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GETTING A CHANCE[Austin Mayor Pro Tem Delia Garza final Council Meeting]
TO BE PART OF THIS HUGE CHORUS OF THANKS TO YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE ON CITY COUNCIL.UH, AUSTIN AND THE WORLD IS A MUCH BETTER PLACE BECAUSE OF YOU AND YOUR SERVICE.
AND ESPECIALLY AROUND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.
ALL OF US AT UNITED WAY ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR YOUR STRONG VOICE FOR OUR CHILDREN.
UM, I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE ALL THE GOOD YOU'RE GOING TO DO NEXT, BUT WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT YOUR WORK HERE ON CITY COUNCIL IS LASTING AND HOW GRATEFUL WE ALL ARE.
HI, I'M LIBBY DOGGETT AND I WANT TO THANK DELA GARSA FOR HER MANY YEARS OF ADVOCACY ON THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
ON BEHALF OF CHILDREN, I KNOW YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN A CHILDREN'S ADVOCATE, BUT THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL POSITION GAVE YOU A BIG PLATFORM AND YOU USED IT SO EFFECTIVELY.
THE DOVE SPRINGS HEALTH CLINIC IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF YOUR MINI SUCCESSES.
THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO MANY SUCCESSES AHEAD FOR YOU.
WE'RE GOING TO MISS YOU A LOT AND LET'S BE REAL.
I'M GOING TO MISS YOU, WHETHER IT IS US MARCHING OUT IN THE SUN AGAINST ANOTHER SET OF HORRIBLE POLICIES COMING DOWN FROM THE STATE OR WHETHER WE ARE RIPPING THROUGH SHAKERS AND MEXICAN MARTINIS.
WHILE WE TRY TO COME TO AGREEMENT ON THE BUDGET OR WHETHER IT IS OUT ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, WHERE WE'RE ASKING OURSELVES IS THAT YOUR SHOES THAT REALLY SMELL THAT ARE MINE.
ALL OF THESE THINGS, WE HAVE JUST BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH TOGETHER AND YOU'VE ALWAYS HAD MY BACK AND YOU'VE ALWAYS HAD THE BACK OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT THE MOST I'VE GOTTEN TO SEE PROBABLY MORE THAN ALMOST ANYONE, NOT JUST WHAT YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO, NOT JUST THE STUFF AT COUNCIL MEETINGS, NOT JUST THE RESOLUTIONS OR THE THINGS ON ATX END, BUT WHY YOU DO WHAT YOU DO AND HOW YOU'VE DONE IT.
AND IT'S BEEN THROUGH THIS LIKE WONDERFULLY STUBBORN SENSE OF JUSTICE, RIGHT AND WRONG.
AND THAT IS INSPIRED ME AND INSPIRED SO MANY PEOPLE.
AND IT HAS CHANGED THE WAY THAT CITY HALL WORKS.
I THINK YOU HAVE LEFT THIS REALLY PERMANENT MARK ON THE DYESS AROUND DOING THIS WORK AROUND WHAT IS RIGHT? AND WE ARE JUST ALL SO GRATEFUL FOR IT AND INDEBTED TO YOU FOR IT.
AND SO AS YOU HEAD OFF TO BE OUR NEXT COUNTY ATTORNEY KNOW THAT WE HAVE YOUR BACK AND WE'RE ALL GONNA MISS YOU.
HELLO, MAYOR PRO TEM GARZA PACKING HERE FROM DISTRICT TWO DEL VALLEY AREA.
YOUR SERVICE AS A DISTRICT, TWO REPRESENTATIVE HAS BEEN APPRECIATED.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND INVOLVEMENT IN THE DEL VALLEY AREA.
WE WORK TOGETHER ON THE FIRE STATION, WHICH WILL BE A SUCCESS.
YOUR TIRELESS EFFORTS TO PROVIDE THE DEL VALLEY AREA WITH A GROCERY STORE WILL NOT GO IN VAIN.
REST ASSURED AREA RESIDENTS WILL PUSH ON TO MAKE THIS A REALITY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR OPEN DOOR POLICY AND PROVIDE A LINK BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND YOUR OFFICE.
THE ONCE A MONTH MEETINGS WITH YOUR STAFF, WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS KAREN EVENTS AND CONCERNS OF THE AREA.
WE MIGHT NOT AGREE ON EVERYTHING, BUT THAT DID NOT STOP US FROM WORKING TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE COMMON GOALS FOR THE AREA.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR DEL VALLEY DISTRICT TWO, AND, UM, THE RESIDENTS OF BOTH COMMUNITIES.
THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH AND GOOD LUCK AND GOOD LUCK AND SUCCESS IN YOUR NEW ENDEAVORS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, BECOMING A TRUE CHAMPION FOR CHILDREN AND CHILDCARE DURING YOUR TENURE ON THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, UNDER YOUR LIVING LEADERSHIP, REALLY CEMENTED CHILDCARE AS ONE OF OUR CORE ECONOMIC ELEMENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
YOU'VE INCREASED ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY CHILDCARE THROUGH MANY CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE INITIATIVES, INCLUDING FEE WAIVERS FOR HIGH QUALITY CENTERS, GREATER INVESTMENTS IN CHILDCARE PROGRAMS, ELEVATING THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR CHILDCARE WORKFORCE AND INVESTING IN NEW CITY CHILDCARE FACILITIES AND CHILDCARE DESERTS.
WE ARE REALLY GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF YOUR SERVICE, YOUR DEDICATION TO THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THE SUCCESS BY SIX COALITION.
YOU CONGRATULATES YOU ON YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND WISHES YOU WELL, AND YOUR JOURNEY AHEAD.
IT'S BEEN MY HONOR TO SERVE AS YOUR APPOINTEE ON THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE FOR THE ANIMALS.
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COLLEAGUE, A CONSISTENT SOURCE OF INSPIRATION AND ABSOLUTE PRIDE.UM, IT HAS BEEN MY TRUE JOY TO WORK ALONGSIDE YOU, TO FIGHT ALONGSIDE YOU AND TO WATCH YOU FIGHT FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
WE ARE A BETTER CITY FOR THE SERVICE YOU HAVE GIVEN.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE A BETTER CITY AS YOU SERVE IN ANOTHER ROLE AND HAVE LEADERSHIP IN ANOTHER ROLE.
UM, I REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE FIGHTING FOR TEN ONE AND WE SHOT A VIDEO OUTSIDE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HEB, AND YOU HAD ME SAY I'M WITH D'ELIA AND THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS NOTHING HAS CHANGED I'M WITH DAHLIA.
UM, MANAGER, DO YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION? I DO MAYOR.
AND, UH, WHAT AN INCREDIBLE TRIBUTE MAYOR PRO TEM AND I'LL ECHO MANY OF THOSE WORDS BY SAYING WHAT AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE THAT HAS BEEN WORKING FOR YOU OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, AND TO SEE THE PASSION AND COMPASSION THAT YOU BRING TO THE DIOCESE AND ADVOCATING AND BEING A FIERCE ADVOCATE FOR THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT TWO AND THE ENTIRE CITY, UH, IN FRONT OF YOU, UH, THERE IS A SMALL BOX, UH, THAT WE'RE HOPING YOU WILL OPEN IN FRONT OF ALL OF US.
NORMALLY WE WOULD BE DOING THIS PRESENTATION IN PER, IN PERSON, BUT, UH, ON BEHALF OF EVERYONE HERE AT THE CITY, WE WANTED TO PROVIDE THE SMALL TOKEN OF OUR APPRECIATION FOR THE YEARS OF SERVICE THAT YOU'VE HAD AT THE CITY.
SO IF YOU CAN LOOK IN FRONT OF YOU AND OPEN THAT UP AND, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE THE RECOGNITION.
IT'S VERY HEAVY AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
I'LL TURN IT BACK TO YOU, MAYOR CUTE, UH, COLLEAGUES, UH, HOW NOW RECOGNIZE ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO WANTS TO SPEAK PATRICIA.
UM, I'LL START BY SAYING, I THINK DELI HAD THOUGHT SHE WAS CLEVER BY WEARING THAT MASK.
SO WE CAN'T SEE HER CRY AND WE KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING BACK THERE.
I, UH, I THINK I SAID AS MUCH AS I NEEDED TO SAY IN THAT LITTLE VIDEO THAT I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN, BUT, UH, I'LL JUST REITERATE THE PART ABOUT BEING A CONSTANT SOURCE OF INSPIRATION AND PRIDE.
UM, I, I FIND MYSELF MODELING, UH, MY FORWARD MOVEMENTS AFTER YOU.
IT WAS PROBABLY MY SECOND WEEK AT CITY HALL AND YOU REMINDED ME TO PACE MYSELF.
UM, AND I REMIND MYSELF OF THAT FREQUENTLY AS I GROW AND EVOLVE, UM, AND MUNICIPAL POLITICS AND WORKING IN THIS SETTING.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE ADVICE, THANK YOU FOR THE CONSISTENT FRIENDSHIP.
AND, UH, I REALLY, REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT YOU DO MOVING FORWARD.
UM, IF I MAY, UM, MAYOR, UH, WE ARE ALSO BIDDING A DUE TO CHRIS SHORTER, UM, VERY SOON AND MARGARET WRIGHT, THE GRAND DOM OF THE PIANO PASSED AWAY AS WELL.
SO, UM, GOOD LUCK AND LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT A MAYOR PRO TEM GARZA, THE SHORTER DO IN THEIR NEW ENDEAVORS AND WESTERN POWER, MS. RIGHT.
I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING SUCH A GREAT LEADER TO OUR CITY.
THERE WERE SO MANY TIMES AS I WAS A NEW PERSON ON THIS DIET WHERE I WAS TRYING TO GATHER MY THOUGHTS ON REALLY COMPLEX ISSUES THAT WE WERE DISCUSSING AND YOU WOULD SPEAK AND I'D BE LIKE, YEAH, THAT THAT'S THE RIGHT WAY TO SAY IT THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M FEELING.
AND IT WAS ALWAYS SO ELOQUENT, BUT SO HEARTFELT AND WE ARE VERY MUCH GOING TO MISS YOU AND GOOD LUCK HAND.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT EASY BEING A GROUNDBREAKER AND PROUD OF AS A GROUNDBREAKER.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU WILL ALWAYS BE A GROUNDBREAKER IN THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
YOU'VE DONE SO MUCH FOR WOMEN AND BEING A FIRST IS THAT EASY, BUT I THINK YOU'VE HANDLED IT.
WELL, I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU.
SO I THINK, UM, SOMEBODY ELSE MENTIONED THIS, BUT I REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU FOR IS YOUR SENSE OF JUSTICE OF WRONG AND, UM, AND SPEAKING FROM THE HEART.
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YOU'RE VERY GOOD AT THAT.AND I LOVED HEARING THAT AND I HAVE TO SAY MY FIRST GOT A GOOD EXPERIENCE OF THAT WHEN YOU AND I WERE DOING WHAT I NOW CALL AFFECTIONATELY UBER WARS.
SO YOU WERE, YOU WERE JUST AMAZING.
IN FACT, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I WILL MISS YOU.
AND, UM, AND WAS SHE THE BEST OF LUCK? WELL, YOU KNOW, THESE, THESE MOMENTS, UM, OFTEN SOUND LIKE YOU WOULD USE, BUT YOU'RE NOT GOING THAT FAR AWAY.
UH, I AM SO PROUD OF YOU DAHLIA.
I'M SO PROUD AND HONORED TO HAVE WORKED WITH YOU.
I AM REALLY EXCITED TO SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH THE COUNTY.
UM, I'LL, I'LL RESERVE OUR, OUR ALL ROSA REPEATING OUR CONVERSATIONS ON THAT FOR A TIME WHEN WE CAN GET TOGETHER AND HAVE DRINKS.
BUT, UM, IT IS REALLY AN EXCITING FUTURE FOR OUR WHOLE REGION TO SEE YOU TAKING ON THAT ROLE AND SEEING ALL OF THE AMAZING WORK YOU DID AT THE CITY, AND HAVING BEEN SO PROUD TO SUPPORT YOU TO BE THE MAYOR PRO TEM FOR THESE LAST TWO YEARS.
UH, BUT I KIND OF WANT TO REPEAT WHAT CUSTOMER KITCHEN SAID, UM, YOUR SUPPORT AND WORK WITH ME.
AND A FEW OF OUR COLLEAGUES ON THE JUDICIAL COMMITTEE REALLY TAUGHT ME WHAT JUSTICE MEANT, AND IT OPENED MY EYES TO SEEING THE PERSPECTIVES OF OTHERS IN A WAY THAT I HADN'T EXPERIENCED AND HADN'T APPRECIATED.
AND IT REALLY HELPED FOCUS MY ENERGIES IN A WAY THAT I DON'T, I DON'T THINK I COULD HAVE GOTTEN THERE WITHOUT YOU AND I AM EXCITED IN THE FUTURE TO CONTINUE THAT WORK ACROSS OUR JURISDICTIONS, TAKING THIS WORK FOR JUSTICE, TO, TO, TO NEW HEIGHTS FOR EVERYONE IN THIS COMMUNITY, EVERYONE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND THERE'S A LONG TAIL LEGACY THAT WILL REST BACK WITH YOU.
I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS STYLUS.
I, I KNOW, UM, ONE OF THE FIRST MOMENTS THAT REALLY IMPRESSED ME WITH SEEING, SEEING YOU IN ACTION AT, IN DOVE SPRINGS, RIGHT AFTER THE FLOOD, UM, ON THAT VERY FIRST WEEKEND, JUST THE, THE CARE YOU BROUGHT TO THAT WORK OF MAKING SURE THAT YOUR CONSTITUENTS, AS THEY CAME THROUGH THE LINE HAD FOOD AND THE OTHER NECESSITIES THEY NEEDED AND, AND JUST, UM, INTERACTING WITH YOUR, WITH YOUR COMMUNITY, WITH YOUR CONSTITUENTS IN A WAY THAT THAT WAS, UM, ALWAYS CENTERED THEIR NEEDS AND ALWAYS RESPONSIVE.
AND I'VE HAD, UM, REALLY THAT EXPERIENCE AGAIN AND AGAIN, WORKING, WORKING ALONGSIDE YOU AND SEEING, SEEING THE MANY ISSUES THAT YOU'VE BROUGHT TO THE FOREFRONT.
UM, YOU HAVE BEEN AN IMPASSIONED AND EFFECTIVE LEADER OR YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND FOR THE CITY AS A WHOLE.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK, BUT THE PUBLIC SERVICE THAT YOU'VE DONE AND BEST OF LUCK IN YOUR NEW POSITION, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RENT THERE.
I'M REALLY GONNA MISS YOUR, YOUR YOU'RE ON THE COUNCIL, DARRYL Y'ALL, YOU KNOW, WE, IT, I'VE KNOWN YOU SINCE, BEFORE YOU WERE EVEN, UH, ELECTED TO THE COUNCIL.
WE USED TO SIT OUT THERE AT FAIRLESS HOUSE AND PARTY AND DO DRINKS THERE IN OUR HOUSE AND HAVE THE FIESTAS THERE.
SO, UM, I'M REALLY PROUD OF WHAT YOU HAVE DONE.
I KNOW THAT D TWO IS GOING TO MISS YOU A LOT HERE ON THE COUNCIL.
YOU HAVE DONE SO MUCH FOR THAT AREA.
IT'S JUST AMAZING THAT, UH, WHAT YOU HAVE TO ACCOMPLISH ON THE COUNCIL AND THOSE VERY SHORT SIX YEARS YOU'VE BEEN ON HERE, AND I AM REALLY GONNA MISS YOUR NANDO D TWO D TWO IS GOING TO MISS YOU A LOT TOO.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, LESLIE DELEO.
THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT MORE TO SAY.
I THINK EVERYBODY IS REALLY COVERING THE WATERFRONT.
I JUST WANT TO ADD MY BEST WISHES TO YOU AND YOUR NEW AND YOUR NEW ENDEAVORS, YOUR NEW ASSIGNMENT, AND THEN THE NEW ADVENTURE.
IT'S, UM, IT'S PRETTY EXCITING.
WE'RE DOING THIS PUBLIC POLICY WORK IN TRAVIS COUNTY RIGHT NOW.
AND, UM, I KNOW WE WILL, WE WILL SEE MORE OF YOU IN YOUR NEW, UH, IN YOUR NEW, UM, POSITION.
ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK, ALISON, GOOD MORNING.
I WANT TO WISH DAHLIA GOOD LUCK IN YOUR NEW ROLE.
UM, YOU HAVE BEEN A ROLE MODEL TO MANY, AND YOU ALWAYS SPEAK FROM YOUR HEART AND YOU SPEAK FOR THOSE LESS FORTUNATE, AND YOU HAVE BEEN AN AMAZING ADVOCATE, UM, FOR DISTRICT TWO AND FOR THE CITY.
UM, AND IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR TO WATCH YOU GROW, UM, INTO,
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UM, BEING AN AMAZING LEADER FOR OUR CITY AND NOW OUR COUNTY.AND I WISH YOU WELL, AND OUR OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK TOGETHER ON ADVANCING ISSUES THAT WE BOTH CARE A LOT ABOUT LIKE CHILDCARE AND FIRE SAFETY, UM, AND WITH OUR WORK ON THE 80 YEARS.
UM, AND I JUST WANNA WISH YOU ALL THE BEST IN YOUR NEW ROLE, UM, AND WE'LL BE SEEING YOU, UM, I'M SURE QUITE OFTEN, THANK YOU.
JUST WANT TO ADD MY THOUGHTS HERE AS WELL.
UH, AND THEN GREG, I'LL GO TO YOU, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM.
IT HAS BEEN AN ABSOLUTE, UM, UH, HONOR, AND A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE WITH YOU, UH, OUT ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL IN THIS LAST RACE, I WOULD OFTEN TELL PEOPLE THAT I WAS THERE TO KIND OF A BITTERSWEET KIND OF WAY, BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO LOSE YOU, UH, WHERE WE, WHERE WE HAD YOU AND I, AND I, AND I MEANT THAT, UM, YOU HAVE TAUGHT ME SO MUCH ABOUT THE CITY, ABOUT LEADERSHIP, ABOUT ADVOCACY, UH, AND OTHERS.
AND AS OTHERS HAVE SAID ABOUT, ABOUT JUSTICE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE, UH, YOU TO BE MISSED, UH, ON THIS DYESS FIERCE ADVOCATE FOR YOUR DISTRICT.
BUT, BUT ALSO FOR FOLKS ALL OVER THE CITY, THAT IT WAS STRICTLY NOT HAD A FULLY POWERED, UH, VOICE.
UM, THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY EFFECTIVE IN CRIMINAL RIGHTS, THE FIRE STATION, UH, THE SOCIAL WORK WITH LIVING WAGE AND FAIR CHANCE HIRING THE FOOD INSECURITY, WORK, THE CLINIC, THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE BROUGHT BACK TO, TO PEOPLE THAT, UH, HAVE BEEN IN HAVE BEEN DO, BUT I THINK THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION THAT YOUR LEADERSHIP HAS MADE TO THE CITY GOES BEYOND THOSE INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENTS.
I THINK THAT YOU HAVE HELPED THE COUNCIL IN THE LAST SIX YEARS, LED THE COUNCIL IN THE LAST SIX YEARS, UH, TO A REALLY FUNDAMENTAL SHIFT IN HOW GOVERNMENT AND GOVERNANCE IS DONE IN THIS CITY.
THERE'S BEEN A, AN EMPHASIS ON, ON EQUITY, UH, AN EQUITY LENS THAT RATES EVERYTHING THAT, THAT WE HAVE DONE, UH, EVERYTHING NOW THAT, THAT OUR STAFF, UH, DOES IN OUR CITY.
UH, I THINK THAT YOU DESERVE REAL SIGNIFICANT CREDIT FUNDAMENTALLY FOR CHANGING HOW IT IS THAT CITY GOVERNANCE HAPPENS.
UH, I AM REALLY EXCITED FOR THE, FOR THE MEASURE OF, OF, UH, COMPASSIONATE ADVOCACY, UH, THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BRING TO THE, TO THE NEW JOB, UH, BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S UPSIDE POTENTIAL.
AND I KNOW YOU WILL BE PUSHING THERE AS YOU PUSHED HERE.
AND THEN QUITE FRANKLY, PARAPRO TAM, I AM EXCITED TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN THE BALANCE OF AN ENTIRE CAREER OF I THAT I, THAT I THINK HAS JUST LIMITLESS POTENTIAL.
THANK YOU FOR, FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO DO PUBLIC SERVICE.
UH, GREG, WE'LL CLOSE THIS OUT.
I MEAN, I'LL, I'LL HAVE, HAVE SAID IT ALL.
AND I'VE SAID MOST OF MY PIECES VIDEO, AND I WON'T SAY ANYTHING ELSE EMBARRASSING.
UM, OTHER THAN JUST, UM, I THINK LIKE THE MAYOR SAID, UH, IT WAS, IT WAS TOUGH TO PROMOTE YOU LEAVE HIM BECAUSE WE NEED YOU SO BAD HERE.
UM, BUT I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO NEXT.
AND WHEN WE ELECTED YOU MAYOR PRO TEM, I MENTIONED THAT I KNOW THAT SO MANY LATINOS ACROSS OUR CITY WILL BE PROUD.
UM, AND THAT LOON, THIS WOULD BE PROUD.
AND AS I THINK ABOUT THAT, I JUST CAN'T RELATE, UH, TO TELL LOUIS ALL THE STORIES ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE DONE AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH.
I JUST, I'M JUST THINKING OF THAT, LIKE MAKES ME BEAM AND MAKES ME FEEL SO EXCITED ABOUT IT.
I THINK THAT THAT'S LIKE THE REAL MEASURE OF HOW WE SHOULD DO THE JOB, UM, IS, IS TO BE ABLE TO FEEL LIKE WE CAN, UM, GO BACK TO OURSELVES, BUT THEN ALSO OUR FAMILIES AND FEEL REALLY PROUD OF WHAT WE'VE GOTTEN TO DO AND HAVE JUST BEEN SO HONORED TO BE A PART OF THIS WITH YOU.
THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM, DO YOU WANNA GIVE ANY WORK? SURE.
AND I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T.
I TRIED TO KEEP IT AS SHORT AS POSSIBLE.
AND YOU, YOU GUYS KNOW, I DON'T LIKE LONG SPEECHES, SO I REALLY, REALLY DID TRY AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
IT WAS VERY, VERY KIND, UH YOU'RE RIGHT AT TASHA, I LOVED THE IDEA OF WEARING A MASK BECAUSE THEN YOU CAN'T SEE THE QUIVERING LIP AS MUCH.
UM, SO I'M GOING TO READ A LOT.
SO I I'VE BEEN PRACTICING THIS.
I WAS TELLING THE STAFF IN HERE, I PRACTICED.
UM, IT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE HONORS OF MY LIFE TO WORK FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR 12 YEARS.
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AND NO, THAT'S NOT SAYING THAT COUNCIL YEARS ARE DOG YEARS.I'VE, UH, WORKED SIX YEARS AS AN AUSTIN FIREFIGHTER AND SIX YEARS REPRESENTING SOUTHEAST AUSTIN DISTRICT TO DISTRICT TWO DID NOT HAVE A DEDICATED OR A CONSTANT VOICE OR LIVED EXPERIENCE VOICE BEFORE TEN ONE.
AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT I WAS ABLE TO BE THAT VOICE FOR YOU.
UH, SO THANK YOU TO DISTRICT TWO FOR SENDING ME TO CITY HALL TO FIGHT FOR YOU.
I KNOW MY KIDS, MY CONSTITUENTS DID NOT ALWAYS AGREE WITH EVERY DECISION I MADE, BUT I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE MOST PART THAT MY CONSTITUENTS WERE ALWAYS KIND AND RATIONAL ABOUT ISSUES AS THE FIRST LATINO ON THIS DIOCESE AND THE FIRST LATINA MAYOR PRO TEM.
I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO SUPPORTED ME IN MY WORK, ALL THE LATINAS THAT CAME BEFORE ME WHO TRIED.
UM, BUT I STAND ON THEIR SHOULDERS WHEN I WAS ELECTED MAYOR PRO TEM.
I SAID, THEN THAT BEING THE FIRST WASN'T IMPORTANT, BUT WHAT WAS IMPORTANT WAS NOT BEING THE LAST THAT'S ALSO WHAT MY MATH SAYS.
IF ANYBODY'S WONDERING, AND IT REALLY SWEET CONSTITUENT MADE THIS FOR ME, I WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO COUNCIL MEMBER ELECTED, VANESSA QUANTAS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HER WORK AND I AM HERE TO HELP IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE.
IN FACT, WE'VE TALKED MANY TIMES AND GAVE HER A TOUR OF CITY HALL ABOUT A WEEK AGO.
I THOUGHT ABOUT GOING INTO THE WORK MY OFFICE DID, BUT I THOUGHT IN STAYING TRUE TO MYSELF, I WASN'T GOING TO SIT HERE AND LIST ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND YOU KNOW HOW I HAVE NEVER BEEN A BIG FAN OF LONG SPEECHES.
I THINK MUCH OF OUR WORK SPEAKS FOR ITSELF AND I'M GRATEFUL TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED US INVEST MORE IN PUBLIC HEALTH, A MORE EQUITABLE, MORE SAFE, MORE HEARD AUSTIN TO MY STAFF IN THE LAST SIX YEARS, LAURA WILLIAMSON, CATHERINE, NICELY, ALEXANDRA
AND I'M SO GRATEFUL TO EACH OF YOU AMONG MANY OTHER WINS.
UM, DEL VALLEY HAS A BRAND NEW FIRE AND EMS STATION.
I'VE NEVER SEEN A CITY BUILDING GO UP THAT FAST.
AND DEF SPRINGS WILL SOON HAVE A HEALTH CENTER COMING.
UM, AND WE'LL BE THERE FOR DECADES TO COME BECAUSE OF YOUR WORK TO MY STAFF, TO CITY STAFF.
I DON'T WANT TO NAME INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE THERE ARE JUST TOO MANY TO NAME, BUT A CITY MANAGER, YOU HAVE AN AMAZING PROFESSIONAL STAFF AND YOU HAVE SET THE BAR SO HIGH AS I MOVE ON TO THIS NEXT AGENCY, TO BE TOTALLY HONEST, THE WORK I'M THE MOST REALLY PROUD OF REALLY THAT HAS AND WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE A LASTING IMPACT ON THE CITY IS THE WORK I DID BEFORE COMING TO THIS DICE, BEING PART OF THE COALITION TO BRING THIS CITY, A NEW FORM OF GOVERNMENT WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST EXPERIENCES OF MY LIFE BECAUSE I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT CHANGED THE TRAJECTORY OF THE CITY.
AND DEFINITELY, AND OBVIOUSLY OUR COUNCIL MOVING OUR ELECTIONS TO NOVEMBER IS ALSO TO THANK FOR THAT CHANGE.
I REMEMBER VERY VIVIDLY GOING TO A CENTRAL CITY NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING TO ASK THEM TO SUPPORT TEN ONE AND A MAN SAYING A MAN AFTER MY PRESENT STATION STOOD UP AND VERY CASUALLY SAID IT WOULD BE STUPID FOR US TO SUPPORT TEN ONE.
WHY WOULD WE LET THAT GO? I ALSO REMEMBER TELLING THAT STORY FROM THE PODIUMS THAT USUALLY YOU'RE SITTING UP HERE, IT WAS THIS ONE ON THE RIGHT DURING CITIZENS COMMUNICATION, ASKING THE COUNCIL THEN TO PUT TEN ONE ON THE BALLOT, BUT THEY DIDN'T.
SO WE FORMED THE COALITION TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT AND PUSH IT TO VICTORY.
UM, I FIRMLY BELIEVE, I KNOW WE HAD THE YOUNGEST DYESS WE'VE EVER HAD DEFINITELY THE MOST DIVERSE WITH THE MOST MINORITY REPRESENTATION.
AND WE HAVE HELD OUR FEMALE MAJORITY THROUGH, I BELIEVE FOUR CYCLES OF ELECTIONS.
THE GENTLEMAN'S AGREEMENT WAS REPLACED BY THE LADY LECTERN.
I KNOW NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT TEN ONE, NO MORE HAVING COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYORS THAT COME FROM JUST A FEW ZIP CODES IN 2012, 10% OF REGISTERED AUSTIN VOTERS VOTED FOR THE MAYOR AND OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IT'S HARD TO CHANGE THE STATUS QUO WHEN THE STATUS QUO WAS PRIMARILY THE POPULATION VOTING IN 2014 AFTER MOVING CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS TO NOVEMBER, THAT NUMBER QUADRUPLED TO 40% OF AUSTINITES CHOOSING THEIR FIRST TEN ONE COUNCIL.
THIS DIOCESE IS MORE DEMOCRATIC AND MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR CITY.
NOW, QUICK SIDE NOTE, I AM ON THE DIAS TODAY.
I ASKED THE CITY MANAGER IF THEY COULD ARRANGE THAT.
UM, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING THAT.
I, I JUST WANTED TO SPEND A PORTION OF TODAY'S MEETING.
UM, HERE, SINCE I STARTED HERE, I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH AND I'VE GROWN SO MUCH DURING MY TIME ON THE DIOCESE.
AND WHILE WE MAY NOT HAVE ALWAYS AGREED, I KNOW EACH OF US TRULY WAS DOING WHAT WE WERE FELT BEST FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS.
AND I CERTAINLY KNOW THE SACRIFICES THAT EACH OF YOU MAKE TO SERVE.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE.
THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS I'M GOING TO MISS.
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JUST A FEW, JUST TO ADD A LITTLE LEVITY HERE.PLEASE KNOW THE FOLLOWING COMES FROM A PLACE OF ENDEARMENT.
SO I HOPE NOBODY TAKES OFFENSE TO ANY OF IT.
I'M GOING TO MISS THE MAYOR, PRONOUNCING WATER, WATER, UM, AND INTRODUCING ME TO TERMS LIKE TRAUNCH.
UM, I'M GOING TO MISS ANNE'S STEADFAST ADVOCACY FOR HER CONSTITUENTS.
IT IS A PRETTY AMAZING THING TO WATCH AND DIG INTO SOMETHING.
AND I'LL MISS HER INTERRUPTING PEOPLE THEN SAYING SHE DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT.
I'M GOING TO MISS HISTORY OF IFC LESSONS FROM CATHY.
UM, I'M ALSO GONNA MISS SITTING NEXT TO KATHY, UM, BECAUSE SHE JUST DOES SO MUCH WORK TO READ UP ON STUFF AND HAD SO MUCH, UM, YOU KNOW, INFORMATION WITH HER ALL THE TIME.
AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVED WHEN SHE PULLED OUT HER STAPLER.
AND IN FACT, I SAW THE STAPLER THE OTHER DAY, I THINK TWO MEETINGS AGO AND IT, IT MADE ME WOW.
UM, UH, I'M GONNA MISS WONDERING IF PAIGE, SPENCER AND JIMMY, THERE'S A STAPLER.
UM, I'M GONNA MISS WONDERING IF PAIGE, SPENCER AND JIMMY ARE ACTUALLY ROBOTS BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY STAY SO STILL AND STARE AT THE CAMERA FOR SO LONG WITHOUT MOVING AND NATASHA, I, I KNEW YOU LONG BEFORE BEING ON THIS DICE AND IT HAS BEEN SUCH A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH YOU IN THIS CAPACITY.
AND I KNOW WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE LIFELONG FRIENDS, UM, AND GREG, UM, AND LUCKY OLD TEN ONE ARTICLES TO REFRESH MY MEMORY ON THAT FIGHT.
UM, I READ ONE AND IT WAS TALKING ABOUT THE GREAT THINGS AT TEN ONE WOULD PRODUCE.
THIS IS A QUOTE FROM PECK YOUNG, AND HE KNOW A KNOWN POLITICAL CONSULTANT WAS SPEAKING ABOUT, UM, THE GOOD THINGS THAT TEN ONE WOULD BRING.
AND HE SAID, YOU'RE GONNA WAKE UP ONE MORNING AND SOME STAR IS GOING TO EMERGE, AND THEY'RE GOING TO EMERGE FROM A DISTRICT WHERE IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO WALK STREETS AND RAISE MONEY AND THEIRS AND THOSE STREETS, THEY WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO GET ELECTED.
I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT SEEING WHAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO.
GREG, YOU REALLY HAVE PUSHED US TO BE A MORE PROGRESSIVE, UH, COUNCIL AND PO, UM, I'LL MISS YOUR VERY REAL AND HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE.
AND I'LL ALSO MISS TEXTS FROM MY STAFF SAYING, TELL PO THAT HIS MIC IS ON.
WE CAN HEAR HIM BREATHING, AND I'LL SAY, YOU KNOW, I ADMITTED IT'S THE SAME FOR ALISON AND LESLIE.
THE, YOU REMIND ME IT ANYWAYS, OF THE STEADFAST ADVOCACY, YOU PROVIDE YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
IT'S AN AMAZING THING TO WATCH.
AND, AND I, AND I, UM, I'VE BEEN GRATEFUL TO GET TO KNOW ALL OF YOU.
I'LL CLOSE WITH READING AN EXCERPT EXCERPT FROM SOMETHING THAT I READ.
I GO BACK TO OFTEN TO READ WHEN I NEED A REMINDER OF WHY WE DO THIS WORK.
IT REMINDS ME OF THE WORK LEFT TO BE DONE.
AND IT'S SOMETIMES IT MAKES ME INCREDIBLY SAD THAT NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED SINCE IT WAS WRITTEN ALMOST 60 YEARS AGO.
IT'S MARTIN LUTHER KING'S LETTER FROM BIRMINGHAM JAIL.
I THINK IT CARRIES EVEN MORE IMPORTANT IN THIS VERY IMPORTANT TIME OF RACIAL AND SOCIAL JUSTICE AND TO CRIMINALIZING POVERTY.
I ENCOURAGE ANYBODY IN THESE KINDS OF POSITIONS TO READ IT AND READ IT OFTEN, DR.
KING WROTE YOU DEPLORE THE DEMONSTRATIONS TAKING PLACE IN BIRMINGHAM, BUT YOUR STATEMENT, I'M SORRY TO SAY FAILS TO EXPRESS A SIMILAR CONCERN FOR THE CONDITIONS THAT BROUGHT ABOUT THE DEMONSTRATION.
I'M SURE THAT NONE OF YOU WOULD WANT TO REST CONTENT WITH THE SUPERFICIAL KIND OF SOCIAL ANALYSIS THAT DEALS MERELY WITH THE EFFECTS AND DOES NOT GRAPPLE WITH THE UNDERLYING CAUSES.
IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT DEMONSTRATIONS ARE TAKING PLACE IN BIRMINGHAM, BUT IT IS EVEN MORE UNFORTUNATE THAT THE CITY'S WHITE POWER STRUCTURE LEFT THE BLACK COMMUNITY WITH NO ALTERNATIVE, DR.
KING GOES ON TO SAY WHAT HE BELIEVES IS A BIGGER THREAT TO HIS CAUSE.
AND THE KKK, EVEN HE SAID IT WAS THE WHITE MODERATE WHO IS MORE DEVOTED TO ORDER THAN TO JUSTICE WHO PREFERS THE NEGATIVE PIECE, WHICH IS THE ABSENCE OF TENSION TO A POSITIVE PEACE, WHICH IS THE PRESENCE OF JUSTICE.
WHO CONSTANTLY SAYS, I AGREE WITH YOU IN THE GOAL YOU SEEK, BUT I CANNOT AGREE WITH YOUR MESS METHODS WHO PATERNALISTICALLY BELIEVES HE CAN SET THE TIMETABLE FOR ANOTHER MAN'S FREEDOM WHO LIVES BY A MYTHICAL CONCEPT OF TIME, AND CONSTANTLY ADVISES US TO WAIT FOR A MORE CONVENIENT SEASON.
HE GOES ON TO SAY, THE PRESENT TENSION IN THE SOUTH IS NECESSARY PHASE OF THE TRANSITION FROM OBNOXIOUS NEGATIVE PEACE TO A SUBSTANTIVE AND POSITIVE PIECE IN WHICH ALL MEN WILL RESPECT THE DIGNITY AND WORTH OF HUMAN PERSONALITY.
WE WHO ENGAGE IN ACTION ARE NOT CREATORS OF TENSION.
WE MERELY BRING TO THE SURFACE, THE HIDDEN TENSION THAT IS ALREADY ALIVE.
WE BRING IT OUT TO THE OPEN WHERE IT CAN BE SEEN AND DEALT WITH.
THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES, FOR HAVING THE COURAGE TO BRING TO THE SURFACE, THE HIDDEN TENSIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY TIME AND TIME AGAIN, BRINGING IT OUT INTO THE OPEN AND DEALING WITH IT.
[00:30:02]
I ALMOST MADE IT THROUGH.I KNOW AS I MOVE ON TO MY NEXT CHAPTER, I WILL USE YOUR EXAMPLES OF PATIENTS UNDER PRESSURE AND COURAGE UNDER FIRE TO PUSH ME, TO KEEP FIGHTING FOR THOSE WHO DON'T FEEL HEARD AND DON'T FEEL SEEN.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS PRESENTATION THAT WENT A LITTLE LONGER THAN I WANT IT TO, BUT THANK YOU.