* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [Press Conference: “Inaugural National AAPI Convention”] [00:00:18] MY NAME IS NANCY LEE, AND I SERVE AS THE VICE CHAIR FOR THE MAYORS A API ADVISORY BOARD. IT'S MY GREAT PLEASURE AND HONOR TO REPRESENT OUR BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY IN WELCOMING ALL PARTICIPANTS AND EXTEND OUR DEEPEST GRATITUDE TO MAYOR JOHN WEIR FOR TAKING THE TIME TO JOIN THIS PRESS CONFERENCE. THE HOUSTON MAYORS A API ADVISORY BOARD ACTS AS A VITAL BRIDGE, ENSURING THE VOICES CONCERNS AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF A-P-A-A-P-I COMMUNITY ARE HEARD AND INCLUDED IN THE CITY'S DECISION MAKING PROCESS. OUR BOARD IS COMPOSED OF ESTEEMED INDIVIDUALS WHO HAS DE DEDICATED THEMSELVES TO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITIES. TODAY OUR, UH, AGENDA WILL BE, WILL HAVE MAYOR TO GIVE A RECOGNITION FOR A API BOARD MEMBERS AND DELIVER THE REMARKS. AND THEN WE HAVE A BOARD CHAIR DELIVER, UH, SPEECH. AFTER THAT, WE INVITE CONVENTION CHAIR SAYEED, DELIVER REMARKS, AND AFTER THAT WE'LL HAVE, UH, Q AND A AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A CLOSING OUT AND A GROUP PHOTO. SO NOW IT'S MY BLOOD. GREAT PRESSURE TO READ OUR MAYOR'S, UH, BIO. I KNOW THIS IS VERY LONG ACCOMPLISHMENT AND ACHIEVEMENT FOR THE MAYOR, SO I WILL JUST MAKE AS SHORT AS I CAN. AS A YOUNG BOY, JOHN JOHN WORKED ODD JOBS AND LEARNED THE VALUE OF HARD WORK, EVEN SHINING THE SHOES AT THE HARRISBURG BEAR HALL. HE ALSO WITNESSED DOMESTIC ABUSE AND THE MOVE QUICKLY. FREQUENTLY AS A CHILD WHEN A FIRE BURNED DOWN HIS HOME, THE COMMUNITY WRAPPED THEIR ARMS AROUND HIM DONATING CLOTHES AND PROVIDING SHELTER. THE LED THE LESSON IN COMPASSION AND EMPATHY WILL GUIDE HIM AS A PUBLIC SERVANT THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER AS A STATE REPRESENTATIVE FOR 10 YEARS AND STATE AND SENATOR FOR 40 YEARS, JOHN WIER HAS FOUGHT TIRELESSLY FOR DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE REPRESENTATION ACROSS HOUSTON. NOTABLY, HE PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN ESTABLISHING THE FIRST LATINO STATE SENATE DISTRICT IN HARRIS COUNTY, AND HAS BEEN A ADVOCATE FOR EXPANDING ACCESS TO EARLY VOTING IN PERSON AND THE ELECTION DAY. POOLING LOCATIONS BOTH IN, UH, AMERICAN AMER, UH, AFRICAN AMERICAN AND LATINO COMMUNITIES IS HIS COMMITMENT TO SUPPORT LGBQ RIGHTS DURING HIS, THE HARBOR MILK AWARD IN 1993. JOHN WEIR HAS ALSO BEEN A VOCAL CHAMPION OF WOMEN'S RIGHTS, BACKED BY 100% VOTING RECORD. HE ALSO WORKED TIRELESSLY TO REPRESENT THE DREAM ACT, ENSURING THE UNDOCUMENTED YOUNG INDIVIDUALS CAN ASSESS IN-STATE TUITION RATES. ADDITIONALLY, HIS SUPPORT WORKERS' COMPENSATION FOR INJURED FARM WORKERS AND UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION, WE HAVE A LOT MORE. SO JUST IN SHORT, JOHN WILLIAM'S EXTRAORDINARY LIFE EXPERIENCES AND DELIVERING DEDICATION AND THE PROVEN TRACK RECORD, GETTING THINGS DONE, MAKE HIM A TRUE PUBLIC SERVANT LEADER COMMITTED TO THE WELLBEING OF HOUSTON. SO MY GREAT HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO WELCOME HOUSTON'S SIXTH, THIRD MAYOR. MR. JOHN, WE THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. LEE. I'M EMBARRASSED THIS IS, WAS NOT THAT INTRODUCTION. WHOEVER GAVE THAT TO THE PLANNERS IS GONNA BE IN TROUBLE. GIGI, DID YOU DO THAT? ? NOW, ON A VERY SERIOUS NOTE, IT IS ABOUT THE GATHERING THAT, UH, WE REPRESENT TODAY. AND, UH, FIRST ON A MATTER OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE, I'D LIKE TO THANK SO MANY OF YOU IN [00:05:01] THE ROOM THAT HAVE SHAPED AND MOLDED MY CAREER, AND CERTAINLY IN THE RECENT ELECTION, GAVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD OUR GREAT CITY. UH, I SAID DURING THE CAMPAIGN, I WANTED CITY GOVERNMENT TO LOOK LIKE HOUSTON. SO I WILL INVITE YOU TO, BECAUSE I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE FIVE MONTHS AND, UH, WE HAVEN'T MADE ENOUGH CHANGES, BUT WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE PUT TO APPOINTMENTS. BUT, UH, AFTER I'M HERE LONGER, YOU'LL SEE THE HOSTESS AT THE DESK, YOU'LL SEE MY SECURITY DETAIL, YOU'LL SEE EVERY LEVEL OF CITY GOVERNMENT TRULY REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON. AND THAT GETS US TO THE MAYOR'S ADVISORY GROUP. UH, I UNDERSTAND NOW WHY INVESTOR MADE 41 MEMBERS. WHEN I SAW THE SIZE OF IT, I THOUGHT HE MUST HAVE GOTTEN CARRIED AWAY THAT DAY BECAUSE MOST OF THE WORKING GROUPS WOULD NOT BE 41 MEMBERS. SO I DON'T KNOW WHEN HE GOT TO 41, WHY HE DIDN'T EVEN, WHY HE DID NOT GO ON UP TO A HUNDRED OR MORE. BUT ANYWAY, IT IS WHAT IT IS. WE HAVE A GREAT CITY, GREAT PEOPLE. WE HAVE A LOT OF CHALLENGES LIKE MOST MAJOR CITIES. AND LET ME TELL YOU WHAT I'VE DISCOVERED, WHY I WANT SPEAK TO, UH, OUR GATHERING TODAY. AS I WORK IN THE CITY HALL WITH 22 DEPARTMENTS BY OUR POLICE PUBLIC WORKS, WE'RE DEALING WITH STORMS. I GET TO SEE HOW GREAT OUR CITY IS AND HOW GREAT OUR WORKERS ARE. BUT I SEE THE CHALLENGES OF CITY GOVERNMENT UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, UNDERSTAFFED REVENUE CHALLENGES. AND I WONDER HOW, HOW ARE WE SO GREAT WHEN, WHEN PARKS DIRECTOR TELLS ME HE DOESN'T HAVE, HE DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH VEHICLES, HE HAS TO SHUTTLE PEOPLE BACK AND FORTH TO THE WORK SITE, AND THEN WE KNOW SOLID WASTE DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH WORKERS' VEHICLE. SO I CAN GO ON AND ON AND ON, WHAT I'M DISCOVERING AND WE'RE MAKING IMPROVEMENTS AND WE'RE BEING VERY TRANSPARENT. BUT THEN I THINK LATE IN THE DAY, WE HAVE SUCH A GREAT CITY. WHAT IS REALLY THE SECRET THAT WE HAVE THAT MAYBE OTHER LARGE CITIES DON'T HAVE ALWAYS WHO WE KNOW THE PEOPLE AND OUR DIVERSITY, BUT IT'S EVEN BEYOND THAT. IT'S OUR INSTITUTIONS. IT'S, IT'S THE, IT'S THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU BELONG TO. IT'S OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY, IT'S OUR ACADEMIC, IT'S OUR FAITH. WE'RE GREAT IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT CITY GOVERNMENT CAN DO A BETTER JOB. SO JUST THINK. AND THE REASON I WELCOME YOU FOR CITY HALL, YOUR CITY HALL, IF WE CAN GET THE CITY RESOURCES AND THE CITY STAFFING AND THE FINANCES STRAIGHTENED TO HOUSTON WILL BE THE NUMBER ONE CITY IN THE WORLD. I REALLY BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE EVERYTHING GOING FOR US, EVEN RIGHT HERE IN THE MIDDLE OF HURRICANE SEASON. BUT WITH OUR MED CENTER, OUR COURT, OUR ACADEMIC, OUR FAITH, OUR ORGANIZATIONS, OUR DIVERSITY, IT'S JUST WE GOT IT AND PEOPLE ARE COMING HERE IN LARGE NUMBERS. WE'VE BEEN DISCOVERED. SO WE'VE GOTTA GET READY AND THAT'S THE ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO ATTRACT NATIONAL CONVENTIONS HERE, THE FIRST, SO NORM, UH, THANKS FOR BRINGING US TOGETHER. THANKS FOR INFLUENCING WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES THIS FIRST, UH, ANNUAL CONVENTION AND UH, I'LL BE THERE. I THINK HOUSTONIANS WILL CELEBRATE WITH YOU INTO THE, UH, GROUP THAT SERVE ON THE MAYOR'S ADVISORY GROUP. I HAVE AN OPEN DOOR. I KNOW MOST OF YOU, UH, MOST OF YOU, YOU SUPPORTED ME IN THE CAMPAIGN, BUT, BUT THE ME THING IS THE CAMPAIGN IS OVER. NOW. IT'S TIME TO GO TO WORK. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. WELCOME TO YOUR CITY HALL AND I HOPE THE PRESS, CERTAINLY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITIES PRESS GOES BACK TO OUR COMMUNITIES. THE SPREADS WORD PROTECT YOUR CULTURE, YOUR LANGUAGE, YOUR IDENTITY. BUT TODAY, LET'S COME TOGETHER AS BE. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU, MAYOR. NOW I WOULD JUST WELCOME I WILL BOARD CHAIR UNDERNEATH HASAN. I'LL GIVE YOU A BRIEF INTRODUCTION ABOUT HIM. MR. HUSAN IS THE FOUNDER OF HU UH, HUSSEIN LAW AND ASSOCIATES, A LAW FIRM BASED IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, WHICH FOCUS ON LITIGATION, IMMIGRATION, AND A OF ALL NO HAS DONE CURRENTLY SERVE AS A COMMISSIONER OF THE PRESIDENT BIDEN'S WHITE HOUSE COMMISSION ON [00:10:01] FELLOWSHIP, CHAIRMAN OF THE MAYOR, A API, WEST REPORT COMMISSIONER ON THE HARRIS COUNTY HOUSTON SPORTS AUTHORITY ADVISOR TO HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF AT GONZALEZ FOR BEND COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY BRIAN MIDDLETON, UT AUSTIN COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS. HIS PAST YEAR OF 2000 ASIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AS SHIRLEY, A GREAT FELLOW OF AMERICAN LEADERSHIP AND MOST RECENTLY HE WAS RECOGNIZED AS A GLOBAL LEADER OF INFLUENCED BY THE WORLD FAIR COUNCIL OF GREATER HOUSTON AND NAMED THE HOUSTON LEGEND BY THE HOUSTON HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. SO MY GREAT PLEASURE TO WELCOME OUR BOARD CHAIR. WELCOME EVERYBODY, RESPECTED LEADERS, MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY BOARD, UH, MAYOR WHITMEYER. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE A API COMMUNITY AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY. WHEN MAYOR WHITMEYER WAS RUNNING FOR MAYOR, ONE OF THE COMMON THINGS I HEARD, WHATEVER I MET WITH HIM OR WHENEVER I SAW HIM SPEAK, IS HE REALLY EMPHASIZED THAT HE WANTED THE HALLS OF CITY HALL TO REFLECT THE TRUE DIVERSITY OF THE CITY. AND AS WE ARE WALKING THROUGH THE HALLS, WE SEE THE CHANGE. WE SEE MAYOR MEYER LOOKING THROUGH HIS WORD AND HOLDING TRUE TO HIS WORD AND IS DOING EVERYTHING HE CAN TO TRULY REFLECT THE PEOPLE WORKING FOR THE CITY AND WITH THE CITY REFLECT THE GREAT DIVERSITY OF THE CITY. I WANNA RECOGNIZE MY VICE CHAIR, NANCY LEE. GREAT JOB NANCY, AND ALSO THE COMMITTEE CHAIR FOR THE COMMITTEE AND ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS HERE. RAISE YOUR HAND SO YOU CAN BE RECOGNIZED. YOU KNOW, NONE OF OUR EFFORTS WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL WITHOUT YOUR PARTICIPATION. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOLUNTEERISM UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF MAYOR WHITMEYER. THE MAYOR'S ADVISORY BOARD BASICALLY IS FOCUSED ON FOUR AREAS. FIRST IS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT TO MAKE SURE THE COMMUNITY, OUR COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT IS THERE AVAILABLE TO THEM WHEN THEY NEED ASSISTANCE. AND MR. KEN LEE CHAIRS THAT COMMITTEES MR. KEN LEE HERE. THANK YOU KEN FOR YOUR HARD WORK ON THAT COMMITTEE. YOU'RE CHAIRING THAT COMMITTEE. SECOND IS BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. UM, COMING BACK TO WHAT I SAID EARLIER, THE MAYOR IS COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S TRUE REPRESENTATION AND TRUE DIVERSITY ON THE CITY'S BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. AND ROOF IS WORKING WITH FOUT ON THAT MATTER. WHERE'S ROOFIE? ROOFIE IS CHEERING THAT. THANK YOU ROOFIE FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. NEXT IS THE NATIONAL MUSEUM AS AN A API MEMBERS, WE WANT TO SEE NATIONAL MUSEUM IN WASHINGTON DC FOR OUR COMMUNITY. PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS PUT TOGETHER A WORKING GROUP THAT'S PURSUING THIS AND DONNA IS TAKING POINT ON THAT. SO DONNA, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HELP WITH THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. OH, YES, YES, ABSOLUTELY. UM, LAST WE COME TO THE NATIONAL CONVENTION. THE A API COMMUNITY IN HOUSTON IS LARGE AND DIVERSE AND IT IS ALSO LARGE AND DIVERSE AROUND THE COUNTRY. THERE'S BUSINESS GROUPS, THERE'S SOCIAL GROUPS, THERE'S PROFESSIONAL GROUPS, BUT THERE'S NEVER BEEN A CONVENTION BRINGING ALL OF THESE GROUPS TOGETHER INTO ONE CITY FOR ONE CONVENTION. AND SO WHEN WE STARTED WORKING AS A ADVISORY BOARD, WE DECIDED THAT THIS WAS GONNA BE ONE OF OUR MAIN GOALS WAS WITHIN A YEAR TRY TO BRING THE NATIONAL CONVENTION TO HOUSTON. AND SO THAT IS WHAT WE'VE SUCCESSFULLY BEEN ABLE TO DO. AND UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF THE MAYOR AND WITH THE MAYOR'S PARTICIPATION AND THE ACT OF SUPPORT OF THE WHOLE ADVISORY BOARD, WE'RE GONNA BE HAVING OUR FIRST CONVENTION HERE IN THE MONTH OF JULY. AND I'M GONNA LET MR. SHEA TALK MORE ABOUT THAT. HOUSTON IS UNIQUELY SITUATED TO HOST SUCH A CONVENTION. WE ARE ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE CITIES IN AMERICA. THERE ARE MORE FOREIGN LANGUAGES SPOKEN HERE THAN IN ANY OTHER CITY IN AMERICA. AND WE INVITE EVERYBODY FROM THIS COMMUNITY AND OUTSIDE OF THE COMMUNITY TO ATTEND AND PARTICIPATE AT THE CONVENTION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. UM, NEXT. WELCOME. WELCOME. UH, MR. SAYED IS THE, UM, FOR THE COMMISSION CHAIR. TO GIVE MORE DETAIL, SAYED IS THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZER AND BUSINESS LEADER AND RECOGNIZED, UH, VOLUNTEER HELP. UH, HE HELPED THE, UH, PAKISTAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY FOR YEARS. UM, HE WAS THE PAST PRESIDENT FOR UM, PAKISTAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND CURRENTLY THE MAYOR'S API WESTERN BOARD MEMBER AND CONVENTION CHAIR. WELCOME, HONOR, WILL MAYOR, MEMBERS OF OUR ESTEEM MEDIA, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AND FEDERAL MEMBERS OF THE A API ADVISORY BOARD AND THE CONVENTION COMMITTEE. LEMME START BY THANKING OUR HONOR MAYOR FOR HIS SUPPORT. WITHOUT THAT NOTHING IS POSSIBLE. WE ALL ARE STILL AS WE ARE AND WE ARE ALL UNITED. AND WE HAVE NO WORDS TO THANK FOR INDUCING THIS BOARD AND ALSO ALLOWING US [00:15:01] TO HOST A CONVENTION FOR THE FIRST TIME. THE THEME OF THE INAUGURAL CON HOUSTON RP CONVENTION IS UPLIFTING RP UNITING COMMUNITIES. BY MOBILIZING AND STRENGTHENING OUR POWERFUL COALITION OF RP LEADERS, WE'LL BE CELEBRATING THE RP COMMUNITY'S DIVERSITY AND COLLECTIVE POWER. THE CONVENTION WILL ALSO ACT AS A PLATFORM OF ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER RP COMMUNITY AND ALLIES TO CELEBRATE HERITAGE ADDRESS CHALLENGES AND EMPOWER FUTURE GENERATIONS. EASTERN RP NATIONAL CONVENTION PRODUCE, UH, HIGHLIGHTS, WHICH INCLUDES A WELCOME AND BREAKFAST KEYNOTE AT THE BREAKOUT SESSIONS. ATTENDEES CAN CHOOSE FROM VARIETY OF TOPICS INCLUDING ENERGY, HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION, PUBLIC SERVICE, AND ECO EQUITY ADVOCACY, GALA RECEPTION, AND DINNER. A JOINT EVENT WITH N WILL CELEBRATE THE EVENING WITH A KEYNOTE FROM OUR OWN BEL MAYOR. FINALLY, THIS CONVENTION AIMS TO INCREASE REPRESENTATION, CELEBRATE HERITAGE, AND BUILD MORE INCLUSIVE FUTURE. WE ASK THE COMMUNITY TO JOIN THE CONVERSATION. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONVENTION SCHEDULE, REGISTRATION AND THE SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, PLEASE VISIT WWW.HOUSTONRPCONVENTION.ORG. LET ME ACKNOWLEDGE THE SUPPORT OF CHAIR NOMI HUEN AND ADVISORY BOARD AND ALSO THE COLLABORATION OF THE N UH, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF MR. ALBERT HEIM. AND ON THE UNTIRING EFFORTS OF THE COMMITTEE, COMMITTEE, MEMBER COMMITTEE MEMBERS OF THIS CONVENTION, INCLUDING SECRETARY PET BROWN, WE HAVE SEVERAL OTHERS I WANT THEM TO RAISE THEIR HAND HAS PATEL SHALENE, MR. SOLEIL KA. AND THERE ARE MANY, MANY OTHER, UH, LEROY AND, UH, MANY OTHER MEMBERS ARE HERE THAT WHO ARE WORKING VERY HARD TO MAKE THIS CONVENTION A SUCCESS. MR. TE KENNEDY IS ALSO A KEY PARTNER OF THIS CONVENTION. I ALSO WANT TO THANK FEW SPONSORS WHO HAS CAME FORWARD TO SUPPORT US. ASIAN CHAMBER OF FARMERS, THEIR SOUTHWEST MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, HOUSTON. FIRST WE ARE WORKING WITH CHEVRON. WE NEED LITTLE HELP FROM MAYOR THAT MIDLAND ENERGY WILL BE THE GRAND SPONSOR OF THIS CONVENTION. AND THERE WILL, UH, SEVERAL OTHERS WHO HAS ALREADY BLESSED AND COMMITTED. WE ARE VERY, VERY CONFIDENT THAT THE NEED NATIONAL LEADERSHIP, WHICH IS COMING FROM ACROSS THE UNITED STATES THROUGH THE PLATFORM OF N AND ALSO TO OUR CONVENTION, THEY ALREADY, WE ALL DISTRICT 500 MEMBERS FROM USA AND THERE WILL BE 300 OF US MAKING IT OUR BIGGEST CONVENTION EVER. MORE THAN 800 PEOPLE MAY BE PARTICIPATING FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. SO WE LOOKING FORWARD FOR SUPPORT. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH HONORABLE MAYOR. YOU ARE SOMEBODY THAT WHO IS REALLY FULFILLING WHATEVER YOU HAVE SAID DURING CAMPAIGN AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD AS YOUR SOLDIER TO MAKE, TO, TO IMPLEMENT WHAT YOU ARE PLANNING. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE, UH, TO INVITE MAYOR, UM, AND NOMI COME BACK TO THE PODIUM AND FOR THE QUESTION AND ANSWER AND SAY, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU HAD ANY, ANY QUESTION TO ASK. UH, OUR MAYOR, UH, BOARD CHAIR AND ALSO THE CONVENTION CHAIR, OBVIOUSLY, UH, WE'RE WITNESSING WHAT MAKES HOUSTON GREAT. IT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF, THE LEADERSHIP, THE DIVERSITY, AND THAT IT'S ONLY GONNA GET BETTER. SO I'M, I'M PROUD TO BE THE MAYOR OF ALL HOUSTONIANS FOR WE'RE WITNESSING IN REAL TIME WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT HOUSTON. SO LET'S GO FORWARD. WE'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. IT'S A GOOD POINT. YEAH, THE API HOUSTON COMMISSION IS ON JULY 27TH AND IT'S STARTING FROM 9:00 AM IN THE MORNING. AND, UH, A CONVENTION WILL END WITH A BIG BALLOT DINNER, UH, IN THE EVENING, [00:20:05] GEORGE. SO IF THERE ARE NO MORE QUESTIONS, UM, THEN WHAT I'D LIKE TO, I'LL GO AHEAD. CORRECT. AROUND THE COUNTRY. YES, YES. GOOD. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, I HAVE A QUESTION. THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME A AND MAYBE, SO MY QUESTION IS, WHAT'S THE MAIN UH, ISSUE DO YOU THINK THE ORGANIZER AND EVEN THE MAYOR, LIKE THE ASIAN COMMUNITY COMMUNITY, WHAT ISSUES THAT'S MOST IMPORTANT TO THEM THAT YOU ADDRESS IN THIS? SO, SO THE MAIN PURPOSE OF CONVENTION IS TO BRING TOGETHER THE VARIOUS AAPI COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, WHETHER IT'S BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS, PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS, PHILANTHROPIC ASSOCIATIONS, TO CREATE A PLATFORM OF COLLABORATION SO THAT WE CAN START WORKING WITH OTHER AAPI ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY. SO BASICALLY IT'S A GIANT NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY AND IT'S NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE. ALL OF THESE ASSOCIATIONS, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL DISCREET CONVENTIONS FOR BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS, FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS, BUT NEVER HAS IT BEEN DONE TO BRING ALL OF THE A A KI COMMUNITIES UNDER ONE UMBRELLA TOGETHER IN ONE CITY FOR A BIG NATIONAL CONVENTION. AND WE'RE HOPING THIS WILL BE A BOARD, IT'LL MOVE FORWARD ON A YEARLY BASIS AND HOUSTON WILL BE THE BEST CITY EACH YEAR. THANK YOU. AND I'LL EMPHASIZE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR COMMUNITY. YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS FOR US TO BRANCH OUT. WE TALK TO EACH OTHER, WE STAY WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY AND OWN BOUNDARIES WAY TOO MUCH. DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY HOUSTONIANS NEED TO HEAR ABOUT THIS? AND NOT TO MENTION PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY. SO I THINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE US TO THE API CULTURE, PEOPLE LANGUAGES, TO CELEBRATE US AS A PEOPLE, BUT IT'S ALSO TO COLLABORATE. LEMME SAY WHAT'S OUR OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ACADEMIC OPPORTUNITY, JOB OPPORTUNITY. SO I'M GONNA LOOK AT IT AS MULTIFACETED CELEBRATION OF WHO WE'RE WELCOME TO HOUSTON, BUT ALSO LET'S LEAVE HERE FIRED UP ABOUT WHAT WE CAN GO BACK TO OUR COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND SPREAD THE WORD THAT, UH, WE'RE HERE AND, AND WE'RE GONNA TAKE OUR SHARE OF THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES. BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY. UH, WE'RE NOT GONNA STAY JUST IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE'RE GONNA COME RUN OUR UNIVERSITIES, WE'RE GONNA GO RUN ONE LARGE CORPORATION. SO, BUT THE OPPORTUNITY, AND I'M GONNA SPREAD THE WORD WHEREVER I GO, YOU JUST CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT WE GOT GOING ON IN HOUSTON, TAKE IT BACK TO AUSTIN, TAKE IT BACK TO DALLAS, SAN DIEGO ACROSS THE COUNTRY SO WE CAN SHOWCASE HOUSTON, WE CAN SHOWCASE OUR PEOPLE AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT, UH, THAT WE PROVIDE. SO I GET PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT IT. YES, SIR. SO THE QUESTION IS, WHAT WILL HOUSTON BE OFFERING TO HOST AND WELCOME THE GUESTS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY? WILL HOUSTONIAN BE PERFORMING OR OFFERING SOME ACTIVITY OR POSSIBLY EVEN GIVING THEM A CORE AROUND HOUSTON, HOUSTON BUSINESSES TO BECOME MORE ACQUAINTED? I'LL, I'LL YIELD TO THE, OKAY. OKAY. LEMME PREACH YOU ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER COMPONENT OF THIS CONVENTION. THIS CONVENTION WILL ALSO HAVE A FIELD THAT WILL PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE LOCAL HIS TO ATTRACT TO NATIONAL LEADERSHIP. PEOPLE COMING FROM CORPORATE AMERICA, FROM OTHER CITIES. AND THAT WILL BE A BIG DEAL AND THERE'S VERY SUCCESSFUL IN THE PAST. SO ANOTHER COMPONENT IS BEACON MARKET. WE WANT TO SHOWCASE THE, UH, UH, OUR CULTURE. [00:25:01] WE WANT TO PROMOTE THE LOCAL BUSINESSES AND ALSO PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT WITH SOME NATIONAL BIG BUSINESSES. SO THESE ARE THE MAJOR COMPONENTS. THERE IS ANOTHER COMPONENT, WHICH IS A WELCOME RECEPTION, UH, WHICH WILL BE BEFORE THE CONVENTION. AND THAT WILL ALSO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO OFFICIALLY AS FAR AS THE OTHER IS CONCERNED, THERE ARE FEW, UH, TOURS IS ALREADY LISTED ON THE NET WEBSITE. THEY ARE PARTICIPATING IN, UH, LET'S SEE, ASK GAMES, RIGHT? GAMES, THEY ALREADY RESERVE A LOT OF SEATS FOR THE PARTICIPANTS. SO WHAT, WHAT THE ACTUAL DEAL IS THAT BESIDE THE BUSINESS, LIKE THE SESSIONS, THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER, UH, THINGS WHERE THE FLAVOR OF HOUSTON WILL BE ENJOYED BY ALL THE PARTICIPANTS COMING ACROSS THE US AND CANADA. SO HOUSTON IS READY TO COLLABORATE AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IS DOING SUCH A BIG ORGANIZATION WITH ANYBODY ELSE. THEY, THIS IS THEIR 37TH ANNUAL CONVENTION LAST TIME THEY WERE HERE, 25 YEARS BACK. AND THIS RP BOARD, UH, IS, SHOULD HAVE ALL THE CREDIT THAT THIS COLLABORATION HAS DONE AND WE WILL BE IMPLEMENTING A CONVENTION TO REMEMBER. AND FROM NEXT YEAR UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR MAYOR, WE WANT TO CONTINUE THE SAME TRADITION, WHICH WE'LL START NOW, AND WE'LL, UH, WANNA HAVE MORE ENGAGEMENT FROM THE COMMUNITY AND TO DELIVER, UH, COMMUNITY THE BEST WE CAN. YEAH, OUR OFFER AT THE INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT CITY, WE MAY TRANSFER FROM THE DOWNTOWN TO THE SOUTHWEST HOUSTON TO SHOW THE DIVERSITY OF THAT. SO, UH, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN WORK ON. WE ALSO WANTED TO HAVE FUN. YOU'RE DESCRIBING THE INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT IS, IS A, THAT'S REASON MR. LEE WAS PUT ON THE HOUSTON FIRST BOARD, UH, AS PART, AS PART OF THE COMMITMENT THAT I MADE. SO WE'RE GONNA GO TO THE INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT, OUR MUSEUM DISTRICT, WHICH IS SO MUCH TO SEE OUR FOOD CULTURE TAKEN TO THE EAST END. I MEAN, IT'S PRETTY EXCITING. WE PROBABLY DON'T BRAG ON OURSELVES, WE BRAG ON OUR PEOPLE, BUT WE NEED TO BRAG ON WHAT THEY DELIVER THE OPPORTUNITY. SO THANK YOU. SURE. ONE QUESTION IF THE MAY HAVE CALCULATED. I THINK IT'S INCALCULABLE. I MEAN WE'RE, IT'S GROWING AS WE TALK, SO IT'LL BE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE NEXT YEAR'S WILL BE, THIS YEAR'S WE'RE FIRSTHAND, BUT I BET WE COULD TALK TO SOMEBODY ABOUT COMING BACK TO MICHIGAN AND MAYBE KEEPING IT A WHOLE CONVENTION. BUT NO, THERE ARE OTHER PROUD COMMUNITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY, BUT MAYBE, I DUNNO IF YOU'D PUT A TO IT, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF FIREPOWER IN THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW, SO IT'LL IT BE A MULTIPLIER IN, IN TERMS OF STAYING IN OUR HOTELS, OUR, OUR UBER RETAIL, OUR FOOD I THINK WAS THE INVESTMENTS FROM IT. AS PEOPLE COME FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY AND SEE WHAT MOMENTUM AND ENERGY WE HAVE IN THE ECONOMIC, YOU KNOW, HOUSTON, YOU CAN STILL COME HERE TO START AT THE GROUND LEVEL. IN FACT, PEOPLE, A LOT OF TIMES WHEN THEY TIME THAT WE IMAGE, I KNOW THE PARTNERSHIPS PAID CONSULTANTS TO KIND OF COME UP WITH A NEW NOT SPACE CITY, NOT THE ENERGY CAPITAL. WHAT, WHEN I PUT IN ON 45, THERE'S ON THE RAILROAD CROSSING, ONE OF OUR YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR HARDEST FOOT HOUSTON, BE SOMEONE I, YOU KNOW, THAT JUST RESONATES WITH ME. I COULD GO THROUGH THIS ROOM TO GET EVERYONE TO GIVE ME YOUR LIFE'S STORY AND YOUR HOUSTON EXPERIENCE STARTING MOST OF US WITH VERY LITTLE AND WE'RE SOMEONE TODAY. SO I THINK IF WE COULD INCORPORATE THAT INTO A HOUSTON MESSAGE, HOUSTON, WHERE YOU CAN STILL BE SOMEONE, IT'S A HECK OF A MESSAGE. AND I THINK WE'LL SEE PEOPLE COMING IN FOR THE CONVENTION. I GONNA WITNESS THAT WE'LL PROBABLY GET INVESTORS AND CERTAINLY NEW RESIDENTS FROM IT, [00:30:01] YOU TALKING MUSEUM. SO HOUSTON HAS, UH, A UNIQUE MUSEUM, WHICH IS THE MUSEUM, THE ONLY ONE OF THE KIND INDIA LIFE COAST. I BELIEVE WORLD OUTSIDE INDIA IS THE REAL NATIONAL TREASURE AND IT'S HOUSTON. I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND HIGHLY WHEN YOU FOR THE MUSEUMS, PUT THAT ALSO ON IT BECAUSE WE DID HAVE THE GROUP THAT CAME, UH, FROM DC WHO ARE PLANNING FOR THEON, WHO CAME AND VISITED. JUST A COMMENT, JUST BACKING ON THE CONVERSATION MEMBER OF THE CONFIDENCE. AND I JUST WOULD LIKE TO INFORM EVERYONE, YOU, YOU MAY KNOW THIS, BUT IN THE UNITED STATES IS 71% OF THE POPULATION. SO OUR ROLE HERE IN HOUSTON BEING FIRST POST, THIS IS HUGE AND WE WOULD NEED ALL THE HELP THAT WE CAN GET. AND IF YOU HAVE SUGGESTIONS ON HOW WE CAN MAKE IT BETTER AND BIGGER, PLEASE TALK TO ANY MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE AND THANK YOU SO MUCH NORMALLY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT AND THANK YOU. SURE. YOU KNOW, ONE LAST THING I WANTED BY YOU TO BE AWARE, YOU KNOW, LAST SESSION I PASSED THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT LEGISLATION, IT'S RELEVANT TO EVERYTHING. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THREE MILES IN EVERY DIRECTION FROM THE GEORGE BROWN. WE'RE GONNA CAPTURE THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX. WE FROZE IT AT THE SEPTEMBER ONE LEVEL. ANY GROWTH AND WE'RE GROWING RAPIDLY, ANY ADDITIONAL REVENUE WILL BE POURED BACK INTO HOUSTON. FIRST THREE MILES IN EVERY DIRECTION TO COVER THE, UH, ART DISTRICT, ENTERTAINMENT, MUSIC. UH, TAKE A PICTURE OF GEORGE BROWN NEXT TIME YOU'RE DOWN THERE AND YOU BETTER HURRY. WE'RE FIXING THE KNOCKOUT AT THE SOUTH END OF IT AND THEN EXPAND IT BY A THIRD. WE'LL DO ANOTHER CONVENTION HOTEL. WE'RE GONNA FIX UP THE INFRASTRUCTURE. STREET SIDEWALKS, PEDESTRIAN CROSSWALKS. WE'RE GONNA REVITALIZE THE, UH, CENTRAL HOUSTON FOOTPRINT AND IT'S GONNA START THREE MILES IN EVERY DIRECTION. IT FROM 30 YEARS OF DEAL, OVER $30 BILLION. SO A LOT OF EXCITING THINGS HAPPENING IN THE CENTRAL BUSINESS ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT. AND IN FACT, IT'S GONNA SOLVE HOPE, HOPEFULLY OTHER PROBLEMS. YOU GO TO SO MANY AREAS OF TOWN AND THERE'S A CLASH BETWEEN ENTERTAINMENT AND RESIDENCE. YOU GO TO THE WASHINGTON DURHAM SHEPHERD QUARTER, YOU GOT CONDOS RIGHT UP AGAINST LOUD MUSIC, ENTERTAINMENT VENUES. WE'RE GONNA ENCOURAGE THE ENTERTAINMENT FOLKS TO COME DOWNTOWN WHERE WE CAN LEAVE RESIDENTS ALONE. SO THERE'S JUST A LOT OF REASONS TO BE EXCITED. THIS IS ONE OF 'EM THAT WE'RE, UH, DISPLAYING TODAY. SO, UH, I'M EXCITED TO GO TO WORK TODAY. I'M SO EXCITED. I'M GONNA GO UPSTAIRS AND GO TO WORK. SO, UH, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU MAYOR FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND TO YOUR TEAM. I JUST WANNA ALSO RECOGNIZE ASIA SOCIETY, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR PARTNERS AND THE SISTER CITIES, UM, THEY'RE ALSO ONE OF OUR PARTNERS. I'M GONNA HAND IT BACK OVER TO THE EMBASSY TO CLOSE OUT THE PROGRAM. AND THEN AS SOON AS, UH, NANCY'S DONE, PLEASE, I NEED THE ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS TO COME UP TO THE STATE SO WE CAN TAKE A GROUP PHOTO WITH THE MAYOR. THANK YOU. UH, LET ME CLOSE. UM, THIS, UH, FIRST CONFERENCE. SO IN THE CITY AS A DIVERSE, AS OURS, THE MOST DIVERSE IN THE UNITED STATES, SOLIDARITY AND UNITY ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER. THESE VALUES ARE THE BEDROCK UPON WHICH OUR CITY CONTINUES TO GROW AND THRIVE. I WANT TO EXTEND OUR DEEPEST GRATITUDE TO MAYOR JOHN WEIR, FOR YOUR UN DELIVERING SUPPORT AND DEDICATION TO OUR COMMUNITY, TO OUR CITY. YOUR LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT TO INCLUSIVITY AND PROGRESS MADE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON OUR COLLECTIVE JOURNEY TOWARDS A BRIGHTER FUTURE. SO THANK YOU EVERYBODY AGAIN, WELCOME OUR BOARD. * 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.