Feb 27, 2025 City Council Proclamations

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MORNING, MY NAME IS VANESSA

[Proclamation – American Heart Month – To be presented by Mayor Pro Tem Vanessa Fuentes]

PROUD TO SERVE AS MAYOR PRO TEM FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

AND WE'RE HERE TODAY TO RECOGNIZE HEART MONTH AND TO CELEBRATE A MISSION THAT IS NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART AND MANY OTHERS.

THAT WAS MY, MY PUN THERE.

OKAY, .

AND, YOU KNOW, TRULY AMERICAN HEART MONTH IS A CRUCIAL TIME TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF HEART HEALTH AND COMMIT TO BUILDING HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES.

UM, WHETHER IT'S GETTING YOUR STEPS IN OR MAKING ADJUSTMENTS TO MAKE YOUR DIET A LITTLE BIT MORE HEALTHY OR ADVOCATING FOR BETTER HEALTHCARE ACCESS, THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS THAT WE CAN TAKE ACTION.

AT THE SAME TIME, WE MUST ALSO ADDRESS THE HISTORICAL INEQUITIES THAT WE HAVE THAT DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACT HEART HEALTH ACROSS OUR COUNTRY.

FOR ME, THIS MISSION IS TRULY PERSONAL BECAUSE LIKE MANY, I HAVE A FAMILY HISTORY OF HEART DISEASE.

BOTH MY DAD, UH, AND MY SISTER-IN-LAW WHO IS IN HER MID-TWENTIES WHEN SHE GOT OPEN HEART SURGERY, UM, HAVE ALL HAD TO, TO BATTLE HEART DEFECTS AND HEART DISEASE.

AND SO I KNOW THAT MANY OF OUR FAMILIES HAVE SOME, A LOVED ONE OR KNOW SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN DIRECTLY IMPACTED, UM, BY HEART DISEASE.

AND, AND SO THAT IS WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO RECOGNIZE HEART MONTH.

AND I'LL BE PRESENTING THE SPECIAL PROCLAMATION TO OUR VERY OWN EMS. CHIEF ROBERT LURID KNOWN THAT WHEREAS CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE REMAINS THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN THE UNITED STATES, AND WHEREAS HEART DISEASE AND STROKE TOGETHER KILL MORE AMERICANS E EVERY YEAR THAN ALL FORMS OF CANCER COMBINED WITH CBD RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERY ONE IN THREE DEATHS.

AND WHEREAS CVD CONTINUES TO AFFECT MILLIONS OF AMERICANS WITH NEARLY HALF OF ALL US ADULTS HAVING SOME FORM OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE BETWEEN 2017 AND 2020.

AND WHEREAS CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTS CERTAIN GROUPS INCLUDING NON-HISPANIC, NON-HISPANIC BLACK AMERICANS, AMONG WHOM 59% OF BLACK WOMEN AND 58.9% OF BLACK MEN ARE AFFECTED BY CBD.

AND WHEREAS WOMEN FACE A PARTICULARLY HIGH RISK OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE BEING THE NUMBER ONE KILLER OF WOMEN CLAIMING THE LIVES OF ONE AND EVERY THREE WOMEN ANNUALLY AND MORE WOMEN DYING FROM HEART DISEASE THAN ALL FORMS OF CANCER COMBINED.

AND WHEREAS THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION'S ONGOING RESEARCH HAS IDENTIFIED KEY LIFESTYLE CHANGES SUCH AS REGULAR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, A HEALTHY DIET AND TOBACCO CESSATION AS CRUCIAL TO REDUCING THE RISK OF HEART DISEASE AND STROKE.

AND WHEREAS THE OBSERVANCE OF AMERICAN HEART MONTH PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE AWARENESS, TO PROMOTE HEART HEALTHY HABITS AND ENCOURAGE INDIVIDUALS TO TAKE PROACTIVE MEASURES TO PREVENT HEART DISEASE AND STROKE.

NOW THEREFORE, I MAYOR PRO TEM VANESSA FUENTES ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR DO HEREBY PROCLAIM FEBRUARY, 2025 AS AMERICAN HEART MONTH.

THANK YOU.

GOOD.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR PRO TEM.

UM, IT REALLY IS AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE TO BE HERE.

UM, SO EXCITED TO BE CELEBRATING AMERICAN HEART MONTH THIS, UH, THIS MONTH, UH, AS THE MAYOR PRO TEM MENTIONED, AND I WON'T, UH, I WON'T REPEAT EVERYTHING SHE SAID, BUT CERTAINLY, UM, HEART DISEASE IS A REAL KILLER HERE IN OUR COUNTRY.

AND, UH, AS THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH, UH, FOR AMERICANS, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY HAVE TO HAVE A CONTINUED FOCUS ON.

UH, AT AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY EMS, WE HAVE A HUGE FOCUS ON, UM, HEART DISEASE AND GROWTH PREVENTION, UM, AND TREATMENT.

AND IT'S ONE OF OUR KEY CORE PILLARS AND VALUES AND GOALS, IS TO CONTINUE TO EVALUATE, UM, OUR CARDIAC ARREST SURVIVAL HERE WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, NOT JUST FROM A BROADER SENSE, BUT ALSO FROM AN EQUITY PERSPECTIVE.

AND TO SEE WHAT TOOLS AND MECHANISMS THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT ACROSS THE CITY AND ACROSS THE COUNTY TO TRY TO REDUCE UNNECESSARY DEATHS RELATED TO HEART DISEASE.

I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO PLEASE, RIGHT? IN ADDITION TO GOING OUT AND, AND WORKING ON OUR DIET, WORKING ON OUR EXERCISE, LOOKING AT WAYS THAT WE CAN PREVENT AND BE BETTER AT THIS, TO ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT HEART DISEASE IS REAL AND AS MUCH AS WE PREVENT THEM, THERE ARE HEART DISEASE DEATHS THAT ARE OUT THERE.

UM, AND ONE OF THE BEST THINGS THAT WE CAN DO IS TO GO OUT AND LEARN CPR THE NUMBER ONE WAY THAT WE CAN REDUCE THE DEATHS RELATED TO HEART DISEASE.

UM, FROM AN ACUTE STANDPOINT, THE WAYS THAT WE CAN TRULY MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN HOW OUR CARDIAC ARREST SURVIVAL RATE GO BEYOND WHAT EMS CAN DO FOR ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO AND HOW QUICKLY WE CAN ARRIVE.

ALL OF THE GREATEST TECHNOLOGY, THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT WILL MOVE THE NEEDLE FOR PATIENTS THAT ARE IN CARDIAC ARREST IS BYSTANDER.

CPR AND I IMPLORE EVERYONE TO GO OUT, LEARN CPR.

YOU CAN LEARN CPR R THROUGH US IF YOU WANT TO VISIT OUR WEST WEBSITE@AUSTINTEXAS.GOV SLASH EMS. WE HAVE CLASSES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, UM, SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO MOVE THAT NEEDLE SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO IMPROVE CARDIAC ARREST SURVIVAL, AND WE CAN CONTINUE TO LOOK HOLISTICALLY ACROSS THE COUNTY AND PARTICULARLY IN THOSE AREAS THAT HAVE LOWER CARDIAC ARREST SURVIVAL RATES, AND HAVE AREAS WHERE WE WANNA ENSURE THAT WE HAVE AN EQUITABLE OUTCOME IN RELATION TO HEART DISEASE.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THIS MEANS SO MUCH TO US

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THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

[Proclamation – National Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS – To be presented by Mayor Pro Tem Vanessa Fuentes]

VANESSA FUENTES, MAYOR PERAM FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

TODAY WE'RE HERE TO RECOGNIZE THE NATIONAL WEEK OF PRAYER FOR THE HEALING OF AIDS, A TIME TO HONOR THOSE IMPACTED BY HIV V AIDS AND REAFFIRM OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUITY AWARENESS AND COMPASSIONATE CARE.

FAITH AND COMMUNITY LEADERS HAVE LONG BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS FIGHT, AND I WANNA THANK ALL OF OUR CHURCHES AND OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS FOR THEIR ALLYSHIP, INCLUDING, AND THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE LIST, THE GREATER LOVE BAPTIST CHURCH, FREEDOM HOME BAPTIST CHURCH, NEW HOPE BAPTIST CHURCH, PEACEFUL ST.

JAMES BAPTIST CHURCH, ST.

JAMES MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH, DIANO MINISTRIES, GREATER ST.

JOHN CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST, MOUNT ZION BAPTIST CHURCH, GREATER MOUNT ZION BAPTIST CHURCH, TEXAS BLACK WOMEN'S HEALTH INITIATIVE OF AUSTIN, A AGE ALE ALLIANCE, SAFFRON TRUST, BLACK MEN'S HEALTH CLINIC.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMITMENT AND UNWAVERING DEDICATION.

NOW IT IS MY HONOR TO PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION AND ACCEPTING THIS PROCLAMATION.

IS PASTOR QUENTIN FROM THE DIAGNOSED CHURCH, BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION, THE CDC ESTIMATES THAT APPROXIMATELY 31,800 PEOPLE ACQUIRED HIV IN THE UNITED STATES IN 2022, UNDERSCORING THE ONGOING NEED FOR PREVENTION, EDUCATION, AND ACCESSIBLE HEALTHCARE.

AND WHEREAS IN TRAVIS COUNTY, 215 NEW HIV DIAGNOSIS WERE RECORDED IN 2023 AND WHERE 140 ARE HISPANIC LATINO AND 34 WERE BLACK AFRICAN AMERICAN HIGHLIGHTING THE CONTINUED URGENCY FOR LOCAL AWARENESS TESTING AND INTERVENTION EFFORTS.

AND WHEREAS HIV CAN INFECT ANYONE LONGSTANDING SOCIAL, ECO AND ECONOMIC DISPARITIES DRIVE THE HEALTH INEQUITIES DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTING BLACK AFRICAN AMERICAN AND HISPANIC LATINO COMMUNITIES.

IN 2023, THE RATE OF NEW HIV DIAGNOSIS AMONG BLACK AFRICAN AMERICANS AND HISPANIC LATINOS IN TRAVIS COUNTY WITH SIX TIME THE RATES THAN THOSE FOR WHITES.

AND WHEREAS THIS NATIONAL WEEK OF PRAYER FOR THE HEALING OF AIDS, THE PLANNING COLLABORATIVE GROUP AND PARTNERS WITH CHURCHES TO EDUCATE, REDUCE STIGMA AND BUILD A SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY FOR THOSE LIVING WITH HIV AIDS IN 2024, OVER 300 INDIVIDUALS ATTENDED ACTIVITIES THAT WERE SUPPORTED BY SEVEN COMMUNITY PARTNERS, WHICH FOSTERED CANDID DISCUSSIONS IN DE-STIGMATIZATION AND THE POWER OF FAITH-BASED SUPPORT.

AND WHEREAS AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH COMMEMORATES THE 2025 NATIONAL WEEK OF PRAYER FOR THE HEALING OF AIDS IN COLLABORATION WITH LOYAL COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO ARE JOINING US HERE TODAY CONTINUOUSLY TO ADVOCATE TO ADDRESS THESE HEALTH DISPARITIES NOW, THEREFORE, I VANESSA FUENTES MAYOR PROM FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, ALONGSIDE MY COLLEAGUE HERE, COUNCILLOR VELA, TO HEREBY PROCLAIM MARCH 2ND THROUGH THE EIGHTH 2025 AS NATIONAL WEEK OF PRAYER FOR THE HEALING OF AIDS.

THANK YOU.

MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU MAY NOT SEE WHAT I GO THROUGH, BUT AS LONG AS I KNOW THAT YOU'RE THERE, ALL THOSE THAT ARE HERE TO SUPPORT THOSE WHO ARE DEALING WITH AND LIVING WITH HIV AIDS, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW THAT WE LOVE THEM AND THAT WE CARE.

WE THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS PROCLAMATION.

I DO ACCEPT IT ON BEHALF OF EVERYONE THAT'S HERE.

THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.

[Proclamation – Cecile Richards Memorial Day – To be presented by Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison]

AND I'M HERE STANDING IN FOR COUNCILWOMAN NATASHA HARPER MADISON, WHO IS NOT FEELING WELL TODAY.

IT IS AN HONOR TO RECOGNIZE A WOMAN WHOSE WORK HAS SHAPED NOT ONLY TEXAS, BUT THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.

CECILE RICHARDS WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE IN TEXAS, AND FROM AN EARLY AGE, SHE UNDERSTOOD THAT ACTIVISM ISN'T JUST ABOUT SAYING THE RIGHT THINGS, IT'S ABOUT ACTION AND FOLLOW THROUGH.

WE CAN ALL APPRECIATE THAT SHE WAS A TRAILBLAZER JUST LIKE HER MOTHER.

GOVERNOR ANN RICHARDS THROUGH HER WORK AS A LABOR ORGANIZER, A CHAMPION FOR PROGRESSIVE CAUSES, AND A LEADER IN ORGANIZATIONS LIKE PLANNED PARENTHOOD,

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CECILE FOUGHT TIRELESSLY FOR JUSTICE, EQUITY, AND FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS FOR ALL PEOPLE.

SHE DEDICATED HER CAREER TO MAKING OUR COMMUNITY STRONGER, SAFER, AND MORE WELCOMING FOR EVERYONE.

CECILE RICHARDS NEVER SHIED AWAY FROM A FIGHT BECAUSE SHE KNEW THAT CHANGE DOES NOT COME EASY.

IT REQUIRES COURAGE, PERSISTENCE, AND UNWAVERING BELIEF THAT A BETTER WORLD IS POSSIBLE.

HER LEGACY IS ONE OF ACTION AND IMPACT, ESPECIALLY FOR THE NEXT GENERATION TO STEP UP AND TO CONTINUE HER WORK.

I'LL END WITH THIS STATEMENT FROM CECILE THAT FEELS MORE RELEVANT THAN EVER.

IT IS NOT HARD TO IMAGINE A FUTURE WHERE FUTURE GENERATIONS ARE ONE DAY ASKING WHEN THERE WAS SO MUCH AT STAKE FOR OUR COUNTRY, WHAT DID YOU DO? AND THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE ANSWER IS EVERYTHING WE COULD.

HER WORDS REMIND US OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO KEEP PUSHING FORWARD, TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROTECT OUR RIGHTS, OUR FREEDOMS, AND OUR COMMUNITIES.

WITH THAT, I'D NOW LIKE TO INVITE MEMBERS OF THE RICHARDS FAMILIES AND LOVED ONES TO SHARE A FEW WORDS.

I I HAD TO WRITE IT DOWN SO I WON'T CRY.

CECILE WAS MY BIG SISTER.

I LOOKED UP TO HER MY ENTIRE LIFE.

SO IT NEVER REALLY CHANGED FOR ME.

I'VE OFTEN BEEN OBLIVIOUS OF MY SURROUNDINGS, AND AS A RESULT, MY RECOGNITION OF CECILE'S PERSISTENCE AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS DIDN'T REALLY DAWN ON ME UNTIL LATER IN LIFE.

SHE TREATED ME WITH UNDESERVED RESPECT AND KINDNESS.

SHE NAMED HER SON AFTER ME.

BEAR WITH ME.

CECILE WAS ALWAYS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HUMAN RIGHTS.

I'LL PICK UP SPEED.

NOW, CECILE DIDN'T KOWTOW WHEN SHE DISAGREED WITH ANYONE.

SHE DIDN'T SUFFER FOOLS.

AND SHE TOLD YOU HOW SHE SAW THINGS WITHOUT CONCERN OF HOW IT MIGHT AFFECT YOUR OPINION OF HER CECILE.

TO ME, THIS WAS ONE OF HER MOST ADMIRABLE QUALITIES.

AND I WANNA SHARE WITH YOU A STORY THAT EXEMPLIFIES CECILE'S BEHAVIOR AND ITS EFFECT.

AS AN UNDERGRADUATE AT BROWN UNIVERSITY, SHE WAS ALWAYS, UH, PROTESTING FOR CIVIL RIGHTS.

SHE GOT SPRAYED WITH TEAR GAS PROTESTING A NUCLEAR PLANT.

SHE STARTED A FOOD CO-OP ON CAMPUS FOR PEOPLE WHO COULDN'T AFFORD GROCERIES.

BUT THE ONE I LIKED THE BEST IS THE STRIKE.

THE JANITORS AND OTHER WORKERS AT BROWN UNIVERSITY WENT ON STRIKE FOR BETTER PAY AND BENEFITS.

THE SCHOOL BROUGHT IN SCABS TO COVER THE STRYKER'S JOBS AND TO DISRUPT THE SCABS.

CECILE ORGANIZED A CAMPAIGN.

THE SCHOOL RULES WERE THAT YOU COULD ONLY CHECK OUT SEVEN LIBRARY BOOKS A DAY.

AND SO SHE AND HER COHORTS WOULD GO TO THE LIBRARY EVERY DAY, CHECK OUT SEVEN BOOKS ONLY TO RETURN THEM THE NEXT DAY.

CECILE BELIEVED THIS WOULD HELP BROWN UNIVERSITY UNDERSTAND THE NECESSITY FOR QUALIFIED EMPLOYEES.

AFTERWARDS, THE UNIVERSITY SUGGESTED CECILE THAT SHE TAKE A SEMESTER OFF AND DECIDE WHETHER SHE TRULY VALUED THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY SHE WAS BEING PROVIDED.

CECILE RETURNED AFTER THAT SEMESTER OFF AND COMPLETED HER UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE, BUT SHE SKIPPED HER GRADUATION CEREMONY TO PROTEST THE UNIVERSITY'S INVESTMENTS IN APARTHEID SOUTH AFRICA.

CURIOUSLY, 30 YEARS LATER, BROWN UNIVERSITY AWARDED CECILE WITH AN HONORARY DOCTORATE.

BUT AT THE CEREMONY, THERE WAS NO MENTION OF THE TROUBLEMAKER CECILE THE STRIKE OR THE PROTEST.

TO ME, THAT WAS CECILE'S LIFE.

THE PAST MONTH I'VE RECEIVED CALLS AND EMAILS AND LETTERS FROM PEOPLE, SOME I HAVEN'T SPOKEN TO IN DECADES, SOME I'VE NEVER MET, ALL DESCRIBING TO ME THE POSITIVE EFFECTS CECILE HAD ON THEIR LIVES.

IT HAS BEEN A FABULOUS WAY TO BE REMINDED OF HER.

I REALIZE YOU MAY NOT THINK I'M IN A POSITION TO BE OBJECTIVE, HOWEVER, IN MY EXPERIENCE, I'VE NEVER MET ANYONE WHO TALKED TO THE TALK AND WALKED THE WALK BETTER THAN CECILE.

I MISS HER TERRIBLY.

I DEARLY APPRECIATE COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON FOR SETTING THIS UP.

MAYOR PROTE, VANESSA FUENTES FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY AND THE COUNCIL FOR TAKING THIS TIME.

THANK YOU AS WE HONOR HER LEGACY TODAY.

I'M GRATEFUL TO BE JOINED BY HER FAMILY AND LOVED ONES TO CELEBRATE HER LIFE, HER LEADERSHIP, AND THE LASTING IMPACT OF HER WORK.

ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WE ARE HE PROUD TO HONOR CECILE RICHARDS WITH THIS PROCLAMATION, BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS CECILE RICHARDS WAS BORN IN WACO IN

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AND WHEREAS RICHARDS FOLLOWED HER FAMILY'S ACTIVISM, WORKING AS A LABOR ORGANIZER, CAMPAIGNING FOR PROGRESSIVE CAUSES AND CANDIDATES, AND SERVING ON ORGANIZATIONS FROM THE FORD FOUNDATION, AMERICA VOTES TO THE TEXAS FREEDOM NETWORK AND PLANNED PARENTHOOD.

AND WHEREAS CECILE RICHARDS DEVOTED HER LIFE TO MAKING HER COUNTRY AND WORLD A BETTER PLACE, HER WORK IS A SHINING EXAMPLE OF THE AMERICAN IDEAL OF PUBLIC SERVICE AND SHOULD BE REMEMBERED FOR GENERATIONS BY THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY AND BEYOND.

NOW, THEREFORE, I MAYOR PRO TEM VANESSA FUENTES, ALONGSIDE MY COLLEAGUES, COUNCIL MEMBERS VELA JOSE VELASQUEZ AND MARK UCHIN ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR DO HEREBY PROCLAIM FEBRUARY 27TH, 2025 AS CECILE RICHARDS MEMORIAL DAY.

GOOD MORNING AND

[Proclamation – Mobile Blessings from the Heart Day – To be presented by Council Member José Velásquez]

I AM COUNCIL MEMBER JOSE VELASQUEZ, AND I AM SO HONORED TO BE HERE TODAY TO RECOGNIZE A FRIEND PILLAR OF THE COMMUNITY AND LONGTIME PHILANTHROPIST JEANETTE VALDEZ.

THROUGH HER NONPROFIT MOBILE BLESSINGS FROM THE HEART, SHE'S SAVING LIVES BY PROVIDING NECESSARY RESOURCES, HOSTING COMMUNITY GATHERINGS, AND CREATING SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO BE SEEN.

SHE ALWAYS PUTS THE COMMUNITY FIRST AND HER WORK IS A MONUMENT TO WHAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH WHEN WE PUT SERVICE ABOVE OURSELVES.

SHE'S A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF HOW ONE COMMUNITY MEMBER CAN TRULY MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

AND SHE'S A PERSONAL HERO OF MINE, AND I'M SO HONORED THAT WE GET TO RECOGNIZE HER TODAY WITH THIS PROCLAMATION, BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS JEANETTE VALEZ DURAN A SHINING EXAMPLE OF SELFLESSNESS AND COMPASSION, HAS DEDICATED HER LIFE TO LIFT UPLIFTING THE EAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY THROUGH HER NONPROFIT MOBILE BLESSINGS FROM THE HEART.

AND WHEREAS SINCE 2015, JEANETTE VALDEZ HAS WORKED TIRE TIRELESSLY TO COMBAT FOOD INSECURITY BY COLLECTING FOOD RESOURCES, UH, BY COLLECTING FOOD DONATIONS FROM LOCAL RETAILERS, THE AUSTIN AREA FOOD AND, AND THE AUSTIN AREA FOOD BANK, ENSURING THAT NO FAMILY IN HER COMMUNITY GOES HUNGRY.

AND WHEREAS WHAT BEGAN AS A SMALL GESTURE OF KINDNESS WITH JUST A FEW COMMUNITY MEMBERS SEEKING FOOD ASSISTANCE HAS BLOSSOMED INTO A LIFELINE FOR HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES WHO GATHER EVERY WEEKEND TO RECEIVE FRESH PRODUCE AND FOOD PRODUCTS.

A TESTAMENT TO JEANETTE'S UNWAVERING DEDICATION.

AND WHEREAS JEANETTE VALDEZ OPERATES MOBILE BLESSINGS FROM THE HEART OUT OF HER PARENTS, JOSIE AND STEVE VALDEZ LOT ON MUNSON STREET, TURNING THIS HUMBLE SPACE INTO A BEACON OF HOPE AND A SANCTUARY OF NOURISHMENT FOR THOUSANDS OF EAST AUSTIN RESIDENTS.

AND WHEREAS JEANETTE VALDEZ'S WORK GOES BEYOND SIMPLY PROVIDING FOOD, IT FOSTERS DIGNITY, COMMUNITY AND EMPOWERMENT OFFERING A SPACE WHERE NEIGHBORS CAN COME TOGETHER, CONNECT AND SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER.

AND WHEREAS HER TIRELESS EFFORTS OFTEN BEHIND THE SCENES AND WITHOUT FANFARE TOUCHED COUNTLESS LIVES, MAKING HER A TRUE, TRUE AND IRREPLACEABLE PART OF THE EAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY.

AND WHEREAS THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL IS HONORED TO RECOGNIZE JEANETTE VALEZ FOR HER EXTRAORDINARY SPIRIT, HER STEADFAST COMMITMENT TO SERVING OTHERS, AND THE PROOF PROFOUND IMPACT SHE HAS HAD ON OUR COMMUNITY.

NOW, I, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JOSE VELASQUEZ, ALONG WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CHITO ELLA ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN THE ENTIRE DIET IN THE ENTIRE DIOCESE DO HEREBY PROCLAIM FEBRUARY 25TH, 2025 AS MOBILE BLESSINGS FROM THE HEART DAY IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

THANK YOU.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK, UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST OUR FATHER, GOD, FOR PLACING THIS PURPOSE IN MY HEART AND, UH, THIS VISION AND IN MY BRAIN AND, UM, JUST THE COMMUNITY FOR ALLOWING US, YOU KNOW, TO, TO SERVE FOR HIM AND TO BE HIS HANDS AND FEET HERE ON EARTH.

AND AS LONG AS I'M SERVING AND AS LONG AS HE SEES ME, UH, THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS.

AND I'M JUST VERY GRATEFUL AND HONORED TO BE HERE.

AND, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY ASKED ME TODAY, YOU KNOW, HOW DOES IT FEEL? I SAID, I FEEL THE SAME.

I FEEL NORMAL.

I SAID, JUST AS LONG AS GOD KNOWS MY HEART AND HE KNOWS WHAT I'M DOING, THAT'S ALL I'M GRATEFUL FOR.

SO THANK YOU FOR CITY OF AUSTIN FOR, FOR GIVING ME THIS RECOGNITION.

GOOD

[Proclamation – St. John Regular Baptist Association Day – To be presented by Council Member José “Chito” Vela]

I'M CHIEF VELA CITY COUNCIL MEMBER

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JOHN REGULAR BAPTIST DISTRICT ASSOCIATION, UH, WHICH IS LOCATED IN THE ST.

JOHN, THE HISTORIC ST.

JOHN NEIGHBORHOOD IN DISTRICT FOUR.

UH, OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW THE MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION.

I'VE TOURED THE, THE PROPERTY AND THE, THE HISTORIC TABERNACLE THAT SITS THERE.

AND IT HAS TOUCHED ME THE, NOT JUST THE, THE PROPERTY, THE PEOPLE, BUT THE HISTORY, UH, THE ASSOCIATION DATES BACK TO THE POST-CIVIL WAR ERA WHERE FREED MEN CAME TOGETHER IN COMMUNITY AND IN SPIRIT AND FAITH, UH, AND NOT JUST IN AUSTIN, BUT THROUGHOUT CENTRAL TEXAS, UH, TO, TO HELP EACH OTHER, TO HELP THE COMMUNITY.

UH, REALLY THE TABERNACLE THERE IN THE ST.

JOHN NEIGHBORHOOD IS, UH, THE MOST HISTORIC STRUCTURE IN DISTRICT FOUR AND QUITE POSSIBLY ONE OF THE MOST HISTORIC STRUCTURES IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

UH, IT DATES TO ALMOST THE, UH, BEGINNING OF THE CITY'S ASSOCIATION DATES, UH, TO ALMOST, UH, THE CITY'S FOUNDING.

AND IT'S JUST A CRITICAL PART, UH, NOT JUST OF THE HISTORY OF AUSTIN, BUT THE HISTORY OF CENTRAL TEXAS AND REALLY THE HISTORY OF TEXAS ITSELF.

UH, IT'S BEEN JUST A PLEASURE GETTING TO KNOW THE, THE PASTORS AND THE MEMBERS, UH, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THEM TO PRESERVE THE TABERNACLE AND TO MAKE THAT HISTORY KNOWN, UH, NOT JUST TO THE MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION WHO KNOW IT WELL, BUT TO THE BROADER COMMUNITY SO THEY UNDERSTAND THE VALUE AND THE STRUGGLES THAT FOLKS HAVE, UH, HAD TO, UH, UNDERGO FOR, FOR CENTURY OR OVER A CENTURY.

UM, LET ME, UH, GO AHEAD AND, UH, READ THE PROCLAMATION AND THEN I WILL TURN IT OVER TO MODERATOR MAYS FOR, UH, A FEW WORDS.

BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS IN 1867 FOR BLACK CLERGYMEN FOUNDED THE ST.

JOHN REGULAR BAPTIST DISTRICT ASSOCIATION WITH A MISSION TO SPREAD THE BAPTIST FAITH AND UPLIFT NEWLY FREED BLACK TEXANS.

AND WHEREAS IN 18 67 4 BLACK CLERGYMEN, UH, WHEREAS THE ASSOCIATION HAS PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN THE SPIRITUAL, CULTURAL, AND HISTORICAL FABRIC OF AUSTIN, SERVING AS A BEACON OF FAITH, UNITY, AND SERVICE FOR GENERATIONS.

AND WHEREAS THE TABERNACLE, A CORNERSTONE OF THE ASSOCIATION HAS LONG STOOD AS A PLACE OF WORSHIP, FELLOWSHIP AND EMPOWERMENT, ADVANCING SOCIAL JUSTICE AND STRENGTHENING THE COMMUNITY.

AND WHEREAS THIS LEGACY REMAINS DEEPLY INTERTWINED WITH AUSTIN'S AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY, FOSTERING EDUCATION, LEADERSHIP AND CHARITABLE OUTREACH THAT CONTINUE TO UPLIFT INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES TO THIS DAY.

AND WHEREAS THROUGHOUT HISTORY AND ESPECIALLY DURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH, THE ST.

JOHN REGULAR BAPTIST ASSOCIATION REMINDS US OF THE RESILIENCE CONTRIBUTIONS AND ENDURING LEGACY OF AUSTIN'S AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY.

NOW, THEREFORE, I CHITO VELA ON BEHALF OF KIRK WATSON AND THE ENTIRE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL DO HEREBY PROCLAIM FEBRUARY 27TH, 2025 AS ST.

JOHN REGULAR BAPTIST ASSOCIATION DAY IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

MODERATOR MAYS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS, COUNCIL MEMBER VLA AND TO ALL THAT ARE PRESENT, I WANT TO EXPRESS OUR HUMBLE THANKS FOR THIS RECOGNITION THAT THE CITY IS GRANTING UNTO THE ST.

JOHN REGULAR BAPTIST DISTRICT ASSOCIATION.

WE HAVE SOME FEW MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION WHO ARE ABLE WITH THEIR SCHEDULE AND THEIR ACTIVITY TO MAKE IT HERE, TO STAND WITH US FOR.

WE DO KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT AN INDIVIDUAL HONOR, BUT THIS IS AN HONOR UNTO, UH, MANY PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO'VE GONE BEFORE US, ST.

JOHN ASSOCIATION AND ITS GREAT HISTORY.

IT AMAZES ME THAT TWO YEARS AFTER THE LEGAL ENDING OF SLAVERY IN AMERICA, FOUR PREACHERS CAME TOGETHER TO ORGANIZE AND TO SHARE THEIR RELIGIOUS FAITH, AND HAS ENDED UP IN THE PRODUCING OF ST.

JOHN ASSOCIATION, WHICH WE DATE, AND THIS YEAR WILL BE 158 YEARS OF CONTINUED EXISTENCE.

ALL THAT YOU HAVE SAID REPRESENTS OUR MISSION.

ALL THAT YOU HAVE DESCRIBED REPRESENTS OUR PURPOSE.

AND SO I'M VERY THANKFUL TO RECEIVE THIS HONOR FOR THE GENERATIONS THAT HAVE GONE AHEAD OF US AND THE GENERATIONS THAT WE'LL FOLLOW.

WE THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

AND LET ME, LET ME JUST CLOSE

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AND I ALSO, AND WE'LL, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE A BIGGER ANNOUNCEMENT AT SOME POINT DOWN THE ROAD, BUT THERE'S A, UH, THE CITY HAS GRANTED, UH, A HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLANNING GRANT, $30,000 HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLANNING GRANT TO KICKOFF SOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS AND AMONG THE ASSOCIATION TO DECIDE WHAT BEST, HOW BEST TO PRESERVE THE BUILDING AND TO TELL THE STORY OF THE ASSOCIATION ALL 158 YEARS AND, AND THE, THE FUTURE STORIES THAT ARE, ARE, ARE STILL TO BE, UH, ARE, ARE, ARE, ARE STILL TO BE CREATED.

SO THANK Y'ALL VERY, VERY MUCH APPRECIATE IT.