSIDE PARK TO DO A GRAND OPENING OF THE BRAND NEW CENTER POINT ENERGY YOUTH FOOTBALL FIELD.
THAT IS A $600 SIX, UM, WOO, $600,000 INVESTMENT THAT CENTERPOINT ENERGY MADE INTO THE SUNNYSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD.
NOT BECAUSE IT HELPS, THAT HELPS CENTER POINT TO DO A BETTER JOB OF DELIVERING ENERGY TO ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
BUT BECAUSE A RESIDENT OF SUNNYSIDE CAME ON A TOUR WITH US OF THE COMMUNITY AND SAID, THIS IS WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT, THIS IS WHAT THEY NEED.
YOUTH FOOTBALL IS A BIG DEAL IN SUNNYSIDE, AND WE NEED A BETTER PLACE FOR OUR CHILDREN TO PLAY.
AND CENTER POINT SAID, YES, THAT IS LITERALLY THE POWER THAT YOU HAVE TO BE AVAILABLE TO SPEAK FOR YOUR NEIGHBORS ONCE YOU KNOW WHAT THEY WANT.
AND IT'S NOT JUST YOUR OPINION.
AND TO ADVOCATE AND TO BE PRESENT AND TO SHARE THAT KNOWLEDGE.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE COMPLETE COMMUNITY'S ACTION PLANS THAT YOU CAN ALWAYS REFER TO AS A WAY OF EMPHASIZING WHAT YOUR NEIGHBORS WANT AND WHAT YOU ARE PROMOTING AS SOMETHING THAT IS RESIDENT LED.
THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH OF THOSE ACTION PLANS.
SO THERE'S STILL TIME FOR YOU ALSO TO WORK IN OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS, TO BRING THAT INFORMATION FORWARD TO, UM, ORGANIZE YOUR COMMUNITY AND BUILD YOUR OWN ACTION PLANS.
WE'VE GOT THE WHEREWITHAL TO HELP YOU TO DO THAT.
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SO I'M GIVING YOU THIS CHARGE BECAUSE I KNOW EACH OF YOU CAN HELP TO BRING MULTIMILLION DOLLAR DONATIONS AND INVESTMENTS INTO YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS IF YOU JUST KEEP WORKING TOGETHER, HAVE THE RIGHT IDEAS AND ADVOCATE FOR THEM OVER AND OVER AGAIN.CONGRATULATIONS ON THE WONDERFUL WORK YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED SO FAR, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO DO IN THE FUTURE.
Y'ALL FEELING ENCOURAGED? FEELING EXCITED? THE EXCITEMENT IS GROWING AND GROWING, RIGHT? ALL RIGHT, SO MY NEXT GUEST SPEAKER, YOU GUYS HAVE SEEN HER AS WELL.
UM, I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE TO WORK UNDER HER LEADERSHIP.
I'M GRATEFUL SHE GAVE ME FREE REIGN TO DO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS BEST FOR THIS PROGRAM.
UM, I DON'T TAKE IT FOR GRANTED THAT TRUST THAT SHE HAS IN ME.
UM, SO BECAUSE OF HER, I'M ABLE TO DO WHAT I DO FOR YOU GUYS.
SO I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.
UM, AND I'M SURE THE REST OF OUR DEPARTMENT, MY COLLEAGUES WOULD AGREE.
ALRIGHT, DIRECTOR TASHA FRANCIS.
WELL, FIRST AND FOREMOST, LET ME JUST SAY HOW EXCITING IT IS TO SEE ALL OF YOUR LOVELY, GLOWING, EXCITED, AMAZING FACES ON THIS BEAUTIFUL EVENING HERE AT HOUSTON CITY HALL.
I WANNA WELCOME YOU ALL OFFICIALLY TO HOUSTON CITY HALL FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN HERE BEFORE, FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE, BUT YOU'RE HERE FOR A DIFFERENT REASON.
AND I WANNA THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF OUR GUESTS WHO ARE HERE TODAY.
YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKING ABOUT WHAT I WANTED TO SAY TO YOU AND, UH, OUR PIO VANGIE IS GREAT ABOUT GIVING ME SPEAKING POINTS, UH, AND, AND THINGS TO COVER.
BUT I DECIDED I WANTED TO GO A LITTLE BIT OFF OF, UH, WHAT WAS IN MY HEART IN THIS PARTICULAR MOMENT.
AND I THOUGHT ABOUT ONE OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT I'VE HAD WITH THIS GROUP AND WITH OTHER GROUPS.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE REASON FOR COMPLETE COMMUNITIES UNIVERSITY, I'VE OFTEN SAID THAT THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROGRAM IS FOR YOU TO COME HERE AND LEARN THE TOOLS TO BECOME THE CHANGE YOU WANNA SEE IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
Y'ALL REMEMBER HEARING ME SAY THAT? GOTCHA.
SO I FIGURED WE WEREN'T GONNA SAY THAT AGAIN TONIGHT 'CAUSE YOU'VE HEARD IT ALREADY.
BUT WHAT THEY MADE ME THINK ABOUT WAS AN INITIAL CONVERSATION I HAD WITH MAYOR TURNER.
AND WHEN HE OFFERED ME THIS POSITION, I ASKED HIM, WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO? WHAT'S THE GOAL? HE SAID, THE GOAL IS TRANSFORMATION.
WE'RE NOT HERE TO CONTINUE THE STATUS QUO.
WE ARE HERE TO TRANSFORM THIS CITY.
AND SO IF TRANSFORMATION IS THE GOAL, THEN EVERYONE WORKING TOWARDS THAT WOULD BE TRANSFORMERS, RIGHT?
SO I THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT A TRANSFORMER IS, AND A TRANSFORMER IS DEFINED AS AN ELECTRICAL DEVICE THAT USES THE PRINCIPLE OF ELECTROMAGNETIC ENERGY TO WATCH THIS TRANSFORM AND TRANSFER ENERGY FROM ONE CIRCUIT TO ANOTHER.
SOMEBODY ALREADY SEES WHERE I'M GOING, DON'T YOU? SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT YOU ARE DOING HERE TONIGHT, AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT YOU'RE DOING IN YOUR COMMUNITIES, NOT ONLY ARE YOU AGENTS OF CHANGE TO BRING ABOUT THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE, BUT AS A TRANSFORMER, A GRADUATE OF THE COMPLETE COMMUNITIES UNIVERSITY, YOU NOW HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF TAKING WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED AND TO TRANSFORM THAT ENERGY FROM YOU TO YOUR COMMUNITY, THE EDUCATION YOU'VE RECEIVED FROM YOU TO YOUR COMMUNITY, THE ADVOCACY THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED FROM YOU TO YOUR COMMUNITY, THE INFORMATION YOU HAVE RECEIVED FROM YOU TO YOUR COMMUNITY.
WATCH THIS, THE CONNECTIONS YOU'VE MADE BETWEEN YOU AND WHAT YOU'VE LEARNED HERE TO YOUR COMMUNITY, THE GIFTS, THE TALENTS, THE SKILLS, THE ABILITIES THAT YOU HAVE AS A TRANSFORMER HAVE TO MOVE FROM YOU TO YOUR COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS WAS ALL ABOUT.
SO I'LL SAY IT THIS WAY, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT CHANGE IS SCARY, CHANGE IS SCARY BECAUSE IT'S UNKNOWN.
AND HERE'S THE INTERESTING THING.
WE FEAR CHANGE SIMPLY BECAUSE WE HAVE
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A PERCEPTION OF A NEGATIVE OUTCOME.AND THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT FEAR IS THAT THAT PERCEPTION IS USUALLY NOT BASED ON ANYTHING CONCRETE.
IN 2021, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THIS PROGRAM, I HAVE TO HOLD BACK TEARS EVERY TIME WE GRADUATE A COHORT BECAUSE I REMEMBERED THE INCEPTION CONVERSATIONS.
I REMEMBERED WHEN PAUL GAVE LEADERSHIP IN OUR FIRST COHORT, WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH APPLICANTS.
THIS IS A COMPETITIVE PROGRAM, AND IT'S NOT COMPETITIVE BECAUSE WE ARE SO GOOD.
AND WE ARE, BUT
AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANTED TO GIVE TO EACH ONE OF YOU.
IT WAS THE VALUE OF WHAT WE KNOW AS CITIZENS WHO HAPPEN TO WORK AT THE CITY.
THAT'S INFORMATION YOU NEED TO KNOW.
SO WHEN YOU GO BACK INTO YOUR COMMUNITIES AS THE TRANSFORMERS THAT YOU ARE, TRANSFORMERS, IF YOU FOLLOW THE COMIC BOOK, AND I DON'T FOLLOW IT CLOSELY, ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO SHAPE SHIFT HOWEVER THEY NEED TO, TO ACCOMPLISH WHATEVER GOAL THEY NEED TO.
OOH, SOMEBODY WASN'T READY FOR THAT.
SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO WALK WITH A COMMON TOUCH.
YOU'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO BE WHATEVER YOU NEED TO BE IN WHATEVER MOMENT YOU NEED TO BE.
REMEMBER, I TOLD YOU GUYS, THERE IS A TIME FOR MARTIN AND A TIME FOR MALCOLM, AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE INTELLIGENCE AND THE WISDOM TO KNOW WHEN, WHICH IS APPROPRIATE, HOW TO EXECUTE, STRATEGIZE.
THIS IS NOT A ROAD FOR YOU TO BE A PROFESSIONAL CONTRARIAN.
ONCE YOU GET THROUGH FUSSING AND YOU GET ANGRY ENOUGH TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, NOW YOU HAVE TOOLS TO STRATEGIZE AND ADVOCATE EFFECTIVELY TOWARDS THE CHANGES YOU WANT TO SEE.
YOU NEED TO SEE AND THAT YOU DESERVE TO HAVE.
SO I WANNA WELCOME YOU ALL TO A VERY ELITE GROUP OF PEOPLE.
YOU ALL ARE NOW GRADUATES OF THE NUMBER ONE TRANSFORMATIONAL BODY OF LEADERSHIP AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
BECAUSE IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW, THIS HAS NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE.
AND SO THANKS TO YOU AND WHAT YOU HAVE DONE, YOU HAVE HELPED LAY THE GROUNDWORK TO INSTITUTIONALIZE WHAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE DONE AND NEVER TO BE OUTDONE BY ANY OTHER CITY IN THIS STATE OR ANY OTHER CITY IN THIS COUNTRY.
AND WHAT I EXPECT TO SEE IN OUR NEXT COHORT, IN ADDITION TO YOUR CONTINUED PARTICIPATION IN OUR ALUMNI ASSOCIATION THAT WE HAVE BUILT, BECAUSE HERE'S THE THING, NOT ONLY DO WE EXPECT YOU TO BE THE TRANSFORMERS WE TALKED ABOUT IN YOUR TRANSFERRING THAT ENERGY AND INFORMATION AND ADVOCACY AND ALL THE ACCESS THAT YOU NOW HAVE.
WHAT WE NOW EXPECT IS FOR YOU TO BE PARTNERS WITH THE VERY ENTITIES THAT YOU NEED TO WORK WITH SO THAT YOU CAN GET ACCOMPLISHED, THINGS YOU WANNA SEE IN YOUR COMMUNITY AND WHEREVER YOU'RE NEEDED IN THIS ROOM.
OUR FUTURE COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THIS ROOM, OUR FUTURE MAYORS IN THIS ROOM, OUR FUTURE GOVERNORS AND SENATORS IN THIS ROOM, OUR FUTURE MEMBERS OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS IN THIS ROOM.
OUR FUTURE NONPROFIT OWNERS ARE IN PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING IN COMMUNITIES IN THIS ROOM, OUR FUTURE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD PRESIDENTS.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY IN THIS ROOM IS A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND I'M GLAD TO SEE IT.
AND SPEAKING OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WE HAVE THE BEST MAYOR IN THIS ENTIRE COUNTRY.
AND RACHEL, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE LEAD ON THIS PROGRAM.
PAUL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
HERBERT, ALL THOSE WHO ARE HERE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, I WANT YOU TO STAND OR RAISE YOUR HAND BECAUSE IT'S A COLLECTIVE EFFORT FOR US TO DO THIS.
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PUBLICLY FOR THE AMAZING JOB THAT THEY'VE DONE.BUT I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR LEADER WHO INITIALLY GAVE ME THE CHARGE TO TRANSFORM.
AND I APPRECIATE HIM NOT PUTTING ANY REIGNS ON ME AND ALLOWING ME TO MOVE IN THE DIRECTION THAT FITS HIS VISION FOR A CITY OF ONE PEOPLE, NOT A CITY OF HAVES AND HAVE NOTS.
AND I THINK YOU KNOW THAT WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO WHAT WE HAVE IN HOUSTON, WE HAVE THE BEST LEADER.
AND RIGHT NOW HE'S GONNA BRING THE BEST COMMENTS.
PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME TO THE STAGE MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER.
WELL, I HAD THESE COMMENTS PREPARED, BUT I TELL YOU WHAT, I, SHE'S FORCED ME TO CHANGE MY SCRIPT.
YOU KNOW, WHEN I, WHEN I TAUGHT LAW SCHOOL, UH, DIRECTOR FRANCIS WAS ONE OF MY STUDENTS.
AND, UH, AND, UH, SHE DID QUITE WELL IN THAT CLASS, AS YOU CAN, AS YOU CAN TELL.
AND, UM, AND THEN WHEN I BECAME MAYOR, SHE HAD ALREADY, UH, GRADUATED FROM LAW SCHOOL AND I STARTED HER PRACTICE.
AND WHEN I WAS LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO BE THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, I REACHED OUT TO HER AND, UM, UH, ASKED IF I COULD GET HER TO STEP AWAY FROM OUR PRACTICE, UH, FOR A MOMENT AND TO COME JOIN, UH, ME AS THE DIRECTOR OF DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO THANK YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH AND REALLY APPRECIATE, APPRECIATE YOU.
UH, SHE WAS ONE OF THE DEBATERS, UH, AT TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AND, UH, AND WAS QUITE ACCOMPLISHED IN THE OWN RIGHT, RIGHT.
LOOK, LEMME JUST SAY, UM, GOOD EVENING TO EVERYBODY, UH, TO ALL OF THE 28, UH, THAT ARE GRADUATING FROM THE COMPLETE COMMUNITIES UNIVERSITY PROGRAM.
UH, LET ME, LET ME JUST SAY HOW DELIGHTED AND, UH, AND AND THRILLED I AM, UH, FOR WHAT YOU HAVE ALREADY DONE, THE TIME, THE EFFORT THAT YOU'VE ALREADY GIVEN, UH, TO THIS INITIATIVE.
UH, I, I WANNA GIVE THE CREDIT INITIALLY TO TWO INDIVIDUALS, UH, WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHERE WE ARE ON, ON THIS, ON THIS INITIATIVE.
UH, I'VE ALREADY MENTIONED DIRECTOR ASHA FRANCIS.
UH, THE OTHER PERSON I WANNA MENTION IS SHANNON BUGS, WHO IS MY DIRECTOR OF COMPLETE COMMUNITIES.
UH, WHEN I CAME IN AS MAYOR, UH, IN JANUARY OF 2016, I SAID THAT I, I DIDN'T WANNA BE THE MAYOR OF TWO CITIES, UH, CITY OF HAVE AND HAVE NOTS, UH, WHERE SOME COMMUNITIES LOOK ONE WAY, SOME COMMUNITIES NEIGHBORHOOD LOOK ANOTHER WAY.
UH, BUT REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU LIVED IN OUR CITY, WE WANTED THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS TO BE NEIGHBORHOODS OF PROMISE AND OPPORTUNITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT ALL NEIGHBORHOODS LOOK THE SAME.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, THIS IS A VERY DIVERSE CITY.
AND SO YOU WANT, YOU WANT COMMUNITIES TO HOLD ONTO THEIR PERSONALITY, TO THEIR CULTURE.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT ANY NEIGHBORHOOD SHOULD BE INFERIOR TO SOME OTHER.
SO REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU LIVE, UH, EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD SHOULD BE A NEIGHBORHOOD OF PROMISE AND OPPORTUNITY.
AND, UM, BUT THE REALITY IS THAT THERE, THERE WERE, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF AREAS, NEIGHBORHOODS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHERE WE HAVEN'T INVESTED OVER THE YEARS LIKE WE SHOULD HAVE.
UM, THERE ARE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN UNDER-RESOURCED AND IN SOME CASES JUST UNDERSERVED.
UM, AND SO WHEN WE CAME IN IN 2016, WE SAID, HOW DO WE ADDRESS THIS? AND SO INITIALLY WE IDENTIFIED FIVE, UH, COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T EXPAND THIS.
LET'S SAY IF YOU HAVE $1 AND YOU, AND YOU AND YOU TRY TO SPREAD IT ALL OVER THE ENTIRE CITY, UH, YOU CAN DO IT, BUT IT'S GONNA BE A VERY, VERY THIN LAYER AND NO ONE IS GONNA REALLY BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE.
SO WE COULDN'T DO EVERYTHING WE WANTED TO DO, UH, NEEDED TO DO, UH, JUST BY SPREADING IT ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO WE IDENTIFIED INITIALLY FIVE AND THEN 10 COMMUNITIES WHERE WE WANTED TO FOCUS.
AND IT'S NOT TO SAY WE WERE IGNORING ANY OF THE OTHERS, BUT WE WERE REACHING OUT TO, UM, PARTNERS OUTSIDE OF THE CITY, UH, FINANCIAL INSTITUTION, DEVELOPERS, FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY, NONPROFITS AND OTHERS, AND ASKING THEM TO JOIN WITH US TO HELP CHANNEL SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES INTO THESE 10
[00:30:01]
NEIGHBORHOODS SO THAT WE COULD TRANSFORM, TRANSFORM THEM FOR THE BETTER SOONER.AND THEY BECAME 10, WHAT WE CALL 10 COMPLETE, UH, COMMUNITIES.
UH, BUT YOU WANT THE, WHATEVER YOU DO, YOU WANT WHAT YOU DO TO BE SUSTAINABLE, ONGOING.
AND IT'S NOT ABOUT, UM, DOING SOMETHING TODAY AND THEN A YEAR FROM NOW, TWO YEARS FROM NOW, UH, YOU DON'T SEE WHAT YOU DID ONE OR TWO YEARS EARLIER.
SO YOU WANT THESE COMMUNITIES TO BE ABLE TO STAND UP TO BE STRONGER, UM, MORE RESILIENT, MORE SUSTAINABLE, UH, AND IN ORDER FOR THAT TO HAPPEN, YOU ALSO HAVE TO NOT JUST, UH, ADD TO OR ENHANCE OR BUILD FACILITIES.
YOU ALSO HAVE TO HAVE THAT, THAT LEADERSHIP WITHIN THESE COMMUNITIES THAT WILL HELP TO SUSTAIN THE INVESTMENTS, UH, THAT YOU MAKE.
UH, AND THAT WILL KEEP IT GOING.
AND, AND, AND SO REGARDLESS, QUITE FRANKLY, OF WHO YOUR MAYOR MAY BE, THE LEADERSHIP IN THOSE COMMUNITIES WILL BE ADVOCATES AND EFFECTIVE ADVOCATES FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES, FOR THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, AND WILL SAY TO MAYORS, THE NEXT MAYOR, THE MAYOR AFTER THAT, UM, THIS IS WHAT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE OR SHOULD TAKE PLACE.
AND WE'VE THOUGHT THAT, UM, HAVING THESE COMPLETE, UH, COMMUNITY UNIVERSITIES WOULD HELP TO, UM, BUILD THOSE SORT OF, UH, LEADERS OR, OR PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY LEADERS OR JUST KIND OF GIVE THEM, UH, THOSE ATTITUDES, UH, FAMILIARITY WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON SUCH THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO CHAMPION ON BEHALF OF THEIR COMMUNITIES AND THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND SO WE STARTED THIS WHOLE NOTION IN 2021, UH, THIS IS THE FOURTH COHORT, UH, 114 WILL HAVE GONE THROUGH THESE COMPLETE COMMUNITY UNIVERSITIES.
AND DIRECTOR FRANCIS AND DIRECTOR BUGS HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN MAKING ALL OF THIS HAPPEN.
AND I DO AGREE WITH WHAT YOU JUST HEARD.
UM, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT FUTURE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO, SO IF YOU SO DESIRE, UH, LOOKING AT FUTURE MAYORS, ALTHOUGH YOU GOT A MAYOR RIGHT NOW, SO NOT RIGHT NOW, BUT, UM, BUT LOOKING AT FUTURE MAYORS OR STATE REPRESENTATIVES OR STATE SENATORS OR NON PROPERTY, WHATEVER IT MAY BE, UM, BECAUSE THE REALITY IS, IS THAT YOU'LL ALWAYS NEED EFFECTIVE ADVOCATES.
AND YOU CAN BE, YOU CAN BE A DOCTOR OR YOU CAN BE AN ENGINEER, OR YOU CAN BE A TEACHER OR A PRINCIPAL.
BUT THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT YOU KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE THIS SYSTEM, OKAY? SO, UM, 'CAUSE IT'S, IT CAN BE DIFFERENT.
AND, AND, AND, AND SO, UH, THROUGH THESE UNIVERSITY, HOPEFULLY WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THOSE ADDED TOOLS THAT YOU CAN NAVIGATE THIS SYSTEM.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO BE HERE TO SAY, NUMBER ONE, THANK YOU, UH, FOR TAKING THE TIME TO BE A PART OF THIS PROCESS.
UH, AND THANK YOU, UH, FOR BEING SO RESPONSIVE AND STEPPING UP AND JUST SAYING, LOOK, UM, I WANT TO BE THAT ADVOCATE FOR MY COMMUNITY AND MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND IN SO BEING, YOU ALSO BECOME A CHAMPION FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON AS A WHOLE.
UH, THIS IS A VERY DYNAMIC CITY.
HIGHLY, HIGHLY DIVERSE PEOPLE COME FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE COMING FROM ALL OVER THE GLOBE, AND THEY'RE RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UH, BUT IN ORDER TO KEEP THINGS MOVING FORWARD IN A POSITIVE WAY, QUITE FRANKLY, WE NEED EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
I WANT TO THANK THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROGRAM.
UH, I CAN'T SAY THANK YOU ENOUGH, UH, TO THEM, UH, BECAUSE THEY HAVE REALLY CARRIED THE BALL.
I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF COMING FROM MY OFFICE ON THE THIRD FLOOR, COMING DOWN THE ELEVATOR AND WALKING IN AND SAYING HI, YOU KNOW, UM, BUT THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ARE HELPING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN EACH AND EVERY DAY.
AND THEN LASTLY, WHAT I, I WOULD CLOSE BY SAYING ON A PERSONAL NOTE, IT DOES WORK.
SO I DON'T WANT YOU TO TAKE IT LIGHTLY.
UH, I STILL LIVE IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD IN WHICH I WAS BORN AND READ, GREW UP IN ACRE HOME, STILL LIVE IN ACRE HOME, ONE OF THOSE 10 COMMUNITIES, COMPLETE COMMUNITIES, UNDERSERVED, UNDER-RESOURCED IN MEANINGFUL CASES.
PEOPLE FELT IGNORED FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
UM, SO I, I KIND OF LIVED IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, GREW UP IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD AS MAYORS STILL LIVE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, AND ALWAYS WANTED TO SEE THINGS CHANGE FOR THE BETTER.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN BE, YOU KNOW, ON KIND OF LIKE ON THE OUTSIDE
[00:35:01]
COMPLAINING, THIS IS WHAT THEY NOT DOING.WE FEEL LIKE WE ARE SECOND CLASS CITIZENS.
YOU DON'T DO, YOU KNOW, DA DA DA DA.
UM, BUT STAYED THE COURSE, WORKED THROUGH THIS WHOLE PROCESS TO TRY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
DECIDED TO BE A LEGISLATOR AND QUITE, NAH, LET ME BACK UP.
I DIDN'T DECIDE TO BE A LEGISLATOR.
THERE WAS A COMMUNITY ACTIVIST IN ACRE HOME WHO TOLD ME YOU'RE GONNA RUN FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE.
AND I TOLD HER BELI, SHE, I TOLD HER, I SAID, I'M NOT INTERESTED IN BEING ANYBODY'S STATE REPRESENTATIVE.
AND SHE TOLD ME, YOU KEEP TALKING ABOUT WHAT DOESN'T EXIST OR WHAT NEED TO EXIST, WHY DON'T YOU DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT? SO THERE'S AN OPENING ON, UH, AS A LEGISLATOR AND I'M TELLING PEOPLE, YOU RUNNING FOR IT.
AND I SAID, MISS, I SAID, MS. SHEPHERD, UH, I'M NOT INTERESTED,
AND SHE SAID, YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU'RE INTERESTED.
YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU WANT
YOU KNOW, SHE SAID, YOU COMPLAINING, YOU RUNNING.
AND THEN SHE SAID, UH, DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT IT DOES? QUITE FRANKLY,
SO SHE SAID, WHY DON'T YOU TAKE THE TIME TO FIND OUT ABOUT IT? AND I DID.
AND I SERVED FOR 27 YEARS, OKAY? BUT I WAS LIVING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, I WAS ALSO KIND OF COMPLAINING ABOUT WASN'T TAKING PLACE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND SHE SAID TO ME, HERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
SO YOU DONE GOT YOURSELF ALL EDUCATED, YOU'D GONE TO THE FINE THIS SCHOOLS AND INSTEAD OF COMPLAINING, UTILIZE YOUR SKILLSET AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
THAT WAS THE BEST ADVICE I HAVE EVER RECEIVED.
AND FROM THAT POINT, NOW I FIND MYSELF HERE.
AND SO AS I PREPARE TO SEGUE OFF THE INTERSTATE IN EIGHT MONTHS, IT'S ALWAYS REASSURING TO KNOW THAT THEY ARE FOLK FULLY CAPABLE AND WILLING TO STEP ON BOARD TO KEEP THE WORK GOING.
NO MAYOR LEAVES HUE MISSION ACCOMPLISHED BECAUSE THE WORK IS NEVER DONE.
BUT WHAT YOU END UP DOING IS THAT YOU PASS THE BATON TO THE NEXT SET OF LEADERS WHO ARE COMING BEHIND YOU.
AND I AM PRIVILEGED ON THIS DAY AS I PREPARE TO SEGUE OFF TO PASS THE BATON TO 28 OF YOU WHO HAVE NOW GRADUATED FROM THE COMPLETE COMMUNITIES UNIVERSITY.
RUN HARD, RUN FAST, GIVE IT YOUR BEST, AND I PROMISE YOU, THE CITY WILL BE MUCH BETTER BECAUSE OF YOUR SERVICE.
SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO NOW, UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE PARTICIPANTS COME FORWARD SO WE CAN TAKE A GROUP PICTURE WITH MAYOR TURNER.
SO IF YOU ALL CAN COME FORTH, PLEASE FIRST, UM, WHAT I LIKE TO DO IS, UM, ACKNOWLEDGE THE GUEST SPEAKERS, UM, THAT PROVIDED YOU WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND RESOURCES, UM, THAT YOU NEED TO GO OUT AND DO THE WORK.
I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR THE PARTNERSHIPS AND THE YESES, UM, THAT THEY PROVIDED TO THIS PROGRAM.
UM, I KNOW YOU'VE ENJOYED THEIR, UM, THEIR CLASSES, YOU HOOPED AND HOLLERED AND SO I, THAT MEANS I PICKED THE RIGHT PEOPLE,
SO, UM, I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE A FEW OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
[00:40:01]
TO ACKNOWLEDGE FROM HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS, MS. VALERIE LUNA.I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, CARLY SELTZER.
WE'RE GONNA DO A ONE CLAP SYSTEM, IF Y'ALL DON'T MIND.
I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, CLAP EVERY NAME.
ONE CLAP WHEN WE'RE DONE WITH THE WHOLE CATEGORY.
SO THEY'RE NOT HERE, SO I'LL, YEAH.
UM, WHO'S NOT AN ABSENT, BUT I JUST DON'T WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE DIRECTOR MARK OCK FROM SOLID WASTE.
COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN
JACKSON, DIRECTOR MONTEZ AND DIRECTOR LEE, AND BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
BILLY WITH COMM, KWANZA BILLY WITH COMMUNITY MOBILIZATION.
MS. RITA HICKS FOR VOTING 1 0 1.
MS. JULY MC SHA FOR LEADERSHIP.
WELL, SINCE YOU HERE, SINCE YOU HERE, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, MS. CHERYL DUNCAN WITH GRANT WRITING AND FUNDRAISING.
UM, AND AD SIMS WITH CITY OF STRUCTURE.
ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S GET TO THE GOOD STUFF.
THE REASON WHY WE'RE HERE, WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS CALL, YOU'RE ALREADY IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER IF ROW BY ROW BY ROW IF YOU'LL PROCEED TO THE FRONT SO THAT WE CAN GIVE YOU YOUR CERTIFICATES OF COMPLETION ALL.
OKAY? SO ONCE THEY GET HERE, WE'LL JUST ALL TURN AND LOOK BACK.
OKAY? IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE FROM THIS ANGLE.
BARBARA AX SMITH, DISTRICT C THANK YOU.
SHE'S NOT HERE, BUT WE STILL WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE KENDRA ATKINS FROM DISTRICT I.
JEAN BECKERMAN, DISTRICT J YUSEF BENSON, DISTRICT A, A.
DERA BROWN, DISTRICT B, LOOK AT YOU.
[00:45:09]
DISTRICT K HERE.DISTRICT G ON THE PLAY WITH US.
DISTRICT D ELIZABETH JOHNSON, DISTRICT K, PAULA JOHNSON, DISTRICT D.
ARE WE MORE BACK? Y'ALL THINK Y'ALL TRYING? Y'ALL COME MORE UP.
DISTRICT D TIMOTHY LUCKY DISTRICT F.
JAMIE, NICOLE MARTIN AT LARGE TWO.
[00:50:04]
THANK YOU NOAH.COREY MORALES KINLEY, DISTRICT G.
HELLO, HOW ARE YOU? AISHA OYO, DISTRICT D.
JASON ROSS, DISTRICT H CONGRATULATIONS.
I NEED, OKAY, YOU'RE TALKING WAR GERALD BACK HERE.
TINO, DISTRICT B,
ALL RIGHT GUYS, SO IT'S TIME TO PARTY.
THANK YOU MAYOR, FOR YOUR TIME OUTTA YOUR BUSY SCHEDULE.
ALL RIGHT, Y'ALL, SO THIS CONCLUDES TONIGHT.
IT DOESN'T CONCLUDE THE WORK, BUT IT CONCLUDES TONIGHT,
UM, SO WE HAVE REFRESHMENTS TO THE SIDE.
[00:55:01]
THAN WELCOME, PLEASE, TO EAT.UM, ALSO TAKE PICTURES IF YOU'D LIKE.
STICK AROUND, MINGLE, NETWORK, COWORK, YOU KNOW, COLLABORATE.
BUT THIS CONCLUDES THE PROGRAM.