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COME ON UP HERE.I JUST WANNA KNOW WHERE OUR TROPHY IS.
SO, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I WANT ALL OF THE KIDS THAT ARE HERE WITH US TODAY THAT HAVE WON TROPHIES TO COME UP HERE AND BE WITH ME RIGHT NOW.
Y'ALL COME UP AND, AND GET IN FRONT OF US.
THIS IS COUNCIL MEMBER CHIEF AVELA AND COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL ALTER.
WHY DON'T YOU COME HERE AND, AND YEAH.
YOU THREE OVER HERE AND YOU THREE OVER HERE.
AND GIVE ME ROOM TO TALK NICE ABOUT YOU.
UM, THIS IS A FUN, FUN MORNING, FUN TIME TO GET TO BE WITH EVERYBODY.
[1. Distinguished Service Award – Homeland Security and Emergency Management’s 2024 Community Preparedness Calendar Art Contest Winners – To be presented by Mayor Kirk Watson and to be accepted by Calendar Contest Winners]
OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CONDUCTS, UH, EVERY YEAR AN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS ART CALENDAR.COME ON UP, COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE, UM, BE PART OF THIS.
THESE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE GONNA MAKE US LOOK THE BEST WE LOOK TODAY.
WHAT THIS INITIATIVE DOES IS IT REACHES OUT TO OUR YOUNGEST COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND THE CONTEST WAS OPEN TO ALL KINDERGARTEN THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS IN THE CENTRAL TEXAS AREA.
THE PURPOSE OF THE CALENDAR IS TO REACH CHILDREN AT AN EARLY AGE TO BRING AWARENESS TO THEM AND, AND ALSO TO THEIR FAMILIES ABOUT EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.
THE 2024 PREPAREDNESS CALENDAR IS A REMINDER OF THE SAFETY MEASURES THAT FAMILIES CAN TAKE TO HELP STAY SAFE AND BE MORE PREPARED FOR AN EMERGENCY.
THE CALENDARS ARE FREE AND THEY'RE GONNA BE DISTRIBUTED AT CITY FACILITIES IN OCTOBER, 2023.
WHILE SUPPLIES LAST THIS YEAR, THE DEPARTMENT RECEIVED A RECORD 202 SUBMISSIONS.
THERE WERE A NUMBER OF HONORABLE MENTIONS AND ARE FEATURED ON THE BACK COVER.
AND THE TOP 13 YOUNG ARTISTS WERE SELECTED FOR EACH MONTH.
AND THE COVER OF THE CALENDAR, THE 2024 EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS CALENDAR, DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD RECIPIENTS ARE, AND WE DON'T HAVE ALL OF THEM HERE, BUT WHEN I CALL OUT YOUR NAME, I'M GONNA CALL OUT EVERYBODY THAT WON'S NAME.
OKAY? BUT WHEN I CALL OUT YOUR NAME, WILL YOU RAISE YOUR HAND SO WE CAN SAY, UH, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
MICHAEL HAMILTON, JJ GILBERT, MARGO BLACK SHEAR.
AMERIS, TAURUS MAY, ABILENE GUZMAN, JACK COLEMAN.
OLIVIA VINCENT FOX, TY THOMPSON, AND KENNETH THONG.
LET'S GIVE A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO ALL OF OUR WINNERS.
AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THE PROUD PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS THAT ARE HERE.
THIS IS A GREAT DAY FOR Y'ALL TOO.
SO THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING HERE.
WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS WE'RE GONNA GO OVER HERE WHERE THESE FLAGS ARE IN THE BACKGROUND, AND WE'LL GET A PICTURE WITH THOSE FLAGS.
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THANKS FOR BEING HERE.WELL, WE, I WAS DOWNSTAIRS TILL NINE GETTING THINGS READY BEFORE I CAME OVER HERE, AND I SAID, YOU WANT ME TO SEE IF I CAN SHAKE UP THE BILL AND THEN HAVE A GREAT DAY, Y'ALL.
AND THEN TODAY'S MOM'S DEMAND, TOO.
I HAVE A FIVE YEAR OLD AND A TWO-YEAR-OLD.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE, UM, THEY'RE GREAT.
THEY'RE A LOT OF FUN, YOU KNOW.
I ACTUALLY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT SHE LOOKS LIKE.
[2. Proclamation – Public Works Week – To be presented by Mayor Kirk Watson and to be accepted by Richard Mendoza, Interim Director of Transportation & Public Works]
WE GOT SOME PUBLIC WORKS FOLKS THAT ARE GONNA COME UP.COME, COME UP HERE AND GET SOME, GET SOME FOLKS.
I THINK, UH, YEAH, I THINK WE'RE GOOD.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF OUR CITY IS THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMMITTED TO, UH, MAKING SURE THAT OUR PUBLIC WORKS OPERATE THE WAY WE NEED THEM TO WORK, TO BE A GREAT CITY, AND TO, TO BE THE KIND OF GROWING CITY THAT WE ARE.
AND WE, WE PROBABLY DON'T STOP.
WELL, I KNOW WE DON'T, I KNOW WE DON'T STOP NEAR ENOUGH AND SAY THANK YOU FOR THE PUBLIC SERVICE, THE DAY-TO-DAY WORK THAT GETS DONE TO ENHANCE EVERYBODY IN THE CITY'S QUALITY OF LIFE.
WE DO THAT FROM TIME TO TIME, PARTICULARLY WHEN THERE'S A RECOGNITION.
AND, AND OF COURSE, THIS WEEK IS NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK.
AND SO I WANT TO MAKE A PROCLAMATION AS MAYOR, TOGETHER WITH, UH, THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL THAT HAVE JOINED US.
WHEREAS THE SUPPORT OF AN UNDERSTANDING AND INFORMED CITIZEN CITIZENRY IS VITAL TO THE EFFICIENT OPERATION OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORK SYSTEMS AND PROGRAMS SUCH AS WATER, SEWERS, STREETS AND BRIDGES, PUBLIC BUILDINGS, TRANSPORTATION, INFRASTRUCTURE, PEDESTRIAN AND CYCLIST SAFETY, SUCH AS CROSSWALK IMPROVEMENTS, BIKE LANES AND TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES, AND SUPPORTING ALTERNATIVE MODES OF TRANSPORTATION SUCH AS WALKING, BIKING, AND PUBLIC TRANSIT TO PROMOTE A MORE SUSTAINABLE AND LIVABLE CITY.
AND WHEREAS THE EFFICIENCY OF THE QUALIFIED AND DEDICATED PERSONNEL WHO STAFF OUR TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT CONTRIBUTES TO OUR QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGH THEIR POSITIVE ATTITUDES AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORK THEY PERFORM, WHICH SUPPORTS AND INFORMS PUBLIC OUTREACH INITIATIVES.
AND WHEREAS WE ARE PLEASED TO RECOGNIZE THE CONTRIBUTIONS WHICH TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS PERSONNEL MAKE EVERY DAY TO OUR HEALTH, SAFETY, COMFORT, AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, KIRK WATSON, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS DO HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY 21ST THROUGH 27TH, 2023 AS NATIONAL PUBLIC'S WORK WEEK WORKS WEEK IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
AND ALTHOUGH WE ARE PROCLAIMING THIS WEEK TO BE PUBLIC WORKS WEEK, WE SHOULD EVERY WEEK TELL YOU HOW THANKFUL WE ARE THAT YOU ARE A PART OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND YOU'RE DOING THE WORK WE DO.
SO I'M HAPPY TO MAKE THIS PRO PROCLAMATION AND PRESENT IT TO RICHARD MENDOZA, THE INTERIM DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS.
THANK YOU MAYOR AND THANK YOU COUNSEL FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT DURING THIS WEEK.
IT'S ACTUALLY A WEEK OF NATIONAL CELEBRATION AND RECOGNITION THROUGH THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION, WHICH CONSISTS OF OVER 30,000 MEMBERS ACROSS NORTH AMERICA, AND 63 CHAPTERS OF WHICH TEXAS IS A CHAPTER IN 97 LOCAL BRANCHES.
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TO ANNOUNCE THEIR THEME OF CONNECTING THE WORLD THROUGH PUBLIC WORKS FOR THE 2023 NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK POSTER.PUBLIC WORKS IS A THREAD THAT CONNECTS US ALL, NO MATTER WHERE WE LIVE IN THE CITY.
ALL EVERY PUBLIC WORKS PROFESSIONAL STRIVES TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE COMMUNITY THEY SERVE, LEADING TO A HEALTHIER AND HAPPIER COMMUNITIES.
I WOULD ESPECIALLY LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT OF PRIVILEGE TO RECOGNIZE THOSE FRONTLINE FIELD PUBLIC WORKS AND TRANSPORTATION PROFESSIONALS.
MANY HAVE ASKED TO JOIN ME HERE TODAY.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE'VE JUST COME OUT OF A VERY CHALLENGING PANDEMIC PERIOD WHERE MANY OF US WERE AFFORDED THE ABILITY TO WORK SAFELY FROM HOME.
HOWEVER, THESE FRONTLINE PUBLIC WORKS AND TRANSPORTATION PROFESSIONALS WERE THERE EVERY DAY COMING IN, MAINTAINING OUR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR OUR CITY.
SO, IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU, MAYOR AND COUNSEL, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE BEHIND ME, MR. UH, CHRIS BOYD, TECHNICIAN THREE, JUST RAISE YOUR HAND.
MARCOS VALDEZ, CREW LEADER, JOHNNY COLVIN, SUPERVISOR COREY JACKSON, SUPERINTENDENT WALDEN CODO, SIGNAL TECHNICIAN, ALLIE GRI, SIGNAL ENGINEER BEN HANSON, SIGNAL INSPECTOR QUINCY BROOKS, TECH TWO, ONE ORTIZ, TECH TWO, AND ROY FLORES PARK AND METER TECH SPECIALIST, AS WELL AS RODRICK DAVIS MOBILITY SERVICES, OFFICER ONE AND JAMES ALLEN, ALLEN STREET AND BRIDGE CREW LEADER.
ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY STAY WHERE YOU ARE.
WHY DON'T YOU TAKE A PICTURE AND GET US ALL IN, IN A, A PICTURE.
[3. Proclamation – Karen Paup Day – To be presented by Council Member Zohaib “Zo” Qadri and to be accepted by Karen Paup, longtime member of the Community Development Commission ]
UH, SO TODAY'S AN EXCITING DAY.UH, WE'RE HONORING YOUR GREAT AUSTIN KNIGHT,
[00:15:01]
WHO HAS BEEN WORKING IN AUSTIN'S HOUSING TRENCHES FOR DECADES.UH, KAREN POP HAS BEEN SERVING ON OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION SINCE THE 1990S, BUT HER INVOLVEMENT GOES EVEN BACK EVEN FURTHER THAN THAT THROUGHOUT HER, THE DECADE.
SHE SERVED ON HOMELESSNESS TASK FORCES AND THE HOUSING WORKS BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
SHE'S HELPED NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS DEVELOP AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS, AND SHE'S BEEN A LEADING FORCE BEHIND HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING BONDS.
THOUGH SHE MIGHT NOT BE A HOUSEHOLD NAME IN AUSTIN, KAREN HAS PLAYED AN INVALUABLE ROLE IN THE ONGOING FIGHT AGAINST HOMELESSNESS AND DISPLACEMENT IN AUSTIN, AND SHE'S BEEN DOING IT FOR LITERALLY MY ENTIRE LIFE.
UH, THOUGH THOUGH, SHE REMAINS THE CO-DIRECTOR OF THE, OF THE TEXAS LOW INCOME HOUSING INFORMATION SERVICE, AKA TEXAS HOUSERS, SHE'S STEPPING DOWN FROM HER SEAT ON THE COMMUNITY DE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.
SO IN HONOR OF THE INCREDIBLE STREAK OF SERVICE, WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION TODAY TO PRESENT TO HER.
BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, UH, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA PASS IT OFF TO, UH, MY FRIEND AND MY COLLEAGUE ON THE RIGHT TO SAY A FEW WORDS, AND THEN WE'LL, UH, WE'LL DO THIS PROCLAMATION.
I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT IN ADDITION TO WHAT SHE HAS DONE IN AUSTIN, UH, SHE WAS WORKING IN THE COLONIALS IN SOUTH TEXAS, TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAD WATER AND ELECTRICITY AND TRASH SERVICE SOME OF THE MOST NEGLECTED AND POOREST AREAS IN THE COUNTRY.
UH, THAT'S WHERE I KNOW HER FROM, FROM THE 1990S WHEN I WAS WORKING IN THE SAME AREA.
UH, AND GOT TO KNOW SO MANY REALLY DEDICATED ADVOCATES WHO FOUGHT FOR THE POOREST AMONG US.
UH, AND SO IT NOT IN ADDITION TO WHAT SHE'S DONE IN AUSTIN, SHE'S BEEN DOING GREAT WORK ON, UH, STATEWIDE LEVEL AT THE LEGISLATURE FOR DECADES.
UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR EFFORT AND, UH, WE JUST, WE APPRECIATE YOU AND, AND YOUR GOOD WORKS WELL.
WELL, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, UM, I WILL NOW SAY THIS PROCLAMATION, UH, BEING KNOWN THAT WHEREAS THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION IS AN ALL VOLUNTEER BODY DEDICATED TO DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING PROGRAM TO SERVE LOWER INCOME AUSTINITE AND THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
AND WHEREAS SINCE 1996, KAREN POP HAS SERVED DILIGENTLY AND FAITHFULLY ON THE CDC BRING TO ITS DELIBERATIONS, HER DECADES OF PASSION AND EXPERTISE IN FAIR AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING ADVOCACY.
AND WHEREAS IN ADDITION TO HER WORK ON THE CDC, KAREN HAS ALSO MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT TEXAS THROUGH HER SERVICE AS A BOARD MEMBER AT HOUSING WORKS, AND HER ROLE AS CO-DIRECTOR OF TEXAS HOUSERS.
AND WHEREAS HER MANY, MANY ACHIEVEMENTS INCLUDE HELPING TO CREATE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND, SUPPORTING FAIR HOUSING INITIATIVES, AND SPEARHEADING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN SUCCESSFUL AFFORDABLE HOUSING BONDS.
NOW, THEREFORE, UH, ON, ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR OF AUSTIN, KIRK WATSON, UH, AND I COUNCIL, UH, Z RI WITH COUNCIL VELA, UH, DUE, HEREBY PROCLAIM JUNE 1ST, 2023 S KAREN POP DAY IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
SO, SHOULD WE, SHOULD WE GO HERE? HERE? CAN WE GO THERE? FEW? WOULD YOU LIKE TO? YEAH, PLEASE.
UH, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE AND COUNCIL MEMBER OF ELA.
UM, IT'S AN HONOR TO RECEIVE THIS RECOGNITION, AND I JUST WANTED TO, UM, MENTION I'VE SERVED, IT'S BEEN A PRIVILEGED TO SERVE ON THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION WITH SO MANY DEDICATED COMMISSIONERS THAT DEDICATED TO THE MISSION OF THE CDC TO END POVERTY, ESPECIALLY THROUGH HOUSING EFFORTS.
AND I'M SO GLAD TO LIVE IN A CITY WHERE HOUSING IS IMPORTANT, WHERE THERE ARE SO MANY CITIZENS AND OUR STAFF, SOME OF WHOM ARE HERE TODAY, THIS PROCLAMATION AND JUST EVERYBODY WHO'S WORKING TO ACHIEVE HOUSING EQUITY HERE IN AUSTIN AND, AND AROUND THE STATE.
AND I, I LOOK FORWARD TO, I'M LEAVING THIS, THE CDC, BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH Y'ALL ON MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING EFFORTS.
[00:21:51]
COMING.HOW ARE Y'ALL DOING THIS MORNING?
[4. Proclamation – Anthropos Arts Day – To be presented by Council Member José Velásquez and to be accepted by Paige Deegan, Board Chair of Anthropos Arts]
I'M COUNCILMAN VELAZQUEZ, AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY ONE, THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY BEING HERE.UH, IT IS WITH GREAT PLEASURE THAT WE CAN HONOR THE ORGANIZATION, ANTHROPO ART, ANTHROPO ART, SURE.
WHO IS MAKING GREAT STRIDES IN OUR COMMUNITY AS THEY WORK TOWARDS MAKING THE ARTS ACCESSIBLE TO CHILDREN FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL READ THIS PROCLAMATION, BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS ANTHROPO ART WAS FOUNDED 25 YEARS AGO IN 1998 TO FULFILL ITS MISSION OF CONNECTING LOW-INCOME YOUTH WITH PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS, CULTIVATING CONFIDENCE, INTEGRITY, AND LIFE SKILLS THROUGH HIGH QUALITY MUSICAL INSTRUCTION AND MENTORSHIP.
AND WHEREAS FOR THE LAST 25 YEARS, ANTHROPO ARTS GREW FROM TWO WORKSHOPS AND SERVICES TO 15 STUDENTS AT TRAVIS AND REAGAN HIGH SCHOOL, TO NOW PROVIDING OVER 150 INCREDIBLE WORKSHOPS, 20,000 MUSIC LESSONS, A HUNDRED PLUS PERFORMANCES IN COLLABORATIONS WITH WOR WORLD RENOWNED ARTISTS, ALL AT NO COST TO STUDENTS, FAMILIES, SCHOOLS, OR DISTRICTS THEY SERVE.
THIS INCLUDES PARTNERSHIPS WITH TITLE ONE SCHOOLS SUCH AS AUSTIN, I S D.
AND WHEREAS ON MAY 7TH, 2023, ANTHROPO CELEBRATED THEIR SUCCESS THROUGH THE PRODUCTION OF THEIR 25TH ANNUAL REAL WORLD'S MUSIC SHOWCASE THAT CULMINATED, THAT CULMINATED A LIVE PERFORMANCE FEATURING A HUNDRED PLUS STUDENTS WHO SUCCESSFULLY SHOWCASED EVERYTHING THEY HAVE LEARNED BY PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAMS AND INSTRUCTIONS AT ANTHROPO ARTS.
AND WHEREAS ANTHROPO ARTS HAS SUCCESSFULLY SUPPORTED LOW-INCOME STUDENTS BY ENSURING THEIR ACCESSIBILITY TO A DIVERSE RANGE OF LIVE MUSIC QUALITY INSTRUCTION AND MENTORSHIP, WHILE SIM SIMULTANEOUSLY IMPROVING THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE, INCREASING HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION AND COLLEGE ADMISSION RATES.
NOW, THEREFORE, I COUNCIL VELAZQUEZ ON BEHALF OF KIRK WATSON, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM JULY 1ST, 2023 AS ANTHROPO ARTS DAY.
WITH THAT, I WILL WELCOME DYLAN JONES.
WE APPRECIATE THIS HONOR AND IS AN HONOR FOR US TO BE ABLE TO AS, UH, I'M A 30 YEAR PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE LONGSTANDING GROUP ATASH.
UH, AND IT HAS BEEN OUR HONOR AS A MUSIC COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE STUDENTS FROM LOW INCOME FAMILIES AND PROVIDE MENTORSHIP FOR THEM.
WHEN YOU FOLKS ARE SUPPORTING THE ARTS, THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE SUPPORTING WITH SOMETHING LIKE ANTHROPO.
NOT ONLY WE'VE, WE'VE PAID OH, CLOSE TO 2 MILLION IN WAGES TO WORKING MUSICIANS OVER THE 25 YEARS TO TEACH.
THE STUDENTS WHO ARE ARE MOST VULNERABLE, THE ONES THAT ARE LIVING IN POVERTY, HAVE LIMITED ACCESS TO OUR MUSIC SCENE, THE THING WE HANG OUR HAT ON FOR AUSTIN.
UH, BUT WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS THE RESULT OF THIS MENTORSHIP AND THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE ARTS IS THAT OUR KIDS GRADUATE AND START CONTRAST TO THE, THE AVERAGE GRADUATION RATES, THEIR SCHOOLS, OUR KIDS HAVE GRADUATING.
A HUNDRED PERCENT OF OUR STUDENTS HAVE GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL SINCE FOR THE LAST 19 YEARS.
UH, 90% OF THEM HAVE GONE TO COLLEGE
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ON SCHOLARSHIP.OUR ALUMNI ARE NOW LAWYERS, DOCTORS, ENGINEERS, UH, THEY ARE BREAKING THE CYCLE OF POVERTY.
THEY'RE ALL STARTED OUT IN THE SAME PLACE, UH, LIVING IN POVERTY.
THEY ARE NOW, UH, GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE AND MAKING MORE MONEY THAN THEIR PARENTS.
SO THAT IS THE KIND OF IMPACT THAT ARTISTS CAN HAVE ON THE COMMUNITY WHEN YOU GUYS SUPPORT THE ARTS.
[5. Proclamation – Moms Demand Action – To be presented by Council Member José Velásquez and to be accepted by Grace Hedrick with Moms Demand Action]
SEE, WE ARE WEARING ORANGE, UM, FOR, UH, NATIONAL GUN VIOLENCE AWARENESS DAY.AND I'M NOT USUALLY THIS FANCY WITH AN ASCOT, BUT, UM, I BURNT MY SHIRT WHILE IRONING IT THIS MORNING.
WE HONOR THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE FALLEN VICTIM TO SENSELESS ACTS OF GUN VIOLENCE.
GUN VIOLENCE HAS SHATTERED COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, AND IT IS BECAUSE OF ORGANIZATIONS LIKE MOM'S DEMAND ACTION, WHO HAVE ADVOCATED FOR RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNERSHIP THAT WE CAN UNITE IN OUR CALL TO BE, TO END GUN VIOLENCE AS WE COME TOGETHER, WEAR ORANGE AND PLEDGE TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY SAFER.
UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THAT THESE FOLKS SPENT A LOT OF TIME AT OUR STATE CAPITOL ADVOCATING AND FIGHTING AND MOVING THE BALL FORWARD SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A SOCIETY, A COMMUNITY WITHOUT GUN VIOLENCE.
SO I, IT IS A TALL TASK TO GET THAT DONE.
AND, AND, AND THEY, THEY, THEY RAN INTO IT HEADFIRST AND DID NOT STOP FIGHTING UP AT THE UP AT THE CAPITOL.
I'M SURE THEY'LL BE BACK SWINGING AGAIN, BUT WE APPRECIATE ALL THEIR EFFORTS BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS EVERY DAY MORE THAN 120 AMERICANS ARE KILLED BY GUN VIOLENCE.
AND MORE THAN 200 ARE SHOT AND WOUNDED WITH AN AVERAGE OF MORE THAN 17,000 GUN HOMICIDES EVERY YEAR, AND 3,996 GUN DEATHS IN TEXAS, MAKING IT THE 26 HIGHEST RATE OF GUN DEATHS IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND WHEREAS IN JANUARY 20TH, 2012, 2012 HAD PELETON WAS TRAGICALLY SHOT AND KILLED AT AGE 15.
AND ON JUNE 2ND, 2023 TO RECOGNIZE THE 26TH BIRTHDAY OF HEDAYA PELETON.
BORN JUNE 2ND, 1997, PEOPLE ACROSS THE UNITED STATES WILL RECOGNIZE NATIONAL GUN VIOLENCE AWARENESS DAY AND WHERE ORANGE AND TRIBUTE TO ALL THE VICTIMS OF GUN VIOLENCE AND THEIR LOVED ONES.
AND WHEREAS WE CONTINUE TO SEE AN INCREASE IN FIREARM, FIREARM HOMICIDES, NON-FATAL SHOOTINGS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND INCREASE CALLS TO, TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINES AND SIMULTANEOUS INCREASE IN ADVOCACY WORK FROM ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS MOM'S DEMAND ACTION TO RAISE AWARENESS AND ENCOURAGE POLICY CHANGE THAT AIMS TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY SAFER.
AND WHEREAS CITIES ACROSS THE NATION, INCLUDING IN AUSTIN, ARE WORKING TOWARDS ENDING SENSELESS VIOLENCE WITH EVIDENCE-BASED SOLUTIONS AND ARE RENEWING THEIR COMMITMENT TO KEEP OUR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES SAFER BY REDUCING GUN VIOLENCE AND PLEDGING TO ENCOURAGE RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNERSHIP.
AND NOW, THEREFORE, I COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ ON BEHALF OF MAYOR KIRK WATSON, CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM JUNE 2ND, 2023 AS NATIONAL GUN VIOLENCE AWARENESS DAY.
THEY, THEY ALWAYS CALL GRACE THEIR FEARLESS LEADER.
AND, AND I WOULD SAY IN ADVOCACY FOR ENDING GUN VIOLENCE, A SHE IS AUSTIN'S FEARLESS LEADER.
UH, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME GRACE HEDRICK.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCIL MEMBER AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR THIS PROCLAMATION.
UM, WE WEAR ORANGE TO DEMAND A FUTURE FREE FROM GUN VIOLENCE, UH, WHERE ORANGE IS DEDICATED TO HONORING THE LIVES OF PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES AFFECTED BY GUN VIOLENCE AND ELEVATING THE VOICES OF THOSE DEMANDING AN END TO GUN VIOLENCE.
AS THE COUNCIL MEMBER SAID, WHERE ORANGE ORIGINATED ON JUNE 2ND, 2015, WHAT WOULD'VE BEEN HADIA PENDLETON'S 18TH BIRTHDAY.
IT BEGAN WITH TEENAGERS IN CHICAGO
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WHO WANTED TO HONOR THEIR FRIEND TOEA AFTER SHE WAS SHOT AND KILLED TODAY, WHERE ORANGE HONORED TOEA AND THE MORE THAN 120 PEOPLE.AND IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT LAST YEAR THAT STATISTIC WAS 110 PEOPLE, AND TODAY IT'S 120 PEOPLE SHOT AND KILLED EVERY DAY IN THE UNITED STATES, AS WELL AS THE HUNDREDS MORE WHO ARE WOUNDED AND THE COUNTLESS OTHERS WHO WITNESS ACTS OF VIOLENCE.
THIS YEAR, WE INVITE EVERYONE TO HASHTAG WEAR ORANGE ON JUNE 2ND, 2023.
THAT'S TOMORROW, NATIONAL GUN VIOLENCE AWARENESS DAY, AND ATTEND EVENTS LEADING UP TO AND THROUGHOUT WEAR ORANGE WEEKEND, JUNE 3RD AND FOURTH HERE IN AUSTIN, WE'LL BE GATHERING AS A COMMUNITY DEDICATED TO ENDING GUN VIOLENCE AT AUSTIN BEER WORKS FROM 11 TO ONE ON SATURDAY.
IF ANYONE IS WELCOME TO JOIN US, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME.
TOGETHER WE WILL REMEMBER THE MILLIONS OF LIVES TAKEN OR IMPACTED BY GUN VIOLENCE AND DEMAND ACTION IN THEIR HONOR.