* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:02] GREAT. [Austin Parking Reform Month – To be presented by Council Member Zo Qadri.] UH, GOOD MORNING, AUSTIN. UM, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE THIS MORNING AS WE, UH, PROCLAIMED, UH, THIS MONTH, UH, PARKING REFORM MONTH IN AUSTIN, TEXAS. UH, I'VE, I HAVE JUST SO MUCH ENERGY AND SO MUCH EXCITEMENT. UH, LAST NIGHT, MANY OF US, UH, CAME TOGETHER AND HONORED THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF CHRIS RILEY, UH, THE OG UH, PARKING MANDATE ELIMINATOR. UH, AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY. LIKE I SAID, AS WE HONOR TODAY AS PARKING, UH, REFORM MONTH IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, UH, PARKING POLICY SHAPES OUR CITY, UH, IN MANY FUNCTIONS DAY TO DAY. IT IMPACTS HOUSING, AFFORDABILITY, WALKABILITY, SMALL BUSINESSES, TRANSPORTATION CHOICES, AND FAR WRITTEN FOR TOO LONG. CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY PRIORITIZE PARKING MINIMUMS OVER PEOPLE, AND AUSTIN HAS TAKEN A LOT OF MEANINGFUL STEPS AS IT RELATES TO PARKING. UH, IN 2023, WE ELIMINATED PARKING CITYWIDE, UH, A DECADE BEFORE THAT. UH, WE ELIMINATED, UH, PARKING MANDATES THROUGHOUT, THROUGHOUT OUR DOWNTOWN. UH, AND TODAY, SPOILER ALERT, WERE REALLY EXCITING, UH, PARKING ITEMS, UH, FROM MY OFFICE, BRINGING FORWARD AN ITEM AROUND UNCOUPLING PARKING, UH, AND THEN FROM COUNCIL MEMBER LANE'S OFFICE AROUND PARKING MAXIMUMS. UH, BUT THAT WORK DIDN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT, AND IT WASN'T ONE PERSON, UH, IT WAS A MOVEMENT. UH, MANY FOLKS WHO ARE, WHO ARE BEHIND ME, WHO ARE JOINING US TODAY, UH, AND, AND FOLKS LIKE COUNCILOR CHRIS RILEY, UH, WHOSE LEGACY WILL, WILL CONTINUE ON THROUGH THE WORK AND THE PEOPLE, AND THE ADVOCACY. UH, PARKING IS NOT FREE. UH, STRUCTURED PARKING C CAN COST ANYWHERE FROM $5,000 TO $50,000, AND THAT COST IS OFTEN PASSED DOWN DIRECTLY TO RENTERS AND HOMEOWNERS. REMOVING UNNECESSARY PAR PARKING MANDATES HELPS LOWER COSTS AND EXPANDS HOUSING OPTIONS, AND IT GIVES US MORE FLEXIBILITY TO BUILD THE KIND OF COMMUNITIES THAT WE WANT TO BE IN. SO, I'M HONORED TO RECOGNIZE TODAY AS PARKING FOR A MONTH IN AUSTIN, TEXAS. I'M PROUD OF THE PROGRESS THAT AUSTIN HAS MADE, AND I'M GRATEFUL TO EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN PART OF THIS WORK PAST AND PRESENT. AND I'M EXCITED FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WILL CARRY IT FORWARD. UH, LONG AFTER MY, MYSELF AND COUNCIL, UH, MAYOR PRO'S, TIME, UH, IN OFFICE HAS GONE. UM, SO THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING A PART OF IT. AND WITH THAT, I HAVE FOUR PROCLAMATIONS, , UH, BUT THEY ALL SAY THE SAME THING. , UH, AND I WILL PASS THEM OFF AS I WILL READ THEM IN EASIER, UH, ENGLISH THAN THIS OLD ENGLISH THAT'S ON HERE. . UM, GREAT. SO BEING KNOWN THAT WHEREAS FOR DECADES, AUSTIN'S MINIMUM PARKING REQUIREMENTS CREATED EXCESSIVE PARKING, WHICH FOSTERED SPRAWL, INCREASED CONSTRUCTION COSTS, LIMITED HOUSING SUPPLY, RAISED RENTS, REDUCED WALKABILITY AND HARM NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER. AND WHEREAS OPTIMIZING LAND USE FOR HOUSING LOCAL BUSINESSES, PARKS, AND CIVIC AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES THROUGH PARKING REFORM, IS KEY TO A SAFER AND MORE AFFORDABLE, WALKABLE, BIKEABLE AND TRANSIT FRIENDLY CITY, AND TO MEETING AUSTIN'S AFFORDABILITY, EQUITY, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND TRANSPORTATION GOALS. AND, AND WHEREAS IN 2023, AUSTIN BECAME THE LARGEST CITY IN THE COUNTRY TO ELIMINATE MINIMUM PARKING REQUIREMENTS CITYWIDE AND MOVE PRAISE AS ONE OF THE CITY'S MOST SIGNIFICANT LAND USE REFORMS IN DECADES. I THINK THE PERSON WHO DID THAT WAS PRETTY COOL TOO, , UH, AND WHEREAS THE AUSTIN PARKING REFORM COALITION CHAMPION ELIMINATED MINIMUM PARKING REQUIREMENTS WAS RECOGNIZED AS THE WINNER OF THE NATIONAL 2025 PARKING REFORM NETWORK ORGANIZATION AWARD, AND CONTINUES TO LEAD CONVERSATIONS AROUND FURTHER PARKING REFORMS. AND WHEREAS FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER CHRIS RILEY PIONEERED PARKING REFORM IN AUSTIN, MAKING A GENERATIONAL IMPACT ON THE CITY. NOW, THEREFORE, I, COUNCIL MEMBER ZARI ALONGSIDE MAYOR PROAM AND KIRK WATSON, MAYOR CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, AND THE REST OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL DO HEREBY PROCLAIM MARCH, 2026 AS PARKING REFORM MONTH IN AUSTIN, TEXAS. DO WE WANNA BE IN FRONT OF THE PODIUM AND TAKE A QUICK PICTURE? SURE. [00:06:16] GOOD [Nowruz Day – To be presented by Mayor Pro Tem José “Chito” Vela.] MORNING, EVERYONE. AND, UH, NRU PERUS, UH, WHICH IS, UH, HAPPY, UH, PERUS, UH, A OF IMPORTANT, UH, PERSIAN, UH, HOLIDAY THAT WE ARE HONORED TO CELEBRATE, UH, TODAY. IT'S AN HONOR TO JOIN EVERYONE HERE IN RECOGNIZING NRU, A CELEBRATION THAT HAS MARKED THE ARRIVAL OF SPRING AND THE START OF A NEW YEAR FOR MORE THAN 3000 YEARS, MEANING NEW DAY NRU IS A POWERFUL REMINDER OF RENEWAL HOPE, AND THE POSSIBILITY THAT COMES WITH A FRESH BEGINNING HERE IN AUSTIN. WE'RE PROUD TO CELEBRATE ALONGSIDE OUR IRANIAN AMERICAN AND PERSIAN SPEAKING COMMUNITIES WHOSE TRADITIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS MAKE OUR CITY STRONGER AND MORE VIBRANT. NRU IS NOT ONLY A TIME TO GATHER WITH FAMILY AND HONOR CULTURAL HERITAGE, BUT ALSO A MOMENT TO REFLECT ON THE VALUES OF PEACE, HARMONY, AND MUTUAL RESPECT. UH, I WANT TO ESPECIALLY RECOGNIZE THE AUSTIN, UH, IRANIAN PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION OR A IPA FOR THEIR CONTINUED WORK TO PRESERVE AND SHARE IRANIAN AND PERSIAN CULTURE THROUGH EDUCATION, CULTURAL PROGRAMMING, AND COMMUNITY BUILDING EFFORTS HERE IN OUR CITY. UH, A BEAUTIFUL HALF SCENE DISPLAY IS AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC THROUGH MARCH 31ST. UH, THE HALF SCENE TABLE IS A CENTRAL TRADITION OF NRU, FEATURING SEVEN SYMBOLIC ITEMS THAT EACH BEGIN WITH THE PERSIAN LETTER S REPRESENTING VALUES LIKE RENEWAL, HEALTH, PROSPERITY, LOVE, AND PATIENCE. IT'S A POWERFUL REFLECTION OF THE MEANING BEHIND THIS HOLIDAY, AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO STOP BY, TAKE A MOMENT WITH IT, AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE RICH TRADITIONS IT REPRESENTS. THE HA THEME TABLE IS ON DISPLAY IN THE CITY HALL ATRIUM. UM, CELEBRATIONS LIKE NARU, BRING US CLOSER TOGETHER, DEEPEN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF ONE ANOTHER, AND REMIND US OF THE DIVERSITY THAT MAKES AUSTIN SO SPECIAL. ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, I'M HEL I'M PROUD TO HELP PROCLAIM NARU AND WISH EVERYONE A JOYFUL AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR. UH, WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO HAND IT OVER TO, UH, PARVE RABIN WITH THE AUSTIN IRANIAN PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION, PLEASE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. UM, GOOD MORNING. ON BEHALF OF AUSTIN IRANIAN AMERICAN PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION AND OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY, IT IS A PROUD HONOR TO BE STANDING HERE TODAY. UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND OUR DEEPEST GRATITUDE TO MAYOR KIRK WATSON, COUNCIL MEMBER BELLA, ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, GUTHRIE SIEGEL HARPER MADISON, AND A DEDICATED CITY OF AUSTIN STAFF. THANK YOU FOR THIS PROCLAMATION AND FOR RECOGNIZING THE HERITAGE AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF OUR COMMUNITY. NOUS IS AN ANCIENT PERSIAN TRADITION SPANNING OVER 3000 YEARS. IT MARKS THE ARRIVAL OF SPRING AND THE VERNAL EQUINOX SYMBOLIZING THE TRIUMPH OF LIGHT OVER DARKNESS AND THE ENDURING PROMISE OF RENEWAL IN TIMES WHEN HOPE AND REBIRTH ARE NEEDED. MOST THESE THEMES RESONATE DEEPLY WITHIN OUR HEARTS. WE FEEL INCREDIBLY FORTUNATE TO CALL AUSTIN HOME A CITY THAT TRULY EMBRACES DIVERSITY AND ENSURES THAT ALL CULTURES ARE NOT ONLY ACKNOWLEDGED, BUT CELEBRATE IT. IT IS BECAUSE OF THIS INCLUSIVITY THAT WE ARE ABLE TO PRESERVE OUR ANCIENT TRADITIONS AND PASS THEM ON TO THE NEXT GENERATION. WE LOVE THE CULTURE OF THIS CITY, AND AS A CULTURAL ORGANIZATION, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTRIBUTE IN EVERY WAY WE CAN TO AUSTIN'S VIBRANT SPIRIT. THANK YOU FOR STANDING WITH US TO WELCOME THIS NEW DAY. HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS. NO RUS, NO RUS [00:10:01] PERUS. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE KIND WORDS. AND I SHOULD ALSO NOTE THAT WE HAD A, A GREAT, UH, CELEBRATION YESTERDAY, UH, WITH, UH, MUSIC, UH, UH, TRADITIONAL, UH, IRANIAN MUSIC AND, UH, EXCELLENT FOOD FROM, UH, NEW, UH, PERSIAN RESTAURANT ROYA, I BELIEVE. UH, AND SO IT WAS A, A REAL, A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL AT, UH, CITY HALL YESTERDAY. AND LET ME GO AHEAD AND, UH, READ THE, UH, PROCLAMATION, UH, BE IT KNOWN THAT HU NRU, MEANING NEW DAY, IS THE ANCIENT PERSIAN NEW YEAR CELEBRATED FOR MORE THAN 3000 YEARS, AND MARKS THE ARRIVAL OF SPRING AND THE VERNAL EQUINOX AND HU NRU IS CELEBRATED BY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD AND BY DIVERSE COMMUNITIES IN AUSTIN, INCLUDING IRANIAN AMERICAN AND PERSIAN SPEAKING RESIDENTS. AND WHEREAS NRU IS A TIME OF RENEWAL, HOPE, PEACE AND HARMONY WITH NATURE AND ITS TRADITIONS EMPHASIZE FAMILY, CULTURAL HERITAGE AND MUTUAL RESPECT. AND WHEREAS THE CELEBRATION OF NRU PROMOTES CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING, INCLUSIVITY AND APPRECIATION OF THE RICH TRADITIONS THAT STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WHEREAS THE AUSTIN IRANIAN PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION WORKS TO PRESERVE AND SHARE IRANIAN AND PERSIAN CULTURE THROUGH EDUCATIONAL, CULTURAL AND COMMUNITY BUILDING PROGRAMS. NOW, THEREFORE, I MAYOR PRO TEM, UH, VELA, UH, ALONG WITH COUNCIL MEMBER Z KADRI, COUNCIL MEMBER MIKE SIEGEL, COUNCIL MEMBER, THE NATASHA HARPER, MADISON MAYOR KIRK WATSON, AND THE ENTIRE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL DO HEREBY PROCLAIM MARCH 20TH, 2026 AS NO RULES DAY IN AUSTIN, TEXAS. THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH. AND LET'S GET A, A PHOTO, UH, HERE IN FRONT OF THE PODIUM WITH, UH, BEAUTIFUL. [Ruben Esquivel Day - To be presented by Council Member José Velásquez.] GOOD MORNING, AUSTIN, TEXAS. I'M COUNCIL MEMBER JOSE VELASQUEZ, PROUDLY REPRESENTING DISTRICT THREE, AND TODAY I'M HONORED TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE A DEAR FRIEND AND ONE OF OUR LOCAL GYMS, RUBEN ESQUIVEL, AN AWARD-WINNING LOCAL MURALIST AND ARTIST AND FOUNDER OF EAST END ECLECTIC. WITH EVERY STROKE OF HIS PAINTBRUSH, HE PAINTS OUR CITY. HE IS ONE OF THE GREATEST TESTAMENTS TO DISCIPLINE. AND WHEN YOU SHINE YOUR LIGHT ON OTHER FOLKS AND THE CITY, THE, THE JOY AND THE, AND JUST THE CELEBRATION THAT CAN COME OUTTA THAT, UM, ONE OF THE, ONE OF MY FAVORITE PIECES IS, UH, ONE THAT, THAT I ACTUALLY GOT TO HELP RECOGNIZE AND, AND, UH, AND HONOR IN, BECAUSE I GET TO SEE IT JUST ABOUT EVERY OTHER DAY AT JOE'S BAKERY. IT'S THE S MURAL RIGHT OUTSIDE OF JOE'S. IT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITES. IT'S, AND IT'S ONE OF OUR BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL REMINDERS OF OUR SHARED HUMANITY. EACH PIECE HE DOES TELLS A STORY, AND OUR CITY [00:15:01] IS BLESSED TO BE HOME TO THEM. I AM PROUD TO HONOR RUBEN TODAY FOR HIS ACHIEVEMENTS, HIS IMPACTFUL WORK, AND HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE AUSTIN ART SCENE. MAY YOU CONTINUE TO PAINT OUR CITY, BROTHER. WE ARE SO BLESSED TO HAVE YOU. AND WITH THAT, BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS RUBEN ESQUIBEL IS A FIFTH GENERATION AUSTINITE MURALIST AND PORTRAIT ARTIST WHOSE WORK CENTERS BLACK, BROWN, AND INDIGENOUS NARRATIVES, AND WHOSE PRACTICE IS ROOTED IN PRESERVING AND UPLIFTING THE CULTURAL HISTORY OF AUSTIN. AND WHEREAS THROUGH HIS MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO PUBLIC ART, RUEN ESQUIBEL HAS TRANSFORMED WALLS, TUNNELS, CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS AND CIVIC SPACES INTO PLATFORMS FOR STORYTELLING, REFLECTION, AND COMMUNITY CONNECTION, ENSURING THAT LOCAL VOICES REMAIN VISIBLE IN AUSTIN'S EVOLVING LANDSCAPE. AND WHEREAS AS FOUNDER OF EAST END, ECLECTIC QUE HAS CREATED OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMERGING AND UNDERREPRESENTED ARTISTS BY PRODUCING COMMUNITY DRIVEN PROJECTS, COLLABORATIONS, AND LARGE SCALE PUBLIC ARTWORKS THAT PRIORITIZE INCLUSION, EQUITY, AND CULTURAL AUTHENTICITY. AND WHEREAS RU'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ARTS HAVE EARNED LOCAL AND NATIONAL RECOGNITION, INCLUDING BEING NAMED THE 2024 AUSTIN CHRONICLE BEST MURALIST, AND HAVING SOME OF HIS WORK EXHIBITED AT INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS THE SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL MU MUSEUM OF AMERICAN OF AMERICAN LATINO. AND WHEREAS THROUGH HIS PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, NONPROFIT NONPROFITS, AND CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS, RUBEN ESQUIBEL CONTINUES TO INSPIRE FUTURE GENERATIONS BY DEMONSTRATING HOW ART CAN SERVE AS A BRIDGE BETWEEN PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE STRENGTHENING AUSTIN'S IDENTITY AS A CREATIVE AND CULTURALLY RICH CITY. NOW, THEREFORE, I, COUNCIL MEMBER JOSE VELASQUEZ, ALONG WITH COUNCIL MEMBER NATASHA HARPER MADISON, AND THE ENTIRE DAAS AND THE MAYOR KIRK WATSON OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DO HEREBY PROCLAIM MARCH 26TH, 2026 AS ROUEN ESQUIVEL DE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS. WOO. OH WOW. UH, GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND COUNCIL MEMBER JOE ALASKA FOR THIS INCREDIBLE HONOR TO BE RECOGNIZED IN THE CITY THAT RAISED ME, SHAPED ME, AND CONTINUES TO INSPIRE MY WORK, MEANS MORE THAN I CAN FULLY PUT INTO WORDS. I WANNA THANK MY FAMILY WHO HAVE BEEN MY FOUNDATION FROM THE VERY BEGINNING TO MY MOM, MY SIBLINGS, GRANDPARENTS, AUNTS, UNCLES, AND ALL OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS WHO BELIEVED IN ME LONG BEFORE ANY RECOGNITION CAME. THIS IS YOURS AS MUCH AS IT IS MINE, AND ESPECIALLY TO MY PARTNER, DALIA, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSTANT LOVE, PATIENCE, AND SUPPORT THROUGH THE LONG DAYS, LATE NIGHTS, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN. AND ALSO DEEPLY GRATEFUL TO THE FRIENDS, COLLABORATORS, AND CLIENTS I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO WORK WITH. MANY OF YOU STARTED AS PROFESSIONAL CONNECTIONS AND BECAME LIFELONG FRIENDS. THE WORK I DO HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT PEOPLE, AND I'VE BEEN LUCKY TO CREATE ALONGSIDE SOME TRULY EXTRAORDINARY ONES. MOST IMPORTANTLY, I WANNA THANK MY COMMUNITY, THE SUPPORT, ENCOURAGEMENT, AND TRUST YOU'VE SHOWN ME OVER THE YEARS MADE THIS POSSIBLE. EVERY MURAL, EVERY PROJECT, EVERY OPPORTUNITY OUT OF THE LOVE THIS CITY POURS AND TO ITS ARTISTS. THIS RECOGNITION ISN'T JUST FOR ME, IT BELONGS TO ALL OF YOU. IT BELONGS TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS, THE CULTURE, THE STORIES, AND THE PEOPLE WHO CONTINUE TO SHAPE AUSTIN EVERY DAY. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE CITY'S STORY. I'M PROUD TO CALL AUSTIN HOME AND I PROMISE TO KEEP CREATING WORK THAT REFLECTS THE BEAUTY RESILIENT AND SPIRIT OF THIS COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. STEP THING HERE, WE CAN TAKE A PHOTO BECAUSE IF Y'ALL WANT COME UP, WE'LL TAKE A PHOTO. [00:22:59] GOOD MORNING, AUSTIN, [Jimmy Blazer Day – To be presented by Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison.] TEXAS. MY NAME IS NATASHA HARPER. MADISON, I GET THE PROUD HONOR OF REPRESENTING EAST AUSTIN, EAST SIDE ON THE AUSTIN, WHAT Y'ALL KNOW ABOUT THAT ON THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL. AND ON OCCASION, CITY HALL LOOKS LIKE ME. IT VERY RARELY HAPPENS. SO I LOOK A LITTLE TICKLED TODAY BECAUSE IT'S SPECIAL TODAY. MUSICAL TITAN AND COMMUNITY BUILDER, JIMMY BLAZER. HE MAY HAVE BEEN BORN IN DALLAS, TEXAS, BUT FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS, HE'S CALLED AUSTIN HOME AS OUR CITY IS STRONGER FOR HAVING YOU HERE. WELCOME HOME, BY THE WAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HIS MUSICAL JOURNEY BEGAN AT JUST FIVE YEARS OLD, PLAYING BASS AT HIS FAMILY'S CHURCH. AND FROM THAT FOUNDATION OF FAITH AND DISCIPLINE, GREW A CAREER ROOTED IN BOTH EXCELLENCE AND COMMUNITY. ARRIVING IN AUSTIN IN 2011 TO STUDY AUDIO ENGINEERING, JIMMY CONTINUED HIS MUSICAL TRAINING AT, EXCUSE ME, DISTRICT ONE'S OWN HOUSTON TILLISON UNIVERSITY. ALRIGHT, I'LL ADMIT IT IS AUSTIN'S OLDEST INSTITUTION, BUT AT HOUSTON TILTON, HE DID MORE THAN JUST STUDY MUSIC. HE BECAME A PART OF THE RHYTHM OF THIS CITY. FROM JAM SESSIONS AT THE ELEPHANT ROOM TO PERFORMANCES WITH MICHAEL HALE TRIO. Y'ALL MIGHT HAVE SEEN OUR BLACK HISTORY MONTH EVENT LAST MEH. YEAH. FEATURING MAC MACINTOSH. YEAH. WOO. WHICH BY THE WAY, I'M GONNA TELL YOU MY SECRET. M PLAYED MUSIC WITH MY DADDY IN THE SEVENTIES. NICE. YEAH, THAT PART, MAN. A BASS PLAYER, YOU KNOW, THAT'S FEATURING MAC MACINTOSH. JIMMY BUILT A SOUND THAT MOVES SEAMLESSLY FROM JAZZ TO HIP HOP, FUNK, AND GOSPEL, [00:25:01] ESTABLISHING HIMSELF AS A VERSATILE AND DYNAMIC ARTIST. HIS TALENTS EXTEND BEYOND THE STAGE. HE APPEARED IN ABC'S AMERICAN CRIME AND WAS FEATURED IN A NATIONAL COMMERCIAL CAMPAIGN PROVING THAT HIS ARTISTRY RESONATES FAR BEYOND ANY ONE VENUE. BUT WHAT MAKES JIMMY BLAZER TRULY SPECIAL IS NOT JUST HIS RANGE, IT'S HIS REACH WHILE BUILDING HIS CAREER. HE HAS ALSO MENTORED A ISD STUDENTS. YEAH. INVESTING IN YOUNG PEOPLE BECAUSE HE UNDERSTANDS THAT MUSIC IS NOT JUST A PERFORMANCE, IT IS A PURPOSE. AMEN. HE BELIEVES MUSIC IS A BRIDGE ACROSS CULTURES, COMMUNITIES, GENERATIONS BRINGING UNITY WHERE WE NEED IT MOST TODAY. HE SERVES AS DIRECTOR. HOLD UP, THEY GET LOUD. JOB DIRECTOR OF THE TEXAS EMPOWERMENT BAND, A GROUP THAT MANY OF US EXPERIENCED FIRSTHAND DURING OUR BLACK HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATION HERE, RIGHT IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS. SO HERE, BUT OVER THERE, JIMMY, YOUR WORK, IT REFLECTS DEEP COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY CONNECTION AND THE CELEBRATION OF THE ARTS IN DISTRICT ONE AND BEYOND. TODAY, WE HONOR NOT JUST YOUR TALENT, BUT YOUR IMPACT. IT'S IMPORTANT, IT IS MY PRIVILEGE TO RECOGNIZE YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR CITY. AND AFTER YOU SHARE A FEW WORDS WITH US, I'M GONNA READ YOUR PROCLAMATION. ALL RIGHT. PLEASE TAKE THE MIC. THANK YOU. WOO. ALL RIGHT. I GOT MY SPEECH. READY, Y'ALL . ALL RIGHT. WOO. IT'S WARM IN HERE IT IS. THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY FOR, UH, HELPING ME CELEBRATE MY BIRTHDAY, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. SO I'M EXTREMELY THANKFUL FOR BEING HERE TO CELEBRATE MY BIRTHDAY WITH YOU ALL. FIRST OFF, I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER AND NATASHA HARPER. MS. MADISON, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE IN THE COMMUNITY AND HELPING TO MAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT A REALITY. SECOND, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK QUEEN DE WHERE SHE GOES. SHE RIGHT, YOU SHOUT OUT TO YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UH, NOMINATING ME, UH, TO RECEIVE THE PROCLAMATION FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN. NEXT, I WANT TO THANK MY BEAUTIFUL WIFE, MEGAN PEARSON, OR WE ARE CHOOSING TO TRAVEL WITH ME ON THIS LIFE JOURNEY AS WE BOTH STRIVE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE THROUGH OUR OPPORTUNITIES, AND TO SERVE THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO MY BROTHER TAZ GREEN. I WOULDN'T HAVE EVER TOOK THE CHANCE TO MOVE HERE IF HE DIDN'T ENCOURAGE ME TO TAKE THE CHANCE ON GOING TO COLLEGE. UH, TO MY BROTHERS, WILLIS AND WILLIE NOEL, SHOUT OUT TO Y'ALL FOR JUST, UH, I JUST THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME GET FROM POINT A TO POINT B ALL THE WAY BACK TO WHEN I NEEDED A RIDE, TO REHEARSE WITH OUR GROUP MAY FLESH. UH, ALSO SHOUT OUT TO CLEVELAND, ALL RIGHT, TO, AND FOR TRUSTING ME TO HELP Y'ALL WITH THE MUSIC PROGRAM AT TXEA. THANK YOU TO, UH, I'LL SAY, UH, MAC MACINTOSH. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, YOU KNOW, SUPPORTING ME ON THIS 11 YEAR JOURNEY. UH, I'VE BEEN KNOWING YOU FOR 11 YEARS, AND IT SEEMED LIKE EVERY, EVERY WEEK OUR BOND JUST GROWS CLOSER AND CLOSER. AND MICHAEL, HELL, YES, INDEED. I APPRECIATE Y'ALL SO MUCH. UH, THANK YOU FOR Y'ALL WILLINGNESS. AND LASTLY TO MY PARENTS, ALL RIGHT, I LOVE Y'ALL SO MUCH. DAD, THANK YOU FOR SHOWING ME THE VISION OF WHAT LIFE COULD BE LIKE ONE DAY IF I STAYED FOCUSED AND TOOK ADVANTAGE OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY THAT SURFACED. AND IF I BELIEVED IN MYSELF, I'LL GET TO WHERE I AM TODAY. UH, TO MY MOM, THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAMA FOR TEACHING ME HOW TO WORK HARD, LOVE HARD, AND ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT RESPECT IS THE KEY. UH, ONE THING YOU USED TO ALWAYS SAY WAS, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO LIKE 'EM, BUT YOU GOTTA RESPECT THEM. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT STUCK WITH ME THROUGHOUT EVERYTHING. SO, UH, LET'S SEE. UH, AND LASTLY, I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY. ALL THE PEOPLE THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK AND SERVE WITH SINCE I MOVED TO AUSTIN. I COUNT IT AS A BLESSING. WHEN I THINK ABOUT HOW I'M STILL CONNECTED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT I MET WHEN I FIRST MOVED HERE. NOW, JIMMY BLAZER, , HOW DID I MOVE TO AUSTIN AND BECOME JIMMY BLAZER? FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, MY NAME IS BARRY LAWRENCE PEARSON THE SECOND SHOUT TO MY DAD ALL. BUT WHEN [00:30:01] I MOVED, UH, WELL, DURING MY SENIOR YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL, MY TEACHER GAVE ME A CLASS PROJECT, AND THE GOAL WAS TO RECREATE A POEM WRITTEN BY A WILLIAM BLAKE. AND WE HAD TO RECREATE THIS POEM AND PRETTY MUCH, UH, INTERPRET THE POEM IN OUR OWN WAY AND TELL THE STORY. SO, SO MANY STUDENTS WERE, YOU KNOW, CREATING VISUAL ART, UH, EXAMPLES. SOME PEOPLE WAS WRITING SONGS, YOU KNOW, PLAYING AN INSTRUMENT. AND I, I DIDN'T KNOW, I, I HAD NEVER WROTE A SONG BEFORE. I SAID, I WANT TO WRITE A SONG. SO I WROTE THE SONG, AND AFTER THAT I WAS LIKE, I THINK I CAN RAP. SO I TOLD MY PARENTS, I SAID, I'M NOT GOING TO SCHOOL. I'M JUST GONNA STAY HERE. I'M GONNA RAP, PLAY THE BASS AND MAKE BEATS. NOT GONNA HAPPEN. NOT GONNA HAPPEN. ALL RIGHT? THAT, THAT WHAT THEY TOLD ME. SO THANKFULLY I MOVED TO AUSTIN, AND, BUT BESIDES THAT, I HAD TO, I WANTED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO REALLY PERSUADE THEM THAT I COULD REALLY DO THIS. I WANTED TO BE A RAPPER, SO I HAD TO COME UP WITH A NAME. AND SO ONE NIGHT I WAS DREAMING AND I HAD JUST GOT DONE PERFORMING ON STAGE. AND AFTER I FINISHED THE, THE HOST WAS LIKE, HEY MAN, WHAT'S UP? WHAT'S YOUR NAME? YOU GOTTA THINK OF A NAME. AND SO OUTTA NOWHERE, I SAID, JIMMY BLAZER, LIKE THREE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING. SO I WOKE UP OUTTA NOWHERE AND YOU KNOW, FROM THERE I'M LIKE, OH MAN, HOW DO, SHOULD I WRITE THIS DOWN? NO, TOMORROW I'LL REMEMBER IT. SO IF YOU DON'T KNOW, MY VERY FIRST CAR WAS A CHEVY BLAZER, GMC JIMMY. IT WAS MODIFIED. IT ONLY WENT ABOUT 60 MILES PER HOUR, YOU KNOW, IT WAS, UH, BUT IT WAS A CLASSIC TRUCK. IT WAS THE CAR OF MY DREAMS THAT I WANTED. AND, UH, IT WAS LITERALLY THE CAR OF MY DREAM. SO I'M JUST THANKFUL FOR BEING ABLE TO USE THAT NAME AND GOD GIVING ME THAT NAME, UH, JUST IN A DREAM OUTTA NOWHERE TO BE ABLE TO USE IT AND, YOU KNOW, AS A, AS A, A TOOL TO EMPOWER MY COMMUNITY. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'M THANKFUL. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE ONCE AGAIN. AND IT'S JIMMY BLAZER DAY, Y'ALL. IT IS. I'M ALSO 35 TODAY, 35 YEARS OLD. SO FIRST OF ALL, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BUT IT'S NOT JIMMY BLAZER DAY UNTIL WE PROCLAIM IT. OH, THERE WE GO. THERE WE GO. THERE WE GO. I'M ON NOW. ALRIGHT. YOU CALLED HER MAMA, SO I'M GONNA DO IT TOO. ALRIGHT, COME ON MAN. MAMA, DO YOU WANNA HOLD IT? YES, PLEASE. MAMA, GRAB THAT KNIFE RIGHT THERE. MY TISSUE, . SORRY. IT'S OKAY. OKAY. WHEREAS JIMMY BLAZER IS A PASSIONATE AND ACCOMPLISHED EDUCATOR WHOSE DEDICATION TO ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE HAS POSITIVELY IMPACTED COUNTLESS STUDENTS INSPIRING INTELLECTUAL GROWTH, CREATIVITY, AND LIFELONG LEARNING. AND WHEREAS AS AN INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN MUSICIAN, JIMMY BLAZER HAS USED THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE OF MUSIC TO BRIDGE CULTURES, UPLIFT COMMUNITIES, AND BRING RECOGNITION AND PRIDE TO THE CITY ON A GLOBAL STAGE. AND WHEREAS HIS ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE, LEADERSHIP, AND COMMITMENT TO MENTORSHIP HAVE ENRICHED THE CULTURAL FABRIC OF OUR COMMUNITY. AND LISTEN, I'M SENSITIVE. SORRY, Y'ALL. IT'S OKAY. THAT'S ALRIGHT. WOW, Y'ALL, THE BABIES ARE EVERYTHING. ANYBODY WHO GIVES THIS LEVEL OF COMMITMENT AND SERVICE TO OUR KIDS, THIS PROCLAMATION AIN'T ENOUGH, FRANKLY. WHEREAS JIMMY BLAZER HAS DEMONSTRATED OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP THROUGH SERVICE OUTREACH AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, STRENGTHENING THE BONDS OF UNITY, DIVERSITY, AND SHARED PURPOSE AMONG OUR RESIDENTS. AND WHEREAS HIS TIRELESS EFFORTS REFLECT THE VERY BEST OF OUR CITY AND OUR VALUES, INNOVATION, COMPASSION, PERSEVERANCE, AND SERVICE TO OTHERS. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED THAT ON HIS 35TH BIRTHDAY, BY THE WAY, , THAT THIS DAY IS HEREBY RECOGNIZED AND HONOR OF JIMMY BLAZER DAY IN RECOGNITION OF HIS EXTRAORDINARY CONTRIBUTIONS AS AN EDUCATOR, A MUSICIAN, A COMMUNITY LEADER, WE ENCOURAGE ALL RESIDENTS TO JUST CELEBRATE HIS ACHIEVEMENTS AND CONTINUED SERVICE. NOW, THEREFORE, I NATASHA HARPER MADISON, ON BEHALF OF MAYOR KIRK WATSON, THE ENTIRE CITY OF AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, AND THE WHOLE EAST SIDE DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THIS DAY, MARCH 26TH, 2026, AS JIMMY BLAZER DAY IN AUSTIN, TEXAS. THAT'S IT. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.