[Mayor’s Youth Council on October 8, 2024.]
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I'M A JUNIOR AT A LEAF EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL, AND THIS IS MY FIRST YEAR IN THE MYC.
UH, THIS IS MY FIRST YEAR IN THE MYC AND I AM A SOPHOMORE AT KERR HIGH SCHOOL.
I'M A JUNIOR AT CLEAR LAKE HIGH SCHOOL, AND THIS IS MY FIRST YEAR IN NYC IN DISTRICT D.
THIS IS MY FIRST YEAR ON THE MYC.
I'M ADE, I'M A JUNIOR AT ENERGY INSTITUTE HIGH SCHOOL, AND IT'S MY FIRST YEAR ON THE COUNCIL.
UM, MY NAME IS ER, I'M A JUNIOR AT ST.
THIS IS MY SECOND YEAR ON THE MYC, AND LAST YEAR I SERVED AS MASTER OF WEB.
I'M A SENIOR AT LAMAR HIGH SCHOOL AND I'M REPRESENTING DISTRICT C, AND THIS IS MY FIRST YEAR IN MYC.
HI, MY NAME IS MISHA VIJAY SURA.
I'M IN DISTRICT G AND THIS IS MY SECOND YEAR.
I WAS ON THE AUXILIARY COMMITTEE LAST YEAR.
HI, MY NAME'S LUCY WALKER AND I'M A JUNIOR AT ST.
JOHN'S, AND THIS IS MY FIRST YEAR ON THE COUNCIL.
THIS IS MY FIRST YEAR ON THE COUNCIL AS WELL.
I'M A SOPHOMORE AT CARNEGIE VANGUARD HIGH SCHOOL.
THIS IS MY FIRST YEAR SERVING ON THE COUNCIL, AND I'LL BE REPRESENTING DISTRICT G.
UM, I'M A JUNIOR AT CARNEGIE VANGUARD HIGH SCHOOL.
THIS IS MY FIRST YEAR ON THE MYC AND I THINK I'M REPRESENTING DISTRICT K.
I'M A JUNIOR AT I UNIVERSITY PREP.
I AM IN DISTRICT B, AND THIS IS MY FIRST YEAR ON THE COUNCIL.
AGNES ACADEMY AND I REPRESENT DISTRICT A.
I GO TO CARNEGIE VANGUARD HIGH SCHOOL.
I'M REPRESENTING DISTRICT C AND THIS IS MY SECOND YEAR ON THE COUNCIL.
JOHN'S SCHOOL AND THIS IS MY FIRST YEAR AND I REPRESENT DISTRICT C.
AND WE HAVE, WE HAVE ONE ONLINE.
I'M NOT SURE IF YOU CAN HEAR US.
MARY, ARE YOU ABLE TO HEAR US? UM, THANKS MS. JACKSON.
SO I'M JUST GONNA CALL ATTENDANCE AND IF YOU HEAR YOUR NAME, JUST LET ME KNOW.
COLIN IS NOT GONNA BE HERE TODAY.
ALL RIGHT, SO THAT'S EVERYBODY.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT ME TO SAY THAT OR NOT, BUT YES.
UM, SO IS IT POSSIBLE FOR SOMEBODY TO RUN FOR VICE CHAIR OR DOES IT HAVE TO BE THE TWO CHAIRS AGAINST EACH OTHER AND THEN THE RUNNER UP WOULD GET VICE CHAIR? IT WOULD BE THE ONE.
SO ON THAT NOTE, EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO CH EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO RUN FOR CHAIR, PLEASE RAISE THEIR HAND.
UH, HOW DO WE DECIDE WHO STARTS
UH, ACTUALLY YOU DON'T HAVE TO STAND.
YOU WANNA GO TO THE FRONT? YEAH.
OH, MAY I, I'M SO SORRY TO INTERRUPT.
MY, UH, GOOD EVENING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
UH, MY NAME'S ARIAN AND I'M A SENIOR AT THE VILLAGE SCHOOL, UH, LIKE WEST HOUSTON ENERGY CORRIDOR AREA.
UM, AS A RETURNING MEMBER OF THE MYC AND PREVIOUS CHAIR OF THE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE, I'VE GAINED FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE IN LEADERSHIP AND COLLABORATION.
LAST TERM, I LED MY COMMITTEE THROUGH THE UNEXPECTED DEPARTURE OF HER ADVISOR, MS. SHAUNA.
AND THIS REQUIRED ME TO STEP UP, MANAGE MEETINGS AND GUIDE OUR,
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UH, COMMITTEE'S INITIATIVES WITHOUT OUTSIDE DIRECTION.I LEARNED HOW TO MOTIVATE MY PEERS, COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY, AND DRIVE RESULTS, WHICH STRENGTHENED BOTH MY LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND MY COMMITMENT TO THIS COUNCIL.
LOOKING AHEAD, I'M EXCITED TO BUILD, BUILD UPON, UH, BUILD UPON, UH, WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED IN THE PREVIOUS TERM.
IF ELECTED CHAIR, MY PRIORITY WILL BE TO MAKE THE MYC EVEN MORE CONNECTED TO THE BROADER HOUSTON COMMUNITY.
I, UH, PLAN TO REVAMP EVENTS LIKE THE YOUTH TRIVIA NIGHT AND BRING BACK THE FIRESIDE CHAT, COLLABORATING WITH MAYOR WHITMEYER AND THE YOUTH POLICE ADVISORY COUNCIL TO BRING EVEN MORE VOICES TO THE TABLE.
ADDITIONALLY, I AIM TO FOSTER, UH, STRONGER CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE MYC, UH, AND OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEADERS, AND INVOLVE OUR AUXILIARY COUNCIL MORE EFFECTIVELY.
BY IMPROVING COMMUNICATION AND ENSURING EVERY VOICE IS HEARD, I WILL ENSURE THE COUNCIL'S GOALS, UH, REFLECT THE DIVERSE PERSPEC DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES OF OUR CITY'S YOUTH.
LIKE I SAID EARLIER, I'M A SENIOR AT BEL AIR AND THIS IS GONNA BE MY SECOND YEAR SERVING ON THE COUNCIL.
FULL DISCLOSURE, I DO NOT HAVE A SPEECH PREPARED, SO THIS IS GONNA BE, UM, THIS IS NOT GONNA BE AS GOOD AS AUDIENCES
SO THEY'RE ALL ALSO TO REALLY GOOD SCHOOLS.
BUT WHAT I'VE LEARNED IS THAT, UM, COLLABORATION IS SUPER IMPORTANT.
SO GOING FORWARD, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO WORK WITH EVERYBODY NEW AND OLD, AND AGAIN, RAISE THE MYC TO THE STANDARDS THAT WE CREATED IN THE BYLAWS.
LAST YEAR, UM, WE HAD A COMMITTEE WHERE WE KIND OF REFURNISHED AND RESTRUCTURED EVERYTHING.
SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO UPHOLD OUR STANDARDS TO THAT AND GIVE BACK TO COMMUNITY.
I REALLY WANT TO INVEST MORE INTO OUR INDIVIDUAL DISTRICTS BECAUSE LAST YEAR WE HAD, UM, A LOT OF EVENTS THAT WERE OURS OR WE HELPED OTHER PEOPLE WITH THEIR EVENTS, BUT I KINDA WANNA HAVE OUR OWN EVENTS THIS YEAR, UM, AND FUNDRAISE AND THAT'D BE REALLY NICE TO JUST HAVE OUR OWN STANDING AS MYC.
UM, I ALSO WANNA RUN FOR VICE CHAIRS
I DIDN'T MEAN TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.
I KNOW HOW THAT FEELS TO BE PUT ON THE NO, I'M, HEY EVERYONE, I'M KO BRADFORD.
UM, THE REASON I WOULD LIKE TO BE CHEER IS BECAUSE I'VE BEEN, UM, IN THE BACKGROUND WATCHING OUR PREVIOUS LEADERS AND I HAVE A GIST OF WHAT, UM, NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
I HAVE BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK, UM, TRYING TO GATHER MORE RESOURCES FOR THE MYC, SUCH AS COLLABORATING WITH TEXAS, UH, PARKS AND WILDLIFE AND, UM, UH, PARKS AND RECREATIONS.
I HAVE, UH, MANY PEOPLE WHO WORK WITHIN THE CITY.
UH, I'M SORRY I DIDN'T HAVE A SPEECH, BUT THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT.
I REALLY WANNA INCORPORATE THOSE, UH, RESOURCES INTO THE NYC.
SO, LEMME ASK OUR SECRET BALLOT HERE JUST TO GIVE YOU INSTRUCTION.
SO WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO IS ELECTION AND THEN YOU CAN JUST FOLD IT OVER UNTIL WE GET TO THE NEXT, HAVE OUR ANSWERS AT THAT POINT.
UM, ARE WE, SHOULD WE PUT THE WHO WE WANT AS CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR OR JUST CHAIR? UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE THREE.
WAIT, UH, REAL QUICK, IF ANYONE NEEDS PAPER, LIKE PLEASE RAISE THEIR HANDS.
ALRIGHT, EVERYONE, WHILE YOU VOTE, I'LL GO AHEAD AND READ THE DESCRIPTION FOR CHAIR.
SO, CHAIR LEADS THE COUNCIL PRESIDES OVER MEETINGS IS LEAD REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE GROUP HELPS DEVELOP AGENDA, RECOMMENDS SERVICE LEARNING PROJECTS.
THOSE ARE THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CHAIR.
IF YOU NEEDED TO KNOW THAT INFORMATION.
MS. JACKSON, DO YOU WANT US TO BRING YOU THEM WHEN WE'RE DONE OR JUST LIKE PASS? LET'S
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WAIT UNTIL WE DO, UH, SECRETARY.SECRETARY AND HISTORIAN AND PARLIAMENTARIAN.
AND THEN WE'LL COLLECT THOSE OFFICER POSITIONS FIRST.
SHOULD I PUT MY NAME ON MY BALLOT? NO.
HEY, MS. JACKSON, ARE WE GONNA BE HAVING A ROLLING ELECTION? SO IF LIKE SOMEONE WHO LOST LIKE THE CHAIR ELECTION COULD LIKE, RUN FOR LIKE SECRETARY, THAT'S, WE COULD, BUT I, WE JUST, YOU'D HAVE TO TELL US AT EACH POSITION OKAY.
UM, SO WE CAN KEEP IT IN INDIVIDUAL.
IT WOULD BE GREAT IF IT, THE ONLINE PORTAL WAS WORKING, BUT IT KEPT CRASHING.
SO I DIDN'T WANNA I DIDN'T WANNA RUN THE RISK OF LOSING EVERYONE'S VOTE.
BUT DO YOU WANNA DO LIKE YOUR GOOGLE FORMS? GOOGLE FORMS WOULD'VE BEEN GOOD.
I COULD LIKE NO, LET'S, I'M, I'M REALLY FAST.
ARE WE'RE GOOD? WE, WE'LL COUNT THEM.
I'M LIKE THE FASTEST TYPER IN THE WEST.
I'M THE FASTEST TYPER IN THE WEST.
THE HUNDRED 40 WORDS PER MINUTE.
WHAT ABOUT YOU? LIKE 90? THAT'S NOT BAD.
LEMME STOP MY COMPUTER A BIT TOO MUCH.
ALRIGHT, EVERYONE NEXT OFFICER FOR THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL WILL BE SECRETARY.
UH, THAT PERSON KEEPS ATTENDANCE AND MEETING MINUTES.
UM, THAT PERSON IS RESPONSIBLE FOR EMAILING THE MINUTES OUT TO THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL.
AND IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, PLEASE SHOW OF HANDS.
LOOKS LIKE TOPPER'S RUNNING UNOPPOSED
OH, I GUESS, I GUESS HE WORKS.
MARY, ONLINE IF YOU CAN HEAR US, LET IT, LET US KNOW.
JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU CAN HEAR.
SO, UH, TOFFER OR CHRISTOPHER MCCORD WILL BE OUR SECRETARY RUNNING UNOPPOSED.
I THINK THE, OUR NEXT OFFICER IS HISTORIAN.
THAT PERSON WOULD, UH, DOCUMENT AND RECORD, UH, INFORMATION REGARDING MAYOR'S, THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL, AND ALL MEMBERS OF THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL ARE ELIGIBLE TO RUN FOR THAT POSITION.
UH, ALL INTERESTED, PLEASE SHOW OF HANDS.
ALRIGHT, SO WE HAVE ONE SO FAR.
SO THE NEXT OFFICER, UM, IS THE PARLIAMENTARIAN NEXT OFFICER.
ALRIGHT, SO LET'S START ALPHABETICAL ORDER S AND, OKAY.
SO COME TO THE PODIUM, MISHA, AND LET'S HEAR FROM YOU ON WHY YOU WOULD MAKE A GOOD PARLIAMENTARIAN.
UM, WHILE SHE APPROACHES, UH, THE PARLIAMENTARIAN ENSURES ADHERENCE TO ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER DURING THE MEETINGS.
AND IF THERE'S A QUESTION ABOUT, UM, THE OFFICIAL AUTHORITY OF THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL, UH, THE PARLIAMENTARIAN WOULD ADDRESS THAT ISSUE.
I GO TO LAMAR HIGH SCHOOL AND I'M INTERESTED IN BEING YOUR PARLIAMENTARIAN THIS YEAR.
I HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN DEBATE.
NOT SURE IF YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THAT, BUT PART OF CONGRESSIONAL DEBATE MEANS I SERVE AS PRESIDING OFFICER A LOT OF THE TIMES, AND THAT MEANS I HAVE EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE IN THE ROBERTS RULES BORDER.
NOTABLY, I'VE FINAL NATIONALS AND STATE, SO I HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE.
I'VE PROBABLY SPENT HUNDREDS OF HOURS DEBATING AND I FEEL LIKE THIS, I COULD TAKE THAT SKILLSET AND BE A VALUABLE ASSET TO THIS TEAM.
ALSO, I WAS ON THE AUXILIARY COMMITTEE LAST YEAR, SO I THINK IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL FOR ME TO TAKE THAT EXPERIENCE BEING AND HAVE A FRESH MIND AND TAKE IT TO THE PARLIAMENTARY POSITION.
ALSO, I KNOW THAT IT MIGHT SEEM LIKE I'M ALL RULES 'CAUSE THAT'S KIND OF WHAT THE POSITION SAYS, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF FUN DURING THIS COUNCIL.
WE HAD A LOT OF FUN DURING THE TEAM BUILDING ACTIVITIES, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE FUN, ESPECIALLY IF I'M YOUR PARLIAMENTARIAN.
UH, HOPE EVERYBODY'S HAVING A GREAT TIME.
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UH, MY NAME'S HIRTA DARI, UH, I'M A JUNIOR AT CARNEGIE VANGUARD HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH IS NEAR DOWNTOWN.UH, I WAS SERVED ON THE BOARD LAST YEAR.
UH, THE MIC LAST YEAR SERVING AS THE, AT LARGE DISTRICT FOUR.
SO I BRING FORWARD EXPERIENCE WITH, UH, FROM LAST YEAR'S TERM, AND I HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH ROBERT RULES OF ORDER.
UH, WE WENT THROUGH THE PACKET LAST YEAR, AND I BELIEVE THAT WITH MY EXPERIENCE, THAT WE CAN, UH, RUN MEETINGS SMOOTHLY AND WE CAN GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AND LIKE SHE, UH, GO, UH, LIKE, UH, LIKE RUN IT VERY WELL.
UH, I BELIEVE WITH MY EXPERIENCE THAT, UH, THESE RULES, LIKE, LIKE WILL, MY EXPERIENCE WITH THEM WILL MAKE ME A STRONG CANDIDATE.
AND I'M SURE THAT BY WORKING TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE, UH, EVERYTHING RUN SMOOTHLY, ESPECIALLY FOR THIS TERM.
AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN, UH, MAKE THIS, UH, TERM STRESS STRONG LAST YEAR AND EVEN BETTER.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S TAKE A FEW MINUTES AND CHOOSE OUR PARLIAMENTARIAN.
ALL RIGHT, EVERYONE, LET'S MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT.
UH, THIS IS A LEADERSHIP POSITION.
IT'S ACTUALLY A NEW POSITION, UH, FOR THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL.
THIS POSITION IS CALLED THE CITY COUNCIL LIAISON.
UM, AND SO WHAT THIS POSITION, UH, IS RESPONSIBLE FOR, UM, IS, UH, SERVING THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL BY WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE, UM, COUNCIL OFFICES.
AND SO, UM, AS YOU REMEMBER, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE INITIAL MEETING WAS THAT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU HAD ACCESS TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH YOUR, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND WORK CLOSER WITH THE DISTRICTS.
UH, SO THIS POSITION WAS CREATED FOR THAT REASON.
UH, SO AGAIN, IT SERVES AS THAT THIS PERSON LEADS EFFORTS TO PREPARE REPORTS, UH, YOUTH OPINIONS FOR HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL.
AND THERE ARE TWO POSITIONS AVAILABLE.
AND THIS POSITION IS OPEN TO ALL, UM, NYC MEMBERS.
UM, WE'LL JUST START ON THAT SIDE.
WE'LL START WITH IMAN AND GO AROUND THE HORSESHOE AND EVERYONE WHO'S INTERESTED IN SPEAKING ON THAT POSITION.
UM, SO I SEE THAT I HAVE A LOT OF COMPETITION AND, UM, I DON'T REALLY HAVE A VERY SET IN STONE SPEECH, SO I'LL JUST SPEAK FROM THE HEART.
UM, I WANNA START OFF BY SAYING THAT I'M A REALLY DEDICATED MEMBER OF ANY COMMUNITY THAT I LIKE TO JOIN.
AND I WOULD LOVE TO BRING THAT TO THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL.
I THINK THAT'S SHOWCASED BY MY INVOLVEMENT IN, UM, A NONPROFIT IN MY ORG.
UM, IN MY COMMUNITY, IT'S CALLED AILEY VOTES.
SOME OF YOU GUYS MIGHT HAVE HEARD OF IT.
AND BASICALLY WE AMPLIFY YOUTH VOICES IN, UM, OUR COMMUNITY AND SORT OF BRING THOSE TO LIGHT BECAUSE WE'VE HAD A HISTORICALLY LOW VOTER TURNOUT.
SO I THINK THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE TO ME.
AND SIMILARLY, THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL LIAISON POSITION WOULD DO THE SAME.
AND, UM, THROUGH MY EXPERIENCE IN AILEY VOTES AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, I'VE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS. I'VE LEARNED THE IMPORTANCE OF COLLABORATION.
AND AS A CITY CA COUNCIL, UH, THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL CITY LIAISON, UH, I WOULD LOVE TO SORT OF BRIDGE THE GAP AND MAKE OUR VOICES MORE HEARD TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
BEFORE WE CONTINUE ON, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SAY HELLO AND INTRODUCE EVERYONE TO, UH, MR. UH, MCCLENDON.
MR. DEONTE MCCLENDON, WHO HAS BEEN A PART OUT.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF, MR. MCCLENDON? JUST SAY A FEW WORDS.
UH, MY NAME IS DEONTE MCCLENDON AND I AM VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE, UH, FOR ANOTHER YEAR.
PAUL, HOW MANY YEARS HAVE I BEEN WITH Y'ALL? LIKE, THREE.
SO, UH, I'M GOING INTO MY JUNIOR YEAR OF, UH, MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL, BUT I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE LEADING THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL'S MENTAL HEALTH COMMITTEE.
UH, I SEE THAT'S ON THE AGENDA.
BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL.
I WAS ON THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL MYSELF UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF MAYOR ANISE PARKER, UH, WHEN YOU ALL WERE PROBABLY, WERE Y'ALL BORN? YEAH.
DO Y'ALL KNOW WHO, WHO THAT MAYOR WAS? YEAH.
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OKAY.THERE ARE AMAZING OPPORTUNITIES THAT COME FROM HERE.
I ALSO HAVE LED THE, UH, MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL IN AUSTIN AND SUPPORTED, UH, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF OTHER ONES.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT, UH, THIS IS A GREAT HUB FOR YOUR VOICE.
UH, YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REPRESENT NOT JUST, UH, THOSE AT YOUR SCHOOL, BUT OTHER CONSTITUENTS.
UH, AND YOU UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN YOU SHOW UP HERE, YOU REPRESENTING PEOPLE THAT MAY NOT EVER GET INTO THE SEAT THAT YOU'RE IN, MAY NOT EVER GET AROUND THIS DAIS.
UH, SO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU REPRESENT, UH, UH, A GREAT AMOUNT OF PEOPLE AND, AND USE THAT VOICE AND LEVERAGE IT WITH ALL THE AUTHORITY AND SUPPORT AND COLLABORATION AS YOU CAN.
I'M EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT MS. JACKSON.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, UH, LET ME KNOW AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE YEAR.
DO Y'ALL, DO Y'ALL SMILE?
SO WE'LL CONTINUE ON, UH, TO OUR NEXT INTERESTED PERSON.
JOHN'S, AS I SAID EARLIER, AND I'M INTERESTED IN THIS POSITION BECAUSE I HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE AS SOMEONE WHO'S ON, UM, THE BOARD OF SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS AT MY SCHOOL, WORKING WITH STUDENTS AS LIKE A GO-BETWEEN, BETWEEN PARDON A GO BETWEEN, UH, WITH THE STUDENTS AND THE FACULTY, KIND OF, UH, MAKING SURE I RECOGNIZE LIKE WHAT THE STUDENTS WANT AND WHAT, YOU KNOW, THE ADMINISTRATION IS WILLING OR ABLE TO GIVE AND TO CHANGE.
UM, AND SO I THINK I HAVE A VERY GOOD SORT OF EAR FOR, UM, KIND OF HEARING CONCERNS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN LIKE, MAKE THEM BE LIKE A REAL, UH, POSSIBILITY, MAKING SURE WE CAN CARRY THEM OUT IN A, IN A REALISTIC WAY.
UM, SO I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S, UH, CONSIDERATION.
UM, FOR ME AS SOMEONE WHO IS, UH, REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, MAKE YOUR VOICE MORE HEARD TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
THAT WAS NOT A GREAT SPEECH, BUT I TRIED AND I WILL TRY AS YOUR CITY COUNCIL LIAISON TOO.
AND I DID WRITE A QUICK LITTLE SPEECH, UM, SO I'LL JUST READ THAT AND HOPEFULLY I CAN BE YOUR LIAISON FOR THIS YEAR.
UM, TO PREFACE, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SERVE ON THIS TERM WITH ALL OF YOU.
ALL OF YOU SEEM SO NICE, AND I'M SO EXCITED TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS AND THAT CAN HELP FOSTER THE BETTERMENT OF YOUTH IN HOUSTON.
UM, AS YOUR LIAISON LIAISON, I'LL WORK EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN OUR COUNCIL AND, UM, THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S COUNCIL.
I WILL HELP FOSTER COMMUNICATION, WHICH I THINK IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, UH, MAKING SURE I, OUR IDEAS IN CONCERNS AS A COUNCIL ARE HEARD.
UM, I'M COMMITTED TO BEING A PROACTIVE AND APPROACHABLE LIAISON WHO WILL LISTEN AND ENGAGE WITH ALL OF YOU AS WELL WITH THE COUNCIL.
UM, AS A CABINET MEMBER OF SEVERAL CLUBS AT MY SCHOOL, I HAVE LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE AND STRIVE TO BE A HELPFUL OPEN PERSON THAT ANYONE CAN COME TO.
I'LL BE GREAT WITH COMMUNICATION AS I LIKE TO STAY ON MY FEET IN REGARDS TO RESPONDING TO EMAILS AND OTHER SOURCES OF CONTACT.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, I ALWAYS AM COMMITTED TO ANY TASK I'M GIVEN.
SO AS YOUR LIAISON, YOU WILL HAVE NO DOUBT THAT I WILL SERVE, UM, WITH ALL INTENT AND ALL COMMITMENT.
AND YEAH, IF YOU WANT EFFICIENT COMMUNICATION BETWEEN OUR COUNCIL AND THAT OF HOUSTONS, UM, VOTE ME AS EARLY AS IN.
I GO, I'M A JUNIOR AT CARNEGIE VANGUARD HIGH SCHOOL, AND I'M DEEPLY INTERESTED IN SERVING AS YOUR CITY COUNCIL LIAISON.
UM, SO THE IDEA OF JUST REPRESENTING OUR HOUSTON YOUTH AND THEN BRIDGING THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THEM AND OUR CITY COUNCIL REALLY EXCITES ME.
AND I HAVE HONED THE SKILLS NEEDED FOR THIS ROLE THROUGH THE MANY LEADERSHIP POSITIONS I CARRY AT MY SCHOOL.
UM, CURRENTLY I SERVE AS PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT OF, I WOULD, I THINK, OVER 10 CLUBS AT MY SCHOOL, AI CLUB.
HOSA WISE, THESE ARE, UM, I'M NOT GONNA DUMP A LONG LAUNDRY LIST ON YOU, BUT THE PURPOSE IS TO JUST SHOW YOU, LIKE, GIVE YOU THE FACTS THAT I'M
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NOT JUST FAMILIAR WITH.UM, SERVING AS A LEADER AND VOICING EVERYONE'S OPINION, I'M AN EXPERT AT IT.
UM, AND IN ALL OF THESE LEADERSHIP ROLES, I'VE HAD TO MAINTAIN EXCELLENT COMMUNICATION WITH THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION, THE TEACHERS, MY CLUB MEMBERS.
I HAD TO ADVOCATE FOR STUDENT LED INITIATIVES.
I ENSURED THAT ALL OF OUR VOICES WERE HEARD.
UM, SO I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF BALANCING DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES, AND THIS IS A SKILL THAT'S EXTREMELY VITAL FOR THE CITY COUNCIL LIAISON POSITION.
BEYOND, UM, SCHOOL, I ALSO SERVE, UM, IN MANY LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
I'VE HAD TO COLLABORATE WITH MENTORS, IVY LEAGUE SCHOLARS, UM, SCHOOLS FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE TO PROVIDE FREE EDUCATION TO UNDERPRIVILEGED STUDENTS.
AND THE SKILLS I LEARNED IN MANAGING THESE COMPLEX PROJECTS MAKE ME CONFIDENT TO SERVE AS AN EFFECTIVE LEADER FOR YOU GUYS, UM, AND BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN THE HOUSTON YOUTH AND THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO I'M VERY EAGER TO CONTRIBUTE, UM, IN ANY CAPACITY THAT I CAN DO TO DRIVE POSITIVE CHANGE FOR OUR CITY.
UM, I'M READY TO DEDICATE MY TIME, MY ENERGY, MY EVERYTHING, BASICALLY TO MAKING SURE THAT THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL IS A PLATFORM PER FOR PROGRESS.
I AM A JUNIOR AT UNIVERSITY PREP, AND I HAVE SOMETHING THINGS TO SAY ABOUT BEING THE LIAISON.
COMMUNICATION IS THE BASIS OF ALL GOOD RELATIONSHIPS.
THE ROLE OF THE LIAISON ON THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL REQUIRES STRONG COMMUNICATION SKILLS TO EFFECTIVELY RELAY THE ISSUES THAT HOUSTON YOUTH FACE TO THE COUNCIL.
COMMUNICATION IS ESSENTIAL FOR ACHIEVING OUR GOALS AND BUILDING A STRONG CONNECTION WITH THE COMMUNITY AT SCHOOL.
I'M A PART OF NUMEROUS CLUBS AND SERVE AS BOTH THE LEADER OF THE ESPORTS TEAM AND THE FOUNDER OF THE MATH CLUB.
THROUGH THESE EXPERIENCES, I'VE LEARNED THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION AND IN COLLABORATION AMONG THE MEMBERS, TO WHICH I HAVE LEARNED THE IMPORTANCE OF COLLABORATION AND COMMUNICATION IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE OUR SHARED GOALS.
I BELIEVE THAT IF ELECTED, I'LL BE ABLE TO BETTER CONNECT OUR COMMUNITY TO THE COUNCIL SO WE CAN FOSTER A MORE INCLUSIVE, COLLABORATIVE, AND POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL.
SO, TO BEGIN WITH, I LOVE WORDS, BUT WHETHER IT'S THROUGH READING, WRITING, POETRY, SHORT STORIES, EVEN MODEL ONE POSITION PAPERS, STORIES ARE FROM PEOPLE AND PEOPLE ALWAYS HAVE A DREAM, A LOOK, A VISION, AND IN THIS CASE, AS LIAISON, THIS, THESE DREAMS AND DESIRES ARE FOR POSITIVE CHANGE WITHIN MY EXPERIENCE.
I ALSO LOVE PUBLIC SPEAKING, WHETHER MOCK TRIAL MODEL, CONGRESS, EVEN SLAM POETRY.
I AM NOT AFRAID TO REACH OUT AND USE MY VOICE, AMPLIFY MY PASSIONS, AS WELL AS IMPORTANT ISSUES.
AS A LIAISON, MY JOB WILL BE TO GO BETWEEN THE MAYOR, YOUTH COUNCIL AND THE CITY COUNCIL, WRITE REPORTS, AND SHARE THE STORIES OF PEOPLE'S, THEIR DREAMS AND AMBITIONS.
AND USING MY EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION, I WISH TO CONNECT OUR CITY AND REPRESENT THE GOOD IN OUR COMMUNITY.
CAN I START? UM, MY NAME'S AARON WU.
JOHN'S HIGH SCHOOL, UM, AND I AM RUNNING TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THE LIAISON POSITION.
SO, TO START OFF, I HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE AT SCHOOL AND LIKE BOARD, UM, OFFICER POSITIONS, UM, SPECIFICALLY LIKE TOO IN COMMUNITY SERVICE.
WE HAVE TO CONNECT WITH A TON OF LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO CREATE THE PROJECTS THAT WE WANT OUR WHOLE SCHOOL TO REPRESENT IN.
AND ALSO IN UNITY COUNCIL, WHICH IS OUR SORT OF UMBRELLA ORGANIZATION THAT CONNECTS MULTIPLE INFINITY GROUPS OF DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES.
WE HAVE TO COMMUNICATE BETWEEN THESE GROUPS, UM, AS WELL AS, UM, COMMUNICATE WITH OUR FACULTY AND DIRECTORS TO ENSURE THAT OUR PERSPECTIVES ARE, ARE BALANCED AND UNBIASED.
UM, SO AS THE LIAISON, UM, I THINK I CAN REALLY SPEARHEAD THE LEGISLATIVE ACTS THAT WE WANT TO GET ACCOMPLISHED TODAY.
I MEAN, THIS YEAR IN THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL.
UM, AND JUST TO CREATE THIS COMMUNICATION THAT'S JUST NOT ONLY LIKE, JUST REGULAR COMMUNICATION, BUT SOMETHING THAT'S EFFECTIVE IN DIVERSE.
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ANYONE ELSE INTERESTED IN THE CITY COUNCIL LIAISON POSITION? OKAY, LET'S TAKE A FEW MINUTES AND, AND WE'LL TAKE IT TO A VOTE.AND I SEE THAT THERE'S, YOU'LL TAKE IT TO YOUR SECRET BALLOT.
I SEE THERE'S TWO LIAISON POSITIONS.
DO WE PUT TWO PEOPLE OR JUST ONE? I'M SO SORRY.
DO WE PUT TWO PEOPLE BECAUSE THERE'S TWO POSITIONS, OR DO WE JUST PUT ONE PERSON? THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
UM, DO WE THINK THAT MAYBE IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA FOR US TO ALL STAND UP AND SAY OUR NAMES AGAIN, SO PEOPLE DON'T FORGET? OKAY, GREAT.
UM, MS. JACKSON, REALLY QUICK, UH, JUSTIN JUST ASKED IF YOU COULD BE ADDED TO THE TEAMS MEETING.
MY NAME IS SHUR, BUT YOU GUYS CAN CALL ME SHU.
SO, SUHU IF THAT, IF THAT'S ANY HELPFUL.
UH, JUST TO CLARIFY, I WAS NOT RUNNING FOR THE LIAISON POSITION.
UH, BECAUSE MY NAME'S, UH, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE HARD TO MM-HMM
SO LET'S GO ON TO THE NEXT, UH, POSITION.
SO FINALLY, WE HAVE WEBMASTER AND THERE ARE TWO ADDITIONAL, UM, SEATS FOR WEBMASTER THIS YEAR.
SO INSTEAD OF ONLY ONE, WE HAVE A TOTAL OF THREE.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE REALLY NEED TO, I'D LIKE FOR THEM TO COLLABORATE TOGETHER AND MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL, UM, IS, UM, VISIBLE, UM, IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN, IN WEBMASTER, SHOW OF HANDS, PLEASE.
ALMOST ON ALL OF THESE APPLICATIONS, I SAW SOCIAL MEDIA EXPERT.
JUST A MINUTE TO GET THOSE NAMES.
SO JUST TO REFRESH, I'LL GO THROUGH ALL OF THE NAMES AND POSITIONS REALLY QUICK, JUST SO EVERYONE CAN PUT A NAME TO A FACE.
SO FOR CHAIR, AND WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, JUST, YOU KNOW, SHOW YOUR HAND, RAISE YOUR HAND JUST SO EVERYONE CAN SEE YOU AGAIN.
SO, FOR CHAIR, WE HAD AUDREY HONG,
[00:35:02]
WE HAD ARIAN SHAW, KOY BRADFORD.UH, OUR HISTORIAN WILL BE JAMES GONZALEZ.
FOR SECRETARY, WE HAVE TO TOPPER MCCOURT.
FOR CITY COUNCIL LIAISON, WE HAVE IMAN, VIVIAN, AMTA.
ALRIGHT, LET'S TAKE JUST A FEW MINUTES TO, I'M SO SORRY, SWEETIE.
LET'S TAKE JUST A FEW MINUTES EVERYONE, AND WE'LL FINALIZE OUR VOTING HERE, AND THEN WE'LL TAKE A RECESS AND WE'LL BEGIN ON, UH, NYC COMMITTEES.
SO I, IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE CONCLUDING OUR VOTING HERE FOR THE OFFICERS.
NOW LET'S GO ON TO OUR COMMITTEES.
SO THE MAYOR'S, YOUTH COUNCIL COMMITTEES, UH, WE HAVE A TOTAL OF FOUR COMMITTEES, AND, UH, THE VERY FIRST COMMITTEE IS OUR MENTAL HEALTH COMMITTEE.
AND I'D LIKE, UH, MR. UH, MCCLENDON, HE'S HERE AND HE'S THE ADVISOR.
SO HE'S GOING TO SPEAK TO, UH, THAT, UH, COMMITTEE.
BEFORE WE DO DO THAT, BE RIGHT BACK.
DOES ANYONE SPEAK FLUENT SPANISH TO YOU? I'M ALSO OKAY.
ALRIGHT, TAKE IT AWAY, MR. MCCLENNAN.
OH, THAT WAS WAY, WAY BETTER THIS TIME.
ALRIGHT, SO I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT TO MAKE SURE I, I NEVER REALLY EAT IN MEETINGS AND I WOULD BE DOING IT RIGHT BEFORE SHE CALLED ME UP, BUT I THINK I'M GOOD.
WHAT'S HER NAME UP THERE? MARY.
MARY, CAN YOU HEAR ME? MARY, YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE I DON'T HAVE CRUMBS ON MY MOUTH VIRTUALLY.
SO THE MENTAL HEALTH COMMITTEE, AS YOU ALL KNOW, UH, ONE THING THAT WE DO ADMIRE ABOUT YOUR GENERATION, YOU'RE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND MAKING SURE THAT IT'S NOT A TABOO SUBJECT.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S, UH, OVERLOOKED.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S SHOWING UP.
AND MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.
YOU ALL, UH, GREW UP DURING A PANDEMIC.
UH, Y'ALL ARE WITH MIDDLE SCHOOL PANDEMIC TIME.
WHO WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL DURING THE PANDEMIC? NOBODY.
YEAH, SO ANYWAY, SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVE CAUSED THE GENERATIONS TO REALLY, UH, AMPLIFY YOUR VOICE.
AND SO THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL SEEKS TO DO THAT.
AND YOU HAVE SOME INTERESTED PEOPLE THAT ARE RETURNING MEMBERS AND SOME POTENTIAL EXCITED MEMBERS THAT I'M ALREADY LOOKING AT.
I'M SURE, UH, ABOUT THE, THAT'LL BE PART OF THE MENTAL HEALTH COMMITTEE.
SO, A FEW THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE, ONE OF THE MAIN PRIORITIES IS, UH, TO IDENTIFY AND AMPLIFY MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES FOR OUR YOUTH.
UH, SO WHEN WE IDENTIFYING WHERE ARE THEY, UH, AND HOW ACCESSIBLE ARE THEY? UH, BECAUSE SOME OF YOU ALL HAVE RESOURCES WITHIN YOUR SCHOOL THAT YOU MAY NOT EVEN KNOW ABOUT, BUT HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE THEY'RE ACCESSIBLE AND EVEN THROUGHOUT THE CITY? SO THAT'S A LITTLE FOCUS WITH THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL.
CERTAIN THINGS WE'VE DONE, UH, LAST YEAR WE DID HAD A MENTAL HEALTH CONVERSATION, UH, WHERE WE PARTNERED WITH, UM, WHAT'S THE ORGANIZATION WE PARTNERED WITH? NAMI.
NAMI? NO, NOT NAMI, THE OTHER ONE.
UH, THE HARRIS CENTER IS THE HARRIS CENTER.
UH, WE HAD A A, A GOOD CONVERSATION.
ONE WAS FOCUSED ON FINDING YOURSELF, AND THE OTHER ONE WAS ABOUT, UH, WHAT WAS THE OTHER ONE ABOUT? AUDREY SHOULD KNOW EVERYTHING WHEN, I DON'T KNOW ONE OF THE IT IS.
SO WE HAD A GOOD CONVERSATION.
UH, MAYBE WE CAN DROP THAT LINK IN THE, UH, SELECT SO EVERYONE CAN VIEW THAT.
UH, I THINK IT'LL BE VERY BENEFICIAL.
WE WANT TO KIND OF BRING THAT BACK AGAIN.
AND THEN WE DID, UH, WITH NAMI WALKS.
ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH NAMI? THAT'S NEW.
I KNEW THEY WERE GONNA DO THAT.
NAMI, SO NAMI IS, UH, NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR MENTAL ILLNESS.
THEY DO A GOOD AMOUNT OF PROGRAMS AS WELL.
WE SUPPORTED WITH, UH, BEING, UH, HAVING A YOUTH BOOTH.
UH, AND THEY WERE A LOT OF PIVOTS WITH THAT, BUT IT WAS, I THINK IT WAS A PRETTY SUCCESSFUL EVENT WHERE WE SHOWED UP AT SIX 30 IN THE MORNING AND HAD A VERY FANTASTIC TIME.
SO, UH, WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT HOW TO, HOW TO AMPLIFY THE COMMITTEE EVEN MORE.
UM, QUESTION AND ANSWER, OR IS THAT ENOUGH FOR RIGHT NOW, MS. JACKSON? THAT'S PERFECT.
SO AS YOU HEAR ABOUT THE COMMITTEES, JUST MAKE NOTE OF COMMITTEES THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN AND THEN WE WILL, UM, DECIDE
[00:40:01]
UPON CHAIRS AT SOME POINT.BUT WE, WE CAN ALWAYS GET, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE WILL BE A QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT, UM, THE MASS WILL VOTE, UM, FOR THE COMMITTEES.
LIKE, IF YOU'RE NOT A PART OF A COMMITTEE, THEN YOU MAY NOT NEED TO VOTE FOR CHAIR OF THAT COMMITTEE.
DOES IT MAKE SENSE? SO WE'LL MAKE THAT YOU, YOU ALL WILL MAKE THAT DECISION AS THE COUNCIL.
SO LET ME GIVE YOU ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
THE NEXT COMMITTEE IS THE VOTER ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE.
UM, THIS, UM, EXCUSE ME, MS. JACKSON.
SO WE ASK THE QUESTION OVER THERE.
SO ARE WE GONNA BE VOTING FOR THE CHAIRS THIS MEETING, OR DO YOU THINK LATER IN THE FUTURE YOU ALL WILL VOTE ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU'D LIKE TO VOTE TODAY? YEAH.
MAKE SENSE? BE THE, THE, THE IDEA IS, I'LL LET ARIAN SPEAK TO THIS.
SO, UM, LAST YEAR THERE WAS A DISCUSSION AND A VOTE THAT WAS HELD ON WHETHER OR NOT, UM, PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THE COMMITTEE WOULD BE ABLE TO VOTE FOR COMMITTEE LEADERSHIP.
SO CHAIR AND SECRETARY OF THE COMMITTEE.
UM, WE DECI LAST YEAR WE DECIDED ON THAT IT WOULD BE JUST THE PEOPLE WITHIN THE COMMITTEE VOTING BECAUSE WE THOUGHT THAT THE PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE MAKING THE DECISIONS AND ATTENDING ALL OF THE COMMITTEE EVENTS SHOULD HAVE THE MOST SAY IN THE LEADERSHIP OF THE LEADERSHIP OF SET COMMITTEE.
BUT THERE'S ARGUMENTS LIKE FOR AND AGAINST, UH, BOTH SIDES.
SO I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT TAKEN A VOTE, UH, DURING THIS MEETING.
SO WE CAN, UH, LIKE THIS, LIKE THIS YEAR'S COUNCIL CAN DECIDE ON IT.
SO OUR FIRST TASK WOULD BE TO DECIDE OUR COMMITTEES.
FIRST DECIDE THE COMMITTEES THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN.
SO THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WHY WE'RE GIVING YOU, I'M SORRY, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF FEEDBACK, UH, PRESENTATION OF THE COMMITTEES FIRST SO YOU CAN MAKE THE DECISION ON WHICH COMMITTEE THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN PARTAKING IN.
I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, WE DO HAVE A SPECIAL GUEST THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT JUST CAME IN.
SO, UH, DIRECTOR SIMS HAS JUST JOINED US AND DIRECTOR SIMS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING TO THE GROUP? JUST WANNA WELCOME YOU GUYS, UM, TO THE HOUSTON YOUTH COUNCIL FOR 24 25.
WE SEE WE HAVE SOME RETURNING MEMBERS WITH THEIR SWEATERS ON
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP TODAY.
HE WAS HERE ON THE WRONG DAY, BY THE WAY.
IT'S THE NINTH, NOT THE EIGHTH, BUT I'M SURE MOST OF YOU'LL REPRESENT YOUR COMMUNITIES WELL.
UM, YOU'LL GAIN SOME LEADERSHIP SKILLS TO TAKE BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITIES.
YOU'LL HAVE GREAT DEBATE AND CONVERSATION AND POSSIBLY MAKE AN INFLUENCE ON CITY POLICY IN SOME WAY, FORM OR ANOTHER THAT BENEFITS YOU SINCE YOUTH.
SO I JUST WANNA WELCOME YOU ALL TO THIS YEAR'S 24 25 YOUTH COUNCIL.
DIRECTOR SIMS. THIS IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
I DID NOT SAY THAT, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORDS, DIRECTOR SIMS. ALRIGHT.
SO I, WHAT I'D LIKE TO, UH, TELL YOU A BIT ABOUT, UH, IS THE VOTER ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE.
THAT'S THE NEXT COMMITTEE THAT WE HAVE ON THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL.
UM, THAT COMMITTEE, UM, IS EXACTLY WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE.
IT'S PURPOSE IS TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE GET REGISTERED TO VOTE, UM, PROVIDE EDUCATION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.
AND THAT COMMITTEE ALSO MIGHT PARTNER, UH, WITH VARIOUS GROUPS TO HELP, UH, GET OUT THE VOTE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S THE VOTER ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT COMMITTEE.
THE NEXT COMMITTEE IS THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE.
SO THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE WILL EXPLORE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, ENGAGE IN PROBLEM SOLVING AND TAKE ACTION TO IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT, IN ADDITION TO HELP THE VOICES PERSPECTIVES AND LIVED REALITIES OF COMMUNITIES WITH ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE CONCERNS, MAKING SURE THOSE CONCERNS ARE HEARD.
AND THAT'S THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR COMMITTEE? NO.
UH, THIS NEXT COMMITTEE, UM, IS A COMMITTEE THAT I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT.
UM, I'M SO SORRY YOU ALL PIECE OF CANDY.
SO THIS NEXT COMMITTEE, UM, ACTUALLY CAME TO ME THIS SUMMER, UH, AS AN IDEA FOR, UH, THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL.
I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT, UH, THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THIS NEXT COMMITTEE.
UM, NOW WE HAVE YET TO DECIDE THE PURPOSE OR, UH, MISSION FOR THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT, UM, THAT COMMITTEE WILL HELP TO, UM, FURTHER THE CAUSE OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN TERMS OF EDUCATION, UM, IN HOUSTON AND VARIOUS COMMUNITIES.
SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THE ENGA, UH, THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE, UH, PLEASE MAKE NOTE OF THAT AS WELL.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK, UH, A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE EDUCATION
[00:45:01]
COMMITTEE? YES, I, I TOTALLY CAN.CAN YOU HEAR MY AUDIO? YES, WE CAN.
UM, I'M MARY AND I WROTE A LITTLE SPIEL ABOUT MY MOTIVATION FOR PROPOSING THE CREATION OF THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE.
SO I'M JUST GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT FOR A LITTLE BIT RIGHT NOW.
SO BASICALLY, EDUCATION IS THE FOUNDATION OF ALL OUR FUTURES.
AND AS STUDENTS WE PRO WE POSSESS A SOMEWHAT OF A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON THE CHALLENGES, THE OPPORTUNITIES AND MULTIPLE RESOURCES WITHIN OUR EDUCATIONAL LANDSCAPE.
SO LIKE WE EXPERIENCE FIRSTHAND THE IMPACT OF EDUCATIONAL POLICIES, WE, WE EXPERIENCE THE IMPACT OF CURRICULA AND EVEN RESOURCES.
AND THIS SORT OF PLACES US IN LIKE AN IDEAL POSITION TO OFFER VALUABLE INSIGHTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT BECAUSE OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM IS FAR FROM PERFECT.
AND I THINK YOUTH VOICES REALLY ARE THE, UM, MEANS FOR CHANGE IN THAT SYSTEM.
SO, UM, I BELIEVE THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THIS COMMITTEE WOULD MAINLY BE TO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES TO UNDERSERVED YOUTH IN HOUSTON, BUT ALSO TO CREATE A PLATFORM FOR STUDENTS TO VOICE THEIR CONCERNS, SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES, AND EVEN PROPOSE SOLUTIONS TO ENHANCE OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN GENERAL.
SO I GUESS SOME INITIATIVES I PROPOSED WERE HOSTING DRIVES TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN OUR AREAS, ORGANIZING AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS BECAUSE ONE OF THE MAIN ISSUES A LOT OF PARENTS AND A LOT OF GUARDIANS SAY IS THAT MULTIPLE, UM, MULTIPLE MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND MULTIPLE HIGH SCHOOLS DON'T HAVE EQUITABLE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS PRIMARILY IN STEM RESOURCES.
SO THAT WOULD BE A MAIN THING WE COULD ALSO TALK ABOUT.
AND ALSO CONDUCTING STUDENT FEEDBACK FORMS WAS ALSO SOMETHING I WAS REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT POSSIBLY PUTTING INTO WORK AND EVEN INITIATING STEM EDUCATION INITIATIVES, ESTABLISHING PEER MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS. WE CAN DEFINITELY TALK MORE ABOUT MULTIPLE INITIATIVES THAT CAN BE IN THIS, UM, COMMITTEE.
BUT, UM, I'VE BEEN EXTREMELY PASSIONATE AND DEEPLY COMMITTED TO FOSTERING LIKE AN EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT THAT NOT ONLY EMPOWERS STUDENTS, BUT ALSO, UM, ADDRESSES THESE DIFFERENT CHALLENGES WE FACE IN OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.
SO, UM, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT AND HOPE YOU GUYS JOIN IT.
SO MARY SENT THIS IDEA OVER THE, UM, THIS SUMMER AND I REALLY THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT IDEA.
MARY IS A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT G AND ALSO A FELLOW, A FELLOW MEMBER OF THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL.
SO IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE, PLEASE MAKE NOTE OF THAT.
AND AT THIS TIME, WHAT WE'LL DO IS CONCLUDE OUR INFORMATION ON COMMITTEES.
IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THE COMMITTEES THAT WE'VE PRESENTED? YES.
SO I JUST WANNA ASK A QUESTION.
SO I WAS JUST GOING THROUGH THE LIST, UH, ME AND ARIAN AND WE WERE JUST WONDERING WHERE THE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE FROM LAST YEAR, YOU'RE JUST WONDERING, IS THAT INCORPORATED INTO THE, UH, THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE? YES, VERY.
UM, SO THAT COMMITTEE IS, BECAUSE WHAT THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL DOES, IT REALLY LARGELY ENTAILS CIVIC ENGAGEMENT BY YOUNG PEOPLE.
SO THE, THE THOUGHT WAS TO INCORPORATE, HAVE A VOTER ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE, UH, STANDALONE.
UH, AND SO BECAUSE WHAT MUCH, UM, BASICALLY THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL, WE DO A GREAT DEAL OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT ALREADY.
SO THIS IS A SPECIFIC COMMITTEE, THE VOTER ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE, UH, WITH THE PURPOSE OF ENGAGING YOUNG PEOPLE IN, UH, THE ELECTRIC BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? OKAY.
SO WE WILL, UM, WE'LL CONTINUE ON.
UM, AND WE WILL, UH, TAKE A PAUSE HERE TO MAKE SURE WE'VE VOTED ON ALL OF THE, UH, OFFICER POSITIONS AND ALL OF THE COMMITTEES THAT WE HAVE.
AND ONCE WE, WE WILL TAKE A RECESS ONCE EVERYONE HAS CONCLUDED THEIR VOTING, AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL COLLECT THE BALLOTS.
A QUESTION? YES, I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.
YEAH, I HAD A, UM, I HAD A QUESTION.
SHOULD I EMAIL YOU MY VOTES OR AM I SAYING IT OUT LOUD? NO, YOU, YOU'LL EMAIL NO
YEAH, WE, WE HAVE, UM, NO, WE HAVE A SECRET BALLOT SO YOU CAN EMAIL IT.
SO LET'S TAKE FIVE MINUTES AND FINALIZE ALL OF OUR VOTING FOR ALL OF OUR OFFICER POSITIONS AND LEADERSHIP POSITIONS.
OH, I DO NEED TO MAKE A POINT, AND I'M SORRY I'VE, I'VE MISSED THIS EARLIER, BUT FOR ALL OF THE COMMITTEES, THERE ARE TWO LEADERSHIP POSITIONS WITHIN EACH COMMITTEE.
AND THAT IS A CHAIR AND THAT'S A
[00:50:01]
SECRETARY.SO THE SECRETARY AND THE CHAIR OF THE TWO, UH, LEADERSHIP POSITIONS ON, UH, THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE COMMITTEES.
UH, LIKE JUST TO LIKE KIND OF CLARIFY SOME OF THE ROLES OF THE POSITIONS, THE CHAIR WILL SORT OF FUNCTION AS LIKE THE CHAIR OF THE COUNCIL, BUT JUST FOR THE COMMITTEE.
SO THEY'LL BE DIRECTING THE MEETINGS.
UM, THEY'LL BE COLLABORATING WITH THE REST OF THE, UH, THE COMMITTEE TO COME UP WITH IDEAS FOR EVENTS AND, UH, LEARNING PROJECTS.
AND THEN THE SERVICE LEARNING PROJECTS OR LEARNING PROJECTS,
AND THEN, UM, THE SECRETARY WILL, UH, BE TAKING NOTES OF THE MEETING AND THEN, UH, TAKING ATTENDANCE.
AND THEY'LL ALSO BE FILLING IN FOR THE CHAIR WHEN NECESSARY.
THIS ISN'T RELATED TO THE, THIS ISN'T RELATED TO THE, UH, COMMITTEES, BUT THIS IS RELATED TO THE INAUGURATION.
I, I HEARD THAT IT'S GONNA BE MOVED TO THE 24TH.
SO WE, I'LL, I ACTUALLY HAVE THIS ON THE AGENDA FOR, UH, THE ANNOUNCEMENTS.
UH, BUT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A PENDING DATE FOR OCTOBER 24TH.
UM, SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE NOT RELEASED, UM, THAT DATE JUST YET.
WE'RE WAITING FOR CONFIRMATION, BUT IT WILL NOT BE ON OCTOBER 10TH THIS THURSDAY.
UM, THANK YOU FOR, UM, MAKING MENTION OF THAT TO COREY.
SO IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND THE PURPOSES FOR THAT IS SO THAT EVERYONE'S FAMILIES, UH, ARE ABLE TO ATTEND.
AND IT, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE HAD TIME, UH, TO ATTEND, UH, THE INAUGURATION AND MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THE, UM, EITHER THE MAYOR OR THE MAYOR PRO TEMP WOULD BE THERE TO BE ABLE TO, UM, BE THERE FOR THE SWEARING IN OR BE AVAILABLE, I SHOULD SAY.
UM, I MAY HAVE NOT BEEN ADDED BECAUSE I WAS NOT ABLE TO SHOW UP ON SATURDAY, BUT IS, ARE WE GONNA BE COMMUNICATING OVER SLACK THIS YEAR AS WELL? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION TO, SO YES, WE WILL HAVE, UH, COMMUNICATION VIA SLACK.
AND SO ALL OF EVERYONE WILL HAVE THAT INFORMATION, UM, SOON, ONCE WE HAVE, UM, ACTIVATED THE PLATFORM.
SO NOW AT THIS TIME, HAS EVERYONE SELECTED THEIR COMMITTEES? UM, THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL.
YOU NEED TO SELECT AT LEAST ONE COMMITTEE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE A PART OF.
SO MAKE SURE YOU SELECT AT LEAST ONE COMMITTEE FOR CLARIFICATION.
DO WE WRITE IT ON THE SAME PIECE OF PAPER? BECAUSE IT'S SYNONYMOUS.
UM, I WILL, THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
UM, SO I DON'T MIND YOU WRITING YOUR NAMES ON IT, SO JUST WRITE YOUR NAMES ON IT.
UH, I COULD JUST CALL OUT THE NAMES OF THE COMMITTEES AND JUST LIKE, AND THEN JUST LIKE HAVE PEOPLE RAISE THEIR HANDS.
'CAUSE I, IF, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT, THAT'S A GREAT RESOLUTION.
UM, RN GO AHEAD AND LET'S DO THAT.
UM, DO WE WANT VOTE ON THAT OR IS IT JUST, CAN WE JUST LET IT PASS? LET IT LET IT PASS.
SO, UM, IS EVERYONE READY? I HAVE A QUESTION.
UH, CAN YOU BE A PART OF MULTIPLE COMMITTEES? YES.
WELL, I MEAN, AVOID, AVOID LIKE, UH, AVOID COUNCIL MEMBER BURNOUT AND JUST MAKE SURE YOU HAVE, BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE EACH TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO, UH, IS EVERYONE READY? MENTAL HEALTH COMMITTEE? UH, COULD YOU SAY YOUR NAMES? UH, WE'LL GO LIKE, PUT YOUR HAND, WE'LL GO LIKE, YEAH, LEFT TO RIGHT.
[00:55:05]
ERIN BELLA, RAMIA.UH, UH, LASTLY WE HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
AARON, SOPHIE, I'M RUTHA FIFE.
I'M JUST GONNA READ BACK WHAT I HAVE REALLY QUICK.
SO FOR THE MENTAL HEALTH COMMITTEE, I HAVE MYSELF, SOPHIE, RAMIA, AMRU, LUCY, MISHA, AND THEN ZAINA FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
I HAVE JUSTIN, SO I'M JUST GONNA, SORRY.
JUSTIN, SOPHIE, AARON, AMRU, FIFE, GEORGIE, ADELE, ALEX, AND KO FOR EDUCATION.
I HAVE MARY SUHO, AARON, BELLA, RAMIA, FIFE, GEORGI, LUCY, MISHA, ER, ALEX AND IMAN.
AND THEN FOR VOTER ENGAGEMENT, I HAVE ARIAN, IMAN, ZAINA, JAMES, HELENE, SUHO, AND KO.
HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ANYBODY? YES, I WANNA BE ON A EDUCATION ADE AND THEN WE USE IT TOO.
I THINK, UH, MARY HAS HER HAND UP.
SORRY, I HAD A QUICK QUESTION AND I WAS WONDERING IF I COULD LIKE PROPOSE IT TO THE BOARD, BUT, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF I'M EVEN ABLE TO DO THIS, BUT I FEEL LIKE THE NAME LIKE EDUCATION COMMITTEE SORT OF ISN'T LIKE INDICATIVE OF LIKE WHAT IT DOES ALL THE ALL LIKE TOTALLY.
BUT, SO I WAS WONDERING IF THE BOARD WOULD BE OKAY WITH CALLING IT THE EDUCATION EQUITY COMMITTEE, BUT THAT WAS JUST A PERSONAL THING I WAS THINKING ABOUT.
BUT THE EDUCATION EQUITY, NOT JUST EDUCATION COMMITTEE, BUT I WAS JUST WONDERING, UH, LET'S TAKE A VOTE ON THAT.
YEAH, EVERYONE FOUR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS.
SO MOVING FORWARD, NOW THAT WE HAVE EVERYONE IN THEIR COMMITTEES, UH, MS. JACKSON, DO YOU WANT TO PROCEED WITH ELECTIONS OR DO YOU WANNA CONTINUE THE ANNOUNCEMENTS ON THE AGENDA? I KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH
BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE BEST IF WE TAKE CARE OF THIS TONIGHT, UM, IN ORDER, UH, TO ESTABLISH THE CHAIR AND THE SECRETARY FOR THE COMMITTEES.
SO I DO THINK AT THIS TIME IT WOULD BE BEST IF WE, UM, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN FIRST COMMITTEE MENTAL HEALTH COMMITTEE, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN CHAIR, UM, RAISE YOUR HAND.
YOU CAN GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AND THE SECRETARY, UH, WOULD AUTOMATICALLY BE, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE MULTIPLE PEOPLE FOR CHAIR, WE'LL DO JUST LIKE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR YEAH.
SO FOR MENTAL HEALTH, WE ARE GONNA START THE ELECTION FOR A CHAIR AND SECRETARY.
SO EVERYONE INTERESTED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA START FROM, WE'RE GONNA GO FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, UH, STARTING WITH SOPHIA.
WOULD YOU PLEASE, UH, COME TO THE FRONT? OKAY, PERFECT.
SO TODAY ON MY WAY HERE, WHICH ACCORDING TO WAYS SHOULD HAVE BEEN 40 MINUTES, BUT IT WAS NOT 40 MINUTES.
UM, I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF TIME TO HAVE A MOMENT FOR SELF-REFLECTION,
[01:00:01]
MEDITATION, AND JUST A GENERAL RELEASE OF MY DAY.TO ME, MENTAL HEALTH IS AN IMPORTANT TOPIC, NOT ONLY AS A STUDENT LOADED WITH APS, LIKE I'M SURE ALL OF YOU ARE, BUT, AND IT, AS AN ATHLETE WHO KNOWS WHAT A 5:30 AM SUNSET AT THE TRACK LOOKS LIKE, BUT ALSO AS A SISTER, A DAUGHTER, AND AS A HUMAN WHO ALSO HAS HOPES, AMBITIONS, AND WORRIES ALL IN ONE, STRESS AND ANXIETY MANAGEMENT IS AN ESSENTIAL TOOL AND RESOURCE TO HAVE TO LIVE WELL IN OUR SOCIETY TODAY.
AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE, ALL TEENS, ALL PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE THROUGHOUT THE CITY HAVE THE SAME ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES.
LOOKING AHEAD, I WANT TO PROMOTE WELLBEING THROUGH EVENTS, CAMPAIGNS, AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS.
I WANT TO ENSURE EVERYONE'S IDEAS ARE HEARD AND I WILL PUT MY BEST FOOT FORWARD AS YOUR MENTAL HEALTH CHAIR TO HELP TEENS, ALL PEOPLE GAIN CONFIDENCE IN THEMSELVES AND ENSURE STABILITY IN THEIR LIVES.
UM, MY NAME IS RAMI AGAIN AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO BE HERE TODAY.
UM, STANDING IN FRONT OF YOU ALL TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART, UM, WHICH IS MENTAL HEALTH, ESPECIALLY IN OUR CITY OF HOUSTON.
UM, I THINK IT'S EXTREMELY SHOCKING AND ALARMING THAT TEXAS HAS RANKED LAST IN MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT.
AND THIS ISN'T JUST A STATISTIC, IT REPRESENTS REAL PEOPLE, YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR FAMILY, YOUR NEIGHBORS WHO ARE ACTIVELY STRUGGLING WITH THEIR MENTAL HEALTH RIGHT NOW.
UM, DURING THE PANDEMIC I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON STRESS AMONG, UM, HEALTHCARE WORKERS, ICU WORKERS.
UM, AND I WENT A LOT OF RECOGNITION FOR THAT.
LIKE ONE STATE SCIENCE FAIR, WENT TO NATIONALS, GOT STUFF FROM NASA, AND GOT INVITED TO DO LIKE PRESENTATIONS.
BUT THE MAIN THING, UM, IT REALLY FUELED MY DESIRE, UM, TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE RIGHT HERE IN HOUSTON AS A STUDENT.
UM, AND MY VISION AS CHAIR FOR THIS COMMITTEE IS PRETTY SIMPLE.
I JUST WANT TO DE-STIGMATIZE, UM, MENTAL HEALTH AND CREATE UNIQUE PROGRAMS, UM, THAT RESONATE WITH OUR YOUTH.
SO IMAGINE INTRODUCING, UM, MINDFULNESS PROGRAMS, OTHER WAYS OF RELAXATION, UM, IMPROVING MENTAL HEALTH IN SCHOOLS OR COMMUNITY CENTERS.
UM, JUST SIMPLE TOOLS LIKE THIS THAT CAN REALLY HELP OUR YOUTH MANAGE THEIR STRESS AND ANXIETY.
UM, I BELIEVE TOGETHER THAT WE CAN CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE MENTAL HEALTH IS OPENLY DISCUSSED AND PRIORITIZED, NOT HIDDEN AWAY.
I THINK IT IS A PRETTY REALISTIC AMBITION, UM, THAT WE CAN BUILD A COMMUNITY WHERE EVERYONE FEELS SAFE TO SEEK, UM, HELP AND SUPPORT.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CONSIDERING ME FOR YOUR MENTAL HEALTH COMMITTEE CHAIR.
UM, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF WORKING TOGETHER WITH YOU ALL TO IMPROVE OUR MENTAL HEALTH IN HOUSTON.
ANYONE ELSE INTERESTED IN MENTAL HEALTH COMMITTEE CHAIR? THANK YOU.
SO I'D LIKE TO JUST START BY SAYING THAT CLEARLY WE'RE ALL QUALIFIED FOR THIS POSITION.
SO WHAT I'M GONNA FOCUS ON IS SOME OF MY KEY ACTIVITIES AND KEY ATTRIBUTES THAT I THINK WOULD MAKE ME THE BEST POSITION OR THE BEST PERSON TO BE THE CHAIR.
I KNOW I'M NOT RUNNING FOR MASTER OF WEB, BUT I HELPED DESIGN THE WEBSITE AND I WORK FOR THIS COMPANY CALLED AWAKENING HEALTHCARE, WHICH HELPS IMPROVE THE MENTAL HEALTH OF WOMEN ACROSS THE WORLD.
AND SPECIFICALLY WHAT THEY DO IS, INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON MEDICATION, THEY FOCUS ON IMPROVING THE MENTAL HEALTH OF PEOPLE IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THEIR HEALTH AND IMPROVE HEALTHCARE.
SECOND, I WAS SELECTED AS THE ONLY HIGH SCHOOLER FOR THIS PROGRAM CALLED TIME FOR CHANGE.
I WORK WITH 500 EDUCATORS IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THE MENTAL HEALTH AND IMPROVE CHANGE MAKING WITHIN YOUTH ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE TWO KEY ACTIVITIES.
AND WHILE I, WHILE I WORK, I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH.
I FEEL LIKE THAT MAKES ME A GREAT FIT FOR THIS POSITION BECAUSE WE ALL STRUGGLE WITH AP TESTS.
WE ALL STRUGGLE WITH IB TESTS.
I THINK THAT RELATES TO EVERYONE.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM EVERYONE WHO'S RUN FOR THIS POSITION.
SO WHILE I CAN'T GUARANTEE YOU'LL GET A FIVE ON THE AP CALC, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT I CAN'T TRY TO HELP IMPROVE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AND TRY TO HAVE INITIATIVES LIKE THROUGH THE ACTIVITIES THAT I'VE ALREADY DONE IN ORDER TO HOPEFULLY HELP YOU IN THE REST OF HOUSTON.
ANY OTHER PERSONS INTERESTED IN MENTAL HEALTH COMMITTEE CHAIR? QUICK
[01:05:01]
QUESTION, ARE WE, UM, VOTING FOR THE COMMITTEE CHAIR AND THE SECRETARY? OR ARE WE JUST PUTTING ONE? SO IF WE ONLY HAVE TWO, THEN THE RUNNER UP WOULD BE THE SECRETARY.AND AGAIN, ONLY PEOPLE IN THE COMMITTEE ARE, UH, WILL BE, UH, WILL BE LIKE, WE SHOULD VOTE ON THAT, RIGHT? YEAH, I THINK WE, WE ALREADY PASSED.
WE, WE PASSED IT WITHOUT HAVING TO VOTE.
IT'S LIKE, UM, YEAH, SO AGAIN, LIKE IF YOU'RE NOT IN THE COMMITTEE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WRITE ANYTHING ON THE, UM, ON THE, UH, BALLOT.
BUT IF YOU HAVE ALREADY WRITTEN DOWN THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THE MENTAL HEALTH COMMITTEE, THEN YOU SHOULD MAKE A SELECTION.
LET'S, ANY OTHER MEMBERS INTERESTED? NO OTHER MEMBERS.
LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEXT COMMITTEE.
WE CAN START WITH YOU, HELENE.
KO'S FIRST WE'LL START WITH YOU TOKO AND GO AROUND.
UH, I FEEL LIKE I'M BEST FIT FOR THIS POSITION BECAUSE I HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I OWN A NONPROFIT BUSINESS CALLED LINK LACES, SO I AM VERY, I'M REALLY, I'M REALLY GOOD AT GETTING THINGS TO, UH, TO WORK OUT.
WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS I, I, I'M, UH, I CAN GET THINGS DONE.
UM, I, I'M, I'M A REALLY GOOD PLANNER.
I DO A LOT OF EVENTS PLANNING, UH, ALL THROUGHOUT MIDDLE SCHOOL AND EVEN NOW, UM, FOR THE SCHOOL, I PLAN THEIR EVENTS, OUR PEP RALLIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND SO I WOULD, UH, USE THOSE SKILLS, IMPLEMENT THOSE ON OUR, UH, ON OUR PROJECTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THIS, THIS, YEAH, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT.
ANYONE ELSE? NEXT? IMAN, GO AHEAD.
PUSHING DOWN THIS MICROPHONE REALLY REMINDS ME OF MY HEIGHT, SO IT'S LIKE KIND OF A HUMBLING EXPERIENCE.
UM, VOTING WHY I THINK THAT I AM A GOOD POSSIBILITY FOR SECRETARY OR CHAIR FOR THIS COMMITTEE IS VOTING IS AN ISSUE THAT I'M EXTREMELY PASSIONATE ABOUT.
SINCE LAST YEAR, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN ALEY VOTES AND NUMEROUS VOTING RELATED PROGRAMS. UM, I THINK I MENTIONED ALEY VOTES EARLIER.
IT'S BASICALLY A 5 0 1 C3 ORGANIZATION IN MY COMMUNITY, ALE, WHICH IS PARTNERED WITH THE DISTRICT F OF CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO BASICALLY IN THAT ROLE, I AM THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE, SO I RAISE MONEY AND IN THAT ROLE, I'VE ALREADY RAISED $9,000 FOR THIS YEAR.
AND, UM, I'VE HELPED PLAN EVENTS, HELPED FUND EVENTS.
UM, RECENTLY, LITERALLY LAST MONTH OR LIKE A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, WE HAD A CIVIC ENGAGEMENT WORKSHOP, WHICH WAS HOSTED BY HALENE.
UM, AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET 200 PARTICIPANTS.
SO IT'S AN ISSUE THAT I'M FAMILIAR WITH AND EVEN IN AN ORGANIZATION THAT I'M A PART OF, IT'S CALLED MY SCHOOL VOTES.
UM, IT'S WITH, WHEN WE ALL VOTE THE ORGANIZATION THAT MICHELLE OBAMA RUNS, I WAS ABLE TO VERIFY OR, UM, REGISTER AROUND 70 VOTERS, WHICH OBVIOUSLY I LEGALLY CAN'T SINCE I'M NOT 18.
AND I'M NOT A-V-D-V-R, BUT I INVITED A-V-D-V-R TO VARIOUS EVENTS AND I WAS ABLE TO, UM, REGISTER A, A LIKE 70 VOTERS.
SO I THINK THIS IS A, UM, AN ISSUE AND TOPIC THAT I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH AND I WOULD LOVE TO BE THE CHAIR OR THE SECRETARY FOR THIS POSITION.
UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE GET CONFUSED, SO YEAH, I'M EXCITED TO, UH, RUN FOR THE VOTER ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE CHAIR AND I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN CIVIC WORK THROUGH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE AILEY VOTES, LIKE IMAN MENTIONED EARLIER, AND, UM, NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES.
SO I AM THE DIRECTOR OF EVENTS FOR AILEY VOTES.
UM, I HAVE ORGANIZED VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVES AT NUMEROUS,
[01:10:01]
NUMEROUS HIGH SCHOOLS ACROSS MY DISTRICT, ALE AND CONNECTED WITH LOCAL LEADERS LIKE DISTRICT F UM, COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY D. THOMAS.UH, I HAVE WORKED WITH HOUSTON, UM, PRECINCT FOUR, AND I HAVE ORGANIZED HIGH IMPACT EVENTS FOR VOTER EDUCATION WITH LEADERS THAT HAS HAD UPWARDS OF 200 ATTENDEES.
AND THROUGH EARLY VOTES, I HAVE LEARNED STRATEGIES TO GET THE COMMUNITY ENGAGED AND THEREFORE GETTING THEIR VOICES OUT.
ADDITIONALLY, I WAS A YOUTH DELEGATE AT THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES CONGRESSIONAL CITIES CONFERENCE.
THERE I ORGANIZED A WORKSHOP ON VOTING AND ELECTIONS TO ELECTED OFFICIALS IN WASHINGTON DC.
THESE EXPERIENCES MADE ME REALIZE JUST HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO GET OUR VOICES OUT AND TO GET YOUTH INVOLVED IN THE VOTING PROCESS.
IF I AM ELECTED AS VOTING ENGAGEMENT COUNCIL CHAIR, I WILL EDUCATE YOUTH ON VOTING AND HOW TO GET THEIR VOICES OUT.
OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE JAMES GONZALEZ.
I'M RUNNING FOR CHAIR OF THE VOTER ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE FOR ONE OF A COUPLE OF REASONS.
UH, ONE OF WHICH OTHER THAN LIKE ALREADY BEING QUALIFIED THROUGH BEING THE BOMAN OF C SCOUT SHIP 4, 6 8, WHICH IS THE TOP, UH, LEADERSHIP.
WE PLAN EVENTS AND WE GO OUT AND WE GO OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND WE HELP ENGAGE, UH, YOUTH TO BE REALLY INSPIRED ABOUT THE WORLD AROUND THEM.
AND ASIDE FROM THAT, UM, CURRENTLY I SERVE AS MY SCHOOL LIC HIGH SCHOOL'S STUDENT COUNCIL PRESIDENT, WHERE I AM LEADING THEM, UH, IN OUR SCHOOL TO BE THE NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED, UH, STUDENT COUNCIL FOR THE YEAR OF 20 24, 20 25.
NOW, ASIDE FROM, UH, BEING QUALIFIED FOR THIS POSITION, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I'M AN EAGLE SCOUT, WHERE IN HERE I HAVE 124 MERIT BADGES IN 20 PALMS, WHICH IS UNHEARD OF FOR REALLY ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA OR GLOBALLY.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION, NOW, I WANNA TALK ABOUT THIS FOR A SECOND, BECAUSE BEING A SCOUT IS MORE THAN JUST GOING OUT IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
IT'S ABOUT BEING PASSIONATE ABOUT THE WORLD AROUND YOU.
AND TO BE PASSIONATE ABOUT THE WORLD AROUND YOU IS REALLY HOW ENVISIONING HOW YOU WANT THE WORLD TO REALLY LOOK AND FUNCTION WHEN YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE CHANGE.
AND IN THE, UH, COMMITTEE, IF I'M ELECTED CHAIR, I WILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE CHANGE BECAUSE NOT ONLY IS BEING A SCOUT ABOUT, UH, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, BUT IT'S ABOUT PATRIOTISM.
AND REALLY THIS IS WHAT THIS IS ABOUT, IS THAT THIS ENTIRE, UH, COMMITTEE CAN BE JUST BOILED DOWN TO PATRIOTISM.
AND IF WE CAN INSTILL THE IDEALS OF PATRIOTISM IN THESE YOUNG HIGH SCHOOL VOTERS THAT ARE, UH, 17, UH, GETTING READY TO TURN 18 YEARS OLD, THEN WE HAVE THE ABILITY AS A WHOLE TO CONVINCE THEM TO VOTE FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVE IS RIGHT, NOT NECESSARILY WHAT YOU THINK IS RIGHT, BUT WHAT THEY BELIEVE AND WHAT THEY ENVISION.
AND I BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY AND THAT EVERYONE SHOULD BE MADE AWARE THAT THEY DO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY, ESPECIALLY AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE.
AND BECAUSE THAT, I URGE YOU TO VOTE ME JAMES GONZALEZ AS THE COMMITTEE CHAIR FOR THE, UH, VOTING ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE.
IF Y'ALL DON'T KNOW ME, I'M ZAINA AND UM, I'M RUNNING FOR THE VOTER ENGAGEMENT, UH, COMMITTEE CHAIR.
SO MY LOVE FOR POLITICS STARTED WHEN I WAS SUPER YOUNG.
UM, JUST SO YOU GUYS KNOW, LIKE MY LOVE, LOVE FOR IT.
UM, I WROTE PRESIDENT OBAMA AT THE AGE OF EIGHT, UM, ASKING TO BE THE PRESIDENT AND ASKING FOR ADVICE.
SO
SO, UM, WHY I'M RUNNING FOR THIS IS BECAUSE WHEN I WAS GIVEN THE ABILITY TO VOTE, WHEN I TURNED A, UM, 17 AND 10 MONTHS OLD, I GOT THAT LETTER AND I SENT IT IMMEDIATELY TO AUSTIN.
I AM SO, SO, SO LIKE, WAIT, SORRY, SORRY, SORRY, SORRY.
BEING LEGIBLE TO VOTE IS ONE OF THE BEST RIGHTS THAT WE'RE GIVEN AS AMERICAN PEOPLE.
AND I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE ABLE TO VOICE OUR OPINIONS TO OUR GOVERNMENT.
AND I THINK THAT IS SUCH, UM, A GREAT RIGHT
[01:15:01]
THAT WE HAVE.BUT I BELIEVE THAT, UM, THE YOUTH DOES NOT REALLY TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE AND GET OUT THERE.
AND I THINK VOTER ENGAGEMENT, SINCE WE ARE THE FUTURE, WE NEED TO GET OUT THERE.
AND I THINK, UM, THE VOTER ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE CAN DO THIS WELL BY, WE CAN ORGANIZE DRIVES, WE CAN DO, UM, WE CAN HAVE LIKE PROPER SESSIONS, ENGAGING PEOPLE AND EDUCATING THEM AND, UM, SORRY.
UM, ALSO LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS AS IMPORTANT AS FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE I THINK WE ALL KNOW A LOT ABOUT OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BUT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.
WE ALL NEED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HOUSTON AND UM, OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
AND SO, UM, ALSO, I'M NOT AFRAID TO REACH OUT TO PEOPLE.
I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS OBVIOUSLY VERY IMPORTANT WITH VOTER ENGAGEMENT.
YOU HAVE TO REACH OUT, YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO TELL PEOPLE, THIS IS WHY YOU NEED TO VOTE.
THIS IS WHY, UM, IT'S SO IMPORTANT.
AND I LED MANY PROJECTS FOR, UM, GOOD INITIATIVES.
AND I THINK THAT IS WHY I'M NOT AFRAID TO REACH OUT AND LEAD PEOPLE.
AND, UM, ALSO I WILL LISTEN TO OPINIONS ON THIS.
I ALSO THINK THAT IS A GREAT, UM, ATTRIBUTE OF LEADERSHIP.
ANY OTHER PERSONS MEMBERS INTERESTED VOTER EDUCATION? GOING ONCE, TWICE, NONE.
ALRIGHT, MOVING ON TO ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE.
FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW ME, I'M PPE PMI ROAL.
I'M A JUNIOR AT THE KINCADE SCHOOL AND I'D LIKE TO RUN FOR YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE CHAIR.
I KNOW WHAT MOST WOULD SAY ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE REGARDING PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES OR RECYCLING.
AND WHILE THEY ARE IMPORTANT, I'M HERE TO BRING A NEW PERSPECTIVE.
SO HOW MANY OF YOU GUYS EXPERIENCE A POWER OUTAGE DURING THIS, LIKE ONCE DURING BARREL OR THE TORNADO LAST YEAR? WHAT ABOUT TWICE, THREE TIMES, FOUR TIMES? I HAVE TO SAY I MIGHT HAVE ONE OF THE MOST AT ABOUT SEVEN TIMES IN MY HOME, WHICH I'M SURE A LOT OF Y'ALL MIGHT BE ABLE TO AGREE WITH.
ISSUE'S TAKEN A MAJOR TOLL IN OUR CITY IN THE RECENT MONTHS AND ITS IMPACT IS WIDESPREAD IN ADDITION TO THE MASS LITTER BY THE STORM AND THE BACKUP OF SIMPLE DAILY ROUTINES LIKE TRASH PICKUP AFTER LOSING POWER THE LONGEST FOR ABOUT A WEEK.
GROCERY SCHOOL WORK AND ATHLETICS WAS DEFINITELY A MAJOR CONCERN FOR ME AND MY FAMILY AS WELL AS THE YOUTH IN THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY.
THE FIRST STEP TO TACKLING ITS ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM IS PROVIDING MORE EFFICIENT, AFFORDABLE, AND SAFE POWER SOLUTIONS TO GENERATORS.
A CLOSE SECOND IS SPREADING AWARENESS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.
GENERATORS PRODUCE CARBON MONOXIDE AND OTHER POLLUTANTS THAT HAVE FATAL HEALTH IMPACTS AND ARE DOWNRIGHT EXPENSIVE.
INCREASING OUR USE OF CLEAN POWER SUPPLIES USING SOLAR PANEL PANELS OR FUEL SLEEP POWERED GENERATORS THAT ARE A RENEWABLE ENERGY THAT CAN, IT CAN MOVE THE HOUSTON CLIMATE ACTION PLAN FORWARD.
UH, I ALSO WANNA UNDERTAKE A PROJECT TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE GENERATORS TO INSTITUTIONS THAT HOST YOUTH EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES WHILE ALSO RAISING A DISASTER RESPONSE AWARENESS.
WHILE VOLUNTEERING AT THE HOUSTON FOOD BANK, I'VE ACTUALLY TAKEN ACTION TO ADDRESS THE DIRECT IMPACT OF THE STORM BY PACKAGING AND DISTRIBUTING FOOD TO THOSE IN NEED.
UM, HOWEVER, THERE'S MUCH MORE WORK THAT'S NEEDED.
UH, SO MY VARIOUS LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN SCHOOL AND OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL, SUCH AS VICE PRESIDENT OF PHILANTHROPY AT THE EASTER SEALS AND PRESIDENT OF MY SCHOOL CLUB, UM, HONOR COUNCIL, REPRESENTATIVE OF MY GRADE AND SO MUCH MORE.
I ALSO HAVE INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENTS SUCH AS MY IN INDEPENDENT SERVICE PROJECT TO INDEPENDENT SERVICE TRIP TO MARRAKESH, MOROCCO, WHICH ARE WHERE I PROVIDED DURABLE MATERIALS TO WOMEN AND CHILDREN WHO ARE AFFECTED BY THE DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKE.
I BELIEVE THAT MY, UM, DESIRES, MY END IDEAS AND EXPERIENCE IN ORDER TO MAKE THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE TRULY SOLVE HOUSTON'S ENERGY, AIR POLLUTION, DISASTER RESPONSE PROBLEMS MAKES ME A GREAT CANDIDATE FOR THE CHAIR THIS YEAR.
NEXT? ANYONE RUNNING UNOPPOSED FIFE? I DON'T SEE ANYONE.
UH, JUSTIN LEHE, UH, WILL BE RUNNING AS WELL.
JUSTIN, ARE YOU ONLINE? NO, HE HAD, HE HAD TO, HE HAD TO LEAVE.
SO LET'S MOVE ON NOW TO OUR FINAL COMMITTEE.
UM, OUR FINAL COMMITTEE, UH, THE EDUCATION EQUITY COMMITTEE.
DID I GET IT RIGHT, MARY? OKAY, VERY GOOD.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO START, MARY? OF COURSE.
SO I'M SO SORRY, MARY, BEAR WITH US JUST ONE MOMENT.
CAN, CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME? WE CAN.
[01:20:01]
THE, ON THE FLOOR.UH, SORRY FOR THE, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY ONE INDIVIDUAL RUNNING.
UH, OH, I GET SO, SO, YEAH, AND RUNNER UP WOULD BE, RUNNER UP WOULD BE LIKE, OH, 'CAUSE JUSTIN'S ALSO RUNNING, SO THEN HE'D BE CHOSEN AS THE SECRETARY FOR THIS ONE FOR EDUCATION.
UH, WHO ELSE WANTS TO RUN FOR THE POSITION OF CHAIR? OKAY, SO I GUESS WE CAN, WE CAN START WITH MARY, BUT THEN, OKAY.
CAN, CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME BY ANY CHANCE? UM, SO WE ONLY HAVE TWO, UM, RIGHT NOW AND JUSTIN WAS NOT ABLE TO MAKE HIS SPEECH, BUT WE ONLY HAVE TWO.
SO JUST PUT YOUR FIRST AND SECOND PREFERENCE ON THE, ON THE BALLOT FOR THAT.
ALRIGHT, MOVING ON, MARY, GO AHEAD AND TAKE IT AWAY.
UM, AS ONE OF THE PRIMARY PROPOSALS FOR THE PRIMARY REASONS THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE WAS CREATED, I BELIEVE LIKE OUR FOCUS WOULD BE ADDRESSING EDUCATIONAL POLICIES AND ASSESSING CURRICULUM EFFECTIVENESS WHILE OPTIMIZING RESOURCE ALLOCATION IN GENERAL.
SO I'M JUST GONNA TELL YOU GUYS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY I AM PASSIONATE ABOUT EDUCATION IN GENERAL.
SO I, I ACTUALLY IMMIGRATED TO THE US IN 2017 WHERE I WAS INTRODUCED TO MY FIRST PROGRAMMING CLASS IN FIFTH GRADE, AND I ABSOLUTELY FELL IN LOVE.
I'VE BEEN PROGRAMMING FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS NOW, AND I, AND THAT, THAT LOVE FOR PROGRAMMING LED ME TO SORT OF TAKE THAT, UM, THAT, THAT SUBJECT AND BECOME A TUTOR IN VARIOUS, VARIOUS REGIONS IN NIGERIA TODAY.
SO OVER THE, OVER THE SUMMER, I ALSO WORKED AS A US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INTERN, WHERE I GOT TO WORK ON THE RAISE THE BAR.
YOU BELONG IN STEM, YOU BELONG IN STEM CAMPAIGN.
AND I ULTIMATELY, I BELIEVE ALL THESE EXPERIENCES REGARDING EDUCATION, UH, ALLOW ME TO BE A GREAT CHAIR FOR THIS COMMITTEE.
SOME IDEAS I HAVE FOR THIS COMMITTEE WOULD BE HOSTING DRIVES TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, ORGANIZING AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS, CONDUCTING STUDENT FEEDBACK FORUMS, LAUNCHING EDUCATION AWARENESS, UM, CAMPAIGNS, AND EVEN ESTABLISHING PEER MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS BETWEEN SCHOOLS OR IMPLEMENTING DIGITAL LEARNING INITIATIVES.
THE LIST GOES ON AND ON, BUT ULTIMATELY BY ESTABLISHING THIS COMMITTEE, I THINK WE CAN ENSURE THAT STUDENT VOICES ARE HEARD AND CONSIDERED IN DECISION MAKING PROCESSES THAT DIRECTLY IMPACT OUR EDUCATION OF, AS FOR MY OTHER LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE I SERVE AT, I, LAST YEAR I SERVED AS MY SCHOOL SOPHOMORE CLASS PRESIDENT, AND THIS YEAR I'M CURRENTLY OUR JUNIOR CLASS PRESIDENT.
SO I BELIEVE I'VE BEEN ABLE TO ORGANIZE PEOPLE AND DELEGATE DIFFERENT TASKS, WHICH I BELIEVE CAN GREATLY HELP ME IN THIS COMMITTEE AS WELL.
AND JUST ULTIMATELY, I FEEL LIKE TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON, UM, OUR EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT IN HOUSTON TODAY.
AND JUST GIVE, GIVE RESOURCES TO NUMEROUS UNDERSERVED YOUTH AND NUMEROUS YOUTH THAT DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO DIFFERENT STEM EDUCATION INITIATIVES AND DIFFERENT, UM, DIFFERENT AWARENESS.
ALSO THROUGH HAVING DIFFERENT AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS, I BELIEVE WE CAN JUST PROVIDE, PROVIDE, UM, INFORMATION ABOUT HOW EDUCATION IS IMPACTING OUR SOCIETY TODAY.
AND ONE OF THE MAIN, UM, ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS I'VE DONE THIS SUMMER THAT SORT OF HAS TO DO WITH EDUCATION IN TOTALITY IS THAT I ACTUALLY PUBLISHED A CODING, A PROGRAMMING BOOK.
AND, UM, IT, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO SHIP OUT ABOUT 200 COPIES TO ABOUT SEVEN 17 DIFFERENT, UM, ORGANIZATIONS IN NIGERIA WHERE WE ARE ABLE TO SORT OF GIVE THEM, UM, PROVIDE THEM WITH INFORMATION REGARDING PROGRAMMING AND EDUCATION IN GENERAL.
BUT, SO IN GENERAL, I'M REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT EDUCATION, REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT STEM EDUCATION, AND I WOULD LOVE TO BE YOUR CHAIR.
UM, ANYONE ELSE INTERESTED IN THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE? OKAY, HOW MANY, OKAY, I'M THINKING FOR THE SAKE OF TIME.
WE'LL JUST BE A FEW MINUTES OVER EIGHT O'CLOCK.
SO WE CAN START GOING THIS WAY.
UM, YOU CAN, ISABELLA, GO AHEAD.
HELLO EVERYONE, IT'S BELLA AGAIN, AND I PREPARED THE SPEECH THAT DETAILS WHY YOU SHOULD ELECT ME.
AS A CHAIR OF THE EDUCATION EQUITY COMMITTEE, I'VE SEEN FIRSTHAND HOW IMPERATIVE EDUCATION IS IN SHAPING OUR DECISIONS AND OUR ACTIONS.
THROUGH MY EXPERIENCE WITH TEEN COURT, I'VE GAINED A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPORTANCE OF CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS AND HOW THEY DIRECTLY INFLUENCE OUR CHOICES.
TEEN COURT HAS SHOWN ME THAT INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EDUCATED ARE BETTER EQUIPPED TO ANALYZE SITUATIONS, THINK THROUGH CONSEQUENCES, AND MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS.
MOREOVER, EDUCATION PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE IN EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE, HELPING INDIVIDUALS MANAGE THEIR EMOTIONS AND REACTIONS AND CHALLENGING SITUATIONS, ACCESS TO HIGHER LEVELS OF EDUCATION, NOT ONLY FOSTERS INTELLECTUAL GROWTH, BUT ENCOURAGES PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY,
[01:25:01]
EMPATHY, AND ETHICAL REASONING.WHEN PEOPLE ARE GIVEN THE TOOLS TO THINK CRITICALLY AND REFLECT ON THEIR CHOICES, THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO MAKE POSITIVE CON CONTRIBUTIONS TO, TO SOCIETY AND TO LEAD, TO LEAD MORE FULFILLING LIVES.
NEXT SHOW OF HANDS, HOW MANY REMAINING DO WE HAVE? ONE, TWO.
UM, THIS IS THE LAST TIME YOU'LL SEE ME UP HERE, I PROMISE.
UM, BUT I AM HONORED TO STAND BEFORE YOU AS, UM, ONE OF YOUR CANDIDATES FOR THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE CHAIR.
UM, I GUESS LIKE EVERYONE HERE, UM, WE ALL BELIEVE THAT EDUCATION, IT'S NOT JUST A SYSTEM THAT YOU GO THROUGH, IT IS ESSENTIALLY LIKE THE FOUNDATION, UM, TO UNLOCKING THE POTENTIAL, UM, FOR EVERY SINGLE CHILD.
AND AS WE KNOW, UM, MANY STUDENTS IN HOUSTON FACE, UM, SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES, UM, WITH THEIR EDUCATION, LIKE WHETHER IT'S LIKE ECONOMIC OR MENTAL HEALTH, UM, LACK OF RESOURCES.
BUT MY GOAL IS TO ENSURE THAT EVERY STUDENT IN HOUSTON HAS ACCESS TO QUALITY EDUCATION THAT PREPARES THEM FOR THEIR FUTURE.
SO, UM, LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE STORY.
DURING THE PANDEMIC, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ALL, WE TRANSITIONED TO VIRTUAL EDUCATION.
IT WAS, IT WAS A LITTLE BUMPY, BUT YOU KNOW, WE, WE GOT IT GOING.
WE WERE, WE MANAGED SOMEHOW, BUT RIGHT, THE WORLD DOESN'T JUST REVOLVE AROUND US.
UM, IF YOU THINK ABOUT KIDS IN ACROSS THE GLOBE, UM, IN RURAL INDIA, THEY'RE NOT SO LUCKY.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, KIDS IN MY DAD'S VILLAGE IN INDIA, THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE A COMPUTER IN THE VILLAGE.
SO HOW DO YOU EXPECT THEM TO ADAPT TO VIRTUAL EDUCATION? UM, SO AFTER MY DAD TELLING ME THAT, YOU KNOW, KIDS IN HIS VILLAGE, THEY DON'T EVEN, THEIR EDUCATION BASICALLY JUST STOPPED.
UM, AND I REALIZED, OKAY, I AT LEAST HAVE VIRTUAL EDUCATION.
I NEED TO DO SOMETHING FOR THESE KIDS.
UM, WHAT ME AND MY BROTHER DID, WE ASKED MY DAD'S FRIENDS TO SEND IN ALL THEIR UNUSED COMPUTERS OR LIKE, UM, BASICALLY OLD ONES.
WE COMPLETELY REFURBISHED THEM.
WE WERE ABLE TO SEND 162 COMPUTERS BACK TO INDIA IN THAT VILLAGE.
AND THEN ME AND MY BROTHER, WE STARTED TEACHING THESE KIDS.
AND YOU KNOW, IT'S THAT TIME ZONE DIFFERENCE MEANS WE HAD TO GET UP AT LIKE TWO OR THREE IN THE MORNING, UM, AND THEN TEACH THESE KIDS.
I KNOW WE WEREN'T A WHOLE SCHOOL, BUT WE WERE SOMETHING, UM, AT LEAST WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE KIDS, THEIR EDUCATION WASN'T COMPLETELY PUT ON HOLD.
UM, BUT THEN AGAIN, RIGHT, ME AND MY BROTHER WERE JUST TWO PEOPLE AND THE AMOUNT OF CHILDREN, UM, OUT THERE, RIGHT? I'M ONLY TALKING ABOUT ONE VILLAGE IN INDIA, THE AMOUNT OF CHILDREN OUT THERE THAT THEIR EDUCATION WAS JUST PUT ON HOLD.
UM, IT'S JUST IMMENSE IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT.
SO WHAT I DID, I REACHED OUT TO IVY LEAGUE SCHOLARS, REACHED OUT TO SENIORS IN DIFFERENT HIGH SCHOOLS.
UM, I HAD TO DEVELOP MY COMMUNICATION SKILLS, UM, WRITING TO THEM, ASKING THEM, HEY, CAN YOU PLEASE JUST DEDICATE ONE HOUR AT A TIME EVERY WEEK TO HELP GIVE THESE KIDS SOME SORT OF EDUCATIONAL LIFELINE? UM, AND LONG STORY SHORT, I WAS ABLE TO GROW THIS, THIS REALLY BASIC, MAYBE AMBITIOUS IDEA OF, UM, GIVING EDUCATION TO CHILDREN WHO DON'T HAVE ANYTHING INTO A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION CALLED STAR EDUCATION.
I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE CORNY, BUT IT WORKS.
UM, AND WE REGISTERED SCHOOLS CURRENTLY IN OVER EIGHT COUNTRIES, GIVING THEM, PROVIDING THEM EDUCATION, JUST SUPPLEMENTING, UM, WHATEVER WE'RE ABLE TO DO WITH SOME FREE HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION.
AND THE POINT OF THIS HOPEFULLY NOT BORING STORY IS, UM, THAT I KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO ACTUALLY CREATE A PRODUCT AND THEN SEE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, BENEFIT FROM IT.
I KNOW HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH PEOPLE, UM, FROM EXPERTS, FROM PEOPLE I THINK THAT I WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO REACH, UM, GET THEM ON BOARD WITH SOMETHING AND THEN GET SOMETHING DONE.
I KNOW HOW TO PROJECT MY IDEAS, UM, IN THE RIGHT WAY, GET PEOPLE ON BOARD.
AND I BELIEVE THAT ALL THE SKILLS ARE ESSENTIAL TO BE A CHAIR, TO LEAD PEOPLE AND GET WORK DONE.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO EXPLORE SOME CREATIVE SOLUTIONS, MAYBE LIKE PERSONALIZED LEARNING, MENTORSHIP, ALL THAT TO CATER TO THE INDIVIDUAL NEEDS OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, WE JUST NEED TO GIVE THESE KIDS THE BEST EDUCATION THAT THEY COULD GET.
SO, UM, I BELIEVE THAT TOGETHER WE CAN ADVOCATE FOR POLICIES THAT PROMOTE MORE EQUITY AND EDUCATION.
UM, UH, LET'S, UM, LET'S JUST MAKE SURE EVERY STUDENT IN HOUSTON, REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY'RE FROM, THEIR BACKGROUND, THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO SUCCEED AND GET A PROPER EDUCATION.
ONCE AGAIN, THAT'S MISHA FROM LAMAR.
[01:30:01]
KNOW THE SAYING THIRD TIME'S THE CHARM.I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO BE THE CHAIR OF THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE.
I KNOW WE'VE RUNNING A LITTLE BIT OVER TIME.
A FEW YEARS AGO I STARTED INTERNING FOR CITY COUNCIL MEMBER MIKE KNOX.
I ACTUALLY WAS HERE IN THIS VERY BUILDING, NOT THE SAME ROOM, BUT IN THIS BUILDING WHERE I LED DISCUSSIONS ABOUT EDUCATION AND POINTED OUT THE FLAWS IN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM.
THEN LAST SUMMER I INTERNED FOR TEXAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE JC HAN.
AND IN HIS OFFICE I ALSO ADVOCATED FOR EDUCATION TO TRY TO FIND SOLUTIONS AND MAKE, TO MAKE SURE THAT EDUCATION IS TRULY EQUITABLE AMONG ALL YOUTH WITHIN HOUSTON.
AND IT REALLY JUST STARTED FOR MY LOVE FOR READING LIKE PERCY JACKSON, THE HUNGER GAMES, YOU NAME IT, I'VE PROBABLY READ IT.
IF I HAVEN'T, WE CAN JUST SAY I HAVE.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, COMING FROM A TITLE ONE SCHOOL, LAMAR, AS I'VE SAID COUNTLESS TIMES, I KNOW A LOT OF YOU MAKE JABS AT THE SCHOOL.
BUT ULTIMATELY IT'S TO SAY THAT COMING FROM A SCHOOL WITHOUT A LIBRARY AT ALL, I FEEL LIKE I'D BE A GREAT ADDITION TO BE THE CHAIR OF THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE BECAUSE I CAN ADVOCATE FOR YOUTH IN HOUSTON.
AND THEN ALSO I ACTUALLY STARTED A NONPROFIT CALLED HAPPY READERS INC.
IT'S A 5 0 1 C3 THAT HAS DONATED 10,000 BOOKS TO OVER WHAT 50 STATES AND COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD.
AND THROUGH THAT I'VE CONNECTED WITH SO MANY EDUCATORS, SO MANY COMMUNITY LEADERS.
I'VE REACHED OUT TO SCHOOLS IN SRI LANKA, THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, PAPA, NEW GUINEA, IOWA.
EVEN LIKE ALL THESE PLACES, I'VE MET SO MANY PEOPLE AND I'VE HEARD THEIR VIEWPOINTS ON WHAT WE CAN DO BETTER IN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM.
I EVEN STARTED A PLATFORM CALLED HAPPY LEARNERS, WHERE I CREATED 100 ENGLISH LESSONS, WHICH IS USED IN 150 SCHOOLS AROUND THE WORLD THAT MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN ADVOCATE FOR THE YOUTH AROUND THE WORLD, NOT JUST IN HOUSTON.
AND I JUST BELIEVE, TRULY BELIEVE THAT THERE'S STRENGTH IN NUMBERS AND TOGETHER WE CAN CONTINUE MY CURRENT ENDEAVORS AND MAKE IT EVEN BETTER.
AND ALSO, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, I'M A TIME FOR CHANGE AMBASSADOR.
I THREW MY PERSISTENCE IN CONSTANT EMAILS.
THEY SELECTED ME TO BE THE ONLY HIGH SCHOOLER AMONG 500 EDUCATORS TO ADVOCATE FOR THE YOUTH IN YOUTH AROUND THE WORLD.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I TRULY BELIEVE, AS I SAID, THERE'S STRENGTH IN NUMBERS.
I'VE COLD CALLED SO MANY SCHOOLS AND I PLAN TO TAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS TO THE CHAIR OF THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE.
I WAS BLOCKED FROM WHATSAPP TWICE, BUT
LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST
UM, MARY IS IN THE WAITING ROOM RIGHT NOW.
'CAUSE HER COMPUTER LOGGED OFF.
HELLO, MY NAME IS ADELE FOREST.
I'M A JUNIOR AT ENERGY INSTITUTE HIGH SCHOOL AND I AM THE DAUGHTER OF AN EDUCATOR AND A STUDENT IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.
I AM VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT HELPING STUDENTS, UM, INCREASE THEIR STEM EDUCATION.
AS I AM PART OF MY ROBOTICS PROGRAM, I AM OUTREACH CAPTAIN.
I HAVE BEEN FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, I HAVE ACTUALLY CREATED THE ROLE BECAUSE THE IMPACT IS ONE OF THE KEY FIGURES OF OUR ROBOTICS PROGRAM.
AND I STARTED AN OUTREACH INITIATIVE THAT HELPS TITLE ONE SCHOOLS IN HOUSTON, ISD.
UM, WE CREATE WORKSHOPS THAT HAVE INVITED OVER A DOZEN TITLE ONE SCHOOLS INTO OUR SCHOOL AND HELPED EXPOSE THEM TO FRC, WHICH IS OUR ROBOTICS PROGRAM, AS WELL AS VARIOUS STEM TOPICS.
I'VE ALSO BEEN TO SEVERAL SCHOOLS DIRECTLY THAT ARE TITLE ONE AND HISD, HELPING INTRODUCE STEM TOPICS.
AND I'M ALSO CONDUCTING RESEARCH ON THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE, AS WELL AS CORRECTIONAL EDUCATION'S IMPACT ON STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES WITH RESEARCHERS AT TEXAS A AND M AND PROFESSIONALS AT N HOUSE.
I AM WOULD LOVE TO BE PART OF THE EDUCATION EQUITY, UM, THE COMMITTEE 'CAUSE TO PROMOTE STEM LEARNING AS WELL AS HELPING WITH SOME OF THE THINGS THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE HAS AFFECTED ON THE POLICY.
YOU ALL HAVE SOME DECISIONS TO MAKE ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO DO WE HAVE ANYONE, ANY OTHER MEMBERS INTERESTED IN THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE? I THINK THAT'S IT, RIGHT? OKAY.
SO JUST INSTRUCTIONS ON THE BALLOT.
UM, WHAT I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO DO IS MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ALL THE POSITIONS, YOU KNOW, WRITTEN OUT YOUR PREFERENCES, AND THEN WE'LL COLLECT THE BALLOTS.
NOW, UM, MAKE SURE YOUR NAME IS ON THE BALLOT.
IT'S SAFE WITH ME, I PROMISE YOU.
UM, JUST MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR NAME AND HAVE ALL OF YOUR PREFERENCES SELECTED FOR ALL OF THE OFFICERS AND POSITIONS THAT WE'VE
[01:35:01]
TALKED ABOUT, UH, THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS EVENING.UM, SO LET'S MOVE ON, UH, REALLY QUICKLY, JUST A FEW ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR YOU BEFORE WE GO.
UH, WE WILL ON THE AGENDA, I KNOW THAT WE, I HAVE LISTED THERE POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE, UH, WITH AT LARGE TWO.
WE'LL, WE'LL FINISH THAT NEXT TIME AS UNFINISHED BUSINESS.
UH, SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO JUST SOMETHING I WANT YOU TO PUT ON YOUR RADAR.
SO WE HAVE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TRUNK OR TREAT, UH, WITH THE EAST SIDE POLICE STATION ON OCTOBER 25TH.
SO JUST MARK YOUR CALENDARS, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN INVITED TO.
UH, JUST SOMETHING TO PUT ON YOUR RADAR.
UH, THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL WILL SERVE CANDY, MAKE POPCORN, SERVE POPCORN, UH, SET UP AND BREAK DOWN THE EVENT.
UM, AS YOU, AS WE'VE ALREADY MENTIONED EARLIER, THE INAUGURATION HAS BEEN, UM, POSTPONED JUST A BIT, UH, UNTIL POSSIBLY AND MR. GREEN CAN CONFIRM THIS, UH, FOR US AT A LATER DATE, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE OCTOBER 24TH.
SO JUST AGAIN, UM, THE INAUGURATION WILL NOT BE ON OCTOBER 10TH.
PLEASE WATCH YOUR, UH, INBOXES FOR THE INVITATION FOR THAT.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO MENTION? ANY OTHER BUSINESS, ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS WILL GO AHEAD.
WILL BE, WILL YOU BE EMAILED ABOUT THE, UM, UH, TRUNK OR TREAT EVENT? YES.
YOU WILL BE EMAILED THE FLYER FOR THE TRUNK OR TREAT EVENT.
UM, EXCUSE ME, I WANTED TO ASK IF WE WERE NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE INAUGURATION, LIKE, UM, IN THE CASE, LIKE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN? JUST LIKE YOU CAN BE SWORN IN AT A LATER DATE AT THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOOD, OR, I'M SORRY, THE OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT OFFICE.
IS THAT CORRECT MR. GREEN? YEAH, WE JUST GOING, WE DON'T REPLACE THEM WITH SOMEBODY.
IF YOU DON'T MAKE IT, WE REPLACE YOU WITH SOMEONE ELSE.
NO, YOU, WE'LL, WE'LL JUST SWEAR YOU IN AT ANOTHER DATE.
ANOTHER DATE, ANOTHER DATE AND TIME.
UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANYTHING, ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY.
I, I THOUGHT MAYBE THIS MEETING MIGHT TAKE ME RIGHT INTO MY BIRTHDAY.
I THOUGHT THAT, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UM, SO IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, ANNOUNCEMENTS, WE WILL STAND ADJOURNED.
WHERE'S THE GAVEL? GAVEL AND I DON'T HAVE A GAVEL, BUT
WELL THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR ATTENDING THIS INAUGURAL, UH, MEETING FOR THE 24 25 MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL.
AND EVERYONE HAVE A WONDERFUL EVENING.