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GOOD AFTERNOON AND WELCOME EVERYONE.
I AM SUSAN DYSON AND I'M PROUD TO BE THE CEO PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER OF THE GREATER HOUSTON WOMEN'S CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THE LARGEST WOMEN'S CHAMBER IN THE NATION.
AND NOW WITH CHAPTERS IN FRANCE, MEXICO, AND THE UK, AND SOON TO BE IN ITALY.
AND IT'S TRULY AN HONOR TO BE HERE TODAY.
IT FEELS ESPECIALLY MEANINGFUL THAT WE ARE GATHERED DURING WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, A TIME WHEN WE REFLECT ON THE COURAGE, THE VISION, AND THE DETERMINATION OF WOMEN.
AND IT FEELS JUST AS FITTING THAT WE ARE HERE AT THE JULIA IEN BUILDING AS THIS TREASURED LANDMARK CELEBRATES ITS HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR.
AND NOW I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME AND THANK THE ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO COULD BE WITH US TODAY REPRESENTING THE HONORABLE US REPRESENTATIVE LIZZIE FLETCHER GRACE COOPERMAN, OUR NEWLY APPOINTED TEXAS BUSINESS JUDGE, THE HONORABLE SOPHIA AGA SOPHIA, PLEASE SAY THE HONORABLE TEXAS STATE SENATOR CAROL ALVARADO, THE HONORABLE HOUSTON MAYOR, JOHN WHITMEYER
AND NOW THE HOUSTON METRO BOARD CHAIR ELIZABETH BROCK.
WE ARE HERE TODAY TO HONOR A WOMAN WHOSE STORY IS ESSENTIAL TO HOUSTON'S STORY, EVEN THOUGH FOR FAR TOO LONG SHE DID NOT RECEIVE THE PUBLIC RECOGNITION THAT SHE SO DESERVED.
HER NAME IS CHARLOTTE MARIE BALDWIN ALLEN.
YEAH, SHE DOES DESERVE APPLAUSE.
AND AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO INVITE THE GREATER HOUSTON WOMEN'S CHAMBER BOARD MEMBERSHIP, WHO ARE WITH US TODAY TO COME JOIN ME HERE AS WE MARK THIS HISTORIC MOMENT IN HISTORY.
AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO ASK WHITNEY WHITMEYER, WHO THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED TODAY WITHOUT HER AND LINDSAY MUNOZ TO JOIN US.
THEY ARE INTEGRAL PART OF OUR CELEBRATION TODAY.
SHE, THEY'VE BEEN, THEY'VE BEEN, THEY'VE BEEN WORKING FOR 10 YEARS ON THIS.
AND I'VE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT CERTAIN PEOPLE AND CERTAIN OPPORTUNITIES ARE PLACED IN OUR PATH FOR A REASON.
AND FOR THAT REASON, I'LL ALWAYS BE GRATEFUL TO FORMER HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL MEMBER TONY LAWRENCE, WHO BROUGHT CHARLOTTE'S STORY TO MY ATTENTION MORE THAN 10 YEARS AGO.
OKAY, YOU GOTTA COME UP HERE WITH US.
ONCE WE LEARNED ABOUT CHARLOTTE, WE KNEW THAT THIS WAS A STORY THAT NEEDED TO BE TOLD.
AND I TOLD IN A LASTING, VISIBLE WAY, BECAUSE TODAY IS MORE THAN UNVEILING A STATUE.
IT'S ABOUT GIVING RIGHTFUL RECOGNITION TO A WOMAN'S WHOSE LEGACY HELPED SHAPE HOUSTON FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
CHARLOTTE'S STORY IS EXTRAORDINARY.
SHE WAS RAISED IN A PORT TOWN AND, AND WAS INFLUENCED BY HER FATHER, A VERY SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSMAN.
SHE DEVELOPED AN EARLY UNDERSTANDING OF TRADE OPPORTUNITY AND SOUND JUDGMENT, STRENGTHS, NOT OFTEN RECOGNIZED IN WOMEN OF HER TIME, BUT STRENGTHS SHE CLEARLY POSSESSED.
AND IT WAS CHARLOTTE'S INHERITANCE THAT WAS USED TO PURCHASE THE LAND THAT BECAME HOUSTON.
CHARLOTTE WAS NOT ON THE SIDELINES OF HOUSTON'S FOUNDING.
SHE REMAINED HERE FOR MORE THAN 60 YEARS, AND EVEN NEAR THE END OF HER LIFE, SHE CONTINUED TO GIVE TO THE CITY SHE HELPED FOUND LEAVING PROPERTY TO HOUSTON AS ONE FINAL EXPRESSION OF HER GENEROSITY AND DEVOTION TO THIS COMMUNITY.
AND HOW FITTING THAT HER STATUE WILL STAND HERE AT THE JULIA IEN BUILDING A PLACE SO DEEPLY CONNECTED TO HOUSTON'S HISTORY, CULTURE, AND CIVIC IDENTITY.
[00:05:01]
NOT BE HERE TODAY.AND I I, WITHOUT THIS GENTLEMAN THAT I WANT TO THANK MY HEARTFELT THANKS TO MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER.
YOUR SUPPORT HELPED MAKE THIS A REALITY.
MANY PEOPLE CARRIED THIS DREAM FOR YEARS, AND YOU ARE THE FIRST MAYOR IN MORE THAN A DECADE THAT HELPED BRING IT TO LIFE.
AND WE WILL HEAR FROM THE MAYOR LATER IN THE PROGRAM.
AND WE ALSO WANT TO GIVE OUR SINCERE THANKS TO MAYOR PRO TEM MARTHA KASICK.
COME ON UP HERE WITH US AND THE ENTIRE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL FOR THEIR REPORT SUPPORT.
AMY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PHOTO OP.
I'M TRYING TO GET READY FOR IT.
SO
THERE ARE MANY OF THE MEMBERS HERE TODAY, WOULD Y'ALL COME JOIN US TOO FOR THE PHOTO OP? ALL THE PEOPLES OF CREW NAOP AND THE UIL WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE, THEIR PARTNERSHIP IS ESPECIALLY MEANINGFUL BECAUSE CHARLOTTE CAN TRULY BE RECOGNIZED AS HOUSTON'S FIRST COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE WOMAN AND A HEARTFELT THANK YOU AS WELL TO THE SCULPTOR AND ARTIST LAURIE BETS FOR YOUR VISION.
LAURIE, WHO'S SO BEAUTIFULLY BROUGHT CHARLOTTE TO LIFE AND TO ALTON DELANEY WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS, WE'RE HELPING GUIDE THIS IMPORTANT WORK.
I DON'T KNOW IF ALTON IS HERE TODAY, BUT OUR HOPE IS THAT THIS STATUE WILL DO MORE THAN HONOR THE PAST.
WE HOPE IT WILL INSPIRE THE FUTURE.
MAY EVERY YOUNG WOMAN AND GIRL WHO SEES CHARLOTTE HERE BE REMINDED THAT WOMEN HAVE ALWAYS HELPED SHAPE THE CITY.
AND THAT CHARLOTTE'S LIFE STANDS AS A LASTING INVITATION TO DREAM BOLDLY, LEAD COMPETENTLY, AND LEAVE THEIR OWN MARK ON THE WORLD.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING HERE.
SO WE'RE GONNA TAKE A PHOTO OP, BUT MAYOR, WE NEED YOU UP HERE TOO FOR THE PHOTO.
AND NOW I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF INTRODUCING MAYOR WHITMEYER.
AS I SHARED EARLIER, MANY PEOPLE CARRIED THE VISION OF HONORING CHARLOTTE BALDWIN ALLEN FOR YEARS.
AND MAYOR WHITMEYER IS THE FIRST MAYOR IN MORE THAN A DECADE TO HELP BRING IT TO LIFE.
BECAUSE OF THAT LEADERSHIP USING IS GIVING LASTING PUBLIC RESIGNATION TO ONE OF OUR FOUNDING WOMEN.
MAYOR WHITMEYER, WOULD YOU PLEASE COME UP, GIVE YOUR REMARKS.
AND THANK YOU TO THE GREATER HOUSTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
AND I DON'T, AND I'M NOT SURPRISED BECAUSE I CAN RECALL WHEN THE CHAMBER WOULD MEET IN A SMALL ROOM, AND I THINK WHITNEY WAS ON YOUR BOARD AND MAYBE ELIZABETH BROCK, SEVERAL OTHERS.
BUT IT'S BEEN A REAL JOY TO WATCH YOU EXPAND AND NOW YOU'RE GOING INTERNATIONAL.
THE CHAMBER, THE CITY LOOKS FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU OFTEN TO, FOR OCCASIONS LIKE TODAY.
WHAT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO COME TOGETHER.
DURING WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, I, UH, HAVE SEEN SO MUCH JOY IN THIS SHORT RECEPTION THAT WE HAD.
AND BY THE WAY, I HAD ALL THE FEMALE, THE WOMEN DIRECTORS IN MY ADMINISTRATION IN MY OFFICE AT THREE 30.
IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO THANK THEM AND, UH, LET THEM KNOW, WHICH I HOPE MOST OF YOU KNOW, THEY ARE THE ONES THAT MAKE THIS CITY WORK ON A DAILY BASIS.
SO THE CITY'S BEING RUN BY BY WOMEN.
WE HAVE SUCH A GREAT CITY AND WE ARE ON THE SHOULDERS OF SO MANY.
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I ACTUALLY, YOU GOT ME MOTIVATED WITH THE STATUTE TO LOOK UP THE IDELSON JULIE IDELSON BACKGROUND.AND, UH, I DON'T KNOW WHY I THOUGHT I'D CATCH MS. G, OUR DIRECTOR OF LIBRARIES.
IT WAS REALLY NOT FAIR AMONG ALL THE OTHER DIRECTORS.
I ASKED HER IF SHE KNEW WHY THE LIBRARY WAS NAMED BY MS. IDELSON, AND SHE WAS OUR FIRST LIBRARIAN FOR 41 YEARS.
SO WE'VE GOT A LITTLE PLAQUE I'VE INQUIRED ABOUT NOW WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO HONOR THE PERSON THAT GOT THE LIBRARY SYSTEM HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
AND I COULD GO ACROSS THIS ROOM.
IT WAS SO GOOD TO SEE TONY LAWRENCE AND, AND OTHERS.
UH, WE REALLY ARE ON THE SHOULDERS OF PEOPLE THAT CAME BEFORE US, PREVIOUS MAYORS COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND UH, I'M JUST A VERY LUCKY INDIVIDUAL TO GET TO SHARE THE MANAGING OF THIS CITY WITH SO MANY, I SEE MICHELLE LEAL COMING OUT OF THE ARTS ALLIANCE NOW TO HELP US.
AND I SAT THERE AND SAID, DO NOT START CALLING NAMES.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, I'LL, I'LL WRAP IT UP IN A MINUTE.
MY COMMENTS WITH BOB BULLOCK, THE TOUGH LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR THAT SHAPED SO MANY YOUNG SENATORS WHEN I WAS COMING ALONG, USED TO TELL US REGULARLY, IT'S AMAZING WHAT YOU CAN GET DONE IF YOU DON'T WORRY ABOUT WHO GETS THE CREDIT.
AND THAT'S REALLY KIND OF THE MODEL OF MY ADMINISTRATION.
THERE ARE JUST SO MANY HOUSTONIANS THAT I COULD RECOGNIZE AND THE ONES THAT ARE MAKING SUCH A STRATEGIC DIFFERENCE.
UH, I COULD GO TO RENEW COUTURE OUT AT U OF H CHANCELLOR AND I COULD GO THROUGH THE MED CENTER, I COULD GO INTO OUR CIVIC CLUBS.
AND THIS IS WONDERFUL TO COME HONOR A HOUSTONIAN THAT REALLY MADE THIS ALL POSSIBLE.
SO, UH, THE FACT THAT YOU BROUGHT THE IDEA OF THE STATUTE OF MS. ALLEN, UH, WE NEED TO SPREAD THE WORD TO ALL HOUSTONS, Y'ALL TALK ABOUT IT IN OUR CLASSROOMS. IT OUGHT TO BE SOMETHING THAT MOTIVATES YOUNG WOMEN ACROSS OUR GREAT CITY.
SO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR BEING HERE.
IT'S A GREAT WAY TO ENJOY THE SUCCESS OF OUR GREAT CITY.
IF WE KIND OF PAUSE FOR A MOMENT AND THINK ABOUT THE OTHER MAJOR CITIES IN THE US, WE ALL HAVE CHALLENGES AS ALL MAJOR CITIES HAVE.
BUT WE'RE MEETING OUR CHALLENGES HERE AND OTHER MAJOR CITIES, MANY OF 'EM ARE IN TURMOIL TODAY.
WE'RE INCLUSIVE AND WE RECOGNIZE THE HISTORY OF OUR GREAT CITY, BUT ALSO IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO REDEDICATE OURSELF.
THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE TO, DEPENDING ON US, THERE ARE SO MUCH ANXIETY IN SOME OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
I'M VERY SADDENED BY WHAT OF SOME OF OUR RESIDENTS ARE GOING THROUGH.
BUT IF WE STICK TOGETHER, WE'RE GONNA GET THROUGH THIS CHALLENGE AND WE'LL COME OUT OF IT STRONGER.
AND SPEAKING OF GIVING CREDIT WHERE CREDIT'S DUE, VICE MAYOR PROTE PECK, THANK YOU FOR BEING SUPPORTIVE ON COUNCIL, REPRESENTING YOUR DISTRICT SO WELL, BUT ALSO THE COLLABORATION THAT YOU REPRESENT THROUGHOUT THE ADMINISTRATION.
BUT I DID SAVE THE BEST FOR LAST.
THE FIRST APPOINTMENT THAT THE MAYOR NEEDS TO MAKE IS THE MAYOR PRO TEM.
I'D WATCHED MARTHA, WHEN WAS IT, SAN MARCOS BASKETBALL STAR AT SOUTHWEST TEXAS, NOW TEXAS STATE POPULAR TO IN THE COMMUNITY, VOLUNTEERING TO GET ELECTED TO COUNCIL.
AND I USED TO QUESTION THAT, HOW IN THE HELL DO YOU GO FROM BEING A COUNCIL MEMBER IN SAN MARCO AND COME HELP RUN THIS LARGE CITY? WELL, 'CAUSE SHE WAS A STAFFER AND, UH, CIRCUMSTANCES LETTER BECOMING THE COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER, GREEN DEPENDED ON HER.
SO THAT WAS MY FIRST APPOINTMENT.
AND NOT ONE DAY GOES BY FRIENDS THAT I REGRET IT.
AND MARTHA, OUR MAYOR, PRO TEM, ACTUALLY SHEPHERD THE SUCCESS OF US COMING TOGETHER TODAY.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT AND BECAUSE OF MY INCLUSIVENESS AND ALSO MY LOYALTY AND APPRECIATION FOR PEOPLE THAT JUST WANT TO DO THE RIGHT THING, I WANT MARTHA TO COME UP AND PRESENT THE PROCLAMATION AND RECOGNIZE THIS GREAT OCCASION.
SO I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA EXCUSE MYSELF.
I'M LEAVING IT IN GREAT HANDS.
MARTHA SITS BY ME ON COUNCIL, AS YOU'VE WATCHED, DON'T TELL OUR SECRETS,
AND, AND SHE GETS THE UNEDITED VERSION.
MARTHA GETS THE UNEDITED VERSION OF WHAT I THINK IS GOING ON.
BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND AND A GREAT PUBLIC SERVANT AND I'LL THANK YOU.
[00:15:01]
THANK YOU.IT IS, UH, MY HONOR TO REPRESENT THIS INCREDIBLE CITY.
UM, THIS IS A CITY THAT I'VE GROWN UP IN.
I GET TO, UH, REPRESENT MY MOM AND DAD WHO LIVE IN DISTRICT A.
THEY STILL LIVE IN THE HOUSE THAT WE MOVED TO WHEN I WAS FOUR YEARS OLD.
SO THIS WORK IS VERY PERSONAL TO ME.
UM, MAYOR WHITMEYER, I OFTEN TELL PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE 10 WOMEN ON CITY COUNCIL.
HOW MANY VOTES DOES IT TAKE TO GET ANYTHING PASSED IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON? NINE
SO THE WOMEN OF HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL CAN REALLY, REALLY RUN THIS CITY, BUT WE ARE SO VERY HONORED TO HAVE A MAYOR WHO IS ALSO SUPPORTIVE OF WOMEN.
HE'S A FATHER OF TWO DAUGHTERS, SO HE UNDERSTANDS THE PLIGHT OF WOMEN IN OUR COUNTRY.
I HAD THE GREAT DISTINCTION TO, UM, DO A LITTLE RESEARCH ABOUT, UH, CHARLOTTE BALDWIN.
AND, UH, FUN FACT, LESS THAN 3% OF STATUES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON ARE OF WOMEN.
SO WE ARE EXPANDING, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE MORE WOMEN REPRESENTED IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND THAT'S NOT ONLY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, BUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SO WE NEED MORE WOMEN STATUES.
WE ALSO NEED MORE WOMEN SERVING ON CITY COUNCILS AND SCHOOL BOARDS.
THE COUNTRY IS MADE UP OF 51% WOMEN.
WE SHOULD STRIVE TO HAVE 51% WOMEN IN ALL THAT WE DO.
THANK YOU, SUSAN, FOR MAKING SURE THIS CHAMBER CONTINUES TO GROW AND THRIVE SO THAT WE HAVE THOSE TYPES OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN.
WHAT YEAR WAS A WOMAN ABLE TO APPLY FOR THEIR OWN CREDIT CARD? NOT UNTIL 1975.
SO ALL YOU WOMEN OUT THERE SWIPING AND CHARGING
YOU KNOW, I READ HOW, UH, WHEN WOMEN GOT THEIR JOBS, THEY HAD TO SIGN US A NOTE THAT SAID THEY WEREN'T GOING TO HAVE A BABY BECAUSE THE EMPLOYERS DIDN'T WANT TO HIRE YOU IF YOU WERE PLANNING TO HI, HAVE A BABY.
AND DID YOU KNOW THAT IT WASN'T UNTIL 2022 THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON PASSED PAID PARENTAL LEAVE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES WITH 10 WOMEN ON HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL? SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE WOMEN SERVING IN ALL OF THE SPACES.
SO MY JOB HERE TODAY IS TO PRESENT THIS INCREDIBLE PROCLAMATION BEFORE WE GO OUT AND UNVEIL, UH, THE THE WOMAN OF THE HOUR.
UH, AND I'M GOING TO ASK, UH, VICE MAYOR PRO TEM PECK IF SHE WILL JOIN ME.
AND SUSAN, IF YOU WILL JOIN US AT THE PODIUM.
WE'D LIKE TO PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION TO YOU ON BEHALF OF THE UNVEILING TODAY.
AND THE PROCLAMATION READS, WHEREAS ON MARCH 19TH, 2026, THE CITY OF HOUSTON PROUDLY CELEBRATES THE UNVEILING OF A BROWN STATUE DEPICTING CHARLOTTE MARIE BALDWIN ALLEN, THE MOTHER AND CO-FOUNDER OF HOUSTON IN THE GARDEN OF THE HISTORIC JULIA IEN BUILDING OF THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY.
AND WHEREAS A WOMAN OF VISION, COURAGE, AND INTELLIGENCE, CHARLOTTE'S DETERMINATION, FORESIGHT, AND INVESTMENT, HELPED SHAPE THE FOUNDING OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
IT WAS HER INHERITANCE THAT WAS USED TO PURCHASE THE HALF LEAGUE OF LAND ALONG BUFFALO BAYOU FOR $5,000 IN AUGUST, 1836, ESTABLISHING AT THE FOUNDATION OF THIS GREAT CITY, THE LEADERSHIP, JUDGMENT AND LEGACY OF AN EXTRAORDINARY WOMAN.
AND WHEREAS CHARLOTTE LIVED IN HOUSTON AS ONE OF ITS EARLIEST RESIDENTS FOR MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY DIED AT THE AGE OF 90 IN 1895, AND IS BURIED AT THE HISTORIC GLENWOOD CEMETERY.
WHEREAS THE UNVEILING OF CHARLOTTE'S STATUE DURING WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH SERVES AS A MEANINGFUL TRIBUTE TO HER ENDURING LEGACY AND ENSURES THAT HER STORY WILL BE PUBLICLY REMEMBERED AND HONORED FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
ITS PLACEMENT IN THE GARDEN OF THE JULIA IEN BUILDING, WHICH IN ITSELF CELEBRATING ITS CENTENNIAL, FURTHER UNDERSCORES THE IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVING AND ELEVATING THE STORIES OF WOMEN WHOSE VISION HELPED TO SHAPE HOUSTON.
AND WHEREAS THIS VISUAL COMMEMORATION HONORING CHARLOTTE HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP AND DEDICATION OF THE GREATER HOUSTON WOMEN'S CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, TOGETHER WITH CREW HOUSTON, WOMEN OF THE N-A-I-O-P, THE ULI WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE, THE JULIA IEN BUILDING BOARD, AND THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL, AND OF COURSE THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF HOUSTON JOINS THE COMMUNITY IN PROUDLY RECOGNIZING CHARLOTTE MARIE BALDWIN ALLEN FOR HER ENDURING IMPACT, NOT ONLY ON THE FOUNDING OF OUR BELOVED CITY, BUT ALSO ON ITS PRESENT
[00:20:01]
AND FUTURE.SHE STANDS AS AN INSPIRING EXAMPLE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME, REMINDING YOUNG WOMEN AND GIRLS AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT LEADERSHIP VISION AND IMPACT KNOW NO BOUNDARIES.
THEREFORE, I, MARTHA CASTEX TATUM MAYOR PRO TEM OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, ALONG WITH AMY PECK, VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND EACH OF THE 10 WOMEN ON CITY COUNCIL, ALONG WITH JOHN WHITMEYER, THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM MARCH 19TH, 2026 AS CHARLOTTE MARIE BALDWIN ALLEN DAY IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
WE ARE GONNA GO OUT AND DO THE OFFICIAL UNVEILING, BUT BEFORE WE GO, WOULD YOU PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME THE DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY, THE SANDY GOO TO THE PODIUM TO SHARE A FEW WORDS.
THANKS AGAIN FOR COMING TO TODAY'S WONDERFUL EVENT.
UM, AND ON BEHALF OF, UH, MY ENTIRE TEAM, IT'S AN HONOR TO HAVE YOU HERE TODAY.
AND AND THIS MONTH GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO REFLECT ON THE EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN WHOSE LEADERSHIP, VISION AND PERSEVERANCE HELP SHAPE BOTH OUR CITY AND ITS PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM.
WE PROUDLY CELEBRATE THE TRAILBLAZER SUCH AS JULIA IEN, OUR FIRST LIBRARIAN, WHOSE COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC ACCESS, EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY SERVICE SET THE FOUNDATION FOR EVERYTHING THAT HPO STANDS FOR TODAY.
HER LEGACY LIVES ON, NOT ONLY IN THE NAME OF THIS BUILDING, BUT THE VALUES THAT CONTINUE TO GUIDE US MORE THAN A CENTURY LATER.
IT IS ESPECIALLY FITTING THAT OUR RECOGNITION OF CHARLOTTE BALDWIN ALLEN, CO-FOUNDER AND MOTHER OF HOUSTON, THAT SHE FINDS THE HOME, HER HOME HERE AND BECOMES A PERMANENT PART OF THIS HISTORIC SPACE.
HER INFLUENCE ON THE EARLY GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF HOUSTON MIRRORS THE RESILIENCE AND PIONEERING SPIRIT WE HONOR THROUGHOUT WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH.
TODAY'S DEDICATION ALLOWS US TO CONNECT YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE LEGACY OF WOMEN WHO HELP SHAPE OUR CITY'S CULTURAL CIVIC INSTITUTIONS.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK AGAIN, WE, WE EXTEND, UM, OUR GRATITUDE, UH, TO, UH, CEO PRESIDENT, FOUNDER SUSAN DYSON.
AND HER TEAM OF THE GREATER HOUSTON WOMEN'S CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR THIS GENEROUS AND SIGNIFICANT GIFT AND ALSO OFFERING THANKS TO A FEW MORE.
UH, NICK SUKI, THE EXECUTIVE, UH, FOUNDATION DIRECTOR, AND THEN, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM.
THANK YOU, MARTHA CASTEX TATUM, AND ALSO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF THE ARTS AND OF COURSE OUR HPL TEAM, UH, INCLUDING JOHN MIDDLETON AND JASON STEVENS FOR THEIR WONDERFUL COLLABORATION.
AND WE INVITE YOU, UH, TO ENJOY THE TWO PHOTOS, HISTORIC PHOTOS OF CHARLOTTE BARON ALLEN FROM OUR HOUSTON RESEARCH CENTERS ARCHIVES.
SO THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR COMING TO TODAY'S EVENT.
AND NOW I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF INVITING THE VICE MAYOR PROTE BACK TO THE PODIUM HERE.
AMY PECK, LET'S WELCOME WHERE SHE HAS A PRESENTATION SHE'S GOING TO SHARE.
WE RECEIVED, UM, THIS WONDERFUL CERTIFICATE FROM GOVERNOR ABBOTT, UM, COMMEMORATING THIS DAY.
AND, UM, WANTED TO THANK GOVERNOR ABBOTT FOR, UM, SHOWING THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS WONDERFUL EVENT TODAY.
OKAY, MAYOR, AND MY ADVICE, UH, MAYOR PRO, TIM, ARE WE READY TO GO? UNVEILED? Y'ALL WANNA, LET'S GO.