[City Pulse]
[00:00:31]
I'M TRAVIS LEMONS, YOUR HOST ON TODAY'S SHOW WITH CHECK OUT SPARK PARK KENNEDY ELEMENTARY.
AND GRAB OUR RUNNING SHOES AND HEAD TO ELLINGTON AIRPORT FOR THE ANNUAL HOUSTON AIRPORT'S AVIATOR RUN BEFORE TAKING TO THE TARMAC, HTV STATE'S IN-HOUSE TO CELEBRATE THOSE WHO SELL HOUSES FOR A LIVING.
EACH APRIL, THE HOUSTON BLACK REAL ESTATE ASSOCIATION HOLDS REALIST WEEK.
THIS YEAR THE CELEBRATION INSIDE CITY HALL WAS MET WITH FANFARE AND A SPECIAL RECOGNITION FROM MAYOR WHITMEYER.
OUR REALTOR FAMILY ARE DOLLARS FOR LOT OF FAMILIES.
WE WANT YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR, UM, HOUSING COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS A FUNDAMENTAL ROLE IN HOUSING AFFORDABILITY, AND SO IT'S CRITICAL THAT ORGANIZATIONS, ADVOCACY GROUPS INVOLVED WITH REAL ESTATE, UM, DEVELOPMENT, UM, ARE INVOLVED SO THEY CAN HELP INFLUENCE LOCAL POLICY, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, BUT ALSO THAT WE CAN DO THIS WORK TOGETHER.
GOVERNMENT CAN'T DO IT ALONE, THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF APRIL 7TH THROUGH THE 13TH IS REALTY WEEK IN HOUSTON.
NOW IT IS TIME TO GET OUTSIDE AND GO FOR A BIKE RIDE AROUND TOWN, AND THAT'S JUST WHAT HUNDREDS OF HOUSTONIANS DID AS PART OF THE TOUR TO HOUSTON AT DISCOVERY GREEN HERE, TOUR TO HOUSTON, TOUR TO HOUSTON BIKE RIDE.
UH, THERE'S 20 MILES, 40 MILES, 60 MILES.
UH, YEAH, WE DID THE 20 MILE ROUTE ON.
IT'S JUST A FUN WAY TO SEE THE CITY.
WELL, WE'RE A BIKE FRIENDLY CITY.
WE NEED TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE HAVE SAFE BIKE PATHS.
UH, WE NEED TO MAINTAIN OUR CONCERN ABOUT OUR MOBILITY, GIVE PEOPLE OPTIONS.
SO THIS IS JUST ONE COMPONENT OF HOUSTON'S MOBILITY.
ALSO, IT JUST HELPS BUILD COMMUNITY.
UH, YOU MIGHT MEET SOME NEW FRIENDS OUT HERE WHILE YOU'RE CYCLING, UH, AND STAYING FIT AT THE SAME TIME.
EVERYBODY'S BEING HEALTHY, PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT.
AND THEN OF COURSE, JUST RAISING FUNDS TO KEEP THE BIKE TRAILS SAFE AND SO ON.
THESE ARE STREETS THAT YOU NORMALLY DRIVE AND SO YOU GET TO TAKE 'EM AT A SLOWER PACE.
AND AGAIN, YOU GET TO SHARE THAT TIME WITH FRIENDS, COLLEAGUES IN THE INDUSTRY AND ASK EVERYONE TO BE KIND AND BE PUBLIC SERVANTS AND BRING EVERYBODY TOGETHER, PEOPLE AROUND THAT WERE OUT HERE SUPPORTING US, CHEERING US ON.
THAT WAS A GREAT, GREAT THING FOR US.
SO TODAY I NEVER REALLY BEEN IN THE AREA THAT WE WENT THROUGH, SO IT'S A NEW AREA I COULD GO AND VISIT AND THERE WAS SOME, UH, A COUPLE PLACES I WOULD CHECK OUT TO EAT 'CAUSE IT SMELLED GOOD ON THE ROUTE.
VERY GOOD WAY TO GET ACTIVE RIDING A BIKE.
UH, YOU GET TO SEE A LOT OF PARTS OF HOUSTON THAT YOU DON'T NORMALLY GET TO SEE.
SOME, DON'T THINK TOO HARD ABOUT IT.
I'M READY TO DO THE 16 NEXT YEAR, THAT'S FOR SURE.
IT JUST BRINGS US ALL OUT TO SHARE THE GREAT OUTDOORS, GREAT WEATHER, UH, AND, AND A GOOD PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.
IT'S GOOD FOR YOUR BODY, GOOD FOR YOUR SOUL.
DIVERSE, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO UNIFY ON DAYS LIKE TODAY.
KENNEDY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS A SPARK PARK.
YOU NEED TO KNOW THE KIDS ARE THRILLED WITH THEIR NEW PLAYGROUND AND RUNNING TRACK.
THIS NEW PARK IS ALSO OPEN FOR PARENTS AND NEIGHBORS TO ENJOY PICNICS AND EXERCISE ON WEEKENDS.
IT'S THE HUB OF THE HUNTINGTON VILLAGE COMMUNITY AND IT'S AN AWESOME PLACE TO BE.
WELL, THE SMART PARK PROGRAM IS A PROGRAM THAT'S OFFERED IN THE COMMUNITY, IN SCHOOLS, AND IT'S A COLLABORATION OF COMMUNITY IN SCHOOLS TO CREATE A GREAT PARK ENVIRONMENT, UH, FOR THE CHILDREN, FOR THE FAMILIES, FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY TO ENJOY.
THE STUDENTS LOVE THE NEW EQUIPMENT, MAKES THEM FEEL LIKE THEY'RE, UM, LIKE EXPLORING.
THERE'S A, UM, THE MERRY-GO-ROUND.
AND FOR THE REST OF THE PEOPLE TOO.
THE PLAY WHEN IT WAS FUN, I LIKE IT.
IT'S IT FOR, WITH THE SUMMER THAT WE CAN DO A PICNIC THERE, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T GET A LOT OF EXERCISE, SO, AND THE KIDS, THEY,
[00:05:01]
THEY USUALLY LIKE, UM, LIKE TO WATCH TV.IT GIVES THE NEIGHBORHOOD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET MOVING, GET ACTIVE.
IT ALSO GIVES THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO FELLOWSHIP, MEET THEIR NEIGHBORS, UM, AS WELL AS STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO, UM, BEEF UP THAT SOCIAL EMOTIONAL, UM, PIECE AND COMMUNICATE, ENCOURAGE, UM, INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER.
IT'S JUST LIKE ALL THE GAINS AND THE NEW, UH, TRUCK MODIFIED, YOU KNOW, THE KIDS, THEY DON'T GET WET ANYMORE.
AND, OH, I LOVE THE ARRANGEMENT.
EVERYTHING, NEW EQUIPMENT AND DURING WEEKEND FAMILIES, COMMUNITIES, YOU SEE THEM SITTING OUT THERE FOR PICNICS.
THE, UH, ALL FAMILIES ARE, YOU KNOW, WE FEEL SO WELCOME HERE.
COMING UP NEXT ON CITY PULSE, WE'LL HEAR FROM MAYOR WHITMEYER AS HE WORKED TO PRESERVE THE HISTORIC BRICKS OF FRIEDMANS TOWN.
LOTS OF PEOPLE WITH COMPLETELY DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS COMING TOGETHER FOR A GREATER GOAL REPRESENTS HOUSTON AS A WHOLE AND EVERYBODY HAS A DIFFERENT STYLE, BUT THAT'S KIND OF OUR THING.
WE ARE VERY PROUD OF HOW DIFFERENT WE ARE.
HOUSTON FIRST CORPORATION INTRODUCES A NEW CULTURAL CENTER IN DOWNTOWN HOUSTON.
LYNN WYATT SQUARE, IN THE HOUSTON THEATER DISTRICT WITH OAK TREES, WATER FEATURES AND PROGRAMMING.
HOUSTON IS ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE CITIES IN THE NATION, YET ACROSS AMERICA.
HATE CRIMES INVOLVING VICTIMS IDENTIFIED AS JEWISH SWORD.
IN 2022, MORE THAN HALF OF RELIGIOUS-BASED HATE CRIMES TARGETS THE JEWISH COMMUNITY.
AND MORE THAN HALF THE ETHNIC HATE TARGETS THE BLACK COMMUNITY.
AN ATTACK AGAINST ANY FAITH OR ETHNIC GROUP IS AN ATTACK AGAINST ALL OF US.
THERE IS NO PLACE IN AMERICA FOR HATE AGAINST ANYONE AS HOUSTONIANS.
METRO IS HERE FOR YOU EVERY DAY, PROVIDING SAFE, RELIABLE TRAVEL OPTIONS.
WE TAKE YOU TO CELEBRATIONS AND HELP DURING EMERGENCIES.
WE'RE ALWAYS LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY AND WE MANAGE TAXPAYER DOLLARS RESPONSIBLY.
AND THANKS TO OVERWHELMING VOTER APPROVAL, WE'RE BUILDING TRANSIT FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW SO THAT YOU CAN DRIVE LESS AND DO MORE.
TRAVIS LEMON'S HERE BACK WITH MORE CITY PULSE.
DID YOU KNOW HOUSTON'S FOURTH WARD, ALSO KNOWN AS FREEDMAN'S TOWN, IS THE ONLY REMAINING POST-CIVIL WAR AREA BUILT BY FREEDMAN IN THE UNITED STATES.
ITS HISTORY IS SO RICH THAT IT IS HOME TO SEVEN UNESCO SITES AS PART OF THE SLAVE ROUTE PROJECT.
PRESERVING THIS HISTORY TAKES A LOT OF WORK AND SINCE MAYOR WHIT MYER'S MOTTO IS, LET'S GET TO WORK, HE RECENTLY TOURED THE COMMUNITY AND SPOKE WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE HOUSTON FREEMAN'S TOWN CONSERVANCY ON WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO PRESERVE ITS HISTORIC BRICKS.
AT 11 THIS MORNING, SHE BROUGHT HER DELEGATION FROM FREEMAN'S TOWN.
UH, I JUST ASSUMED IT WAS ABOUT RESTORATION AND GENTRIFICATION, BUT THEY IMMEDIATELY STARTED TALKING ABOUT THE BRICKS, WHICH I'M GENERALLY FAMILIAR WITH.
THEY TALKED ABOUT THE TALK THEY HAD HEARD IN THE PAST REACHING OUT TO FOUNDATIONS, BUT IF WE DON'T SHOW SOME ACTIVITY, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO RAISE SIGNIFICANT FUNDS.
SO, UH, AFTER PROBABLY 45 MINUTES, I SAID, WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO FIRST? OKAY, UH, I HAD A LUNCHEON, BUT THERE WAS MENTION IF, IF YOU JUST VISIT THE LOCATION, AND I ASKED HIM, WHAT, ABOUT THREE O'CLOCK THIS AFTERNOON? SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE.
WE'LL BE MEETING REGULARLY TILL WE COMPLETE OUR OBJECTIVE.
UH, IT'LL BE DIFFICULT JUST TALKING, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY IN EXCESS OF $10 MILLION.
I BELIEVE WE CAN GET IT FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
WE'VE NEVER HAD THIS MUCH MONEY, WE'VE NEVER HAD THIS MUCH NOTORIETY.
AND SO I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN GET THIS DONE UNDER THIS ADMINISTRATION.
WHAT SHE'S SAYING IS ELECTIONS MATTER
I MEAN, THAT'S, YOU CAN'T DUPLICATE THAT.
REPLICATE IT FROM FREEMAN'S TOWN TO ELLINGTON AIRPORT.
IT IS TIME TO GET ON THE RUNWAY AND RUN FOR A GREAT CAUSE.
[00:10:45]
I AM PROUD TO NAME TODAY HOUSTON AIRPORT'S AVIATOR 5K DAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.TODAY WE RAISED WELL OVER $20,000 FOR THE HOUSTON AIRPORT CHARITIES AND WE HAD ABOUT 350 RUNNERS, UH, WHICH ACTUALLY WELL TOPPED OUR LAST YEAR NUMBERS OF ABOUT 120.
OUR FINAL STORY HONORS JOHN THOMAS BIGGERS, A MAN WHO HAD PLANNED TO BE A PLUMBER UNTIL HE TOOK AN ART CLASS THAT HELPED HIM UNDERSTAND THE RELIGIOUS AND SOCIAL CONTEXT OF AFRICAN ART.
A FAMED PAINTER AND MURALIST BIGGERS WOULD SERVE AS THE FOUNDING CHAIRMAN OF THE ART DEPARTMENT AT HOUSTON'S, TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY.
PLEASE ENJOY THIS ODE TO JOHN THOMAS BIGGERS FROM HOUSTON POET LAUREATE ARIS KEON BROWN, O TO JOHN THOMAS BIGGERS, O REGAL ARTIST, MASTER MAKER OF THE MURAL.
I, FOR AN EVERYDAY BEAUTY WE DIDN'T KNOW TO NAME, YOU WERE BORN IN A SHOTGUN HOUSE AND MADE ITS MEMORY A MASTERPIECE IN EVERY MOSAIC.
YOUR WORK, BRASS, BROWN, AND BEAUTIFUL, BORROWED THE MYTHS OF OUR MOTHERS, HELD THEIR HANDS AND ILLUMINATED THEIR HOLY AND SHOWED THE HONEST OF US NEVER SHIED.
COLORED THE INJUSTICE MADE A RECORD OF THIS COUNTRY AND FOUND GRACE IN OUR GATHERING.
JOHN, YOU GEOMETRIC GODSEND, HOLDING ALL OF OUR AFRICAN AND AMERICAN AND OTHER WORLDLY IN THE SAME STROKE.
YOU BROKE THE MOLD AND BUILT A LEGACY LED HOUSTON DOWN A PATH OF HONOR, BLACK BRILLIANCE AND BODY BLACK ARCHIVE REIMAGINED BLACK PEOPLE MADE WARM BY THE QUILTING OF YOUR PEN.
WE THANK YOU AGAIN AND AGAIN FOR THE DAYS, GIFTS AND BEAUTY ON THIS EARTH THAT YOU GAVE US.
AND STILL TO THIS DAY, KEEP GIVING.
AND CITY PULSE FOR HTV HOUSTON TELEVISION AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UNTIL NEXT TIME, DO BETTER AND BE KIND.