* 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. [00:00:12] WHAT AN HONOR TO HAVE US ALL HERE UNITED REPRESENTING OUR INSTITUTIONS AND COUNTRIES TO CELEBRATE WOMEN HAPPY INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS. TODAY WE CELEBRATE INCREDIBLE WORLDWIDE LEADERS, CHAMPIONS OF WOMEN ON THIS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S. LET'S HONOR EVERYWHERE WHO INSPIRING GENERATIONS TO COME. WELCOME AGAIN. THANK YOU FOR JOINING THE UNITED NATION ASSOCIATION, HOUSTON, IN CELEBRATING THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S INVESTING WOMEN PROGRESS. AGAIN, MY NAME IS AND I PRIVILEGE TO LEAD THE MOST DYNAMIC UN NATION BOARD WHO HAS THE GREATEST PASSION TO ADVOCATE FOR THE 17 GLOBAL GOALS SET FORTH BY THE LEADERS IN 20. THE MISSION OF IS TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT THE UNITED NATIONS IN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, HOW IT IMPACTS INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITY, AND TO STRENGTHEN US SUPPORT FOR THESE INSTITUTIONS WHOSE PURPOSE IS TO PROMOTE SOCIAL TODAY, RANGING FROM GEOPOLITICAL CONFLICTING POVERTY LEVELS AND ESCALATING IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. THESE CHALLENGES INVESTING IN WE THE TRANSITION SAFER AND MORE EQUAL WORLD FOR ALL. TO DO ALL THAT WE HAVE LINED UP AN OUT LEADERS FROM DIVERSE ARRAY OF INDUSTRIES TO HEAR ISSUES BY WOMEN, EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES TO FURTHER OUR MISSION. BUT, BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, WE HAVE A FEW IMPORTANT DIGNITARIES IN THE OF KNOWLEDGE WHO ARE AMONG US TODAY. AND THIS IS THE HARDEST PART. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED. SO FIRST OF ALL, UM, THANK YOU FOR OUR HOUSTON COUNCIL CORPS PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN HOUSTON. SEVERAL COUNTRIES ARE REPRESENTED HERE. SO QUICKLY GO DOWN THE LISTS AND REPRESENTATION WHO ARE PRESENT HERE. UM, OF QATAR, OF HUNG COSTA RICA OF RUSSIA, GUATEMALA, INDONESIA, ITALY, INDIA, BANGLADESH, SPAIN, MEXICO, POLAND, BRAZILIA, GEORGIA. IS THERE ANYONE THAT I HAVE NOT JOINING YOU FOR BEING HERE? NORWAY, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, EQU, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. WE REALLY APPRECIATE BECAUSE THANK YOU FOR BEING ACKNOWLEDGE. COUNCIL HERE, FIRST OF ALL, OUR HONORABLE, UH, MARTHA MAYOR, WE ALSO ELECTED HERE WHO I HAVE NOT RECOGNIZED SPEAKER FOR BEING HERE. [00:05:09] QUESTION SPEAKER. SHAR, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME INTRODUCE REPRESENTATIVE ANN JOHNSON? WE'RE RECOGNIZING OUR DEAR REPRESENTATIVE ANN JOHNSON. UH, IT IT WAS VERY LONG BIO WHEN TRYING TO IT DOWN WE'RE. SO REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON, A FORMER CHIEF HUMAN TRAFFICKING PROSECUTOR TEACHER, SMALL BUSINESS OWNER AND FIGHTER FOR WOMEN AND IN THE STATE SUCCESSFULLY AND REFORM CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, HONOR, VOTE. AND JOHNSON, WOULD YOU LIKE THE DINING ROOM? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE INVITATION. JAMES. WELCOME ON THIS DAY OF INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S CELEBRATION. UM, AS DR. A SAID AND, AND RECOGNIZE, WHEN I LOOK AROUND THIS ROOM, I SEE THE DIVERSITY AND THE GREATNESS THAT MAKES THE CITY OF HOUSTON AMAZING AND WONDERFUL. AND I THINK ABOUT HOW WE GOTTA THIS POSITION. I THINK ABOUT WOMEN LIKE FORTE. LORD, WHO WAS A TEXAN, WAS A HOUSTONIAN, WAS THE FIRST WOMAN TO PRACTICE LAW IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND WAS A STA ADVOCATE FOR WOMEN BEING ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR ELECTIONS. IT WAS MORE THAN A HUNDRED YEARS AGO THAT HE WAS SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE IN THE STATE SUPPORTED BY AN ALL MALE LEGISLATURE IN TEXAS WHO VOTED TO IZE THE 19TH AMENDMENT AND GIVE WOMEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE. I THINK ABOUT WOMEN LIKE THE FIRST WOMAN SERVING BY HERSELF IN THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE IN 1968. I'M PROUD TO SERVE IN YOUR LEGISLATURE TODAY PEOPLE, BUT CAN YOU IMAGINE BEING THAT ONE WOMAN TO SERVE IN THAT SPACE? EVEN RECENTLY, GEORGIA BALL, A GOLFER WAS OUT PRACTICING AND HAPPENED TO HAVE A VIDEO ON TO CHECK HER SWING AND SHE DID. SHE WAS APPROACHED BY A MAN WHO WAS GONNA TELL HER HOW SHE NEEDED TO WORK ON HER GOLF SWING, THAT HE HAD BEEN A RECREATIONAL GOLFER FOR 20 YEARS AND THIS WAS THE WAY THAT IT NEEDED TO BE DONE. AND SHE DID WHAT I ASSUME MOST ALL OF THE WOMEN IN THIS ROOM DO. SHE SMILED WITH GRACE, LET HIM EXPLAIN HOW SHE COULD DO IT BETTER. AND THEN SHE WENT ON. HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE WALKED INTO A ROOM BY EITHER GENDER OR RACE AND THOUGHT YOU SAW THE EYES STARING TO HIM, YOU DON'T BELONG HERE. I THINK ABOUT BARBARA JORDAN AND SHE, A WOMAN OF COLOR, THE FIRST WOMAN OF COLOR TO BE ELECTED TO THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS. AND SHE HERSELF SAID THAT HER OFTEN, SHE DID NOT BELIEVE THAT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES WAS HERE FOR HER, BUT IT WAS THROUGH FIGHT AND CHALLENGE AND AMENDMENT THAT SHE FINALLY FELT PART OF. WE, THE PEOPLE, I THINK ABOUT THE PROGRESS THAT WE HAVE MADE FROM WOMEN IN TEXAS LIKE SARAH WEDDINGTON TO ACHIEVE THE ABILITY FOR WOMEN TO DETERMINE THEIR OWN REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE RIGHTS IN THE UNITED STATES. AND I THINK ABOUT WHERE WE ARE TODAY, I THINK ABOUT THE, I THINK ABOUT AND I THINK ABOUT THOSE THAT HAVE AN EYE TOWARDS THE, I SEEN IT, I HAVE LIVED IT, THE LAST TWO SECTION ON THE TEXAS FLOOR AND YOUR ABILITY TO, I HAVE SEEN IN WHO TO AND SAID TO US, I NEVER WANTED TO HAVE A GAY CHILD. I NEVER WANTED TO HAVE A TRANS CHILD. BUT WE ARE MOTHERS AND FATHERS AND THE ONE THING THAT WE DO KNOW IS THE LOVE FOR OUR CHILDREN. AND EVEN MYSELF AS A 49-YEAR-OLD, I CAN TELL YOU I TOO HAVE SO MUCH TO LEARN ABOUT OUR TREAT COMMUNITY. BUT WE ALL KNOW [00:10:01] AS MOTHERS AND SISTERS, AS AS FATHERS, THE LOVE FOR OUR CHILDREN. AND TO SEE THESE FAMILIES COME TO AND TELL US, THE ONE THING I KNOW IS THAT I LOVE MY CHILD AND MY CHILD DESERVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ESSENTIALLY BE AUTHENTICALLY WHO THEY'RE WITH LOVE AND SUPPORT AND NOT GOVERNMENT. CONDEMNATIONS. THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT WE SHOULD STRIVE FOR AND LIFT UP. AND LEMME TELL YOU, THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT RIGHT NOW ARE LEAVING THE STATE, TEXAS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M MOST PROUD OF THIS LAST SESSION IS THAT WE PASSED A BILL CALLED HOUSE BILL 30 58. WOULD YOU RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT HOUSE BILL 30 58 IS ONLY A HANDFUL OF FOLKS. LEMME TELL YOU WHAT, IT'S, IT'S THE ONLY CASE I CAN FIND LOCATION WHERE A STATE THAT HAS PASSED THE MOST RESTRICTIVE WOMEN'S HEALTHCARE LEGISLATION HAS ACTUALLY EXPANDED ABORTION ACCESS. I'M PROUD TO HAVE SPONSORED AND AUTHOR THAT BILL WHICH SAYS, MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, INCLUDING OUR GREAT MEDICAL CENTER IN LIGHT OF THE PREGNANCY COMPLICATIONS TO BE GIVEN BACK THEIR, TO PRACTICE WOMEN'S HEALTHCARE AND SAVE THE LIFE OF A MOTHER BEFORE SHE'S AT DOOR AND IMMEDIATELY UPON A DIAGNOSIS OF HEALTHCARE CONDITION. THANK YOU. AND I'M PROUD TO TELL YOU THAT WHILE OUR LEGISLATION CALLED FOR THAT OF MEDICAL PRACTICE IN LIGHT, ANY PREGNANCY COMPLICATION WHICH WOULD'VE ADDRESSED THE NEEDS OF WOMEN, LIKE IT WAS ONLY AGREED TO BECAUSE OF ATOPIC PREGNANCY AND BECAUSE OF RUPTURE MEMBRANE RUPTURED MEMBRANE, THE MAJORITY OF WHAT WE SEE ARE COMPLICATIONS OF MISCARRIAGE WHERE PHYSICIANS ARE NOW ABLE TO PRACTICE MEDICAL INTERVENTION ON THE FRONT END. BUT LEMME TELL YOU, YOU MAY BE THINKING LIKE YOU AND WHY DID THE MAJORITY AGREE WITH YOU ON ATOPIC PREGNANCY AND RUPTURE MEMBRANE? WHY DO YOU THINK THEY AGREED WITH ME ON IC PREGNANCY AND MEMORY? 'CAUSE IN THAT MEDICAL CRISIS, TIME DOES NOT DE TO THE, OR THE HAVE NOT THOSE WHO WOULD NORMALLY BE ABLE TO LEAVE THE STATE FOR VENUE OR HEALTHCARE DO NOT HAVE THAT OPTION IN PREGNANCY OR A RECORD MEMBRANE. AND THAT IS WHY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WOMEN'S RIGHTS, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR OPPORTUNITY, IT MUST BE US STANDING TOGETHER TO ADVOCATE AMONG US WHO KNOW THE SUFFERING OF POVERTY AND INEQUALITY TO CONTINUE TO COME FROM. SO I'LL TELL YOU, IF YOU WERE NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO LAST TWO TONIGHT'S ELECTION, PLEASE GO BACK AND LOOK, REPUBLICAN INDIVIDUALS LOST THEIR CHANCE TO REELECT ON AN ISSUE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION AND THE ABILITY TO MAINTAIN THAT EVERYBODY HAS THE RIGHT TO HAVE THEIR CHILD GO TO SCHOOL AND ACHIEVE THEIR GREATNESS. WHEN I LOOK AROUND THIS CITY, I SEE DIVERSITY AND I SEE THAT THIS DIVERSITY HAS BECOME BECAUSE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES. AND LET ME TELL YOU, THE THINGS THAT WE'RE SEEING HAPPEN NOW SOCIALLY ENJOY, YOU'LL FEEL THE ECONOMIC DISRUPTION FROM THIS AS OUR COMMUNITY IN THE NEXT DECADE OR THE FOLLOWING, THE FAILURE TO RECRUIT THE BEST HEALTHCARE, THE FAILURE TO RECRUIT THE BEST MINDS AND VICTIMS BECAUSE THEY'LL NOT COME TO A STATE THAT DOESN'T ALLOW THEIR CHILDREN TO BE LGBQ OR DOESN'T ALLOW THEIR TEENAGE DAUGHTERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A PROCEDURE IN LIGHT OF RAPE OR ECT. AND SO I'LL COME BACK TO THIS WHITE JACKET AND I'LL COME BACK TO THIS WOMEN. AND I'LL TELL YOU THAT WHILE I TOOK THE CRUMB OF SOME HEALTHCARE REFORM AROUND THE RUPTURED MEMBRANE PREGNANCY, I WILL ALWAYS REACH FOR A ON BIPARTISAN BASIS TO BENEFIT WOMEN. BUT THERE IS A OUT THERE IN A STATE THAT PRIDES ITSELF ON THE LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD. THERE IS NO ECONOMIC REASON FOR US TO BE 46 IN MEDICATION IN THE NATION. THERE IS NO REASON FOR US TO HAVE THE HIGHEST RATE OF UNINSURED CHILDREN IN THE NATION. AND THERE IS NO REASON FOR US TO HAVE THE HIGHEST RATE OF MATERNAL MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY. AND SO LET TELL YOU THAT LOAF IS OUT THERE, BUT THAT LOAF IS OUT THERE WHEN WE VOTE FOR WOMEN AND ENSURE THAT EVERY MOTHER KNOWS WHAT IT'S LIKE. IF YOUR CHILD CANNOT ACHIEVE EDUCATION, WE VOTE FOR OTHER WOMEN. AND KNOWING THAT EVERY MOTHER KNOWS WHAT IT'S LIKE IF YOU CAN'T TAKE YOUR CHILD TO THE PEDIATRICIAN. [00:15:01] AND WE VOTE FOR EVERY MOTHER AND EVERY WOMAN WHO HAS SUFFERED GUN VIOLENCE IN THE LOSS OF A CHILD AND AN EPIDEMIC IN THIS STATE OUT CONTROL. AND SO I'M GRATEFUL TO BE YOUR STATE REP. I'M GRATEFUL TO SEE THE DIVERSITY IN THIS ROOM AND I'M GRATEFUL TO KNOW THAT IT'S THIS, IT'S THESE WOMEN THAT WILL US A FUTURE AND A VISION THAT, AGAIN, BEACON OF THE, OF DEMOCRACY IN THE WORLD. AND THAT MEANS WHEN WE ALL WOMEN AND THE VOTE TO PROTECT THE INTEREST OF ALL WOMEN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH REPRESENTATIVE FOR YOUR HARD WORK FOR THIS IN POLITICS, YOU ALL MAKING CONTRIBUTIONS, TREMENDOUS CONTRIBUTIONS, THESE COURAGEOUS TOPICS AND WORDS. IT'S NOT EASY. AND WE LOVE PEOPLE WHO CAN HELP US MEET POLICIES THAT BETTER SERVE WOMEN. UM, NEXT TIME WE OBVIOUSLY UNITED NATIONS AND SMALL COMPLETE WITH ALL, ALL THE NATIONS TOGETHER. SO IN HOUSTON WITH OVER 90 DIFFERENT NATIONS REPRESENTED, HOUSTON IS A HOME TO THE THIRD LARGEST COAST OF CORPSE IN THE UNITED STATES. OUR NEXT IS HONORABLE ESP COST RICA. GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY. THANK YOU DR. THANK YOU TO THE ASSOCIATION FOR INVITING US. IT'S ALWAYS SUCH A PLEASURE AND AN HONOR TO BE PART OF YOUR, ESPECIALLY TODAY TO BE PART OF THIS. VERY IMPORTANT. IT'S UH, IT'S UH, UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING FOR MANY YEARS, UH, IN ADVANCING, UH, THE PROGRESS OF WOMEN. AND, UH, WE HAVE, UH, ACHIEVED MANY THINGS, BUT WE KNOW WE WILL KNOW THAT WE ARE STILL RETURN. AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR EVERYBODY TO BE AWARE OF THIS. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR ALL OUR GOVERNMENTS, FOR ALL OUR ENTITIES TO KEEP WORKING THE GENDER, THE GENDER BIASES THAT IS STILL PROMINENT IN OUR SOCIETIES. AND, UH, FOR THIS, IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO, TO ACHIEVE IT. WORKING ALL TOGETHER, MEANING GOVERNMENTS, CIVIL SOCIETY, UH, ALL KIND OF ENTITIES, ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE A, WE ALL NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TOWARDS THESE GOALS. AND DR MENTIONED THE 2030 AGENDA AND 20 AGENDA RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO ACHIEVING GENDER EQUALITY AND EMPOWERING ALL WOMEN AND GIRLS. AND, UH, WE'RE ON THE WAY TO, TO ACHIEVE THE IMPORTANT ON THIS MATTER. BUT, UH, THE INVESTMENT OF, UH, EVERY ACT IN SOCIETY, VERY IMPORTANT FOR THEM. UH, OUR GOVERNMENTS NEED TO BE AWARE THAT WITHOUT INVESTING IN ALL WOMEN AND GIRLS, UH, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO, TO ACHIEVE A REAL EQUALITY IN, IN, IN OUR WORLD. AND WITHOUT THAT, UH, THERE WILL NOT BE, UH, UH, A REAL INCLUSIVE WAR WAR FOR ALL WOMEN. WE NEED TO ACHIEVE POLITICAL, ECONOMICAL, AND SOCIAL EQUALITY. ALL THESE, UH, FIELDS ARE NECESSARY FOR WOMEN TO, UH, KEEP GROWING AND TO BE, UH, REALLY AND TO OCCUPY THE, THE, THE PLACE THE, UM, THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO OCCUPY IN OUR SOCIETY. UM, NOT DOING THAT, IT WOULD BE THE ROLE TYPE OF, UH, IN THE UNITED NATION THAT WOULD BE A WASTE OF HUMAN POTENTIAL ABOUT THE WORST, UH, HUMAN POTENTIAL. AND WE MUST, UH, DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO AVOID THAT. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO, TO CONGRATULATE ESPECIALLY TODAY TO OUR WOMEN [00:20:01] COUNCIL IN THE CONSULATE CORE. MANY OF PRESENT TODAY, THANK YOU. ALSO OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, UH, PRESENT HERE. ALL THE WOMEN WORKING IN, IN, UH, THE PRIVATE SECTOR, IN SOCIAL SOCIETY. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO FOR EMPOWERING WOMEN, FOR ADVANCING, UH, WOMEN RIGHTS, FOR, UH, STY, FOR ALL THIS WORK, THIS EQUAL WORK WE WE NEED TO ACHIEVE. UH, SO, AND WITH, UH, AND WITHOUT YOUR WORK, WITHOUT ALL WHAT YOU DO, WE WOULD NOT BE, UH, ANY CLOSER TO THAT. SO THANK MUCH AGAIN THE FOR WITH ALL THESE KIND THAT TO IMPROVE THE LIFE OF WOMEN, TO IMPROVE THE OF OUR SOCIETY. THANK, THANK YOU HONOR. WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT FOR UNION CHARTERS AND MAKING COUNCIL FOR SUPPORT OUR PROGRAMS ALL THE TIME. AND NEXT WE A COMMISSIONER WHO SERVE AS COMMISSIONER. SHE'S A NATIVE PERSON AND PROUD LATINA WHO BLEW UP ON THE US MISS BORDER COMMISSIONER BEGAN HER CAREER AS A TEACHER OF TWO OF THE LOWEST INCOME PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTRY. HAS THE LATINO LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION, PUBLIC INITIATIVE AND PRO ASSISTANCE TO SURVIVORS OF ABUSE AND JUVENILE OFFENDERS, INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S. GIVE A APPLAUSE FOR USA HOUSTON CHAPTER FOR BRINGING US TOGETHER. I AM ENERGIZED TO BE HERE WITH LEADERS FROM OUR STATE LIKE THE ONE AND ONLY REPRESENTATIVE ANN JOHNSON, WHO'S ON THE FRONT LINES OF THE FIGHT IN THIS GREAT STATE OF TEXAS, OUR CITY LEADERS. THANK YOU TO MAYOR WHITMEYER AND OUR MAYOR, PRO AND COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY AND SO MANY OF OUR INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL LEADERS AND CIVIC LEADERS. SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY. I'M HERE NOT ONLY AS ONE OF YOUR HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, BUT I'M HERE AS THE MOM OF THREE LITTLE GIRLS. AND EVERY DAY IT SADNESS ME, IT TROUBLES ME AND IT ANGERS ME THAT WE CONTINUE TO ROLL BACK THE CLOCK. LITERALLY, MY LITTLE GIRLS ARE GROWING UP WITH FEWER RIGHTS THAN THEIR GRANDMOTHERS. LITERALLY THE GREATEST NATION, ARGUABLY THE BACK TOP CENTURY IN TERMS OF WOMEN'S RIGHT TO MAKE HEALTHCARE DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR OWN BODIES. WE HAVE MADE TREMENDOUS AMOUNTS OF PROGRESS AND IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE UNITED AND FOCUSED BECAUSE OUR RIGHTIES, AS WE KNOW ARE NOT GUARANTEED VERY PROUD MEXICAN AMERICAN WOMAN WHO LITERALLY GREW UP ON THE BORDER OF THE US AND MEXICO AND MY FAMILY COMES FROM MEXICO. I'M PROUD THAT MEXICO WILL HAVE ITS FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT AND THAT WILL BE A HUGE ACHIEVEMENT AND IT SADDEN ME. BUT IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WE HAVE YET TO SEE IT WITH MY ELECTION. AND I'M SO GRATEFUL TO BE SERVING. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME A WOMAN HAD SERVED IN THIS PRECINCT. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY OF HARRIS COUNTY, THE THIRD LARGEST COUNTY IN THE US BIGGER THAN 26 STATES, THE FIRST TIME A MOM WAS EVER ELECTED IN HER OWN RIGHT. AND THE FIRST TIME, THANK YOU. IT MAKES ME SAD TO SAY THAT WE'RE, THAT WAS THE YEAR 2023, RIGHT? AND IT WAS THE FIRST TIME IN A FIVE PERSON BODY THE FIRST TIME THERE WERE EVER TWO WOMEN ON THE COURT AT THE SAME TIME IN THE YEAR 2023. AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE PROGRESS. BUT WE NEED TO STAY STRONG, WE NEED TO STAY UNITED AND WE NEED TO STAY FOCUSED. AND I KNOW WE HAVE CHAMPIONS LIKE REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON FIGHTING AND MAKING SOME PROGRESS, BUT AT THE MEANTIME WE'RE TAKING MASSIVE STEPS BACK. SO WE NEED TO [00:25:01] MAKE SURE WE'RE VOTING AND RECORD NUMBERS AND VOTING FOR PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY ARE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE VALUES OF EQUALITY AND FREEDOM AND RESPECT AND DIGNITY. AND I WANNA, I PANEL AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THE LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES. I WANNA NOT ONLY MY MOTHER AND MY GRANDMOTHER, BUT ALSO FATHER WHO IS ONE THE BEST FEMINIST I KNOW BECAUSE THIS IS A WOMEN'S ISSUE, BUT IT'S OF ALL PEOPLE'S ISSUE. THIS IS A HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE AS WE KNOW. AND SO WE NEED THE MEN WHO WILL STAND ALONGSIDE US IN THIS FIGHT FOR TRUE EQUALITY FOR ALL WOMEN. I'M GONNA GIVE A FEW EXAMPLES OF WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING IN HARRIS COUNTY TO HELP EMPOWER AN ADVANCE ECONOMIC AND EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS FOR WOMEN. FIRST ON THE ECONOMIC FRONT, WITH REGARD TO A MINORITY AND WOMEN OWNED BUSINESS PROGRAM FOR HARRIS COUNTY, WE HAVE A DISPARITY STUDY IN 2020. ONLY 9% OF THE COUNTY CONTRACTS WERE BEING GIVEN TO WOMEN IN MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES. IN JUST A FEW YEARS, WE HAVE MADE THAT GO UP TO 27%, WHICH IS OF 200% INCREASE IN ONLY A FEW YEARS WE HAVE, AND THIS IN PARTICULAR WITH REGARD TO WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES, $42.1 MILLION WAS AWARDED, WHICH WAS DOUBLING THE AMOUNT. SO AGAIN, WE'VE MADE PROGRESS, BUT WE NEED TO STAY HUNGRY AND FOCUSED AND UNITED BECAUSE THERE'S MORE TO BE DONE. WE HAVE A HIGHER UP PARENTS PROGRAM AND I'M VERY PROUD THAT 75% OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PARTICIPATING IN HIGHER UP PARENTS ARE WOMEN. AND WHAT IT'S THIS JOB SKILLS TRAINING AND UP TRAINING. WE ALSO HAVE AN APPRENTICESHIP ADVANTAGE PROGRAM, THE LARGEST INVESTMENT IN HARRIS COUNTY HISTORY. WE MADE IT LAST YEAR. AGAIN, WOMEN ARE SHOWING UP AND SHOWING OUT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES. WE ALSO PASSED RECORD AMOUNT THANKS TO PRESIDENT BIDEN AND THE FEDERAL FUNDING WE'VE RECEIVED FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION COMING OUT THE PANDEMIC, 26 MILLION TO HAVE HIGH QUALITY CHILDCARE SLOTS, WHICH WILL HELP WOMEN AND PARENTS GET BACK TO WORK AND WILL HELP OUR COMMUNITIES HAVE ACCESS TO HIGHS. THERE'S MANY MORE EXAMPLES WITH REGARD TO ONE OF THE POINTS ING JOHNSON MAY THINK ABOUT HARRIS COUNTY. WE HAVE THE WORLD'S LARGEST MEDICAL CENTER. WE ALL HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS WHO FLOAT ACROSS THE WORLD TO GET TREATMENT HERE AND SIMULTANEOUSLY LEAD THE NATION MORTALITY. UNACCEPTABLE, EGREGIOUS. SO WHAT INVESTMENT HARRIS COUNTY HAS MADE TO DRIVE PROGRESS, IT'S ACCESS PROGRAM WITH A COHORT THAT IS LASER FOCUSED ON MATERNAL MORTALITY. THERE'S MANY INVESTMENTS I ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET INVOLVED. THERE'S SO MUCH MORE WE CAN BE DOING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY, THE COUNTY, THE STATE, AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BECAUSE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE, AGAIN, UNITY WITH TREMENDOUS FOCUS, WE ARE ADVANCING. SO I THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME HERE TODAY. TODAY, I THINK SO MANY OF THE LEADERS IN THIS ROOM WHO INSPIRE ME DAILY, ALL I CAN SAY IS WE MUST STAY UNITED AND WE MUST SELECT LEADERS AND WE MUST ONBOARD APPOINT LEADERS AND IN BUSINESSES, USE BUSINESSES, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE NEED TO BE LIVING INTO THESE VALUES BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT OUR DAUGHTERS AND THAT'S WHAT OUR SONS ARE. AND SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. I LOOK FORWARD TO MANY MORE YEARS OF PROGRESS AND THREE MORE YEARS OF PROGRESSION. AND I'M CONFIDENT WITH THE TALENT, THE PASSION, AND THE PERSISTENCE IN THIS ROOM TODAY ON INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY. AND EVERY DAY WE CAN DRIVE PROGRESS FOR THAT. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I HAVE A SMALL TOKEN OF MY DEEP APPRECIATION GROUP. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER BRIAN. THANK YOU FOR THE LOVELY SURPRISE. WE WERE NOT EXPECTING THAT. SO THANK YOU. UM, NEXT I WOULD LIKE TO IN INVITE, UM, JESSICA KNOW, UH, SHE'S THE SENIOR KITCHEN CHIEF OF PROTOCOL AND SHE HAS HELPED US A LOT. UH, AND AS COHOSTING OF TODAY'S PROGRAM, SHE'S GONNA MAKE AND INTRODUCE OUR HONORABLE MARKET FOR PROCLAMATION. JESSICA, HELLO EVERYONE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY. OF COURSE, THANK YOU RIMA AND OUR ENTIRE TEAM [00:30:01] FOR WORKING HERE DAY AND NIGHT TOGETHER, THIS ROOM FOR YOU ALL. AND, UM, I WILL BE REMI TO NOT THANK ALL THE FRIENDS AND ALL THE PARTNERS THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE ROOM. TRULY, TRULY A PLEASURE TO BE HERE TODAY. AND ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND MAYOR JOHN MEYER, IT'S OUR ABSOLUTE HONOR TO INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY RIGHT AT CITY HALL WHERE WE WILL WANT BE ILLUMINATED CITY HALL IN PURPLE TONIGHT. SO STAY ALERT AND TAKE SOME PICTURES. SO, UM, THIS PERSON IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE, I MUST SAY IT'S COUNTER IN AND ACCELERATE, INVEST IN WOMEN TO ACCELERATE. AND IF I MAY MIX IT UP A LITTLE BIT, TO ME, I THINK TO INVEST IN WOMEN IS TO ACCELERATE PROGRESS. AND I DO BELIEVE THEY GO HAND IN HAND TOGETHER. AND I'LL TELL YOU ONE THING, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THIS IS A PLACE WHERE WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN. I'M LOOKING AT A ROOM FULL OF OUR COURSE WHO, IF I MAY SAY MET A WONDERFUL DIALOGUE THIS MORNING ON THEIR EXPERIENCE LEADING, UM, AS FEMALE DIPLOMAT FROM THAT COUNTRY LED BY MAYOR. AND, UM, I WAS FROM THEM FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE AND HOW MUCH THEY ALL JOIN AND FIND THEIR LOVE RIGHT IN OUR CITY. SO I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU A QUICK NOTE ON THIS. WHY IS POSSIBLE I'M FIRST WOMAN SERVING FOR THIS GREAT CITY AND I'M, I'M INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL EVERY SINGLE DAY BECAUSE I GET TO WORK WITH PEOPLE THAT INSPIRE ME. EVERY, EVERY DAY I GET TO WORK ALONGSIDE OUR GREAT LEADERS, UM, OUR MAYORS, AMAZING CONS, BOTH MALE AND FEMALES, UM, AND CITY COUNCIL, WHICH I'LL BE NOT TO MENTION, 10 OUT MEMBERS ARE FEMALES. SO, AND LASTLY, I WANNA MENTION THAT I REALLY CANNOT IMAGINE IN MY LIFE WITHOUT ALL THE AMAZING WOMEN THAT CONTINUE TO TEACH ME, TO INSPIRE ME AND EMPOWER ME EVERY DAY. AND WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, IT'S AN ABSOLUTE HONOR TO BE HERE TO INTRODUCE A VERY SPECIAL PERSON TO ME. HE'S THE PERSON THAT SAID, JESSICA, IF YOU NEED ANYTHING, YOU CALL ME AND I'LL BE THERE FOR YOU. IN FACT, WE JUST GOT HER A CALL YESTERDAY FROM HER BUSY SCHEDULE AND, UM, SHE'S A LEADER, BUT MOST OF ALL SHE'S A FRIEND. SO HERE I'M, IT'S MY ABSOLUTE HONOR. WELCOME ON MAYOR HOUSTON, COUNCIL MEMBER OF THE HONORABLE MARTHA TATUM. GOOD MORNING, HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY. EVERYBODY TAKE A DEEP BREATH. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SOME HEAVY STUFF, BUT LET'S RELAX. WE'RE HERE IN YOUR CITY HALL AND WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER. UM, IT IS EXCITING TO BE HERE, JESSICA, THANK YOU FOR THAT INTRODUCTION MEETING OF YOU MAY NOT KNOW, BUT, UM, JESSICA, AS THE CHIEF OF PROTOCOL GETS TO ACCOMPANY US AND, UM, ON OUR TRADE MISSIONS. AND I HAVE SEEN HER WORK FIRSTHAND AND SHE'S INCREDIBLE AT WHAT SHE DOES. UM, SO WE THANK HER FOR, UH, THE GREAT WORK THAT SHE DOES. I DO WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE COUNCILOR GENERALS THAT ARE HERE TODAY. UH, WE HAD A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO HOST THE WOMEN COUNCIL GENERALS AT A RECEPTION THIS MORNING AND THE POWER AND STRENGTH THAT WAS IN THAT ROOM. THERE IS SOMETHING SPECTACULAR HAPPENING IN HOUSTON, UH, WHEN WE HAVE CONVENED THESE WOMEN WHO ARE LEADERS OF THEIR COUNTRIES. SO STAY TUNED FOR WHAT WILL COME FROM THAT MEETING THIS MORNING. BUT ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. UM, I LOVE THIS YEAR'S THEME, INVEST IN WOMEN. I HOPE THAT WE WILL EMBRACE THIS THEME NOT ONLY TODAY, BUT EVERY DAY AS WE RECOGNIZE AND SUPPORT THE INCREDIBLE POTENTIAL AND CONTRIBUTIONS THAT EVERY WOMAN BRINGS TO EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES. INVESTING IN WOMEN MEANS INVESTING IN A FUTURE OF EQUALITY, EMPOWERMENT, AND POSITIVE CHANGE. SO I'M HONORED TO PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION TO YOU AND ANY IF THE MEMBERS OF THE ORGANIZATION WILL COME FORWARD. AND IF COME POLL, JOIN AT THE PODIUM. WE'D LIKE TO PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION TO YOU FOR INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S BEHALF, MAYOR JOHN WHIT IN THE OF HOUSTON [00:35:05] AND THE PROCLAMATION READING. WHEREAS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1975 AS PART OF THE UNITED NATIONS DECADES, SLOAN CONTINUING OF AFFIRMING THE PRINCIPLE OF EQUALITY BETWEEN WOMEN AND MEN, THEY PRESENTS IN IDEAL OPPORTUNITY TO REFLECT ON PAST STRUGGLES AND PROGRESS MADE CONSIDERED WAYS TO ADDRESS PRESENT CHALLENGES AND REAFFIRMS OUR COMMITMENT TO ADVANCING GENDER EQUALITY AND UNLEASHING THE POTENTIAL OF FUTURE GENERATIONS OF THE WORLD. WHEREAS THE UNITED NATION HOUSTON CHAPTER IS COMMITTED TO SHAPING A BETTER FUTURE BY PROMOTING HUMAN RIGHTS AND EQUALITY FOR ALL, WITH THE REALIZATION THAT WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION MAKES PEACE AGREEMENTS STRONGER SOCIETY, MORE RESILIENT AND ECONOMIES MORE VIGOROUS. AND WHEREAS THE UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATION, HOUSTON CHAPTER RECOGNIZES THAT GENDER EQUALITY IS A HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE, INEXTRICABLY TIED TO JUSTICE, FREEDOM, AND PEACE, THE CHAPTER PLEDGES TO TAKE ACTION, TO STAND UP FOR THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN AND GIRLS AND PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN CIVIL SOCIETY, IN LEADING GLOBAL ACTION ON GENDER EQUALITY. AND WHEREAS ON MARCH 28TH, 2024, INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY WILL BE CELEBRATED IN COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD WITH THE KING INVEST IN WOMEN ACCELERATE PROGRESS. IT'S THE DAY TO RECOGNIZE WOMEN FOR THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS WITHOUT REGARD TO DIVISION, WHETHER NATIONAL, ETHNIC, LINGUISTIC, CULTURAL, ECONOMIC OR POLITICAL. THE CITY OF HOUSTON JOINS IN CELEBRATING WOMEN AROUND THE WORLD AS THEY CONTINUE TO POSITIVELY IMPACT SOCIETY, BREAK BARRIERS AND EMPOWER EACH OTHER AND EXTEND BEST WISHES ON A MEMORABLE CELEBRATION. THEREFORE, I, MARTHA MAYOR PRO OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON ON BEHALF OF JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM MARCH 8TH, 2024 INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 2024 IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS. CONGRATULATIONS. AND I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD AND COUNCIL MEMBER OF DISTRICT J. UM, AS WE CELEBRATE WOMEN'S, UH, HISTORY MONTH AND INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY, WE HAVE TO HAVE ALLIES, WE HAVE TO HAVE MEN WHO ALSO EMPOWER WOMEN AND WHO PROMOTE WOMEN'S ISSUES. AND I'M VERY PROUD TO STAND WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER OF DISTRICT J, WHO IS A STRONG ALLY OF WOMEN AND WOMEN'S RIGHTS COUNCIL MEMBER, AN INCREDIBLE TURNOUT. I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR ATTENDANCE. I WANNA THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AT YOUR CITY HALL AND I WANNA CELEBRATE WITH YOU ALL TODAY FOR INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY. AS YOU MENTIONED, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY APPROPRIATE FOR ME TO BE HERE SO THAT WOMEN ARE JUST NOT SPEAKING TO WOMEN, BUT WOMEN UNDERSTAND, SHOULD KNOW THAT THERE ARE MEETING MYSELF INCLUDED, WHO SUPPORT YOU, WHO VALUE YOU, WHO UNDERSTAND YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS, NOT ONLY TO OUR CITY, UH, BUT TO ALL OVER THE WORLD AND TO ALL THE COUNCIL GENERALS WHO ARE HERE REPRESENTING YOUR COUNTRY, WE VALUE YOU. THIS IS THE MOST DIVERSE CITY, THE MOST DIVERSE, WE'RE THE MOST DIVERSE CITY IN AMERICA WHERE ONE OUT OF FOUR PEOPLE ARE BORN, BORN. AND WE WELCOME THAT DIVERSITY, BUT THAT DIVERSITY IS ONLY AND STRONG AS WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER, NOT ONLY THROUGH OUR DIFFERENT ETHNICITIES, BUT OUR GENDERS. AND SO I STAND WITH YOU TODAY, UH, KNOW THAT YOU HAVE NOT ONLY ALLIES, BUT MEN WHO WANNA SEE YOU PROGRESS, WANNA SEE YOU THRIVE. WE WANNA STAND BUT YOU AS WE DO THIS TOGETHER. SO GOD BLESS YOU ALL AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING COUNCILMAN EDWARD, FOR YOUR REMARKS. AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE MEN WHO ARE PRESENT HERE IN THE ROOM. UM, NEXT WE HAVE, UH, THE PROGRAM TO OUR PANEL SPEAKER. AND I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE MR. NA, OUR GENEROUS SPONSOR FOR TODAY, UH, TO PANELIST TO [00:40:01] MR. ANI. UH, HE'S FOUNDER AND FOUNDATION IS ALSO THE WINNER, GLOBAL AWARD 2020 CITY. MR. ANI, WOULD YOU PLEASE JOIN US ON THIS DATE? THANK YOU FOR GENEROUS, UH, INTRODUCTION. I'M GONNA BE CALLING ON NAMES, UH, ON THE PANELISTS AS I TAKE THEIR NAMES. PLEASE JOIN ME ON THIS PAGE. PETER BANKS VULNERABLE, TITA BANKS, PLEASE JOIN US. VULNERABLE BANKS HAS SERVED ON THE UFU WF, A EXECUTIVE SINCE 2018 AND HAS BEEN MEMBER OF BUDGET COMMITTEE, CODE OF CONDUCT COMMITTEE AND CREDENTIALS COMMITTEE HAS BEEN ACTIVE IN THE UNA MOVEMENT THROUGHOUT THE USA. THANK YOU. NEXT I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE DR. MARGARET FORD FISHER. PLEASE JOIN US DR. MARGARET FORD FISHER IS THE NEW COUNSELOR OF HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE. SINCE JOINING SCC IN 1985, DR. FORD FISHER, A THIRD IN LEADERSHIP ROLES INCLUDING PRESIDENT OF ONLINE, UH, ONLINE COLLEGE, RESIDENT OF NORTHEAST COLLEGE. INTERIM VICE CHANCELLOR OF INSTRUCTIONS, ASSOCIATE VICE CHANCELLOR OF ACADEMY, DEANS OF INSTRUCTIONS DIVISION, CHAIRS OF ART AND HUMAN IN PROFESSION. NEXT I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE DEANNA JONES, PLEASE JOIN US. DEANNA JOINS IS EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF PEOPLE COMMUNICATION AND TRANSPORTATION AT BAKER YOUTH. BEFORE JOINING BETTER YOUTH, JOHN SERVED AS A SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF HR COMMUNICATION AND ADMINISTRATION FOR NELSON OIL CORPORATIONS. PRIOR TO WAS THE PRESIDENT OF HUMAN RESOURCE AND CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER FOR NEW FIELD EXPLORATION. LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST, PLAN. KWAN, OUR MODERATOR, IS A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AND SIMULATION ATTORNEY AND A MANAGING PARTNER OF KWAN LAW FIRM. MR. KWAN HAS BEEN SERVED AS A FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER. HE HAS, HE WAS A SECOND ATION BOARD ELECTED. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. WHAT A WONDERFUL AUDIENCE. HOPEFULLY THE ALRIGHT, I WAS DELIGHTED. THE MODERATOR, THREE DAUGHTERS AND FIVE GRANDDAUGHTERS TOPIC WE'RE REALLY PRIVILEGED TO HAVE A VERY DISTINGUISHED PANEL WITH US TODAY. CELEBRATE HUNDRED 10TH ANNIVERSARY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S. SO I START OFF WITH, I LIKE ASK EACH OF YOU IF YOU WOULD, JUST TO SHARE WHO IN YOUR PERSONAL LIFE IF HELPED YOU ACCELERATE PROGRESS. WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK EVERYONE BEING HERE. SO IN TERMS OF ANSWERING, WHO IS IT OR WHAT IS THE, OR WHAT ORGANIZATIONS LY WE STARTED WITH FAMILIES AND THEN WE STARTED WITH, AND THEN WE, THE CENTRIC CIRCLE GO OUT SO THAT WE HAD FAMILY, THEN WE LIVED CLOSE GROUP, WHETHER IT WAS OUR CHURCH FAMILY, WHETHER IT WAS ON COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT WAS ON SCHOOL. AND THEN WE REALLY BRANCHED OUT WHEN WE GOTTA UNIVERSITY LEVELS THOSE UNIVERSITIES. SO EVERY, EVERY STAGE, EVERY CIRCLE OF THAT. AND CONTINUOUS CIRCLING WAS AN INVESTMENT IN US. UH, MANY OF US, WE KNOW THAT WHEN WE HAVE TO GO TO COLLEGE, YOU WERE TOLD YOU GOING BY YOURSELF AND FOR YOURSELF, ALL OF PEOPLE INVESTED IN YOU. SO YOU HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO, TO PERFORM AND TO SUCCEED IN TERMS OF THAT AREA. AND CERTAINLY OUR ORGANIZATIONS, OUR ORGANIZATIONS ARE SO IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF INVESTING [00:45:01] AT WHATEVER AGE. WE HAVE ORGANIZATIONS THAT INVEST IN YOUNG PEOPLE AS WELL AS THEIR OWN MEMBERS. AND THAT IS A PART OF ENCOURAGING. SO IN TERMS OF INVESTING IN STUDENT, WE, WE WORK WITH SCHOOLS, WITHA, USA, USAA IN TERMS OF ALL OF OUR MODEL PROGRAMS. WE'RE INVESTING IN STUDENTS INTERNATIONAL LEVEL. WE HAVE OUR SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS, WE HAVE ORGANIZATIONS AND ARE INVESTING IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND, AND BEING THE VOICE OF THOSE COMMUNITIES ON THE INTERNATIONAL LEVEL. AND, AND ANOTHER ASPECT IN ANOTHER WOMAN ARE SIMPLY OUR UNIVERSITIES. WE HAVE DR. HERE, FORMER PRESIDENT OF WE, DR. PRESIDENT NORTH AMERICAN UNIVERSITY. AND THOSE UNIVERSITIES ARE INVESTING ON SEVERAL LEVELS. THEY'RE INVESTING IN THE STUDENTS, THEY'RE INVESTING IN THEIR FACULTY AND STAFF, THEY'RE INVESTING IN THE COMMUNITIES AND THEY'RE INVESTING GLOBALLY. WE KNOW NOW THAT EDUCATION MAKING INTO GLOBAL CITIZENS AND REPRESENTATIVE, AND I ALWAYS INCLUDE MY DR. KING QUOTE, THAT WHAT AFFECTS ONE DIRECTLY AFFECTS ALL INDIRECTLY. SO WHAT WE DO HERE IN HOUSTON, HOW WE INVEST IN EVERYBODY HERE GOES OUT INTO THE WORLD AND WE SAW OUR COUNCIL GENERALS WHO ARE HERE. SO THEIR REPRESENTATION HERE, WHEN WE INVEST IN AND WHEN WE ENTER OUR COUNCIL GENERAL AND OUR REPRESENTATION OF NOT ONLY HOUSTON BUT AMERICA TO THESE COUNCIL GENERALS, THAT IS THE MESSAGE THAT GOES GLOBALLY BACK TO THEIR COUNTRIES TO SAY YES, NOT ONLY IS BUT THE USA A THAT CHALLENGES THAT APPRECIATE DIVERSITY, UH, WE, WE APPRECIATE THAT WE ADVOCATE FOR EQUITY AND WE ADVOCATE FOR INCLUSION. SO THOSE ARE BEST INVESTMENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALSO, UM, FOR AS FAR AS UH, KIND OF A PERSONAL MENTOR THAT REALLY MADE YOUR LIFE BETTER, THANK YOU VERY MUCH EVERYONE WHO, AND THE BOARD EVERYONE REPRESENT PARTICULARLY THE COURT AS WELL. SO WITH YOUR QUESTION, I WOULD REALLY IMPORTANT, I ALSO WITNESS THAT AND SO REFLECT, I THOUGHT ABOUT OVER THERE, HE WAS INVITED TO THE WHITE HOUSE IN FOUR. AND SO HISTORY, WHEN YOU START LOOKING AND INSPIRATION, DESPITE THE CHALLENGES THERE, OPPORTUNITIES ALSO THAT ARE AVAILABLE. SO AS I THINK ABOUT THAT, I THINK ABOUT THOSE I SAY BUT ALSO LIMITED TO WOMEN, BUT MEN AS WOMEN. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I THINK IT'S AMENABLE MEN BECAUSE WE ALL, WE SUPPORT EACH OTHER AND THAT CREATES THAT NETWORK OF OPPORTUNITY. [00:50:01] SO I CAN SAY THAT SAY, BECAUSE CIRCLE, AS YOU LOOK AT THAT CONE OF POSSIBILITY AND WHERE YOU WANNA GO IN LIFE, THINK ABOUT THE CONE OF PLAUSIBILITY AND YOU CAN BE ABLE TO STICK WHERE YOU, RIGHT NOW IT MAY NOT BE WHAT YOU WANNA BE, BUT AS THAT WHEN YOU'RE NETWORKING AND MAYBE MORE INDIVIDUALS GETTING MORE, HAVE MORE EXPERIENCES AND BEFORE YOU KNOW YOU A GOAL IN YOUR LIFE. AND SO I THINK THAT IS WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME IN MY LIFE AS I THINK ABOUT ALL OF THE COURSES THAT I HAVE HAD THE GREAT HONOR, PRIVILEGE, AND PLEASURE OF MEETING AND WORKING WITH ALL OF THEM. WONDERFUL. SO I FIRST OF ALL THANKFUL AND GRATEFUL TO GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR THIS IS A VERY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S PRIVILEGE AND AN HONOR AND I'M SO GRATEFUL TO EVERYONE FOR INVITING US AND HAVING THE, BECAUSE REPRESENTED VERY SPECIFIC TODAY IN TERMS OF INVESTMENT. I THINK IT TAKES AN INDIVIDUAL PERSON AT A MOMENT IN TIME TO REALLY CATALYST A CAREER. AND SO THERE WAS A GENTLEMAN EARLY IN IN MY CAREER WHO WAS MY BOSS, HIS NAME WAS RALPH, AND WANTED ME TO WORK ON WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER A CAREER CATALYST PROJECT. AND IT REQUIRED ME TO COMMUTE ACTUALLY FROM CANADA WHERE I'M ORIGINALLY FROM CALGARY TO HOUSTON. AND I WOULD BE SPENDING HALF OF THE MONTH FROM HOUSTON AND HALF OF THE MONTH IN, IN CALGARY. AND I HAD JUST COME BACK FROM MY SECOND MATERNITY LEAVE AND I SAID, I REALLY WANNA DO THIS PROJECT, BUT I CAN ONLY DO IT IF I CAN BRING MY DAUGHTERS WITH ME. THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR ME AS A MOTHER TO BE SPENDING THE TIME WITH THEM AND NOT WITH A POLICY OR NOT CHANGING EVERYTHING INSIDE OF THE COMPANY AT THE MOMENT, WHAT HE DID MAKING A DECISION. AND HE INVESTED IN ME IN THE ABILITY FOR ME TO HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY AND THE MONEY TO BRING MY DAUGHTER TO HOUSTON. AND THAT THAT WAS JUST A MOMENT IN TIME. I WOULD NOT BE WHERE I'M, FROM A CAREER STANDPOINT, I WOULD NOT HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY. I PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE WHERE WORKING AND LIVING IN HOUSTON ACTUALLY IN A LOT OF WAYS, UM, IT HAS ENABLED MY DAUGHTERS AND MY FAMILY TO SEE THAT BEING ABLE TO MOVE AND DO DIFFERENT FROM MY CAREER STANDPOINT AND INVESTING MADE A DIFFERENCE. SO NOW YOU SAID YOU'RE A GREAT DEAL, YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY INFLUENCE OTHERS. AND SO IN YOUR PROFESSION, AND I'M GONNA START THIS, UH, BECAUSE ALL FIELDS, YOU NORMALLY THINK OF MEN AND IT'S RARE TO SEE WOMEN CAPACITIES. SO WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN YOUR POSITION? THEY'RE REALLY BEGIN TO PERPETUATE CHANGE TO HELP WOMEN ACHIEVE IN THAT INDUSTRY? YEAH, IT'S, YOU KNOW, STILL, I WOULD SAY IT'S NOT JUST SPOT UP BUT IT'S STILL AN INDUSTRY THAT THERE DEFINITELY IS MORE REPRESENTATION OF MEN. A LOT OF THE FOCUS THAT WE HAVE IS REALLY AROUND MAKING SURE THAT WOMEN ARE THINKING ABOUT THE TYPES OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO BE ABLE TO PUT THEMSELVES IN A POSITION TO WORK IN A VERY TECHNICAL INDUSTRY, UH, LIKE ENERGY, LIKE OIL AND GAS. AND SO WE HAVE A LOT OF PROGRAMS WHERE WE'RE INVESTING IN SCHOOLS INVESTING EARLY BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT GIRLS DISCIPLINES ABOUT SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, MATH, ENGINEERING VERY EARLY, YOU KNOW, SO YOU AROUND THE AGE OF 10 YOU'RE DECIDING WHETHER YOU LIKE MATH AND SCIENCE OR YOU DON'T LIKE MATH AND SCIENCE. AND SO IT'S SO CRITICAL TO MAKE THE INVESTMENTS IN KEEPING GIRLS INVOLVED IN ENGAGED IN THOSE DISCIPLINES. UM, AND ALSO GIVING THEM ROLE MODELS, RIGHT? SO WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME, YOU KNOW, IN THE COMMUNITY MAKING SURE THAT WOMEN THAT WE HAVE WHO ARE IN THOSE ENGINEERING ASSIGNMENTS GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO INSPIRE AND UH, AND EDUCATE, UH, KIDS, UM, BUT ESPECIALLY YOUNG WOMEN. AND THEN THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD SAY THAT WE'RE VERY FOCUSED ON IS MAKING SURE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE A GLOBAL COMPANY. WE OPERATE [00:55:01] IN OVER 120 COUNTRIES WITH 80 NATIONALITIES. THAT WE USE THAT MULTICULTURAL ELEMENT OF SHARING THROUGH OUR EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUPS AND OUR WOMEN'S NETWORK SO THAT OUR EMPLOYEES, NO MATTER WHERE THEY'RE BASED, AROUND THE WORLD ARE INFLUENCING AND GIVING US INSIGHTS AND TO THINGS THAT WILL HELP THEM CONTINUE TO PROGRESS THEIR CAREER. SO, YOU KNOW, THE LAST FEW YEARS WE'VE DONE THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, IMPLEMENT A GLOBAL POLICY AROUND, UM, THESE PARENTING LEADS. UM, WE HAVE INTAKE GROUPS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON, YOU KNOW, CHALLENGES THAT WOMEN FACE AS THEY BALANCE ALL OF THE CARING OF OBLIGATIONS THAT THEY HAVE WITH THE WORK THAT THEY DO. AND SO I THINK CURATING THAT CONVERSATION AND THEN HELPING US CATALYST THAT CAME THROUGH ACTIONS THAT WILL REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR MAKING VISION BASED ONLY ON OUR KNOWLEDGE. GREAT. ONE OF THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO GET STARTED IN THEIR COLLEGE CAREER. SO HOW ARE YOU ENCOURAGING WOMEN ESPECIALLY TO GO BACK AND OR TO GO INTO EDUCATION OR SUCCEED AT H THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, IF YOU IMAGINE 22 ONLINE IN SOME AREAS WE HAVE OVER 60% WHO HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA. WE WERE AT ONE TIME ENROLLING STUDENTS AND WE WERE, KNEW THAT THERE WAS CRISIS THROUGHOUT OUR AREAS. AND SO IN FIVE BOARD APPROVED FOR ALL OF THE ELIGIBLE EARN AN BY THE HIGH OF YOUNG WOMEN AND NOW WE'RE FOCUSING ON HIGH STUDENTS WHO ARE NOW COMPLETING ADULTS AND PROVIDE STACK PERSON WHO ARE WORKING WOMEN THAT WE START WHO THREE THAT WILL LEAD TO AN DEGREE ABOUT THE, BUT THAT'S ANOTHER PIECE THAT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT. HISTORICALLY, I THINK A LOT OF YOUNG WOMEN, [01:00:01] WOMEN TO WHAT SPECIFICALLY CAREERS THAT WOMEN GIRLS WOULD NORMALLY PURSUE. AND SO WHAT WE'RE NOW IS THAT OF BY WOMEN, WOMEN ARE OUTNUMBERING IN OUR POPULATION, PAY THE WAGES THAT DESERVE, THEY'RE NOT THE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT OTHERS. SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS LOOKING AT ONLY CAREERS. SOME OF C WILL EARN MORE MONEY THEIR PARADIGM IN OUR COMMUNITY SO THAT THEY APPLY CHILDREN. SO THOSE ARE OF THINGS WE REACHING P PARTNERSHIP OF COURSE WITH CLUBS, ALL OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS WITHIN OUR SERVICE TO ENSURE WE NEW SKILLS OR AN ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS THAT WILL LEAD TO EMPLOYMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO DO YOU HAVE MORE OF A UNIVERSAL REVIEW OF WHAT UA IS DOING AND AND, AND HELPING WOMEN NOT JUST IN THE UNITED STATES BUT GLOBALLY? SO WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE INITIATIVES THAT YOU, THE UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATION USA IS THE UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATION. HERE IN THE US WE HAVE TWO NATIONS WHO HAVE THE FEDERATION OF IS WHAT I HEAR, AND WE HAVE NATIONS ON EVERY CONTINENT. AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS PRETTY MUCH, UM, IN ACCORD WITH OUR OVERALL PROGRAMS, ONE OF WHICH IS WORKING AND COLLABORATING. WE WE'RE VERY MUCH BIG ON THE POLITICAL NUMBER 17, WHICH IS COLLABORATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS. SO THROUGH THE, WE HAVE COLLABORATED WITH US DEPARTMENT OF STATE TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO GET INTO THE FOREIGN SERVICE AREA. UM, WE'VE SET FELLOWSHIPS FOR THEM AND THEN WE'VE ALSO WORKED WITH CSOS, CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS LINK THE ORGANIZATION WHERE WE, THE LINK CALL LIFE PROGRAM. AND THAT IS A PROGRAM THAT INVESTS IN STUDENTS, UH, KEEP STARTING IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL AND YEARS FOREIGN SERVICE AREAS. WE'VE BEEN LINK INTO THE DEPARTMENT OF PROGRAM, HOWARD UNIVERSITY, THAT THREE MAJOR FELLOWSHIPS THERE. SO WE SUPPORT ALL OF THOSE THINGS. BUT ON THE HUMANITARIAN SIDE, WE'RE VERY MUCH AT AS THE THRESHOLD AND AT THE FOREFRONT OF ANYWHERE THERE IS HUMANITARIAN NEED. THAT IS WHAT UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATIONS DO. UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATION IS ALSO A PARTNER. THE COUNCIL ORGANIZATIONS BE DR. RENEE HERE, VICE PRESIDENT I SERVED VERY PROUDLY. THAT IS A COALITION OF OVER ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE FORMED AT THE SAME TIME. THE R AND THOUGHT DIPLOMATIC BODY, THE PARTNERSHIP AND THE ENERGY AND THE CONTEXT AND THE WORK, THE GROUNDWORK BY CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS TO MOVE THESE, UM, EFFORTS THAT ARE ON THE GROUND. AND SO CURRENTLY OF COURSE WE'RE TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO HELP WITH THE HEALTH ISSUES DURING THE MIDDLE EAST CRISIS. WE FINDING WAYS HELP WITH THE UTAH HUMANITARIAN ISSUES IN HAITI IN THE MIDST OF THE POTENTIAL CIVIL WAR, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS I MEANT TO MENTION ALSO, UM, IT'S VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN ALL OF THOSE THINGS. SO ON IN TERMS OF WHAT WE DO, WE NEED TO LOOK AT HUMANITARIAN ISSUES, WE LOOK AT EDUCATIONAL ISSUES AND WE LOOK AT WHAT IS THE DEAL POLITICS AND WHAT IS IT OVERALL. OUR UMBRELLA IS HOW DO WE ADVANCE, PROMOTE, AND ENSURE THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS. AND OUR FOUNDATIONAL DOCUMENT IS THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS, WHICH IS ISSUED ONE YEAR AFTER THE FORMATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS SO THAT ANY PERSON IN ANY [01:05:01] PART OF THE WORLD WHERE ANY HUMAN VIOLATION OCCURS, THEY CAN LOOK TO THAT DOCUMENT. AND THERE, HERE IN THAT ISSUE IS BEING TAKEN TO THE UNITED NATIONS. OKAY, IN FLINT, YOU KNOW, THE FLINT, MICHIGAN WATER ISSUES THAT WAS TAKEN TO THE UNITED NATIONS. SO PEOPLE SAY YOU PEOPLE ARE FLINT OUTSIDE. WELL, YES, BUT HUMAN RIGHT TO WATER, THERE'S A HUMAN RIGHT TO EDUCATION, THERE'S A HUMAN RIGHT TO PUT OUT. SO ALL OF THOSE ARE HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE DECLARATION. AND ANY VIOLATION OF THOSE I A ADDRESSES, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH EDUCATION, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH DIRECT ACTION, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH PROVIDING ANY THANK YOU MR, THAT WILL BE ING PRESIDENT ON WOMEN, EVEN THOUGH WOMEN HAVE MADE PROGRESS, YOU HAVE TO THAT TOP OF THE LADDER. SO WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOME WOMAN WHO'S SEEKING TO FOLLOW YOUR EXAMPLES? SO I'LL START WITH DR. MARGARET FOR THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I THINK IT'S REALLY VERY IMPORTANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT FOR REALLY VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE YOUNG WOMAN TO RIGHT THAT ROLE. IS THAT URGENT? IS THAT CALLING, IS THAT RICHMOND GIVE THEM FOR A CAREER PATHWAY SOMETIMES AS A RESULT OF WANTING OTHERS, HAVING ROLE MODELS. BUT THAT'S NUMBER ONE, IDENTIFY WHAT YOU WANNA WITH OTHER LIKE SIMILAR ROLES AND ATORY BY TAKING THE COURSEWORK THAT REQUIRED A BRIEF EXAMPLE, I QUITE A LONG TIME AGO IN WHICH, AND THERE WAS YOUNG MAN WHO WANTED TO BECOME COMMUNITY, JUST WANTED TO NOT TAKE ALL OF THE STEM RELATED COURSES THAT, AND SO WHEN THE YOUNG PEOPLE DETERMINE EARLY ON WHAT THEY WANNA PURSUE, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR A PARENT OR SOMEONE WHO IS SUPPORT SURROGATE FOR THAT YOUNG LADY YOUNG TO HELP GUIDE HIM I WAS INVITED TO WAS ALSO IN THIS COUNTRY, IN WORKING COLLABORATIVELY IN ORDER TO SERVE RESIDENT SOMETHING WE, WE, YOU THINK A COLLEGE HAS HAD PARTNERSHIP IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE WORLD. AND SO WITH OUR ONLINE COLLEGE, WE CAN DO THAT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GOVERNMENT AND RESIDENTS IN THE, WE BEGAN THE LARGEST SINGLE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS ENROLLMENT POPULATION, HOUSTON COLLEGE. AND THEY'RE DOING EXTRAORDINARILY WELL. STARTED LOOKING AT PROVIDING THE EDUCATION CERTIFICATIONS, THEWHERE ALSO WITH THE WORK TO DO THAT AS WELL. I'LL ON THIS QUESTION, NEW COMMUNITY COLLEGE ONLINE COLLEGE HAS BEEN BY NEWSWEEK GLOBAL AMERICA'S BEST ONLINE COLLEGE WORKING OR WORKING ADULT WHO NOT WORKING YOUNG GIRLS, THE WOMEN, ET CETERA. WHO HIGHER EDUCATION [01:10:11] COLLABORATIVELY. COMMUNITY COLLEGES ARE NOT COMMON IN PARTS OF THE, WE HAVE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, A UNITED STATES, WELL, SO WE CAN HELP UPLIFT WORKFORCE WHENEVER RESIDENTS ARE LOCATED LOCALLY, NATIONALLY, INTERNATIONALLY. SO I WANNA LEAVE BACK WELL THAT WE CAN UPLIFT YOUNG WILLING ASK YOU, YOU'VE AGAIN, PRESIDENT CORPORATION HEAD OF EXPLORATION IN A, IN A MAN'S WORLD. HOW DID YOU, WHAT, UM, YOU TALKED ABOUT YOUR, YOUR MENTOR WHO HELPED YOU. WHAT DO YOU ADVISE OTHER PEOPLE TO MAKE CENTURY? YOU KNOW, SO I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU SAID, WHICH IS, IS VERY POWERFUL. POWERFUL. YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE DREAM AND THE AMBITION AND IT HAS TO, IT'S WHEN IT'S VALIDATED BY SOMEONE ELSE THAT SOMEBODY CAN GO AFTER AND ACHIEVE. WHETHER IT'S CONCENTRIC CIRCLES THOUGH, YOU KNOW, I DO THINK IT STARTS WITH, WITH FAMILY AND HAVING PEOPLE AROUND YOU WHO CAN SUPPORT YOU BECAUSE THE SACRIFICE IS TO GET TO THE TOP LEVELS OF ANY ORGANIZATION, UM, IN, IN ANY PART OF THE WORLD, UH, REQUIRES THAT NETWORK OF SUPPORT. AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S FAMILY, IT'S FRIENDS, IT'S OTHER WOMEN. UM, YOU KNOW, AND THEN HAVING AND TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUOUSLY GROW AND CHALLENGE YOURSELF, UM, STRESSING YOURSELF BEYOND THE LIMITS THAT YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE. I THINK IT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT THING. AND WE KNOW THAT, UM, THAT WOMEN ESPECIALLY SOMETIMES DON'T HAVE THE CONFIDENCE. AND THAT'S A LOT OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE INSIDE OF BAKER C IS REALLY HOW DO WE GIVE WOMEN THE CONFIDENCE TO SAY, I HAVE ALL OF THE CAPABILITIES TODAY, BUT I CAN GROW THEM, I CAN LEARN THEM AND I CAN DO THESE JOBS. I THINK THAT'S SUCH A HUGE, HUGE PART IS INSTILLING THAT CONFIDENCE. AND, AND YOU HEAD OF, HEAD OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OR AT THE TOP, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU WOULD ADVISE ME WOMAN TO DO. THAT'S A GOOD POINT. A GREAT IDEA. YESTERDAY AT PRAIRIE UNIVERSITY, THERE WAS A WHOLE ONE CONFERENCE ABOUT THINGS AND DISTINC GOING THROUGH A LONG, GIVE EXAMPLE, PHILADELPHIA FIRST AFRICAN FIRST WOMAN AND THEN SHE'S ALSO AFRICAN AMERICAN TO BE THE, THE PARKER. I MET HER WHEN SHE WAS JUNIOR AND WE MET HER THROUGH A SCHOOL COMING A WASN'T SUPPORT TALKING ABOUT, SO SHE COULDN'T GET IN IN FAMILY, BUT IT WAS ORGANIZATION, WOMEN ORGANIZATIONS. AND WE WING GETTING INTO A COLLEGE. NO ONE IN HER FAMILY HAD EVER GONE TO COLLEGE. WE SAID, YOU'RE GONNA COLLEGE. LOOKING THROUGH THAT PROCESS, ONE OF OUR MEMBERS WAS ONE OF THE, WAS PRESIDENT AT LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO BE PRESIDENT AT THAT INSTITUTION. SHE MET THE YOUNG WOMAN, SHE TOOK HER IN, SHE BECAME YOU PART OF THE UNIVERSITY, UM, SOCIETY WHILE SHE WAS A JUNIOR AT THE COLLEGE. ONE OF OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TOOK HER UNDER HER WING TO BE INTERN IN HER OFFICE, CITY COUNCIL WHEN SHE UP WORKING WITH COUNCIL MEMBER AND THEN THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER AND THE OTHER WOMEN CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND OTHERS ENCOURAGED HER WHEN SHE FELT SHE WAS PREPARED TO RUN FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE. SHE RAN FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE AND WON. AND WHILE THE NEXT STEP WAS THAT SHE DECIDED SHE WAS, AND MANY OTHERS BELIEVED IN HER TO NOW FROM THERE, AND THAT'S WHEN SHE RAN FROM THERE. SO WE TALK ABOUT THIS INVESTMENT, WE MAY NOT SEE IT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW THE THE NEXT YEAR, BUT YOU [01:15:01] KNOW, YOU'RE LAYING THE GROUNDWORK AND IT TAKES ALL OF THOSE CIRCLES AND PARTNERSHIPS GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS TO MAKE SUCH AN INVESTMENT. SO WOULD BE MENTORS AND POWERFUL. AND I KNOW WE'RE GONNA BE REFLECTING UPON OVER THIS WEEKEND AND THE WEEK TO COME. NEXT WEEK IS SPRING BREAK. THAT WILL GIVE US A LOT OF TIME. UH, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND AT THIS TIME I DO ALSO LIKE TO US TO JOIN, UH, REPRESENTATIVE ANN JOHNSON AND HONORABLE, UH, MR. ESPINO AND, UH, MR. ANI THEN IF YOU WANNA JOIN AS WE CLOSE, UH, THE THIS, AND I HAVE SOME FEW FINAL REMARKS TO MAKE THE PEOPLE OF INFLUENCE THE LEADERS AND THE REPRESENTATIVE OF NATIONS, WE MUST COGNIZE THAT INVESTING IN WOMEN BENEFITS, WOMEN AND THE SOCIETY AS A WHOLE. WOMEN AROUND THREE TIMES MORE TIME ON UNPAID CARE WORK THAN WOMEN. AND IF THESE ACTIVITIES WERE ASSIGNED A MONETARY VALUE, THEY WOULD ACCOUNT FOR MORE THAN 40% OF G. SINGLE ONE OF US IS IN POSITION TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. LET'S CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE IMPORTANT ISSUES AND EMPOWER WOMEN FOR THE MENT OF SOCIETY AS A WHOLE. AND DO NOT FORGET TO JOIN JOINING HOUSTON CHAPTER. I KNOW YOU ALL ARE VERY IMPACTFUL. WE NEED EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. YOUR SUPPORT MEANS A LOT TO US. UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT. JOIN US ON APRIL 16TH AT HOME FOR A DIALOGUE WITH DIPLOMA AT COMMUNITY COLLEGE CAMPUS. WE'LL SEND YOU ALL A REMINDER. WE'LL ALSO SEND YOU AN EMAIL TO JOIN THE HOUSTON CHAPTER, THIS CEREMONY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. * 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.