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HELLO, I'M LARRY PAYNE, HOST OF DIALOGUE HOUSTON AND INTERCHANGE COMMUNITY OF FAST TALK SHOWS.JOIN ME FOR AN ONGOING CONVERSATION AROUND THE ISSUE SHAPING AND TRANSFORMING HOUSTON AS WE EXPLORE THEIR IMPACT WITH SOME OF OUR CITY'S MOST INNOVATIVE AND CREATIVE LEADERS OF OUR TIME.
WELCOME TO CONVERSATIONS WITH LARRY PAYNE, IT IS SO GREAT TO BE BACK WITH YOU.
UH, SO GREAT TO HEAR FROM YOU OVER THE TIME WE'VE BEEN OFF THE AIR, UH, THROUGH YOUR IDEAS AND CONCEPTS FOR FUTURE PROGRAMMING AND GUESTS AND TOPICS TO BE COVERED HERE ON THIS CONVERSATIONAL PIECE.
AS YOU KNOW, CONVERSATIONS COMES TO YOU WITH THE IDEA OF LOOKING AT THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE FACING AS HOUSTONIANS TO HAVE A DEEPER DIVE, PERHAPS IN THE SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, POLITICAL, SPIRITUAL REALITIES OF WHAT'S AFFECTING US AS HOUSTONIANS, AND LOOK AT THE NEW TRENDS THAT'S GOING FORWARD.
OBVIOUSLY, ENVIRONMENTAL WILL BE ONE OF THOSE AS WE GO FORWARD, UH, IN THE FUTURE, BUT IT'S REALLY BEGIN TO HAVE SOME OF THESE INDIVIDUALS WHO MAKE UP THE GREAT LEADERSHIP, THE SERVANT LEADERSHIP COMPONENT OF THIS CITY, WHO UNDERSTANDS WHAT LEADERSHIP IS ALL ABOUT AND WHAT IT TAKES TO GET THINGS DONE, AND HOW TO INCLUDE PEOPLE IN A VERY INCLUSIVE, HOLISTIC WAY TO COMPROMISE, TO FIND COMMON GROUND, TO NEGOTIATE, TO DO ALL THOSE THINGS NECESSARY.
AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW THIS GREAT CITY OF HOUSTON, I'M HAPPY TO HAVE WITH MY, AS MY GUESTS, UH, TODAY, UH, RUSSELL RASHARD, WHO IS THE VICE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF LEADERSHIP INITIATIVES, ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH FOR THE CENTER FOR HOUSTON'S FUTURE.
HE'S ALSO AN AUTHOR, UH, COLUMNIST FOR THE HOUSTON BUSINESS JOURNAL, AND ONE OF OUR LEADING TOP LEADERS, UH, TOP THOUGHT LEADERS HERE IN THE CITY.
UH, THE TITLE OF HIS BOOK IS LEADERSHIP, THE VIEW.
FROM HERE, UH, WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT SOME OF THESE ASPECTS OF HOW WE TOGETHER, UH, CONTINUE TO CON, UH, TO, TO LOOK AT THE ISSUES FACING US AND WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.
SO GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE, LARRY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
WELL, IT'S BEEN, YOU AND I TALK A LOT ABOUT THIS.
WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH EACH OTHER AROUND THIS SUBJECT OF LEADERSHIP.
UH, WE ENGAGE IN CONVERSATIONS, I THINK MORE AND MORE.
THE NEED FOR BOLD, VISIONARY SERVANT LEADERSHIP HAS TO BE A MUST GOING FORWARD.
HOW DO YOU SEE THAT IN THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND THE THINGS AND THE ISSUES THAT WE ADDRESS IN THIS CITY? WHAT'S THE NEXT PHASE OF LEADERSHIP IN THIS CITY? WELL, LARRY, IT'S INTERESTING THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT LEADERSHIP.
UM, I'M JUST WRAPPING UP ONE OF MY LEADERSHIP COHORTS, MY SPRING COHORT WITH THE CENTER FOR HOUSTON'S FUTURE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALK ABOUT IS CIVIC LEADERSHIP.
WE BRING TOGETHER BUSINESS, CIVIC, POLITICAL, UH, AND COMMUNITY LEADERS TO TALK ABOUT ISSUES THAT IMPACT OUR QUALITY OF LIFE AND HOW WE WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO FIND SOLUTIONS, UH, TO SOME OF OUR CHALLENGES.
IT'S BEEN REMARKABLE TO SEE HOW THE CITY HAS EVOLVED OVER THE LAST 186 YEARS SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 1836 WITH THE ALLEN BROTHERS.
BUT I DO THINK THAT WE'RE AT AN INFLECTION POINT, UH, FOLLOWING COVID, AND WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD A BETTER, MORE ROBUST CITY.
AND THAT'S GONNA TAKE, UH, LEADERSHIP FROM ALL OF US.
YOU ARE PART OF THIS WONDERFUL GROUP WE CALL HOUSTON 2036, LOOKING AT THE 13 YEARS LEADING TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S 200 ANNIVERSARY, OUR BICENTENNIAL, THE BOLD VISIONARY SERVANT LEADERS THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT THESE ISSUES FROM AN IN-DEPTH PERSPECTIVE OF TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE COME TOGETHER IN UNITY, DIVERSITY, UNITY DIVERSITY, WITH THE USE OF DIVERSITY AS A STRENGTH TO PULL IN THE TALENTS THAT WE ALL HAVE FROM THE DIFFERENT SECTORS WE HAVE AND COME TOWARDS SOME SOLUTIONS.
WE'RE VERY GOOD AT, UH, REACTIONARY.
WE'RE VERY GOOD AT TAKING CARE OF EACH OTHER WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS.
OTHERS WOULD SAY WE'RE DOWNSTREAM.
WE NEED TO GO UPSTREAM NOW AND BEGIN TO HAVE LEADERSHIP THAT TRIES TO LOOK AT UPSTREAM, LOOK AT WHAT IS CAUSING THE ISSUES TO START WITH SYSTEMIC CHANGE ERADICATION, WHAT POLICY CHANGES DO WE NEED? THAT'S WHERE I THINK THIS WHOLE CIVIC LEADERSHIP THING COMES INTO.
WE GIVE THEM FACTS AND TOOLS THAT THEY NEED TO GO OUT AND ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING WITH SOLUTIONS IN ACTION.
YOU KNOW, I, I'M OF THE PHILOSOPHY THAT, UH, THE VITALITY OF OUR, OUR FUTURE WILL DEPEND ON SELECTING HIGHER CALIBER LEADERS, HONING OUR OWN ABILITIES TO LEAD, AND ENSURING OUR WILLINGNESS TO TRAIN THOSE WHO FOLLOW.
I THINK THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE MOVING FORWARD WILL ONLY BE RESOLVED IF WE'RE WORKING COLLABORATIVELY, BUT I ALSO THINK THAT WE HAVE TO THINK DIFFERENTLY ABOUT HOW WE APPROACH SOME OF THESE, UH, CHALLENGES.
I THINK THE ISSUES OF THE PAST, UM, UH, CONTINUE TO BE WITH US IN SOME REGARD, AND I THINK THAT, UM, OUR METHOD, OUR STRATEGIES FOR RESOLVING SOME OF THOSE ISSUES WILL HAVE TO BE DIFFERENT MOVING FORWARD IF WE WANT TO GET A DIFFERENT RESULT.
I THINK SOME OF THE SAME THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN CHALLENGED WITH OVER THE YEARS ARE STILL WITH US.
BECAUSE THOSE OLD STRATEGIES, UM, ARE NOT GETTING US THE RESULTS THAT
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WE NEED.AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE NEW STRATEGIES, APPROACHES THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT? WELL, I THINK WE HAVE TO BE PROACTIVE, UH, AND NOT, UM, REACTIVE.
UH, I THINK WE HAVE TO BE BOLD.
I THINK WE NEED TO BE, UM, BOLD IN, IN OUR ATTEMPT TO TRY THINGS THAT ARE NEW AND DIFFERENT.
UH, THE WHOLE THINKING DIFFERENTLY, THINKING COUNTERINTUITIVELY ABOUT SOME OF OUR CHALLENGES, I THINK WILL HELP US TO REALIZE SOME, SOME GAINS THAT, UH, HAVE BEEN SO COMING, UH, OVER THE YEARS.
WE'RE BLESSED TO HAVE THE CENTER FOR HOUSTON'S FUTURE AND ALL THE OTHER LEADERSHIP ORGANIZATIONS THAT WORK IN THIS CITY, UH, TO LOOK AT, UH, THE ISSUES.
THE KEN INSTITUTE FOR URBAN STUDIES AND RESEARCH AT RICE UNIVERSITY, OF COURSE, HAS JUST COME OUT AGAIN WITH THEIR ANNUAL SURVEY.
UH, THEIR ANNUAL SURVEY, AS YOU KNOW, IS ONE THAT'S BEEN GOING ON IN THE CITY FOR 30.
STEVEN KLEINBERG, WHO JUST RETIRED, UH, FROM THE INSTITUTE, WAS THE LEADER OF THIS PROGRAM.
UH, THAT GIVES US A SNAPSHOT OF HOW HOUSTONIANS THINK, FEEL, AND THEREFORE WILL PROBABLY ACT AROUND A MYRIAD OF ISSUES.
UH, THE NEW STUDY HAS JUST COME OUT RELEASED THIS WEEK.
IT SHOWS VERY CLEARLY A NEW PATTERN GOING FORWARD OF HOUSTONIANS PROGRESSING IN THEIR THINKING AROUND SOME ISSUES, UH, MOVING MORE TOWARD PERHAPS LOOKING AT SOME CONSENSUS, UH, AND HOW TO BUILD THOSE CONSENSUS.
BUT I, I REALLY THINK AS WE LOOK AT THIS, AND WE TALKED ABOUT IT, YOU AND I AND OTHERS IN THE, IN THE LEADERSHIP CIRCLE, GETTING TO CONSENSUS AND COMING TO COMMON GROUND AND WHO CAN NAVIGATE AND NEGOTIATE THAT IS GONNA BE THE KEY GOING FORWARD.
NO, I AGREE WITH YOU AND I, I ATTENDED THE LAST, UH, KINDER, UH, EVENT RECENTLY, AND I HAVE ALSO BEEN A FRIEND OF DR.
KLEINBERG THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
UH, I'M A BIG PROPONENT THAT, UH, WE'RE ALL LEADERS, UH, AND WE ALL PLAY A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE IN SHAPING OUR FUTURE.
AND IF WE DISREGARD OUR ROLES AS, AS LEADERS, THEN WE BEAR SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT THAT FUTURE BECOMES OR DOESN'T BECOME.
I THINK THE KEY IS COLLABORATION.
LARRY, I, I DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS.
BUT ONE THING THAT I'M, I'M PRETTY CERTAIN OF, AND THAT IS WE'LL HAVE TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO RESOLVE SOME OF OUR CHALLENGES.
AND I THINK, UH, THE NEW HEAD OF THE INSTITUTE, DR.
RUTER LOPEZ, DID A WONDERFUL JOB IN HER PRESENTATION ABOUT LAYING OUT NOT ONLY THE FINDINGS AND RESULTS OF THIS YEAR'S ANNUAL SURVEY, BUT KIND OF THE BIGGER PICTURE IN WHICH THE SURVEY SITS, UH, TO GIVE IT A CONTEXT, UH, TO THE TEXT THAT THE, THE SURVEY TALKS ABOUT.
IT IS INTERESTING TO ME AS WE LOOK AT THE ISSUES ACROSS THE CITY, THE SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, POLITICAL, SPIRITUAL REALM OF THESE ISSUES, AND GROWING MORE, AS I SAID, THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES NOW HAVE INCLUDED, IT WAS A FOUR-LEGGED STOOL.
NOW IT'S GONNA BE MORE LIKE A FIVE LEGGED STOOL.
AND HOW DO THOSE THINGS IMPACT OUR PERSONAL, PROFESSIONAL, AND PUBLIC LIVES, WHICH WE ALL HAVE ALL THREE.
AND HOW DO THOSE WORK TOGETHER TO BEGIN TO BEGIN TO PULL PEOPLE TOGETHER FOR MORE DIALOGUE? I'M A FIRM BELIEVER THE MORE WE CAN GET DISPARATE GROUPS OF PEOPLE TOGETHER WHO NEVER WOULD'VE BEEN IN THE SAME ROOM, WHO NEVER WOULD'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW EACH OTHER, TO BEGIN TO DIALOGUE AND TO FIND WHAT THOSE TWO THINGS THEY HAVE IN COMMON THAT WE CAN AGREE ON, THAT WE CAN WORK ON.
THESE ARE THE SETS OF THINGS WE KNOW WE'RE NOT GONNA AGREE ON.
IN FACT, WE KNOW WE'RE NEVER GONNA AGREE ON, BUT HERE'S A WHOLE SET OF THINGS WE DO AGREE ON.
HOW CAN WE WORK TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE THOSE AND ACCOMPLISH THOSE? YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT THE LEADERSHIP PROGRAM THAT I LEAD, AND THAT IS THAT WE BRING IN A DIVERSE GROUP OF LEADERS, PEOPLE FROM VARIOUS BACKGROUNDS AND GEOGRAPHY WHO BRING ALSO A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE, A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE.
AND I THINK THAT WE'RE BETTER AT FINDING SOLUTIONS TO OUR CHALLENGES WHEN WE ATTACK THOSE CHALLENGES WITH DIFFERENT IDEAS AND PERSPECTIVES.
I THINK THAT'S HOW WE GET THE BEST SOLUTIONS AND THE BEST IDEAS.
YOU KNOW, I WANNA GO BACK TO THIS, THIS DICHOTOMY, CHARITY VERSUS JUSTICE FOR A MOMENT.
WE NEED CHATTER CHARITY, UH, SOMEONE SAYS THAT WE DO CHARITY UNTIL WE GET JUSTICE, OR WE DO CHARITY BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE JUSTICE.
UH, BUT I THINK WE HAVE BECOME VERY COMFORTABLE WITH CHARITY IN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, WHICH IS A GOOD THING.
WE HAVE GREAT SUPPORTERS, GREAT PHILANTHROPY, GREAT CARING COMMUNITY.
UH, WE CAN RAISE MONEY FOR ANYTHING WE DECIDE THAT WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT RAISING MONEY FOR, AND THAT'S GREAT.
UH, BUT I DO THINK THE ISSUES OF ALL THE INEQUITIES AND INEQUALITIES, UH, THE DIFFERENCES IN HEALTH DISPARITIES, UH, IN POVERTY, UH, AND ALL THESE ISSUES THAT IMPACT THE GREATER GOOD, THAT IMPACTS A LARGER GROWING LARGER PORTION OF OUR SOCIETY CANNOT BE ADDRESSED ONLY THROUGH CHARITY.
WE MUST LOOK AT THEM FROM THE LENS OF JUSTICE.
AND I THINK IT'S GONNA BE MORE IMPORTANT TO START LOOKING AT ERADICATION, SYSTEMIC CHANGE POLICY, WHAT IS CAUSING THESE THINGS.
THAT'S WHERE I THINK THE HARD WORK OF CONSENSUS BUILDING.
THAT'S WHERE I THINK THE HARD WORK OF PEOPLE COMING TOGETHER, WHERE YOU WANNA CALL, CALL IT ACROSS THE AISLE OR HOWEVER YOU WANNA DESCRIBE IT, THAT'S WHERE THE HARD WORK NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
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WHAT'S GONNA GET US THE CHANGE WE'RE LOOKING FOR.AND I THINK IT'S GONNA TAKE A VERY SPECIAL KIND OF SERVANT LEADER WHO UNDERSTANDS HERE'S OR HER ROLE TO BE WILLING TO SIT DOWN AT THE TABLE AND TO NAVIGATE AND NEGOTIATE THAT KIND OF CONVERSATION.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ON THE BACKSIDE OF COVID RIGHT NOW, AND I THINK WE LEARNED A LOT DURING COVID.
WE LEARNED, UM, ABOUT SOME OF THE DEFICIENCIES IN OUR, SOME OF OUR SYSTEMS, AND WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY NOW TO CORRECT THOSE.
UH, BUT AGAIN, THOSE WILL ONLY BE CORRECTED IF WE'RE WORKING ON THEM, UH, TOGETHER.
I, I'M AN OPTIMIST AND I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL, UH, FIND SOLUTIONS TO OUR CHALLENGES TO THE EXTENT THAT WE'RE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER AND NOT, UM, WORRY ABOUT WHO GETS THE CREDIT.
UH, I THINK WE CAN SEE SOME, SOME REMARKABLE, UH, PROGRESS MOVING FORWARD.
DON'T YOU, I MEAN, THE TAKING CREDIT OR THE EGO THAT GETS IN THE WAY, UM, I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO REALLY REALIZE THAT HOUSTON IS SO DIVERSE.
WE'RE ALSO ONE OF THE MOST SEGREGATED COMMUNITIES IN THE, IN THE UNITED STATES.
WE'RE ALSO ONE OF THE MOST GATED COMMUNITIES IN THE UNITED STATES.
BUT IT ALSO SAYS THAT WE HAVE TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO BE, I GO BACK TO THAT WITH EACH OTHER, WHO NEVER WOULD'VE HAD THE CHANCE.
THE GREAT DISCUSSION WE'RE HAVING NOW ABOUT PUBLIC URBAN EDUCATION, STATE TAKEOVER SHOULD NOT, SHOULD IT HAPPEN? WHY DID IT HAPPEN? HOW COME IT HAPPENED NOW AND DIDN'T HAPPEN LATER? I MEAN, BEFORE, I WAS WITH A GROUP OF PEOPLE IN THE FAR WEST OUT OF HOUSTON, WHO SOME MAY SAY IS NOT EVEN HOUSTON WHEN YOU GET FAR OUT ENOUGH AWAY, UH, THE HALFWAY TO, UH, SAN ANTONIO IN AUSTIN.
BUT I WAS TALKING WITH THIS GROUP OF GENTLEMEN, UH, WITH A CHURCH GROUP, AND ONE OF THE GENTLEMEN SAID, AFTER I KIND OF GAVE THIS TALK ABOUT THE EDUCATION IN CHILDREN AND WHY SHE WOULD BE CARE AND BE INVOLVED, HE MADE THE STATEMENT, BUT LARRY, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND.
NOW, RUSSELL, WHAT STRUCK ME ABOUT THAT IT WASN'T MEAN-SPIRITED, IT WASN'T UGLY.
IT WASN'T EVEN NECESSARY RACIST.
WHAT HE WAS SAYING IS, WE HAVE GIVEN HIM NO REASON TO CARE.
THEY ALL ARE GOING THROUGH SCHOOL, THROUGH COLLEGES.
WHAT, WHAT HE, AND THE MORE WE TALKED, THE MORE I REALIZED THIS IS ONE OF THOSE, UH, PILLARS OF OUR COMMUNITY IN SOME WAYS, WHO'VE GIVEN LOTS OF MONEY TO CHARITY.
BUT WE FAILED IN GIVING HIM THE REASONS WHY HE SHOULD CONNECT TO THIS GENERATION OF STUDENTS AND KIDS ON THIS SIDE OF TOWN THAT IT HAS NO CONNECTION TO.
I FEEL IN SOME WAYS IT IS ON HIM.
UH, WE'RE GONNA PICK THIS THOUGHT UP.
WHEN WE COME BACK, I WANT TO KIND OF HEAR YOUR RESPONSE.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE A SMALL PAUSE AND BREAK.
WE'RE GONNA COME BACK WITH RUSSELL RASHARD AND WE'RE GONNA DIVE A LITTLE DEEPER IN THE ELEMENTS OF LEADERSHIP FOR A CHANGING SOCIETY, LIKE AS GREAT CITY OF HOUSTON IS.
WE STAY TUNED AND WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
WELCOME BACK TO CONVERSATIONS.
IF YOU WERE HIT US FOR THE FIRST PART OF THE SHOW, WE KNOW WE'RE HAVING A GREAT CONVERSATION WITH RUSSELL ARD.
OUR THOUGHT LEADER IN OUR COMMUNITY IS ALSO, UH, FOCUSING ON LEADERSHIP.
RIGHT BEFORE THE BREAK, I WAS EXPLAINING TO RUSSELL THE CONVERSATION I HAD WHEN A GENTLEMAN ON THE FAR WEST SIDE OF HOUSTON ABOUT THE CURRENT CRISIS IN URBAN PUBLIC EDUCATION AND THE KIDS THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH THE CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS NOW THAT WE ARE A MINORITY MAJORITY CITY.
AND NOW THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE MOSTLY MADE UP OF CHILDREN OF COLOR AND CHILDREN OF POVERTY, IT BECOMES A DIFFERENT CHALLENGE IN THE WAY WE ADDRESS THESE STUDENTS.
NOT ONLY IN EDUCATIONAL NEEDS, BUT ALL THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT GO WITH THAT.
I WAS EXPLAINING TO RUSSELL THAT THE COMMENT HE MADE TO ME AFTER I KIND OF GAVE MY WONDERFUL, I THOUGHT SPEECH ABOUT WHY THEY SHOULD BE INVOLVED AND WHY THEY SHOULD CARE.
HE SAID TO ME, BUT LARRY, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND.
AS I WAS SAYING, IT WASN'T UGLY, WASN'T MEAN SPIRITED WASN'T RACIST.
HE HAD NO SENSE OF FEELING THAT HE HAD ANY OBLIGATION, DUTY OR RESPONSIBILITY TO THOSE STUDENTS ON THIS SIDE OF TOWN.
PART OF DEMOCRACY IS OUR COMMON DUTIES, OBLIGATION, RESPONSIBILITIES TO EACH OTHER.
AND SO IN DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE HAVE TO EDUCATE BETTER.
WE HAVE TO GIVE PEOPLE REASONS TO CARE.
YOU AND I SPENT A LOT OF TIME, WHAT WE'VE KNOWN ABOUT EQUITY.
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TO TO, TO EMPATHY IS RELATIONSHIPS.RELATIONSHIPS BUILT, NURTURED, AND, AND CONTINUED ON MUTUAL TRUST AND RESPECT.
'CAUSE NOTHING HAPPENS WITHOUT TRUST.
SO IF YOU PUT THE HUMAN BEING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DRAWER, TRIANGLE, EQUITY AT THE TOP, EMPATHY OVER HERE, AND RELATIONSHIPS HERE, WE HAVE NOT BROUGHT ANY OF THOSE THREE THINGS TO THIS GENTLEMAN IN A WAY OR HIS GROUP THAT THEY CAN UNDERSTAND AND BUY INTO.
THAT IS A FAILURE TO ME IN A SENSE OF LEADERSHIP IN GENERAL, BECAUSE WE ARE ASSUMING A LOT.
WE'RE ASSUMING THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT PEOPLE WILL CARE BECAUSE THEY KNOW.
WE ARE ASSUMING THAT PEOPLE ARE INFORMED THROUGH DIFFERENT WAYS THAT PEOPLE GATHER THEIR INFORMATION ABOUT THE REALITY OF SUCH A LARGE GROWING SEGMENT OF OUR POPULATION.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I BOTH KNOW THAT'S NOT TRUE.
WELL, I I THINK WE HAVE TO RESIST THE URGE OF BEING SHORTSIGHTED OR MYOPIC.
YOU SAID SOMETHING EARLIER THAT RESONATED WITH ME.
YOU SAID THERE WAS NO CONNECTION.
THE REALITY IS, IS WE'RE ALL CONNECTED AND INTERCONNECTED AND WE'RE ALL GOING TO SUCCEED OR WE'RE GOING TO FAIL, UH, TOGETHER.
I THINK THE QUICKER WE UNDERSTAND THAT AND REALIZE THAT, I THINK, UM, UM, UH, I THINK THE MORE, UH, OPPORTUNITY THERE IS FOR US TO COME TOGETHER AND, AND TRY TO HASH OUT SOLUTIONS, IS THERE A ROLE FOR A SPIRITUAL REALM IN THAT, I MEAN, THE ETHICS AND VALUES THAT WE ALL SAY WE PROFESS IN DIFFERENT DENOMINATIONS, DIFFERENT CULTURES, TO BEGIN MORE, TO PULL ON THAT AS A WAY TO DEVELOP KIND OF THAT COMMON GROUND, UH, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IT IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE OF AN ETHICAL CONVERSATION AND VALUE CONVERSATION AS WELL AS THE NORMAL SOCIOECONOMIC AND POLITICAL THAT WE NEED TO PERHAPS LIFT UP SOME TESS THAT WE HAVEN'T TRADITIONALLY USED OR BROUGHT FORWARD TO GET PEOPLE TO REFLECT ON THIS IN A WAY THAT BRINGS IT HOME TO THEM IN A DEEPER WAY, PERHAPS IN THEIR HOUSES OF WORSHIP, FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY, CHURCH, PARISH, TEMPLE, SYNAGOGUE, MASQUES THAT MATTER, THAT THEN CAN BRING THAT EXTRA KIND OF FEELING, A EMOTION, PASSION TO THE DISCUSSION.
THIS, A LOT OF THIS DISCUSSION LACKS PASSION.
YOU AND I IN A LITTLE CIRCLE WE WORK WITH, THEY'RE ALL PASSIONATE PEOPLE.
UH, THEY PRIDE THEMSELVES ON MOVING THE NEEDLE IN BAR JUST FROM HERE TO HERE.
UH, AND THAT'S IMPORTANT, BUT WE NEED A LARGER CADRE OF PEOPLE TO BE THAT WAY.
AND I'M ALWAYS AMAZED THAT PEOPLE TALK ABOUT, WHAT CAN I DO? HOW CAN I HELP? HOW CAN I BE INVOLVED? AND THEN WHEN YOU LAY IT OUT TO 'EM, THIS IS HOW YOU CAN HELP.
THIS IS HOW YOU WELL, THAT MAY TAKE A LITTLE MORE TIME THAN I WAS.
SO EITHER YOU'RE IN OR YOU'RE OUT ONE FOOT IN, ONE FOOT OUT.
KIND OF, SORT OF MA MA MAYS, DON'T DO IT.
WE NEED PEOPLE WHO COMMITTED YOU.
AND YOU USE THAT WORD A LOT IN, IN YOUR WRITINGS.
THE COMMITMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
THE COMMITMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY WE OWE AND HAVE TO EACH OTHER.
WELL, I THINK WE HAVE TO USE EVERYTHING, UM, WE CAN TO MOVE THE NEEDLE.
I THINK WE ALL HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY AND IMPROVING OUR COMMUNITY AND, AND SHAPING OUR, UM, OUR, OUR FUTURE.
UH, AND TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN FOCUS ON ISSUES OF THE VERY HIGHEST IMPORTANCE, REGARDLESS OF WHO WE ARE AND WHERE WE ARE, UH, WILL, WILL, WILL HELP TO MOVE THE NEEDLE AS I'D LIKE TO PUT IT.
BUT IT'S GONNA REQUIRE ALL OF US, UH, NO ONE PERSON CAN DO THIS ALONE.
AND I THINK THAT, UM, MY SENSE IS THAT, UH, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO EVOLVE AND, UM, AND PEOPLE WILL COME TOGETHER IN A WAY PERHAPS THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN.
I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE SEEING A YOUNGER GENERATION MM-HMM
THAT IS, UH, MOTIVATED, UH, DIFFERENTLY AND HAS A, A SENSE OF, UM, OF COMMUNITY.
UH, AND THAT'S ENCOURAGING TO SEE THAT.
DO WE NEED PERHAPS A NEW FRAME? PART OF THIS IS ALWAYS, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT I'VE LEARNED OVER THE YEARS HOW YOU FRAME THE QUESTION.
UH, I THINK FRAMING BECOMES VERY IMPORTANT.
UH, I USE THE WORD NOW, EQUITY INSTEAD OF SOCIAL JUSTICE.
BECAUSE SOCIAL JUSTICE TURNS PEOPLE OFF.
UM, I THINK HOW WE FRAME IT, HOW WE ASK THE QUESTIONS, BECAUSE WHEN YOU ASK THE RIGHT QUESTION, IT AUTOMATICALLY LEADS TO THE QUESTION BEHIND THE QUESTION THAT'S NOT BEING ASKED.
AND YOU GET PEOPLE TO THINK DEEPER AND GO DEEPER.
AND SO I THINK PART OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY, THOSE WHO WHO ARE INVOLVED AND SEE SOME OF THIS STUFF IN THE BIG PICTURE, WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT MAYBE IT'S TIME HOW WE REFRAME THIS STUFF.
UM, THE DYNAMICS OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFTS AND CHANGES IN OUR COMMUNITIES YOU WELL KNOW ARE BRINGING ON SUCH
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A, SUCH A MAJOR CHANGES THAT PEOPLE DIDN'T REALIZE I WAS AFFECTING EVERYTHING.THAT MOVING FROM MINORITY TO MAJORITY STATUS IS, IS REAL.
WHEN HISD WAS 50% ANGLO AND 50% PERSON OF COLOR, YOU HAD A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE AND HOW YOU COULD TALK ABOUT PUBLIC URBAN EDUCATION ONCE IT BECAME PREDOMINANTLY MINORITY STUDENTS.
AS YOU SEE PLAYED OUT TODAY MM-HMM
UM, SO I THINK, UH, TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND THINK ABOUT HOW WE ARE FRAMING SOME OF THESE ISSUES, WHAT ARE WE ASKING PEOPLE TO GET INVOLVED IN? WHAT'S THE OUTCOMES WE'RE SEEKING PERHAPS MAY DO AS WELL.
WELL, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN ELECTION THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IN THE NEXT, UH, SIX MONTHS, AH, AND WE'RE GONNA ELECT A NEW MAYOR, COUNCIL, PEOPLE, JUDGES, ET CETERA.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE'RE GOING TO ELECT NEW LEADERS.
AND WE STARTED OUR CONVERSATION TALKING ABOUT LEADERSHIP AND LEADERS, WHETHER WE RISE OR FALL, UH, IT HAPPENS WITH LEADERSHIP.
AND SO LEADERSHIP CONTINUES TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENT IN THIS EQUATION, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
SO NANCY, YOU BROUGHT UP THE ELECTION
UM, MAYOR TURNER HAS BEEN A GREAT MAYOR, UH, FOR THESE EIGHT YEARS.
UH, HE'S DONE REMARKABLE THINGS WITH REMARKABLE CHALLENGES, UH, FROM ALL KINDS OF, UH, NATURAL DISASTERS AND ALL THE OTHER THING ELSE HE HAD TO DEAL WITH.
AND IT'S COME THROUGH I THINK REALLY, REALLY WELL.
AND HIS WONDERFUL INITIATIVES, UH, UH, THE COMPLETE COMMUNITIES AND OTHERS THAT HE STARTED REALLY HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE.
AND HES MAKING A DIFFERENCE WILL CARRY ON INTO THE NEXT ADMINISTRATIONS.
BUT THE QUESTION, I THINK THAT TO HAVE THE LONG TERM VISION THAT LEADERS SHOULD HAVE, ALWAYS THE VISIONARY.
SO MAYOR TURNER'S OUR 62ND MAYOR, OUR 64TH MAYOR INTO THE FIRST YEAR OF HER SECOND TERM,
WHAT IS SHE GONNA BE SAYING ABOUT HOUSTON? MM-HMM
WE CAN'T BE TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE SAME THINGS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
'CAUSE WE HAVE THAT SHOWS WE HAVE NOT PROGRESSED.
SO WE NEED TO BE THINKING LONG TERM, WHAT ARE THOSE THINGS THAT WE CAN ERADICATE? WHAT IS DOABLE? WHAT IS THE OLD PHRASE? LOW HANGING FRUIT.
WHAT CAN WE ACCOMPLISH ALONG THAT BAR AND CONTINUUM, ALONG THE JOURNEY OF WHAT WE CAN ACTUALLY MAKE HAPPEN AND TAKE THOSE ON AS THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES TO ACTUALLY GET 'EM DONE.
YES, LARRY? I LIKE TO SAY THAT A CITY IS NEVER FINISHED.
IT MUST BE BUILT AND REBUILT, CREATED AND RECREATED BY EVERY GENERATION.
AND WE'RE AT THAT INFLECTION POINT NOW.
AND THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD A NEW HOUSTON, IF YOU WILL, UH, TO EVOLVE.
IT'S EXCITING TO SEE WHAT THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE.
AND, UH, I'M HOPEFUL THAT, UH, THROUGH NEW ELECTED LEADERSHIP, COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP, PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND I WHO ARE EAGER TO SEE CHANGE, I THINK WE WILL.
WE'LL, WE'LL SEE THAT CHANGE BECAUSE WE'RE OUT THERE ON THE FRONT LINES AND WE'RE, WE'RE GIVING IT OUR ALL.
UM, I'M ONE OF THOSE HOUSTONIANS WHO HAS THE FIERCE URGENCY OF NOW MM-HMM
UM, UH, WE RISE FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS, THIS IS MY 50TH YEAR OF DOING THIS AND THIS WORK AND BEING INVOLVED IN THIS COMMUNITY IN VARIOUS WAYS.
UH, MAYOR TURNER IS MY EIGHTH MAYOR, UH, THAT I'VE WORKED WITH OR FOR.
UM, SO I'M AT THAT POINT, LIKE YOU MM-HMM
UH, WE WANNA SEE SOMETHING HAPPEN.
IT'S TIME TO SEE SOMETHING HAPPEN.
BUT I WANT TO GO BACK TO SOME THINGS QUICKLY BEFORE WE'RE OUT OF TIME THAT YOU HAVE RAISED IN ALL YOUR WRITINGS AS A COMMON THREAD, UM, FROM YOUR PHILOSOPHICAL STUFF TO YOUR POETRY, TO YOUR LEADERSHIP, UH, THERE'S A WHOLE LINE OF ETHICS THAT'S INVOLVED IN ALL YOUR WRITINGS.
IS IT REALLY A QUESTION OF LIFTING UP? AND I TOUCHED ON THIS EARLIER, THE ETHICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE WORK TO BE DONE, BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO ME THAT'S THE COMMON POLICE PLACE WE COULD COME TOGETHER.
IT'S NOT MY ETHICS, IT'S NOT YOUR ETHICS.
IT'S ONLY, I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE YOU'RE ENTITLED TO YOUR OWN OPINION, PERSPECTIVE AND VIEWPOINT, WHICH NOT ENTITLED TO YOUR OWN FACT.
AND IF I CAN WORK FROM A FACT BASE ON THE SAME, WORKING FROM THE SAME SET OF FACTS, THEN WE GOT HOPE.
SO JUST QUICKLY, WHAT'S YOUR RESPONSE? WE GOTTA MOVE ON HERE.
WELL, MY RESPONSE IS, LARRY, I AGREE WITH YOU.
UM, GOOD THINGS DON'T JUST HAPPEN.
RIGHT? THEY HAPPEN BECAUSE PEOPLE MAKE THEM HAPPEN.
AND LEADERSHIP WITHOUT ACTION IS DEAD, IS NOTHING.
FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS NOTHING.
AND SO WE HAVE TO BE REMINDED THAT, UM, FOR AS,
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AS FAR AS WE WANT TO EVOLVE, IT WILL REQUIRE US TO BE INVOLVED WITH THE WORK THAT GETS US THERE.RUSSELL, THANK YOU FOR BEING ON THIS, UH, SEGMENT OF CONVERSATIONS.
WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER AND DO SOME THINGS GOING FORWARD.
LEMME SEE IF I CAN WRAP THIS UP AND SUM UP REAL QUICK.
IT IS ABOUT COURAGE AND ACTION.
ENCOURAGING ACTION HAS BASICALLY SIX COMPONENTS, MEANING MISSION, HISTORY, POWER, RESOURCES AND STRUCTURE.
MEANING GUIDING VALUES, PRINCIPLES AND ETHICS, MISSION GOALS, OBJECTIVE OUTCOMES, HISTORY, WHY DIS PROBLEM EXISTS, POWER, ENERGY, MOTIVATION TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM, RESOURCES, PEOPLE, CAPITAL, INFORMATION AND TIME STRUCTURE, SYSTEMS, POLICIES AND CULTURE.
ALL THESE THINGS HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED AND HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED SYSTEMATICALLY AND SIMULTANEOUSLY.
IF ONE WANTS TO SEE THE CHANGE THAT ONE SEEKS SO, SO DESPERATELY AND YOU CANNOT SKIP A STEP, YOU CANNOT HOP SCOTCH, YOU CANNOT KIND OF GO AROUND IN CIRCLES.
YOU HAVE TO DO IT IN A VERY LOGICAL WAY THAT GETS YOU THE RESULTS YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
I KNOW WE CAN DO THAT AS HOUSTONIANS.
WE END WITH THIS THOUGHT AFTER DEEPER SEARCHING OF THE HEART.
WE ALL NOW RISE TO PLAY A GREATER PART.
THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF THIS CONVERSATION.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO JOINING US IN FUTURE SEGMENTS.
OUR TAIL ENDS BE WELL BE SAFE, PEACE, POWER, AND LOVE.