[City of Houston Boards and Commissions Fair]
[00:00:14]
MY NAME IS SOPHIA REGA, THE CHAIR AND FOUNDER, ALONG WITH OUR FEARLESS LEADER IN TERMS OF THE MAYOR'S HISPANIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THE CO-CHAIR, LENO POLMAN.
SO APPRECIATIVE OF EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE, ROSE SALA, A MEMBER OF THE MAYOR'S HISPANIC ADVISORY BOARD AND CO-CHAIR OF THIS ENDEAVOR.
UM, NOMI HUSSEIN, THE CHAIR OF THE MAYOR'S, A API ADVISORY BOARD AND MEMBER OF THE HOUSTON SPORTS AUTHORITY, AS WELL AS OLIVIA LEE, THE DIRECTOR OF THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THAT HAS BEEN THE LEADERSHIP TEAM AND WE'RE MOST APPRECIATIVE.
OF COURSE, THE TRUE LEADER IS THE MAYOR BECAUSE WHEN WE ENVISION THIS IDEA 2019, HE WAS ECSTATIC.
HE'S BEEN BEHIND US AND WAS BEHIND US EVERY STEP OF THE WAY, AS WE SAY.
FIRST OF ALL, ABSOLUTELY WELCOME, WELCOME TO THE LEGACY ROOM AND AT CITY HALL IN HOUSTON.
IT IS A PROPHETIC CITY THAT IS AT THE CUSP OF A CHANGING AMERICA.
THERE'S MORE THAN 145 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES SPOKEN.
WE APPRECIATE MANY OF US SPEAK OTHER THAN ENGLISH AT OUR HOME.
IT IS EGALITARIAN WITH AN ENTREPRENEUR, CAN DO AND WILL DO.
SPIRIT HOUSTON IS ABOUT SPACE EXPLORATION, ENERGY INNOVATOR, WORLD CLASS HEALTHCARE, AWARD-WINNING CULINARY.
IT'S ABOUT MUSEUMS, IT'S ABOUT CULTURE, INSTITUTIONS, OF COURSE, OUR SPORTS TEAM AND OF GREATEST IMPORT, I BELIEVE.
AND I KNOW THAT, THAT THE MAYOR SHARES IT'S KNOWN AND WE ARE KNOWN FOR OUR OUTCOME.
DETERMINATIVE RESILIENCE, ALWAYS IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY.
I COULD GIVE YOU A LITANY OF THESE RECOGNITIONS.
I KNOW OUR MAYOR PRO TEM, WHO I SERVE ON THE HOUSTON FIRST BOARD WITH.
WE HEAR THESE ALL THE TIME, BUT A FEW OF THESE FOR US, 2023 US TODAY, HOUSTON NAMED ONE OF THE TOP GLOBAL DESTINATIONS TO VISIT WITH CHILDREN.
ONLY ONE OF SIX CITIES IN THE US TO MAKE IT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO MAKE THE GLOBAL LIST.
OKAY, THAT'S ABOUT VISITING, BUT HOW ABOUT BUSINESS AND HARDCORE REALITY? WELL, FINANCIAL TIMES 2022 FIFTH, BEST CITY FOR INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT.
THERE'S MANY I COULD, ONE OF THE BEST CITIES FOR GEN Z.
DIFFERENT GENERATIONS COVERED ONE OF ONLY TWO TEXAS CITIES TO MAKE THE TOP 15 LIST.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE 2022 LIST OF AMERICA'S BEST CITY.
OF COURSE, NOT SURPRISINGLY MAYOR, IT IS THE HIGHEST RANKED TEXAS CITY.
WHAT I LIKE THE STUDY REFERRED TO HOUSTON AS AMERICA'S STEALTHY POWERHOUSE ON THE RISE.
WHAT IS NOT OUR SECRET WEAPON? REALLY? AND THAT'S OUR FEARLESS LEADER AT THE HELM.
HE'S ALWAYS REMINDED US AND WE LISTEN.
WE SHOULD GO BOLD OR JUST GO HOME.
IF WE DREAM IT, WE CAN BELIEVE IT AND WE BECOME IT.
WE MUST ALWAYS SHUN THE INCREMENTAL AND GO FOR THE TRANSFORMATIVE.
HE HAS LED OUR CITY OVER THE PAST EIGHT YEARS.
HE HAS CATAPULTED US WITH OPTIMISM WHEN WE REALLY NEEDED IT AND SOLIDIFIED SUCCESS.
WHERE FAILURE IN HOUSTON IS NEVER AN OPTION.
YES, HOUSTON HAS AND IS ON THE WORLD STAGE.
HE HAS BEEN OUR BEST ACTOR AS HOMAGE TO WHAT YOU DID ON SATURDAY EVENING AT THE ENSEMBLE THEATER, UNDOUBTEDLY IN HIS FINAL YEAR.
WE DON'T WANT YOU TO GO AS HOUSTON'S TOP LEADER AFTER TWO SUCCESSFUL FOUR YEAR TERMS AS HOUSTON MAYOR, MAYOR TURNER'S THEME.
NOT SURPRISINGLY, THE U OF H AND HARVARD GRAD IN HIM IS ABOUT EXECUTION AND IMPLEMENTATION.
AS OUR CHIEF EXECUTIVE IN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS WHILE LEADING AND FACING US WITH US THROUGH SEVEN FEDERAL DECLARED DISASTERS, MAYOR TURNER HAS PASSED EIGHT BALANCE BUDGETS.
NOT SURPRISINGLY, HE'S ALSO THE IMMEDIATE PAST OF THE CLIMATE MAYORS AND THE IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MAYORS ASSOCIATION.
HE, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE RESILIENT CITY, THOUGH.
IT'S ABOUT THE RESILIENT COMMUNITIES.
AND WE REPRESENT THESE COMMUNITIES.
WHY ARE WE HERE TODAY? AS MAYOR TURNER HAS SAID SO BEAUTIFULLY, AND I QUOTE HIM OFTEN, ALWAYS GIVING HIM CREDIT.
DIVERSITY IS DESCRIPTIVE, INCLUSION IS INTENTIONAL.
THE INTENTIONALITY OF US HERE TODAY, THE IMPETUS FOR THIS EVENING, FIRST INAUGURATED IN 2018 WITH HIS LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT.
COVID CAUSED US A RESPITE WORKING WITH OUR CO-CHAIRS.
[00:05:01]
IT'S LEADERS, IT'S ASPIRING LEADERS.IT'S INTERESTED MEMBERS OF A COMMUNITY.
NOW, SOME OF US ARE SMARTER THAN OTHERS.
LENORA KNEW ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE OUR, OUR, OUR CITY FOR DECADES.
SHE WAS TAPS SINCE MAYOR WHITMEYER.
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES UNTIL MAYOR PARKER.
MAYBE SOME OF US ARE LEARNING FOR THE FIRST TIME.
OKAY, YOU ARE HERE AND WE'RE APPRECIATIVE.
WHAT ARE THESE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS? THERE'S 163 OF THEM THAT'S UNBELIEVABLE.
THEY COVER SUCH DIVERSE TOPICS AS TRANSPORTATION, INFRASTRUCTURE, HOUSING, PARKS, SPORTS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND THE ENVIRONMENT.
AND WHO ARE THESE BOARDS? WE'RE NOT PAID FOR ANY OF THIS.
WE BELIEVE THAT OUR TIME AND EXPERTISE CAN BENEFIT HOUSTON BY BEN, BY SETTING POLICY SETTLING DISPUTES, AIDING FELLOW CITIZEN FUNDRAISING AND BELIEVING IN OUR TRANSFORMATIVE ICONIC CITY.
THE DIRECTOR OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS JUST HAPPENS TO BE RIGHT NOW A FELLOW RICE OWL.
OLIVIA, UH, LEE, SHE ASSISTS THE MAYOR IN IDENTIFYING AND APPOINTING INDIVIDUALS WITH EXPERTISE AND COMMITMENT TO SERVE ON THE BOARDS.
WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY.
WE ARE, YOU WILL TAKE INFORMATION WITH YOU.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE ONE PUT TOGETHER, THAT IS OKAY.
SEND A PARAGRAPH, FILL OUT THE FORM.
WE NEED ENGAGED PEOPLE AND YOU JUST NEVER KNOW.
SHE WILL COVER AT THE END CROSS SECTION OF THE OPPORTUNITIES.
WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I'M GOING TO TURN IT TO LENORA TO INTRODUCE OUR MAYOR, WHAT WILL BE FORTHCOMING AFTERWARDS, INSPIRING WORDS FROM HIM.
AND THEN YOU WILL HAVE TWO PANELS OF LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT CONTINUE TO SERVE IN DIFFERENT CAPACITIES.
HONORED AND THANKFUL THAT YOU'RE HERE TONIGHT, MAYOR.
I MEAN, WHAT CAN I SAY? YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU.
AND I HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE OF NOT JUST KNOWING THE MAYOR FOR 30 YEARS PLUS, BUT WORKING RIGHT BESIDE HIM IN DEMOCRATIC POLITICS.
AND HE'S ALWAYS BEEN WITH ME IN GOOD TIMES AND IN BAD.
BUT WHERE SOPHIA HAS SAID SO MANY THINGS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THE MAYOR AND ALL THESE ACCOLADES AND AWARDS THAT HE HAS RECEIVED.
TO ME, WHAT I LOVE TO LET PEOPLE OR REMIND PEOPLE IS THAT FIRST OF ALL, HE'S A HOUSTONIAN.
HIS, HE WAS RAISED BY A SINGLE MOTHER WHO WAS A MAID AT THE, AT THE, AT THE RICE HOTEL.
UH, AND, AND IT, EVERY ONE OF YOU COULD ALSO BE MAYBE THE NEXT MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON OR ONE OF THE MAYORS COMING UP IN THE FUTURE, BECAUSE WHEN HE STARTED OUT, I'M SURE HE DIDN'T THINK THAT.
AND BEING WITH U OF H THEN GOING TO HARVARD, GETTING A LAW DEGREE, AND HE COULD HAVE GONE ANYWHERE HE WANTED TO, BUT NO, HE CHOSE TO COME BACK TO HOUSTON AND MAKE HOUSTON A BETTER PLACE.
AND FOR THAT, I WILL ALWAYS THANK YOU, MAYOR.
YOU MAKE HOUSTON, YOU MAKE ME A BETTER PERSON, A BETTER CITY.
I, THE ONE THING THAT I HAVE BEEN HEARING ALL THIS YEAR, AND I'M SURE UNTIL THE VERY END IS THAT WE WISH WE DIDN'T HAVE TERM LIMITS.
YOU'VE MADE SO MANY CHANGES AND, AND HAVING THE, UH, A A IP ABOARD JUST THE WOMAN'S BOARD.
YOU SAW WHAT IS MISSING HERE IN HOUSTON.
AND YOU'VE GIVEN US A VOICE, AND YOU'RE ALWAYS THERE TO LISTEN TO US.
SO, WHAT, WHAT ELSE CAN I SAY OTHER THAN I LOVE YOU AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
GIVE YOURSELVES A HAND FOR BEING HERE.
LOOK, LET ME, LET ME START OFF BY ACKNOWLEDGING MY MAYOR PRO TIM, UH, WHO'S HERE, DAVE MARTIN, AND DAVE AND I HAVE SERVED ON CITY COUNCIL NOW FOR 80 YEARS.
HE'S BEEN THE MAYOR, PRO CHAIRMAN FOR THE LAST FOUR.
SO THANK YOU FOR, UH, FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR LEADERSHIP AND, UM, AND, AND SERVES AS AN NOW AS A, AS AN HONORARY.
NOW YOU'RE AN ACTIVE BOARD, AREN'T YOU? OF HOUSTON FIRST? YES.
SO, UH, SO THANK YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH.
[00:10:01]
UH, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE, SO I CERTAINLY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM.UM, OLIVIA LEE IS MY BOARD CHAIR.
WHERE'S OLIVIA? DO YOU ALL KNOW OLIVIA? Y'ALL KNOW WHO, UH, EVERYBODY MET OLIVIA? OKAY.
AND WHAT I WANNA HIGHLIGHT, AND I'M KIND OF OFF SCRIPT ALREADY, WHAT I WANNA HIGHLIGHT IS THAT, UM, UH, IN MY EIGHT YEARS, I THINK I'VE HAD, I THINK I'VE HAD THREE, UH, BOARD, UH, CHAIRS OF, UH, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
UH, NOT ONE OF THEM, UH, HAS BEEN OVER 40 YEARS OF AGE.
THEY, THEY HAVE ALL BEEN UNDER THE AGE OF 40.
AND THAT WAS INTENTIONAL, UH, BECAUSE WHEN I WAS RUNNING FOR OFFICE, YOU KNOW, THAT YOUNGER GENERATION WAS SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO BE INCLUDED.
AND SO WHAT I, I DECIDED TO DO IS, AND TO PUT A, A YOUNGER PERSON, UH, IN CHARGE OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND WHAT I HAVE SAID TO PEOPLE LIKE OLIVIA LEE.
AND SO THE OTHERS, IF YOU DON'T APPOINT, UH, UH, YOUNGER FOLK ON ALL THESE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, THEN THAT'S YOUR FAULT, NOT MY FAULT.
UH, SO WE DO, WE DO WANT TO HEAR FROM THAT YOUNGER GENERATION, BECAUSE QUITE FRANKLY, AS MY DAUGHTER SAID WHEN I WAS RUNNING, DON'T BUILD A CITY FOR YESTERDAY OR FOR PEOPLE YOUR AGE AND OVER THE DEAD, UH, BUILD A CITY FOR, FOR, FOR THOSE MY AGE AND YOUNGER.
AND SO PLEASE GET TO KNOW, UM, I DON'T CARE WHO THE MAYOR IS.
GET TO KNOW THE PERSON OVER BOYS AND COMMISSIONS, BECAUSE THAT'S THE FIRST WINDOW CALLED IN.
UH, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE I DON'T KNOW.
OKAY? UH, AND QUITE FRANKLY, UH, MY DIRECTOR IS THE ONE WHO BRINGS THE NAMES AND THE RESUMES TO ME.
AND THEN OFTENTIMES, YOU KNOW, I WILL ACCEPT, I WILL ACCEPT HER JUDGMENT.
AND, AND THEN WE GO FROM THERE.
SO, UH, THAT'S WHAT I'M GONNA SAY.
SO, SOPHIA AND I HAVE KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR A LONG TIME.
I WAS A VIETNAM MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN LEADERSHIP FORUM CLASS 20, YOU KNOW.
SO THAT'S HOW WE GOT STARTED, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WENT UP THE MOUNTAIN, WE SLEPT ON THE MOUNTAIN, AND, AND DID THAT COME OUT RIGHT?
YOU KNOW, THEY PLAYED PRACTICAL JOKES ON ME.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN VERY CLOSE EVER SINCE.
SHE NOW SERVES ON HOUSTON FIRST, UM, VERY ACTIVE WITH BARK AS WELL, UM, AND HAS TRAVELED WITH ME INTERNATIONALLY.
THEIR RELATIONSHIPS ARE IMPORTANT.
UM, LENORA AND I, LIKE YOU SAID, LENORA AND I HAVE KNOWN WITH EACH OTHER FOR 30 PLUS YEARS.
UM, I GREW UP ON THE, ON THE SAME PART OF TOWN.
UM, WE'VE BEEN IN MANY POLITICAL BATTLES, GOING TO A NUMBER OF CONVENTIONS OF LOCAL STATE, NATIONAL TOGETHER.
SO WE HAVE, WE HAVE BEEN ON THIS ROAD A LONG TIME, AND NOW LENORA COCHAIRS, THE HISPANIC ADVISORY BOARD.
AND I WANT TO THANK HER, UH, FOR HER CONSISTENT AND RELIABLE AND MOST CAPABLE LEADERSHIP.
AND ON TOP OF THAT, WE ARE JUST GOOD FRIENDS.
SO, LOOK, I'M GLAD TO SEE EVERYONE HERE.
I'M NOT GONNA TALK A LONG TIME 'CAUSE YOU WANNA GET TO THE PANELS.
UM, I WANT TO, UH, THANK THE MAYOR HISPANIC ADVISORY BOARD AND A API, UH, ADVISORY BOARD FOR CO-HOSTING THIS EVENT AND PROVIDING THE RESIDENTS OF HOUSTON WITH AN AVENUE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BOARD COMMISSION.
NORMA HUSSEIN, YOU WILL BE HERE FROM LATER ON.
UH, I'VE PROBABLY BEEN TO HIS HOUSE.
UM, BUT, UH, UH, NORMA IS, IS A LAWYER AS WELL.
AND NORMY NOW SERVES AS THE CHAIR OF THE A API ADVISORY BOARD, WHICH WE JUST STARTED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO.
UH, BUT HE'S ALSO, UH, MY APPOINTMENT ON THE HARRIS HOUSTON SPORTS AUTHORITY.
A SPECIAL HIGHLIGHT IN THE HEARTFELT THANKS AGAIN TO SOPHIA, TO ROSE, UH, LENORA ON HISPANIC ADVISORY BOARD TO NORMA NORMY HUSSEIN.
AND I ALSO WANTED TO THANK OUR WONDERFUL PANELISTS, UH, WHO YOU WHO HAVE VOLUNTEERED NOT ONLY THEIR TIME TONIGHT, BUT MANY HOURS OF SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY ON CITY BOARDS.
UH, TONIGHT WE WILL HEAR, HAVE THE PLEASURE OF HEARING FROM FRANCIS CASTANEDA DAIS RIGHT HERE, WHO SERVES ON A FEW OF OUR BOARDS, INCLUDING THE BOARD OF POLY COMMISSIONERS AND TURS 15, ALSO VERY ACTIVE ON THE, IN THE EAST END, UH, WITH THE CHAMBER.
AND AS I'VE SAID, MANY TIMES AS GO TO EAST END, SO WE'LL GO TO CITY OF HOUSTON.
[00:15:01]
KIM DIXON, WHO SITS ON THE BOARD OF PUBLIC TRUST, UH, LES FREEMAN, WEARS LES.THERE'S LES RIGHT THERE, A BOARD MEMBER OF METRO.
AND BOY LES, YOU WOULD MY APPOINTEE ON ME ON, ON, ON, ON METRO.
BUT I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM HIM.
HE'S MY APPOINTEE, BUT HE'S EDUCATED ME.
OKAY? SO, UH, AND JUST BEEN INCREDIBLE.
IN FACT, WHEN IT COMES TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF, UH, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, UH, LES HAS BEEN VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN THAT, UH, PRETTY MUCH GAVE ME MY FIRST RECOMMENDATION ON WHO TO, UH, TO BE IN THAT POSITION.
SO WE START TALKING ABOUT THESE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
THE MAYOR PLACES FIVE OF THE NINE ON THE METRO BOARD.
UH, ESTE HAS BEEN ONE, UH, THAT'S BEEN ON THAT.
RIC ANI, UH, THE CHAIR OF THE FOOD INSECURITY BOARD, WHERE SHAIK, WHERE SHOULD WE GO ON THE FOOD INSECURITY BOARD? IF HE'S NOT HERE, HE WILL BE ON HIS WAY.
DR. JUAN SOTO, WHO SERVES ON THE HOUSTON MEDIA SOURCE.
WHERE'S, WHERE'S DOC? YEAH, SEE, YOUNG MAN, YOU KNOW, UH, WAS PRESIDENT OF THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE, UH, UH, AND, AND JUST GOT HIS DOCTORATE DEGREE.
AND NOW SERVES ON THE HOUSTON MEDIA SOURCE AND LOOKING UP AND COMING AND UPRISING.
YOU KNOW, YOU'LL, YOU'LL, YOU'LL SEE HIM AROUND.
HE'S GONNA RUN FOR SOMETHING ONE DAY.
UM, BUT AGAIN, I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE HIM.
AND THEN LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, NORMY HUSSEIN, WHO IS CHAIR OF THE A API ADVISORY BOARD AND IS DOING DOUBLE DUTY TONIGHT AS HOST AND A PANELIST AND A, AND A LAWYER, AND, AND A GOOD FRIEND THIS EVENING, IS ALL ABOUT EXPLORING THE INCREDIBLE REMS OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT PLAY AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN SHAPING THE FUTURE OF OUR BELOVED CITY.
AND LEMME JUST STOP AND SAY THIS, SOME MAY ASK, OKAY, MAYOR, WHY, WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS? THIS IS THE END OF AUGUST.
YOUR TERM ENDS IN FOUR MONTHS.
HELL, YOU WON'T EVEN BE AROUND, UH, COME 2024.
BUT THE REALITY IS, UM, AS MAYORS, YOU RUN IT, IT'S A RELAY RACE.
YOU DON'T START THE CITY ALL OVER AGAIN.
WHEN YOU COME IN, YOU PRETTY MUCH PICK UP WHERE THE LAST MAYOR LEFT OFF, AND THEN YOU TAKE A BIT FURTHER.
SO EVERYBODY THAT'S SERVING ON BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS DON'T JUST GO AWAY.
IN FACT, MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO ON BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, WHEN I BECAME MAYOR, THEY CONTINUED TO SERVE.
OKAY? AND THEN AS VACANCIES OCCUR, THEN YOU START FILLING THEM IN.
OR PEOPLE, FOR EXAMPLE, WHO HAD BEEN SERVING FOR A LONG TIME, THEY MAY SAID, YOU KNOW, MAYOR, UH, I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD A LONG TIME, IT'S TIME FOR ME TO DO SOMETHING ELSE.
SO YOU DON'T JUST START ON THE NEXT MAYOR COMES IN ON JANUARY 1ST AND EVERYBODY GOES AWAY.
IT'S A CONTINUATION BECAUSE AS YOU HEARD SOPHIA SAY, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 160 PLUS BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
THAT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE, OKAY? SO, UH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S AN ONGOING PROCESS.
AND IT'S NOT LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST, YOU KNOW, YOU BRING IN A NEW MAYOR AND, AND THIS MAYOR MUST GO WHETHER YOU WANNA STAY OR NOT.
UM, BUT THE REALITY IS FOR THE BOARD AND COMMISSIONS, THE CITY CONTINUES TO FUNCTION.
AND NO ONE PERSON, AND NO CITY COUNCIL CAN DO IT BY THEMSELVES.
QUITE FRANKLY, IF YOU TAKE THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS TASK FORCE OUT OF THE EQUATION, THE CITY STOPS.
OKAY? THAT'S JUST TO LET YOU KNOW JUST HOW IMPORTANT THEY ARE.
SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HOUSTON, FIRST, THE MARKETING ARM FOR THESE, FOR THE CITY, CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE HARRIS HOUSTON, HOUSTON SPORTS AUTHORITY, CRITICALLY IMPORTANT, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT METRO AND TRANSIT, CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE WOMEN'S COMMISSION, QUITE FRANKLY, THE CITY COUNCIL JUST IMPLEMENTED PARENTAL LEAVE THAT CAME OUT OF THE WOMEN'S COMMISSION.
OKAY? SO ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
SO THE IDEAS DON'T JUST COME FROM THE MAYOR OR COME FROM THE MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.
A LOT OF THESE IDEAS COME FROM THESE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
BUT JUST OVER 160 BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS COVERING A SPECTRUM AS WIDE AS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARKS, THE ENVIRONMENT AND BEYOND THESE AVENUES PROVIDE ENDLESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU, YOUR RESIDENTS, TO CONTRIBUTE IN TIME.
TURS, HOW MANY VERSION OF DETS, THE TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONES, THOSE ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
THERE ARE 28 OF THEM, AND PEOPLE WANNA SERVE ON THEM.
QUITE FRANKLY, IT'S A BIG DEAL, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
PEOPLE, PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE JUST HOW IMPORTANT THE TURS ARE.
THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS BIG DEAL, OKAY? AND THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE
[00:20:01]
SERVING ON THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT OF THE CHURCH, AND OFTENTIMES DIG THIS, PEOPLE WILL COME AND, AND THEY WANT THE GLAMOROUS STUFF.YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD PEOPLE COME IN AND SAY, MAN, I WANT THIS.
AND I SAID, WHAT ABOUT THIS? I NEVER HEARD OF THAT ONE.
AND IN SOME CASES, LIKE THE TURS, I SAID, YOU DON'T WANNA SERVE ON THE TURS? AND I SAID,
BECAUSE LET ME TELL YOU, A LOT OF WHAT HAPPENS IS THIS CITY ARE DRIVEN BY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT OFTENTIMES YOU MAY NOT EVEN BE AWARE, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO BARK, CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
SO, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT, UH, SOME OF THAT.
AND SOME OF THESE BOARDS, LIKE THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION AND BARK FOUNDATION BOARDS, TAKE UP THE MANTLE OF FUNDRAISING FOR CRITICAL CITY SERVICES.
THEY EXEMPLIFY THE SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, REMINDING US THAT OUR COLLECTIVE EFFORTS CAN MAKE A TANGIBLE DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OUR FELLOW CITIZENS.
AND IF THERE'S A TOPIC YOU'RE KNOWLEDGE ABOVE AND PASSIONATE ABOUT, CHANCES ARE THERE IS A BOARD THAT DEALS WITH THOSE TYPE OF ISSUES.
AND WE, AS A CITY BENEFIT, WHEN OUR BOARD MEMBERS ARE DIVERSE AS A CITY WE LIVE IN, AND I ALWAYS WANT, UH, UM, COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY, COMMITTED TO INCLUSION.
AND IT'S NO DIFFERENT WHEN IT COMES TO CITY BOARD AND COMMISSIONS, WHICH MEANS YOU CAN TALK ABOUT DIVERSITY, BUT IF IT'S NOT REPRESENTED ON THESE BOARD AND COMMISSIONS, YOU FAIL BECAUSE YOU, YOU CAN'T HAVE AN INCLUSIVE CITY UNLESS, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE PEOPLE REFLECTIVE ON ALL OF THESE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
AND SO, WHAT, WHEN, WHEN I'M TALKING TO OLIVIA, FOR EXAMPLE, A BOARD OF COMMISSIONS, THE CHAIR, I SAID, YOU KNOW, SAY, YOU KNOW, TELL ME, TELL ME WHO'S ON THESE BOARDS.
YOU KNOW, HOW DIVERSE IS, ARE THE BOARDS, ARE THERE WOMEN, ARE THE PEOPLE OF COLOR? WHAT IS WHAT'S, UH, UH, UH, ORIENTATION, UH, PEOPLE FROM THE LGBT COMMUNITY ON THESE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT.
HOW LONG HAVE SOME OF THESE PEOPLE BEEN ON THE BOARDS? BECAUSE SOME OF THESE PEOPLE BEEN ON THE BOARDS A LONG TIME,
AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE GET ON AND THEY DON'T LIKE LEAVING.
YOU KNOW, THEY, SO SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA GIVE 'EM A PROCLAMATION AND THANK THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE
SOMETIMES WHEN PEOPLE, SOMETIMES WHEN PEOPLE GET A PROCLAMATION.
NOW, THIS IS NOT EVEN A SCRIPT.
NOW, I SHOULD, I, I SHOULD BE SAYING
OLIVIA COMES, SHE SAYS, MAYOR, THEY'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
I SAID, WHAT DID YOU ASK THE MOTHER? I THINK, HAVE THEY GOTTEN TIRED? SHE SAID, I, I CALLED THEM.
AND THEY SAY, THEY, THEY ARE PERFECTLY CONTENT
AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, DID THEY SAY ANYTHING ABOUT SERVING ON SOMETHING ELSE? THEY SAID, NO, THEY WANNA STAY.
I SAID, WELL, YOU KNOW, OLIVIA, IF THEY STAY, NOBODY ELSE CAN SERVE.
SO I TELL YOU WHAT WE'LL DO, WE GONNA GIVE 'EM A PROCLAMATION,
AND TO GET THE PROCLAMATION, THAT MEANS THEY HAVE TO EXIT IT.
SO EVERYBODY GIVE 'EM A HAND
THAT'S, THAT'S MORE THAN WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW, YOU KNOW? BUT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THESE, FOR THESE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS TO BE HIGHLY, HIGHLY DIVERSE.
AND WHILE WE WERE NOT ABLE TO HOLD THE BOARDS AND COMMISSION FAIR DURING THE PANDEMIC, THE MAYOR'S HISPANIC ADVISORY BOARD HELD, HELD VIRTUAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT BOARD AND COMMISSIONS, WHICH WERE VIEWED BY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.
AND I'M PROUD TO HAVE CREATED OUR FIR, OUR VERY FIRST ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER ADVISORY BOARD.
AND THOUGH THEY HAVE NOT ALL HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A MONTH, THEY HAVE MADE GREAT STRIDES TO IMPROVE THE INCLUSION OF THE A API COMMUNITY.
AND LEMME JUST SAY SOMETHING ELSE.
SOMETIMES YOU MAY NOT BE ON A BOARD OR A TASK FORCE, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU DON'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE ENGAGING AND INCLUSIVE.
UH, BECAUSE SEVERAL TIMES OF THE YEARS, MAYOR, I TRAVEL OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTRY ON, UH, VARIOUS TRADE AND INVESTMENT MISSIONS.
UM, AND YOU REACH OUT WITH PEOPLE WHO CAN BE AN ASSET TO YOU WHERE YOU GO.
JUST IN OCTOBER, WE WERE IN JAPAN, AND DONNA COLE, WHO WAS NOT ON A BOARD AND COMMISSION, BUT WAS CERTAINLY AN ACTIVE BUSINESSWOMAN, AN ENTREPRENEUR, UH, AND HAD SOME DEEP ROOTS IN JAPAN, WENT ALONG WITH, BUT DONNA, STAND UP.
SOME PEOPLE WOULD SAY, YEAH, DONNA COLE.
AND THE POINT IS, THERE ARE MANY WAYS YOU CAN SERVE, AND THE RELATIONSHIPS ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
[00:25:01]
SERVING ON THE A API ON THE A API BOARD.UH, SO THEY ALSO HAVE AMBITIOUS PLANS TO HOLD A NATIONAL A API CONFERENCE IN THE COMING YEAR.
SO I'M PROUD TO HAVE THESE TWO BOARDS WHO ARE COMMITTED TO EQUITY AND INCLUSION HOSTING THIS EVENT TONIGHT.
AND THEN LASTLY, UH, THEY HAVE PROVIDED A MEANS OF PEOPLE TO SEE THE PATH OF CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS.
AND SO, I'M, I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT ALL OF YOU ARE HERE, YOUR RESPONDENT LIMITATION.
I CAN LOOK OUT AND SEE, I MEAN, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE, WHICH MEANS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST IN SERVING THE GREAT CITY OF HOUSTON.
WHAT'S ALSO IMPORTANT IS WHEN I LOOK OUT IN THIS AUDIENCE, YOU ARE REFLECTIVE OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M EXTREMELY PROUD OF.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST.
UH, PLEASE, UM, BECOME AFFILIATED, UH, WITH ONE OR MORE.
UH, AND LEMME JUST SAY THIS, AND IF THERE'S NOT A BOARD OR A COMMISSION OR TASK FORCE THAT YOU THINK IS IMPORTANT, THAT'S IMPORTANT THAT'S NOT IN EXISTENCE, THEN LET US KNOW.
THE WOMEN COMMISSION CAME ABOUT BECAUSE IT DIDN'T EXIST, BUT PEOPLE CAME AND SAID, MAYOR, IT'S IMPORTANT.
SO WHETHER IT'S THE HISPANIC ADVISORY BOARD, WHETHER IT'S THE A API, UH, ADVISORY BOARD, WHETHER IT'S THE L-G-B-T-Q ADVISORY BOARD, OR ANY OTHER BOARD OF COMMISSION THAT YOU THINK IS IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, PLEASE LET THE MAYOR KNOW, OR HIS DESIGNEE.
I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY CHIEF OF STAFF, UH, MARETTE HUNTER, UH, WHO IS HERE AS WELL.
AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT, UH, I THINK WE'VE BEEN QUITE SUCCESSFUL AT APPOINTING PROBABLY, UH, MORE WOMEN TO LEADERSHIP POSITIONS OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, UH, THAN ANYONE IN THE, IN THE PAST.
SO I'M VERY, I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT.
HAVING SAID THAT, I THINK I'VE TALKED ENOUGH.
UH, I SEE DIRECTOR ANGEL PONCY OVER MY MAYOR'S OFFICE WITH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
PLEASE GIVE UP TO ANGEL PONCY.
IAN FRANCIS IS MY DIRECTOR OF DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
DO I HAVE ANY OTHER DIRECTORS HERE? THAT COMMUNICATIONS IS OVER THERE.
BARRY BENTON AND HER TEAM FOR COMMUNICATIONS.
THAT'S TRACY, THAT'S OVER THERE.
WE ARE WORKING WITH HOUSTON FIRST.
THAT'S OVER COMPLETE COMMUNITIES.
WHO'S THE DIRECTOR? MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS.
WHO IS MY FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY SERVICE DIRECTOR.
ANY OTHER DIRECTORS THAT ARE HERE THAT I'VE MISSED? OKAY, HAVING SAID THAT, I THINK, DO I GIVE IT OLIVIA? DO I GIVE IT BACK TO HER? DO I GIVE IT TO NOW? I'M GIVING IT BACK TO, UH, AND SOPHIA, SOPHIA IS TEACHING ME SPANISH
WE'RE GONNA BE INCREDIBLE IN A FEW WEEKS.
I THOUGHT THE PROCLAMATIONS WERE SPECIAL.
WE KNOW THAT MEANS YOU'RE OUT
I'M EXPECTING MY, THE PROCLAMATIONS ARE SPECIAL.
ECSTATIC, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO THE BOARDS, AND WE ARE GOING TO GET GOING WITH THE PANEL AT THE OUTSET.
THE MAYOR DID A FANTASTIC JOB OF INTRODUCING EVERYONE.
SO INDULGE ME JUST FOR A SECOND.
UM, JUST A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS WITH REGARD TO, HE'S ALREADY REFERENCED MANY TIMES.
YOU'VE NEVER INVITED ME TO MY, YOUR HOUSE, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY, BUT WE JUST MET.
BUT, UH, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AS THE CHAIR OF THE MAYOR MAYOR'S ASIANS, AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER ADVISORY BOARD, JUST RECENTLY CREATED.
BUT YOU ARE ALSO A COMMISSIONER ON THE PRESIDENT BIDEN'S WHITE HOUSE FELLOWSHIP COMMISSION IS MY UNDERSTANDING.
YOU'VE ALSO BEEN CHAIRMAN OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S ETHIC COMMISSION, NOT A LIGHT TASK.
AND THE MAYOR HAD REFERENCED HIS SPORTS AUTHORITY.
SO KNOW ME AND HONOR GET TO GET TO KNOW YOU AND LOOKING FORWARD TO FUTURE ENDEAVORS.
KIM DIXON DUDLEY, HONORED TO MEET YOU.
NATIVE HOUSTONIAN LICENSED, UH, RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE BROKER AND ENTREPRENEUR, 17 PLUS YEARS EXPERIENCE.
YOUR CURRENT MEMBER OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S BOARD OF PUBLIC TRUST.
AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO SOME EXPLAINING FOR THE REST OF US AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S MANAGEMENT DISTRICT BOARD NUMBER 10, BOTH OF WHICH MAYORAL APPOINTMENTS.
SO THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR TIME.
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR RECENT PHD.
MUCH HIGHER CREDENTIALS THAN SOME OF US HAVE.
[00:30:01]
COMMEND YOU.YOU'RE A CURRENT BOARD MEMBER OF THE HOUSTON MEDIA SOURCE AND THE MAYOR'S HISPANIC ADVISORY BOARD JUST JOINED.
AND AS THE MAYOR SAID, THE PAST CHAIR OF THE HOUSTON SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE.
SO, AND, AND, AND TO BE CLEAR, AND THIS IS IMPORTANT.
THIS IS NOT GONNA BE A SITUATION WHERE WE'RE GOING TO LIMIT TO THEM SPEAKING AT THIS JUNCTURE.
WE'LL DO BOTH PANELS BECAUSE THE, THE MAYOR WAS RIGHT THE FIRST TIME WE DID ONE PANEL.
SO IN ORDER TO BE MINDFUL OF EVERYONE'S TIME, WE'LL GET THROUGH THE PROGRAM.
HOWEVER, AFTERWARDS, ALL OF US ON THE PANELS ARE STAYING AT LEAST 30 MINUTES.
IF YOU WANNA GIVE US YOUR BUSINESS CARD, IF YOU WANT US TO GIVE IN YOUR INFORMATION, WE WILL BE THERE.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THERE'S A POTENTIAL FOR Q AND A, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT'S IMPORTANT.
OKAY, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THIS IS THE PART I DON'T LIKE BECAUSE YOU'RE ALL SUPERSTARS.
GIVE ME TWO TO THREE MINUTES AT THE OUTSET INTRODUCING YOURSELF.
WHAT DIDN'T WE COVER AND WHY ARE YOU HERE? WE'LL START WITH KIM.
UH, IS MY MIC ON? SO, KIM DIXON DUDLEY.
I AM A RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE BROKER AND DEVELOPER, LIKE YOU MENTIONED EARLIER.
I, UH, HAD THE PLEASURE OF DOING THAT AND WORKING IN MY CITY, HOUSTON, HOUSTON, PROUD FOR 17 YEARS.
UM, AS YOU MENTIONED, I I SERVE ON THE BOARD OF THE HOUSTON, IT'S ACTUALLY CALLED THE FOUNDATION BOARD, BUT WE CALL IT THE HOUSTON BOARD OF PUBLIC TRUST.
AND I'VE DONE THAT FOR EIGHT YEARS NOW WITH MS. LENORE PAULMAN, WHO IS A ROLE MODEL FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO ENGAGE, JUST FOLLOW THIS WOMAN.
UM, UH, YOU MENTIONED THAT WE, I SERVE ON THE MANAGEMENT BOARD DISTRICT NUMBER 10, WHICH IS SUNNYSIDE.
AND, UH, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW.
YOU KNOW WHAT? WELL, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT A TURS DOES SOMETIMES, BUT A MANAGEMENT DISTRICT AND A TURS ARE ALMOST MARRIED.
UH, YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR BEING GOOD STEWARDS OVER TAX DOLLARS AND DOING SMALL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, STREETS, LIGHTS.
UM, SO IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THAT SORT OF THING, WHICH I WOULD BE, SINCE I'M OPERATING IN THE DEVELOPMENT SPACE, THOSE, THOSE THINGS.
WELL, AND WHAT I WOULD TELL ANYBODY ON THE BOARD, OR WHO'S HERE AND YOU WANNA GET INVOLVED, IS LET YOUR CURIOSITY BE YOUR, YOUR COMPASS.
YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOU NATURALLY CURIOUS ABOUT? WHAT DO YOU NATURALLY CARE ABOUT? AND THEN THAT WAY, WHEN YOU'RE HAVING TO GO TO THESE MEETINGS AND DO THE REVIEW, THE PROPOSALS, THAT MAY TAKE QUITE A WHILE, RIGHT? UH, IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE WORK.
IT REALLY FEELS LIKE YOUR PURPOSE.
SO I LIKE THAT, THE CURIOSITY SERVING AS THE COMPASS.
AND IT MUST BE A MORAL COMPASS.
AND WE'RE GONNA TURN TO MR. ETHICS NEXT.
KNOW ME A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR, YES.
THIS IS NOT PART OF THE, THIS IS NOT INTERACTIVE
THIS FOUNDATION BOARD IS THE ONLY BOARD THAT WE GIVE MONEY TO THE NONPROFITS.
WE NEED MORE PEOPLE TO, UH, SEND US INFORMATION.
SO, SO WE ARE IN CHARGE OF ALL FUNDS DONATED TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND WE ARE, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO REVIEW PROPOSALS THAT COME IN FOR BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS, ACTUALLY 5 0 1 C3 NONPROFITS THAT DO GOOD SOLID WORK IN SUPPORTING OUR SENIORS, OUR UNDERPRIVILEGED CHILDREN, UH, HEALTHCARE NEEDS THAT ARE JUST KIND OF UN, THAT ARE MISSED.
SO THAT'S WHAT THE BOARD OF PUBLIC TRUST IS RESPONSIBLE FOR.
SO NOW, NOT ONLY IF YOU HAVE A FAVORITE TRA CHARITY, UH, AND OF SERVICENOW, NOW THERE'S A, THE VENUE OF AND A VEHICLE POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITY.
WELL, LIKE YOU, I'M, I'M A TRIAL LAWYER BY TRAINING.
AND MY GRANDPARENTS ALWAYS USED TO TELL ME, NOMI, TO THOSE, TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN, MUCH IS EXPECTED.
AND I'VE BEEN BLESSED WITH A GREAT EDUCATION AND GREAT FINANCIAL SUCCESS.
AND I, I GIVE BACK THROUGH SERVING.
AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY WHO'S HERE TO TALK TO THE PANELISTS AND THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE.
SO ALL OF YOU'RE HERE BECAUSE YOU WANNA SERVE.
YOU HAVE THAT PASSION TO SERVE AND MAKE THE CITY A BETTER CITY, A GREAT CITY, THE SHINING BEACON ON THE HILL.
SO, YOU KNOW, I GREW UP IN A VERY SMALL TOWN IN HUFFMAN, TEXAS.
WE HAD A HUNDRED PEOPLE IN MY GRADUATING CLASS.
I WENT TO UT THEN I CAME BACK TO HOUSTON TO ATTEND LAW SCHOOL.
UM, SO MY PASSION IS GIVING BACK TO PUBLIC SERVICE, WHETHER IT'S AT THE CITY LEVEL, THE COUNTY LEVEL, OR AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, WORKING WITH PRESIDENT BIDEN TO SELECT HIS WHITE HOUSE FELLOWS THAT SERVE UNDER THE PRESIDENT EVERY YEAR IN THE WHITE HOUSE, OR SERVING OUR GREAT MAYOR HERE ON THE SPORTS AUTHORITY.
AND I'M HONORED TO SERVE AS ITS CHAIR FOR THE ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC IS BOARD.
AND PRIOR TO THAT, I WAS CHAIRMAN FOR EIGHT YEARS OF THE CITY'S ETHICS COMMISSION IN WHICH WE OVERSAW THE, UH, ELECTED OFFICIALS HERE IN THE CITY AND MAKE SURE THEY DID ALL OF THEIR FINANCIAL REPORTING.
SO, YOU KNOW, I KNOW, SOPHIA, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE SOME MORE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS FOR US, BUT THAT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME AND WHY I SERVE.
NO INCREDIBLE SERIOUS GRAVITAS TO SOME OF THE WORK THAT YOU BOTH HAVE DONE FOR THE CITY, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, FOR THAT.
[00:35:01]
YOU'RE NEXT.AND THE THING THAT YOU DID NOT COVER WAS THE REASON WHY I DECIDED TO JOIN.
SO, A FIRST GENERATION, UH, LATINO GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL, AND I OBVIOUSLY ACHIEVED MY PHD.
UM, BUT I ALSO SAW A NEED NOT ONLY THROUGH MY PERSONAL JOURNEY WHERE MY MOTHER DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO SPEAK ENGLISH, AND HOW BEING ABLE TO SERVE ON THESE BOARDS, IT MAKES ME, UH, WANT, UH, IT ALLOWS ME TO INTERPRET THESE POLICIES DIRECTLY TO OUR INDI OUR, NOT ONLY MY MOTHER, MY FAMILY, BUT ALSO TO OUR, OUR GROWING COMMUNITY, UH, SPECIFICALLY IN THE NORTHEAST HOUSTON AREA WHERE I GREW UP IN THE CASHMERE, UH, SAT GAS AREA, WHERE I SAW THE NEED, UH, THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF, THERE ARE A LOT OF, UH, UH, RESIDENTS THERE THAT, UH, MAY NOT NECESSARILY HAVE THE MEANS TO TRAVEL TO CITY HALL BECAUSE OF THEIR FINANCIAL SITUATION.
UH, AND SO BEING ABLE TO SERVE IN ONE OF THESE BOARDS IS MORE LIKE ME BEING ABLE TO INTERPRET SOME OF THESE POLICIES THAT ARE CURRENT, WE'RE CURRENTLY UNDER, UH, WE'RE IMPLEMENTING, UH, FOR THE AVERAGE CITIZEN.
AND SO, UM, THE BIGGEST THING ABOUT SERVING ON THE BOARD, IN MY OPINION, OR MY, UH, WHAT, WHAT I, I LOVE ABOUT IT IS THE FACT THAT I'M ABLE TO RELY SOME OF THE INFORMATION BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, TO THOSE MEMBERS THAT OTHERWISE MAY HAVE A HARDSHIPS, UH, UH, WHETHER IT'S LANGUAGE BARRIERS OR WHETHER IT'S ECONOMIC STATUS, UH, TO BE ABLE TO INTERACT WITH THEIR LOCAL COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND SO, UH, HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF NOT ONLY BEING ABLE TO SERVE IN THE HOUSTON MEDIA SOURCE BOARD, UH, WHICH HAS BEEN AROUND FOR 35 YEARS, AND THIS IS AN AVENUE WHERE ANYONE WHO'S INTERESTED IN THE WORLD OF RADIO AND TELEVISION, YOU HAVE AN OPEN ACCESS, UH, UH, ORGANIZATION THAT IS DEDICATED FOR THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THIS PARTICULAR FIELD.
UH, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE, UH, SERVED THERE FOR TWO YEARS.
SO SUPER NEIGHBOR ALLIANCE HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 1999.
AND THIS IS ANOTHER ORGANIZATION, UH, THAT, UH, IS ALSO ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
HOW DO WE BRING THESE ISSUES BETWEEN, UH, THE COMMUNITY AND POLICY MAKERS THAT OFTENTIMES ARE NOT NECESSARILY, UH, IN TUNE WITH ONE ANOTHER? SO BEING ABLE TO SERVE ON THE BOARD IS MORE ABOUT INTERPRETATION OF THOSE POLICIES TO OUR EVERYDAY CITIZENS, UH, THAT WE, UH, WE, UH, UH, COME ACROSS IN OUR INDIVIDUAL, UH, SPHERE.
AS I REFERENCED SOME KNEW LENORA WAS SMART ENOUGH TO KNOW FOR MANY YEARS ABOUT SERVING SOME OF US.
I SERVED ON AT LEAST 15 BOARDS OUTSIDE THE CITY BEFORE A MAYOR APPROACHED ME MORE THAN 10 YEARS AGO IF I WANTED TO SERVE A LITTLE BIT.
SO THE NEXT QUESTION IS QUERY.
WHAT WAS EITHER THE IMPETUS FOR YOU? MAYBE YOU DID WHAT WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO DO TO JUST SUBMIT THEIR INFORMATION, OR DID SOMEONE VISIT WITH YOU AND SAID, THIS MAY BE OF INTEREST TO YOU.
HOW KIM DID YOU GET INVOLVED? AND THEN, UH, I'M GONNA ASK THAT OF EVERYONE.
AND THEN, UH, THE, THE NEXT QUESTION WOULD BE ABOUT ADVICE ABOUT GETTING THERE, BUT FIRST, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR PATH.
SO AS A COMBINATION OF BOTH, UH, HAVING THE CONVERSATION WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN YOUR CIRCLE OF INFLUENCE ALREADY SOME PEOPLE SERVE ON BOARDS AND YOU DON'T KNOW THEY'RE ON A BOARD, OR MY MASTER'S IS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL SERVICE.
SO I AUTOMATICALLY LEAN TOWARDS WHAT'S THE PROBLEM AND HOW DO I SERVE TO COM TO PROVIDE A SOLUTION.
SO AGAIN, TO MY POINT EARLIER, IF IT'S NATURALLY WHERE YOU LEAN INTO ALREADY, THE CITY CAN CERTAINLY USE ALL OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE, ALL OF YOUR EXPERTISE, ALL OF YOUR TIME THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO GIVE.
I WOULD SAY FIND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY IN YOUR CIRCLE OF INFLUENCE, HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
SOME A FRIEND ENCOURAGED ME TO SERVE, AND IT'S BEEN EIGHT YEARS NOW, AND I'M ON ANOTHER BOARD NOW.
AND SO IT'S, IT BECOMES, UH, A PART OF WHO YOU ARE.
IF SERVICE IS A PART OF WHO YOU ARE, THEN YOU'RE GONNA AUTOMATICALLY LOOK FOR, FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO DO SO.
NO, AND I APOLOGIZE, AND I THINK THERE'S A CERTAIN PRIDE, AND I JUST, YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS WALKING IN HERE, I HAD A FRIEND OF MINE, DR. KIM ABREGO WITH ME, AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, JUST TAKE A PICTURE BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S A NEAT THING JUST TO HAVE THE LUXURY AND TO THIS BEING SUCH AN OPEN SPACE MM-HMM
THAT WE CAN ALL COME AND BE HERE.
AND I THINK IN AND OF ITSELF, THAT'S QUITE SPECIAL KNOW.
UH, I GOT INVOLVED BACK IN 2002 BACK THEN, MAYOR, UH, IT WAS MAYOR LEE BROWN, AND I WAS WITH HIM ON A TRADE DELEGATION TO THE MIDDLE EAST.
IT WAS RIGHT AFTER SEPTEMBER 11TH, AND I WAS 31 OR 32.
I WAS BY FAR THE YOUNGEST PERSON IN THAT TRADE DELEGATION.
AND WE VISITED SAUDI ARABIA, UH, DOHA, QATAR AND, UH, ABU DHABI, UH, IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES.
AND I GOT TO SPEND, LIKE, WHEN YOU TRAVEL WITH THE MAYOR, YOU, YOU, YOU SPEND TIME WITH THE MAYOR BECAUSE YOU'RE WITH HIM ON THE PLANE, YOU'RE WITH HIM IN THE HOTELS, YOU'RE, YOU'RE WITH HIM IN THE MEETINGS.
AND I GOT TO KNOW THE MAYOR, AND THE MAYOR GOT TO KNOW ME, AND HE WAS LOOKING FOR SOME YOUNGER PEOPLE TO SERVE ON THE BOARD.
AND HE FOUND OUT I WAS A LAWYER.
AND THROUGH THAT CONVERSATION ON THAT FOUR DAY TRIP, WHEN I GOT BACK, HE CALLED ME AND HE ASKED ME IF I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SERVING AS ONE OF THE LAWYERS ON THE ETHICS COMMISSION.
UM, BECAUSE HE WANTED TO GET YOUNGER PEOPLE ON THE BOARD.
LIKE, UH, MAYOR TURNER WAS SAYING AT THAT TIME, THE ETHICS COMMISSION WERE PEOPLE THAT HAD SERVED ON THAT COMMISSION FOR A VERY, VERY LONG TIME.
AND I THINK HE GAVE SOME PROCLAMATIONS NOW
BUT I, THAT'S HOW I GOT INVOLVED IN 2002.
AND EVER SINCE THEN, I'VE BEEN SERVING ON VARIOUS BOARDS OF COMMISSIONS.
[00:40:01]
THAT'S A GREAT TRAJECTORY.UH, I GOT INVOLVED ACTUALLY BECAUSE, UH, SOMEONE HAS SPRAY PAINTED A STOP SIGN IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I WAS VERY UPSET ABOUT IT BECAUSE THAT STOP SIGN WAS CLEARLY, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE TO, UH, PREVENT, UH, TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS.
AND SO THAT KIND OF BEGIN, STARTED MY JOURNEY TO BECOMING MORE INVOLVED, GOT INVOLVED, LIKE I SAID, WITH THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT THEN I REALIZED THAT NUMBERS ARE EQUAL IN POWER, RIGHT? AND SO I STARTED TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE FAMILIARIZED WITH, UH, DIFFERENT, UH, GRASSROOTS MOVEMENTS.
AND THEN IT'S, YOU KNOW, I OFTEN SAY THAT THESE BOARDS DO SERVE AS A WAY TO, UH, STRENGTHEN IN NUMBERS AND THE PEOPLE THAT YOU MEET ALONG THE WAY.
LIKE OBVIOUSLY, UH, UH, LENORA HERE, WHO HAS GUIDED ME ALONG, UH, THIS NEXT, UH, CHAPTER IN MY LIFE, MAYOR TURNER, WHO, UH, HAS SEEN A, A VISION BEYOND WHAT I CAN POSSIBLY, UH, SEE IN MYSELF.
UH, THOSE CONNECTIONS, UH, DO COME IN HAND WHEN IT COMES TO ADDRESSING ANY TYPE OF ISSUE THAT YOU MAY BE INTERESTED.
SO FOR ME, UH, I STARTED, LIKE I SAID, WITH A, UM, SOMEONE HAS GRAFFITI, A STOP SIGN, AND THEN I SAW MY OWN NEIGHBORHOOD THAT IT WAS, UH, ILLEGAL DUMPING.
AND SO THE VERY FIRST BOARD THAT I ACTUALLY SERVED ON WAS THE, UH, HOUSTON CLEAN CITY COMMISSION, WHERE I WAS ABLE TO ORGANIZE, UH, EVEN UP UNTIL NOW, UH, A COUPLE OF CLEANUP EVENTS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, BECAUSE AGAIN, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE CITY CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH, BUT IF YOU WORK IN NUMBERS, THEN OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO WE HAVE ILLEGAL DUMPING, BUT YOU HAVE A HOUSTON CLEAN CITY COMMISSION, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT'S THERE TO ASSIST US IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, CLEANING YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD IF YOU, YOU HAVE THE TIME AND THE WILL, UH, AND THE POWER TO DO THAT.
SO IT GOES BEYOND JUST ALL POLICY MAKING, BUT IT'S ALSO WHAT CAN YOU DO IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH THE MAYOR HAS, UH, STRONGLY STRESSED, UH, THROUGHOUT HIS TENURE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ISSUES THAT WE FACE IN THIS, IN THIS, UH, IN THIS, UH, CITY.
AND HOW CAN WE, AS A COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTE TO, UH, MAKING SURE THAT, UM, THE, UH, OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE KEPT CLEAN.
AND SO THAT'S HOW I GOT INVOLVED.
THAT'S, THAT'S FASCINATING AND OBVIOUS.
THAT'S INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY.
AND YOU SEIZED UPON IT WHAT BECAME INITIALLY A CHALLENGE IS NOW LED TO LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES.
THERE'S TWO FINAL QUESTIONS TO, TO ANTICIPATE.
THE LAST QUESTION IS JUST GONNA BE KIND OF CLOSING YOUR MARKS.
YOU KNOW, IF, IF I WOULD'VE BEEN SMART ENOUGH TO ASK YOU X, I WOULD HAVE, SO ANTICIPATE WHAT YOU WANNA SAY, AND THAT'LL BE YOUR CLOSING.
PRIOR TO THAT, THE PENULTIMATE QUESTION IS ADVICE IF SOMEONE WANTS TO SERVE, AND MAYBE THE EASIEST, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT ROADS, THANK YOU.
THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT ROADS, IT'S AN AVENUES FOR SERVING, BUT PERHAPS THEN IT'S NOT ADVICE TO SERVE AND OR HAVING SERVED ON A TRUE CROSS SECTION OF DIFFERENT BOARDS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE SOME OF THE ATTRIBUTES OF SUCCESSFUL BOARD MEMBERS? SO YOU CAN MAKE IT A COMBINATION OF ADVICE, BUT THEN ALSO ATTRIBUTES THAT YOU'VE SEEN THAT WORK, AND THAT OF COURSE, WE AS A CITY WANT THEM.
WELL, CAN EITHER TWO, YOU CAN TAKE WHAT YOU WANT.
RIGHT? WELL, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK I, I, I'LL FALL, I'LL GO BACK TO THIS IN THAT THESE ARE VOLUNTEER POSITIONS.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT HIRED TO BE HERE.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT MOVED YOUR HEART, OUR HEARTS, TO BE IN A SPACE AND TO, TO DEDICATE OUR TIME AND OUR EXPERTISE.
AND SOME THINGS THAT I'VE NOTICED BEING ON BOARDS IS THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY EXCELLENT IN THEIR CAREER, THEIR CHOSEN CAREER, WE ALL HAVE CONVERSATIONS AT HOME.
LIKE YOU SAID, THE STOP SIGN WAS PAINTED.
WE ALL HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ILLEGAL DUMPING.
WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOMELESSNESS AND CHILD NEGLECT.
WE HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS, BUT YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT CHANGE.
LIKE YOU, IF NOT YOU, THEN WHO MM-HMM
IF NOT YOU, THEN WHO? WELL, YOU NAILED THAT.
NO, WE, YOU, I'M NOT LETTING YOU GO.
OH,
BUT THEN IN TERMS OF WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN AS SUCCESSFUL ATTRIBUTES? I MEAN, WE KNOW LENORA, SHE'S
SO SOMETIMES WE'RE GONNA DISAGREE.
WE MAY GET 10 PROPOSALS IN A, IN A, IN A GIVEN MEETING, AND WE MAY DISAGREE ON WHAT AMOUNT OF FUNDING SHOULD GO TOWARD JUST LIKE A, A CITY WOULD, RIGHT? BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE A COLLABORATIVE THOUGHT PROCESS.
YOU HAVE TO BE, UH, THOUGHT PARTNERS, THAT, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SAY.
IF YOU DON'T THINK THAT YOU CAN, CAN BLEND AND WORK WELL WITH OTHERS, THEN MAYBE A BOARD VOLUNTEERING WHERE YOU'RE SERVICING AND SERVING PEOPLE IS NOT FOR YOU.
BUT I, I DEFINITELY SAY THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE A COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT.
YOU HAVE TO BE COMMITTED TO THIS.
UM, IT'S NOT A, IF YOU CAN MAKE IT TO THE BOARD, BECAUSE I'M GONNA GET EMOTIONAL.
[00:45:01]
IS THAT IF, YOU KNOW, THE, SOME OF THE SENIORS WHO RECEIVE FUNDING FROM US RELY ON US MEETING.THEY DEPEND ON US GOING TO THE BOARD AND BEING ABLE TO ARRIVE AT A DECISION TOGETHER TO COLLECTIVELY FUND, UH, COVID, UH, UH, UH, SHOTS OR BACK TO SCHOOL FUNDING, OR, YOU KNOW, BATTERED WOMEN.
WE, WE, WE FUND SO MANY, WE BRIDGE SOME GAPS IN THEIR IMPORTANT, AND THEY ARE CRITICAL TO YOUR POINT, MAYOR.
AND IF YOU AREN'T A HUNDRED PERCENT COMMITTED, JUST WAIT UNTIL YOU ARE, IT'S GONNA BE A COLLABORATIVE COMMITMENT, AND YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
PEOPLE ARE DEPENDENT ON YOU TO DO IT.
WELL, KIM, YOUR DYNAMIC AND MAYOR TO GO TO THIS CITY IS SO AMAZING WITH SO MANY PEOPLE.
NOW I CAN'T WAIT TO HAVE A CONIA.
THANK YOU FOR THAT, NAOMI, YOUR FLOOR, I'M JUST GONNA ECHO WHAT SHE SAID IS, IS COMMITMENT, YOU KNOW, SERVING ON A BOARD OR A COMMISSION, IT'S A LOT OF WORK.
AND IT'S, YOU'RE DOING IT FOR FREE.
SO YOU'RE TAKING AWAY FROM YOUR FAMILY, FROM YOUR BUSINESS, FROM YOUR OTHER ENDEAVORS, AND YOU HAVE TO SHOW UP.
IT'S, THERE'S NOTHING MORE FRUSTRATING THAN YOU'RE ON A BOARD, AND YOU CAN'T EVEN GET A QUORUM, UM, BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE OTHER COMMITMENTS.
SO YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS A BIG TIME COMMITMENT THAT WHEN YOU SERVE, UM, TO GIVE YOU SOME PRACTICAL ADVICE, IF I WAS SITTING OUT THE AUDIENCE, AND IF I WOULD TELL YOU WHAT TO DO, IF YOU WANNA LIKE, GET ON A BOARD AT A GRANULAR LEVEL, FIRST THING YOU SHOULD DO IS SEE WHAT SEATS ARE OPEN ON WHAT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, RIGHT? YOU CAN GET THAT LIST FROM OLIVIA OR HER OFFICE.
SO THESE ARE THE OPEN POSITIONS WE HAVE.
AND THEN IF THERE'S A FEW BOARDS THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN, GET A LIST OF THE SITTING BOARD MEMBERS AND SEE IF YOU KNOW ANY OF THEM.
PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL AND SAY, YOU KNOW, I'M INTERESTED IN SERVING ON THIS BOARD.
CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IT? WHAT'S THE TIME COMMITMENT? WHAT DO YOU GUYS ACTUALLY DO? HOW LONG HAVE YOU SERVED? RIGHT? IF SOMEONE CALLED ME AND SAID, I WANNA SERVE ON A API, OR I WANNA SERVE ON SPORTS AUTHORITY, I'M INTERESTED, CAN YOU SPEND 10 MINUTES WITH ME? I'D BE LIKE, OF COURSE.
RIGHT? AND THEN ONCE YOU IDENTIFY THE ONE OR TWO BOARDS YOU WANNA SERVE ON, THEN YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION.
AND THEN THERE'S THE NEXT PART, WHICH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART, THE FOLLOW UP.
BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW UP AND FOLLOW UP AND FOLLOW UP, RIGHT? AND THAT'S WHAT I WOULD GIVE YOU AS PRACTICAL ADVICE.
IF YOU REALLY WANT TO GET ON THE BOARD.
IF YOU DO THOSE THREE STEPS, YOU'RE PRETTY MUCH, YOU KNOW, GOT A REALLY GOOD CHANCE OF GETTING APPOINTED TO A BOARD.
UM, I ALSO SAY LET CURIOSITY AND YOUR PASSION GUIDE YOU.
I'VE SERVED, I HAVE SERVED IN THE HOUSTON CLEAN CITY COMMISSION, WHICH IS PRIMARILY, UM, YOU KNOW, DEALING WITH, UH, UH, ILLEGAL DUMPING.
AND THEN I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, SERVE ON THE HOUSTON POLICE OVERSIGHT BOARD, AND NOW I'M SERVING THE HISPANIC ADVISORY BOARD, AND ALSO ON THE HOUSTON MEDIA SOURCE BOARD.
EACH ONE OF THOSE BOARDS ARE SO, UH, DIFFERENT FROM ONE ANOTHER.
BUT WHAT THEY HAVE IN COMMON IN TERMS OF WHO I AM, IS THAT EACH ONE OF THOSE TOPICS, UH, INTEREST ME PERSONALLY.
AND SO I WOULD SAY START OFF WITH EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT, AND THEN, UH, LOOK INTO, UH, JOINING SOME OF THE BOARD, BECAUSE LIKE THE MAYOR SAID, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE THESE NICE ATTRACTIVE BOARDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE OFTENTIMES OVERLOOK THOSE OTHER SMALL ENTITIES THAT OFTENTIMES ALIGN WITH ACTUALLY WHAT YOU ARE, ARE, ARE, ARE IN LINE WITH, AND MAYBE ALSO THE TIME COMMITMENT, RIGHT? BECAUSE THOSE VERY NICE, ATTRACTIVE BOARDS THAT YOU OFTEN HEAR ABOUT, THEY WILL REQUIRE A LOT OF YOUR TIME.
AND IF YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO COMMIT TO THAT, MAYBE LOOK FOR SOMETHING THAT ALIGNS WITH JUST WHAT YOU'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT, AND ALSO YOUR LEVEL OF COMMITMENT, BECAUSE THAT IS ONE THING THAT, UH, AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S A VOLUNTEER POSITION, BUT YOU'RE NOT ONLY SERVING YOURSELF, BUT YOU'RE ACTUALLY SERVING AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY AT 642 SQUARE MILES TO BE EXACT.
RIGHT? UM, AND SO JUST, UH, START, YOU KNOW, LOOK INTO WHAT YOU'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT AND THEN, UH, MOVE ON, AND THEN MOVE, START LOOKING FROM THERE AND, AND APPLY FOR ONE.
UH, FINAL IN ABOUT TWO MINUTES EACH OR LESS, IF YOU WISH.
UM, JUST, UH, FINAL CLOSING REMARKS.
WHAT HAVE I FAILED TO ASK OR WHAT, UM, THOUGHTS THAT YOU WANNA LEAVE, UH, LEAVE POTENTIAL APPLICANTS AND, UH, PARTICIPANTS IN OUR BELOVED CITY? UH, YOU KNOW, I WANNA REITERATE WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
SOMETIMES THERE ARE PEOPLE IN YOUR OWN FAMILIES OR A CIRCLE OF INFLUENCE, OR PEOPLE LIKE YOU DON'T KNOW THEM, BUT ASK THE QUESTIONS.
MOST TIMES, IF IT'S A, HEY, DO YOU HAVE 10 MINUTES? PEOPLE ARE REALLY OPEN TO GIVING YOU 10 MINUTES, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE ALREADY VOLUNTEERING FOR A BOARD.
SO THEY HAVE AN OPEN-MINDED SPIRIT OF SERVICE.
UH, AND DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK.
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT TO SERVE AND DO THINGS, AND THEY'RE JUST AFRAID.
AND OLIVIA, YOU SHOULD GET HER NUMBER AND HER NAME
YOU KIND OF NEED TO KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE THAT PROCESS AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE SUBMITTING WHAT'S REQUESTED.
ALSO, THAT LIST IS ON THE WEBSITE.
[00:50:01]
YOU GO TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON BOARDS AND COMMISSION'S WEBSITE, EVERYBODY WHO'S A MEMBER, ANY OPEN CHAIRS, THEY'RE ALL ON THE WEBSITE.SO KIND OF START WITH YOUR OWN RESOURCES THAT YOU HAVE, AND THEN CONNECT WITH THE FOLKS WHO CAN POINT YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
AND SHE WILL, UH, SHE WILL REFERENCE A LITTLE BIT OF IT IN HER CLOSING REMARKS, COUPLED WITH THERE'S MATERIALS.
UH, SHE CREATED THESE AMAZING, UH, CODE SKEW THINGS, OBVIOUSLY ABOVE MY PAY GRADE.
AND THAT'S GOING TO BE ABSOLUTELY PART OF IT TO INQUIRE.
SO, I, I'M, I FORGOT WHO SAID THIS QUOTE, BUT I'M SURE SOME OF YOU KNOW, YOU MISS 100% OF THE SHOTS THAT YOU DON'T DO.
RIGHT? SO MY POINT IS, YOU KNOW, GET OUT THERE AND TRY, GET ON THE WEBSITE, SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION.
YOU KNOW, MAYA ANGELOU SAID THAT THERE'S STRENGTH AND BEAUTY AND DIVERSITY, AND EACH PERSON IN THIS ROOM BRINGS LIFE EXPERIENCES, EDUCATIONS, AND PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE.
AND YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE AND GIVE BACK TO THE CITY BY SERVING ON BOARDS.
BUT YOU CAN ONLY DO THAT IF YOU LEAVE THIS ROOM AND TAKE THE FIRST STEP.
SO TAKE THE SHOT AND LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
UH, PRETTY MUCH THEY ALL SUMMED IT UP FOR ME.
I MEAN, UM, YEAH, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO ADD OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT, UH, DEFINITELY WE NEED MORE DIVERSITY ON THE BOARDS.
UH, MAYOR TURNER HAS DEFINITELY EMPHASIZED THAT.
AND, UH, CLEARLY THE, A LOT OF THE BOARDS THAT HE WAS ABLE TO CREATE DURING HIS TENURE DOES EMPHASIZE HIS COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY IN THE CITY.
UM, WHETHER, YOU KNOW, A PACIFIC ISLANDER OR A, A HISPANIC, UH, CHICANO OR LATINO, UM, THERE'S DEFINITELY, UH, A NEED, UH, FOR MORE DIVERSITY WHEN IT COMES TO LEADERSHIP, UM, POLICYMAKING, REALMS. AND SO THAT, THAT'S REALLY WHERE I WOULD SAY THAT, UM, WHERE WE NEED MORE OF THOSE REPRESENTATION.
SO EVEN WITHIN YOUR INNER CIRCLE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T, DON'T HAVE THE TIME, BUT YOU FEEL LIKE THERE'S SOMEBODY, SOMEONE ELSE THAT MAY HAVE THOSE STRENGTHS AND QUALITY, ENCOURAGE THEM, ENCOURAGE THEM TO APPLY, UH, BECAUSE SOMETIMES THEY JUST MAY NEED THAT WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO SAY, OKAY, MAYBE I CAN DO THIS.
SO EVEN IF YOU DON'T THINK YOU MAY BE ABLE TO JOIN ONE TODAY, LOOK AROUND YOUR INNER CIRCLE AND SEE WHO HAS THE TIME AND THE CAPABILITY.
UH, BECAUSE AGAIN, AT THE END OF THE DAY, ALL OF THIS IS, IT'S A, IT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS, BUT IT HAS TO BE DONE IN A COLLECTIVE EFFORT.
SO, UH, THAT'S MY LAST PIECE OF ADVICE.
WELL, THANK YOU'VE, YOU'VE BEEN TERRIFIC.
WHICHEVER, OH, I GUESS SHE'S SAYING THIS WAY.
IF PANEL TWO WOULD LIKE TO JOIN US, THAT'D BE TERRIFIC.
AND AS THEY START, WE WILL, UH, TO EXPEDITE, WE WILL COMMENCE A LITTLE BIO OF FRANCIS CATAN DIAZ.
VERY EXCITED TO REFERENCE A FELLOW WOMAN ON THE MOVE.
SHE'S THE PRESIDENT OF THE HOUSTON AND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR 13 YEARS, AND YOU'LL TELL 'EM A LITTLE BIT MORE OF YOUR TRAJECTORY.
BUT IN TERMS OF HER CURRENT BOARD, UH, DIRECTOR APPOINTMENTS, AND I KNOW THE MAYOR, UH, TERRIFIC, UH, UH, COVERED SOME OF THEM.
YOU WERE FIRST OF ALL, THE FIRST HISPANIC FEMALE MEMBER OF THE NEWLY FORMED BOARD OF PILOTS, UH, COMMISSIONERS FOR THE PORT.
SHE'LL HAVE TO TELL US ABOUT THAT.
YOU HAVE ALSO SERVED, YOU SERVE ON THE EAST END DOWNTOWN, UM, TIERS.
UH, AND YOU'VE A PROJECT COMMITTEE CHAIR FOR THAT AND OTHER LITANY OF THINGS, BUT THAT'LL AT LEAST GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF INPUT THERE.
AND I THINK PEOPLE ARE JUST MOVING ON, MAYBE GETTING SOME FOOD.
BUT WE WILL CONTINUE WITH THIS AMAZING PANEL.
SO UNDER NUMBER TWO, SHARI, UH, UH, UH, SHA ABDUL GANI AT NEWLY, UH, RECENT FRIEND, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MINET, UH, FOUNDATION AND ORGANIZATION FOCUSED ON BRINGING FAITH COMMUNITIES TOGETHER THROUGH MULTI-FAITH AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.
YOU HAVE SERVED AS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CITY'S CITY OF HOUSTON FOOD AND SECURITY BOARD.
THAT'LL DEFINITELY BE SOMETHING FOR US TO DISCUSS.
AND YOU SERVE AS A DIRECTOR IN YOUR LOCAL MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT.
AND YOU'RE THE FIRST, UH, MUSLIM ELECTED TO A POSITION, UH, IN THIS POSITION IN FORT BEND COUNTY.
LEX FRIED, YOU HAVE BEEN SOMEONE WE'VE SEEN EACH OTHER, BUT NEVER HAD THE, UH, LUXURY OF SUBSTANTIVELY INTERACTING.
HE IS AN ICON IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR THE LITANY OF THINGS HE HAS DONE.
I'M GOING A LITTLE BIT, WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO TALK ABOUT ACCOLADES, BUT WHEN YOU'VE RECEIVED TWO PRESIDENTIAL CITATIONS FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY, THAT IS MY EXCEPTION.
I DID NOT COVER ANYONE ELSE'S ACCOLADES, BUT THE MAYOR'S, BUT I, I HAD TO COVER.
SO THANK YOU, PROFESSOR OF HEALTH AND INFORM, UH, INFORMATICS AT UT HEALTH AND DIRECTOR OF SOUTHWEST, A DA CENTER AT TIER MEMORIAL, UM, UH, MEMORIAL HERMANN, WE DISCUSSED IT, I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.
YOU'VE BEEN THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL AND DISABILITY AND THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
[00:55:01]
SO HAVE DONE A LOT, NOT ONLY LOCALLY STATEWIDE, BUT NATIONALLY ON OUTCOME DETERMINATIVE TOPICS.AND HERE AS THE, AS THE MAYOR REFERENCED, UH, BIG BOARD, YOU'RE ON THE METRO BOARD AND, AND YOU CHAIR THE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE, AND YOU'VE ALSO SERVED CURRENTLY SERVING ON THE PARKS BOARD.
SO THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH FOR THE SERVICE.
I THINK YOU'LL SEE MY, MY PATTERN, WHICH, UH, AS PAST CHAIR OF ONE OF THE, THE, THE FOUNDERS OF GIRLS INC.
OF GREATER HOUSTON, ALMOST 25 YEARS AGO, WHERE I SERVED AMONG OTHERS.
UH, DEAR FRIEND FRANCIS, I'M GONNA GIVE THE FLOOR FIRST TO THE WOMAN.
SO FRANCIS, UM, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOU THAT HASN'T BEEN COVERED, BUT SPECIFICALLY WITHIN THE REALM OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
WELL, MY NAME AGAIN, FRANCIS, AND I'M A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN.
AND HOW MANY IN THIS ROOM ARE NATIVE HOUSTONIANS? IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
IF YOU ARE A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN AND YOU'RE NOT ON A BOARD OR NOT VOLUNTEERING, IT'S ABOUT TIME TO DO IT.
I AM HOUSTON PROUD, UM, I AM PROUD OF, OF EV, OF BEING FROM HOUSTON.
I LOVE OUR MAYOR AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO IT'S ALL, IT TAKES ALL OF US TO MAKE THIS CITY THE GREATNESS THAT IT IS.
AND SO PLEASE MAKE SURE IF YOU, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE A NATIVE, YOU DONIA TO DO THAT.
MY GRANDMOTHER AT AN EARLY AGE TAUGHT ME TO GIVE BACK, ESPECIALLY TO THE CHURCH.
AND WHEN YOU DO, IT COMES BACK IN DOUBLE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'VE SEEN BY VOLUNTEERING ALL THIS TIME.
I STARTED OFF AT, AT CPS BOARD, UM, CHILD PROTECTIVE AND ADULT SERVICES, AND LEARNED SO MUCH.
UM, AND THEN I WAS HONORED TO BE ON THE EAST DOWNTOWN TOURS.
UM, UM, SOME PEOPLE CALL IT IDO.
I'M NOT A BIG FAN OF THAT WORD, SO I SPELL IT OUT.
IT'S EAST DOWNTOWN TOURS, BUT WE GIVE $20 MILLION RIGHT NOW.
OUR CAMPAIGN, OUR CAMPAIGN BUDGET, IN ORDER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND PROJECTS LIKE THAT.
IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE AND IT MAKES OUR CITY AMAZING.
UM, AND THE OTHER BOARDS THAT I'M ON IS THE PILOT BOARD COMMISSION.
I'LL TALK TO A LITTLE THE NEXT QUESTION, BUT IT'S AN HONOR TO BE THE FIRST, YOU KNOW, WOMEN, UH, ON THIS, UH, HISPANIC WOMEN ON THIS BOARD.
UH, BUT I'M HOPING NOT THE LAST, AND THAT'S THE OTHER THING THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DO IS, IS JUST PAY IT FORWARD AND BRING OTHERS, UH, UH, UH, ALONG BEHIND US.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, ALSO, UM, ON THE MAYOR'S HISPANIC ADVISORY BOARD, IT'S BEEN AN HONOR TO SERVE WITH PEOPLE.
THE OTHER GREAT THING ABOUT SERVING IS THAT THE PEOPLE THAT YOU MEET, THOSE 15, 20, 25 PEOPLE, THEY'RE GONNA BE LIFELONG FRIENDS OF YOURS.
THEY'RE GONNA BE SUPPORTERS OF YOURS IN ANY ENDEAVOR, PROFESSIONALLY OR PERSONALLY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UH, LEX.
SO I AM, UH, AN IMMIGRANT TO HOUSTON.
I MOVED HERE AFTER I BROKE MY NECK IN A CAR ACCIDENT IN 1967.
SO I'VE BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE, PROBABLY LONGER THAN MOST OF YOU WHO ARE IN THE AUDIENCE.
BUT I'VE ALWAYS HAD A PASSION FOR HOUSTON BECAUSE I WAS, UH, REHABILITATED HERE AT TIER MEMORIAL HERMAN.
AND, UH, WHEN I LEFT THE HOSPITAL, THE DOCTOR SAID, YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU MIGHT HAVE DONE BEFORE YOU BROKE YOUR NECK, AS LONG AS YOU CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO IT ON FOUR WHEELS.
WELL, AT THAT TIME, NASA WAS FLOATING MEN AROUND THE EARTH AND ON THE WAY TO THE MOON.
AND I FIGURED HOUSTON'S A PLACE TO BE, UH, AND THAT TECHNOLOGY IS GONNA BE THE FUTURE.
BUT WHEN I DID, I DISCOVERED THE POST OFFICE WASN'T ACCESSIBLE.
THE MUNICIPAL COURTS BUILDING WASN'T ACCESSIBLE.
IF YOU GOT A TICKET, YOU COULDN'T PAY IT.
IF YOU, UH, WANTED TO GO TO A MOVIE AT THE GALLERIA, WHICH HAD A THEATER, THEN THERE WAS A FLIGHT OF STEPS DOWN.
IF YOU WANTED TO GO TO EAT AT ONE OF THE NICE RESTAURANTS, YOU COULD SIT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STEPS AND THEY MIGHT BRING YOU A CARRY OUT IF YOU, IF YOU WAITED THEM OUT LONG ENOUGH.
UM, THERE WERE THINGS THAT NEEDED TO BE CHANGED.
AND, AND SO I STARTED WORKING WITH MY COLLEAGUES, STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON.
UH, WE MADE A COMMITTEE AND WE MADE AN ORGANIZATION, UH, CALLED THE COALITION FOR BARRIER FREE LIVING.
AND AFTER THE COALITION BEGAN TO PUBLICIZE THE NEEDS FOR ACCESSIBILITY, I'LL TELL YOU, WE DID, UH, ONE WEEKEND, MAYOR, UH, HOFFINS, UH, WANTED PEOPLE TO RIDE THE METRO BUSES.
SO HE SAID THAT EVERYBODY'S GONNA RIDE FREE ON THIS SATURDAY, AND I'M GONNA BE THE FIRST ON THE BUS.
SO WE CALLED THE CITY HALL, FOUND OUT WHERE THE MAYOR WAS GONNA BE GETTING ON THE BUS, AND WE SHOWED UP THERE WITH 35 PEOPLE IN WHEELCHAIRS, UH, TO MEET THE MAYOR AND WATCH HIM RIDE THE BUS WHILE WE HAD TO GET OUT OF THE CHAIRS AND CLIMB UP THE STEPS TO GET OUR FREE RIDE.
WELL, THE, THE, THE MAYOR LEFT PRETTY QUICKLY.
THE PRESS STAYED FOR A LONG TIME,
[01:00:01]
19, THAT WAS IN 1976.WE HAD TO SUE METRO IN 1986 TO GET THEM TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON THE COMMITMENT THAT HOFFINS MADE 10 YEARS BEFORE.
AND BOB LANIER, WHO WAS THE CHAIRMAN OF METRO, REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO DO THAT.
UH, HE HIRED A CONSULTANT TO COME FROM CALIFORNIA AND SIT WITH ME AND EXPLAIN THAT HE COULD BUY A VEHICLE AND A DRIVER FOR EVERY DISABLED PERSON THAT WANTED TO MAKE A RIDE IN HOUSTON, AND IT WOULD BE CHEAPER THAN MODIFYING ALL THE BUSES.
AND I, YOU KNOW, ASKED HIM HOW MANY PEOPLE WANTED TO MAKE A RIDE IN HOUSTON THAT COULDN'T GET ON THE BUS, AND HE HAD ABOUT 15 OR 20 PEOPLE HE FIGURED.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A LONG DIALOGUE ABOUT THAT.
AND FINALLY, LANIER TURNED OVER AND HE WAS THE FIRST TRANSIT ADMINISTRATOR IN THE UNITED STATES TO TESTIFY IN FAVOR OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
SO YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN SOMEBODY'S OPINION.
LANIER WAS A LITTLE INCONSISTENT, THOUGH, HE RAN FOR MAYOR IN, IN 1990.
AND WE HAD AGREED TO SUPPORT A YOUNG MAN WHO UNDERSTOOD OUR DESIRE TO BE INCLUDED, TO BE A PART OF THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT CANDIDATE WAS, UH, MR. TURNER.
AND, AND, AND MAYOR TURNER WAS THE ONLY CANDIDATE WHO AGREED TO SIT DOWN WITH SIX OF US ON OUR COMMITTEE AND TALK ABOUT WHAT HE COULD DO WHEN HE WAS THE MAYOR, TO MAKE LIFE BETTER AND ENABLE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO BE FULL PARTICIPANTS.
SO WE WORKED AND WE WORKED AND WE WORKED WELL.
LANIER ONE, THE DAY AFTER, UH, THAT LANIER APPOINTED A COMMITTEE, A TRANSITION COMMITTEE TO ADVISE HIM ON IMPROVING THE CITY.
ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE TRANSITION COMMITTEE WERE WHITE MALE.
I THINK THERE WERE TWO EXCEPTIONS TO THAT.
I WROTE AN EDITORIAL IN THE, UH, CHRONICLE AND CRITICIZED THE MAYOR FOR THAT.
HE CALLED ME THAT AFTERNOON AND SAID, WHAT CAN WE DO DIFFERENT? I SAID, WELL, YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR APPOINTEES TO YOUR TRANSITION COMMITTEE FOR BEGINNERS, AND THEY SHOULD INCLUDE HISPANIC PEOPLE AND BLACK PEOPLE, AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
AND AFTER THAT, WE MET WITH HIM.
HE CREATED THE MAYOR'S OFFICE ON DISABILITY.
SO WHEN YOU RUN INTO AN OBSTACLE, THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS PERMANENT.
SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA PUSH A LITTLE BIT.
UH, AND UH, AND THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN ALL ABOUT.
AND THEN, AND, AND ISN'T THERE A TRUE BEAUTY? HE'S ON THE METRO BOARD AND HE'S THE MAYOR.
SHAIK, YOU'RE A BIT YOUNGER, AND SINCE YOU DON'T HAVE TWO PRESIDENTIAL CITATIONS, IT'S GONNA HAVE TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABBREVIATED, BUT WITH ALL SINCERITY, VERY APPRECIATIVE OF WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
TELL US PLEASE, ABOUT YOUR WORK ON THE, UH, HOUSTON'S FOOD INSECURITY BOARD.
UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
OUR WORK ON THE FOOD INSECURITY BOARD.
I'M, I, I'M OFTEN ASKED, HOW, HOW OFTEN DO YOU MEET, UH, WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HUNGER AND FOOD DISTRIBUTION AND FOOD COLLECTIONS? IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH FOOD DISTRIBUTION OR FOOD COLLECTION.
YOU HAVE TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HUNGER, ESPECIALLY.
'CAUSE 25% OF OUR CITY SUFFERS FROM FOOD INSECURITY.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE CHILDREN.
SO OUR BOARD, AND THERE'S MANY BOARDS THAT THE MAYOR HAS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON WHO HAVE A HEFTY RESPONSIBILITY ON OUR SHOULDER.
MAYOR TURNER EXPECTS US TO IDENTIFY POLICIES, REGULATIONS, HURDLES TO OVERCOME FOOD INSECURITY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO WE ARE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S MANY BOARDS WHO MEET ON A QUARTERLY BASIS, SOME MEET, YOU KNOW, UH, EVERY SIX MONTHS WE MEET EVERY MONTH, EVERY SINGLE MONTH WE HAVE A MEETING OVER ZOOM.
SOMETIMES WE GET TOGETHER IN PERSON, AND OUR BOARD MEMBERS ARE EXPECTED TO PITCH IN FIVE TO SEVEN HOURS A MONTH OF THEIR PERSONAL TIME TO RESEARCH POLICIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY THAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED HERE, SANDBOX HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT NEXT MONTH WE'RE GONNA BE PITCHING CITY COUNCIL, UH, IDEAS, UH, RIGHT HERE IN THIS ROOM, IDEAS THAT THE BOARD HAS COME UP WITH TO SEE, HEY, ARE THESE VIABLE FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON? UH, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO HERE? AND THAT'S PART OF THE MAYOR'S MANDATE TO MAKE, UH, THE, TO MAKE THE CITY OF HOUSTON MUCH MORE ACCESSIBLE AS IT AS IT RELATES TO FOOD.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE ALL KNOW ABOUT THE COMPLETE COMMUNITIES PLAN, AND PART OF THE COMPLETE COMMUNITIES PLAN IS OVERCOMING FOOD INSECURITY IN VERY SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
[01:05:01]
IS SIMPLE, IDENTIFY HURDLES TO FOOD ACCESS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND HOW CAN WE OVERCOME THEM THROUGH POLICY? AND I REALLY LIKED THE NOMENCLATURE USED ON THE SANDBOX, BECAUSE THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL ANALOGY.YOU'RE, WE'RE ALL IN THE SANDBOX.
WE ALL NEED TO PLAY TOGETHER, BUT WE NEED TO FIND SOLUTIONS AND BE INCLUSIVE.
UM, BEFORE I TURN IT TO FRANCIS, JUST WHAT WAS THE GENESIS OF YOU GETTING THE CHANCE TO BE ON THAT BOARD? UM, AND I, THAT, THAT IS AS CHAIR, THAT'S SERVICE ENOUGH, BUT IF THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE YOU'RE DOING FOR THE CITY, AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL DO THE ROUND ROBIN, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE ON THIS.
TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW THAT CAME TO FRUITION, HOW THE BOARD CAME TO FRUITION, OR HOW IT CAME TO YES.
IS RADICALLY DIFFERENT STORY THAN, THAN PROBABLY BOTH MY COLLEAGUES HERE TODAY.
UM, AT, YOU KNOW, AT MINET FOUNDATION, WE, AT THE ORGANIZATION THAT I WORK AT, WE'RE BRINGING MUSLIMS, JEWS AND CHRISTIANS TOGETHER.
AND PART OF THE REASON WE'RE DOING THAT IS WE'RE TRYING TO IDENTIFY WAYS FOR US TO WORK TOGETHER IN THE AREA OF PUBLIC POLICY.
AND FOOD INSECURITY IS ONE OF OUR PILLARS.
WE ARE LOOKING AT WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE OTHER CITIES DOING WHEN BRINGING FAITH COMMUNITIES TOGETHER? AND WE JUST STUMBLED UPON THE IDEA HOUSTON DOESN'T HAVE A FOOD INSECURITY BOARD.
FOURTH, THEIR FIFTH LARGEST METROPOLIS IN THE COUNTRY DOESN'T HAVE A PANEL OF EXPERTS OR PROFESSIONALS THAT WORK WITH MAYOR TURNER TO HELP HIM IDENTIFY FOOD POLICIES RELATED FOOD INSECURITY.
WE PUT TOGETHER A PROPOSAL, WE SHOPPED IT OUT TO CITY COUNCIL, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD PICKED IT UP, WENT DIRECTLY TO MAYOR TURNER AND SAID, MAYOR TURNER, WE DON'T HAVE THIS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? I THINK ON DAY ONE, MAYOR TURNER SAID, WE NEED THIS.
AND WE GOT IT DONE WITHIN JUST A, JUST A MATTER OF A FEW MONTHS.
AND MAYOR TURNER WAS GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO APPOINT ME AS CHAIR.
AND SPEAKING OF FIRST HISPANIC WOMAN TO BE ON A BOARD, I'M THE FIRST MUSLIM TO BE A CHAIR OF ANY BOARD OF COMMISSION IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THAT, THAT'S AN INCREDIBLE STORY, OBVIOUSLY, NOT ONLY THE DRIVE TO ADDRESS SOMETHING THAT IS SO POIGNANT AND SO NECESSARY, BUT THEN, UH, IT ALSO JUST SAYS EVERYTHING ABOUT OUR LEADERS THAT WILLING TO LISTEN AND MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS AT THE TABLE YES.
PARTICULARLY ON SOMETHING WITH SUCH, YOU KNOW, GRAVITAS AND NECESSITY.
THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH, FRANCIS.
UH, PERHAPS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW YOU GOT TO SOME OF YOUR POSITIONS AND, AND THEN, UH, I WILL THEN TURN AND START WITH LEX AND START ASKING ABOUT SOME OF THE TRAITS.
SO YOU GUYS BE THINKING ABOUT THIS GUY'S GENDER NEUTRAL.
I'M FROM ARGENTINA, BUT LEARN TO SPEAK ENGLISH IN BOSTON.
AND THE GUYS ALWAYS STICKS WITH ME, BUT I'M ALL ABOUT THE WOMEN.
UM, BUT IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU, I DO WANT YOU TO START THINKING ABOUT ATTRIBUTES OF SUCCESSFUL BOARD MEMBERS, BUT PRIOR TO THAT, FRANCIS, HOW DID YOU GET THE LUXURY OF GETTING TO BE ON SOME OF SOME OF THESE BOARDS? UM, I THINK I AM, I CONSIDER MYSELF TO BE A HARD WORKER.
I CONSIDER MYSELF TO BE PASSIONATE ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT I DO, ESPECIALLY THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND I ALSO, UM, HAVE NO HUMAN CHILDREN.
SO I SAY THAT BECAUSE I HAVE DOGS
AND, UM, UM, PEOPLE HAVE NOTICED IF YOU MAY NOT THINK THAT, BUT PEOPLE ARE WATCHING YOU, WHATEVER YOU DO, AND IF YOU STAND OUT, IF YOU'RE A HARD WORKER, YOU'RE GONNA BE NOTICED AND YOU'RE GONNA BE ASKED TO DO THIS.
AND IF YOU SAY YES, YOU'RE GONNA SUCCEED IN THAT, AND THEN YOU'RE GONNA BE ASKED BY SOMEONE ELSE TO DO SOMETHING ELSE.
SO THAT IS HOW I FEEL THAT I GOT MY FIRST APPOINTMENT AND THEN I GOT MY SECOND AND THEN MY THIRD, AND THEN, UH, ANOTHER ONE.
UM, BUT, BUT THE, THE, LIKE I SAID, THE GREAT THING ABOUT THIS IS DON'T LET IT STOP THERE.
FIND OTHERS IN YOUR CIRCLE THAT, THAT, THAT ARE ON BOARDS OR THAT ARE NOT ON BOARDS.
FIND THAT THAT GEM IN THEM AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO BE ON BOARDS.
ENCOURAGE THEM TO SPEND THEIR TIME AND MAKE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD.
BECAUSE ONCE WE LEAVE THIS WORLD, UM, UM, THERE'S, THERE'S ALL WE HAVE IS THE LEGACY THAT WE LEFT BEHIND.
SO LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE THIS PLACE A BETTER PLACE.
JUST THINKING ABOUT LENORA ACROSS THIS ROOM, WHETHER WE CURRENTLY SERVE WITH OTHERS OR NOT, YOU DO BECOME A COMMUNITY.
AND YOU LOOK OUT IF, YOU KNOW, FRANCIS TEXTED ME ABOUT ANYTHING, LENORA WHO SEE, I MEAN, THERE'S A LI JUAN, WHOEVER IT MAY BE.
YOU RESPOND, YOU MEAN YOU RESPOND BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU SHARE THE PASSION ABOUT HOUSTON, YOU SHARE THE PASSION ABOUT COMMUNITY AND SERVICE.
SO IT'S, THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE BEAUTIFUL THING.
ALSO, YOU ALSO BROADEN YOUR SCOPE OF INFLUENCE AND INFLUENCE VERY AMORPHOUSLY DEFINED BECAUSE, UH, YOU CAN INFLUENCE IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.
AND, UH, WITH, WITH GREAT SUCCESS, LEX, I'VE REALLY LOVED HEARING THAT STORY.
UM, WOULD I, BEFORE WE TURN IT TO SOME OF THE ATTRIBUTES THAT YOU THINK MAKE FOR A SUCCESSFUL, UM, BOARD MEMBER, JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE ON METRO, WHY DON'T YOU UPDATE US FOR A SECOND AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW? WELL, I, METRO HAS A HUGE, UH, SERVICE AREA AND WE ARE TRYING TO REACH PEOPLE IN AREAS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN TOUCHED YET.
UH, THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT IN, IN, IN THE SUBURBAN AREAS IN HARRIS COUNTY AND ON
[01:10:01]
THE EDGE OF, UH, UH, OUR SERVICE AREA WHO DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION.WE ARE TRYING TO FIND NOVEL WAYS OF REACHING THEM.
WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, CALL A CALL FOR A RIDE, MAKE AN APPOINTMENT ON A METRO VEHICLE.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS OF USING SMALLER TRANSIT VEHICLES THAT ARE PERHAPS MORE EFFICIENT AND, UH, DON'T NEED TO CARRY AS MANY PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO AREAS WHERE THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO NEED THE TRANSIT.
WE'RE LOOKING AT SPEEDING UP THE ROUTES.
NEW METRO RAPID IS MOVING THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, AND IF YOU'RE NOT SEEING THOSE STOPS, PRETTY SOON HOLD YOUR BREATH BECAUSE THEY'RE COMING.
AND, UH, THEY WILL MOVE YOU ON A BUS, UH, FROM POINT A TO POINT B MUCH MORE QUICKLY THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE.
THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE STOPLIGHTS, MOVE THROUGH SAFELY INTERSECTIONS, UH, THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO, UH, BOARD PEOPLE MORE QUICKLY BECAUSE THERE WILL BE LEVEL BOARDING PLATFORMS. AND, UH, AND THEN WE'RE LOOKING AT EXTENDING SERVICE DOWN THROUGH GULFTON IN WAYS THAT, UH, THE AREA HASN'T YET BEEN SERVED.
SO, UH, METRO HAS A LOT ON ITS PLATE METRO.
NEXT IS THE, UH, THE PLAN THAT THE VOTERS OF HOUSTON RECOMMENDED THAT THEY VOTED FOR 70% PEOPLE SUPPORTED METRO NEXT.
AND IT'S COMING, IT WON'T HAPPEN TOMORROW.
IT'LL TAKE US SEVERAL YEARS TO ROLL IT OUT, BUT YOU'RE GONNA SEE THE, THE, UH, PROBABLY THE MOST PROGRESSIVE, THE MOST ADVANCED, AND THE BEST TRANSIT SYSTEM IN AMERICA, RIGHT HERE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
SPEAKING OF WHICH, METRO LIFT JUST CALLED ME TO TELL ME MY RIDE WAS COMING.
OH, I, I THINK THEY'LL WAIT FOR YOU, GIVEN YOU'RE ON THE BOARD.
MAYOR, WHAT DO YOU THINK? HOPEFULLY, SO, ALRIGHT, THEY'LL WAIT.
LEX'S VERY QUICKLY AND THEN WE'LL TURN IT, WE'LL ASK, UM, THE SAME OF, UH, SEK AND THEN FRANCIS, A FEW ATTRIBUTES IN TERMS OF YOUR LONG STANDING SERVICE, UM, ATTRIBUTES FOR SUCCESSFUL BOARD MEMBERS.
WELL, I, SUCCESSFUL BOARD MEMBERS NEED NOT TO BE WANTING TO BE ON A BOARD.
UH, AND, AND, AND IF IT DOESN'T, THAT DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE YOU'VE SERVED YOUR PURPOSE BY SERVING THE COMMUNITY.
UH, SO I, I DON'T WANT TO GET PEOPLE PREOCCUPIED ON SERVING ON A BOARD.
IF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN SERVING ON A BOARD, THEN SURE THEY SHOULD DO SO, BUT THEY SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT THAT MAKES A COMMITMENT.
SO THE, THE METRO BOARD, FOR EXAMPLE, I SPEND TWO DAYS A WEEK ON METRO BUSINESS.
I'M NOT PAID FOR THAT, THANK GOODNESS.
I HAVE A SUPPORTIVE EMPLOYER WHO BELIEVES IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME TO BE ON THAT BOARD.
SO, UH, I, I'M COMPENSATED THROUGH MY EMPLOYER, AT LEAST I'M GIVEN TIME OFF TO WORK ON METRO.
UH, THAT IS, UH, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING I DON'T THINK PEOPLE FULLY TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION ANY OF THESE BOARDS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT REQUIRE TIME.
AND I THINK THE OTHER ATTRIBUTE IS THE DESIRE TO UNDERSTAND CLEARLY WHAT IT IS YOU ARE HELPING TO MANAGE.
UM, I THINK THAT METRO BOARD MEMBERS SHOULD BE METRO USERS.
I USE METRO TO GO BACK AND FORTH TO WORK.
I USE METRO TO GO BACK AND FORTH TO THE DOCTOR.
METRO IS THE ONLY SYSTEM I USE.
I DON'T HAVE A CAR THAT I CAN USE.
AND I THINK THAT, UM, MAKES ME A BETTER BOARD MEMBER BECAUSE I SEE STUFF OTHERS DON'T
AND YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SEE IT SAY SOMETHING, UH, THAT'S OUR MOTTO AT METRO AND, AND, UH, AND I THINK WE'RE FIXING THINGS BECAUSE OF THAT.
BUT I, YOU KNOW, ATTRIBUTES, I THINK COMMITMENT TIME AND, UH, AND A DESIRE REALLY TO BE USING FROM AND CONTRIBUTING TO, UM, THAT ASPECT OF PUBLIC SERVICE THAT YOU IDENTIFY WITH.
A A FEW WORDS OF WISDOM FROM YOU IN TERMS OF TRAITS THAT YOU'VE SEEN SUCCESSFUL IN THOSE THAT ARE SERVING THE CITY OR BOARDS TIME IN LOVE.
UM, IN, IN MY TRADITION OF ISLAM, THERE'S A, THERE'S A VERSE IN
TRULY GOD LOVES THOSE WHO DO GOOD.
AND PART OF THAT, PART OF THAT LOVE THAT THAT GOD BESTOWS UPON YOU IS A BLESSING OF TIME.
AND SO IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU HAVE THREE KIDS, SPOUSE IN-LAWS LIVING AT THE HOUSE AND MAYBE FIVE DOGS, RIGHT? IF, IF YOU HAVE A COMMITMENT AND A PASSION TO WANTING TO DO GOOD AND TO BE A PART OF GOODNESS, UM, THEN GOD OPENS UP YOUR TIME FOR YOU.
AND SO WHAT, WHEN I, WHEN I TALK TO BOARD MEMBERS AND I TELL THEM, I TELL PROSPECTS, YOU KNOW, FIVE TO SEVEN HOURS A MONTH, THEY'RE
[01:15:01]
INSTANTLY LIKE, AH.IT'S LIKE, LISTEN, IF YOU'RE GONNA DO GOOD WORK, YOU KNOW, YOU'LL HAVE BLESSING.
AND NOT ALL BOARDS, BY THE WAY, ARE FIVE TO SEMINARS A MONTH.
SOME ARE ONE HOUR EVERY FOUR MONTHS.
THAT'S IT, RIGHT? SO YOU HAVE A, YOU HAVE A SPOT THAT YOU CAN FILL IF, IF THERE'S A BOARD THAT'S OPEN, I IDENTIFY HOW MUCH TIME IT TAKES AND SEE IF IT ALIGNS WITH YOUR PASSIONS OR YOUR INTERESTS, AND TALK TO OLIVIA AND SEE IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN FILL.
AND THE LAST THING THAT I'LL SAY ON THIS IS, ONE THING THAT I FIND COMMON AMONGST ALL BOARD MEMBERS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AMONGST THE COMMISSIONS AND THE BOARDS AND THE ADVISORY BOARDS, IS THAT YOU HAVE VOLUNTEERS TWO DAYS OUTTA THE WEEK, YOU HAVE VOLUNTEERS WHO ALL TOGETHER WANT TO DO GOOD FOR THEIR COMMUNITY, OUT OF INTEREST IN THEIR HEART.
THEY HAVE AN INTEREST OF SEEING THEIR CITY UPLIFTED MUCH MORE THAN DALLAS.
SO WE HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN.
WE HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO FIND A SEAT, RIGHT, SERVE AND GIVE BACK TO OUR CITY.
AND SOMETIMES IT JUST NEEDS CAFFEINE.
I DON'T JUST NEED LOVE, I NEED A LOT OF COFFEE, I'LL BE FRANK.
SO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET THERE, LOVE IT.
COUPLE OF ATTRIBUTES THAT YOU'VE SEEN IN SUCCESSFUL BOARD MEMBERS.
AND THEN VERY QUICKLY, BECAUSE WE'VE GOT IT, THE MAYOR'S BEEN INORDINATELY GRACIOUS TO STAY THE ENTIRE TIME.
AND THAT'S INDICATIVE OF HOW IMPORTANT HE HAS PLENTY OF OTHER PLACES TO GO AND HE HAS NOT MOVED.
AND FOR THAT, WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE YOU'RE OUT ON TIME.
UH, WE ARE STAYING THOUGH, UM, THAT END, FRANCIS, A FEW OF, UH, ATTRIBUTES FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE THAT YOU'VE SEEN ARE PART OF RECIPES FOR SUCCESS, FOR SERVING.
COGNIZANT OF WHAT LEXI SAID, IF YOU'RE JUST IN THERE, SO YOU CAN SAY THE CHECK THE BOX THAT YOU ARE ON A BOARD, QUITE FRANKLY, PERHAPS THERE'S OTHER BOARDS YOU SHOULD BE ON.
IT NEEDS TO BE FOR TRUE LOVE FOR THE CITY.
THAT SAID, FRANCIS, TAKE IT AWAY.
THERE'S BEEN SIX PEOPLE WE'VE HEARD FROM TODAY.
MAYBE EACH OF US SIT ON TWO BOARDS, 12, THERE'S 163 BOARDS.
WE'VE ONLY TALKED ABOUT THE ONES THAT WE KNOW ABOUT.
BUT WE REDO YOUR RESEARCH, FIND OUT WHAT IS, WHAT IS AVAILABLE, AND IF THAT MIRRORS YOUR PASSION.
UM, I LOVE DOGS AND I WAS ON THE BARK FOUNDATION BOARD.
IT WAS THE MOST AMAZING EXPERIENCE EVER.
WE, WITH SOPHIA, WE PLANTED DOG WALK AND, AND JUST, YEAH, WE CREATED THESE DOG WALKS.
YES, RAISE LOTS OF MONEY FOR THE, FOR THE CITY AND CREATE AWARENESS FOR A, A PET OWNERSHIP AND, AND, AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
BUT THERE'S SO MANY, SO MANY THINGS OUT THERE THAT IS, IS IN LINE WITH YOUR PASSION AND YOU CAN MAKE IT SUCCESSFUL.
AND LIKE THE MAYOR AND EVERYONE ELSE SAYS, IF IT'S NOT THERE, LET'S HELP CREATE IT.
UM, MAKE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE GOAL FOR YOU THAT THAT YEAR IS FIND OUT WHAT, WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT.
AND IF THERE'S NOT A BOARD AND COMMISSION ON THERE, THEN CREATE ONE.
UM, THIS CITY IS DIVERSE ENOUGH, IT'S BIG ENOUGH, UH, FOR EVERYONE TO SERVE, SERVE TOGETHER.
AND THOSE ARE, THEY SAID THAT THE RIGHT ATTRIBUTES, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE TIME, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE PASSION, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A LEVEL HEAD AS WELL.
AND, AND YOU JUST HAVE TO HAVE PATIENCE.
UM, AND YOU HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO LISTEN.
PEOPLE WILL TALK AND TALK AND TALK, BUT THEY DON'T LISTEN VERY WELL.
SO IF YOU HAVE REALLY GOOD PEOPLE THAT LISTEN, CAN DISSECT, UH, UM, UH, DIGEST EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE SAYING AND COME BACK WITH WITH A GREAT SOLUTION.
THOSE ARE THE KIND OF PEOPLE THAT YOU WANT ON YOUR BOARD.
AND I THINK ALL OF US, THE SIX THAT ARE ON HERE HAVE THAT.
AND THAT'S PROBABLY WHY WE WERE SELECTED TO BE ON HERE.
BUT THOSE ARE THE ATTRIBUTES AND TRAITS THAT I THOUGHT I'D SHARE.
NO, I, IF YOU, I MEAN, IF YOU SEE AN OPPORTUNITY, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.
IF, IF, IF YOU'RE OFFERED A POSITION, MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE REALLY READY FOR IT BEFORE YOU SAY YES.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MANY WAYS TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY SO MANY WAYS.
JUST IDENTIFY SOMETHING IN THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU REALLY HAVE A PASSION FOR, AND GO FOR IT.
THEN WE'LL HAVE ROSE AND OLIVIA AND WE WILL BE DONE.
UM, I THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AND TAKING THE TIME.
YOU'VE TAKEN THE FIRST STEP TO SHOWING THAT YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
NOW TAKE THE SECOND OLIVIA'S HERE SOMEWHERE IN THE ROOM.
GRAB HER PHONE NUMBER, GRAB HER EMAIL.
AND THE SECOND STEP THAT I WOULD SUGGEST YOU TAKE IS SHOOT HER AN EMAIL AND SAY THE FOLLOWING, GOOD EVENING, OLIVIA, WHEN WOULD YOU HAVE 15 MINUTES TO SPEAK WITH ME IN THE NEXT FOUR WEEKS? THAT'S IT.
STEP AND ATTACH, SHE'LL FOLLOW UP AND ATTACH YOUR CV, RESUME PARAGRAPH AND ATTACH YOUR CV.
GIVE A LITTLE SOMETHING SO THE BACKGROUND.
SO SHE'S ALREADY THINKING ABSOLUTELY OF WHAT SHE CAN DO, WORK, WORKING WITH, PUT THE BALL IN HER COURT AND LET HER HANDLE THE REST.
NO INCREDIBLE FRANCIS CLOSING.
I THINK ALSO KNOW YOUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBER WHO IS IN YOUR DISTRICT AND KNOW YOUR AT LARGE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS BECAUSE
[01:20:01]
THEY ARE GONNA ALSO HELP YOU AND GUIDE YOU IN ADDITION TO OLIVIA OLIVIA'S ONE PERSON.THEY MAY, YOU MAY TELL THEM WHAT YOUR PASSION ARE AND THEY CAN PROBABLY HELP YOU FIND THE RIGHT THING IN YOUR COMMUNITY SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO DRIVE TOO FAR, E ET CETERA.
SO THE, UM, EVERYTHING THAT THEY SAID I IS, IS, IS GREAT.
BUT AGAIN, START IT SOONER THAN LATER.
AND THE LAST THING IS AT DINNER WITH YOUNGER KIDS THAT ARE IN HIGH SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL, START PLANTING THAT SEED IN THEIR MINDS ABOUT SERVING ON BOARD, SERVING IN THE COMMUNITIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE IT STARTS.
YOU KNOW, WE ARE ARE THE, THE, THE VESSEL TO DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND LET THAT BE A MISSION THAT WE HAVE FOR THE REST OF THIS YEAR AND FOR NEXT YEAR.
I KNOW, I THINK THAT'S INCREDIBLE.
BUT DON'T LET THE FACT, IF YOU DON'T KNOW YOUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBER DETER YOU.
I PROMISE YOU OLIVIA WILL RESPOND.
AND IF FOR WHATEVER REASON SEND IT AGAIN, IT MAY GET STUCK IN SPAM AND THAT WOMAN RESPONDS.
SO WE ARE EXCITED, WE'RE APPRECIATIVE.
OKAY, WE'VE GOT ROSE, OUR FEARLESS CO-CHAIR AND OLIVIA, AND WE ARE GONNA WRAP IT UP ON TIME.
THANK YOU, DAR OH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR PANELISTS.
I HOPE YOU'VE LEARNED A LOT OF IN, WE RECEIVED A LOT OF INFORMATION TODAY.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE, AND THE, AND THE HISPANIC ADVISORY, WE'RE GLAD THAT THE A A IP WERE ABLE TO JOIN US IN PRESENTING THIS, UH, PRESENTATION TO YOU THIS EVENING.
WE HAVEN'T HAD THIS LAST TIME WE HAD, THIS WAS, UH, PRE PANDEMIC.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
AND WE'RE AT, I'M GLAD YOU'RE ABLE TO JOIN US THIS EVENING.
SERVING ON BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, AS YOU CAN TELL, IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
AND THERE ARE SOME DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE THAT HAPPEN IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND YOUR COMMUNITIES THAT YOU MAY NOT BE AWARE OF.
KNOW WHO SITS ON THESE BOARDS.
IF YOU DON'T SIT ON THE BOARD, KNOW WHO SITS ON THESE BOARDS AND PARTICIPATE IN THE, IN THE LISTENING OF THESE BOARDS.
THESE BOARDS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
YOU CAN JOIN IN, YOU CAN SIT IN AND LISTEN.
AND WITH THAT, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING AND I WANNA INTRODUCE YOU TO GIVE YOU MORE INFORMATION ON HOW CAN I MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN HOUSTON.
UH, I HAVEN'T GOTTEN THE CHANCE TO MEET ALL OF Y'ALL, BUT I'M OLIVIA LEE, THE DIRECTOR OF BOARDS AND COMMISSION, UH, LENORA AND SOPHIA AND ROSE EMBARRASS ME BY HOW KIND THEY ARE.
BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HELPING ME MAKE THIS HAPPEN AND FOR COMING TO ME.
AND THEY, THESE THREE WOMEN CAME TO ME AND THEY SAID, WE WANNA DO THIS AGAIN.
AND I'M REALLY, REALLY GRATEFUL THAT THEY DID.
AND I CAN'T THANK 'EM ENOUGH FOR THEIR WORK.
AND I'M REALLY THANKFUL THAT ALL OF Y'ALL ARE HERE AS WELL.
I'M GONNA START OUT BY JUST THINKING A COUPLE OF PEOPLE AND THEN WE'LL MOVE INTO THE MORE INFORMATIONAL SECTION THEN.
I PROMISE I WON'T KEEP YOU ALL LONG, BECAUSE I'M SURE EVERYONE'S A LITTLE ANTSY TO GET GOING.
SO I DO, LIKE I SAID, I THANK ROSE AND LENORA AND SOPHIA.
I WANNA THANK NOMI HUSSEIN FROM THE A API ADVISORY BOARD.
I WANNA THANK ALL OF OUR FABULOUS PANELISTS.
I'M THE, I'M THE DIRECTOR OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND I LEARNED FROM THEM AND I THOUGHT, THEY'RE JUST FABULOUS.
UM, IF Y'ALL ENJOYED TODAY'S REFRESHMENTS, PLEASE THANK TONY LEE FROM THE A API ADVISORY BOARD.
UH, HE BROUGHT US VIETNAMESE FOOD FROM DAU RESTAURANT AND BAR, AND THEN ESTEFANIA ALA FROM THE HISPANIC ADVISORY BOARD WHO BROUGHT US TORTILLAS FROM, UM, I THINK IT'S TELE MEAT MARKET.
AND THEN OF COURSE HE HAD TO LEAVE, BUT I, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T THANK THE MAYOR FOR HIS SUPPORT OF THIS EVENT.
'CAUSE NOTHING IN THE CITY HAPPENS WITHOUT HIM.
AND THEN, UM, ALSO FOR HIS COMMITMENT TO INCLUSION AND EQUITY ON OUR BOARDS.
SO, UM, WHEN YOU GUYS CAME IN, YOU PROBABLY PICKED UP A NICE, SHE SHOWED IT TO YOU, LITTLE BROCHURE.
UM, IF YOU DIDN'T, THERE'S PROBABLY STILL SOME OUT THERE.
SO PLEASE DO TAKE IT ON YOUR WAY OUT.
UH, YOU CAN SEE IT HAS A LIST OF ALL OF OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ON IT.
IT HAS MY EMAIL ON IT, AND IT ALSO HAS OUR WEBSITE.
AND IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A SECOND TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THE BOARDS ON THIS LIST THAT HAVE CURRENT VACANCIES.
THESE SEATS ARE OPEN RIGHT NOW.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR SOMEONE'S TERM TO EXPIRE.
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR BOARD MEMBERS.
UH, THE FIRST ONE WOULD BE THE HOUSTON CLEAN CITY COMMISSION, WHICH WORKS TO BEAUTIFY HOUSTON THROUGH LITTLE REDUCTION AND RECYCLING PROGRAM AND EDUCATION.
UH, ALAN STEINBERG WAS HERE, HE'S THEIR CHAIR AND I KNOW HE'S LOOKING FROM SOME NEW AND ENGAGED BOARD MEMBERS.
SO LOOK INTO THAT IF YOU'D BE INTERESTED.
THIS SECOND IS, AND YOU HEARD ABOUT IT FROM GANI, IS THE FOOD INSECURITY BOARD.
HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE IMPORTANT WORK
[01:25:01]
THAT THEY DO.THERE ARE SEATS OPEN ON THAT BOARD.
YOU CAN BE A PART OF THAT IMPORTANT WORK.
AND THEN THE LAST THING I WANT TO MENTION BRIEFLY, IT'S NOT A TRADITIONAL BOARD LIKE THE OTHERS, BUT WE DO APPOINT ALL OF THE MEMBERS.
AND THAT'S THE MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGES AND ASSOCIATE JUDGES.
AND AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THOSE ARE VITALLY IMPORTANT TO THE SMOOTH FUNCTIONING OF OUR MUNICIPAL COURT SYSTEM.
THEY HELP ADJUDICATE VIOLATIONS OF THE HOUSTON ORDINANCE.
IF YOU'RE A LAWYER, COME TALK TO ME IF YOU THINK YOU'D BE INTERESTED, BECAUSE IT IS SUCH A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AND GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, LIKE I SAID, YOU CAN REACH OUT TO ME.
YOU CAN ALSO APPLY THAT WAY, YOU CAN APPLY AS WELL THROUGH OUR WEBSITE.
UM, I WOULD REQUEST WHEN YOU APPLY, PLEASE, PLEASE MENTION THAT YOU CAME HERE TONIGHT SO THAT WE CAN TRACK HOW MANY PEOPLE THAT CAME APPLIED, AND THEN HOW MANY ARE APPOINTED.
AND THAT WAY WE CAN REALLY MEASURE THE EFFECT OF AN EVENT LIKE THIS AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS.
UM, I DO WANT TO END BY JUST SAYING THAT I'M ALWAYS IN AWE OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS' WORK AND THEIR COMMITMENT TO HOUSTON.
AND IT REALLY HAS BEEN THE BEST PART OF MY JOB GETTING TO KNOW THEM AND THE WORK THAT THEY DO.
AND NOT JUST THEM, BUT EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO HAS REACHED OUT TO MY OFFICE AND SAID, I WANNA GIVE BACK.
I WANNA DO SOMETHING FOR MY COMMUNITY.
UM, UM, IT HAS JUST BEEN SUCH AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE TO GET TO KNOW THOSE PEOPLE.
SO I WANT TO REITERATE, PLEASE, PLEASE REACH OUT AND APPLY.
I AM A LITTLE, UH, AFRAID OF WHAT MY INBOX IS GONNA LOOK LIKE, UH, TOMORROW MORNING, BUT I WELCOME IT BECAUSE I WANT TO HELP ENGAGED AND COMMITTED PEOPLE SERVE ON OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
I ALSO PUT MY CARD OUT THERE ON THE, UH, SIGN-IN TABLE, GRAB IT ON YOUR WAY OUT IF THAT'S, IF YOU PREFER THAT.
BUT, UM, I'M GONNA LEAVE Y'ALL WITH THAT TONIGHT.
I THINK WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF FOOD LEFT, SO PLEASE TAKE SOME SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY LEFTOVERS.
BUT THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR COMING AND I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A REALLY WONDERFUL NIGHT AND WE'LL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE, WE MAY GET OFF THE STAGE OR WE, WE MAY BE RIGHT THERE.
OH, SHE WANTS US ON THE STAGE.
IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO VISIT WITH US, DON'T HESITATE.
AND IF NOMI, IS HE HERE? OKAY.
THE REST OF US WILL BE HERE IF YOU WANNA VISIT WITH US, PLEASE DO.
AND THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH.