[Press Conference: "AAPI Advisory Board Reception"]
[00:00:19]
UH, WE WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FOR JOINING US FOR THE CREATION OF THE ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER ADVISORY BOARD.
THIS AS A API HISTORY MONTH CLOSES OUT, SO THE TIMING IS JUST PERFECT.
THIS IS AN EFFORT BY THE MAYOR AND THE CITY TO INCLUDE A API VOICES IN COMMUNITY EFFORTS AND DECISIONS.
UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN I FIRST CAME TO HOUSTON OVER 30 YEARS AGO, I'LL TELL YOU, I CAN REMEMBER BEL AIR AND, UM, THE DHO SUPERMARKET, WHICH WAS SORT OF THE GRANDDADDY AND THE STALWART OF SUPERMARKETS, AND THERE WERE A COUPLE BLOCKS OF BUSINESSES THERE.
IT WAS NICE, BUT IT IS NOTHING LIKE IT IS TODAY WHERE YOU LITERALLY CAN GO FOR MILES AND THERE ARE JUST BUSINESSES UPON BUSINESSES, RESTAURANTS, AND DENTISTS, AND INSURANCE COMPANIES AND TAX ADVISORS.
AND THE COMMUNITY HAS GROWN TO INCLUDE KOREANS AND JAPANESE AND VIETNAMESE, AND ON AND ON.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT SHOULD NOT BE ANY SURPRISE THAT IN THE LAST DECADE, THE A API POPULATION IN HARRIS COUNTY HAS GROWN FASTER THAN ANY OTHER RACIAL OR ETHNIC GROUP IN THE AREA, THE PERCENTAGE RATE OF INCREASE.
SO, IT IS A WONDERFUL TIME FOR THE CREATION OF SUCH AN ADVISORY BOARD, AND THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS TO CONSIDER.
UM, SO AS WE STAND HERE TODAY, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME OUR MAYOR, SYLVESTER TURNER.
HE WILL BE ADDRESSING US DISTRICT F COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY THOMAS, AND THE CHAIR OF THE A API ADVISORY BOARD AND ATTORNEY, EXTRAORDINARY NOMI HUSSEIN AND HOUSTON, REPRESENTATIVE STATE REPRESENTATIVE JEAN WU, WHO I THINK IS MAKING A MAD DASH FROM AUSTIN TO JOIN US HERE.
SO, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY, AND PLEASE WELCOME THE MAYOR OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, SYLVESTER TURNER.
LOOK, LET ME THANK SHOWMAN CHOW, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE HER, UH, UH, FOR TAKING TIME OUT OF A VERY, VERY BUSY TV SCHEDULE, UH, TO COME AND BE WITH US TODAY.
UM, UM, AND SHE AND I HAVE BEEN ON THIS JOURNEY FOR A FEW YEARS, UM, BUT I HAVE THE UTMOST RE, UH, RESPECT FOR AND, AND JUST AN EXTRAORDINARY, UH, JOURNALIST IN, UH, IN HER OWN RIGHT, RIGHT.
UM, SO PLEASE, PLEASE GIVE IT UP TO SHOWMAN CHILD.
AND, UH, I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING, UH, UH, UH, THE STORIES THAT SHE'S BEEN DOING ON KHLU AND, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR STORY, OUR HISTORY, UH, WHICH IS SIMPLY, UH, REMARKABLE AND FASCINATING, WHICH EVEN ADDED AN ADDED DEGREE OF URGENCY ON OUR PART, UH, TO, TO MAKE THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, UH, IN THIS, IN THIS PARTICULAR MONTH.
UM, AND THEN FROM, JUST FROM THE BEGINNING, I CERTAINLY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY THOMAS OF DISTRICT, UH, F UH, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND SHE AND I DISCUSSED THIS SEVERAL MONTHS AGO ABOUT PUTTING, UH, UH, THIS GROUP TOGETHER.
SO, UM, I WANNA THANK HER FOR HER LEADERSHIP.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCO AT LARGE, UH, ALSO HAS BEEN, JUST BEEN VERY HELPFUL ON SO MANY DIFFERENT FRONTS.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER CISNEROS, UH, FROM DISTRICT H UH, IS ALSO, IS ALSO PRESIDENT.
I WANT TO THANK HER, UH, FOR HER LEADERSHIP, UH, HERE AT THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UH, LEMME JUST SAY GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE.
AND YOU KNOW, I HONORED TO STAND BEFORE YOU.
UM, UM, I GUESS IN MANY WAYS TO INTRODUCE, TO PRESENT, AND I WOULDN'T NECESSARILY SAY TO INTRODUCE, UH, BECAUSE MOST OF YOU, IF NOT ALMOST EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU, UH, I HAVE COME TO KNOW, AND EVEN IN THE ABSENCE OF, LET'S SAY, OF, OF, UM, THIS ADVISORY GROUP, UH, I HAVE WORKED WITH IN SOME FORM OR FASHION, YOU KNOW, OVER THE LAST SEVEN PLUS YEARS, IF NOT BEFORE.
UH, BECAUSE FOR MANY OF YOU, I'VE WORKED WITH YOU, UH, AS A STATE REPRESENTATIVE, AND THEN EVEN MORE SO, UH, AS MAYOR.
UM, AND SO, UH, WANT TO, WE WANNA PRESENT, UH, THIS, I GUESS YOU CAN SAY THIS NEWEST ADVISORY BOARD, UH, THE ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC LANDER BOARD.
UH, TODAY IS THE LAST DAY OF THE ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER
[00:05:01]
HERITAGE MONTH.UH, BUT THIS NEW ADVISORY BOARD MARKS THE BEGINNING OF A NEW CHAPTER IN OUR COMMITMENT TO FOSTER INCLUSIVITY AND STRENGTHEN THE BONDS BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND ITS DIVERSE COMMUNITY.
SOME MIGHT ASK, WELL, MAYOR, YOU'VE BEEN MAYOR NOW FOR SEVEN PLUS YEARS.
WHY MAKE THIS ANNOUNCEMENT RIGHT NOW? WELL, IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD TIME, UH, TO, IN MANY WAYS, TO INSTITUTIONALIZED INCLUSIVITY IN OUR CITY.
UM, AND QUITE FRANKLY, UH, UM, IT IS IMPORTANT, UH, TO, UH, BE ABLE TO REACH OUT, UH, TO INDIVIDUALS WITHIN OUR CITY, UH, TO HELP MOVE OUR CITY FORWARD.
THERE ARE STILL SEVEN MONTHS LEFT IN, IN MY TURN AS MAYOR OF CITY OF HOUSTON, AND QUITE FRANKLY, THERE'S A LOT YOU CAN DO, UH, IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE HAVE DONE, UH, OVER THE NEXT SEVEN MONTHS.
SO THIS IS NOT AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF AN ADVISORY GROUP SIMPLY TO SAY, OKAY, WE PUT IT TOGETHER ON, UH, IN THE MONTH OF MAY.
UM, THIS IS, UM, ESSENTIALLY SAYING, WE HAVE SEVEN MONTHS AND WITH ME AS MAYOR, CITY OF HOUSTON, AND THERE ARE SEVEN MONTHS IN WHICH WE CAN DO SOME INCREDIBLE THINGS.
AND YOUR, YOUR INPUT IS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, YOU'RE GONNA BE GETTING A CALL OR AN EMAIL OR TEXT FROM US VERY SHORTLY ASKING FOR YOUR IDEAS ON SOME THINGS.
SO THERE'S A LOT WE CAN DO AND WE'LL DO OVER THE NEXT SEVEN MONTHS.
AND THEN AT THE SAME TIME, IT BECOMES A BRIDGEWAY, UH, TO THE NEXT MAYOR, UH, IRRESPECTIVE OF WHO THAT MAYOR WILL BE.
UH, AND THAT WAY IT CAN BE OFF AND RUNNING FOR THE NEXT TERM.
SO IT'S NOT ABOUT, UH, JUST WHAT'S HAPPENING IN, IN WITH ME AS MAYOR.
IT'S ABOUT MOVING THE CITY FORWARD IN A VERY POSITIVE, INTENTIONAL WAY.
AND IT'S BETTER TO, UH, TO START OFF, UH, IN AN INTENTIONAL FASHION.
AND THAT MEANS YOU CAN DO EVEN MORE.
SO, HOUSTON IS, IS, UH, UM, IS NOT ONLY A VIBRANT CITY, BUT ALSO THE MOST DIVERSE CITY IN OUR NATION.
WE TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN THIS DISTINCTION AND RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO ENSURE THAT THE VOICES OF ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES ARE HEARD AND VERY MUCH INCLUDED.
AND TODAY, AS WE WELCOME THIS BOARD, WE ARE TAKING A SIGNIFICANT STEP TOWARDS ACHIEVING THAT GOAL.
THIS ADVISORY BOARD, UH, WILL PLAY A PIVOTAL ROLE IN ADDRESSING THE CONCERNS AND CHALLENGES FACED BY THE A API COMMUNITY AND THE MONTHS AHEAD, BOTH DURING MY ADMINISTRATION AND INTO THE NEXT.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, AS I LOOK OUT, THERE IS SO MUCH POWER AND INFLUENCE IN THIS ROOM.
I MEAN, UH, YOUNG AND THOSE WHO ARE A LITTLE BIT OLDER, UM, UM, BY SERVING AS A BRIDGE BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND THE CITY, THIS BOARD WILL HELP SHAPE POLICIES AND INITIATIVES THAT ARE RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF OUR A API RESIDENTS.
AND TO THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
IT IS WORTH ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THE RICH HISTORY OF THE ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN HOUSTON DATES BACK APPROXIMATELY 150 YEARS OR MORE.
UH, THE FIRST RECORDED ASIAN IMMIGRANTS ARRIVED HERE LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR A VIBRANT AND THRIVING COMMUNITY.
AND OVER THE PAST FIVE DECADES, OUR A API, UH, POPULATION HAS GROWN EXPONENTIALLY.
TODAY, HOUSTON PROUDLY BOAST ONE OF THE TOP 10 LARGEST A API POPULATIONS IN THE NATION WITH OVER 1.2 MILLION A API RESIDENTS RESIDING IN HARRIS COUNTY ALONE.
THIS DIVERSE COMMUNITY HAS CONTRIBUTED IMMENSELY TO THE CULTURAL, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL FABRIC OF OUR GREAT CITY.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, WE WOULD NOT BE THE DYNAMIC CITY THAT WE ARE, UH, WITHOUT THE A API, UH, POPULATION IN OUR CITY.
ALLOW ME TO TAKE A MOMENT TO INTRODUCE THE ESTEEM MEMBERS OF THE ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS, UH, ADVISORY BOARD.
UH, EACH MEMBER BRINGS A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, AND PASSION TO THIS IMPORTANT ENDEAVOR.
UH, NORMY HUSSEIN AN A API ADVISORY BOARD CHAIR.
UH, THE BOARD CHAIR IS A PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER, AND AS SHERMAN SAID, EXTRAORDINAIRE, UH, FOR OVER TWO DECADES, THE FORMER BOARD MEMBER OF THE HOUSTON ETHICS COMMISSION AND THE BUILDING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION, AND A MEMBER OF THE HARRIS HOUSTON SPORTS AUTHORITY.
AND I WANT TO THANK NORMAN FOR AGREEING TO SERVE.
NOW, NOT EVERYBODY WAS ABLE TO BE HERE TODAY, BUT
[00:10:01]
I THINK WE GOT MOST PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE.AND IF YOU JUST BRIEFLY STAND, I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH NO LENGTHY RESUME.
UH, JUST JUST A BRIEF STATEMENT.
LENE, UH, LEY, THANK YOU, CEO OF SOUTHERN NEWS GROUP.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY COUNTLESS PAPERS HE HAS, BUT THANK YOU.
UH, LENE, UM, UH, SOPHIA HUSSAIN OF APEX GROUP, WHERE SOPHIA DAVID KIM, UH, UM, DIRECTOR OF URBAN LAND INSTITUTE, SOPHIA HIR, UH, GREENWOOD LAW, AND ON THE PLANNING COMMISS HOUSTON CITY PLANNING COMMISSION.
WHERE'S JACK DEEP? I, I DON'T SEE HIM.
UM, HE'S, UH, OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE INDOOR AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF GREATER HOUSTON, AND KIND OF LED THE WAY FOR US WHEN WE WENT ON OUR TRADE MISSION TO INDIA, DONNA COLE, THE C THE CEO OF COAL CHEMICAL, AND JOINED WITH ME ON, ON THE, ON OUR TRADE MISSION TO, UH, JAPAN.
HELEN CHAN OF THE KOREAN COMMUNITY CENTER.
HELEN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE LEADERSHIP.
ALICE LEE, UM, CHIEF OF STAFF FOR LESLIE BARONI, PRECINCT FOUR, AND VERY ACTIVE IN TURT 20.
UH, KENNETH LEE, DR. KENNETH LEE OF THE SOUTHWEST MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, ALSO, UH, WANTS MY TITLE.
HE'S THE MAYOR OUT IN THAT AREA.
UM, HAS PATEL, THE PRINCIPAL AT UNITY HOTEL GROUP.
HAS MUHAMMAD SHEIK? WHERE'S HAM? THERE'S HAM.
PRESIDENT OF THE HOUSTON KARACHI SISTER CITY ASSOCIATION.
LOLA REYES, FOUNDER OF THE FILIPINO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF GREATER HOUSTON MIRAGE.
AJANI, CHIEF PRODUCTS ARCHITECT AT SEESAW TECHNOLOGIES.
PRESIDENT OF THIS ES MOLLY COMMUNITY.
PAUL GORE, DIRECTOR OF THE ASIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF HOUSTON.
PATSY BROWN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CH JAPAN AMERICAN SOCIETY OF HOUSTON.
NANCY LEE, NANCY ACTIVE WITH A API ISSUES AND THE HOLOCAUST MUSEUM BOARD.
I THINK I, I MET THIS GUY ONE OR TWO TIMES.
BOBBY SINGH, PRINCIPAL AT THE AS ASSIGNEE CONSULTING GROUP.
CASEY YOUNG, PR YOUNG PRESIDENT OF WEED CO INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION, AND THE KOREAN AMERICAN ASSOCIATION AND COMMUNITY CENTER OF HOUSTON, BEN CHOW.
IT'S BEEN, UH, THE HOUSTON ENDOWMENT.
BIANCA MABO, LOUIS, A DOCTORAL STUDENT IN SOCIOLOGY AT RICE UNIVERSITY.
CINDY DEAN, CINDY IS COUNSEL AT SUMMA TUMOR COOPERATION OF AMERICAS.
AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A LARGE CORPORATION ALL OVER THE GLOBE, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
SARAH SAYID, COMMUNITY ORGANIZER AT WOOTY JUNTOS.
SARAH VICTOR LEE, WHAT IS VICTOR VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS AT STORY INTERNATIONAL ARCHITECT CELEBRATING 40 YEARS? SERENE, VAL VERDE, SERENE C STORY, CEO OF M, THREE GRAPHICS AND A YOUNG YOUNG MAN.
IS IT D IS IT DIA KOA WIN? DID I GET THAT? GIVE IT.
GIMME THE FULL NAME, PHARMACIST AND FOUNDER AT DT PHARMACY.
TERO PATEL, THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF COMMUNICATIONS AT HISD, AND REALLY A FORMER PRESS PERSON AT THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WHO LEFT ME
WELCOME BACK TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UH, DARIEN, BUT IS DARIEN HERE? DARIEN, DID I GET THAT LAST NAME RIGHT? BOWIE.
BOWIE INSURANCE AND REAL ESTATE BROKER.
[00:15:01]
THAT RUTH T NA? DID I GET IT? EVENT COORDINATOR FOR LESLIE, BRIANNA IS THE PRECINCT.UH, MIRAGE PATEL, PRESIDENT OF WAYSIDE IN INVESTMENT.
AND ANOTHER, UH, YOUNG LEADER IN OUR CITY, LINDSEY, UH, G CALVERT.
WHAT'S LINDSEY CALVERT, DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR ACCESS AND EQUITY OF THE INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION, ERIN OBY.
AARON IS, UM, ASCRIBED AT BERKELEY EYE CENTER.
DANNY WYNN, REAL ESTATE BROKER AT DANNY WYNN IN INTERNATIONAL.
VERY SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS PERSON, FORMER CITY COUNCIL OUTTA MISSOURI CITY NOW JUST MAKING MONEY.
GLENDA IS FOUNDER OF THE GRAY WALL ENTERPRISES, AND GLENDA AND I WERE STUDENT ACTIVISTS AT UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON AT THE SAME TIME.
UH, SO, UH, I'VE KNOWN GLENN JOB FOR, WELL, I'M NOT GONNA SAY HOW LONG.
UM, MJ KHAN REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER, FORMER BOARD MEMBER, PRESIDENT OF THE ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF GREATER HOUSTON, FORMER CITY COUNCIL MEMBER MJ.
DISTRICT L OF DISTRICT L, YEAH.
THE WEST SIDE IS THE BEST SIDE.
TONY LEE, EXTRAORDINARY BUSINESS PERSON, PARTNER STORE CAPITAL.
I MEAN, JUST DOING SOME INCREDIBLE, INCREDIBLE THINGS.
TONY DON LIN, ATTORNEY AT DON LIN AND ASSOCIATES.
SHE'S A FEE ATTORNEY, NOT A FREE ATTORNEY.
AND GLEN, THANK YOU, UM, JUST, UH, FROM A SMALL BUSINESS AND NOW JUST A GROWING, THRIVING BUSINESS, AND ALSO COMPANY, ME ON THE TRIP TO, UH, JAPAN.
I DON'T SEE HIM AS PRESIDENT OF GREAT LAND INVESTMENT REAL ESTATE.
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR EACH OF YOUR COMMITMENT.
YOUR EXPERTISE WILL UNDOUBTEDLY HELP TO ENSURE THE CONCERNS OF THE A API COMMUNITY AND GIVEN THE ATTENTION THEY DESERVE.
UM, AND LET ME, AND LET ME JUST SAY THIS.
THE LIST COULD BE WAIT WAY LONG.
IN FACT, I WILL TELL YOU, UM, WHEN OLIVIA WAS, WHEN OLIVIA, UH, BROUGHT ME THE, THE NAMES, IT WAS, AND ONE OF THE REASONS WHY IT'S TAKEN US THIS POINT IS LIKE, HOW, HOW DO YOU NARROW IT DOWN? UH, WHICH SPEAKS WELL ABOUT THE BREADTH, THE DEPTH, THE RICHNESS, THE INFLUENCE OF THE ASIAN PI COMMUNITY IN OUR CITY OF HOUSTON.
WE COULD HAVE COME UP WITH 500 NAMES, AND STILL THAT WOULD'VE BEEN 500 OTHER NAMES TO WORK WITH.
THIS NUMBER SHOULD BY NO MEANS SAY, THESE ARE THE ONLY LEADERS THAT WE, THAT WE HAVE JUST A SMALL REFLECTION, BUT A POWERFUL ONE AT THAT.
AND, UH, AS MAYOR, I COULD NOT BE MORE PROUD OF THIS CITY AND THE DIVERSITY AND THE WEALTH AND THE EXPERIENCE THAT EXISTS IN OUR CITY.
SO, IN CLOSING, LET US EMBRACE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO WORK TOGETHER, UNITED IN OUR PURSUIT OF A MORE INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE CITY BY FOSTERING DIALOGUE, UNDERSTANDING, AND COLLABORATION.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO CREATE A HOUSTON WHERE EVERY VOICE IS HEARD AND EVERY COMMUNITY THRIVES.
AND I JUST WANT THE MESSAGE TO GO TO THE ENTIRE CITY OF HOUSTON THAT YOU DON'T REPRESENT A PORTION OF, IN A SENSE, YOU ARE HOUSTON.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE NOT JUST RECOGNIZING SOMEBODY WHO, AND SOME PEOPLE SAY, WHO HAVE COME FROM ALL OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD.
AND, AND NOW WE IDENTIFY, NO, YOU ARE HOUSTON.
YOU ARE HOUSTON, AND NOW WE HAVE JUST AN, UH, A BASE, UH, UH, RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL HOUSTONIANS, UH, BENEFIT FROM THE DIVERSITY
[00:20:01]
THAT EXISTS WITHIN OUR CITY.UM, BECAUSE YOUR STORY BECOMES OUR HISTORY.
AND, UH, SO WANT TO THANK YOU.
HAVING SAID THAT, UH, I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, UH, CHIEF NER OF HPD, AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE, OUR, ONE OF OUR EXECUTIVE CHIEFS.
HOW MANY EXECUTIVE CHIEFS DO WE HAVE? TWO OR THREE? TWO, WE HAVE TWO.
AND ONE OF THEM HAVING TO BE EXECUTIVE CHIEFS TEAMS, MAN, WHO IS, WHO IS, IS NOT, UH, HERE, UH, BUT WHO IS JUST, UH, I MEAN, DOING AN INCREDIBLE JOB.
AND THEN ONE OF OUR ASSISTANT CHIEF IS CHIEF BAHIR.
CHIEF BAHIR COMES FORWARD, OUR FIRST PAKISTANI, UH, UH, CHIEF IN THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, YOU KNOW, SO, YOU KNOW, SO AGAIN, SO THE, UH, I I JUST WANNA EMPHASIZE THE WEALTH OF THE RICHNESS THAT EXISTS WITHIN OUR CITY.
THIS IS HOUSTON, AND, UH, AND I AM SO PROUD.
NOW, HAVING SAID THAT, I THINK IT'S TIME FOR ME TO SEGUE OFF AND, UH, SHOW ME, SHOW ME CHA.
I'M GONNA GIVE IT MEMBER TIFFANY THOMAS OF DISTRICT.
UM, LISTEN, I DON'T BOTHER THE MAYOR FOR MUCH, UNLIKE SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES
UM, BUT WHEN I DO REACH OUT TO HIM, UM, HE KNOWS IT'S SOMETHING MEANINGFUL.
AND I CAN, UM, SAY THIS, AND I WANNA PUBLICLY SAY THIS, I JUST APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS, UM, WHEN I DO HAVE AN ASK TO LISTEN, UM, AND THEN TO ACT AND THEN PROVIDE RESOURCES.
AND SO I WANNA THANK YOU FOR WORK.
UH, THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH OLIVIA.
SHE'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL, UM, WITH THIS, UM, THESE BIG IDEAS AND THEM DEPLOYING ALL OF THE RESOURCES TO MAKE TODAY HAPPEN.
I WANNA ADAPT A QUOTE FROM ONE OF MY FAVORITE AUTHORS, ANNA JULIA COOPER IN 1892.
UH, HER FAMOUS QUOTE OF WHEN AND WHERE I ENTER, I'M GONNA ADAPT IT TO SAY, WHEN AND WHERE I ENTER THE WHOLE HUMAN RACE ENTERS WITH ME.
AND I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE EMBODIED THROUGHOUT MY PUBLIC SERVICE.
AND TODAY IT STILL RINGS TRUE.
I OFTEN SAY, AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, THAT THE WEST SIDE IS THE BEST SIDE, AND I HOLD TRUE TO THAT.
YES, IT'S THE BEST SIDE, BUT CLEARLY I AM BIASED.
BUT FOR VERY GOOD REASON, MANY OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE REPRESENTED HERE TODAY OPERATED IN THE SHADOWS OF THE CITY.
THEY WERE BUILDING, RAISING THEIR FAMILIES, STARTING THEIR BUSINESSES WITHOUT MUCH ATTENTION, CREATING THE CULTURAL CURRENCY THAT WE GET TO BOAST OF TODAY.
AND BECAUSE OF THE GENIUS OF OUR DIVERSITY, WE ALL GET TO STAND HERE IN A ROOM FULL OF SOME OF THE BEST AMBASSADORS FROM THE VIETNAMESE, FILIPINO, CHINESE, KOREAN, JAPANESE, INDIAN COMMUNITIES, PAKISTAN COMMUNITIES TO LEAD FROM THE FRONT.
AND THE GENESIS OF THIS ADVISORY BOARD STARTED WITH A VIRTUAL PHONE CALL.
AND I'M, I'M SADDENED THAT BEN TRUE IS NOT HERE TODAY.
UM, 'CAUSE MAYOR, I BELIEVE WE STARTED THIS CONVERSATION IN 22 FALL, UH, AUGUST OF 2022, WHEN I WAS HAVING A VIRTUAL PHONE CALL WITH BRANDON MACK OF THE LGBT CAUCUS, AND BEN CHU AND BEN RAISED THE POINT ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF FULLY BEING SEEN AND RECOGNIZED IN THE CITY.
AND I IMMEDIATELY CALLED MAYOR TURNER.
SO I WANNA PUBLICLY THANK BEN FOR HIS BOLDNESS, UH, AND TRUST IN ME TO GET THIS DONE.
THIS EXPERIENCE ALSO SIEMENS, THE POINT THAT ALTHOUGH YOUR REPRESENTATIVES MAY NOT ALWAYS LOOK LIKE YOU, BUT IF THEY SHARE YOUR VALUES AND YOUR PRIORITIES BECOME OUR PRIORITIES, THEN EVERYONE WINS.
AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES OUR CITY SO GREAT.
I'M EXPECTING GREAT THINGS FROM THE BOARD, THE COMMISSION, AND YOUR APPOINTEES AND OUR APPRECIATE THIS.
AND AS MAYOR TURNER MENTIONED, THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT, UH, APPOINTING A COMMITTEE WITHIN THE SEVEN MONTHS OF HIS TERM, BUT THIS IS ABOUT ELEVATING THE VOICE AND THE VISIBILITY OF OUR CITY, AND WE CAN'T DO THAT WITHOUT YOU.
LASTLY, I WANTED TO THANK MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS AT SHARED RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUPPORT AT THE NOMINATION PROCESS.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO ALL OF THE INNOVATION AND WISDOM AND CONTRIBUTION.
YOU'LL BE ABLE, YOU'LL CONTINUE TO MAKE, NOT ONLY JUST PARTICULARLY IN YOUR CITY AND YOUR COMMUNITY, BUT FOR OUR GREAT CITY.
[00:25:03]
DISTINGUISHED MAYOR, COUNCILWOMAN, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS, BUSINESS LEADERS, AND FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS.MAYOR, I WANT TO THANK YOU AND THE COUNCILWOMAN ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, WITH PROFOUND RESPECT AND GRATITUDE FOR YOUR VISION IN CREATING THIS NEW ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER BOARD.
IT'S YOUR FORESIGHT, WHICH UNDERSCORES OUR CITY'S COMMITMENT TO CELEBRATING DIVERSITY, FOSTERING UNDERSTANDING, AND EMPOWERING EVERY COMMUNITY.
THIS IN THIS INITIATIVE IS A SIGNIFICANT STEP TOWARDS MAKING HOUSTON MORE INCLUSIVE.
AND FOR THAT, WE OWE YOU COUNCILWOMAN AND THE MAYOR, OUR SINCERE APPRECIATION.
AS WAS DISCUSSED EARLIER, THIS IS AN APPROPRIATE MONTH TO DO THIS BECAUSE MAY IS A API MONTH.
SO AGAIN, MAYOR AND COUNCILWOMAN, YOUR TIMING WAS IMPECCABLE REGARDING THE A API COMMUNITY.
SINCE 1973, THE A AI A API COMMUNITY HAS GROWN FROM 1% TO 26% OF HOUSTON'S POPULATION WITH A TOTAL POPULATION OF 1.2 MILLION.
AND THE COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO GROW.
OUR BOARD IS CHARGED WITH A RESPONSIBILITY TO CARRY OUT THE MAYOR'S INITIATIVE AND THE COUNCIL WOMEN'S INITIATIVE OVER THE NEXT SEVEN MONTHS, AND TO SERVE AS A BRIDGE TO THE NEW ADMINISTRATION.
AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS GONNA WORK HARD IN THREE MAIN AREAS.
THE FIRST IS TO PROMOTE ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THE A API COMMUNITY AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THE SECOND IS TO IDENTIFY AND RECOMMEND LEADERS OF OUR COMMUNITY TO SERVE ON THE CITY'S BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, BECAUSE WE ARE DEFINITELY UNDERREPRESENTED IN THE CITY'S BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
AND THIRD IS TO ADVISE THE MAYOR AND WORK WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT SUCH AS CHIEF FINNER, TO IDENTIFY ISSUES THAT ARE AFFECTING THE BUSINESSES OF THE A IPI COMMUNITY, AND TO DETERMINE HOW BEST TO RESOLVE THOSE ISSUES.
THOSE ARE THE THREE MAIN INITIATIVES THE BOARD IS GONNA TAKE ON.
AND MAYOR AND COUNCILMAN, I'M HAPPY TO REPORT WE'RE GONNA BE MEETING WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, AND WE'LL REPORT BACK TO VERY SOON.
SO WITH THAT, I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE BOARD MEMBERS FOR ATTENDING.
SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS COULD NOT BE HERE, AND WE ALL LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE COUNCILWOMAN, THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL TO ACHIEVE THESE OBJECTIVES.
UM, WE WERE HOPING JEAN WU MIGHT BE HERE TO MAKE A COUPLE OF REMARKS.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT? THIS IS SOMEBODY WHO UNDERSTANDS HIS CUE.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, STATE REPRESENTATIVE GENE WU, COME ON UP.
THIS IS LIKE IN THE MOVIES, YOU KNOW,
UM, I THINK REPRESENTATIVE WEER JUST OUTSIDE THE DOOR WAITING FOR US TO CALL HIS NAME.
BUT BEFORE, BUT BEFORE HE SPEAKS, UH, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, HE'S BEEN, HE'S BEEN IN AUSTIN.
UH, UM, I HAD THE, THE PRIVILEGE AND THE PLEASURE OF WORKING, UH, WITH STATE REPRESENTATIVE JEAN WOO FOR, FOR SEVERAL SESSIONS.
AND OF COURSE, THIS HAS BEEN A, A TOUGH SESSION ON SO MANY, ON SO MANY FRONTS.
BUT I WILL TELL YOU, WHEN IT COMES TO, LIKE, SENATE BILL 1 47 THAT DID NOT MAKE IT THROUGH WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL.
I, I WANT TO GIVE HIM A GREAT DEAL OF CREDIT FOR HIS LEADERSHIP ON THAT ISSUE.
UH, BUT ON SO MANY OTHER ISSUES IN THE LEGISLATURE, WHEN I TELL YOU HE IS, UM, AN EXCELLENT LEGISLATOR, UH, AND REPRESENTS, UM, THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WELL, OKAY, NOT JUST ANY ONE GROUP, BUT THE ENTIRE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WELL, UM, AND WE ARE HONORED TO HAVE HIM IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
I KNOW THE GOVERNOR CALLED YOU ALL BACK FOR A SPECIAL SESSION AT 9:00 PM LAST NIGHT.
AND THEN OF COURSE, I THINK THEY, Y'ALL STARTED AGAIN THIS, THIS AFTERNOON.
AND SO, UH, I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU WERE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE IT.
UH, SO, UH, PLEASE, PLEASE, UH, GIVE IT UP, UH, TO THE HONORABLE STATE REPRESENTATIVE JEAN BOO.
AND I, SO, SO NOW THAT HE HAS SAID NICE THINGS ABOUT ME, I HAVE TO TELL THE STORY THAT I THINK HE KNOWS THIS STORY.
BUT, UM, I'M A GOOD LEGISLATOR BECAUSE I LEARNED FROM THE BEST, RIGHT? AND THAT'S NOT JUST, THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT A THROWAWAY LINE.
UM, IN, IN MY OFFICE, IN MY, UH, MY DISTRICT OFFICE, I KEEP A PHOTO, UM, OF MY FAVORITE PHOTO, UH, FROM MY TIME IN THE LEGISLATURE.
AND THAT IS A PHOTO OF ME SITTING DOWN WITH, UM, UH, WITH THEN REPRESENTATIVE TURNER, UM, ONE OF OUR SENIOR MEMBERS OF THE DELEGATION.
AND THEN HE WAS THE, UH, THE, THE CHAIR OF OUR, UH, COUNTY DELEGATION AT THE TIME AS WELL.
WE WERE WORKING ON THE, UM, UH, THE ANTI-ABORTION BILL THAT WENDY DAVIS WAS FAMOUS FOR FILIBUSTERING.
AND I WAS STUFF, AND I WAS BEING A FRESHMAN, I WAS TRYING TO LEARN THE PROCESS.
[00:30:01]
THINK OF WAYS TO BE A PART OF THE, THE, THE PROCESS.AND, AND, YOU KNOW, AND THE ONE PERSON I SAID, I NEED TO SIT DOWN AND TALK TO, I ALREADY KNEW IT WAS SYLVESTER TURNER.
HE WAS VERY PATIENT, HE WAS VERY KIND.
AND I HAVE ALL THESE INSANE IDEAS ABOUT HOW WE COULD, LIKE, CAN WE AMEND THE BILL? CAN WE, CAN WE, IS THIS A GOOD POINT OF ORDER? IS THIS? AND I WOULD JUST SIT THERE FOR, FOR LIKE HALF AN HOUR, JUST BUGGING HIM.
AND HE WAS, HAD A SMILE ON HIS FACE THE WHOLE TIME, AND HE PUT UP WITH ME.
BUT, YOU KNOW, UM, REALLY WATCHING YOU WORK AND HOW YOU CARRIED YOURSELF AND HOW YOU INTERACTED WITH OTHER MEMBERS REALLY INSTRUCTED ME HOW TO DO MY JOB.
AND SO I HAVE TO COMPLIMENT YOU AND SAY, LIKE, MY SUCCESS IS, IS YOUR SUCCESS.
BUT, UH, SPEAKING OF SENATE BILL 1 47, RIGHT? SO THIS IS A LEGISLATION THAT AROUND THE NATION, THIS IS BEING PASSED.
SOME STATES HAVE DONE IT IN A WAY THAT IS, THAT IS INOFFENSIVE.
SOME IT IS NON-DISCRIMINATORY.
OTHER STATES LIKE FLORIDA, LIKE LOUISIANA, SOME OTHER PLACES HAVE GONE FULL BORE, UM, AND, AND HANDLED IT IN THE ABSOLUTE MOST DISCRIMINATORY WAY POSSIBLE, RIGHT? AND I'M VERY PROUD THAT WE HERE IN HOUSTON WITH OUR MAYOR, THAT WE REACTED INSTANTLY.
AND PEOPLE SAY LIKE, WELL, JEAN, YOU DEFEATED THIS BILL.
I, I, I ORGANIZED SOME PEOPLE, WE, I MADE SOME SPEECHES, I INTERVIEWED WITH PRESS, BUT THE PEOPLE WHO STOPPED THIS WAS OUR COMMUNITY, RIGHT? IT WAS BECAUSE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS, INDEPENDENTS, PEOPLE WITH NO POLITICAL AFFILIATION WHATSOEVER, PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER VOTED, EVEN GOT TOGETHER AND VOICE THEIR CONCERNS AND TOLD LEGISLATORS HOW THEY FELT ABOUT THINGS.
THEY USED THEIR VOICE TO GIVE THEMSELVES POWER, RIGHT? AND I DEFEATING THIS LEGISLATION WAS NOT THE IMPORTANT PART.
I WANNA MAKE THAT REALLY CLEAR.
DEFEATING THIS TYPE OF LEGISLATION AGAINST OUR COMMUNITY WAS NOT THE IMPORTANT PART.
THE IMPORTANT PART OF THIS, OF THIS ENTIRE EXERCISE WAS THAT THE ASIAN COMMUNITY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OUR HISTORY GOT TOGETHER UNITED AS ONE AND SPOKE WITH ONE VOICE TO SAY, WE ARE HERE.
JUST BECAUSE WE ARE SOMETIMES QUIET DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE DON'T HAVE THOUGHTS AND WE DON'T HAVE FEELINGS.
AND WHEN WE ARE UPSET, WE WILL LET YOU KNOW.
RIGHT? AND THIS IS THIS, THIS EMPOWERMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY, RIGHT? AND I, I TELL THE ASIAN COMMUNITY ALL THE TIME, WE'RE, WE'RE PART OF, OF ALL THE DIFFERENT MINORITY COMMUNITIES, DIFFERENT IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES, THE ASIAN COMMUNITIES IS ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST, UH, ONE OF THE MOST PROSPEROUS, ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL.
BUT HAVING MONEY IS NOT ENOUGH, RIGHT? BEING SUCCESSFUL IS NOT ENOUGH, AND IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO PROTECT OUR FUTURE.
AND IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN BECAUSE EVEN WITH MONEY, EVEN WITH POWER, OTHER STATES STILL PASSED BILLS LIKE 1 47, RIGHT? AND DISCRIMINATE AGAINST OUR OWN COMMUNITY.
AND I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR THE MAYOR FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THIS, THIS WORK GROUP, RIGHT? THIS ADVISORY COUNCIL TO GIVE OUR COMMUNITY A VOICE.
A VOICE THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS LONG, SORT OF ALMOST SHUNNED.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, LIKE EVEN MY PARENTS, MY DAD'S AN ATTORNEY, MY MOM'S AN ENGINEER, AND I'M AN ELECTED OFFICIAL FOR 10 YEARS.
AND THEY, THEY STILL TELL ME, EVERYONE WANTS, HEY, MAYBE YOU SHOULD JUST KEEP QUIET ON THIS.
LIKE, NO, IT'S TIME FOR US TO BE LOUD.
AND I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT WE ARE NOW HAVE THE ABILITY TO VOICE OUR OPINION, EVEN EVEN OPINIONS THAT DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE ANGRY, RIGHT? THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO BE A PART OF THIS CITY MORE.
SO WE WOULD LIKE TO BE A PART OF THIS SOCIETY, THIS PART, THE OVERALL CULTURE OF HOUSTON.
AND FOR US TO BE RECOGNIZED AND NOT TO BE WHITEWASHED, AND NOT TO BE SORT OF CAST AT A SIDE AND SAY, YEAH, YOU KNOW, THANKS FOR DOING ALL THIS STUFF, BUT YOU GO STAND IN THE CORNER.
WE WILL NO LONGER BE TOLD TO SIT DOWN AND MIND OUR OWN BUSINESS.
UM, AND WE WILL NO LONGER SIMPLY JUST LET THINGS BE.
AND I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR THE MAYOR AGAIN, FOR MAKING SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY WILL HAVE A VOICE GOING FORWARD.
[00:35:02]
THANK YOU JEAN.AND I'M SURE YOU DROVE THE SPEED LIMIT ALL THE WAY FROM AUSTIN TO HOUSTON
UM, WELL THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'M LISTENING TO JEAN'S, INSPIRING WORDS AND THE MAYOR'S ALSO.
AND I AM REMEMBERING, I LITERALLY JUST THOUGHT ABOUT THIS ABOUT TWO MINUTES AGO, BUT WHEN I FIRST STARTED, UM, YEARS AGO, MAYOR, WHEN YOU AND I WERE LITTLE PUPS, UH, AT THAT TIME, I WAS THE ONLY ASIAN REPORTER ON TELEVISION IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I WAS THE ONLY ASIAN REPORTER ON TELEVISION IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WHERE I CAME, CAME FROM.
AND SO NOW THESE MANY YEARS LATER, I AM PRIVILEGED AND PROUD TO BE ABLE TO PUT ALL OF YOUR FACES ON TV AT SIX O'CLOCK TONIGHT.
UM, A PERFECT TIME, AS WE SAID AT THE END OF A API MONTH TO GO AHEAD AND ANNOUNCE LOCATION OF THIS NEW ADVISORY COUNCIL.
THE MAYOR ARE NOW WILLING TO TAKE SOME QUESTIONS FROM ALL OF YOU FOR A FEW MONTHS.
DANNY, WERE YOU GONNA SAY SOMETHING? YEAH, WELL, THERE'S A MIC RIGHT THERE, DANNY.
YEAH, IT IS BEEN, UH, STREAMED.
A FEW SHORT DECADES AGO, THE FIRST WORD FROM THE MOON WAS HOUSTON.
AND WHAT ALL OF THAT WAS VERY SAD.
HOUSTON, WE HAVE PROBLEM HOUSTON, WE HAVE PROBLEM COMING TO HOUSTON IN 1984.
AS A LITTLE BOY, I WAS PRAYING THAT SOMEBODY IS GOING TO CHANGE THAT.
WHO ELSE CAN YOU EXPECT FROM MORE THAN THE ELECTED OFFICIAL MAYOR, CITY OF HOUSTON MAYOR, IN THE PAST FEW UH, YEARS, I HAVE SEEN YOU ACTIVELY HAVE LAST SEVERAL, SEVERAL COUNTRIES, SEVERAL COUNTRIES, SEVERAL CITIES.
AND WHEN WE WERE THERE, YOU WERE PROUDLY SAYING THAT HOUSTON, WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY.
DIDN'T YOU? DID YOU NOT? YEAH.
YOU TELL PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD THAT HOUSTON, WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES.
HOW DO I KNOW? BECAUSE I WAS PART OF THAT, AND I'M PRETTY SURE MANY OF YOU WAS PART OF THAT.
SO I THOUGHT YOU HAVE DONE, YOU HAVE DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB OF CHANGING THE IMAGE OF CITY HOUSTON.
DANNY MENTIONED OUR, OUR TRADING INVESTMENT MISSIONS.
AND I WILL TELL YOU, UH, ONE OF THE PERSONS WHO WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN PUTTING THOSE TRADE MISSIONS TOGETHER AND ORGANIZING IT, UH, WAS JESSICA, JESSICA, YOU KNOW, COME ON, COME ON AROUND.
JESSICA IS A PART OF THE MAYOR'S TRADE AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, UH, TEAM, AND, UM, HAS BEEN WITH ME ALMOST MY ENTIRE SEVEN YEARS, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, HAS REALLY HAS DONE AN EXTRAORDINARY JOB.
UH, SHE AND MAZDA AND JOSE AND CHRIS, AND, YOU KNOW, ANDY IS A PART OF THAT.
SO, UM, THANK, THANK YOU JESSICA.
BUT THOUGHTS, QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY.
UM, 'CAUSE I, WE, UM, UH, WE WANT TO GET YOU, UH, GET A GROUP PICTURE AND WE'RE GONNA SEE HOW WE'RE GONNA DO THIS.