* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [Press Conference: "Barbara Jordan Monument Unveiling"] [00:00:19] THE MISSION OF THE GREGORY SCHOOL IS, AS IT'S FOUND FONDLY CALLED, IS TO PRESERVE THE HISTORY AND CELEBRATE THE ACHIEVEMENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS IN HOUSTON, THE REGION, AND THE AFRICAN SPORA. SO THIS IS THE PERFECT SETTING FOR US TO COME TOGETHER TO HONOR THE LIFE AND MEMORY OF UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVE BARBARA JORDAN. WE ARE HONORED THAT THIS LOCATION OF THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM WILL BE THE FIRST SITE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO PLACE THE MEMORIAL TO NATIVE HOUSTONIAN, BARBARA JORDAN. THERE ARE OF COURSE MONUMENTS AND STATUES OF BARBARA JORDAN AND OTHER PLACES, BUT YOU WILL FIND THAT THIS ONE TRULY DOES JUSTICE TO THE COMPLEXITIES OF HER LIFE IN KOREA, AND WE ARE THRILLED THAT IT IS HERE. WE ARE ALSO PROUD THAT THE ARTISTS, SHARIS, LINA WESTON AND JAMAL CYPRUS, WERE ABLE TO UTILIZE AND INCORPORATE MATERIALS FROM THE ARCHIVES AT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY RESEARCH CENTER IN THEIR STUNNING CREATION OF THE MEDITATIVE SPACE. PLEASE ALLOW ME TO RECOGNIZE MEMBERS OF MY TEAM BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY DOES TAKE A VILLAGE TO GET US TO THIS POINT. JOHN MIDDLETON AND THE SPACES TEAM, SPECIFICALLY JASON STEVENS, CHRISTINA GRITZ, AND HER WORK ON THE BARBARA JORDAN EXHIBIT THAT YOU WILL SEE WHEN YOU GO INSIDE THE BUILDING. JOHN EW. AND THE SPECIAL EVENTS CREW, THE FIT TEAM, LADONNA WINGS, AND THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAMS, AND OUR HOST TEAM HERE AT THE GREGORY SCHOOL. THANK YOU ALL. AND NOW IT IS MY SINCERE PLEASURE AND HONOR TO WELCOME TO THE PODIUM. I'M MAYOR, THE HONOR OATH. SO THAT'S THE TURN. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. AND LET ME START OFF BY THANKING, UH, DR. UH, DR. LAWSON, UH, WHO IS ALWAYS DOING AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON WITH THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM. SO, DR. LAWSON, LET ME THANK YOU AND YOUR ENTIRE TEAM. SO GIVE IT UP TO THE LIBRARY TEAM ONE MORE TIME. I'LL TELL YOU AT THE FRONT, AT THE VERY FRONT, I'M SOMEONE NOW WHO'S REALLY CELEBRATING LIBRARIES AND, UH, CELEBRATING GOD WORKS IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS. AND THIS MORNING WE ARE GOING TO UNVEIL THIS MONUMENT OF BARBARA JORDAN, UH, THE GREGORY LINCOLN, UH, UH, LIBRARY. UH, SO, UM, I THINK HE'S SPEAKING TO US IN MANY, MANY WAYS. I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE FROM THE VERY BEGINNING AGAIN, ALL OF THOSE WHO WILL BE PARTICIPATING OR PARTICIPATING. UM, THIS MORNING WE HAVE A NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE PRESENT, AND I DO WANT YOU, UH, TO SEE THEM. AND, UM, UH, AND LET ME START OFF WITH COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON AT LARGE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER COUNCILMAN, DISTRICT COUNCILMAN AS WELL. AND YOU'LL BE HEARING FROM COUNCILMAN ABBY CAMAN, THE REPRESENTATIVE, DISTRICT C WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW. I WANT ACKNOWLEDGE AGAIN, UH, UH, THE FAMILY MEMBER, UH, OF, UH, BARBARA JORDAN, HER, HER SISTER, ROSEMARY MCGOWAN. WE ARE ALWAYS HONORED. UH, THANK YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH. AND THEN YOU'LL BE, UH, HEARING FROM, UH, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE DIRECTOR, MAYOR'S OFFICE OF, UH, CULTURAL AFFAIRS, NICOLE URBAN, WEST NICOLE . AND THEN OF COURSE, UH, SHE WAS A PROUD DELTA. LET, LEMME JUST SAY, LET ME THANK, UH, YOU ALL, UH, FOR, UH, FOR BEING PRESIDENT AND QUITE FRANKLY FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING IN THE CITY EACH AND EVERY DAY. UM, AND SO [00:05:01] THIS IS A SPECIAL MOMENT. I KNOW THERE'LL BE A POETIC TRIBUTE BY REESE KEN BROWN. YES. SO, UH, SO, SO VERY MUCH APPRECIATE ALL OF THAT. LOOK, LEMME JUST SAY AGAIN, GOOD MORNING, WE'RE PLEASED TO BE HERE TO CELEBRATE THE LIFE AND WORK OF LEGENDARY CONGRESSWOMAN BARBARA JORDAN. I WANT TO EXTEND A HEARTFELT WELCOME TO THE BARBARA JORDAN FAMILY ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THE ARTISTS OF THE DAY, JAMAL SES AND CHARICE LINA WESTON. AND WHILE BOTH ARTISTS ARE OUT OF TOWN, UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE WITH US CHARICE PARENTS, ROBERT AND JACQUELINE WESTON. SO CONGRATULATIONS, UH, TO TO, TO THEM AND TO THEIR DAUGHTER. TODAY IS SUCH A MOMENTOUS OCCASION. AND THIS ARTWORK, THE MEDITATIVE SPACE, IT WAS A COMMISSION THAT I REQUESTED PERSONALLY AND I THANK THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR THEIR RESPONSE AND SUPPORT AND SPONSORSHIP OF THE YARD WORK. AND TO THE OFFICE OF, OF MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS FOR THE STEWARDSHIP OF THE CIVIC GUARD PROGRAM OF HOUSTON CIVIC GUARD COLLECTION. WE ISSUED A NATIONWIDE CALL FOR ARTISTS IN 2019, SEEKING ARTISTS TO CREATE A PERMANENT WORK OF ART AT THIS HISTORIC SITE TO COMMEMORATE THE LEGACY OF HER HISTORIC FIGURE PERSONALITY, SOMEONE WHO IS TRULY A HERO TO MANY THAT CALL FOR ARTISTS ULTIMATELY LED TO US, US TO THIS MOMENT, RECEIVING INTO THE CITY'S CIVIC ART COLLECTION, THE FIRST PUBLIC ARTWORK IN HOUSTON, WHICH RECOGNIZES THE IMPACT AND INFLUENCE BARBARA JORDAN HAS HAD ON THE FIGHT FOR EQUITY RIGHTS AND PREP AND REPRESENTATION ON ALL ASPECTS OF OUR SOCIETY. BUT I WOULD REMISS WE BE REMISS IF I GO AHEAD ON AND TALK ABOUT THINGS SHE'S DONE IN THE CAPITAL AND, UH, IN AUSTIN AND IN DC IF I DIDN'T REMIND US ALL, IF WE DON'T, UH, ALREADY KNOW THAT SHA COURSE, SHE WAS A PRODUCT OF THIS COMMUNITY, OF CITY OF HOUSTON, CITY OF HOUSTON, AND SPECIFICALLY FIFTH WARD, THE NIEL, UH, HAVING ATTENDED ROBESON ELEMENTARY, UH, SCHOOL, AND THEN PHYLLIS, UH, WHEATLEY HIGH SCHOOL, BOTH ON, ON THE NORTH SIDE IN THE FIFTH WARD AREA. AND I EMPHASIZED THAT FOR A PARTICULAR POINT BECAUSE THESE SCHOOLS NOW WERE PART OF THE NEW RESTRUCTURING. UM, AND THESE SCHOOLS WERE, THE SCHOOLS THAT SHE ATTENDED WENT TO ESTABLISH HER FOUNDATION. AND AS YOU KNOW, DOWN THE STRETCH, WE'LL TALK ABOUT HER BEING A DEBATER. UM, BUT YOU CAN'T BE A DEBATER IF YOU DON'T HAVE LIBRARIES, AND YOU CAN'T BE A DEBATER IF YOU DON'T HAVE A LIBRARY TO GO TO. AND SO I JUST WANT TO, WE HONORING HER. BUT ON THIS DAY, ON THIS DAY, I HAVE JUST WON. I'VE BEEN WONDERING WHAT WOULD BARBARA JORDAN BE SAYING IF SHE COULD SEE US RIGHT NOW? SHE'S THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN ELECTED TO THE TEXAS SENATE AFTER RECONSTRUCTION, AND THE FIRST SOUTHERN AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN TO BE ELECTED TO UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE. SHE WAS A BAD SISTER, BARBARA JORDAN WAS SOMEONE WHO COMMANDED GREAT RESPECT BEYOND PARTY LINES IN CONGRESS AND AMONG AND AMONG THE AMERICAN PUBLIC. HER LIFE IS TRULY A LEGACY TO BE REVERED, REVERED. AND WHILE THE WORLD WATCHED DURING THE IMPEACHMENT HEARINGS OF PRESIDENT RICHARD NIXON, ROBERT JORDAN BOLDLY TOOK CENTER STAGE AS A LAWYER, A CONGRESSWOMAN, AND A SCHOLAR. JORDAN USED HER PUBLIC SPEAKING SKILLS TO FIGHT FOR CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS. AND PLEASE BEAR IN MIND, UH, SHE COULDN'T EVEN GO TO UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT THAT TIME. AND SO SHE WENT TO TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, AND AT TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, SHE BECAME A NATIONAL DEBATE CHAMPION. UM, AND AGAIN, YOU CAN'T BE A DEBATER IF YOU DON'T HAVE A LIBRARY IN BOOKS TO GO TO. IN 1972, JORDAN BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN TO BE ELECTED TO CONGRESS IN THE SOUTH SINCE 1898. AND IN 1976, BARBARA JORDAN WAS THE FIRST WOMAN IN THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN TO GIVE THE KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT THE NATIONAL DEMOCRAT CONVENTION. IN THAT KEYNOTE, UH, IS A FAMOUS QUOTE, WHICH COULD BE MORE, UH, COULDN'T BE MORE RELEVANT TO THE TIMES IN WHICH WE LIVE TODAY. AND SHE SAID, FOR ALL OF THIS UNCERTAINTY, WE CANNOT FLEE THE FUTURE. WE MUST ADDRESS AND MASTER THE FUTURE TOGETHER. IT CAN BE DONE. IF WE RESTORE THE BELIEF THAT WE SHARE A SENSE OF NATIONAL COMMUNITY, THAT WE SHARE A COMMON NATIONAL ENDEAVOR, IT CAN BE DONE. WE COULD USE HER POWERFUL PRESENCE RIGHT NOW IN OUR COUNTRY. AND SHE SPENT A LATTER PART OF HER CAREER AS A PROFESSOR OF ETHICS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, WHERE HER LEGACY CONTINUES TO LIVE ON AND THE STUDENTS SHE INSPIRED. AND THANKS TO THE WORK OF THESE ARTISTS, HER LEGACY LIVES ON, ON HERE TODAY. FINALLY, [00:10:01] I CANNOT THINK OF ANY ONE MORE DESERVING OF THIS HONOR THAN BARBARA JORDAN, A NATIONAL HERO AND TRAILBLAZER, THE EPITOME OF BRILLIANCE AND RESILIENCE. AND WE COULD NOT BE PROUDER THAT THIS ARTWORK HAS BEEN CREATED AND DELIVERED BY TWO OF HOUSTON'S OWN ARTISTS WHO ARE DOING AN INCREDIBLE JOB AS AMBASSADORS FOR OUR CITY AS ARTISTS WORKING INTERNATIONALLY. SO PLEASE, AS WE, UM, IN A FEW MINUTES, UH, SEE THE UNVEILING OF THIS MONUMENT, LET US SEE IT. BUT LET US ALSO BE INSPIRED THAT OUR WORK IS NOT YET DONE. AND IT WOULD BE A SHAME ON OUR WATCH IF THE THINGS THAT SHE STOOD FOR, IF THE BUILDINGS AND THE INSTITUTIONS AND THE FACILITIES THAT SHE USED TO ADVANCE HERSELF TO NATIONAL PROMINENCE, IF WE ALLOW THOSE FACILITIES TO BE DESTROYED ON OUR WATCH. AND SO THE MONUMENT IS HERE, BUT I HOPE YOU'LL CARRY THE MONUMENT IN YOUR HEARTS AND SOULS AND BE INSPIRED TO STAND UP. AND BARBARA JORDAN WOULD SAY, YOU HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. NOW, WHETHER OR NOT YOU USE IT IS UP TO YOU. SO THANK YOU THIS MORNING FOR BEING PRESIDENT. NOW LET ME BRING TO THE PODIUM, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE FOR THIS AREA. NONE OTHER THAN THE POWERFUL LITTLE BARBARA JORDAN. UH, ABBY CAYMAN . GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. GOOD MORNING. AND, UH, I'M GONNA DO SOMETHING A LITTLE UNTRADITIONAL. I AM SO PROUD TO REPRESENT DISTRICT C AND SPECIFICALLY FOURTH WARD FRIEDMANS TOWN. BUT I HAVE A LOT OF MY COLLEAGUES HERE THAT HAVE JUST AS MUCH LOVE AND PASSION. SO I'M GONNA INVITE MY COLLEAGUES TO STAND WITH ME. AND I, I DID WARN THEM, AND I, I DISCLAIMED TO THEM, UH, MS. ROSEMARY, I HOPE I DO, UH, BARBARA JUSTICE TODAY AS I TRY TO CHANNEL A LITTLE BIT OF HER. UM, BUT I LOOK AROUND AND THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE SITTING IN FRONT OF ME THAT ARE SO COMMITTED TO ALL OF THE THINGS THAT BARBARA JORDAN STOOD FOR. SO TO EACH OF YOU, THANK YOU FOR THAT. IT, IT IS TRULY A PRIVILEGE AND AN HONOR TO WORK WITH YOU ALL. WE ARE IN THE HEART OF FREEMAN'S TOWN, A COMMUNITY THAT IS ALIVE WITH HISTORY, CULTURE, AND STRENGTH. AND TODAY, AS WE ALL KNOW, WE ARE PAYING TRIBUTE TO A BEACON OF JUSTICE, A PARAGON OF PUBLIC SERVICE, CONGRESSWOMAN, BARBARA CHARLENE JORDAN. AND THIS IS THE PERFECT HOME RIGHT HERE AT THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN RESEARCH CENTER, WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT STRONGHOLD FOR UNDERSTANDING AND CELEBRATING BLACK HERITAGE AND ACHIEVEMENT. AND MAYOR, YOU HAD MENTIONED BRIEFLY, BUT I GET THE PRIVILEGE OF TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOU, THE WORK AND THE COMMITMENT THAT THIS TOOK TO BRING THIS HERE. UH, THE MAYOR VERY EARLY ON, UH, SPOKE WITH THE DIRECTORS AND SAID HOW IMPORTANT THIS WAS. AND, BUT FOR YOUR DRIVE AND TENACITY, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE COME TO FRUITION. THIS WAS YOU AND OF COURSE, DIRECTOR LAWSON, DIRECTOR IRVIN, AND THEIR TEAMS RIGHT THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, THROUGH THE SUPPLY SHORTAGES, ALL OF THAT. BUT MAYOR, REALLY YOU DID THIS, AND THANK YOU BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT TIME. AND AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, THIS MONUMENT IS MORE THAN JUST ABOUT REMEMBRANCE. IT IS A TESTAMENT TO THE RESILIENCE, THE DETERMINATION AND COMMITMENT THAT OUR CONGRESSWOMAN EMBODIED AND HER CONTRIBUTIONS TO CIVIL RIGHTS. HER UNWITTING STAND FOR JUSTICE AND HER STEADFAST BELIEF IN THE AMERICAN DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. AND AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, THAT THREAT TO OUR BEDROCK OF DEMOCRACY, OUR EDUCATION, OUR HISTORY WITH ALL OF ITS BLEMISHES IS AT STAKE. WE ARE IN A LIBRARY RIGHT NOW IN THE HEART OF FREEDMAN'S TOWN, AND I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE AT LIBRARY EVENTS, BUT AT A TIME WHEN SOME ELECTED OFFICIALS IN OUR NATION ARE CLAIMING THAT THERE WAS A BENEFIT TO SLAVERY AND ARE STRIVING TO ERASE THE TRUE HISTORY OF OUR NATION AND ARE TRYING TO BAN BOOKS AND LITERALLY WHITEWASH WHAT HAS HAPPENED AND ARE ELIMINATING SCHOOL LIBRARIES IN SOME COMMUNITIES, AND WE KNOW WHAT THE SUM ARE. I'M REMINDED BY WHAT CONGRESSWOMAN JORDAN SAID, EDUCATION REMAINS THE KEY TO BOTH ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL EMPOWERMENT. AND WE ARE HERE [00:15:01] TODAY, MAYOR, THANKS TO YOU, IN RIGHTEOUS DEFIANCE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING AROUND US. AND BARBARA JORDAN ALSO, UH, MY STAFF REMINDED ME ANO OF ANOTHER QUOTE, ONE OF THEIR FAVORITES. WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT IS VERY SIMPLE. THEY WANT IN AMERICA AS GOOD AS IT'S PROMISE. AND SHE GOES ON, WE HAVE A POSITIVE VISION OF THE FUTURE, FOUNDED ON THE BELIEF THAT THE GAP BETWEEN THE PROMISE AND THE REALITY OF AMERICA CAN ONE DAY BE FINALLY CLOSED. WE BELIEVE THAT, AND TODAY IS ONE OF THOSE STEPS. AND THAT PROMISE SHE SPOKE OF IS THE PROMISE THAT MAYOR, AS YOU SAID, WE MUST BRING FORWARD FROM ART INTO OUR DAILY LIVES NOW MORE THAN EVER. SO I HOPE THAT THIS MESSAGE TO EVERY CHILD IN OUR COMMUNITY, THAT REGARDLESS OF YOUR BACKGROUND, CREED OR COLOR, THAT YOUR POTENTIAL IS LIMITLESS. YOUR VOICE MATTERS, AND YOU TOO CAN SHAPE THE DESTINY OF OUR NATION, AND THAT IT IS ON EACH ONE OF US TO REMIND OUR CHILDREN OF THAT EVERY SINGLE DAY. AND THAT THEY WILL NOW BE REMINDED AND KNOW OF HER INTELLECTUAL PROWESS, HER FIERCE CANDOR AS SHE FOUGHT FOR THE MARGINALIZED AND DISENFRANCHISED SHATTERED GLASS CEILINGS AND SOLIDIFIED HER PLACE AMONG THE GREATEST FEMALE LEADERS, NOT ONLY OF HER TIME, BUT IN OUR NATION'S HISTORY. SO AGAIN, I I KEEP REFERENCING THE MAYOR A LOT, ONE BECAUSE HE DESERVES IT. AND I'LL TRY NOT TO GET EMOTIONAL, BUT, UH, MAYOR, I DON'T GET TO DO TOO MANY MORE OF THESE WITH YOU IN THIS CAPACITY. UH, AND EACH ONE, I THINK I CAN SAY FOR ALL OF US WE CHERISH. SO DIRECTOR LAWSON, DIRECTOR IRVING, TO ALL OF THE STAFFS AT OUR LIBRARIES, ESPECIALLY OUR LIBRARIANS, THANK YOU TO THE ARTISTS, CHARICE AND JAMAL AND YOUR FAMILIES. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING. NOT ONLY NOW, BUT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO COME. AND I'M, I'M, UM, NOW I DON'T SEE, OKAY, UH, DIRECTOR IRVING, I BELIEVE IT'S YOUR TURN AGAIN, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT YOU. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. GOOD MORNING. THIS IS AN AMAZING DAY. UM, IT IS A JOYOUS DAY IN THE MIDST OF THE CONTINUED FIGHTS THAT WE ALL HAVE. UM, WE HAVE TO ALWAYS REMEMBER THE JOY. SO GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IT IS TRULY AN HONOR TO SERVE AS THE CITY'S ADVOCATE FOR THE CREATIVE ECONOMY AS THIS ARTWORK ENTERS INTO OUR PERMANENT CIVIC ART COLLECTION. CIVIC ART REQUIRES PATIENCE AND COLLABORATION. IT TAKES A COMMUNITY. AND I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO WAS INVOLVED IN THIS WORK. AND THAT STARTS WITH THE ARTISTS, CHERISE, LINA WESSON AND JAMAL CYRUS. IT INCLUDES OUR FEARLESS CIVIC ART PROGRAM MANAGER, THERESA ESCOVEDO, AND ALL OF THE FOLKS IN, UM, ON OUR TEAM THAT WORK WITH HER HOUSTON ARTS ALLIANCE, UM, PROVIDING SUPPORT, UM, ON THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT SIDE, FABRICATORS, UM, THE COUNCIL WOMAN MENTIONS SUPPLY CHAINS AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT OCCUR. UM, SO THAT ALSO INCLUDES THE ARTWORK THAT WAS THE ART OF GLASS THAT WAS PRODUCED IN GERMANY BY THE PREMIER GLASS MAKERS MYERS OF MUNICH. UM, AND SO AGAIN, IT TAKES A COMMUNITY WHEN YOU SEE A PIECE OF ARTWORK IN PUBLIC AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MESSAGE THAT IT PROVIDES, UM, AND THE WORK THAT WENT INTO IT UNDER MAYOR TURNER'S LEADERSHIP. AND YOU WILL HEAR HIS NAME QUITE OFTEN IN THIS PROGRAM. UM, AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE STRONG LEADERSHIP. THAT'S, THAT'S, SO UNDER MAYOR'S MAYOR TURNER'S LEADERSHIP, WE HAVE BEEN LEANING INTO OUR VALUES. AND I LEANED IN A LITTLE BIT INTO THIS MIC, RIGHT? UM, WE HAVE BEEN LEANING INTO OUR VALUES SO THAT OUR COLLECTION [00:20:01] BETTER REFLECTS US HOUSTON THAT DI WE ARE, OUR COLLECTION IS DIVERSE IN ITS MEDIUMS, IT IS DIVERSE IN ITS ARTISTS, AND IT'S DIVERSE IN THE STORIES THAT IT TELLS BECAUSE WE HERE IN HOUSTON HAVE MANY STORIES TO TELL BARBARA JORDAN AND HER LEGACY IS HOUSTON. JAMAL AND CHERISE ARE HOUSTON. SO WE HAVE IN OUR GLOBAL CITY THIS NEW DYNAMIC ARTWORK BY INTERNATIONAL WORKING ARTISTS HONORING A TRANSFORMATIONAL BLACK WOMAN, ALL OF WHOM WERE BORN AND GROUNDED IN THIS COMMUNITY OF HOUSTON. THE THOUGHTFULNESS AND CARE AND PASSION PRACTICED BY CHERISE AND JAMAL IS CLEAR IN THIS ARTWORK AND MEETS THE CHALLENGE OF HONORING SUCH A WOMAN. EACH OF THESE ARTISTS IN THEIR PRACTICES WORK IN HISTORY, IN BLACK RESILIENCE AND WITH SOUND. UM, AND SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT, UH, THAT SELECTION, UM, OF WHO HAD THE HONOR OF DOING THIS WORK, IT WAS QUITE FITTING. SO WE HAVE, UM, REPOSTED ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, PLATFORMS FOR THE CITY, THE ARTIST TALK FROM EARLIER, AND I MENTIONED THAT NOW BECAUSE I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM THE ARTISTS, THEIR THOUGHTS AND THEIR PROCESS, UM, AS THEY WERE DIGGING INTO THE ARCHIVES AND DOING THE WORK TO CREATIVELY DETERMINE HOW THEY MIGHT REPRESENT, UM, SUCH AN AMAZING LIFE. AND SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE SOME TIME AND HEAR THEIR VOICES DIRECTLY. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO THEN SHARE IT FAR AND WIDE, AND THEN AS YOU TODAY WALK INTO THE MEDITATIVE SPACE AND TOMORROW AND ALL THE TOMORROWS TO COME. UM, WE REALLY HOPE THAT YOU THINK ABOUT THE DIALOGUE THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING, BOTH WITH THE ARTISTS, UM, THE ARCHIVAL MATERIAL, THE LAYERING OF CONTENT, AND THE CONTINUED WORK THAT WE SEE FROM THE LEGACY OF BARBARA JORDAN. AND SO, UNLIKE MANY OF YOU HERE TODAY, I DON'T HAVE A PERSONAL, UM, MEMORY OF MRS. JORDAN, BUT SHE HAS BEEN BIG IN MY LIFE AND SHE WAS BIG IN MY LIFE FROM A VERY YOUNG AGE AS, AND THEN AS I ENTERED LAW SCHOOL AND I LOOKED AROUND TO SEE WHO ARE THOSE FOLKS THAT I CAN, UM, LEARN FROM AND UNDERSTAND THE POWER OF MY OWN VOICE. AND SO AGAIN, I WANT TO SAY IT IS TRULY AN HONOR TO STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY. UM, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONTINUED JOY AND LOVE THAT WE, UM, WILL EXHIBIT AS WE ALL GET TO KNOW THIS PIECE AND THESE ARTISTS. AND SO I THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IT IS NOW MY ORDER, HONOR TO WELCOME TO THE STAGE MRS. ROSE, MARY MCGOWAN. OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND GOOD MORNING TO ALL. GOOD MORNING. I CERTAINLY EXPRESS APPRECIATION ON BEHALF OF THE FAMILY, THE JORDAN FAMILY, TO THE HONORABLE MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER AND THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR THE COMMEMORATIVE MONUMENT. HONORING MY SISTER, THE LATE BARBARA CHARLENE JORDAN, THANKS ALSO TO ALL ATTENDEES THIS MORNING, WHO WILL BE THE FIRST TO VIEW THE EXHIBIT, WHICH DEMONSTRATES BARBARA JORDAN'S DEDICATION TO PUBLIC SERVICE, RACIAL JUSTICE, AND THE FULFILLMENT OF AMERICAN IDEALS. A SINCERE THANKS AGAIN TO ALL WHO HAD A PART IN THE PRODUCTION OF THIS MONUMENT BEING A PART OF THIS MOMENTOUS OCCASION, [00:25:01] THE TRIBUTE THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE LIFE AND THE LEGACY OF THIS NATIVE HOUSTONIAN, BARBARA JORDAN. AMONG THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE REPRESENTED, UH, IN GIVING TRIBUTE TODAY, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE SPECIFICALLY MY SISTERS IN THE HOUSTON ALUMNI CHAPTER OF DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY. WOULD YOU STAND, WOULD YOU STAND TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE REPRESENTED? AGAIN, A SINCERE THANKS TO ALL. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. UH, MY NAME IS CAROLYN JONES DARVILLE, AND I'M THE SOCIAL ACTION CHAIR FOR HOUSTON ALUMNI CHAPTER DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED. UH, LIKE SORA MCGOWAN, I'M JUST SO PROUD TO BE HERE, TO BE HERE IN HONOR OF OUR SORROW, UH, BARBARA JORDAN. AND NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE SOROS FROM HOUSTON ILLUMINATE PRESENT, BUT WE ALSO HAVE SOROS FROM OTHER CHAPTERS PRESENT. SO WOULD YOU STAND AS WELL? THANK YOU. RAZ. UH, AS YOU, MANY OF YOU KNOW, DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY WAS FOUNDED IN 19 13 13 AT HOWARD UNIVERSITY AND THE HOUSTON AREA. WE WERE CHARTERED IN 1927 WITH HOUSTON ALUMNI. SINCE THAT TIME, WE'VE BEEN ADVOCATES IN THE COMMUNITY FOR CHO SOCIAL JUSTICE AND OTHER CAUSES THAT IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY AND JUST KNOW. SO MCGOWAN, AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE THAT. AND WE'RE JUST SO HONORED TO HAVE THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY ASSISTANT HONOR OUR SO R TODAY. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS HONOR IN SORA JORDAN'S MEMORY, AND WE JUST LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU FOR MANY, MANY MORE YEARS AS WE CONTINUE THE FIGHT THAT SHE STARTED. THANK YOU. IT IS TRULY MY HONOR, UM, TO, BEFORE WE CLOSE OUT, TO HEAR WORDS FROM OUR CURRENT HOUSTON POET LAUREATE. YES. WHEN THE MAYOR SAID THAT, UM, THE FORMER CONGRESSWOMAN, BARBARA JORDAN WAS A BAD SISTER, AND SHE WAS, WHEN WE ANNOUNCED THAT, UM, ARIS WAS THE NEW POET LAUREATE, UM, AND SHE TOOK THAT OPPORTUNITY TO ENSURE THAT HER VOICE WAS HEARD, AND WHEN SHE FINISHED, THE MAYOR HAD TO COME BACK TO THE PODIUM AND SAY, THIS IS A BAD SISTER . AND SHE HAS SINCE THAT DAY IN APRIL, SHOWN THE TRUE POWER OF WORDS. AND SO IT IS WITH GREAT PLEASURE THAT I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE ARIS KANE BROWN ONCE AGAIN, EVERYONE, GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS ARIS KEON BROWN. I'M THE CURRENT HOUSTON POET LAUREATE FOR 2023 TO 2025. AND THIS POEM IS TITLED HOW TO BUILD A BRIDGE. STEP ONE, SURVEY THE SPACE OVER WHICH YOU ARE BUILDING STUDY. ITS CRACKS AND CORALS KNOW WHAT RESTS IN THE TROUBLED WATER, WHAT IS BURIED BENEATH THE LAND. UNDERSTAND EVERY AREA IS VARIED IN LEVEL. SOME REQUIRE A SMOOTHING OVER, OTHERS ARE CLEARING OUT, SOME ARE DIGGING THROUGH ALL A LEVEL HEAD AND PATIENT HAND. STEP TWO, ANCHOR A BASE AT EVERY POINT AT AN EQUAL DISTANCE. ONE DOES NOT BUILD FROM THE BEGINNING TO AN END, BUT FROM ONE TO ANOTHER. AND THIS IS WHAT WE KNOW OF ALLYSHIP, OF BUILT-IN SUPPORT SYSTEMS OF BEARING A WEIGHT WITHOUT BREAKING DOWN A SOUND FOUNDATION AT ITS FEET. STEP THREE, BEGIN BUILDING THE BRIDGE IN PIECES, THE WELDED EDGES AND SANDED STONE CRAFTED WITH A PRACTICED TOUCH. EACH CHUNK STRUCTURED FOR SOMETHING BIGGER THAN ITSELF BIDS THE UTMOST ATTENTION. NO BOLT, UNSCREWED, NO PILE OUT OF PLACE. EACH PART A NECESSARY [00:30:01] THING. THE MOST FRAGILE OF WIRES WORTHY OF TENDER CARE. STEP FOUR, STOCKPILE YOUR PERSEVERANCE EARLY. YOU WILL NEED IT HERE ON DAYS WHEN HEAVY RAINS BEGIN TO BLUR THE HAND IN FRONT OF YOU WHEN THE HARSHEST OF WINDS LASH AT YOUR CHEEK. WHEN NIGHTS ARE SO COLD, THE NUMBNESS BECOMES YOU AND FEELING DRAINS FROM YOUR GRIP. YOU MUST REMEMBER NO BRIDGE IS BUILT IN A MINUTE, BUT EVERY MINUTE BUILDS THE BRIDGE. YOUR PERSISTENCE IS A TOOL. AS ANY HAMMER, CRANE OR SAW, DO NOT LOSE SIGHT EVEN IF YOU CANNOT SEE THE END. STEP FIVE, TAKE TIME FOR RADICAL REST. TRUST THE WORK IS BEING DONE ALONGSIDE YOUR SLEEP, YOUR STRETCH, YOUR BREAKS AND DOWNTIME, YOUR SIDE PROJECTS AND MOMENTS OF MEDITATION DROWN OUT THE DRILLING WHEN YOU NEED TO RETURN. WHEN YOU ARE READY, REMIND YOURSELF THAT NO LABOR SHOULD BE RENDERED WITHOUT COMPENSATION. NO SERVICE SMALLER THAN THE OTHER. TAKE THE TITLE MUST BE WORTHY OF TIME OFF. REMIND THE ONES ALONGSIDE YOU LEST THEY FORGET TOO LISTENER, YOU MUST ADMIT THERE IS NO FINAL STEP WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS AN END TO BE REACHED. WE MUST BELIEVE THAT NO BRIDGE BEARS A FINISH LINE FOR ITS SOLE PURPOSE IS THE WALKING ACROSS FOR THE CONSTANT CARRYING OF CONGREGATIONS TO EACH OTHER. NO, NONE OF THIS WOULD MATTER IF NOT FOR THE PURPOSES OF CREATING COMMUNITY. A BRIDGE IS ONLY ONE STEP IN THE BUILDING OF UNITY AND THE UPKEEP IS INFINITE. THE PAINT CHIPS THE CONCRETE SPLITS. WE BUILD NEW RAMPS FOR THE WHEELS THAT MAKE THEIR WAY HANDRAILS AND HIGH WALLS. AND OFTEN IT IS NOT ENOUGH FOR THE JOURNEY OVER ASK OUR ANCESTORS HOW OFTEN THEY WENT BACK TO THE BRIDGE. SOMETIMES WHAT AWAITS YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE IS NOT AN OPEN ARM. SOMETIMES IT OPENS YOU TO A WORLD YOU DID NOT KNOW TO PREPARE FOR. AND STILL WE GATHER EVEN IF IT IS ON OUR KNEES, EVEN IF WE DON'T UTTER A WORD, SOMETIMES THE ONLY THING THAT HOLDS US ARE EACH OTHER. OTHER TIMES WE REACH ACROSS AND MEET IN THE MIDDLE. MOST TIMES A BRIDGE STANDS ONLY AS THE POSSIBILITY UNTIL WE ARE BRAVE ENOUGH TO FACE THE FIGHT AHEAD. SO WE BUILD ANYWAY, THE FIGHT ALREADY BUILT IN US. WE BRING EVERY TOOL NEW FOUND OR PASSED DOWN TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY PROSPERING. FOR SOME, THOSE TOOLS ARE OUR HANDS FOR THOSE IT IS OUR VOICES. FOR OTHERS, IT IS OUR VOICES. WE LEARNED THAT EVEN THE SHYEST OF US CAN COVER THE RIGHT WIDEST GROUND WITH A WHISPER CAN STEAL AND STONE OUR WAY ACROSS A RESTLESS SEA. THAT EVEN THE ONES WHO STAND IN LINE AND AMPLIFY THE MESSAGE WITH THEIR PRESENCE MAKES THE PASSAGE THAT MUCH, MUCH LIGHTER. WE KNOW THAT WHEN WE GATHER OUR POSSIBILITIES ARE GREATER. IF WE HAVE A FRACTION OF THE FAITH OF THE ONES WHO CAME BEFORE US, EVEN WE CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS. EVEN IF THAT MOUNTAIN IS A MINDSET, WE ARE WRECKING GENERATIONS OF INFRASTRUCTURE, CENTURIES OF CONSTRUCTION CRAFTED AGAINST US AND FORGING A NEW EVERY STEP BUILDING ATOP THE WORK THAT HAS ALREADY BEGUN. THE WORK IS NEVER DONE STEP BEFORE, STEP ONE, STEP BEFORE STEP ONE. THANK YOU ARIS. THAT WAS AMAZING. UH, SO WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE SECOND PART OF THIS, THE THE MUCH ANTICIPATED PART. OH SURE. AND BEFORE, BEFORE WE MOVE ON, UH, AS YOU KNOW ON YOUR PROGRAM, UH, WAS CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE. YOU KNOW, IF SHE WAS IN TOWN, UH, SHE WOULD CERTAINLY BE HERE. UH, BUT SHE'S IN DC AND CONGRESS IS IN SESSION. SO I CERTAINLY DID WANT, UM, WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT SHE WANTED TO BE HERE. SHE THOUGHT SHE WAS GONNA BE HERE, BUT SHE TOO HAS A JOB TO SERVE. AND SO WANT TO MAKE THAT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT BEFORE, BEFORE WE LEAVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UH, SO NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE SECOND PART, THE MUCH ANTICIPATED UNVEILING OF THE ARTWORK. SO IF EVERYONE WILL FIRST WE'LL HAVE, UM, ELECTED OFFICIALS, UM, RIGHT BEHIND THE RIBBON AND WE WILL UNVEIL AND CUT THE RIBBON AS WELL. UNVEIL THE STRUCTURE AND CUT THE RIBBON. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.