* 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. [00:00:06] GOOD MORNING. [Proclamation – Ernesto & Ruby Calderon Day – To be presented by Mayor Pro Tem José “Chito” Vela] I AM MAYOR PRO TEM CHITO VELA HERE TO HONOR SOME VERY SPECIAL PEOPLE, ERNIE AND RUBY CALDERON. UH, I'VE DONE A LOT OF PROCLAMATIONS FOR ALL KINDS OF ORGANIZATIONS AND, AND, AND DIFFERENT, VERY WELL DESERVING INDIVIDUALS. THIS ONE IS VERY SPECIAL, UH, BECAUSE I KNEW ERNIE AND RUBY PERSONALLY. UH, NOT ONLY DID I KNOW THEM PERSONALLY, THEY WERE VERY GOOD FRIENDS OF MY PARENTS. UH, MY, UH, FATHER, UH, GOT HIRED FOR THE MODEL CITIES PROGRAM, I BELIEVE, BACK IN THE LBJ DAYS, AND WAS, UH, MOVED TO WACO. HE TOOK THE JOB AND WENT TO, UH, WACO, WHERE ERNIE AND, UH, RUBY LIVED. UH, AND MY MOM AND DAD GOT TO KNOW ERNIE AND RUBY IN WACO. THEY HAD A GREAT TIME. THEY MADE THEM FEEL SO WELCOME, AND THEY BECAME REALLY, REALLY GREAT FRIENDS. UH, AND THEY STAYED LIFELONG FRIENDS. UM, A LOT OF WHAT BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER WAS THE CHICANO MOVEMENT, UH, WITH CHICANO CULTURE. UH, AND BACK IN THE, THE DAYS OF THE SEVENTIES, ESPECIALLY WITH THE UNI PARTY ACTIVISM. UH, AND THEY, UH, WOULD TALK AND LAUGH. UH, RUBY AND ERNIE WERE, WERE AT MY WEDDING. UH, JUST REALLY, REALLY GOOD, UH, PEOPLE. UH, AND, AND IT'S NOT JUST A PERSONAL CONTEXT. VERY, UH, POSITIVE, UH, PEOPLE ALWAYS SEEKING TO UPLIFT THE COMMUNITY, ALWAYS SEEKING TO DO GOOD, UH, ALWAYS BEING CREATIVE, ALWAYS BEING SUPPORTIVE, ALWAYS JUST A JOY IN BRINGING JOY INTO PEOPLE'S LIVES. I, I DON'T THINK I EVER HEARD AN ANGRY WORD, UH, FROM, UH, FROM RUBY OR ERNIE. UH, IT WAS ALWAYS JUST SO POSITIVE. UH, AND, AND, AND IN POLITICS SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, WE, WE SEE THAT NEGATIVITY, YOU KNOW, WE SEE WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO BRING THINGS DOWN. THEY NEVER DISPLAYED THAT. ALWAYS POSITIVE, ALWAYS WANTING TO BUILD, ALWAYS WANTING TO CREATE, ALWAYS WANTING TO SUPPORT. UH, SADLY, UH, BOTH ERNIE AND RUBY, UH, PASSED AWAY, UH, RECENTLY. SO THIS IS GOING TO BE A, A POSTHUMOUS, UH, UH, A POSTHUMOUS, UH, HONORING, UH, OF THEM AND, AND DECLARATION OF THEIR DAY. BUT, UH, REALLY SPECIAL PEOPLE, UH, HAVE LIVED IN, IN AND AROUND AUSTIN. UH, ERNIE, UH, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, WAS TAUGHT AT JUDI LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, UH, WHEN JUDI LINCOLN, WHEN WE HAD THE CHICANO UNIVERSITY BACK IN THE DAYS. AND HE AND RUBY CALLED, UH, THE AUSTIN AREA, THEIR HOME FOR DECADES. UH, AND, AND WE'RE JUST INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN SO MUCH OF THE, THE RAA ROUNDTABLE GROUP. UH, I COULD GO ON AND ON, BUT I KNOW WE GOT A, A BUNCH OF, UH, O OTHER EVENTS GOING ON. I WANNA JUST, UH, TURN IT OVER, UH, TO THEIR, UH, DAUGHTER, UH, DIANA PENA, UH, TO ALSO SAY A FEW WORDS. THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHITO, AND, UH, I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS HONOR JUST ON BEHALF OF THE FAMILY. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST GIVEN THE HISTORY THAT, THAT YOU HAD, UM, WITH MY PARENTS AS WELL AS YOUR PARENTS, UH, THIS MAKES IT ALL THE MORE SPECIAL. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, FOR THIS. AND, UM, JUST WANNA THANK THE FAMILIES THAT ARE HERE, UM, BOTH REPRESENTING, UM, BOTH SIDES OF THE FAMILY, OF MY, MY MOTHER, AND MY FATHER. I'VE GOT MY FATHER'S SISTERS THAT ARE HERE. I'VE GOT A LOT OF COUSINS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AS WELL AS FRIENDS, JUST THIS, THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR BEING HERE. UM, THIS MAKES IT ALL THE MORE SPECIAL. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE TO, TO MY FAMILY, MY, MY SON AND MY DAUGHTER, AND MY HUSBAND, AND OF COURSE MY BROTHERS. I LOVE YOU ALL VERY MUCH. UM, JUST REALLY QUICKLY, YOU KNOW, MY, MY PARENTS, YOU KNOW, AS, AS CHITO MENTIONED, THEY WERE VERY RESOLUTE IN, IN THEIR EFFORTS WITH THE MOVEMENT. AND, UM, WERE ALWAYS FOCUSED AND WERE NEVER, UH, THEY NEVER WAVERED DESPITE ALL THE OBSTACLES THAT WERE PUT IN THEIR, IN THEIR, IN THEIR WAY. UM, AND THERE WERE MANY OF THEM. UM, AND SO I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, TODAY THAT, THAT WE CAN TAKE WITH US IN TERMS OF JUST, UM, STAYING FOCUSED AND, AND RESOLUTE AND, AND KEEPING GOING AND, AND KEEPING THE FIGHT GOING. UM, NO MATTER, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, AND NO MATTER WHAT OCCURS. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS, AND JUST ON BEHALF OF EVERYONE AND, UH, ESPECIALLY THE FAMILIES THAT ARE HERE, UM, WE REALLY APPRECIATE THIS HONOR. IT'S MY PLEASURE. AND, AND THERE REALLY WERE TWO OF THE MOST CHICANO CHICANOS I KNOW, . AND LET ME GO AHEAD. AND, UH, AND AGAIN, A BEAUTIFUL PICTURE, UH, OF THEM, UH, THAT, THAT, UH, HIS SUN IS HOLDING AND, AND JUST A, A BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL, CREATIVE, COLORFUL RUBY, ALWAYS SO FULL OF LIFE, DRESSED LIKE JUST WOW. UH, AND JUST ALWAYS, I MEAN, DANCING AND, AND JUST AGAIN, SO MUCH JOY. SO MUCH JOY. UM, SO THIS, UH, UH, PROCLAMATION HONORING, UH, ERNIE AND RUBY CALDERON, BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS ERNESTO CALDERON AND RUBY TREVINO CALDERON DEVOTED THEIR LIVES TO ADVANCING CIVIL RIGHTS, EXPANDING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY, [00:05:01] AND UPLIFTING THE CHICANO COMMUNITY ACROSS TEXAS, LEAVING A LEGACY OF SERVICE LEADERSHIP AND LOVE THAT CONTINUES TO SHAPE GENERATIONS. AND WHEREAS ERNESTO AND RUB CALDERON'S SHARED LEGACY BEGAN IN WACO, TEXAS, WHERE THEIR VALUES OF SERVICE, COMMUNITY AND EMPOWERMENT LED THEM TO BECOME CHARTER MEMBERS OF, UH, LULAC THEN EXPANDED TO PASO, THE POLITICAL ASSOCIATION OF SPANISH SPEAKING ORGANIZATIONS AND THE MEXICAN AMERICAN ALLIANCE. AND WHEREAS THEIR ACTIVISM EXPANDED TO BECOME INFLUENTIAL LEADERS OF THE RAA PARTY, HELPING MOBILIZE GENERATIONS OF CENTRAL TEXAS CHICANOS TO ENGAGE IN CIVIC LIFE AND ADVOCATE FOR LASTING SYSTEMIC CHANGE. AND WHEREAS AFTER ARRIVING IN AUSTIN IN 1976, THEY HELPED ESTABLISH WHY DOES LINCOLN UNIVERSITY A GROUNDBREAKING INSTITUTION OF HIGHER LEARNING FOR THE CHICANO COMMUNITY, WHERE ERNESTO EARNED HIS MASTER'S DEGREE IN EDUCATION, MARKING THE BEGINNING OF THEIR LONG AND INFLUENTIAL INVOLVEMENT IN AUSTIN'S CHICANO COMMUNITY. AND WHEREAS ERNESTO'S PROFOUND WORK ETHIC AND SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY GUIDED HIS 20 YEARS OF DISTINGUISHED SERVICE IN THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE WITH ASSIGNMENTS IN TEXAS, THE PHILIPPINES, SPAIN, AND SPAIN, WHEREAS MARRIED FOR 72 YEARS, ERNESTO AND RUB CALDERON BUILT A PARTNERSHIP ROOTED IN PROFOUND LOVE, MUTUAL RESPECT, AND SHARED PURPOSE, A UNION THAT BECAME THE FOUNDATION OF THEIR FAMILY AND A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION TO ALL WHO KNEW THEM. AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN RECOGNIZES ERNESTO AND RUBY CALDERON AS PILLARS OF THE CHICANO COMMUNITY, CHAMPIONS OF JUSTICE AND EDUCATION, AND BELOVED ELDERS WHOSE LEGACY OF ACTIVISM, SERVICE, FAITH, AND FAMILY CONTINUES TO UPLIFT OUR CITY AND ILLUMINATE THE PATH FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. NOW, THEREFORE, I CHITO VELA MAYOR PRO TEM OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, ALONG WITH THE ENTIRE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR KIRK WATSON, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM JULY 23RD AS ERNESTO AND RUBY CALDERON DAY IN AUSTIN, TEXAS. , THANK Y'ALL SO, SO MUCH FOR COMING. IT, IT'S A VERY, VERY SPECIAL, UH, TO HONOR THEM. UH, AGAIN, I HONESTLY, I WISH THEY WERE HERE WITH US FOR THIS HONOR 'CAUSE IT REALLY SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED IN, IN LIFE. BUT I KNOW THEY HEAR US AND SEE US, AND, AND I KNOW THEY FEEL IT IN THEIR HEART. SO THANK Y'ALL VERY, VERY MUCH. AND LET'S, UH, ED, SHOULD WE STAY HERE FOR THE PICTURE? YEAH, I'D LIKE TO GET A PHOTO IF WE HAVE THE FOLKS THAT ARE TALLER IN THE BACK. [Proclamation – Chronic Illness Awareness Month – To be presented by Council Member Marc Duchen] GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS MARK DUCHEN. I'M THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL OF DISTRICT 10 COUNCIL MEMBER, AND TODAY IT, WE ARE PRESENTING A PROCLAMATION FOR CHRONIC ILLNESSES. JULY IS ACTUALLY CHRONIC ILLNESS AWARENESS MONTH, AND THIS MORNING I'M GRATEFUL THAT SO MANY PEOPLE WORKING IN THE CHRONIC ILLNESS HEALTHCARE SPACE AND ADVOCACY COULD JOIN US, INCLUDING REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION, POWER FOR PARKINSON'S, NEUROLOGY, AUSTIN, JUST A FEW OF THE ORGANIZATIONS DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE LIVES OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH CHRONIC ILLNESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY. THIS IS NOW THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW IN WHICH I INTEND TO BE AN ONGOING TRADITION OF RAISING AWARENESS FOR DIFFERENT CHRONIC ILLNESSES THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE REMAIN UNKNOWN OR MISUNDERSTOOD. THIS IS ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO RECOGNIZE BOTH SUFFERING AND RESOLVE, TO SHARE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES TO ULTI ULTIMATELY SUPPORT PATIENTS AND ADVOCATES AND HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS. ONE REASON I RAN FOR CITY COUNCIL WAS TO HELP DESTIGMATIZE THESE CHRONIC ILLNESSES. I LOOKED BOTH LOCALLY AND AROUND THE COUNTRY AND FOUND THAT OUTSIDE OF A HANDFUL OF ELECTED OFFICIALS WITH DIABETES THAT WERE VIRTUALLY NO LEADERS THAT I COULD FIND THAT HAD CHRONIC ILLNESSES, WHICH IS STATISTICALLY UNLIKELY, GIVEN THAT UPWARDS OF 60% OF US HAVE SOME KIND OF ILLNESS, FAR MORE LIKELY IS THAT OUR POLITICAL CLASS JUST FEAR SPEAKING OPENLY ABOUT THESE KIND OF ILLNESSES. MY OWN EXPERIENCE WITH WHAT'S KNOWN AS MODERATE TO SEVERE ENCLOSING SPONDYLITIS, A FORM OF ARTHRITIS, HAS SHAPED MY LIFE AND MY CAREER AND MY RELATIONSHIPS AND MY PERSPECTIVE OVER THE LAST 33 YEARS, MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE IN MY LIFE. AND SO, I WANNA DISCUSS HOW WE CHANGE THE PERCEPTION THAT CHRONIC ILLNESS IS A BARRIER TO PUBLIC SERVICE AND SERVICE IN GENERAL. [00:10:01] AND I'D LIKE TO BELIEVE IT CAN BE LIVED EXPERIENCE THAT BRINGS EMPATHY AND RESILIENCE AND PERSPECTIVE TO SERVING OUR COMMUNITY. SO WHY IS IT THAT CHANGING THIS PERCEPTION IS SO HARD? I THINK PART OF THE ANSWER CAN BE FOUND IN A PASSAGE FROM, UH, A BOOK BY A WOMAN NAMED MEGHAN O'ROURKE CALLED INVISIBLE KINGDOM. AND IT'S THE BEST BOOK THAT I'VE READ THAT EXPLORES BOTH CHRONIC ILLNESSES AND HER SPECIFIC DECADE LONG JOURNEY, UNDERSTANDING HER OWN ILLNESS. SO SHE'S CONVERSING WITH HER FRIEND WHO'S A MORAL PHILOSOPHER AND ASKING VERY SIMILAR QUESTIONS, IS IT AN INJUSTICE WHEN A DOCTOR OR FRIEND FAILS TO BELIEVE THAT A SICK PERSON IS REALLY SICK? WHY DOES IT APPEAR TO BE DIFFICULT FOR DOCTORS AND THE REST OF US TO RECOGNIZE SUFFERING THAT WE CANNOT NAME? WHY ARE WE SO QUICK TO THINK A PERSON IS EXAGGERATING OR FAKING IT? WHAT IS BEHIND THIS REFUSAL TO RECOGNIZE SUFFERING? AND MAYBE MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHY DO WE HAVE A SYSTEM THAT'S OFTEN SO QUICK TO DISTRUST THE PEOPLE THAT IT SERVES AND HER FRIEND RESPONDS? RECOGNIZING YOUR SUFFERING PUTS A BURDEN ON ME. JUST THE ACT OF RECOGNIZING YOUR ILL MAKES A CLAIM ON ME. I HAVE TO RESPOND, I HAVE TO EMPATHIZE, AND THAT TAKES A TOLL ON ME. AND THE MORE PEOPLE I HAVE TO EMPATHIZE WITH, THE HARDER IT IS WHEN YOU'RE SITTING IN FRONT OF ME AND SUFFERING. IT REALLY DOES MAKE A CLAIM IN THE PERSON BEING ASKED TO RECOGNIZE IT. EVEN THIS RECOGNITION IS A BURDEN IF THE WITNESS IS UNPREPARED OR HAS NOTHING TO OFFER OR HAS EMOTIONALLY DRAINED THEMSELVES. SO ADDRESSING THIS CHALLENGE OF HOW WE NAVIGATE THIS CLAIM, OR TOLL OR RECOGNIZING THESE ILLNESSES, I THINK IS GONNA BE VITAL TO CHANGING PERCEPTIONS, BEING ABLE TO TALK OPENLY AND CANDIDLY ABOUT CHRONIC ILLNESSES. IN THE MEANTIME, I'M PROUD TO PROCLAIM TODAY IS CHRONIC ILLNESS AWARENESS DAY IN AUSTIN TO RECOGNIZE THE PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS STANDING HERE WITH US. THIS YEAR. I'M ESPECIALLY HONORED TO RECOGNIZE THE ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION POWER FOR PARKINSON'S UROLOGY AUSTIN, FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING, OUTSTANDING WORK, SUPPORTING PATIENTS ADVOCATING EDUCATION, EXPANDING ACCESS TO CARE, AND IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE. AND THERE'S STILL MORE WORK TO DO TO RAISE AWARENESS, TO REDUCE STIGMA, TO ENSURE EVERYBODY OUT THERE LIVING WITH THE CHRONIC ILLNESS CAN ACCESS THE CARE AND SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED. AND SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO INVITE MICHELLE MILLER FIRST FOR THE ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION, FOLLOWED BY NINA MOSER FOR POWER FOR PARKINSON'S. AND MY FRIEND AND DISTRICT 10 RESIDENT KATE HENDERSON FROM UROLOGY AUSTIN TO SHARE, UH, EACH SHARE A FEW BRIEF REMARKS ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT THE WORK THEY'RE DOING FOR OUR COMMUNITY IS. THANK YOU, MICHELLE. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, AND THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR SELECTING THE ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION TO STAND AMONG THESE OTHER, UH, WONDERFUL ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT CHRONIC ILLNESSES. HERE IN AUSTIN, ARTHRITIS IS THE NUMBER ONE DISABILITY IN OUR NATION. ONE IN FOUR ADULTS HAVE ARTHRITIS, AND THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE LIVING WITH ARTHRITIS THAN THOSE WITH BREAST CANCER, DIABETES, ALZHEIMER'S, AND AUTISM. COMBINED, OUR YOUNGEST DIAGNOSED AUSTINITE IS 10 MONTHS, AND OUR OLDEST IS OVER A HUNDRED. THE NEED FOR SUPPORT HAS GROWN SO SIGNIFICANTLY THAT IN 2025, WE OPENED AN OFFICE HERE IN AUSTIN TO SUPPORT FAMILIES, CHILDREN, AND ADULTS LIVING WITH ARTHRITIS. THE ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION WORKS TO ENSURE PEOPLE OF ALL AGES CAN LIVE ACTIVE, INDEPENDENT LIVES THROUGH ADVOCACY, PATIENT RESOURCES, AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT. WHETHER YOU'RE LOOKING FOR EDUCATIONAL WEBINARS, EXERCISE, AND PAIN MANAGEMENT TOOLS, INSURANCE GUIDANCE, OR WHETHER YOU NEED HELP DIAGNOSING WITH WHETHER YOU NEED HELP WITH THE NEWLY DIAGNOSIS, WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU LIVE YOUR BEST YEAR LIFE WITH ARTHRITIS. WE ALSO ADVOCATE FOR POLICIES THAT IMPROVE ACCESS TO CARE AND AFFORDABLE TREATMENTS. VISIT ARTHRITIS.ORG TO ACCESS FREE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT OR TEXT ARTHRITIS TO 5 0 4 5 7 TO CONTACT YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WELL, I ALSO WANNA THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US AND RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT, UH, THE VARIOUS CHRONIC DISEASES AND PARKINSON'S. UH, PARKINSON'S IS THE FASTEST GROWING NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASE WORLDWIDE, AND NOW THEY'RE UP TO 77,000 TEXANS, UH, WHO CURRENTLY LIVE WITH THE CONDITION. AND CURRENTLY THERE IS NO CURE FOR PARKINSON'S. UH, BUT THERE IS LOADS OF RESEARCH SHOWING THAT EXERCISE CAN HELP DELAY OR REVERSE SOME OF THE SYMPTOMS. UM, BEFORE I TALK ABOUT THAT, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, UH, PARKINSON'S CAN REALLY AFFECT THE WHOLE BODY. SO IT CAUSES PEOPLE TO HAVE SLOWNESS OF MOVEMENT, UM, TROUBLE WITH THEIR SPEECH, SOFT SPEECH, UH, POSTURE BALANCE. AND THEN, UM, ALL OF THOSE ARE MOTOR SYMPTOMS. WHILE ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE'S NON-MOTOR SYMPTOMS CAUSING DEPRESSION, [00:15:01] ANXIETY, APATHY, AND THEN CONSEQUENTLY ISOLATION. SO POWER FOR PARKINSON'S IS A NON-PROFIT THAT I CO-FOUNDED 13 YEARS AGO HERE IN AUSTIN. IT HAS NOW BECOME A FIXTURE HERE FOR PEOPLE WITH PARKINSON'S, WHERE WE HAVE, UM, 13 FREE CLASSES EVERY WEEK AT 10 DIFFERENT LOCATIONS IN THE AUSTIN AREA, SERVING, UH, SEVERAL HUNDRED PEOPLE EVERY SINGLE WEEK AND CAREGIVERS. AND, UM, OUR OFFERINGS INCLUDE GROUP FITNESS CLASSES, UM, SINGING AND VOCAL CLASSES, A SPANISH CLASS, AND, UH, PING PONG, A DANCE PROGRAM, AND LOADS OF, UM, SOCIAL OPPORTUNITIES. SO IT'S A TREMENDOUS COMMUNITY. ALL OF THIS HAS SHOWN TO REALLY MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE FOR PEOPLE WITH PARKINSON'S AND, UH, THEY GET TO REALLY ENJOY THE AUSTIN LIFESTYLE. SO, UH, BUT LIKE MANY OF THE GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE IN AUSTIN, I HAVE A VERY INNOVATIVE TEAM WHO, SOME OF WHOM ARE WITH ME TODAY, AND WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL THAT NOW IS THE NUMBER ONE CHANNEL SERVING, UM, OVER 40,000 PEOPLE EVERY WEEK IN ACROSS THE GLOBE. AND, UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IN AUSTIN IS AWARE OF OUR SERVICES. YOU CAN JOIN US ANYTIME WE ANSWER THE PHONE. YOU CAN REACH US AT OUR WEBSITE, POWER FOR PARKINSON'S DOT ORG. AND, UH, ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. YEAH, THANKS FOR COMING AND SHARING THAT. THANK YOU. SO GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, EVERYONE HERE TODAY FOR RECOGNIZING THE CHRONIC ILLNESS AWARENESS MONTH. AND AS YOU'VE NOTED, BRINGING ATTENTION TO THE HEALTH CHALLENGES, MANY OF WHICH WE'VE ALREADY HEARD ABOUT TODAY, THAT AFFECT SO MANY MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY AS INTRODUCED. MY NAME IS KATE HENDERSON, AND I WORK AS THE REGIONAL MARKET PRESIDENT FOR THE LARGEST PROVIDER OF UROLOGIC CARE IN CENTRAL TEXAS, UROLOGY AUSTIN. EVERY DAY, OUR UROLOGY, AUSTIN PHYSICIANS, ADVANCED PRACTICE PROVIDERS, NURSES, AND STAFF CARE FOR THOUSANDS OF PATIENTS ACROSS THE REGION. NOW, MANY PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT UROLOGIC ILLNESSES ARE OFTEN LIFETIME CONDITIONS THAT CAN PROFOUNDLY IMPACT YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE CONDITIONS, SUCH AS OVERACTIVE BLADDER, URINARY INCONTINENCE, RECURRENT URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS, KIDNEY STONE DISEASE, CHRONIC PELVIC PAIN, BENIGN PROSTATE ENLARGEMENT, AND KIDNEY DISEASE CAN AFFECT A PERSON'S ABILITY TO WORK, TO SLEEP, TRAVEL, EXERCISE, AND TO REALLY FULLY PARTICIPATE IN EVERYDAY LIFE. YET THESE CONDITIONS ARE OFTEN UNDERDIAGNOSED, UNTREATED, AND RARELY DISCUSSED OPENLY. AT UROLOGY AUSTIN, OUR MISSION IS NOT ONLY TO TREAT THE DISEASE, BUT TO HELP PEOPLE REGAIN THEIR CONFIDENCE, THEIR COMFORT, AND THEIR INDEPENDENCE. WE PROVIDE PREVENTATIVE CARE, ADVANCED DIAGNOSTICS, INNOVATIVE TREATMENT, AND ONGOING SUPPORT FOR PATIENTS ACROSS CENTRAL TEXAS. NOW, WE DO BELIEVE THAT EDUCATION AND INNOVATION ARE EARLY, ARE CRITICAL PARTS OF OUR MISSION. SO THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, IN FACT, AT LEAST MONTHLY, SOMETIMES TWICE A MONTH, WE OFFER FREE EDUCATIONAL WEBINARS LED BY OUR EXPERT PROVIDERS ON A WIDE RANGE OF MEN'S AND WOMEN'S UROLOGIC HEALTHCARE TOPICS. THESE SESSIONS ARE DESIGNED TO EMPOWER OUR COMMUNITY TO CREATE A SAFE SPACE, TO LEARN ABOUT OUR BODIES, TO ASK QUESTIONS, AND TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE DISEASES. EVERYONE CAN GET UPDATES ON OUR FREE EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS BY GOING TO OUR WEBSITE OR ANY OF OUR SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, UM, LANDING PLACES. WE ALSO LOVE TO INVITE THE COMMUNITY TO JOIN US ON SEPTEMBER 1ST FOR A FREE EDUCATIONAL EVENT HOSTED BY OUR PARTNERS AGE OF CENTRAL TEXAS AND US, TOO, WHICH IS FOCUSED ON PROSTATE CANCER AWARENESS SCREENING, SURVIVORSHIP TREATMENT OPTIONS, AND HOW IT IMPACTS YOUR FAMILY. THIS IS AN EVENING WHERE OUR PROVIDERS AND OTHER EXPERTS ALONG WITH SURVIVORS WILL BE DISCUSSING PROSTATE CANCER. IN ADDITION, UROLOGY AUSTIN IS COMMITTED TO ADVANCING CARE THROUGH CLINICAL RESEARCH. IN FACT, WE HAVE MORE CLINICAL TRIALS AND UROLOGIC CARE IN THE, UH, THAN ANYONE ELSE IN CENTRAL TEXAS. BY BRINGING NEW, INNOVATIVE CARE AND MEDICAL ADVANCEMENTS, WE HELP BRING AN IMPORTANT EXTENSION OF COMMITMENT TO DELIVERING HIGH QUALITY, INNOVATIVE PATIENT CARE HERE IN CENTRAL TEXAS. SO ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT MESSAGES TODAY, AND I THINK ONE SHARED BY MY COLLEAGUES, IS THAT PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE TO SUFFER IN SILENCE. YOU'VE HEARD MANY, UM, FROM OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TODAY THAT ARE CREATING FORUMS WHERE WE CAN TALK ABOUT THESE CHRONIC ILLNESSES AND LEARN AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER AS WE RECOGNIZE CHRONIC ILLNESS MONTH. WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO PRIORITIZE THEIR HEALTH, TO SEEK CARE WHEN SYMPTOMS ARISE, AND OF COURSE, TO SUPPORT THOSE LIVING WITH CHRONIC DISEASES TOGETHER THROUGH AWARENESS, EDUCATION, RESEARCH, AND ACCESS TO CARE, WE CAN ALL IMPROVE LIVES ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. [00:20:03] I JUST WANNA SAY HOW PROFOUNDLY THANKFUL I AM THAT YOU ALL ARE ABLE TO COME HERE AND SHARE THIS KIND OF INFORMATION WITH THE COMMUNITY. SO WITH THAT, I'VE GOT A PROCLAMATION TO PRESENT FOR CHRONIC ILLNESS AWARENESS MONTH, BE IT KNOWN THAT WE AS APPROXIMATELY 50 MILLION AMERICANS ARE LIVING WITH ONE OR MORE CHRONIC ILLNESSES AFFECTING PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND BACKGROUNDS, AND IMPACTING THEIR HEALTH, INDEPENDENCE, AND QUALITY OF LIFE. WHEREAS CHRONIC ILLNESS ILLNESSES INCLUDE NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS SUCH AS PARKINSON'S DISEASE, MUSCULOSKELETAL CONDITIONS SUCH AS ARTHRITIS AND CHRONIC UROLOGIC CONDITIONS AMONG MANY, MANY OTHERS THAT REQUIRE ONGOING MEDICAL CARE, REHABILITATION AND SUPPORT. WHEREAS CHRONIC ILLNESS AWARENESS MONTH IS OBSERVED IN JULY TO INCREASE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF CHRONIC ILLNESSES, REDUCED STIGMA, AND ENCOURAGE EARLY DIAGNOSIS, EFFECTIVE TREATMENT AND COMPASSION SUPPORT FOR THOSE LIVING WITH CHRONIC CONDITIONS. AND WHEREAS THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES THROUGHOUT AUSTIN AND CENTRAL TEXAS ARE AFFECTED BY CHRONIC ILLNESSES AND CAN PRESENT PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL AND FINANCIAL CHALLENGES WHILE ACQUIRING LIFELONG CARE AND MANAGEMENT, WHEREAS ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS POWER FOR PARKINSON'S, THE ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION IN AUSTIN, UROLOGY PROVIDE ESSENTIAL SERVICES THROUGH EDUCATION, ADVOCACY, AND SPECIALIZED CARE EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMMING AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT THAT THAT IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THOSE LIVING WITH CHRONIC ILLNESSES. AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS STRENGTHENED BY THE DEDICATION OF HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, RESEARCHERS, CAREGIVERS, VOLUNTEERS AND ADVOCATES WHO WORK TO EXPAND ACCESS TO CARE, ADVANCED INNOVATIVE TREATMENTS, AND PROMOTE HEALTHIER, MORE INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES FOR ALL RESIDENTS LIVING WITH CHRONIC ILLNESSES. NOW, THEREFORE, I MARK UCHIN ON BEHALF OF KIRK WATSON, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AND THE ENTIRE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO HEAR ROBERT CLAIM JULY, 2026 IS CHRONIC ILLNESS AWARENESS MONTH IN AUSTIN. AND IF EVERYBODY WOULD BE SO KIND, I'VE GOT A FANCY PROCLAMATION THAT WE CAN HOP IN FRONT OF THE, UH, PODIUM HERE AND GRAB A FEW PHOTOS OF. GOOD [Distinguished Service Award – Dr. Kevin Thuesen – To be presented by Council Member Paige Ellis] MORNING, EVERYONE. UH, MY NAME'S JUSTIN BATES. I'M THE DIVISION MANAGER FOR AUSTIN WATERS WILDLAND CONSERVATION DIVISION, AND TODAY WE'RE HERE TO RECOGNIZE 23 YEARS OF DISTINGUISHED SERVICE FOR DR. KEVIN THON. UH, OVER 23 YEARS, KEVIN WAS A LEADER FOR OUR CITY'S WATER QUALITY PROTECTION LANDS PROGRAM, UH, WHICH WAS, UH, A GRAND BARGAIN ESTABLISHED IN 1998 TO PROTECT THE LANDS THAT SUSTAIN ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY'S CROWN JEWELS BARTON SPRINGS. UNDER KEVIN'S LONG LEADERSHIP, THIS PROGRAM HAS GROWN INTO A REGIONAL, A LOCAL, AND A NATIONAL LEADER IN ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION. BECAUSE OF KEVIN'S WORK, UH, WE HAVE, UH, BUILT A PROGRAM THAT, UH, HAS RESTORED THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF LAND, HAS RESTORED NATIVE DIVERSITY. UH, KEVIN WORKED THROUGHOUT HIS TENURE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BEST AVAILABLE SCIENCE WAS INFORMING OUR EFFORTS, UH, WORKING WITH PARTNERS LIKE TEXAS A AND M, THE LADY BIRD JOHNSON WILDFLOWER CENTER, AND OTHERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD LONG-TERM MANAGEMENT PLANS AND WERE, UH, WORKING TO RESTORE THESE LANDS AT SCALE. UH, THE RESULTS HAVE BEEN NOTHING SHORT OF INCREDIBLE. UH, IN ADDITION TO, UH, YOU KNOW, RESTORING AND AND SUSTAINING FLOWS TO BURTON SPRINGS, THE BIODIVERSITY THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BRING BACK UNDER KEVIN'S LEADERSHIP TO THESE LANDS, UH, GIVES US THOSE FIELDS OF WILDFLOWERS AND NATIVE GRASSES THAT WE ALL KNOW AND LOVE HERE IN CENTRAL TEXAS. BUT KEVIN'S IMPACT EXTENDS BEYOND JUST THE STEWARDSHIP. UH, HE WAS A SUPERVISOR DEEPLY COMMITTED TO GROWING THE TEAM AND TO BEING A, A, A MEMBER OF OUR BROADER WILDLANDS, UH, FAMILY. HE WAS A, BY THE BOOK MANAGER, HE WAS ALWAYS THE ONE YOU COULD GO TO TO ASK ABOUT POLICIES, PROCEDURES, BUDGETS, UH, WHICH UNDERLIED A A DEEP UNDERSTANDING THAT THOSE THINGS HELPED OUR WORK TO BE MOST SUCCESSFUL. HE WAS ABLE TO GROW THE WORK THROUGH, UH, HIS DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TO WORK WITH OTHERS AND WORK WITHIN A CITY GOVERNMENT. UM, [00:25:01] HE ALWAYS BROUGHT COLOR TO HIS WORK. UH, AND THERE EVERY TRIP INTO THE FIELD WITH KEVIN BROUGHT A NEW STORY, AN INSIGHT, A HUMOROUS ASIDE. UH, HE, AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY, HE WAS DEEPLY COMMITTED TO THE MISSION OF THE WATER QUALITY PROTECTION LANDS PROGRAM. UH, AND HE STOOD UP FOR THE CITY'S LONG-TERM CONSERVATION COMMITMENTS. UH, HE SAID HE HAD THE BEST JOB IN THE CITY OVER 23 YEARS, AND HE REALLY HAS PROVED IT THROUGH HIS DEDICATION, LEADERSHIP, AND ENDURING CONTRIBUTIONS. SO I'M, I'M VERY, UH, THANKFUL FOR KEVIN'S SERVICE, AND I'M GONNA HAND IT OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. TODAY IT IS MY PLEASURE TO RECOGNIZE DR. KEVIN THON, WHO RECENTLY RETIRED AS ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION PROGRAM MANAGER FOR AUSTIN WATER AS THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER FOR SOUTHWEST AUSTIN, WHOSE DISTRICT COVERS ZUCKER PARK, BARTON SPRINGS, THE EDWARDS AQUIFER VIOLET CROWN TRAIL. I HAVE SEEN THE FRUITS OF DR. THONS LABOR, AND IT'S HARD TO OVERSTATE JUST HOW IMPACTFUL HE HAS BEEN. WHEN HE JOINED THE CITY IN 2002, THE WATER QUALITY PROTECTION LANDS WERE A MODEST SET OF PRIORITIES. WHEN HE LEFT, THE PROGRAM HAD GROWN TO MORE THAN 35,000 ACRES, PROTECTING OVER A QUARTER OF THE BARTON SPRINGS RECHARGE ZONE. HE SHEPHERDED MORE THAN $150 MILLION INTO VOTER APPROVED INVESTMENTS, BUILT PARTNERSHIPS WITH MORE THAN 30 PRIVATE LANDOWNERS, AND PROTECTED OVER 22,000 ACRES OF THEIR LAND. CRITICALLY, HE DID SO WITH RESPECT FOR THE LAND AND FOR THE FAMILIES WHO STEWARDED IT FOR GENERATIONS. INDEED, IF THERE HAS BEEN A NORTH STAR TO DR. THONS WORK, IT HAS BEEN CONSERVATION FIRST, BUT WITH THE WISDOM THAT PROTECTING THE LAND AND ENJOYING IT ARE NOT ACTUALLY INTENTION. AND WE SEE THAT THE CREATION OF THE VIOLET CROWN TRAIL, WHERE HE SHAPED A THOUGHTFUL APPROACH TO PUBLIC ACCESS ON SENSITIVE CONSERVATION LANDS, AND ON THE MAXWELL TRAIL, WHERE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH VOLUNTEERS AND THE AUSTIN RIDGE RIDERS, HE SHOWED US HOW TO INTEGRATE RECREATION INTO ECOLOGICALLY SENSITIVE LANDSCAPES. WE WOULD BE HERE ALL DAY LISTING THE PROJECTS, EASEMENTS, ACQUISITIONS, AND RESTORATIONS. DR. THON IS RESPONSIBLE FOR. WHAT'S CLEAR IS THAT AUSTIN'S NATURAL BEAUTY IS SAFER BECAUSE OF HIS CONTRIBUTIONS. AND NOW IT IS MY HONOR TO PRESENT THIS DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD, RECOGNIZING DR. KEVIN THON FOR 23 YEARS OF EXEMPLARY SERVICE, LEADERSHIP, AND STEWARDSHIP. THEN THAT IS FOR YOU. OH, THANK YOU. AND I'M ALSO JOINED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CRYSTAL LANE. I DIDN'T WANNA LEAVE HER OUT OF THIS. , DID YOU WANNA SAY A FEW QUICK WORDS? I HAVE TWO MINUTES WORTH OF WORDS. OKAY, PERFECT. I'LL LET YOU TAKE THE MICROPHONE. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND I'LL STAND HERE WITH YOUR AWARD SO EVERYONE CAN SEE IT. THANK YOU. UM, I COULDN'T BE MORE HUMBLED AND SIMULTANEOUSLY SEEN BY THE KIND WORDS OF COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS AND JUSTIN. UH, UM, IT'S BEEN A, A FANTASTIC JOB FOR TWO DECADES. I, LIKE JUSTIN SAID, I HAD THE BEST JOB IN THE CITY. UH, ROOSEVELT SAID IT BEST WHEN HE SAID, THE HIGHEST REWARD THIS LIFE HAS TO OFFER IS TO WORK HARD AT WORK WORTH DOING. AND, UH, I THINK, I HOPE EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM AND EVERYONE IN THIS CITY APPRECIATES THAT THE WORK WE'VE DONE FOR AUSTIN IS WORK WORTH DOING. SO, UH, IT WAS, UH, IT WAS MAYBE THE, NOT THE EASIEST JOB IN THE WORLD, BUT IT WAS CERTAINLY THE BEST JOB. UH, THE WORK, UH, I HAD A FEW THINGS HERE. UH, SO MY ENTIRE CAREER WAS SPENT IMPLEMENTING THE WILD IDEA OF FINDING A BETTER WAY TO PERMANENTLY PROTECT BARTON SPRINGS AND SOME OF THE CHARACTERS FROM THE PAST, OR CHARACTERS OF THE PRESENT. UH, FORMER MAYOR, FORMER SENATOR, NOW AGAIN, MAYOR KIRK WATSON IN THE NINETIES THAT JUSTIN ALLUDED TO, UH, CHALLENGED OUR CITIZENS TO SAY, LET'S DO THIS BETTER WAY TO DO SO. WE NEED BONDS TO DO IT. AND HE SAID, LITERALLY, PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS, AND IF YOU WANNA PROTECT BARTON SPRINGS, THIS IS HOW WE DID IT. AND OUR CITIZENS SHOWED UP, OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS SUPPORTED IT. THEY SHOWED UP IN 1998, BUT THEN THEY SHOWED UP FOUR MORE TIMES, UH, THE MOST RECENT IN 2018 FOR A $72 MILLION BOND THAT HAD 83% OF THE PUBLIC VOTE, WHICH IS AN AMAZING ACCOMPLISHMENT. BUT IT SAYS HOW COMMITTED THESE CITIZENS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN TO PROTECTING BARTON SPRINGS TO GET TO WORK WITH IMPLEMENTING THAT VISION. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T DO BETTER THAN THAT . UM, WE GOT TO WORK WITH ALL THE GREAT DEPARTMENTS HERE AT THE CITY, YOU KNOW, IMPLEMENTING THIS WORK FROM FINDING THE RIGHT LAND AND PURCHASING. YOU KNOW, WE WORKED WITH WATERSHED PROTECTION, WE WORKED WITH REAL ESTATE SERVICES. WE ALWAYS WORKED WITH LAW, WITH LEGAL TO MAKE THESE THINGS HAPPEN. UH, WE LED THE ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION WORK THROUGH AUSTIN WATER WITH WILDLAND CONSERVATION DIVISION, BUT ALSO WITH THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT. WE AFFECTED OVER 22,000 [00:30:01] ACRES OF LAND TREATMENTS OVER MY TENURE HERE. AND THE FOLKS WHO ARE DOING THIS FINE WORK ARE PUSHING MORE EVERY DAY. UH, IT'S, IT'S TREMENDOUS TO, UH, TO SEEING THAT OVER THE YEARS AND TO SEE THESE LANDS RECOVER AND RESPOND AND BECOME BETTER FOR THE CREATURES THAT ARE OUT THERE, AS WELL AS THE CREATURES THAT LIVE IN THIS CITY AND COME TO CITY HALL AND, AND SUPPORT BIG IDEAS, . UH, SO WE CONTINUE TO PROTECT THESE LANDS IN THE FUTURE. ALL THESE OTHER DEPARTMENTS WILL STILL PLAY AN IMPORTANT, IMPORTANT ROLE IN DOING THAT WORK. UH, BUT THE PEOPLE OF THE PAST WHO SAID, YEAH, LET'S PROTECT THIS LAND. LET'S FIND THE MEANS AND THE WAYS TO DO IT. THEY'RE, THEY'RE HEROES TO ME FOR WHAT THEY DID. BUT THE FUTURE HEROES AND THE PRESENT HEROES ARE THE ONES WHO'LL TAKE THAT PROTECTED LAND AND PROTECT IT TO KEEP IT FROM DYING, FROM A, UH, A DEATH OF A THOUSAND CUTS FROM VARIOUS OTHER, UH, THINGS THAT, THAT WILL GET IMPOSED ON THE LANDSCAPE. AND FOR THAT, IT'S GONNA BE HARD WORK. AND I KNOW JUSTIN AND WILDLAND CONSERVATION AND AUSTIN WATER AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS WILL BE WORKING TO KEEP THESE LANDS PROTECTED LIKE WE HAVE BECAUSE IT'S SUCH AN AMAZING RESOURCE, BUT IT'S SO EASILY LOST. UM, I LOOK AT THE OTHER FOLKS HERE AND KATE AND AUDREY AND, UH, ALL THESE OTHER CHARACTERS, DREW AND LISA AND KIMBERLY, AND, UM, MARSHA, ESPECIALLY MARSHA, IF YOU DON'T KNOW MARSHA , WE CAN SAY ALL WE WANT ABOUT MAKING LAND DEALS, BUT WITHOUT MARSHA, NONE OF THEM WOULD'VE HAPPENED . SO SHE DID TREMENDOUS THINGS HERE. UM, AND PATRICK TOO, AND CHAD WHO'S OUTSIDE, UH, TO KEEP US LEGAL AND, AND DO THE HARD WORK. , UH, I'LL FINISH, UH, WITH I WISH ONLY GREAT THINGS FOR THIS CITY THAT CHALLENGED US TO DO GREAT THINGS. IT WAS AN AMAZING CAREER, UH, HERE. AND I'D LOVE TO FINISH MY, UH, MY STATEMENT WITH A FEW WORDS FROM VONNEGUT, MY FAVORITE AUTHOR. HE SAID EVERYTHING WAS BEAUTIFUL AND NOTHING HURT. THAT WAS MY CAREER. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. SHALL WE GET A, A GROUP PHOTO? YES, PLEASE. IT SEEMS WELL, [Proclamation – Parks and Recreation Month – To be presented by Council Member Ryan Alter] GOOD MORNING. WE ARE JOINED BY A FULL CROWD TODAY, . UM, IT'S REALLY EXCITING. THIS IS, WE GET TO CELEBRATE THE PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH AND JUST, YOU KNOW, TO KICK THINGS OFF. UH, PARKS ARE A REALLY SPECIAL PLACE. THEY ARE A PLACE WHERE FAMILIES GO. WE, IT'S WHERE WE CELEBRATE BIRTHDAYS IN OUR FAMILY ALL THE TIME, WHERE WE GO AND, AND JUST BE TOGETHER, UH, AND, AND HAVE THOSE MOMENTS GROWING UP, OR JUST RECREATING, PLAYING SPORTS IN, IN ENRICHING YOUR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH. UH, SWIMMING IN THE POOL ON A HOT DAY LIKE TODAY, I CAN IMAGINE OUR POOLS ARE GONNA BE PRETTY FULL, BUT AS SPECIAL AS THOSE SPACES ARE, THEY DON'T JUST HAPPEN. IT'S THE PEOPLE BEHIND THOSE SPACES THAT MAKE IT SO THAT THE SWING SETS, UH, ARE WORKING SO THAT THE GRASS IS MOWED, THE POOLS, UH, ARE FULLY CHLORINATED AT A PROPER LEVEL. , UH, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THE TRAILS ARE WELL MAINTAINED. THERE ARE SO MANY JOBS, UH, AND THAT'S NOT EVEN TO MENTION OUR RECREATION CENTERS WHERE STAFF, UH, HAVE PROGRAMS FOR SENIORS AND KIDS. AND, UH, THERE'S JUST SO MANY THINGS ALREADY. YEAH, THERE YOU GO. THAT, UH, OUR PARKS DO AND ENRICH OUR CULTURE. AND SO I AM SO EXCITED THAT TODAY WE GET TO CELEBRATE THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE PLACES THAT REALLY DO MAKE AUSTIN SO SPECIAL. UH, I WANT TO TURN IT OVER TO OUR PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR, JESUS AGUIRE, TO SAY A FEW WORDS. THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. ALRIGHT, WELL, GOOD MORNING. WHAT IS, YES, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, AND THANK YOU TO THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE. UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SEE THE, WHEN YOU SEE THE, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM, IT JUST REMINDS YOU ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT PARKS AND RECREATION ARE TO ALL OF US. AND AS A COUNCIL MEMBER SAID, WE'RE HERE CELEBRATING NATIONAL PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH. [00:35:01] UH, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY. IT'S, IT'S SPONSORED BY THE NATIONAL RECREATION AND PARKS ASSOCIATION. THE THEME FOR THIS YEAR IS THE POWER OF, AND IT REALLY REMINDS US THAT PARKS MEANS SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS. SO TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE, WHETHER IT'S YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO JUMP INTO A POOL WHEN IT'S SUPER HOT, WHERE IT'S THE OPPORTUNITY FOR KIDS TO GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER FOR THE FIRST TIME ON PLAYGROUNDS, UH, ALL OF US GOING OUT AND WALKING ON THE TRAIL AND, AND REALLY JUST CONNECTING, REALLY, IT'S ALL ABOUT WHO WE ARE AS PEOPLE, AND IT REALLY DOES AN AMAZING, AN AMAZING, UM, UH, CHANGES OUR LIVES AND DOES AMAZING THINGS FOR ALL OF US. NOW, AS A COUNCIL MEMBER SAID, THE AMAZING, POWERFUL EXPERIENCES THAT PARKS AND, AND RECREATION BRING TO COMMUNITY CAN'T BE DONE WITHOUT ALL THE FOLKS THAT ARE REPRESENTED IN THIS ROOM. UH, ALL OF OUR, OUR, UH, FULL-TIME STAFF MEMBERS, OUR TEMPORARY STAFF MEMBERS, ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS AND PARTNERS, UH, REALLY EACH AND EVERY DAY WORK REALLY HARD ON BEHALF OF COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE THESE AMAZING SPACES, THESE AMAZING PROGRAMS. SO WE ARE REALLY PROUD, UH, IN AUSTIN TO HAVE ONE OF THE BEST PARKS AND RECREATION SYSTEMS IN THE COUNTRY. AND IT CAN'T HAPPEN WITHOUT THE GREAT WORK OF EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM AND WITHOUT THE GREAT SUPPORT OF ALL OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS. SO, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. THANK YOU FOR HELPING US CELEBRATE. UM, AND, AND AS WE END TODAY, IT'S REALLY CROWDED OUTSIDE, BUT I WANNA INVITE FOLKS TO, TO TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE, THE PHOTO EXHIBIT OUT THERE THAT TALKS ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO REALLY DO THE WORK, UH, INVITE YOU TO, TO, TO SORT OF REFLECT ON, ON THE WORK THAT THEY DO ON BEHALF OF ALL RESIDENTS. SO, WITH THAT, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH AND HAPPY PARKS AND REC MONTH. ALRIGHT. ALL RIGHT, , I'M GONNA TAKE A MINUTE TO READ THIS PROCLAMATION, AND I GOT SO EXCITED ABOUT EVERYONE IN THE ROOM. I DID FORGET TO, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE. I, I AM JOINED BY INCREDIBLE COLLEAGUES WHO ARE SO PASSIONATE ABOUT OUR PARKS. UH, COUNCILMAN MORALES HAS BEEN FIGHTING FOR OUR PARKS WAY LONGER THAN I'VE BEEN HERE. SO, UH, WE ARE ALL JUST TRYING TO PICK UP AND, AND DO THE WORK TO MAKE OUR PARKS, UH, THE GREAT PLACES THAT SHE'S BEEN FIGHTING FOR. I HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER LANE, AM I MISSING ANYBODY? UM, BUT WE COULDN'T BE MORE EXCITED TO, TO CELEBRATE THIS TOGETHER. SO NOW THE OFFICIAL FUN PART, BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS PARKS AND RECREATION IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTRY, INCLUDING AUSTIN. AND WHEREAS PARKS AND RECREATION PROMOTES HEALTH AND WELLNESS, IMPROVING THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE NEAR PARKS. AND WHEREAS PARKS AND RECREATION IS FUNDAMENTAL TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL WELLBEING OF OUR COMMUNITY. AND WHEREAS THE US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HAS DESIGNATED JULY AS PARKS AND RECREATION MONTHS, SO SEE, THEY ARE DOING SOMETHING GOOD FOR US. SO NOW, THEREFORE, I, COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER ON BEHALF OF MY COLLEAGUES ON THE CITY COUNCIL DO HEREBY PROCLAIM JULY, 2026 AS PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH IN AUSTIN, TEXAS. NORMALLY WE'D STEP IN FRONT OF THE PODIUM, BUT I DON'T THINK WE'RE GONNA MOVE IT ALL. SO LET'S JUST TAKE A PICTURE RIGHT HERE. [Proclamation - Hot Car Awareness Day - To be presented by Council Member Krista Laine] THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. I WANNA THANK MY I, I'M CRYSTAL LANE, COUNCIL MEMBER FOR AUSTIN'S DISTRICT SIX, AND I WANNA THANK MY COLLEAGUES, COUNCIL MEMBER PAIGE ELLIS, COUNCIL MEMBER MARK CHEN AND, AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO HAS COME HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT, UM, THIS IMPORTANT PROCLAMATION. UM, SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING AS WE BRING AWARENESS TO THE INNOCENT LIVES LOST TO A PREVENTABLE TRAGEDY. THANK YOU SLEE OF PROJECT SAFE RIDE FOR BRINGING THIS BEFORE US THIS MORNING. BEFORE WE MOVE INTO TODAY'S PROCLAMATION, I WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO TALK ABOUT WHY THIS DAY MATTERS SO MUCH TO OUR COMMUNITY. SOMEWHERE IN AUSTIN TODAY, A PARENT, GRANDPARENT, OR CAREGIVER IS GOING TO BUCKLE THEIR CHILD INTO A CAR SEAT, DISTRACTED, RUNNING LATE, THINKING ABOUT A HUNDRED THINGS AT ONCE. AND THAT ORDINARY MOMENT, THE KIND EVERY ONE OF US HAS LIVED, IS EXACTLY HOW TRAGEDY FINDS ITS WAY INTO A FAMILY, NOT THROUGH CARELESSNESS, THROUGH LOVE, EXHAUSTION, AND A ROUTINE THAT GETS INTERRUPTED FOR JUST A FEW SECONDS TOO LONG. THAT'S THE HARDEST TRUTH ABOUT CAR DEATHS. THE MOST COMMON CAUSE ISN'T NEGLECT, IT'S SIMPLY A CAREGIVER FOR GETTING A CHILD WAS IN THE BACKSEAT. [00:40:01] IT COULD BE ANY OF US. IT WILL BE SOMEONE WHO IS LOVED. AND HERE IN TEXAS, THIS ISN'T A DISTANT STATISTIC. WE'VE LOST ROUGHLY 155 CHILDREN TO HOT CARS SINCE 19 8, 98, MORE THAN ANY OTHER STATE IN THE COUNTRY. THIS YEAR HAS BEEN ESPECIALLY PAINFUL IN JUST A TWO, A TWO WEEK STRETCH. THIS SUMMER, TEXAS LOST FOUR CHILDREN THIS WAY ALREADY MORE THAN ALL OF LAST YEAR. COMBINED BY EARLY JULY 15, CHILDREN NATIONWIDE HAD LOST THEIR LIVES THE SAME WAY. AND AS WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE MIDDLE OF A HEAT WAVE, IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION. WHAT MAKES THIS SO HEARTBREAKING IS HOW FAST IT HAPPENS. A CAR'S TEMPERATURE CAN RISE NEARLY 20 DEGREES IN JUST 10 MINUTES. A WINDOW OF SAFETY THAT SMALL DOESN'T LEAVE ROOM FOR GOOD INTENTIONS. IT ONLY LEAVES ROOM FOR HABITS AND ROUTINE. SO TODAY ISN'T JUST ABOUT A PROCLAMATION, IT'S ABOUT ASKING EVERY PARENT, EVERY GRANDPARENT, EVERY NEIGHBOR IN THE CITY TO BUILD ONE SMALL HABIT. LOOK BEFORE YOU LOCK, CHECK THE BACKSEAT EVERY TIME, NO EXCEPTIONS. AND IF YOU EVER SEE A CHILD ALONE IN A CAR, DON'T WAIT. CALL 9 1 1. EVERY ONE OF THE CHILDREN BEHIND THESE NUMBERS, OUT OF NAME, A FAMILY, A FUTURE, AND THESE FAMILIES ARE BROKEN. WE HONOR THEM TODAY, NOT WITH SORROW ALONE, BUT WITH ACTION AND WITH RECOGNITION. AND SO WITH THAT, I WILL HAND THE MICROPHONE OVER TO SLY FOR A FEW WORDS. OKAY. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR WATSON, COUNCIL MEMBER LANE AND EVERYONE TUNED IN TODAY. MY NAME IS SLEE RAJA. I'M A RISING SENIOR, A YOUTH ADVOCATE AND THE FOUNDER OF PROJECT SAFE RIDE, A NATIONAL INITIATIVE DEDICATED TO PREVENTING PEDIATRIC VEHICLE OR HEAT STROKE AND PET HEAT STROKE TRAGEDIES. SINCE BEGINNING THIS WORK PROJECT SAFE RIDE HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED BY NEARLY 20 CITIES ACROSS TEXAS AND BY COMMUNITIES IN 10 US STATES. I ALSO SERVE ON THE TEXAS HEAT STROKE TASK FORCE, WORKING ALONGSIDE ADVOCATES, FIRST RESPONDERS, MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, AND EDUCATORS ACROSS THE STATE ON THIS EXACT ISSUE. THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL FOR ISSUING THIS PROCLAMATION AND FOR RECOGNIZING HOT CAR AWARENESS DAY HERE IN AUSTIN. THIS RECOGNITION MEANS SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO BE BECAUSE AUSTIN IS NOT SIMPLY ANOTHER CITY JOINING THIS EFFORT. AUSTIN IS THE CAPITAL OF THE STATE WHERE THIS WORK BEGAN. IT IS A CITY WHERE POLICY IS WRITTEN, TECHNOLOGY IS BUILT, AND IDEAS SOMETIMES EVEN STARTED BY YOUNG PEOPLE CAN GROW INTO MOVEMENTS. FOR ME, AUSTIN IS ALSO PART OF HOME PROJECT SAFE RIDE BEGAN HERE IN THE AUSTIN AREA, AND MANY OF ITS EARLIEST STEPS HAPPENED BECAUSE COMMUNITIES HERE WERE WILLING TO LISTEN, TAKE YOUTH ADVOCACY SERIOUSLY, AND RECOGNIZE THAT PREVENTION CANNOT WAIT UNTIL AFTER A TRAGEDY OCCURS. THAT IS WHY STANDING HERE TODAY FEELS LIKE A FULL CIRCLE. AUSTIN IS KNOWN FOR ITS INNOVATION, BUT IS ALSO KNOWN FOR HOW MUCH OF LIFE HAPPENS. OUTDOORS FAMILY SPEND LONG AFTERNOONS SWIMMING AT BARTON SPRINGS, WALKING AROUND LADY BIRD LAKE, GATHERING AT ZILKER PARK, HIKING AT MCKINNEY FALLS, ATTENDING FESTIVALS OR SIMPLY MOVING FROM ONE ACTIVITY TO THE NEXT. AND IN AUSTIN, A QUICK OUTING RARELY STAYS QUICK. A SHORT WALK CAN BECOME AN ENTIRE AFTERNOON. A STOP FOR LUNCH CAN TURN INTO TIME SPENT EXPLORING DOWNTOWN TRAFFIC BUILDS, PLANS CHANGE, PHONE RINGS, CHILDREN FALL ASLEEP AND ROUTINES BECOME DISRUPTED. MEANWHILE, CARS REMAIN PARKED IN THE TEXAS SUN IN CROWDED GARAGES OUTSIDE RESTAURANTS. BESIDES PARKS AND TRAILS AND ACROSS ASPHALT LOTS WITH VERY LITTLE SHADE, THAT COMBINATION OF HEAT TIME AND A DISRUPTED ROUTINE CAN BECOME DANGEROUS FAR MORE QUICKLY THAN MOST PEOPLE REALIZE. VEHICLE KILLER HEAT STROKE TRAGEDIES ARE OFTEN MISUNDERSTOOD. THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS A RESULT OF SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT CARE. IN MANY CASES, THEY HAPPEN TO, TO LOVING AND ATTENTIVE FAMILIES DURING AN ORDINARY DAY WHEN SOMETHING ABOUT THE ROUTINE CHANGES, THAT IS WHAT MAKES THIS ISSUE SO FRIGHTENING, BUT IS ALSO WHAT MAKES PREVENTION SO IMPORTANT. HUMAN MEMORY IS NOT PERFECT. OUR SAFETY HABITS HAVE TO BE STRONGER THAN OUR DISTRACTIONS. WE MADE WEARING SEAT BELTS TO HABIT. WE MADE CHECKING MIRRORS AUTOMATIC. WE THOUGHT GENERATIONS THAT DISTRACTED DRIVING IS DANGEROUS. NOW CHECKING THE BACKSEAT MUST BECOME JUST AS AUTOMATIC, NOT SOMETHING WE REMEMBER ONLY DURING THE HOTTEST MONTHS, BUT SOMETHING WE DO EVERY TIME WE LEAVE A VE VEHICLE. BECAUSE AUSTIN IS A CITY BUILT AROUND MOVEMENT, PARENTS ARE DRIVING TO WORK, STUDENTS ARE HEADING TO SCHOOL, FAMILIES ARE BALANCING APPOINTMENTS AND ACTIVITIES, AND VISITORS ARE NAVIGATING A CITY THEY MAY NOT KNOW. ALL IT TAKES IS ONE EXPECTED CHANGE, UNEXPECTED CHANGE, A DIFFERENT DRIVER, A SLEEPING CHILD, AN ALTERED DROP OFF, OR THE BELIEF THAT A STOP WILL ONLY TAKE A MINUTE. BUT INSIDE A PARKED VEHICLE, A MINUTE IS NOT INSIGNIFICANT. HEAT STROKE DOES NOT CARE HOW RESPONSIBLE SOMEONE NORMALLY IS. IT DOES NOT CARE WHETHER SOMEONE HAS, HAS LIVED IN AUSTIN THEIR ENTIRE LIFE OR IS VISITING FOR THE FIRST TIME. IT DOES NOT CARE WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS PARKED DOWNTOWN BESIDE A TRAIL, OUTSIDE A GROCERY STORE, OR IN SOMEONE'S OWN DRIVEWAY. IT ONLY CARES ABOUT HEAT AND TIME. AND IN CENTRAL TEXAS, WE HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH OF BOTH. THAT IS WHY TODAY MUST BE MORE THAN A PROCLAMATION ON PAPER. IT MUST BE ABOUT BUILDING A CULTURE OF PREVENTION. LOOK, BEFORE YOU LOCK, CHECK EVERY SEAT EVERY TIME. CREATE REMINDERS WHEN ROUTINES CHANGE. NEVER LEAVE A CHILD OR PET INSIDE A PARKED VEHICLE, EVEN FOR A BRIEF STOP, [00:45:01] EVEN WITH THE WINDOWS CRACKED. AND EVEN WHEN THE TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE DOES NOT FEEL DANGEROUSLY HOT, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY LOOK OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER. AUSTIN HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CITY WILLING TO CHALLENGE WHAT IS CONSIDERED NORMAL. IT'S A CITY THAT BELIEVES INNOVATION SHOULD SOLVE REAL PROBLEMS, AND THAT PUBLIC LEADERSHIP SHOULD PROTECT PEOPLE BEFORE THEY'RE PLACED IN DANGER. TODAY, AUSTIN IS SHOWING THAT PREVENTION IS ALSO A FORM OF INNOVATION. ONE CITY CAN ISSUE A PROCLAMATION, BUT A CITY LIKE AUSTIN CAN SET A STANDARD. AUSTIN CAN REMIND FAMILIES ACROSS TEXAS THAT CHECKING THE BACK SEAT SHOULD BE AS NATURAL AS FASTENING A SEATBELT. AUSTIN CAN SHOW COMMUNITIES THAT AWARENESS IS NOT PASSIVE. IT IS A DECISION TO CHANGE HABITS, START CONVERSATIONS, AND PROTECT THE PEOPLE AND ANIMALS WHO DEPEND ON US. PROJECT SAFE RIDE MAY HAVE STARTED WITH ONE YOUNG PERSON AND ONE IDEA, BUT RECOGNITIONS LIKE THIS PROVE THAT THE RESPONSIBILITY BELONG BELONGS TO ALL OF US. THANK YOU AGAIN TO MAYOR WATSON, COUNCIL MEMBER LANE AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR STANDING. BE BEHIND THIS CAUSE FOR RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF PREVENTION AND FOR HELPING CARRY THIS MESSAGE FROM OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY TO THE REST OF TEXAS AND BEYOND. AUSTIN IS A CITY WHERE IDEAS BECOME ACTION TODAY. LET THIS PROCLAMATION BECOME A HABIT, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, TWO WORDS SHOULD NEVER HAVE THE POWER TO BECOME TRAGEDY. I FORGOT. THANK YOU. OKAY, SO, UM, OKAY. AND WITH THAT, I WILL PRESENT THE PROCLAMATION. I I WANNA SINCERELY THANK EVERYONE WHO'S TAKEN TIME OUT OF A VERY BUSY DAY TO RECOGNIZE THE STUDENT LEADER IN ROUND OUR ISD PART OF AUSTIN, WHICH IS MY DISTRICT. UM, WE ALWAYS SAY THAT WE GET HOPE BECAUSE WE SEE THE POWER OF OUR YOUTH AND WORK TO AMPLIFY THEIR VOICES. AND I THANK ALL OF AUSTIN FOR DOING THAT TODAY. UM, LOVE TO SEE IT. UM, SO WITH THAT, BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS ABOUT 37 CHILDREN A YEAR DIE FROM HEAT STROKE EITHER BECAUSE THEY WERE LEFT OR BECAME TRAPPED IN A CAR DURING THE SUMMER, THAT'S ABOUT TWO CHILDREN EVERY WEEK KILLED IN A HOT CAR. TEMPERATURES CAN RISE RAPIDLY IN MINUTES MAKING CONDITIONS DEADLY FOR CHILDREN AND PETS. AND WHEREAS THESE TRAGEDIES CAN OFTEN RESULT FROM MANY FACTORS FORGETTING, LEAVING CARS UNLOCKED AND NEGLIGENCE, AND CAN OCCUR TO ANY PARENT OR CAREGIVER, DUE TO CHANGES IN ROUTINE STRESS AND DISTRACTION. AND WHEREAS INCREASING PUBLIC AWARENESS AND PROMOTING SIMPLE PREVENTIVE HABITS, SUCH AS CHECKING THE BACKSEAT ALONG WITH THE COMMUNITY INITIATIVES SUCH AS PROJECT SAFE RIDE, FOUNDED BY YOUTH ADVOCATES, RAJA PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN PREVENTING THESE TRAGEDIES. NOW, THEREFORE, I COUNCIL MEMBER CRYSTAL LANE ON BEHALF OF MAYOR KIRK WATSON, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AND THE ENTIRE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL DO HEREBY PROCLAIM JULY 23RD, 2026 AS HOT CAR AWARENESS DAY IN AUSTIN. THANK YOU. AND SHOULD WE STAY PUT OR MOVE FORWARD, WE CAN STEP IN FRONT. GOOD MORNING [Additional Item] EVERYONE. I AM AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEMBER PAIGE ELLI, AND I'M ACCOMPANIED BY COUNCIL MEMBER KRISTA LANE. AND I THINK THAT'S IT. UM, IT IS MY PRIVILEGE TO BE HERE WITH Y'ALL THIS MORNING TO HONOR GEO AN R AND B SINGER SONGWRITER, WHOSE MUSIC BLENDS THE TIMELESS SOUL OF NINETIES R AND B, WITH THE SUBTLE INFLUENCES OF TEXAS HIP HOP, KNOWN FOR HER WARM VOCALS, HEARTFELT SONGWRITING, AND SIGNATURE WHISTLE, GEO CRAFT SONGS THAT FEEL BOTH DEEPLY PERSONAL AND UNIVERSALLY RELATABLE. HER WORK HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED WITH TWO BEST R AND B AWARDS, A BEST BAND AWARD SELECTION AS AN OFFICIAL SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST ARTIST AND A GRANT FROM AUSTIN'S LIVE MUSIC FUND. AS HER CATALOG CONTINUES TO GROW, GIA REMAINS GUIDED BY AUTHENTICITY, A DEEP LOVE OF TIMELESS R AND B, HONEST STORYTELLING, AND A DESIRE TO PUSH THE GENRE FORWARD IN HER OWN WAY. AND ON BEHALF OF MY COLLEAGUE IN DISTRICT ONE, NATASHA HARPER MADISON, I'M VERY PROUD TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION TODAY, AND I WILL TURN IT OVER TO GIO FOR A FEW WORDS. OKAY. UH, GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY. FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANNA GIVE ALL HONOR AND GLORY TO THE MOST HIGH. UM, I HAVE TO THANK MY MOM, DIANA, OH, AND MY DAD, JONATHAN, BECAUSE, WELL, THEY LITERALLY MADE THIS POSSIBLE . BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, UH, THANK YOU BOTH FOR BELIEVING IN ME LONG BEFORE ANYBODY ELSE DID AND NOT, AND FOR NOT TELLING ME THAT MUSIC IS ISN'T A REAL CAREER. UM, THANK YOU TO MY DAUGHTER TIANA, MY BIGGEST SUPPORTER AND MY BIGGEST HATER, ALL AT THE SAME TIME. [00:50:01] UM, SHE WILL SHARE MY MUSIC WITH HER FRIENDS AND HER TEACHERS, BUT THE SECOND I PLAY THE SAME UNRELEASED SONG ON REPEAT, ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S A PROBLEM , UM, TO MY FAMILY AND MY FRIENDS, UM, AND MY SUPPORT SYSTEM. THANK YOU. UM, THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE HELPED ME THROUGHOUT MY JOURNEY THAT I'M AFRAID I'LL FORGET, UH, SOMEONE IF I START NAMING NAMES . UM, BUT PLEASE KNOW THAT IF YOU EVER PRAYED FOR ME, IF YOU ENCOURAGE ME, SHARE MY MUSIC, UM, SUPPORTED ME IN ANY WAY. I APPRECIATE YOU MORE THAN WORDS CAN EXPRESS EVERY ACT OF SUPPORT, NO MATTER HOW BIG OR SMALL, HAS HELPED ME GET TO THIS MOMENT. AND I TRULY COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU ALL. SO EVERYONE WHO CAME OUT TODAY, THANK YOU. SOME OF Y'ALL TRAVEL TRAVELED FROM OUTSIDE OF THE CITY. UM, SOME OF Y'ALL HAVE RE REARRANGED YOUR SCHEDULES, UM, AND I KNOW A FEW OF Y'ALL CAUGHT OFF OF WORK TO BE HERE. SO IF YOUR BOSS IS WATCHING, I HOPE THEY APPROVE YOUR PTO . UM, I'M ORIGINALLY FROM KILLEEN, TEXAS, BUT AUSTIN BECAME THE PLACE WHERE I CHOSE TO PURSUE MY DREAMS. UM, I'VE BEEN SINGING FOR OVER 20 YEARS. I'VE RELEASED MY OWN MUSIC. I'VE PERFORMED ON STAGES ACROSS AUSTIN, AND I'VE CONTINUED TO GROW BOTH AS A ARTIST AND A PERSON. UH, THIS JOURNEY HAS BEEN BUILT ONE SONG, ONE PERFORMANCE, ONE YES, AND A LOT OF NOS AT A TIME A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, I WAS TALKING WITH A GOOD FRIEND ABOUT WHAT I WANTED TO SAY TODAY AND HOW I NEVER SEEM TO LIVE IN THE MOMENT. AND HE SAYS SOMETHING THAT STUCK WITH ME AND I WANNA SHARE WITH YOU ALL TODAY. IT'S HARD TO LIVE IN THE MOMENT WHEN YOU ARE THE MOMENT. IT'S HARD TO CELEBRATE WHEN YOU ARE THE CELEBRATION. COME ON NOW. SO LET TODAY BE YOUR DEEP BREATH, A MOMENT TO REFLECT ON HOW FAR YOU'VE COME AND ALL OF THE BLESSINGS THAT BROUGHT YOU HERE. THE MORE I SAT WITH THOSE WORDS, THE MORE I REALIZED HOW TRUE THEY ARE. AS AN INDEPENDENT ARTIST, I'M ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT, OKAY, WHAT'S, WHAT'S NEXT? I'M THE SINGER, THE SONGWRITER, THE MARKETER, THE CONTENT CREATOR, THE BOOKING AGENT, AND SOMETIMES EVEN THE ROADIE. WHEN ONE PROJECT IS FINISHED, I'M, I'M ALWAYS ONTO THE NEXT ONE. THERE'S ALWAYS MORE TO DO. AND WHEN YOU'RE CONSTANTLY BUILDING, IT'S EASY TO MISS. WHAT YOU'VE ALREADY BUILT TODAY HAS REMINDED ME TO BE PRESENT, TO LOOK AROUND THIS ROOM AND REALIZE WHAT I'VE BEEN PRAYING AND WORKING FOR IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. I HOPE THIS PROCLAMATION IS BIGGER THAN JUST MY STORY. I HOPE IT SHINES A LIGHT ON EVERY INDEPENDENT ARTIST WHO'S POURING INTO THIS CITY. WHEN YOU SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL ARTISTS, YOU'RE SUPPORTING MUSICIANS, PHOTOGRAPHERS, VIDEOGRAPHERS, VENUES, SOUND ENGINEERS. I COULD KEEP GOING, BUT THEY MIGHT CUT THE MIC. UM, BUT YOU'RE INVESTING IN THE CULTURE THAT MAKES AUSTIN THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD. THIS HAS SHOWN ME HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR, UH, OUR CITY TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING INDEPENDENT ARTISTS. I HOPE THIS MOMENT INSPIRES CONTINUED COLLABORATION BETWEEN OUR ARTISTS AND CITY LEADERS. YES, SAY IT SO THAT RECOGNIZING AND INVESTING IN LOCAL TALENT BECOMES THE NORM AND NOT THE EXCEPTION. I GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE, JUST ONE MORE PAGE. UM, WHEN YOU LEAVE HERE TODAY, I HOPE YOU DO ONE THING. DISCOVER A NEW INDEPENDENT ARTIST, PULL UP TO A SHOW, BUY SOME MERCH, SHARE A POST, OR JUST TELL SOMEBODY ABOUT ANOTHER INDEPENDENT ARTIST. YOU NEVER KNOW HOW ONE ACT OF SUPPORT CAN CHANGE AN ARTIST'S LIFE. BEFORE I CLOSE, I WANT TO SINCERELY THANK FILA MUI FROM DISTRICT ONE AND SHELBY MITCHELL FROM ACME. YOUR ADVOCACY AND PERSISTENCE PLAYED A MEANINGFUL ROLE IN MAKING TODAY'S RECOGNITION POSSIBLE, AND I'M DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR BOTH OF Y'ALL SUPPORT. TONIGHT I'LL BE AT FOUND SOUND FROM SEVEN TO 10:00 PM TO CELEBRATE THE PROCLAMATION, UM, AND TO CELEBRATE GEO DAY. AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW MY JOURNEY, YOU CAN FIND ME ON ALL SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS AT TRIPLE OG. THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH. WOW. WELL, YOU CAN FEEL THE LOVE IN THIS ROOM. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S TRANSLATING ON THE TV, BUT WE CAN ALL FEEL IT HERE. AND WE'VE GOT SOME YOUNG FOLKS THAT ARE MAYBE GONNA BECOME SINGERS WHO KNOWS . SO IT IS MY PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO READ THIS PROCLAMATION FOR GEO TODAY. WHEREAS THE ARTISTIC CONTRIBUTIONS OF GEOVANNA FIELDS KNOWN PROFESSIONALLY AS GEO A PASSION FOR R AND B MUSIC AND A COMMITMENT TO AUTHENTIC ARTISTIC EXPRESSION USING THE POWER OF MUSIC TO MOVE AUDIENCES AND BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER. AND WHEREAS A COLLEEN TEXAS NATIVE WHO HAS SPENT MORE THAN A DECADE CULTIVATING HER ARTISTRY IN AUSTIN GEO HAS BUILT A LASTING PRESENCE IN THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD THROUGH PERSEVERANCE, CREATIVITY, AND AN UNWAVERING COMMITMENT [00:55:01] TO HER CRAFT. AND WHEREAS THROUGH PERFORMANCES, ARTISTIC PARTNERSHIPS AND SHARED STAGES, GEO HAS CREATED OPPORTUNITIES FOR FELLOW ARTISTS AND MUSICIANS WHILE PRESERVING AND CELEBRATING SPACES THAT HOLD DEEP SIGNIFICANT IN AUSTIN'S MUSICAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE. AND WHEREAS THROUGH HER DEDICATION AND PERSEVERANCE, GEO HAS HELPED ELEVATE AND EXPAND THE PRESENCE OF R AND B MUSIC IN AUSTIN, ENSURING THAT THE SOUL STORYTELLING AND RHYTHM OF THE GENRE CONTINUE TO THRIVE WITHIN THE CITY'S MUSICAL CULTURE. NOW THEREFORE, I PAY JEALOUS ON BEHALF OF KIRK WATSON, THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS. AND THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL DO HEREBY PROCLAIM JULY 23RD, 2026 AS GEO DAY IN AUSTIN, TEXAS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DO WE WANNA DO A PICTURE HERE OR YOU WANT US TO MOVE? WE CAN. WHY DON'T WE HAVE Y'ALL STEP IN FRONT OF THE PODIUM? OKAY. AND WE'LL TAKE A PICTURE HERE. * 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.