[Mayor's Ministerial Advisory Board Thanksgiving Breakfast]
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GOOD MORNING, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.LEMME ASK ALL OF YOU IF YOU WOULD, I KNOW THIS FELLOWSHIP IS ONE THAT'S NEEDED, BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK GOD FOR ALL OF YOU BEING HERE TODAY.
UH, AND I DO KNOW MANY OF YOU WANT TO GET A CHANCE TO TAKE PHOTOS WITH AMIR, BUT, UH, WE WANT TO GET STARTED BECAUSE IT'S, WE REALLY ON A, A TIGHT TIME SCHEDULE BECAUSE AMIR HAS A, A FULL DAY.
UM, BUT I JUST, I JUST WANNA LET Y'ALL KNOW THAT THIS IS A, THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL VIEW TO SEE ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT LOVE THE LORD.
COME ON, PUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER.
I, I GOT, THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
BUT OF COURSE, MOST OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, I'M COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIE DAVIS, PASTOR WILLIE DAVIS.
UM, THIS IS, THIS IS A, THIS IS A VISION TO COME TRUE.
UM, I CAN'T EXTEND ENOUGH TO ALL OF YOU HOW GRATEFUL I AM AND I ASKING OF YOU TO BE HERE.
UM, AND I'M HERE WHERE I AM AS A COUNCILMAN BECAUSE OF YOU.
I WOULDN'T BE IN THIS POSITION IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU.
MANY OF YOU IN THIS ROOM WHO HAS SUPPORTED ME AND IT BEEN WITH ME, UH, NOT ONLY IN THIS PAST ELECTION, BUT THE TWO PREVIOUS, AND I CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH AND EXTEND TO YOU ENOUGH, UM, AS TO HOW GRATEFUL I AM.
MY JOB IS TO TRY TO, IN MY WELCOMING YOU IS TO REMIND ALL OF YOU, IS MY JOB IS TO TRY TO SERVE YOU, SERVE OUR MAYOR, SERVE OUR COUNCIL, AND THEN IN THAT SERVING THE ENTIRE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND, UM, SO MANY OF YOU WHO I KNOW UP, UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL, SOME OF YOU ARE MY MENTORS, THE PEOPLE WHO I HOLD IN VERY HIGH REGARD, LOVE DEARLY, AND WHO HAVE BEEN WITH ME FROM DAY ONE.
AND, UM, I JUST WANT TO LET ALL OF YOU KNOW, AS PASTORS, EVEN THOUGH I'M A COUNCILMAN, BUT I'M ALSO A PASTOR FIRST.
AND, UM, AND I ALSO JUST WANT ALL OF YOU TO KNOW HOW GRATEFUL I AM TO SERVE YOU AND TO BE IN THIS POSITION.
LET ME JUST MOVE FORWARD THAN TODAY, BECAUSE AS I SAID, WE, WE WANT TO KIND OF RESPECT THE MAYOR'S TIME BECAUSE OF I ASK OF HIM TO BE HERE.
UH, AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE COMING IN, LET ME JUST TELL EVERYBODY, IT'S OPEN SEATING, UH, AND WHEREVER YOU CAN FIND, YES, THAT SEATS ON OUR LEFT.
AND, UH, WE, WE WERE TRYING TO, TO STAY WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF WHERE WE COULD SEAT THE ONES WHO INVITED.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE HERE COULD NOT BE HERE DUE TO SCHEDULING, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT JUST WANTED TO TAKE THE PRIVILEGE OF WELCOMING YOU TO THIS, OF OUR RESURRECTION AND OUR START OF WHAT WE CALL THE MINISTER'S ADVISORY BOARD TO THE MAYOR.
THIS IS, THIS IS A NEW PROCESS.
METHOD BY WHICH WE DOING THE ORGANIZATION BY NAME IS NOT NEW, BUT IT, UM, BUT WE WANTED TO, MY DREAM AND VISION WAS TO RESURRECT IT.
BUT ON THIS OCCASION, AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE MAYOR, I WANTED TO DO IT WHERE IT WAS VERY INCLUSIVE AND, UH, WITH THE OBJECTIVE.
AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT LATER IN THE, UH, IN THE OVERVIEW.
BUT AGAIN, LET ME WELCOME EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
THANK YOU FOR GETTING UP EARLY IN THE MORNING.
I KNOW FOR MANY OF YOU, THAT WAS A, THAT WAS A REAL TASK.
UH,
MY BELOVED SISTER, BECKY REGAL, SAID TO ME, SHE SAID, PASTOR DAVID WILLIE, THIS, THIS WAS A REAL SACRIFICE,
AND I SAID TO BECKY, I SAID, BECKY, I ALWAYS KNEW YOU LOVED ME, BUT I KNOW YOU REALLY LOVE ME NOW.
AND SHE WOULD GET UP AT SEVEN 30.
[00:05:01]
ME TAKE ALSO THE OPPORTUNITY BEFORE I GET TOO FURTHER INTO THIS PROGRAM.COURSE, YOU KNOW, WE LEARNED LONG AGO.
I'VE BEEN IN THIS LONG ENOUGH TO, TO KNOW AND TO LEARN, UH, TILL I GET TOO DEEP INTO THIS.
AND I HAVE ONE OF MY SENIOR MOMENTS, AND FORGET, LET ME INTRODUCE TO SOME OF YOU.
MANY OF YOU KNOW, SOME OF YOU MAY NOT KNOW MY WIFE, ALEXA DAVIS, STAND UP AND STAND UP SO THEY CAN SEE YOU.
I'M SO GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL, UH, FOR HER WORK AND HER LABOR, UH, IN HELPING ME AND ALL THAT I DO.
SO I JUST WANT TO TAKE THE MOMENT AND, UH, TO CERTAINLY TO INTRODUCE HER.
AND THANK GOD FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU HERE.
SO WHAT WE GONNA DO NOW, WE GONNA START WITH OUR PRAYER.
REVEREND BERG, WHO, UH, STANDS IN AT THE MOMENT AND SITS AS OUR PRESIDENT OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD, AND DAVE WELCH AS OUR VICE PRESIDENT.
AND I LIKE TO THINK OF THESE BROTHERS WHO ARE MY DEAR FRIENDS, AND I LOVE THEM BOTH, AND I RESPECT FOR THEM, RESPECT FOR BOTH OF THEM IN THE LEADERSHIP AND WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO.
SO DONALD IS GOING TO COME WITH US, WITH OUR PRAYER, AND THEN, UH, WE'LL COME BACK WITH A FEW THOUGHTS.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, ONLY FOR THE GENTLEMAN, IF YOU HAVE A HAT OR A CAP ON, WOULD YOU PLEASE REMOVE IT IN RESPECT AND IN AN HONOR FOR THE WORD OF PRAYER THAT'S BEING OFFERED BEFORE OUR LORD.
EVERY HEAD IS, BY ALL EYES ARE CLOSED, DEAR GOD, OUR FATHER, HOW RICHLY IMMENSELY.
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THIS WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY THAT FIRST AND FOREMOST, THAT WE ARE ABLE TO COMMUNE WITH YOU THIS VERY EARLY MORNING, BECAUSE THOSE OF US WHO ARE IN THE RELIGIOUS FAITH KNOWS THAT HOW FREQUENTLY THAT WE ARE COMFORTING, CONSOLING AND STRENGTHENING, UH, OUR MEMBERS WHOSE LOVED ONES HAVE MET THEIR DEMISE EACH DAY.
AND SO WE ARE THANKFUL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY THAT WE ARE ABLE TO COMMUNE WITH YOU.
AND THEN WE ARE THANKFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE ARE ABLE TO COMMUNE WITH EACH OTHER, OUR DI DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS, CACOPHONY OF, OF DIFFERENT IDEAS, BUT ONE VOICE OF UNITY AS WE COME TOGETHER FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND THE ISSUES THAT PERPLEX EACH ONE OF US WITHOUT DESCRIPTION OF OUR ETHNICITY.
WE ARE THANKFUL FOR THE LEADERSHIP OF BOTH OUR MAYOR AND THE LEADERSHIP OF, OF COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIE DAVIS, WHO HAVE, UH, WHO HAVE INVITED US AND, AND JOINED US TO, TO PARTICIPATE IN A REAL COMMUNITY EFFORT IN THE RECLAMATION AND THE RECLAIMING OF OUR COMMUNITIES, OUR HOMES, OUR VILLAGES, AND EVEN THE SMALL HAMLETS ON THE OUTSKIRTS.
SO THAT FOR THAT, WE ARE THANKFUL.
NOW, WE ALSO PRAY FOR THE BLESSING OF THIS FOOD.
THAT THIS FOOD WILL SO NOURISH OUR BODIES, THAT WE WILL BE EMPOWERED TO MAKE AN IMPACT IN OUR SRY PLACES, IN CARRYING OUT YOUR MESSAGE, YOUR MINISTRY, YOUR CAUSE.
IT IS THESE THINGS WE ASK THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, WE PRAY, AND ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE LORD SAID, AMEN.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, PASTOR BERG.
I WANT TO, UM, AS OTHERS ARE COMING IN, WE CERTAINLY WANT TO, UM, UH, GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY.
I'M GOING TO SPEAK BRIEFLY, AND THEN BREAKFAST IS GOING TO BE SERVED.
UH, I MUST SAY THAT HOW I AM CERTAINLY DELIGHTED TO HAVE MY FRIEND AND BROTHER WHO'S GOING TO PRESENT US A SELECTION.
UH, NONE OTHER THAN, YOU KNOW, EVERY CITY IN THE UNITED STATES HAVE THEIR GREAT GOSPEL, UH, LEGENDS AND HOUSTON.
WE'VE BEEN BLESSED TO HAVE ONE.
UM, WHEN I WENT TO CHICAGO FOR FOUR YEARS, AND OF COURSE, EVERYBODY TRIES TO HOLD ON TO THEIR GOSPEL.
UH, DIRECTOR BROCK OF THEIR GREAT LEGEND LEADER, WHERE WE HAVE ONE IN HOUSTON IS SECOND TO NOBODY.
AND THAT'S IN THE PERSON OF V MICHAEL MCKAY.
AND, UH, HE'S GOING TO BE BRINGING A SELECTION TO US.
AND THEN AFTER, AS WE HAVE SERVED BREAKFAST, I WANTED TO SAY IN MY OVERVIEW, LET ME BE VERY BRIEF, BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY PEOPLE WHO WERE PARTICIPANTS IN HELPING US PUT THIS TOGETHER.
UH, HOUSTON, FIRST, I CANNOT SAY ENOUGH ABOUT HOUSTON FIRST.
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PASTORS KNOW HOUSTON FIRST IS OUR CONVENTION TOURISM ORGANIZATION THAT, UH, THAT HELPS US WITH BRINGING IN EVENTS, CONVENTIONS.AND, UH, I WANT TO TAKE MY HAT OFF, UH, TO THEM AND THANK THEM FROM THE DEATH OF MY HEART, BECAUSE THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THIS ROOM BECAUSE OF HOUSTON.
FIRST, WE NEED TO SHOW THEM SOME LOVE.
YES, THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
WE, WE GOTTA SHOW THEM SOME LOVE.
AND, UH, MY BELOVED SISTER, UH, TRACY PRINCE, SHE'S, SHE'S ONE OF THE PEOPLE LIKE, LIKE, STAND UP TRACY.
I WANT THEM TO SEE YOUR FACE THAT SHE IS.
THANK YOU, TRACY, TO HELP US PUT THIS TOGETHER.
NOW, TRACY, ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE, WELL, NOW, NOW, COUNCIL DAVIS, I DON'T NEED TO TALK.
I JUST, I JUST DON'T, I DON'T AIN'T THE TALKING BUSINESS.
SO WE'RE SO BLESSED, AND GOD, TO HAVE HER REAL QUICKLY AS BREAKFAST, GETTING READY TO BE SERVED.
THE OVERVIEW THAT I WANT TO SHARE WITH US IS THIS, THE WHOLE OBJECTIVE OF THIS, WHEN I GOT THE, THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE IN THIS CITY AS COUNCIL, UM, I DIDN'T GO IN TRYING TO BE APOLOGETIC BY BEING A PASTOR.
I LET IT BE KNOWN WHEN I CAMPAIGNED AS A PASTOR.
WE GOT EVERYBODY THAT REPRESENTS THIS CITY ON THAT HORSESHOE ENGINEERS, REALTORS, DOCTORS.
WE GOT EVERYBODY AROUND THE CITY THAT REPRESENT WHATEVER THEIR PROFESSION IS.
SO I'M A PASTOR, AND I'M NOT APOLOGETIC ABOUT THAT.
MY WHOLE OBJECTIVE IS, IS TO HELP THE ADMINISTRATION AS WELL AS COUNCIL TO RESPECT THE FACT THAT WE HAVE PASTOR LEADERS IN THIS CITY, NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, AND WEST, BLACK, WHITE, BROWN, ASIAN, OF ALL.
AND SO, I JUST THINK THAT ONE OF THE GREATEST ENEMIES TO US IS NOT UNIFYING, NOT COMING TOGETHER.
WE ALL LIVE IN THE GREATEST CITY IN THE WORLD.
AND SO I BELIEVE, I BELIEVE THAT WHEN WE COULD DO THIS, THERE ARE GREAT LEADERS IN THIS ROOM.
I WISH I COULD GO THROUGH AND NAME 'EM ALL.
BUT I FELT LIKE THAT IF WE BRING ALL TOGETHER, 'CAUSE THAT'S THE WAY, AND I DIDN'T GET THAT WAY WHEN I GOT SAVED AND GOT IN CHURCH.
I WAS THAT WAY BECAUSE MY MOTHER RAISED ME THAT WAY.
SHE SAID, NOBODY'S BETTER THAN YOU, AND YOU ARE NO BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE.
SO WHAT THIS REPRESENTS TODAY, BROTHERS, SISTERS, IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF US, AS I SAW IT, AS A MINISTER'S ADVISORY BOARD TO THE MAYOR.
THE MAYOR WAS VERY WELCOMING WHEN I INTRODUCED IT TO HIM.
AND HE SAID TO ME, COUNCILMAN DAVIS, PASTOR DAVIS, I SUPPORT IT.
AND THE RESPECT TO THAT, THE MAYOR IS, UH, SOMETIMES I THINK HE'S A PREACHER.
I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S BEEN ORDAINED IN LICENSED YET, BUT SOMETIME I THINK HE IS.
BUT, BUT LET ME JUST SAY BROTHER SISTERS, I, I BELIEVE THIS IS THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE EVER HAD IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO WHERE THIS, THIS, THIS GATHERING LOOKS LIKE ALL OF HOUSTON.
AND THAT'S THE WAY I THINK IT SHOULD BE.
THIS ADVISORY BOARD IS GOING TO BE AN ORGANIZATION THAT'S GOING TO BENEFIT.
IT SHOWS THE BENEFITS THAT ACCESSIBILITY, AND NOT ONLY TO THE OFFICE OF OUR MAYOR AND COUNCIL, BUT ALSO THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO PUT OUR INPUT INTO HOW WE HELP THE CITY IN DIFFERENT AREAS THAT I KNOW WE CAN.
WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES HERE FROM THE AFRICAN AMERICAN POLICE OFFICER LEAD, WHICH I WILL TALK ABOUT LATER, AS WELL AS HPOU.
AND WE HAVE OTHERS WHO ARE HERE WITH US.
UH, AND WE ARE, WE, WE ARE JUST SO GRATEFUL AND HONORED THAT THEY'RE PRESENT WITH US.
SO, UH, WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'M GOING TO ASK THAT, UH, BROTHER V MICHAEL WOULD COME.
AND BREAKFAST IS BEING SERVED, UH, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO BE ACCUSED AND NOT ASK Y'ALL TO COME HERE AND NOT FEED YOU.
TO MAYOR WHITMEYER AND ALL OF THESE WONDERFUL CONSTITUENTS OF MINISTERS, UH, PASTOR RUDY.
I FEEL SAFE IN THIS SPACE WITH ALL OF THESE, UH, MEN OF GOD AND WOMEN OF GOD, AND
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OF LOCAL OFFICIALS.AND THE PEOPLE SINGING BEHIND ME ARE, WE ARE CALLED THE LEGEND SINGERS.
UH, THERE'S A PHRASE, LEDOR OF A DOOR FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION.
SO WE BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD PASS THE GOOD IN US DOWN TO THE NEXT GENERATION.
THAT'S WHY YOU SEE SOME DON'T LOOK LIKE LEGENDS, LIKE CHARISMA.
SHE'S A YOUNG LADY IN JOEL IS JUST A LITTLE BOY.
BUT THE REST OF US ARE, UH, YEAH, NICKY
AND THEN AS TRIVA, LET'S DO THIS.
SO WE CAN DO SOMETHING CORPORATE TOTAL.
AND YOU COULD JOIN IN ANY TIME YOU GET YOU WANT TO IN TIMES THE SOURCE OF MY AND I MOMENT, LIFT MY EYES, AND LORD, I THAT MY
[00:22:56]
YES, YOU SAID A AND UH, WE ARE CERTAINLY, WE ARE CERTAINLY EXCITED ABOUT ALL OF US COMING TOGETHER.BUT I DO WANT TO, I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE TOO, AMONG US OF OUR BELOVED BROTHERS.
I WANT TO THANK GOD MANY OF YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TWO BROTHERS.
THEY HAVE, WE HAVE MINISTER ABDUL HAKEEM MUHAMMAD AMONG US.
THANK YOU MY BROTHER FOR BEING HERE.
WE ALSO HAVE RABBI YZ STRONG RABBI.
THANK YOU FOR BEING AMONG US ON TODAY, BROTHER, SISTER.
BEFORE WE DISMISS, AND I, AS I SAID, THAT'S ONE THING I DO WANT TO DO.
BEFORE WE GET INTO THE PROGRAM AND INTRODUCE OUR MAYOR, I WANT TO INTRODUCE TO MANY OF YOU MY STAFF.
I HAVE, BY FAR THE THE BEST STAFF IN CITY COUNCIL.
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AMEN TO THAT.THESE YEAH, YOU, THEY, THEY THE BEST STAFF.
THAT, THAT THESE ARE AWESOME PEOPLE.
I WANT TO BRING THEM DOWN SO YOU'LL KNOW WHO THEY ARE AND HOW THEY LOOK.
AND THEN I GOT TO RECOGNIZE SOME OTHER PEOPLE HERE.
OUR CHAIR OF METRO, AS WELL AS OUR COMMISSIONER.
ANNETTE, WOULD YOU COME DOWN? COME ON DOWN.
SEE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MY STAFF HAD TO GET USED TO THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER THAT'S A PASTOR.
SO THEY HAVE TO KINDA GET, THIS IS MY CHIEF OF STAFF AND THAT DWYER, YES, THAT IS THE LADY WHO KEEPS ME TOUGH.
WE GOT ONE OF THE TOUGHEST ADMINISTRATORS.
AND I PURPOSELY WANTED HER THERE BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS I SAID WHEN I RAN FOR OFFICE, I WANTED MY STAFF TO LOOK LIKE HOUSTON.
AND SO MY ADMINISTRATIVE SCHEDULER IS STELLA RAMIREZ.
THESE PEOPLE HAVE TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF EXPERIENCE WITH CITY HALL, AND I NEEDED THAT.
ALSO MY ASSISTANT, UM, ADMINISTRATOR.
I WANTED A YOUNG ADULT BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO PUT YOUNG ADULTS IN THESE POSITIONS SO THAT THEY CAN LEARN THE SYSTEM AND AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, HELP THEM TO UNDERSTAND HOW ALL THIS STUFF WORKED.
AND WE WENT OUT THERE AND WE GRABBED THIS YOUNG LADY.
AND LEMME TELL YOU, SHE'S SMALL, BUT SHE'S TOUGH.
SHE KEEP MY CONSTITUENT TWO GUYS IN ORDER.
AND SHE IS IN COLLEGE AND THEN COMPUTER SCIENCE, AND SHE KNOWS WHAT SHE'S DOING.
MY OTHER TWO, I, I TOOK THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND I DIVIDED IT INTO HALF.
I TOOK I 45 NORTH AND SOUTH, AND I DIVIDED FROM THE NORTHEAST AND THE NORTHWEST ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE SOUTHEAST AND THE SOUTHWEST.
AND I GAVE EACH ONE OF MY CONSTITUENTS SERVICE GUY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THAT AREA, THE NORTHEAST OF OUR CITY.
EVERYTHING ON THAT SIDE IS REPRESENTED.
MY CONSTITUENT SERVICE IS REVEREND FREDDY, OLIVER.
UH, AND, UH, WE, HE TAKES CARE OF EVERYTHING NORTHEAST, ALL THE WAY TO SOUTHEAST.
SECONDLY, I BROUGHT THIS GUY ON.
AND THIS BROTHER, LET ME TELL YOU, YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT A PERFECTIONIST.
HE, AND, AND LISTEN, HE GONNA MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS RIGHT.
YOU PROBABLY SAW HIM BOUNCING AROUND LIKE A PING PONG BALL.
THIS IS THE GUY THAT TAKES CARE OF NORTHWEST ALL THE WAY DOWN TO SOUTHWEST.
AND SO THESE, THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT HELP ME DO WHAT I NEED TO DO IN TERMS OF SERVING OUR CITY.
AND I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW THEM.
AND WHEN YOU CALL THE OFFICE, ONE THING ABOUT AT LARGE, OFFICE NUMBER TWO, WHEN YOU CALL OUR OFFICE, YOU WILL VERY SELDOM GET A VOICEMAIL.
IF YOU GET A VOICEMAIL, IT'S BECAUSE EVERYBODY DONE WENT HOME AND IT'S AFTER WORK.
'CAUSE WE GENERALLY THERE ALL THE WAY.
I DO WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY BEFORE I BRING AMIR UP.
I, I WANT, MANY OF YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW OUR CHAIR OF METRO, UM, MISS ELIZABETH ROCK.
SHE IS SUCH A AWESOME PERSONALITY.
AND, UM, I, I WAS SO SURPRISED SHE CAME HERE TODAY.
SHE'S SO PLEASANT AND WONDERFUL.
SHE'S DOING A GREAT JOB IN OUR METRO SERVICES.
AND I WANT ALL OF US PASTORS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN TO KNOW HER.
OUR CHAIRMAN OF METRO ELIZABETH, STAND UP.
AND WE WILL, ON THE MINISTRY VALUES, YOU WILL GET A CHANCE TO SEE HER UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL, UH, AND HAVE A CHANCE.
THAT'S WHAT THIS ADVISOR IS ALL ABOUT, BRINGING PEOPLE BEFORE THE ADVISOR SO WE GET TO KNOW THEM AND SOME OF THE THINGS WE COULD DO TO INTERCHANGE AND HELP THEM.
THIS NEXT PERSON I WANT TO INTRODUCE, UH, IS NOT ONLY A GREAT INDIVIDUAL IN THE POLITICAL FIELD, BUT HE'S A PREACHER.
AND, UH, HE AND I HAVE, WE CROSSED PATHS MANY YEARS AGO.
DIDN'T KNOW THAT WE BOTH WILL BE IN DIFFERENT POSITION.
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TOM RAMSEY.DID HE HAVE TO LEAVE? HE HAVE TO LEAVE.
LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR OUR COMMISSIONER.
NOW, BEFORE I, BEFORE I GO FURTHER, WHAT I WANT TO DO BEFORE THAT, EVERYBODY HAVE A CARD ON THE TABLE.
WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS ASK YOU THAT IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THIS MINISTRY ADVISORY BOARD AND THE FURTHERING OF THE MINISTRY ADVISORY BOARD, WE'RE NOT PERFECT.
WE'RE TRYING TO PUT IT TOGETHER.
WE WANT THE SUGGESTIONS AND OTHER THINGS COMING FROM THE CITY IN THAT AREA.
UM, PASTOR DAVE WELCH, UM, AND PASTOR DON BERG, WE ARE TRYING TO PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN PUT TOGETHER A GOOD ADVISORY BOARD.
WHEN I TALKED ABOUT THIS DURING THE CAMPAIGN, MY GOOD FRIEND DR. RICHARD JOHNSON AND I, AND WE KNEW OF THE YEARS WHEN THIS ADVISORY BOARD WAS VERY IMPORTANT.
AND I WANT TO, TO GET A CHANCE, YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM A LADY LATER, AFTER OUR SPEAKERS COME, WHO I BELIEVE THAT EVERY PASTOR LEADER IN THIS CITY NEED TO KNOW.
ONE OF MY BIG THINGS WHEN I CAMPAIGNED WAS CRIME AND IS STILL ONE OF MY BIG DEALS, BROTHER.
SO SAID, IF WE DON'T FIX THE CRIME AND IF WE DON'T HELP THE MAYOR AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE ARE ALL IN TROUBLE.
SO YOU WILL HEAR FROM ANOTHER PERSON WHO I WANT TO INTRODUCE IN THIS MORNING, AND IT RELATES TO CRIME, BUT IT IS MY PLEASURE RIGHT NOW.
PUT YOUR NAME, YOUR EMAIL, AND YOUR PHONE NUMBER ON THAT CARD IF YOU ARE INTERESTED AND WANNA BE A PART THAT WAY.
THIS IS JUST THE INTRODUCTION BREAKFAST.
IT'S THE INTRODUCTION BREAKFAST TO OUR MINISTER ADVISOR BOARD TO THE MAYOR.
UM, SOME OF OUR BROTHERS WHO ARE HERE THAT SPEAK, UH, THAT, UH, THAT ARE SPANISH LEADERS.
MY WIFE IS GOING TO COME UP AND SHE'S GOING TO SPEAK TO YOU IN BRIEF ABOUT WHAT THE MAYOR SAID AND WHAT WE ARE SAYING.
UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU, OF COURSE, I GOT THE BENEFIT OF BOTH SIDES, ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
'CAUSE MY WIFE IS FROM COLUMBIA, BOGOTA.
SHE'S, SO, OF COURSE, I CAN'T TELL Y'ALL HOW MUCH OF A BIG HELP THAT IS TO ME WHEN, BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS WELCOME AND FEEL WELCOME IN THE SPIRIT OF THIS.
SO WHILE YOU'RE DOING THAT, LET ME TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE OUR MAYOR.
HE'S THE 63RD MAYOR OF THIS GREAT CITY OF HOUSTON, THE GREATEST CITY IN THE WORLD.
AND FOR MANY OF YOU, LET ME JUST SAY TO YOU UP CLOSE, AND Y'ALL KNOW I'M GOING TO SAY IT LIKE IT IS.
WHEN I GOT ON CITY COUNCIL, MOST OF YOU KNOW THAT I WAS THE GUY THAT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE THERE BY ALL MEASURES.
AND THE HONESTY AND THE FORESIGHT OF THE MAYOR IS THAT HE CALLED ME.
HE CALLED ME, CONGRATULATED ME AND SAID TO ME, COUNCILMAN PASTOR DAVIS.
AND HE SAID ALL THE TIME, I DON'T KNOW, HE'S A, HE'S A CHURCH GOING BROTHER.
AND HE SAYS, IT'S HARD FOR ME NOT TO CALL YOU PASTOR AND CALL YOU COUNCIL MEMBER.
I SAID, MAYOR, IT'S ALL RIGHT.
WHATEVER YOU CALL ME, I'M GONNA ANSWER.
BUT THIS MAYOR, BROTHER AND SISTERS, I BELIEVE FROM THE DEPTHS OF MY HEART, WANT TO SERVE THIS CITY LIKE, NO, NONE OTHER.
HE'S EASY TO TALK TO AND HE'S EASY TO REACH.
HE'S ALL OVER JUST A SHORT 10, UH, IN A HALF MONTHS THAT HE'S BEEN MAYOR, OUR CITY HAS MOVED IN A GOOD DIRECTION, A VERY POSITIVE DIRECTION.
I'M NOT TELLING YOU NOTHING YOU DON'T KNOW.
AND WHEN I WENT TO HIM ABOUT THE MINISTER ADVISORY BOARD TO THE MAYOR, HE SAID, COUNCILMAN DAVIS, YOU GOT IT.
I SAID, WE WANNA MEET ONCE A MONTH AT CITY HALL THAT ALL OF US COULD MEET.
HE SAID, I'LL GIVE YOU THE MAYOR'S CONFERENCE ROOM.
THAT'S THE KIND OF PERSON MAYOR WHITMEYER IS.
AND THE FACT THAT YOU ARE HERE TODAY, TRUST ME, HE IS WELL AWARE WHO'S IN THE ROOM AND HE DON'T FORGET.
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AND SO I'M PROUD TO WORK WITH HIM.I'M PROUD TO BE A PART OF THE ADMINISTRATION THAT HE'S SERVING THAT CITY.
AND I THINK THAT HOUSTON HAS GOT BETTER DAYS COMING.
SO WITHOUT ANY OTHER FURTHER ADO, COME ON LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
LET RECEIVE OUR MAYOR, MAYOR JOHN WIN BY THE 63RD MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I WAS AFRAID, UH, COUNCILMAN DAVIS IS GOING TO USE ALL MY TIME
I COULD SPEND MY ENTIRE MORNING RECOGNIZING INDIVIDUALS THAT I'VE WORKED WITH THROUGH THE YEAR, THE DIVERSE GROUP THAT WE GATHER HERE THIS MORNING.
THANK MANY OF YOU FOR ASSISTING ME IN MY PREVIOUS LEGISLATIVE CAREER AND CERTAINLY HELPING ME, UH, GET THE RESPONSIBILITY OF LEADING THIS GREAT CITY.
AND I ACCEPT THAT RESPONSIBILITY.
AND I WANTED TO BE HERE THIS MORNING.
I COULD PROBABLY BE AT A HUNDRED PLACES THIS MORNING AS THE MAYOR OF THIS CITY.
BUT THIS IS WHERE I WANTED TO BE.
AND THIS IS WHERE I NEED TO BE.
THIS IS THE FIRST, FIRST MINISTERIAL ADVISORY BOARD TO THE MAYOR.
BREAKFAST DURING MY ADMINISTRATION.
IT WAS BROUGHT TO ME BY PASTOR BERGS, THE LEADERSHIP OF THIS GROUP.
WE MET IN CITY HALL ABOUT SIX WEEKS AGO WITH THE CONCEPT.
AND IT WAS SO EASY FOR ME TO SAY, I NOT ONLY NEED YOUR ADVICE, I WANT IT.
AND WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
NOW, BRIEFLY BEFORE I GO TO MY REMARKS THAT I WANNA LEAVE YOU WITH, COUNCILMAN DAVIS IS SUCH A BREATH OF FRESH AIR.
WE NEED A MINISTER ON CITY COUNCIL.
NOW LET ME JUST, LET ME GIVE YOU SOME INSIDE INFORMATION.
HAVING NEVER SERVED AT CITY HALL, BUT A LONG DISTINGUISHED CAREER IN THE LEGISLATURE, I WAS ASKED BY HOUSTONIANS TO COME BACK AND RUN FOR MAYOR.
SO I KNEW WE HAD CHALLENGES, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW THE INNER WORKINGS OF CITY HALL.
SO ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I WAS ASKED, MAYOR, WHERE DO YOU WANT TO POSITION THE COUNCIL MEMBERS? I'M TALKING TO THE CITY SECRETARY.
I SAID, YOU KNOW, I REALLY DON'T CARE.
MOST OF 'EM, I KNOW SOME OF 'EM I DON'T KNOW, BUT WHAT'S THE ISSUE? WELL, GOD IS MY WITNESS.
SOME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS DON'T WANNA SIT BY COUNCILMAN DAVIS.
I SAY, WELL, IN THE WORLD IN WHICH I WORK IN, THAT'S THE PERSON YOU PUT NEXT TO HIM.
HE'S BEEN SUCH AN OUTSTANDING ALLY OF MINE.
AND WHEN THINGS GET A LITTLE ROUGH ON CITY COUNCIL, I WILL RECOGNIZE HIM AS PASTOR DAVIS.
'CAUSE I WANTED TO, I WANT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO KNOW WE GOT A MAN OF THE LORD SITTING RIGHT NEXT TO US.
BEFORE I GO ANY FURTHER, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE BISHOP BRYANT.
I CAN'T RECOGNIZE ALL THE MINISTERS, BUT I DO RESPECT THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR BISHOPS AND EVERYONE HERE THIS MORNING.
UH, BEFORE I GO ANY FURTHER, I WANT TO ASK YOU TO TAKE A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR DR.
HE HELPED SHAPE AND MOLD ME AND I KNOW HE'S WITH US TODAY.
MANY I COULD RECOGNIZE PASTOR PRESTON, MY MINISTER, YALE STREET BAPTIST, WHEN I NEED SOME UPLIFTING, YOU CAN FIND ME AT YALE STREET BAPTIST.
AND THEN I HAD SUCH TRUST AND FAITH IN HIM.
HE WAS ONE OF MY FIRST APPOINTMENTS TO METRO.
YOU'VE SEEN THE FIRE IN CHIEF, OUR METRO CHIEF.
WE HAVE A GREAT CITY, GREAT PEOPLE, BUT WE'VE GOT CHALLENGES, MAJOR CHALLENGES LIKE MOST MAJOR CITIES DO.
THE DIFFERENCE IS I RAN FOR MAYOR FOR ONE REASON.
HOUSTON'S CHALLENGES, THE FIX HOUSTON'S PUBLIC SAFETY, INFRASTRUCTURE, HEALTHCARE.
BUT WHAT I REALLY WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THIS MORNING, BECAUSE I WANT TO ENGA, I WANT YOU TO BE ENGAGED THIS MORNING.
[00:40:01]
QUESTION NOW THAT WE'RE HERE, AND I I'M GONNA TELL YOU HOW I GOT HERE.NOW THAT WE'RE HERE IN YOUR SELECTIVE ROLE, WHETHER YOU'RE LAW ENFORCEMENT, A BISHOP, METRO CRIMES, NOW THAT WE'RE HERE, YOU'RE IN THAT POSITION.
HOW'D WE GET HERE? AND I WISH WE HAD TIME.
CHIEF SKELTON, WHO WAS APPOINTED ASSISTANT CHIEF OF POLICE TWO DAYS AGO, DON'T MAKE A OUTSTANDING STAND UP CHIEF.
A MENT TO OUR YOUNG AFRICAN AMERICAN OFFICERS, MENT TO ALL THE YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR DEPARTMENT.
BUT I WANT US TO THANK AS MARTIN, I WANT YOU TO REFLECT.
I'LL GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF MINUTES OF MY TIME.
HOW'D YOU GET HERE? PASTORS WASN'T EASY.
THE POINT I WANT MAKE THIS MORNING IS I KNOW HOW I GOT HERE.
I WAS A 22-YEAR-OLD STUDENT AT U OF H IN 1972, OVER 50 YEARS AGO GOING TO U OF H, WORKING MY WAY THROUGH U OF H.
I WAS HAPPEN, HAPPENED TO BE AT THE FOOD STAMP OFFICE, A NEW NUTRITION PROGRAM THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAD JUST INSTALLED.
I DID HOME VISITS AS A 22-YEAR-OLD GROWING UP IN OAK FOREST AND GARDEN OAKS FOLKS, IT WAS A DIFFERENT WORLD BACK THEN.
WE WOULDN'T BE CELEBRATING OUR DIVERSITY THAT WE WITNESSED THIS MORNING CAME OUTTA WALTRIP HIGH SCHOOL, WORKING MY WAY THROUGH U OF H, STARTED AT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
IT WAS SOUTH TEXAS JUNIOR COLLEGE AT THE TIME.
AND I SAW THINGS THAT I WANTED TO FIX BACK IN 1972.
MY JOB WAS TO VERIFY THE, THE APPLICATION FOR FOOD STAMPS.
SO CHECK THEIR ELECTRIC BILL, COUNT THEIR KIDS, YOU KNOW, THE ROUTINE OF TRYING TO MAKE CERTAIN THEY WERE QUALIFIED.
I QUALIFIED EVERYONE, OKAY? BUT IT SHAPE AND MOLDED ME.
I ASKED THE LADY OVER OFF LINES AVENUE WHY HER LIGHT BILL WAS SO HIGH COMPARED TO OTHERS.
SHE SAID, YOUNG MAN, I HAVE TO LEAVE THE LIGHTS ON ALL NIGHT LONG SO THE RATS DO NOT EAT THE BABY'S NIPPLE OFF OF THE BABY BOTTLE.
TRUE STORY SHAPE AND MOLDED ME.
AND I KNEW WE COULD DO BETTER THEN AS A YOUNG 22-YEAR-OLD.
SO WHEN I SAW THE REDISTRICTING PLAN OF 1971, DR. MURRAY SAID, WHERE YOU LIVE IN OAK FOREST, THERE'S NO ONE RUNNING, NO INCUMBENT.
I SAID, WELL, MY CHURCH IS THERE.
MY MOTHER'S A NURSE AT NORTHWEST MEMORIAL.
I THINK THEY DREW THAT ONE FOR ME.
SO I WENT HOME AND TOLD MY PARENTS I WANTED TO STAY OUT THE SPRING OF 72.
THE PRIMARIES WERE IN MAY BACK THEN RUN FOR THE LEGISLATURE.
I CAN RECALL, LIKE IT WAS YESTERDAY.
MY FATHER SAID, YOU MIGHT AS WELL NOW JUST STOP AND THINK ABOUT HOW MY LIFE AND THE IMPACT I'VE HAD COULD HAVE BEEN SO DIFFERENT.
I'D SAVED $5,000 TO GO TO LAW SCHOOL.
SO I BOUGHT ME SOME SIGNS AND CARDS AGAIN.
I'VE KNOCKED EVERY DOOR BETWEEN 11TH STREET, PINE MOUNT HEMPSTEAD, AND 45.
SOME OF 'EM I'D KNOCKED TWICE.
NOW HERE WE GO TO THE POINT I WANNA LEAVE YOU WITH, AND I WISH WE COULD HEAR YOUR STORY.
I DON'T THINK THAT JUST HAPPENED.
I DON'T THINK THAT JUST HAPPENED.
22 EUROS DID NOT GET ELECTED TO THE LEGISLATURE WITHOUT MONEY KNOCKING DOORS.
I GOT ELECTED WITH A WHOLE CLASS OF OUTSTANDING FOLKS.
MICKEY LELAND KIND OF PUT ME UNDER HIS WING ON TOP OF HIS SHOULDERS.
ANTHONY HALL, BEN REYES, SONIA.
IT WAS A NEW BEGINNING FOR THE LEGISLATURE TO HAVE PEOPLE OF COLOR WOMEN GO THE LEGISLATURE.
AND THIS 23-YEAR-OLD, BY THE TIME I WAS SWORN IN, I THINK IT WAS DIVINE INTERVENTION.
I THINK THE LORD KNEW I WAS GONNA GET ELECTED TO LEGISLATURE, SPEND MY ENTIRE ADULT LIFE AS A PUBLIC
[00:45:01]
OFFICIAL.I THINK THE MAYOR'S JOB WAS A CALLING.
I WAS IN THE SENATE THIS TIME LAST YEAR, MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
THE LONGEST SERVING SENATOR, THE ONLY DEMOCRAT IN A REPUBLICAN CONTROLLED BODY.
YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO THAT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
YOU DIDN'T JUST BECOME THE PASTOR OF A CHURCH.
NOW HERE'S WHERE I WANT TO FINISH UP THIS MORNING.
WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO WITH IT? WE KNOW HOW WE GOT THERE.
YOU ANSWERED THE CALL THAT I ANSWERED.
WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO WITH IT, FOLKS? ONE OF MY FAVORITE STORIES IS I LISTENED TO PRESIDENT OBAMA UP AT UT WHEN HE WAS PRESIDENT, KIND OF DISCUSSING LIFE AND HOW HE BECAME PRESIDENT, WHAT HE PLANNED TO DO WITH IT.
HE TELLS A STORY ABOUT L-B-J-L-B-J WAS A SOUTHERN SENATOR.
SEGREGATION HAD BEEN A PART OF HIS LIFE, BUT I BELIEVE HE WAS CALLED AT THIS POINT IN HISTORY, TAKING AFTER THE TRAGEDY OF, OF THE SHOOTING OF PRESIDENT KENNEDY.
SUPPOSEDLY HE WAS IN THE OVAL OFFICE LOOKING AT THE FINAL VERSION OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT.
FOLKS, IT WAS A DIFFERENT WORLD BACK THEN.
DIFFERENT WORLD WHEN I STARTED.
BUT HIS ADVISORS TOLD HIM IF HE PASSED THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT, WHICH HE HAD WORKED WITH MARTIN LUTHER KING, ANDREW YOUNG, AND OTHERS TO DRAFT THAT IF HE PASSED IT, PUSHED IT.
HE'D LOSE THE SOUTH SUPPOSEDLY.
HE SAID, WHY BE PRESIDENT IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA DO SOMETHING WITH IT? THAT'S RIGHT.
AND THAT IS, THAT IS MY CHALLENGE TO YOU THIS MORNING.
WHETHER YOU'RE THE METRO CHAIR, THE FIRE CHIEF CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, A BISHOP, WE'RE A POINT IN TIME WHERE WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO WASTE.
THERE'S PEOPLE TRYING TO DIVIDE US.
AS I STAND BEFORE YOU, THERE'S GONNA BE PUSHBACK TO US HAVING A MAYOR'S MINISTERIAL ADVISORY GROUP.
I WAS TOLD BY A COMMUNITY LEADER A COUPLE MONTHS AGO THAT I COULD NEVER HAVE A HISPANIC FIRE CHIEF AND A HISPANIC POLICE CHIEF AT THE SAME TIME.
I KNEW I'D WORKED WITH THESE MEN IN THEIR PREVIOUS CAPACITY, AND THEY WERE CAN-DO, GET IT DONE, JUST LIKE PASTOR PRESTON ON METRO.
AND I COULD GO THROUGH MY LIST OF APPOINTMENTS.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS WHEN THEY TOLD ME I COULDN'T HAVE A HISPANIC FIRE CHIEF AND POLICE CHIEF, MY RESPONSE WAS, WATCH ME, WATCH ME.
SO WHEN THEY TELL ME I CAN'T WORK HAND IN HAND WITH COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, AND I CAN'T GO TO A MINISTERIAL MAYOR'S ADVISORY GROUP, I SAY, WATCH ME.
BUT I'M CHALLENGING YOU TO TAKE THAT ATTITUDE BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY, TO YOUR CHURCH, TO YOUR JOB.
WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO WASTE OUR KNOWLEDGE, WISDOM AND CONTACTS CLOSING.
I NEED YOU, EVERYONE I'M MAKING ON CONTACT, RUDY, I NEED YOU.
WE'RE ROLLING OUT A PLAN THIS AFTERNOON TO ADDRESS THE HOMELESSNESS.
OH, THERE'LL BE SOME SAY LIKE, I, I DON'T KNOW WHY I KEEP READING A CHRONICLE, BUT ANYWAY, THEY'LL SAY, WELL, IT DOESN'T DO ENOUGH.
WHERE ARE YOU GONNA PUT 'EM? HOW ARE YOU GONNA PAY FOR IT, FOLKS? WE'RE GONNA DO IT AND WE'RE GONNA DO IT WITH COMPASSION.
WE'RE GONNA OFFER 'EM A RESIDENTIAL.
AND IF THEY DON'T WANT TO GO, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GOING TO BE VERY FIRM, COMPASSIONATE AND FIRM.
YOU'VE GOTTA GET OFF THE STREETS.
WE'RE GONNA RECLAIM THE PUBLIC SPACE FOR HOUSTONIANS.
WE'RE GONNA RECLAIM OUR LIBRARY.
WE GONNA RECLAIM YOUR COMMUNITY.
SEE, THE NOTION THAT I'VE LEARNED IN CITY HALL IS EACH DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER
[00:50:01]
WANTS A CIVILITY ZONE FOR THEIR DISTRICT.SOUTHMORE AND ALAMEDA, HARRISBURG, EVERYBODY WANTS LITTLE POCKETS OF NO HOMELESSNESS ON THE STREETS.
BUT WE'RE GONNA BE FIRM AND WE'RE GONNA ROLL IT OUT THIS AFTERNOON AND CLOSING AT SOME POINT IN TIME, I'M GONNA HAVE TO GO TO THE HOUSTONIANS AND ASK 'EM TO PAY FOR IT.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT, WE HAVE A HOSPITAL DISTRICT.
WHY DON'T WE HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH AND HOMELESS DISTRICT? I THINK, I THINK I THINK HOUSTONIANS WOULD HELP US CARE FOR THE HOMELESS.
BUT FOR, AND THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF I'VE DECIDED AS LBJ SAID, WHY BE MAYOR IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA DO SOMETHING WITH IT? SO THANK YOU.
I NEED YOUR PRAYERS, YOUR COLLABORATION.
THIS IS A GREAT IDEA, REVEREND DAVIS.
WE HAVE HEARD FROM OUR MAYOR
NOW I DO WANT ALL OF US TO TAKE NOTE OF THE FACT BEFORE WE LEAVE, WE GOT A FEW MORE SPEAKERS THAT, UH, AND ALWAYS TALK ABOUT, UH, MY MAYOR.
AND, UH, I'M SURE MOST OF YOU TOOK NOTE OF THE FACT THAT, UH, HE CLOSED ABOUT THREE TIMES
YOU KNOW, HEY, YOU GOTTA CLOSE IT ABOUT THREE TIMES.
I WANT TO, UM, I I WANT TO, IF WE, BEFORE I, WE DO HAVE, UH, SOME THAT ARE HERE, BUT, BUT BROTHER SISTERS, CAN WE ALL JUST THANK GOD FOR V MICHAEL MCKAY AND THOSE SINGERS.
AS WE COME, WE'RE GOING TO HEAR WE, WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF GREAT SINGERS IN A LOT OF OUR MINISTRIES THAT WE GOING TO HEAR FROM BROTHER JOSH, UH, FROM THE GRACE CHURCH.
UH, I'M HOPING AND PRAYING TO GOD AS WE GO FORWARD, WE DO SOMETHING.
WE GOING TO HEAR FROM JOHN FROM GRACE CHURCH NORTH AWESOME BROTHER IN, IN MINISTRY AND SINGING IN GOSPEL.
I'M JUST SAYING IF I MAY, I'M, I'M WANT TO INTRODUCE THESE PEOPLE TO COME UP AND I KNOW WE, WE, WE MOVING ON TIME, BUT I'M JUST SO THANKFUL.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER TO BE MORE EXCITED OR MORE THANKFUL FOR WHAT GOD HAS DONE THIS MORNING.
BUT THESE PEOPLE ARE GONNA COME AND I'M GONNA ASK THEM TO COME.
SO EACH ONE AFTER THEY SPEAK, UM, WITH THE TIME ALLOTTED, UH, OUR CHIEF, A POLICE, UH, CHIEF, UH, JAY NOEY DIAZ, COULD NOT BE HERE THIS MORNING BECAUSE HE'S OUTTA CITY, I UNDERSTAND.
BUT HIS EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT CHIEF JESSICA ANDERSON IS HERE.
AND, UH, SHE'S GOING TO COME AND SPEAK ON THE BEHALF OF OUR CHIEF.
AND THEN FOLLOWING HER IS OUR CHIEF OF FIRE, UH, HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT.
MY BELOVED BROTHER, HE'S SUCH AN AWESOME PERSON, TRUST ME, PASTORS CHIEF THOMAS MUNOZ IS GOING TO COME FOLLOWING HER.
AND THEN AFTER THAT IS OUR, UH, DIRECTOR, UH, THE BELOVED.
AND HE HAS GOT SOME WONDERFUL THINGS.
AND YOU'RE GOING TO FIND OUT WHY I'M SO OVERWHELMED BY THE MAYOR'S APPOINTMENT OF HIM, AS WELL AS CHIEF DIAZ AND CHIEF MUNOZ.
AND THAT IS OUR DIRECTOR OF HOMELAND SECURITY, UH, LARRY SATTERWHITE.
AND THEN, UM, I WANT TO INTRODUCE TO US OUR, UH, CEO, UM, FROM CRIME STOPPERS RANYA, UH, MAN CARIUS.
AND YOU'RE GONNA HEAR FROM THEM, SO COME ON.
I'M AN EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT CHIEF WITH THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AS HE SAID, CHIEF DIAZ IS OUT TODAY.
HE REGRETS THAT HE COULDN'T BE HERE BECAUSE THIS IS QUITE A SHOWING OF SUPPORT FOR NOT ONLY THE COMMUNITY, BUT THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ALL THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO WE'RE GRATEFUL TO COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS FOR HAVING US.
UM, THIS IS A VERY EXCITING TIME.
THERE ARE A LOT OF, UM, GROUPS THAT WORK
[00:55:01]
TOGETHER, UH, TO TRY TO BRING THE PASTORS IN THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER.BUT TO HAVE A BRIDGE, UH, TO GET ALL OF US TOGETHER, UM, WILL BE VERY HELPFUL.
AND WE ARE, AGAIN, VERY GRATEFUL FOR YOU TO DO THAT FOR US.
UM, WE TALK A LOT ABOUT LEADERSHIP AND LOOKING TO THIS GROUP AS LEADERS IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
WE NEED YOUR HELP TO DO WHAT WE CAN.
PUBLIC SAFETY IS A LOT OF THINGS, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO ARREST OUR WAY OUT OF THE THINGS THAT WE SEE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WE KNOW THAT WE CAN DO BETTER BY SERVING OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE RELY ON THE LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY LIKE YOURSELVES TO HELP US DO THAT AND TO BRIDGE THAT GAP.
UH, I'VE TALKED TO COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS ABOUT PASTORS, POLICE AND PEOPLE, AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET AT, TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO BOTH SERVE AND PROTECT.
WE USE THOSE WORDS, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOKING LIKE THIS IN THIS UNIFORM WITH A BADGE AND A GUN.
BUT SERVICE AND PROTECTION CAN BE A LOT OF THINGS AS YOU WELL KNOW IN YOUR, YOUR ROLES.
UM, WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF COLLABORATION WITH THE PASTORS.
UM, ALEXANDER IS A CHAIR OF OUR IUB.
WE RELY ON HIM TO HELP US MAKE DECISIONS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
BUT NOW WITH THIS PLATFORM, WE'RE HOPEFUL AND GRATEFUL THAT WE'LL HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT WITH MORE OF THE, UM, RELIGIOUS LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AS AN EXECUTIVE MEMBER OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, I CAN NEVER GET IN PUBLIC WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT RECRUITING.
THAT'S ANOTHER PLACE WHERE WE NEED YOUR HELP.
UM, YOU HAVE ACCESS TO THE COMMUNITY IN WAYS THAT WE DO NOT ALWAYS.
AND SO THAT IS ANOTHER PLACE THAT WE'RE HOPING THAT THIS PARTNERSHIP WILL HELP US BRING MORE PEOPLE INTO OUR FOLD, UM, TO HELP US WITH THE SERVICE AND PROTECTION THAT WE ALL NEED.
SO, AGAIN, I'M GONNA CLOSE ONLY ONE TIME BY SAYING THANK YOU TO COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS.
UM, AGAIN, WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS AND WE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHERE IT GOES.
AND JUST AS MAYOR WHITMEYER WAS SAYING JUST RECENTLY WAS THE APPOINTMENT THAT, SO BROTHER, LET ME JUST TELL YOU ONE THING I LEARNED ABOUT MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER.
IF HE TELLS YOU SOMETHING, HE CAN KEEP HIS WORD.
MATTER OF FACT, HE HAD A, I I WAS FIRST GOT ON COUNCIL AND, AND, UH, SOME, ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WAS TALKING TO HIM ABOUT SOMETHING, AND IMMEDIATELY HE SAID TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER AFTER THEY HAD FINISHED SPEAKING, AND HE TURNED TO HIM, AND HE SAID, IF I TELL YOU A GOAT CAN PULL A TRAIN, HE SAID, HOOK HIM UP,
SO NEXT IS OUR CHIEF OF, UH, OUR WELL HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT, MY FRIEND.
AND HE'S GONNA SPEAK IN AT LEAST BECAUSE HE IS GOTTA GET OUT REAL SOON AT CHIEF THOMAS MUNOZ.
UM, YEAH, SO I, I WAS, UH, I WANTED TO BE PART OF THE ADVISORY BOARD, BUT I ASKED IF I TO BE A MINISTER AND HE SAID HE IS GONNA WORK ON IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY GREAT TO BE HERE, I THINK SEEING, UH, THE PASTORS AND THE MINISTERS, AND THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN A BIG HELP TO US.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S ALSO I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR IS FOR THE MAYOR, FOR WHAT HE'S DONE FOR US, SETTING THE TREND ON COMPASSION.
UM, LAST NIGHT I READ AN ARTICLE AND I SAID, OH GOD, IT'S GOT A PICTURE OF THE MAYOR AND MYSELF.
AND, UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS.
LAST WEEK, YES, WE HAD OUR FELLOW FIREFIGHTER, MARCELO OX GARCIA PASS AWAY.
IT WAS PRETTY, IT WAS AN EXTRA HARDER DAY BECAUSE THAT WAS MY OLD FIRE STATION.
AND ACTUALLY THAT WAS THE FIRST STATION THE MAYOR EVER WENT TO HAVE DINNER WHEN, UH, WE WANTED TO THANK HIM.
UH, SO THANK YOU MAYOR FOR THAT.
BUT A STORY CAME OUT AND IT WAS ABOUT THE COMPASSION, RIGHT? AND IT WAS ABOUT THE MAYOR AND THE EMPATHETIC COMPASSION.
AND I SAID, AND I KNOW THAT THIS ORGANIZATION, THIS ADVISORY BOARD COUNCIL MEMBER, IS JUST THE RIGHT PLATFORM TO SHOWCASE THAT COMPASSION PIECE.
AND, YOU KNOW, GROWING UP POOR, JUST LIKE THE MAYOR, I, I THINK MAYBE I WAS ONE OF THE ONES MAYBE YOU APPROVED FOR FOOD STAMPS.
[01:00:01]
DON'T KNOWUM, BUT WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT AND WHAT WE STAND FOR NOW IS COMPASSION.
MY FOSTER PARENT USED TO SAY THAT PRAYERS WERE FREE.
AND IT SHOWED LAST WEEK WHEN OUR CITY FACED A TOUGH, TOUGH DAY.
AND I KNOW THE MAYOR AND I WERE TOGETHER AND CHIEF SATTERWHITE, CHIEF DIAZ WHEN WE GOT THE CALL.
BUT I REMEMBER IT STARTED WITH PRAYER.
AND FOR SOME REASON, AND I KNOW WHAT IT WAS, I SAW OUR MEMBERS TAKE COMFORT IN THAT.
SO THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY.
I, UM, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
I REALLY AM, BECAUSE I KNOW IT WAS THE CHURCH THAT TOOK ME IN AS A, AS A, AS A CHILD.
UM, JUST SAY IN THE FOSTER SYSTEM WAS NOT FUN.
BUT THE CHURCH TOOK ME IN AND THAT'S THE ONLY HOME I KNEW.
AND THANKS TO GOD UPSTAIRS, I HAD A LOVING WHAT I SAY, MOTHER WAS CHURCH-BASED.
SO I LEARNED ALL THAT FROM HER.
SO LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
AND AS THE MAYOR ALWAYS SAYS, LET'S GET TO WORK.
AND IN CLOSING, LET'S GET TO WORK.
ALSO, THIS GENTLEMAN I'M GONNA INTRODUCE AS OUR DIRECTOR OF HOMELAND SECURITY.
THIS IS AN AREA NOT ONLY OF HOMELAND SECURITY, BUT PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
THIS IS THE BROTHER WHO, WHEN HE STOOD BEFORE COUNCIL, I SUGGESTED TO HIM THAT THE PROBLEMS THAT THE MAYOR EXPERIENCED DURING HURRICANE BARREL WITHOUT A PLAN IN PLACE WOULD NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN.
AND, UH, DIRECTOR LARRY
COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS AND PASTOR DAVIS, WE REALLY, REALLY PASTOR DAVIS, WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
AND THANK YOU MAYOR FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
UH, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
UH, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T REALLY KIND CALL OUT THE SINGERS.
RASMUS, WHERE ARE YOU? THE TEAM? UNBELIEVABLE.
SO, UH, WE ALL KNOW A MOTHER'S LOVE, RIGHT? IT SURPASSES ALL OVER.
IT'S JUST, JUST, JUST, WE JUST MOTHERS LOVE.
AND, AND MY MOTHER, UH, LOVED ME, UH, IMMENSELY.
BUT SHE ALWAYS USED TO TELL ME ONE THING, WHICH IS, SON, YOU'RE A MAN OF MANY TALENTS.
SINGING ISN'T ONE OF THEM
THAT WAS AMAZING, BUT I KNOW HOW TO APPRECIATE IT.
SO I HAVE PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY FOR THE CITY.
THE MAYOR PUT ME IN THAT POSITION WITH THE, UH, THE ORDER TO MAKE THE CITY STRONGER, MAKE THE CITY SAFER, UH, DO ALL THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO TO GET OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, ALL THE EQUIPMENT THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND SAFE IN THE COMMISSION OF THEIR DUTIES TO PROTECT EVERYBODY.
UH, AND THEN, AND I DO THAT A LOT OF WAYS THAT I WON'T TAKE UP TOO MUCH TIME, YOUR TIME TODAY TO TELL YOU.
BUT I WILL TELL YOU, IT STARTS WITH PRAYER.
AND I DO A LOT OF IT, YOU KNOW, UH, AND, UH, SO, AND I KNOW THAT I AM IN THE RIGHT ROOM RIGHT NOW TO SAY THAT.
AND TO SAY THAT WE NEED YOUR PRAYER.
UH, WE DO IT A LOT OF WAYS IN GETTING THAT EQUIPMENT.
WE PLAN, WE DO A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT PROBABLY MORE THAN ANYTHING, UM, WE REALLY BUILD RELATIONSHIPS AND WE TRY TO PREPARE THE COMMUNITY.
SO I NEED TO GIVE YOU, RIGHT, TELL YOU RIGHT NOW THAT I'VE ALREADY BEEN TALKING TO, TO PASTOR DAVIS, COME OUT FROM DAVIS AND HE HAS ALREADY VOLUNTEERED ALL OF YOU AND ALL OF YOUR CHURCHES TO BE OUR PARTNERS.
AND HOW WE DO THAT, WE NEED PLACES THAT WHEN THE CITY DOES FACE A POTENTIAL CATASTROPHE, WE'RE TO TAKE PEOPLE.
AND HE SAID, OUR CHURCHES WILL DO IT.
I DON'T, I HAVE, UH, PARTNERS IN THIS EFFORT AND, UH, UH, DIRECTOR RYAN MASON AND DIRECTOR RANDY MACKEY, WHO JUST GOT APPOINTED AS DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS YESTERDAY, UH, CONGRATULATIONS.
AND WE'RE ALL TRYING TO TARGET HARD IN THE CITY TO MAKE IT BETTER, TO MAKE IT STRONGER, TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WHEN CATASTROPHE STRIKES, LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER ST.
DAVIS SAID THAT WE'RE BETTER PREPARED SO THAT THAT DOESN'T AFFECT US, THAT WE CAN GET BACK ON OUR
[01:05:01]
FEET QUICKER.I WATCHED IT DURING HURRICANE HARVEY, HOW EVERYBODY CAME TOGETHER.
I'VE WATCHED IT THROUGH MANY, I DID 34 YEARS WITH THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND I GOT TO WITNESS AMAZING THINGS BY, BY THE PUBLIC.
I'M SO PROUD TO CALL MYSELF A PART OF THIS TEAM, THIS HOUSTON TEAM, THIS IN THIS REGION, AND HOW WE RESPOND BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE.
AND, AND SO, SO THAT'S JUST A WONDERFUL THING.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
AND, AND IN THE COMING DAYS AND WEEKS AND MONTHS, I'LL BE REACHING OUT TO ALL OF YOU, UH, TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
HOW WE CAN BETTER PREPARE OUR CITIZENRY, OUR RESIDENTS, EVERYBODY IN THE CITY AND THE REGION TO BE STRONGER, MORE CAPABLE, MORE PREPARED, TRAINED FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE.
YOU KNOW, I USED TO SAY WE GOT THE TWO SIDES OF A LEDGER.
YOU GOT THE SIDE DURING A CATASTROPHE OF, OF THOSE THAT THAT MIGHT END UP BEING A VICTIM.
AND THEN YOU GOT THOSE THAT ARE PROBABLY GONNA BE PRO PREPARED AND ABLE TO RESPOND.
SO I WANNA MOVE EVERYBODY OVER TO THE SIDE OF BETTER PREPARED AND ABLE TO RESPOND.
AND THAT TAKES ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HAVING ME.
ALRIGHT? PRAISE GOD, THANK YOU TOGETHER.
LISTEN, THERE'S NOBODY CAN DO IT LIKE THE CHURCH.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, I WAS SHARING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WAS TALKING ABOUT THAT PASTOR RE AND I, THIS IS STUFF THE CHURCH DO EVERY DAY.
THEY'RE ALWAYS OUT THERE HELPING PEOPLE.
AND, UH, IT IS JUST RIGHT THAT WHEN OUR CITY IS IN TROUBLE, THE TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE PASTORS, THEY HAVE BUILDINGS, THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THINGS, AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO SEE HAPPEN.
AND UH, WHEN I SPOKE TO OUR HOMELAND SECURITY DIRECTOR SATELLITE, HE SAID, ABSOLUTELY.
THERE'S TOO MANY THINGS ACCESSIBLE THROUGH THE CHURCH, AND WE DO IT ALL THE TIME.
NOBODY DO IT BETTER THAN THE CHURCH.
SO WHY NOT USE THOSE RESOURCES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE THERE? UM, BEFORE I BRING UP, UH, RANYA, I WANT TO SAY I MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT, AND, AND WE HEARD THE ASSISTANT CHIEF TALK ABOUT A PROGRAM THAT I INTRODUCED TO THE MAYOR AS WELL AS TO OUR CHIEF.
AND IT WAS CALLED THE PPP POLICE PASTORS AND PEOPLE.
WHAT BETTER GROUP THAT CAN SET THE STANDARD.
YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT THIS FOR A LONG TIME.
UH, DAVE WELCH, WHO HAS BEEN THE LEADER OF THE HOUSTON AIR PASTOR COUNCIL FOR YEARS, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
WE'VE HAD THESE BATTLES ABOUT HOW WE FIX THE SITUATIONS IN OUR CITY.
SO THIS, THIS THING OF PPP THAT I CAME UP WITH WAS, WE TAKE THE POLICE, WE BRIDGE IT WITH THE PASTORS, WE TAKE IT TO THE PEOPLE, AND WE HELP FIX OUR CITY.
CRIME DOESN'T KILL WHAT COLOR YOU ARE.
CRIME DOESN'T CARE WHAT COMMUNITY YOU IN.
CRIME DOESN'T CARE WHAT YOUR ACADEMIC STATUS IS.
THEY'LL HURT ANYBODY AT ANY TIME IN ORDER TO GET STUFF DONE.
BUT THINK ABOUT A CITY THAT WE BRIDGE.
SO I WENT TO MY BROTHERS PRESIDENT LOVE AND EVERY CARR FROM THE AFRICAN AMERICAN POLICE OFFICER LEAGUE WHO'S GOING TO PARTNER WITH US AND THE OTHER OFFICERS UNIONS TO PRESENT THAT.
WE DEAL WITH PEOPLE EVERY DAY.
MANY TIMES YOUNG PEOPLE WHO GET INTO CRIME, SOME OF 'EM WILL COME OUT OF, HAVE PARENTS THAT ARE IN OUR CHURCHES SO WE CAN REACH THEM.
WE GOT SMALL PASTOR LEADERS IN HERE.
SJ GILBERT, WHO, WHO, UM, WE HAD SPOKE ABOUT THIS EARLIER.
SO MANY LEADERS IN HERE, AND BROTHER, THIS IS ALL I'M TRYING TO DO.
I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE OUR CITY BETTER, TRYING TO DO WHAT IT MAKE, BUT MAKE SURE THAT THE SPIRITUAL LEADERS OF OUR CITY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PART OF WHAT MAKES THE CITY BETTER.
WE CAN'T COMPLAIN ABOUT STUFF IF WE ARE NOT INVOLVED, IF WE'RE NOT PUTTING FORTH ANY EFFORT, THEN WHY COMPLAIN? BUT WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER, WE CAN DO IT.
SO THEY ARE HERE, WE ARE GONNA ROLL THAT OUT, HOPEFULLY THROUGH THE ADVISORY BOARD.
NOW ON THE SUBJECT OF CRIME, THIS LADY WHO I PARTNERED WITH MANY YEARS AGO, UM, NOT JUST WHEN I GOT ON COUNCIL, BUT EVEN BEFORE, SHE IS DIRECTOR OF A CEO OF PRIME STOPPERS.
AND, UH, RANYA IS JUST PHENOMENAL.
AND SHE'S GOING TO PRESENT SOMETHING THAT I ALSO BECAME A PART OF AND SHE WOULD TELL YOU ABOUT IT.
BUT THEN THERE'S ANOTHER PIECE THAT SHE LIKED TO SHARE.
COME ON, RUN YOU FROM CRIME STOPPER.
COUNCIL MEMBER, WE SAY THE SAME THING.
WE, WE GIVE YOU ALL THE TITLES,
UM, AND I'LL ALSO SAY, I JUST KEPT THINKING IF I WOKE UP IN THE MORNING AND MADE COFFEE AND V MICHAEL MCKAY'S TEAM WAS IN THE KITCHEN,
[01:10:01]
I'D HAVE A GOOD PRODUCTIVE DAY EVERY DAY.I'M THE CEO OF CRIME STOPPERS OF HOUSTON.
MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD OF CRIME STOPPERS.
MAYBE YOU DON'T ALL KNOW WHAT WE DO.
WE DO HAVE A VERY WELL KNOWN TIP LINE, BUT WE'RE VERY, VERY ACTIVE IN THE SCHOOLS AND IN THE COMMUNITY MITIGATING CRIME.
I WILL SHARE, AND I DON'T SHARE THIS OFTEN, BUT I WENT TO SEMINARY BEFORE LAW SCHOOL.
FAITH LEADS SO MUCH OF WHAT I DO, MY COO ONE DAY SAID TO ME EVERY SINGLE MORNING AT 7:00 AM THERE'S THIS THING ON YOUR CALENDAR, P FOUR SEVEN, THIS WAS MAYBE SIX YEARS AGO.
SHE SAID, WE'RE TRYING TO, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THIS MEETING EVERY MORNING, SEVEN O'CLOCK.
I SAID, I'M PRAYING FOR SEVEN THINGS EVERY SINGLE MORNING.
AND IT INCLUDES OUR COMMUNITY, IT INCLUDES OUR STAFF, IT INCLUDES OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRST RESPONDERS, AND FOR ME, A LOT OF THE CHILDREN THAT WE SERVE.
SO I WANNA INVITE YOU TO BECOME FAMILIAR WITH US.
THE MAYOR WILL, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS TALKED ABOUT BRINGING COMMUNITIES TOGETHER, AND THE MAYOR TALKED ABOUT KNOWING YOUR CALLING.
I'LL TELL YOU THAT MY CALLING PERSONALLY IS TO PROTECT CHILDREN AND TO PROTECT FAMILIES.
UM, I'VE SEEN THE UTTER DESPAIR IN A PARENT'S FACE WHEN THEY'VE LOST A CHILD OR THEY KNOW THAT A CHILD'S BEEN EXPLOITED OR A CHILD'S MADE BAD CHOICES.
I'VE ALSO SEEN THE BROKENNESS IN A KID WHO DIDN'T KNOW THEY COULD MAKE A DIFFERENT CHOICE.
SO WE'RE VERY ACTIVE TO MITIGATE CRIME AND TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.
THE MAYOR MENTIONED, WHAT IS YOUR CALLING? WHAT BROUGHT YOU HERE? KNOWING YOUR CALLING, BEING ABLE TO HEAR IT AND BEING COURAGEOUS TO FOLLOW IT.
THOSE ARE THE THREE THINGS I PRAY FOR ALSO, AND I JUST WANNA SHARE THAT WE ARE SO EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT NEXT YEAR, KNOWING THE STATE OF WHAT CHILDREN FACE AND HOW DIFFERENT IT'S BECOME FOR OUR CHILDREN.
YOU THINK OF YOUR OWN CHILDHOOD.
IT'S SO DIFFERENT THAN OUR OWN.
WE ARE GOING TO LAUNCH A CAMPAIGN TO REACH 1 MILLION CHILDREN FOR SAFETY IN A SPAN OF ONE YEAR AT THE COST OF $1 A CHILD.
NOW, I'LL TELL YOU, WE WE'RE THE FIRST CITY TO DO THIS.
AND I HAD THIS PRAYER IN MY HEART AND I ENDED UP SITTING WITH A FOUNDER WHO WE MET.
MET MET, AND I'LL TELL YOU THE STORY QUICKLY, AT THE END OF THE MEETING, HE LEANED BACK AND HE SAID, TELL ME SOMETHING YOU WANNA DO THAT NOBODY KNOWS.
I SAID, WELL, SIR, I I HAVE A DREAM FOR CRIME STOPPERS.
WE'RE VERY ACTIVE IN THE SCHOOLS.
WE'RE IN OVER 4,000 SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STATE.
I SAID, I HAVE A DREAM TO REACH 1 MILLION CHILDREN FOR SAFETY AT, AT A DOLLAR A CHILD.
HE SAID, WE WANNA MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
AND HE SAID, WE'LL GIVE YOU 500,000.
AND TWO WEEKS AGO, WE RAISED ALL OF IT.
WE'RE, WE'D LOVE TO PARTNER WITH THE CHURCHES.
YOU ALL ARE THE BACKBONE, THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO WE'D LOVE TO PARTNER WITH YOU TO SHARE PUBLIC SAFETY INFORMATION TO HELP REACH THE YOUTH IN YOUR CITIES AND IN YOUR PROGRAMS. THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE A HEART TO DO.
WE GENUINELY BELIEVE WE CAN TURN THINGS AROUND.
UM, AND I'LL ADD ONE MORE THING.
WE HAD A BOARD MEMBER ON MONDAY WHOSE FATHER, FATHER-IN-LAW IS VERY WELL KNOWN.
UM, WELL ACTUALLY, NEVERMIND THAT HE'S VERY WELL KNOWN, BUT THIS BOARD MEMBER, YOUNG MAN WHOSE WIFE IS PREGNANT WITH TWINS, WAS DRIVING TO WORK, UH, GETTING ON I 10 BY SUDMAN AND WAS SHOT AT FIVE TIMES.
HIS CAR WAS SHOT AT FIVE TIMES AND JUST DAWNED ON ME THAT, BUT FOR THE POWER OF PRAYER, BUT FOR THE POWER OF PRAYER, I DON'T KNOW IF HE'D STILL BE ALIVE.
SO WE'RE GONNA KEEP DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE'RE GONNA KEEP SERVING, SUPPORTING OUR MAYOR, OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT, OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND HOPEFULLY PARTNER WITH ALL OF YOU.
LISTEN, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE, WE ARE ABOUT TO GET TO OUR CLOSING TO THE END OF THIS.
I, I, I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THE FACT OF WHAT, UH, ICO OF CRIME STOPPERS HAS INDICATED.
ONE OF THE FIRST THING THE MAYOR WHITMEYER SAID COMING ON, AND YOU HEAR IT SAID ALL THE TIME, HIS FIRST PRIORITY WAS CRIME.
THAT'S HIS FIRST PRIORITY AND EVERYTHING ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
I'VE OFTEN SAID WHEN I WAS RUNNING AND I WAS, THIS CRIMES FOLLOWS PROSPERITY.
EVERYBODY THAT KNOW ME AND KNEW ME ON THE CAMPAIGN, I SAID IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
RICHARD JOHNSON AND ALL OF THOSE WHO WERE HELPING ME UNDERSTOOD.
AND I KEPT SAYING THAT OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
WHEREVER THERE THEY THINK THAT THERE'S MONEY BEING MADE OR OTHERS, YOU CAN
[01:15:01]
REST ASSURE CRIMINALS ARE COMING.SO WE, WE HAVE TO PARTNER WITH THE CRIME STOPPER HAS DONE A AMAZING JOB IN HELPING US TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND, UH, AND THEY HAVE BEEN A LINK BETWEEN US.
NOW, EVERYTHING THAT HEARD, I DON'T NEED TO REITERATE THE OVERVIEW ABOUT WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO AS AN ADVISORY.
WE ARE IN OUR INFANCY, IS NEVER BEEN DONE LIKE THIS BEFORE.
AND I WANT TO, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE GENTLEMAN WHO IS, WE CONSIDER HIM THE EMERITUS OF THE MINISTER ADVISORY BOARD TO THE MAYOR.
HE WAS ONE OF THE GREAT LEADERS, STILL A GREAT LEADER IN OUR CITY, BUT ONE OF THE LEADERS WHO WAS PART OF THE PREVIOUS MINISTER ADVISORY BOARD.
AND THAT'S NONE OTHER THAN BISHOP PRINCE BRYAN STAND MY FRIEND.
AND, UM, AND SO WITH THE WISDOM OF THESE MEN AND OTHER LEADERS IN THIS AUDIENCE, IF YOU FILL OUT THAT CARD, PUT YOUR NAME AND NUMBER ON IT SO THAT WE WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE.
THE LEADERS OF OUR ORGANIZATION, PASTOR DONNA BERG AND DAVE WELCH WITH PRAYER.
WE, WE HOPE TO MAKE THIS COME TOGETHER AS AN ADVISORY BOARD THAT'LL BENEFIT ALL OVER THIS CITY.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT WILLIE DAVIS.
I WAS ELECTED TO BE A VESSEL TO MAKE THE CONNECTION.
WE HAVE A GREAT MAYOR, WE HAVE A GREAT CITY, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE REMISS OF US NOT TO PUT OUR SWORD IN THE SAND.
NOW, MAYBE IT MAYBE JUST MY THINKING, BUT I JUST BELIEVE THAT THIS IS THE RIGHT MOMENT AT THE RIGHT TIME.
I JUST BELIEVE THAT, AND I DON'T, I THINK IT WOULD BE, UH, UH, UH, IT AN INDICTMENT TO US IF WE PASSED UP THAT OPPORTUNITY.
SO WE WANNA REACH YOU, WE WANT TO TALK TO YOU, WE WANT TO INVITE YOU TO, ONCE WE GET TOGETHER AND ORGANIZE THIS AND, UH, AND THE SHOW, I LOVE FOR IT.
UH, I WANNA, I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
I ALSO WANT TO TAKE THE MOMENT TO THANK OUR SISTER, REBECCA WILLIAMS. UH, THIS IS THE DAUGHTER OF PASTOR DUKE WILLIAMS. REBECCA WILLIAMS IS JUST A TROOPER.
WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT REBECCA.
SHE'S OUT OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND, UM, SHE'S BEEN WORKING WITH US EVERY STEP OF THE WAY, EVEN WHEN WE THOUGHT WE WAS GONNA LOSE OUR MINDS.
BUT I I, I CERTAINLY WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
DON'T FORGET IF YOU HAVE A TICKET WE HAVE, WE WANT YOU TO GO TO THE OFFICE.
PLEASE STOP BY THE REGISTRATION TABLE TO HAVE YOUR PARKING TICKETS VALIDATED, UH, IS GONNA BE DISCOUNTED PRICE FOR THE VALET PARKING, UH, IS IS 25 AND THE REGULAR PARKING IS 19.
BROTHERS AND SISTERS, GOD BLESS YOU.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TO SHOW YOUR LOVE FOR YOUR CITY.
YOU WILL HEAR FROM US IN TERMS OF WHERE WE GO FROM HERE AND WHAT WE PLAN TO DO.
WE GOING TO CLOSE WITH OUR BROTHER, BROTHER DAVE WELCH.
YES, YOU CAN STAND ALL OVER THE PLACE.
THOSE CARDS THAT YOU FILL OUT, EVERYBODY WAS RAISING THE CARDS.
MY STAFF IS GOING TO GO AROUND AND COLLECT THOSE CARDS.
LEAVE THEM RIGHT THERE ON THE DESK, ON THE TABLE, AND THEY'RE GOING TO GO AROUND AND COLLECT THOSE CARDS.
AND I CAN ASSURE YOU, BROTHERS, WE GOING TO SEE YOU.
THOSE THAT COME, I GOT PASTOR FRIENDS AND BROTHER PRESIDENT CARLOS, ALL THE WAY FROM FORT BEND ARE ALL HERE.
AND WE THANK GOD FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU BEING HERE WITH US ALL TODAY.
OKAY? JUST 'CAUSE YOU SAID YOU CAN STAND, DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN TALK
ALL RIGHT? BUT WE, IT IS BEEN A GREAT MORNING.
AND, YOU KNOW, JUST TO AFFIRM A COUPLE CRITICAL THINGS.
WE BELIEVE VERY SINCERELY THAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE WORD OF GOD SAYS IN ROMANS 13, THAT GOVERNING AUTHORITY IS A MINISTER OF GOD FOR GOOD.
SO THOSE THAT ARE IN THOSE POSITIONS OF GOVERNING AUTHORITY ARE MINISTERS, MR. MAYOR.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE WORD SAYS.
AND THOSE THAT ARE CALLED TO PASTORAL MINISTRY
[01:20:01]
HAVE A UNIQUE ROLE THAT DOES INCLUDE PASTORING THE CITY, NOT JUST A BUILDING.AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY, COLLECTIVELY.
AND OUR THEME HAS BEEN FROM THE BEGINNING AS THE CHURCH SHOULD BE.
AND IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN SINCE THE BEGINNING OF IT.
EVERY COLOR, EVERY CORNER, EVERY TRIBE, TONGUE AND NATION AS THE WORD SAYS.
AND SO IT'S TIME WE START LOOKING LIKE THAT, BEHAVING LIKE THAT.
AND WE HAVE ANSWERS TO LIFE'S PROBLEMS THAT START WITH CHANGING OF THE HEART.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE, THE GREATEST ACTION OF STOPPING CRIME, STOPPING CORRUPTION, STOPPING LOTS OF PATHOLOGIES IS WHEN WE CHANGE HEARTS AND LIVES.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S OUR CORE FIRST BUSINESS.
AND THAT HELPS THE CITY, HELPS OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND, UH, AND OUR, THE, THE QUESTION WE ALL LEAVE AS WE GO OUT IS WHAT'S NEXT.
BECAUSE THIS DIDN'T STOP WITH A, WITH A BREAKFAST.
SO LET US PRAISE WE GO OUT THAT GOD WILL CHARGE US WITH THAT WISDOM AND GRACE AND CONVICTION AND COURAGE TO DO WHAT'S REQUIRED BEFORE US.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME BEFORE YOU.
AND AS YOUR WORD SAYS, THAT THIS ABRAHAM LORD, AS HE LEFT HIS HOME AND WENT TO UNKNOWN PLACES, AND YOUR WORD SAYS THAT HE SOUGHT A CITY WHOSE BUILDER AND ARCHITECT IS GOD.
AND THAT'S OUR HEART THIS MORNING.
AS WE UNDERSTAND, AS WE LOOK AROUND US, LORD, WITH ALL THE, THE CONFUSION AND DIFFICULTY IN TRIALS, THERE'S ONE TO WHOM WE CAN TURN TO THE BUILDER AND ARCHITECT OF THIS CITY.
LORD IS NOT HUMAN HANDS, BUT IT IS ALMIGHTY GOD.
AND WE CRY TO YOU THIS MORNING FOR YOUR GRACE, FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING, FOR YOUR WISDOM THAT ALL THAT WE DO GOING FORWARD AND GOING OUT OF HERE, LORD, WE WILL DO WITH THE POWER AND THE CONVICTION AND THE COMMITMENT AND THE PERSEVERANCE TO DO WHAT IS NECESSARY.
WE PRAY FOR OUR LEADERS OF THE CITY, LORD, AS YOUR WORD CALLS US TO DO.
AND WE DO WITH JOY TO PRAY FOR THOSE IN AUTHORITY.
WE PRAY FOR AGAIN, GRACE AND PROTECTION.
WE PRAY FOR OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, THE LORD, THOSE WHO ARE PUTTING THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE EVERY DAY FOR US.
AND HELP US TO BE FAITHFUL AND DILIGENT IN DOING OUR PART.
BE GOOD STEWARDS OF EVERYTHING YOU'VE CREATED, LORD ENTRUSTED TO US, YOUR PEOPLE.
AND THIS GUIDE US AND LEAD US IN EVERYTHING WE PRAY.
AND WE DO THIS IN JESUS' MIGHTY NAME.