[Proclamation – Austin Public Works Accreditation Month – To be presented by Mayor Kirk Watson and to be accepted by Richard Mendoza, Transportation and Public Works Interim Director and representatives of the American Public Works Association]
[00:00:05]
UM, YOU KNOW, AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THE, WE, WE HAVE TODAY WE'RE GONNA HAVE A CITY COUNCIL MEETING, AND THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEET, AND WE HAVE BOARDS, AND WE HAVE COMMISSIONS, AND THEY MEET AND THEY MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING POLICY.
BUT THE REAL WORK OF THE CITY, UH, THE REAL ACTIVITY THAT MAKES SUCH A DIFFERENCE AND A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLE'S LIVES IS THE DAY-TO-DAY WORK OF THE FOLKS THAT ARE PROVIDING THE SERVICE THAT OUR CITIZENS WANT TO HAVE.
AND WE DON'T TAKE ENOUGH TIME.
I, I DON'T THINK TO, UM, PAUSE EVERY NOW AND THEN AND SAY THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT ACTUALLY GETS DONE.
THAT'S WHERE THE PUBLIC SERVICE, IN MY VIEW, REALLY MATTERS.
AND I HAVE A STRONG, UH, AFFINITY AND FEELING ABOUT THE, THE PUBLIC SERVANTS THAT PROVIDE THAT SERVICE ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.
AND SO THIS IS, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY.
THIS FIRST PROCLAMATION WE'RE GONNA HAVE THIS MORNING IS AN OPPORTUNITY NOT ONLY FOR US TO SAY THANK YOU, BUT ALSO TO RECOGNIZE THE QUALITY OF THE WORK THAT GETS, THAT GETS PROVIDED.
SO LET ME READ THIS PROCLAMATION, BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS AUSTIN PUBLIC WORKS WAS EVALUATED ACROSS 88 PRACTICES BY THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION, WHICH REQUIRES YEARS OF PREPARATION, COMPILING AND UPDATING DOCUMENTATION AND COLLABORATION ACROSS CITY DEPARTMENTS.
AND WHEREAS THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION FOUND AUSTIN PUBLIC WORKS TO BE IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH ALL PRACTICES AND AWARDED THE DEPARTMENT'S RE-ACCREDITATION, WHEREAS THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION FOUND THAT AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY, WATERSHED PROTECTION BUILDING SERVICES, FLEET MOBILITY SERVICES, AND AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENTS RECEIVED FULL COMPLIANCE ON 42 PRACTICES THAT UNDERWENT A COURTESY REVIEW.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, KIRK WATSON, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM NOVEMBER, 2023 AS THE AUSTIN PUBLIC WORKS ACCREDITATION MONTH IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
AND LEMME JUST SAY, I DO IT WITH GREAT, GREAT PRIDE FOR THE WONDERFUL WORK THAT, UH, YOU ALL AND OTHERS PROVIDE TO THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND I'M GONNA PRESENT THIS TO RICHARD MENDOZA, WHO I WAS PREPARED TO SAY THE INTERIM DIRECTOR OF THIS DEPARTMENT.
BECAUSE, UH, MR. MENDOZA, WHO HAS DONE A GREAT JOB FOR US, HAS JUST BEEN NAMED THE, THE DIRECTOR AND, UH, I'M REAL PROUD OF THAT AS WELL.
IF YOU TAKE THAT, I'LL TAKE THIS.
YOU INTRODUCE HER? I'LL INTRODUCE HER, YEAH.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MAYOR, FOR THOSE VERY GRACIOUS, GRACIOUS COMMENTS.
I SHARE, UH, YOUR PRIDE AS WELL IN THE HARD WORK IN PUBLIC SERVANTS OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND RECEIVING THIS RE-ACCREDITATION.
AND I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE SUPPORT OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION, A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT SUPPORTS PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENTS ALL AROUND THE UNITED STATES AS WELL AS CANADA, AND PROVIDES THE GUIDANCE AND THE BASELINE, UH, STANDARDS FOR PROVIDING STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE IN PUBLIC WORKS.
AND FOR THAT, I, WE HAVE WITH US TODAY FROM A PWA MS. CHRISTINA RAMIREZ, AND MS. RAMIREZ IS GOING TO SHARE SOME COMMENTS AS WELL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR AND MR. MENDOZA, UH, FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE TODAY AS THE TEXAS CHAPTERS REPRESENTATIVE TO A PWA NATIONAL'S COUNCIL OF CHAPTERS.
IT IS MY PRIVILEGE, UH, TO BE HERE TO SHARE WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT A PWA AND THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF YOUR AUSTIN PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
UH, A PWA WAS FOUNDED IN 1937, SO WE HAVE BEEN DOING STANDARDS FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
WE WERE ESTABLISHED TO CONSOLIDATE SUPPORT AND ADVOCACY FOR THE PUBLIC WORKS PROFESSION.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE 32,000 MEMBERS WITH 2100 OF THOSE MEMBERS HERE IN TEXAS.
SO OF COURSE EVERYTHING'S BETTER IN TEXAS, RIGHT? AND, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN ACTIVELY UTILIZES THEIR PUBLIC WORKS MEMBERSHIP, NOT ONLY FOR TRAINING OF THEIR STAFF TO PROVIDE BETTER SERVICES TO YOUR COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO, UM, THEY HAVE BECOME LEADERS WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION AND WITHIN THE INDUSTRY HERE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL FOR CENTRAL TEXAS BRANCH.
AND RICHARD ON THE STATE LEVEL FOR OUR STATE BOARD.
UH, CITY OF AUSTIN IS ALSO MEMBERS NATIONALLY OF OUR BIG CITY COMMITTEE WHO GOES OUT AND ADVOCATES AT WASHINGTON DC AND PROVIDES TRAINING AND LEADERSHIP FOR SMALLER COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE US.
UM, IT, IT IS A VERY BIG PRIVILEGE, UH, TO HAVE WORKED ALONGSIDE SEVERAL OF THE PUBLIC WORKS PROFESSIONALS HERE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
ACCREDITATION IS A MARK OF PROFESSIONALISM INDICATING A PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT'S COMMITMENT TO CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT IN THE DELIVERY OF PUBLIC WORKS OPERATIONS SERVICES, IN WHICH, IN THE COMMUNITY
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IN WHICH IT SERVES ACCREDITATION, RECOGNIZES AN AGENCY'S POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND PRACTICES THAT HAVE BEEN EVALUATED AGAINST NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED MANAGEMENT PRACTICES DETERMINED TO BE APPROPRIATE FOR THAT SPECIFIC ENTITY.SO WHILE HERE IN AUSTIN, YOUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT HAS, UH, SUCH THINGS AS, UH, TRAFFIC CROSSING MM-HMM,
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THINGS LIKE ANIMAL CONTROL, GROUNDS FOR PARKS, PLANNING, ENGINEERING, AND, AND SO PUBLIC WORKS MEANS DIFFERENT THINGS ACROSS THE US AND SO THAT'S WHY WE TAILOR IT TO YOUR COMMUNITY WHEN WE EVALUATE YOU.
IN 2015, AUSTIN PUBLIC WORKS WAS EVALUATED FOR 228 DIFFERENT PRACTICES, AND THAT IS WHEN YOU ALL EARNED YOUR INITIAL ACCREDITATION.
AND EVERY FOUR YEARS WE EVALUATE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF THAT.
AND AS THE MAYOR INDICATED, 88 OF THOSE MARKED A HUNDRED PERCENT, UH, COVERAGE AND SATISFACTION OF MEETING THE GOALS.
UH, WE DID HAVE A REVIEW TEAM THAT CAME IN FROM VIRGINIA AND NEVADA THAT REVIEWED, UH, ALL OF YOUR PRACTICES AND MADE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE A PWA, UH, ACCREDITATION COUNCIL.
AND FOR THE THIRD TIME IN A ROW, YOUR AUSTIN PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN GRANTED A FULL RE-ACCREDITATION FOR A FOUR YEAR PERIOD.
AT THE END OF THAT FOUR YEAR PERIOD, WE WILL BE HAPPY TO ADD THE TRANSPORTATION DE SECTION OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, UH, SINCE THE MERGER OCCURRED DURING THIS RE-ACCREDITATION PROCESS.
UM, AND SO WITH THAT, UM, I AM ALSO HAPPY TO REPORT THAT AUSTIN IS ONE OF 15 COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND ONE WITHIN 200 COMMUNITIES NA WORLDWIDE THAT HAVE EARNED THIS ACCREDITATION.
SO YOU ARE AMONG A VERY ELITE CLASS OF PUBLIC WORKS PROFESSIONALS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THE ENTIRE PUBLIC WORKS TEAM, UH, THE ACCREDITATION MANAGER, STEPHANIE FRANCIS, RICHARD MENDOZA, THE DIRECTOR, AND THE AUSTIN MANAGEMENT TEAM, AS WELL AS THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AND THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY FOR CONTINUING YOUR DEDICATED COMMITMENT TO QUALITY PUBLIC SERVICE.
ALRIGHT, EVERYBODY, LET'S GET A PICTURE.
COME ON FORWARD JUST A LITTLE BIT TOO.
THANKS FOR YOUR GREAT, GREAT WORK.
[Proclamation – Karen Crawford Day – To be presented by Council Member José “Chito” Vela and to be accepted by Karen Crawford, adjunct clinical professor at the UT Law School Immigration Clinic]
UH, EVERYONE.WE ARE HERE TODAY TO, UH, AND TO HONOR ATTORNEY, UH, KAREN CRAWFORD.
UH, A FRIEND, A MENTOR, A TEACHER OF MINE.
SHE, WHEN I WAS IN LAW SCHOOL IN, UH, 2004, SHE WAS MY CLINICAL PROFESSOR IN IMMIGRATION, UH, AND HAS BEEN A COLLEAGUE, A MENTOR, AND A FRIEND FOR, FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
UH, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, A HUGE SUPPORTER OF THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY IN AUSTIN.
UH, AND HAS SERVED, UH, GOOD LONG RUNS ON BOTH THE, UH, IMMIGRANT COMMISSION AND THE JOINT INCLUSION, UH, COMMITTEE, UH, AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UH, DOING WONDERFUL THINGS AND TRYING TO SUPPORT THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY IN AUSTIN IN EVERY WAY THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN.
UM, TO GET A LITTLE BIT WONKY ON, UH, ON, ON IMMIGRATION, UH, ISSUES.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT, UH, CHANGES THAT SHE PUSHED THROUGH, UH, ON THE, UH, UH, IMMIGRANT COMMISSION WAS, UH, EXPANDING THE ELIGIBILITY OF IMMIGRANTS FOR U VISAS, WHICH, UH, IS AN IMPORTANT VISA THAT'S AVAILABLE TO, UH, VICTIMS, UH, OF CRIME.
THERE WERE, UH, LIMITED, UH, IN WAYS THAT THEY DIDN'T NEED TO BE, AND SHE REALLY FOUGHT AND ADVOCATED TO, UH, EXPAND THE ELIGIBILITY, UH, ALLOWING MANY MORE PEOPLE TO BECOME LEGAL, PERMANENT RESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES THROUGH, UH, THAT, UH, PROGRAM.
UH, SHE WORKED AT THE FORMERLY THE PAPA, THE POLITICAL ASYLUM PROJECT OF AUSTIN, WHICH IS NOW AMERICAN GATEWAYS.
UH, SHE GOT HER CAREER STARTED AS, UH, AN IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY IN, UH, BOSTON, UH, HANDLING A LOT OF CENTRAL AMERICAN ASYLUM CASES
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IN THE 1980S AND 1990S.AND HERE SHE IS MANY YEARS LATER, STILL HANDLING ASYLUM CASES FROM, UH, CENTRAL AMERICA.
UH, AND, AND JUST A, A LIFETIME OF WORK OF DEDICATION TO THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY.
UH, A MOTHER OF, UH, TWO, UH, BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN WHO I ALSO KNOW WHO MY CHILDREN KNOW.
UH, UH, JUST, UH, A PLEASURE AND AN HONOR TO, UH, UH, HAVE HER HERE TODAY.
SHE IS IN, UH, PRIVATE PRACTICE, UH, HERE IN AUSTIN AND HAS BEEN FOR, UH, MANY, MANY YEARS.
UH, SO I WANTED TO JUST, UH, HONOR, UH, HER, RECOGNIZE ALL OF HER, UH, WORK AND, UH, EFFORT TODAY, UH, ALONG WITH MY COLLEAGUE NATASHA HARPER MADISON, UH, WHO, UH, IS COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, HARPER MADISON'S ALL HERE.
LET ME GO AHEAD AND READ THE, THE PROCLAMATION.
AND THEN I WANT KAREN TO GO AHEAD AND, AND, AND SAY A FEW WORDS, UH, AS WELL BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS AUSTIN HAS LONG BEEN A DESTINATION FOR THOSE SEEKING A BETTER LIFE, AND WHEREAS IMMIGRANTS HAVE BEEN CRITICAL TO THE INNOVATION, DIVERSITY, CULTURE, AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY OF OUR CITY.
AND WHEREAS AUSTIN IS A MORE WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE PLACE WHERE IMMIGRANTS CAN THRIVE BECAUSE OF THE HARD WORK AND PASSION OF THOSE WHO SUPPORT, REPRESENT, AND ADVOCATE FOR IMMIGRANTS.
AND WHEREAS AUSTIN ATTORNEY KAREN CRAWFORD, HAS EXEMPLIFIED THE VALUES OF SERVICE, COMPASSION, AND JUSTICE IN HER 30 YEARS OF IMMIGRATION LAW PRACTICE, FORMERLY SERVING AS THE CHAIR OF THE AUSTIN COMMISSION ON IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS, UH, VICE CHAIR OF THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE AND LEGAL DIRECTOR AND LATER INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF AMERICAN GATEWAYS.
AND WHEREAS KAREN CRAWFORD HAS ALSO HELPED CULTIVATE THE NEXT GENERATION OF IMMIGRANT CHAMPIONS AS AN ADJUNCT CLINICAL PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS LAW SCHOOL IMMIGRATION CLINIC.
NOW, THEREFORE, UH, I CHITO VELA, ALONG WITH COUNCIL MEMBER NATASHA HOPPER MADISON ON BEHALF OF, UH, KIRK WATSON, THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM NOVEMBER 30TH, 2023 AS KAREN CRAWFORD DAY IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
KAREN, DO YOU WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS? SURE.
UM, I DIDN'T PREPARE ANYTHING, BUT I WILL SAY A FEW WORDS.
FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU, CHITO.
I'VE ALWAYS ENJOYED WORKING WITH YOU OVER THE YEARS AND YOU'VE, YOU'VE, YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN A FIGHTER AND I ALWAYS DREW A LOT OF STRENGTH FROM THAT TOO, SO THANK YOU.
UM, I WAS JOKING AROUND WITH MY FAMILY SAYING THE LAST TIME I GOT AN AWARD I WAS GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL.
SO IT'S, THIS IS REALLY PLEASANT TO RECEIVE.
UM, AND I, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO AND I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO DO, IS TO WORK AS AN ADVOCATE IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.
AND IT'S GIVEN ME A BROAD VIEW OF THE ISSUES THAT THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY FACES IN THIS COUNTRY.
I WISH THAT I COULD SAY THAT OVER THE 30 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN DOING THIS WORK, THAT THINGS HAVE GOTTEN BETTER, BUT THEY'VE GOTTEN WORSE OVER TIME.
BUT THE COMMUNITY THEMSELVES HAS REALLY NEVER CHANGED AS BEING INCREDIBLY INSPIRING, RESILIENT PEOPLE WHO TEACH ME SOMETHING, EVERY PERSON I MEET, THEY REALLY DO.
AND THEY, THEY INSPIRE ME TO CONTINUE FIGHTING AS MUCH AS I CAN.
SO I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS, THIS IS REALLY WONDERFUL.
AND, UM, THANKS THE THANK YOU, UH, COUNCILOR HARPER MADISON AS WELL, AND THE CITY.
THANK YOU THAT, UH, UH, IT'S OUR PLEASURE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, KAREN, AND JUST TO ECHO SOME OF HER WORDS, AS AN ATTORNEY, AS AN IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY, THE PEOPLE REALLY KEEP YOU GOING.
THE SYSTEM GRINDS YOU DOWN, BUT THE PEOPLE, THEIR HOPEFULNESS, THEIR OPTIMISM FOR THE UNITED STATES IN THE FACE OF ALL THE STRUGGLES THAT WE HAVE, INSPIRES ME TO THIS DAY.
EVEN JUST POLITICALLY, THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY, THEY HAVE THIS OPTIMISM, THEY HAVE THIS SENSE OF, OF PROMISE.
AND, AND THAT REMINDS ME THAT, THAT THERE IS GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND THAT IT IS A GREAT COUNTRY.
AND IT'S SEEING THE COUNTRY AGAIN THROUGH THEIR EYES, WHICH ARE NOT CYNICAL, IS ALWAYS SUCH AN INSPIRATION.
BUT THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR WORK AND THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR, UH, FOR ATTENDING.
I FORGOT TO THANK MY TEAM FOR BEING HERE TOO.
YOU CAN'T DO IT IF YOU'RE NOT IN THE TEAM.
UH, UH, SO, UH, BUT THANK Y'ALL, UH, UH, SO, SO MUCH, UH, UH, APPRECIATE EVERYONE, UH, COMING BY.
YOU WANT THAT? OH, YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
CAN HE GET IT IN THERE? IS ALLEN IN? HE'S BACK THERE.
AND YOU BEHIND THERE JUST TO, YEAH.
YOU WANT TO SCOOT? NO, ALAN, YOU'RE FINE.
ALAN, JUST MAKE SURE THAT I GET YOUR FACING HOW BE YEAH.
[00:15:01]
IT'S AN HONOR.[Proclamation – Danny Fetonte Remembrance Day – To be presented by Council Member José “Chito” Vela and to be accepted by Barbara Fetonte]
MORNING, EVERYONE.THIS MORNING WE ARE HERE TO HONOR SOMEONE WHO WAS A FIGHTER AND AN ADVOCATE FOR LABOR, FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, AND FOR WORKING CLASS PEOPLE, UH, FOR THOSE WHO STRUGGLE FOR HIS ENTIRE LIFE.
DANNY ANTE, UH, WE LOST HIM ABOUT, UH, A YEAR AGO.
UH, BUT WE ARE HERE TO REMEMBER HIM, TO HONOR HIM AND, UH, TO RECOGNIZE THE, UH, GREAT AMOUNT OF WORK THAT HE DID.
UH, ON BEHALF OF, UH, MANY GREAT ORGANIZATIONS, I, I MET BARBARA AND DANNY, OF COURSE, THROUGH POLITICS, THROUGH ORGANIZING.
UH, AND THEY WERE JUST TIRELESS, UH, ADVOCATES, ALWAYS READY TO ORGANIZE, ALWAYS WITH A A CLIPBOARD, ALWAYS TRYING TO GET PEOPLE INVOLVED, TRYING TO GET PEOPLE ENGAGED, SHOWING UP TO TESTIFY, SHOWING UP TO FIGHT, WHETHER IT'S AT THE TEXAS CAPITOL OR CITY HALL.
UH, JUST A TIRELESS ADVOCATE FOR, UH, THE LESS PRIVILEGED WHEREVER.
HOWEVER, UH, THEY, THEY, UH, WHEREVER THEY MAY BE.
UM, AND IT'S, UH, JUST A, A GREAT, UH, PLEASURE AND HONOR TO, UH, TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR HIM.
UH, AND I HAVE TO SAY TOO, BOTH DANNY AND BARBARA, UH, PUSHED ME AND PUSHED ME, AND NOT JUST ME, BUT MANY OTHERS ON THE FAYETTE POWER PLANT.
UH, THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF THE PEOPLE THAT, UH, LIVE AROUND THE FAYETTE POWER PLANT AND THE HEALTH AND WELFARE REALLY, OF EVERYONE THAT'S IN THE AIRSHED OF THE FAYETTE POWER PLANT.
THEY WERE JUST TIRELESS ADVOCATES FOR IT.
AND WERE, UH, THE DRIVING CAUSE HONESTLY, OF, UH, AN AMENDMENT, A BUDGET AMENDMENT THAT WE HAD WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO STUDY, UH, THE, THE EFFECTS OF THE POLLUTION AND, AND TRYING TO CONTINUE TO PUSH TO, UH, CLOSE IT DOWN AS SOON AS WE CAN.
UM, BUT LET ME GO AHEAD AND, UH, READ THE PROCLAMATION AND THEN I'M GONNA ASK, UH, UH, BARBARA TO, UH, SAY, UH, A FEW WORDS ON BEHALF OF, UH, OF HER LATE, UH, HUSBAND, BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS THE PRINCIPLES OF DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, COLLECTIVE ACTION AND WORKERS SOLIDARITY ARE CENTRAL TO THE US LABOR MOVEMENT, WHICH HAS EMPOWERED WORKING PEOPLE TO FIGHT FOR JUSTICE AND ACHIEVE TREMENDOUS VICTORIES FOR WORKERS AT HOME AND ABROAD.
AND WHEREAS DANNY ANTE'S LIFE OF SERVICE AS AN ORGANIZER, A UNION MEMBER, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST AND ENVIRONMENTALIST EXEMPLIFIED THESE VALUES.
AND WHEREAS DANNY'S EFFORTS WERE PIVOTAL TO LABOR AND SOCIAL JUSTICE VICTORIES IN TEXAS, WHERE, UH, WITH, UH, COMMUNICATION WORKERS OF AMERICAS, HE HELPED BUILD AND GROW THE TEXAS STATE EMPLOYEES UNION WITH COLLECTIVE BARGAINING POWER FOR TENS OF THOUSANDS OF WIRELESS WORKERS, AND DEFEND THE RIGHTS OF ALL TO DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, SUCH AS HIS ACTION TO DEFEND MUSLIMS FROM RIGHT-WING VIOLENCE AT THE 2017 TEXAS MUSLIM CAPITAL DAY.
AND WHEREAS ON OCTOBER 23RD, 2022, THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN SUSTAINED AN IRREPLACEABLE LOSS WHEN DANNY PASSED AWAY AFTER A TRAGIC BATTLE WITH CANCER, WHICH NEVER DETERRED DANNY FROM THE GOOD FIGHT, ATTENDING MEETINGS FOR THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE WATER CONTAMINATION AND POLLUTION FROM THE FAA COAL PLANT DAYS BEFORE HIS DEATH.
AND WHEREAS DANNY'S INDEFATIGABLE SPIRIT ENDURES IN THE COUNTLESS LIVES, HE INSPIRED TO ACT AGAINST INJUSTICE AND GIVE VOICE TO THE STRUGGLES OF EVERYDAY PEOPLE, THE FORGOTTEN, THE MARGINALIZED, AND THE EXCLUDED.
NOW THEREFORE, I CHITO VELA ALONG WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS, NATASHA HARPER MADISON AND ZOE CADRE, UH, UH, WITH THE, UH, KIRK WATSON, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DO HEREBY PROCLAIM NOVEMBER 30TH, 2020 3, 20 23, AS DANNY ANTE REMEMBRANCE DAY IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
UH, AND I JUST WANT TO ASK, UH, BARBARA TO, UH, SAY A FEW WORDS ON HIS BEHALF AND ALSO HIS SON MICKEY, UH, IS HERE, UH, AS WELL.
UH, SO YOU, WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND WHAT YOU SAID WAS, UH, WONDERFUL.
JUST LET ME GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF SENSE, I REALIZE.
SO DANNY STARTED ORGANIZING IN HIGH SCHOOL.
HE ACTUALLY STARTED ORGANIZING PROBABLY WAY BEFORE THAT,
AND HE ORGANIZED IN HIGH SCHOOL AGAINST THE VIETNAM WAR.
HIS FIRST ARREST NOW I REMEMBER WAS, UH, AT A DRAFT DRAFT BOARD IN NEW YORK CITY, AND HE SHARED A BALONEY SANDWICH WITH DR.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HE ALWAYS REMEMBERED.
BUT HE WENT ON TO HIS REAL, UH, PASSION WAS ORGANIZING, UH, UNIONS.
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TO TEXAS, UH, HE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN ORGANIZING THIS TEXAS STATE EMPLOYEES UNION, WHICH IT DOES NOT HAVE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, BUT STILL HAS ALMOST 10,000 MEMBERS ACROSS THE STATE.HE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN, UM, PRIVATIZE IN WINNING, UH, UNION RECOGNITION FOR CAFETERIA WORKERS IN NAGA DOCHE, WHICH WERE STATE EMPLOYEES, BUT THEY PRIVATIZED THEM AS STATE EMPLOYEES.
THEY WERE NOT GIVEN HEALTH INSURANCE.
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN UNIVERSITY, WHEN YOU APPLIED FOR A JOB THERE, USED TO CIRCLE THE N ON THE APPLICATION, YOU TELL ME WHY THEY WOULD CIRCLE THE N ALL PEOPLE OF AFRICAN AMERICAN DESCENT WERE, UH, TARGETED TO WORK IN THE CAFETERIA OR IN JANITORIAL WORK.
BOY, HE WOULD SAY, YOU'RE REALLY GOING ON ABOUT THIS.
B WAS SO PROUD OF THAT CAMPAIGN WHEN THEY PRIVATIZED THOSE, AND THEY ARE STILL PART OF CWA.
UM, THEN HE WENT ON TO ORGANIZE THE WIRELESS WORKERS.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THAT IN THE WIRELESS INDUSTRY NOW, UH, THEY GET RECOGNITION WITHOUT AN ELECTION.
AND HE WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN THAT.
HE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER IN 2019.
AND THE FIGHT TO CLOSE THE FAYETTE COAL PLANT BECAME PERSONAL FOR THEM, FOR HIM AT THAT TIME, BECAUSE HE WORKED AT BETHLEM STEEL IN BUFFALO, NEW YORK IN THE SEVENTIES.
AND WHAT HE DID THERE WAS HE WORKED IN WHAT THEY CALLED THE COKE OVENS, WHICH IS BURNING COAL TO MAKE COKE, TO MAKE STEEL.
SO WHAT I WANTED TO DO IS JUST READ A COUPLE, HE TESTIFIED SO OFTEN IN FRONT OF COUNCIL, UH, THE EUCI JUST WANTED TO READ A COUPLE WORDS OF HIS AND THEN I'LL TRY TO FINISH OFF.
UM, SO THE FAYETTE COAL PLANT, AND HE HATED CALLING IT THE FAYETTE POWER PLANT BECAUSE IT BURNS COAL, IT DOES MAKE POWER, BUT IT BURNS COAL, UH, PRODUCES COAL ASH.
EVERY STUDY ABOUT COAL ASH SHOWS IT'S A POISONOUS CHEMICAL SLUDGE.
WHEN COAL ASH IS LEFT OUTSIDE, IT LECHES INTO THE GROUNDWATER.
THE POISONOUS CANCER SPREADING SLUDGE, THE COAL PLANT PRODUCES EVERY SINGLE DAY IS ALREADY POISONED MUCH OF FAYETTE COUNTY AND THE POISONS BEING SPREAD.
COAL CAN COAL CAUSES CANCER LEAD POISONING AND OTHER ILLNESSES.
EACH DAY WE PRODUCE THIS POISON, WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO PUT THE COAL ASH IN WATERTIGHT SEALED CONTAINERS.
IT'S TOO LATE TO SAY, THIS IS NOT GOING ON.
ANY ATTEMPT TO HIDE OUR RESPONSIBILITY SHOWS WILLFUL BLINDNESS AND ADDS ANOTHER LEVEL OF VIEW, INTENTIONALLY HIDING AUSTIN'S INVOLVEMENT IN POISONING OF TEXAS COMMUNITIES.
SO HE DEVOTED THE LAST YEARS OF HIS LIFE TO THIS, UM, IN AUGUST OF 2022.
UM, HE'D GOTTEN COVID ACTUALLY, AND WE WERE IN CORPUS, BUT WE HEARD, HE HEARD ABOUT THE VOTE THAT COUNCIL HAD APPROVED THE MONEY TO DO THE TESTING, AND HE WAS SO EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
UM, SO THIS IS NOT ABOUT HIM, BUT THIS IS STILL ABOUT PROTECTING THE PEOPLE, UH, IN FAYETTE COUNTY FROM THE TOXIC HAZARDS OF THE COAL PLANT.
AND WHAT I WROTE, AND I HOPE THIS IS OKAY TO SAY, BUT IF YOU'RE REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT HONORING HIS LIFE, THE CITY MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PEOPLE IN FAYETTE COUNTY POISONED BY THE COAL PLANT AND ADDRESS THE HAZARDS OF THE COAL ASH POISONING.
AND I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO GET SOME RESULTS IN DECEMBER.
AND IF THOSE RESULTS ARE GOOD, OR THOSE REUL RESULTS LEAD TO, UH, A GOOD CLEANUP, HE WOULD BE THE HAPPIEST PERSON FOR THAT.
UH, I'M SORRY WE'RE NOT NO, NOT AT ALL.
I, AND I THANK YOU, UH, BARBARA AND I, I, YOU KNOW, TALKED TO, TO BOTH OF Y'ALL HONESTLY 'CAUSE, UH, THE THREE OF Y'ALL.
'CAUSE Y'ALL WERE ALWAYS TOGETHER.
UH, AND I DID NOT KNOW THAT HE WORKED IN A STEEL PLANT IN BUFFALO WHERE THEY BURNED COAL.
AND THAT JUST REALLY CONNECTS WHY HE'S SO PASSIONATE ABOUT THE, UH, UH, THE FAYETTE COAL PLANT.
SO, WELL, THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH.
UH, AGAIN, WE'RE DANNY ANTE REMEMBRANCE DAY, SOMEONE WHO GAVE A LOT FOR SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE AND WE'RE PROUD TO HONOR HIM, UH, TODAY.
AND, UH, MY CONDOLENCES TO HIS FAMILY, HIS FRIENDS, UH, ON HIS PASSING, HE IS MISSED AND REMEMBERED.
[00:25:01]
YES.MICKEY WAS ONE OF THE FIRST ORGANIZERS TO TAKE ME TO TASK IN MY FIRST CAMPAIGN.
AND THEN LAUREN BECAME MY CAMPAIGN MANAGER, WAS LIKE SUPER FULL CIRCLE.
BIT, BIT OF FRONT OF ME, I THINK.
DO I GET TO TAKE THIS WITH ME? YOU ABSOLUTELY DO.
[Proclamation – Bethany Cemetery Day – To be presented by Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison and to be accepted by Sue Spears, President of the Bethany Cemetery Association]
MORNING EVERYBODY.I'M COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
AND IT IS MY PROUD AND DISTINCT HONOR TO PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION TODAY.
UM, BETHANY CEMETERY IS LOCATED IN THE HEART OF EAST AUSTIN ON SPRINGDALE ROAD, ACROSS FROM THE FORMER SIMS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, LARGE WHITE OAKS WING DOMS AND EASTERN CEDARS AND EVERGREEN THAT SYMBOLIZES EVERLASTING LIFE ARE CLUSTERED ALONG THE TANNAHILL BRANCH OF BOGGY CREEK.
OTHER THAN THE HEADSTONES THAT BEAR WITNESS TO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVED THERE IN THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY, THE LAND HAS REMAINED UNCHANGED SINCE THE CEMETERY WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1892.
CW JONES PAID $432 AND 60 CENTS FOR THE PROPERTY THAT WOULD BECOME THE BETHANY CEMETERY.
IN 1893, MR. JONES, JOHN M. HOLLAND, HENDERSON ROLLINS, ALAN BRADLEY AND WILLIAM M TEARS FORMED THE BETHANY CEMETERY COMPANY.
LIKE MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO WOULD FIND ETERNAL REST IN BETHANY CEMETERY, THESE FIVE MEN, ORDINARY FOLKS WHO DID EXTRAORDINARY THINGS, FORMED THIS PARTICULAR CEMETERY.
MR. HENDERSON ROLLINS WAS LISTED IN THE DIRE IN THE CITY DIRECTORY AS A LABORER.
ALAN BRADLEY WAS A PROPRIETOR OF A MEAT MARKET ON EAST 11TH STREET.
JOHN M. HOLLAND WAS A REAL ESTATE AGENT.
WILLIAM M TEARS BECAME ONE OF AUSTIN'S FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN POLICEMEN.
THEN IN 1901, HE FOUNDED THE TEARS MORTUARY, WHICH I MIGHT ADD STILL STANDS ON EAST 12TH STREET.
AND THE HISTORIC AFRICAN-AMERICAN, HER HISTORIC DISTRICT NOW CALLED THE KING TEARS MORTUARY, OR THEN CALLED KING MORTUARY, UH, IS KING TEARS MORTUARY.
IT IS THE OLDEST ESTABLISHED BUILD BUSINESS IN CENTRAL TEXAS.
THE BETHANY CEMETERY COMPANY EVENTUALLY EVOLVED INTO THE BETHANY CEMETERY ASSOCIATION AND ARE, UH, THEY ARE RATHER THE CURRENT CARETAKERS OF THE 6.18 ACRE GRAVEYARD, WHICH STILL SERVES THE COMMUNITY.
THE ASSOCIATION HAS ALWAYS BEEN A STRONG AND ACTIVE ORGANIZATION.
ITS MEMBERS RAISED MONEY THROUGH HOMECOMING GATHERINGS AND SOLICITATION OF DONATIONS.
THROUGH THIS EFFORT, THROUGH THEIR EFFORTS AND SUPPORT OF LOCAL AFRICAN AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONS, THE BETHANY CEMETERY ASSOCIATION FENCED THE PROPERTY, BUILT A LIMESTONE ENTRANCEWAY, AND PLACED ITS TOP AND PLACED ON ITS TOP AND ARCHED WITH THE WORDS BETHANY CEMETERY.
WE ARE HONORED TO BE JOINED THIS MORNING BY MS. SUE SPEARS, ONE OF ITS TIRELESS ADVOCATES.
UM, AND THE CURRENT LEADER OF THE BETHANY CEMETERY ASSOCIATION.
MS. SPEARS HAS BEEN A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR BETHANY CEMETERY FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS.
SHE HAS WORKED AS A HISTORICAL LAND.
UM, SHE HAS WORKED TIRELESSLY RATHER, WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS TO MAINTAIN THE CEMETERY AS A HISTORICAL LANDMARK IN ORDER TO HONOR THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE HER.
AND SHE IS A BIG PART OF THE REASON THAT WE ARE HERE TO, TO GIVE THIS PROCLAMATION TO BETHANY CEMETERY.
AND WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I'LL READ THE PROCLAMATION.
BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS BETHANY CEMETERY WAS ESTABLISHED IN THE LATE 18 HUNDREDS WHEN BURIAL SPACE SET ASIDE FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS IN AUSTIN'S OAKWOOD CEMETERY WAS NO LONGER AVAILABLE.
AND WHEREAS THE SOULS LAID TO REST IN BETHANY CEMETERY INCLUDE SLAVES, CIVIL WAR VETERANS, AND SOME OF THE FIRST AFRICAN RESIDENTS OF EAST AUSTIN.
AND WHEREAS BETHANY CEMETERY WAS PURCHASED AND ESTABLISHED BY MEMBERS OF AUSTIN'S AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS MAINTAINED AND CHERISHED BY MEMBERS OF AUSTIN'S AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
AND WHEREAS BETHANY CEMETERY REMAINS AN
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HISTORIC AND TREASURED LANDMARK OF EAST AUSTIN, AS WELL AS AN ETERNAL REMINDER OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY THAT ORIGINATED AND THRIVED ON THE EAST SIDE.NOW, THEREFORE, I COUNCIL MEMBER NATASHA HARPER MADISON, ALONGSIDE COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, UH, OUR MAYOR KIRK WATSON AND THE REST OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL DO HEREBY PROCLAIM NOVEMBER 30TH, 2023 AS BETHANY CEMETERY APPRECIATION DAY IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
AND WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO INVITE MS. SPEARS TO SHARE A FEW WORDS WITH US.
I'M GONNA PRESENT YOU THE PROCLAMATION FIRST.
I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE BETHANY CEMETERY ASSOCIATION.
I AM JOINED BY SOME OF MY, UH, FELLOW, UH, MEMBERS AND THEY'RE ALSO THE ORIGINAL PEOPLE'S COALITION BACK HERE BEHIND ME.
AND WE ARE, UH, GLAD TO BE HERE TODAY.
AND ON BEHALF OF THE ANCESTORS THAT ARE BURIED IN BETHANY AND THE EAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY, I ACCEPT THIS, UH, PROCLAMATION WITH PRIDE.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, THANK, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THE DISTRICT ONE COUNCIL MEMBER TASHA MADISON HARPER AND HER STAFF FOR, UH, THINKING ENOUGH OF BETHANY CEMETERY TO PRESENT US WITH THIS PROCLAMATION.
UH, AS UH, AFRICAN-AMERICAN POPULATION HERE IN AUSTIN IS DECREASING.
I THINK IT'S VITALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE PRESERVE OUR AFRICAN AMERICAN LANDMARKS.
UH, THEY ARE GETTING SMALLER AND FEWER, UH, AS THE YEARS GO BY.
UM, BETHANY IS A TRUE REMINDER OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY FROM THE EARLY DAYS OF EAST AUSTIN.
BETHANY ACTUALLY CAME ABOUT BECAUSE OF THE PREJUDICES AT THAT TIME.
AND BLACK PEOPLE DIDN'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO BE BURIED.
SO THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPED THE BETHANY CEMETERY.
AND SO BLACK PEOPLE IN EAST AUSTIN WOULD HAVE A PLACE TO BURY THEIR DEAD.
SO I JUST THINK THAT IT IS, UM, MOMENTUM AND WE NEED TO, UH, PRESERVE, UH, BETHANY CEMETERY BECAUSE THOSE STONES IN BETHANY CEMETERY FOR A LOT OF THE PEOPLE ARE THE VERY LAST REMNANTS OF THAT.
AND SO THOSE STONES THAT ARE OUT THERE, AND SOME OF THEM DON'T EVEN HAVE STONES ANYMORE, THOSE ARE THE LAST REMINDERS THAT THEY EVEN, UH, WERE HERE ON THIS EARTH.
SO I THINK IT IS, UH, PARAMOUNT THAT WE WORK TOGETHER WITH CITY AND UH, COUNTY STAFF TO PRESERVE THE HISTORY OF EAST AUSTIN SO WE DON'T LOSE IT.
UM, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH.
AS WE READY OURSELVES TO TAKE THAT PHOTOGRAPH.
UH, JUST SOME PARTING WORDS I WANT TO TAKE AWAY FROM YOUR REMARKS.
A COMMUNITY WHO DIDN'T HAVE A PLACE TO IN TURN THEIR LOVED ONES, UM, THAT IS A PART OF OUR LEGACY AS A CITY.
AND TO YOUR POINT, MAKING CERTAIN THAT WE ALWAYS RECOGNIZE THAT THESE, UM, LANDMARKS ARE A CRITICAL INVESTMENT, UM, FOR US AS A CITY, AS WE SPEAK ABOUT BEING THAT ONE AUSTIN THAT WE ALL STRIVE TO BE.
SO I HOPE THAT WE ALL TAKE THOSE WORDS AWAY 'CAUSE THEY REALLY HIT ME AND I THINK THEY PROBABLY WILL OTHER PEOPLE AS WELL.
Y'ALL WANNA TURN IT AROUND SO THEY CAN SEE IT? TURN AROUND SO THEY CAN SEE YOU.