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MEETING ORDER?[Arts & Cultural Advisory Commission on February 16, 2023.]
I'M SURE WE'VE ALL HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GREET SOMEBODY FACE TO FACE.AND FIRST THING I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT THIS IS A VERY GOOD DEAL, THAT WE ARE BACK TOGETHER AND WE TOUCH AND EACH OTHER COMFORTABLY.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH TO OUR COMMISSIONERS.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON WITH THIS MEETING.
WE HAVE A VERY ROBUST AGENDA TODAY, SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE THROUGH IS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS WE CAN.
THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE PROCLAMATION IN MEMORIAL OF DR.
WE APPROACHING ARNOLD, ARE YOU HERE? I'M HERE, PRESIDENT.
READY? SO TODAY I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS, UH, AT LEAST SOME OF THE COMMENTS OF THE WHERE AS BEHALF OF OUR DEAR FRIEND, YOUR FRIEND, OF COURSE, AN ADVOCATE, ARTS ADVOCATE.
ALSO, UH, MY NEIGHBOR AND A MEMBER OF THE S HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATION FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
AND I KIND OF HAVE A DUAL HAT THERE BECAUSE I'M ALSO SERVING AND HAVE SERVED AS PRESIDENT ASSOCIATION FOLLOWING MR. GEORGE KING.
SO I'M VERY HONORED TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TODAY JUST TO SHARE WITH YOU THIS MAGNIFICENT INDIVIDUAL.
HE'S AN ARTIST, BUT ALSO A GREAT COOK, OF WHICH I ALSO BENEFIT FROM MANY OF HIS GO MEALS.
BUT I ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THOSE SPRING ROLLS THAT HE WOULD ALWAYS, OH, ISN'T, UH, ENTICE US WITH.
SO, UH, HE'S SOLELY MISSED, BUT WE CANNOT CONTINUE THE BUSINESS AS USUAL WITHOUT MAKING SURE THAT HIS NAME IS REPEATED OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
AND SO AT THIS OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE TODAY TO PRESENT A SPECIAL RECOGNITION, IT'S JUST A FEW WHERE ASS FOR THE RECORD.
IT IS HIS LEGACY THAT OF BLACK DALLAS REMEMBERED REMEMBERING THE HISTORY THAT SO MANY PEOPLE AT SOME FROM TIME TO TIME WANT TO PUT UNDER THE RUG.
BUT I DO KNOW THAT THROUGH THE CITY OF DALLAS AND HIS WORK, HE WAS VERY CONCERNED THAT WE NEEDED TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE INTENSITY AND A LITTLE BIT MORE VIGOR AND VIM AND HEAT BEHIND MAKING SURE THAT OUR HISTORY IS NEVER FORGOTTEN.
AND SO, WHEREAS THE CITY OF DALLAS TAKES THIS SPECIAL NOTICE, UH, ALWAYS WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL HAS CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANT TIME, KNOWLEDGE, AND RESOURCES TO SERVING OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WHEREAS DALLAS NATIVE, DR.
GEORGE ELVIN KEATON JR, IS PARTICULARLY DESERVING OF OUR RECOGNITION AS HE WAS A RESPECTED EDUCATOR AND CIVIC LEADER WHO DEDICATED HIS LIFE TO PRESERVING BLACK HISTORY.
KEATON WAS A TALENTED EDUCATOR.
HE WORKED FOR D I S D FOR 31 YEARS.
HE TAUGHT SECOND AND FOURTH GRADES AND SPENT 11 YEARS OF HIS TENURE AS A DEDICATED COUNSELOR.
HE WAS ALSO AN ACCOMPLISHED MUSICIAN WHO SERVED AS MINISTER OF MUSIC IN MULTIPLE CHURCHES THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
BUT HE WAS A FERVENT BELIEVER IN THE POWER OF PRAYER AND AN ACTIVE CHURCH MEMBER OF ST.
LUKE COMMUNITY, UNITED METHODIST CHURCH FOR OVER 25 YEARS.
KEATON AS THE FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF REMEMBERING BLACK DALLAS, ESTABLISHED IN 2015, THE ORGANIZATION HOSTS DALLAS AREA HERITAGE BUS TOURS TO SHARE THE STORIES OF BLACK HISTORY, ENSURING THAT PEOPLE KNOW THE FOOTPRINT AND THE INFLUENCE OF THE CITY'S RESIDENTS.
KEATON WAS HEAVILY INVOLVED IN A NUMBER OF OTHER SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY PROJECTS, HE FOUNDED THE DALLAS COUNTY JUSTICE INITIATIVE IN 2020 AND WORKED TO HONOR VICTIMS OF LYNCHINGS AND RACIAL TERROR.
IN 2022, HE CO-EDITED AND RELEASED A BOOK CALLED OUR STORIES BLACK FAMILIES IN EARLY DALLAS, WHICH RECORDED THE MEMOIRS PASSED DOWN FROM THE CITY'S EARLIEST BLACK FAMILIES.
HE SERVED AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE GLEN OAKS HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION BOARD MEMBER OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM OF DALLAS AND BOARD MEMBER OF PRESERVATION DALLAS.
KEA PASSED, PASSED ON DECEMBER 7TH, 2022, HE WILL BE REMEMBERED AS A LEGENDARY, COMPASSIONATE, HISTORIAN AND CIVIC LEADER WHO CARED DEEPLY FOR OUR CITY AS A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR THE PRESERVATION OF BLACK HISTORY AND CULTURE.
HIS CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE CONSIDERABLY ADVANCED OUR UNDERSTANDING OF DALLAS AND
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HOW WE CAN BUILD A BETTER FUTURE FOR ALL RESIDENTS.AND FINALLY, WHEREAS THE CITY OF DALLAS EXTENDS OUR SINCERE CONDO CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND LOVED ONES OF DR.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, ERIC JOHNSON, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DALLAS, AND CAROLYN KING ARNOLD MAYOR PRO TEM ALSO EXTENDS SPECIAL RECOGNITION IN MEMORIAL MEMORIAL ON FEBRUARY THE 22ND, 2022, TO DR.
THANK YOU MAYOR PROTE, UH, ARNOLD FOR THAT RECOGNITION AND FOR EVOKING THE SPIRIT OF OUR ANCESTOR THAT'S GOING TO BE PRESENTED, I, I BELIEVE, AT THE CITY COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT WITH US COMMISSIONERS.
IF YOU ARE AVAILABLE, FEEL FREE TO JOIN US IN CITY HALL CHAMBER.
THAT'S NEXT WEEK, IS THAT CORRECT? NEXT WEDNESDAY.
UH, MADAM CHAIR, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ONE COMMENT, UH, THANK YOU BENJAMIN FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE TO HELP US PUT THAT TOGETHER.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF THE, YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT HIM.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT DISTRICT COURT.
OTHER COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS? YES.
THIS NEED TO MAKE ONE CORRECTION.
COUNCILWOMAN ARNOLD, HE WAS THE FOUNDER OF REMEMBERING BLACK BALANCE.
MANNY MCKNIGHT WAS THE FOUNDER OF BLACK DALLAS.
BLACK DALLAS BLACK E PRACTICE? NO, NO, NO.
IT'S, UH, SHE DALLAS, BLACK DALLAS IMMIGRANT.
YOU WANNA REPEAT THAT AGAIN SO WE CAN MAKE SURE? YES.
IT'S JUST, IT'S REMEMBERING BLACK DALLAS.
AND THEN MAMIE MCKNIGHT WAS THE FOUNDER OF BLACK DALLAS.
REMEMBERED WHICH HE, WHICH HE WHAT HE TOOK OFF OF.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? MS. HALL? YOU'RE STANDING WITH US TO DO THAT? YOU KNOW, I, I'M TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE GOT ALL THE NOTES CORRECTED.
MA, BECAUSE SHE HAS ROOTS IN AUSTIN.
BECAUSE I REMEMBER I WAS DOWN THERE AT THE TIME.
IT'S A SMALL WORLD, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE GOT EVERYTHING.
AND I'M IN ORDER, BUT I'VE ENJOYED JUST BEING HERE WITH YOU ALL AND I'M GONNA MOVE SO ON TO YOU.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR ARTS IN OUR HEARTS, AND FEEL FREE TO STAY.
WE'RE MOVING TO ITEM NUMBER TWO.
WE HAVE TWO NEW COMMISSIONERS PRESENT TODAY, AND I'M GOING TO GIVE THEM TWO MINUTES A PEACE TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.
DAVID SMALL, WHO'S APPOINTED BY MARY JOHNSON.
UM, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE.
UM, AND I'LL BE HONEST, I HAD, UH, I'M LEARNING, I'M, I'M JUST GONNA OBSERVE WHILE I'M HERE TODAY.
I KNOW VICKY WILL PROBABLY JUMP ON ME IF I GET OUTTA LINE, BUT, UH, I'VE, I'M A PLEASURE, UH, TO BE HERE.
UH, AND I DO KNOW OF SOME OF YOU AND YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ARTISTIC COMMUNITY.
I'M AN ENTERTAINMENT ATTORNEY HERE IN DALLAS.
UH, MY PRACTICE IS PRIMARILY TELEVISION, MUSIC, FILM, AND NOW SOCIAL MEDIA.
UH, AND I REPRESENT NOT ONLY TALENT, BUT ALSO BUSINESSES IN THOSE AREAS.
AND, UH, I AM THRILLED TO BE A PART OF THIS AND HELP CONTRIBUTE IN ANY WAY THAT I CAN.
AND THAT'S, MY WIFE'S NAME IS BECKY.
UH, MY, UH, MY SON JUST, UH, GRADUATED SMU IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING.
HE'S JUST GOT ASSIGNED TO A DIVISION OF SONY RECORDS.
UH, SO HE'S A, UH, A FUTURE R AND B ARTIST.
SO
I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE A NEW REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT 13 COUNCIL MEMBER GAY DARNELL WILLIS HAS SENT TO THE COMMISSION, JIM NUGEN, AND I'M THRILLED TO BE HERE.
UH, I'M RETIRED, UH, FIRM ADMINISTRATOR WITH A LAW FIRM.
I STILL DO PART-TIME WORK FOR THEM, BUT I'VE GOT SEASON TICKETS TO THE ELEVATOR PROJECT.
SO SECOND THOUGHT THEATER, KITCHEN, DOG THEATER, AND DALLAS THEATER CENTER.
AND I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF, UH, K R A AND I SEE PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING THAT TITUS AND BRUCE WOOD DOES.
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CARIA ALSO, I'M ON THE BOARD OF TAKA.UH, I USE, OR I'M ON THE BOARD OF SECOND THOUGHT THEATER.
UH, I AM SERVED WITH AMAZON, UH, I GUESS MEDIA PROJECT.
AND I KEEP THE BOOKS FOR SEVERAL NONPROFITS ON A PRO BONO BASIS.
CAUSE ACCOUNTING HEALTH IS HARD TO FIND.
AND SO I'M WILLING TO, OR GLAD TO GIVE MY TIME.
NOW, COMMISSIONERS, I KNOW YOU'RE ANXIOUS TO EXCHANGE CONVERSATION WITH OUR NEW COMMISSIONERS, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THAT TIME ALLOTTED TODAY, SO WE ARE GONNA ASK YOU TO DO THAT AFTER THE MEETING OR ON YOUR OWN TIME.
BUT WE DO WELCOME YOU TO OUR FIRST MEETING BACK TOGETHER BECAUSE SOME OF US, WE HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE BOTTOM HALF, BUT THE BOTTOM
DID WE, DID SYLVIA, UH, GIVE YOU THINGS TO INTRODUCE HERSELF? SYLVIA WAS VIRTUAL.
FIRST OF ALL, I APOLOGIZE FOR BEING LATE.
I GAVE MYSELF 45 MINUTES TO GET HERE, AND THAT WASN'T ENOUGH TIME WITH GRANT.
SO MY APOLOGIES TO THE COMMISSION.
UH, BUT, UH, I, MY BACKGROUND IS HEALTHCARE, MARKETING AND PR AND I'VE DONE THAT REALLY FOR THE LAST 30 PLUS YEARS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I HAVE LEARNED IN DOING HEALTHCARE MARKETING, PR, IS THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE ART TO HEAL.
AND, UM, AND I LOVE, MY BACKGROUND IS ALSO, I DO A LOT OF WRITING, SO ART THROUGH WORD, BUT I, UM, I KNOW THAT ART IS REALLY STORYTELLING.
SO WE COLLECT STORIES THROUGH ART, WHETHER IT'S VISUAL, WHETHER IT'S, UH, PERFORMING, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH THE SPOKEN WORD OR WRITTEN WORD.
SO I LOVE TELLING STORIES AND I, I, I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO JUST SERVING, UH, I'M WITH DISTRICT 10, ADAM MAGU.
I APPRECIATE, UH, I'VE WORKED WITH HIM FOR THE LAST, REALLY SEVEN YEARS SINCE HE'S BEEN, UH, IN DISTRICT 10.
AND IT'S, IT'S BEEN AN HONOR AND IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO BE HERE.
I ALSO HAVE AN ARTIST'S HUSBAND WHO'S A DIGITAL ARTIST.
IS EVERYBODY COMFORTABLE? WHO ELSE? WHAT DO YOU WANNA SAY? LINDA? LINDA, YOU WILL, YOU OKAY, VICKY, I JUST WANNA SAY ONE SENTENCE OKAY.
BECAUSE I WANT IT ON THE RECORD.
THE TWO NEW, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
JIM NUGEN, FOR THOSE OF US THAT HAVE BEEN IN DALLAS FOR A LONG TIME, IN NEW ORLEANS, WAS ONE OF THE MAJOR FORCES BEHIND 500 ACRES.
SOME OF YOU WOULD REMEMBER, PEOPLE WOULDN'T HAVE MONEY, ONE 500 ACRES.
AND, AND, UH, DAVID SMALL WAS THE FOUNDER OF THE TEXAS BLACK FILM FESTIVAL, SO HE DIDN'T MENTION THAT.
I'M JUST GONNA PUT THAT IN, IS OUR RESIDENT HISTORIAN.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO OUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
AND IT HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT WE HAVE SOME VISITORS WHO HAVE SIGNED ON TO TALK TO US TODAY.
ANNMARIE, WILL YOU GIVE US THE INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE? YES, MA'AM.
THERE ARE NINE REGISTERED PUBLIC SPEAKERS, UH, SPEAKERS.
IF YOU ARE VIRTUAL, WE WILL MOVE YOU TO THE PRESENTER'S STATE OR IF YOU'RE IN PERSON.
AND FEEL FREE TO CUT OFF, SIT OVER HERE SO YOU CAN BE ON CAMERA.
UH, I WILL NOW READ THE SPEAKER GUIDELINES.
SPEAKERS SHALL OBSERVE THE SAME RULES OF PROPRIETY DECORUM AND GOOD CONDUCT APPLICABLE TO MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
ANY SPEAKERS MAKING PERSONAL IM PERTINENT, OR SLATE'S REMARKS, SHALL BE REMOVED FROM THE SESSION OF THE MEETING AT THE DIRECTION OF THE CHAIR.
MEMBERS OF THE SPEAKER PUBLIC WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
THE TIME CLOCK WILL SIGNAL WHEN YOUR TIME LOPS.
I APOLOGIZE, WE DO NOT HAVE TIME CLOCKS, SO I WILL KEEP TRACK ON MY PHONE NEXT TO US.
UH, WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP, PLEASE ALLOW THE NEXT SPEAKER THE TURN.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, AND PLEASE ADDRESS YOUR COMMENTS TO THE CHAIR.
SO, MADAME CHAIR, MAY I NOW START CALLING UP OUR SPEAKERS? YES, YOU MAY.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS KAREN BLESSON.
I'M KAREN GLASSON, AND I LIVE AT 63 27 BAKERY BOULEVARD IN DALLAS, GRACE GLOVES.
REPRESENTING, UM, I'M HERE TO, TO SPEAK ABOUT A SCULPTURE, A PUBLIC SCULPTURE THAT MY ORGANIZATION 29 PIECES DID IN ON THE JEFFERSON BOULEVARD IN DALLAS.
AND IF YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE YOUR PACKETS.
SO I'M GONNA GO VERY QUICKLY THAT THIS IS THE SCULPTURE PEACE 24, MAKE MY HANDS RESPECT THE THINGS YOU HAVE MADE.
AND OUR MISSION IS TO USE ART TO UPLIFT, AWAKEN, AND GIVE VOICE TO THE CREATIVE HUMAN SPIRIT TO MAKE GENUINE POSITIVE SOCIAL CHANGE.
THERE HAS BEEN, OR A, UH, REQUEST BY A
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LOCAL ARTIST TO HAVE THE PIECE REMOVED.UM, SO I WANTED TO ADDRESS THAT.
AND THE, THE ARTIST'S, NATIVE AMERICAN SAYING THAT THERE'S CULTURAL APPROPRIATION.
SO, UH, THE, UH, THIS PIECE OF SCULPTURE WAS DONE AS PART OF A, WHAT WE CALL THE RESPECT PROJECT IN 2015 AND 2016, IT WAS DONE AS A RESPONSE TO DALLAS TEACHERS.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE, THE, UH, THE WAY THAT THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN DISRESPECT IN THE CLASSROOM AND THE WAY KIDS WERE TALKING TO EACH OTHER.
SO, UM, WE HAVE A THREE PART PROJECT, THE P THE 20, THE PIECE 24 SCULPTURE PROJECT, THE RESPECT PLEDGE, WHICH ONE OF OUR PEOPLE IS GONNA READ.
WE'LL GO TO THE WATER FOR THEM.
UM, AND THEN WE DID RESPECT LESSON ART WITH THOUSANDS OF KIDS IN THIS AREA.
SO I HOPE YOU'LL TAKE TIME TO LOOK THROUGH THIS TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF A BACKGROUND ON 29 PIECES AND HOW IT STARTED, WHAT MY ORIGIN STORY IS AND WHY I STARTED.
IT STARTED BECAUSE OF A MURDER THAT HAPPENED IN MY FRONT YARD.
I'VE BEEN IN A PROFESSIONAL ARTIST FOR 30 YEARS.
WE MAKE THE WORLD LESS VIOLENT.
UM, I ALSO HAVE A PAGE THAT SHOWS A LOT OF OUR PAST PROJECTS.
WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING WE CAN IN OUR HISTORY TO, TO ENCOURAGE KIDS OF ALL COLORS, ALL DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, TO COME TOGETHER, TO WORK TOGETHER, TO, UH, TO CREATE A MORE LOVING CITY.
IS THAT MY TIME? I APOLOGIZE MA'AM.
WELL MAYBE SOME OF THE OTHER PEOPLE, I HOPE YOU'LL READ THIS, THIS RESPONSE TO, UM, THE PEACE IS INSPIRED BY NATIVE AMERICAN PASSAGE AND THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER VISUAL ART INSPIRATIONS SENATE IT.
SO SINCE I, I HOPE YOU'LL READ IT.
AND THANK YOU FOR COMING, MADAM CHAIR.
YOUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KAREN ISBELL.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.
I'M KAREN ISBELL, AND I'VE BEEN PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF 29 PIECES SINCE 2015.
I TEACH FOR DALLAS I S D I'VE BEEN TEACHING FOR, THIS IS MY 27TH YEAR, UH, WORKING AS AN ENGLISH TEACHER.
AND ONE OF THE GREAT HIGHLIGHTS OF MY LIFE HAS BEEN A BEING PART OF 29 PIECES AND THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT THIS ORGANIZATION HAS DONE WITH YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULTS OF ALL AGES ACROSS OUR CITY AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
UM, I'D LIKE YOU TO JUST BRIEFLY LISTEN TO THE POEM, AND IT'S A POEM PRAYER THAT INSPIRED PIECE 24.
UM, AND THERE'S ONE LINE IN, IN THE POEM FROM WHICH WE WERE ALL INSPIRED TO CREATE THIS SCULPTURE THAT COUNTLESS ARTISTS, YOUNG PEOPLE WORKED ON SCHOLARSHIPS.
SO WE COULD CREATE THIS MASTERPIECE AS A GIFT TO THE CITY OF DALLAS.
IT'S CALLED LET ME WALK IN BEAUTY, A GREAT SPIRIT WHOSE VOICE I HEAR IN THE WINDS AND WHOSE BREATH GIVES LIFE TO ALL THE WORLD.
I NEED YOUR STRENGTH AND WISDOM.
LET ME WALK IN BEAUTY AND LET MY EYES EVER BEHOLD THE RED AND PURPLE SUNSET.
MAKE MY HANDS RESPECT THE THINGS YOU HAVE MADE AND MY EARS GROW SHARP TO HEAR YOUR VOICE MAKE ME WISE SO THAT I MAY UNDERSTAND THE THINGS YOU HAVE TAUGHT MY PEOPLE.
LET ME LEARN THE LESSONS YOU HAVE HIDDEN IN EVERY LEAP AND ROCK.
I SEEK STRENGTH NOT TO BE GREATER THAN MY BROTHER OR SISTER, BUT TO FIGHT MY GREATEST ENEMY MYSELF.
MAKE ME ALWAYS READY TO COME TO YOU WITH CLEAN HANDS AND STRAIGHT EYES.
SO WHEN LIFE FADES AS THE FADING SUNSET, I MAY COME TO YOU WITHOUT SHAME.
THIS IS A POEM THAT INSPIRED US TO THINK ABOUT BRINGING RESPECT LIKE NEVER BEFORE TO THE PEOPLE OF DALLAS.
THIS IS WHAT INSPIRED OUR ARTWORK, AND I HOPE THAT WE WILL ALLOW THIS SCULPTURE THAT WE GAVE AS A GIFT FROM OUR HEARTS TO CONTINUE INSPIRING THE PEOPLE OF OUR CITY.
YOUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KELLY NASH.
MY NAME IS KELLY NASH OF 63 27
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VIC BOULEVARD.I'M ON THE BOARD OF 29 PIECES.
I SPENT MANY HOURS WITH THE, UH, KIDS FROM THE AREA, HIGH SCHOOLS THAT WORKED ON THE PROJECT, AND UH, ALSO ON THE ART ITSELF, O ONE OF THE, UH, THINGS THAT KAREN MENTIONED AS A THREE PART PROJECT.
THE SECOND PART WAS THE 29 PIECES RESPECT PLEDGE, AND A COUPLE OF OUR PEOPLE, UH, WHO WERE WORKING WITH THE KIDS, UH, TALKED TO THEM FOR SOME TIME ABOUT WHAT TYPE OF DISRESPECT THEY WERE EXPERIENCING IN THE CLASSROOM.
AND TOGETHER THEY WORKED OUT, UH, THE 29 PIECES RESPECT PLEDGE, WHICH I'M GOING TO READ IN A MINUTE, I THINK WAS PICKED TO READ THIS PLEDGE BECAUSE I'M PROBABLY THE ONE THAT NEEDS REMINDING SOMETIMES.
UM, BUT AFTER THE EVERYBODY ON THE PROJECT AGREED TO SIGN ONTO THE PLEDGE, WE TOOK IT TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR ROWINGS.
AND 13 OF THE 14 CONGRESS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS DID SIGN OFF ON THE RESPECT PLEDGE.
SO IT READS, RECOGNIZING THAT WE LIVE IN A POLARIZED SOCIETY, FRAUGHT WITH FEAR AND HATE, WHERE PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENCES REFUSE TO WORK TOGETHER EVEN WHILE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM.
KNOWING THAT OUR NEGATIVITY TOWARDS DIFFERENCES OF OPINION LEAVES US WITHOUT SOLUTIONS AND DISTRACTED FROM POSSIBILITY, UNDERSTANDING THAT TO CIVILLY DISAGREE IS MADE THROUGH THE, UH, IS MORE CHALLENGING THAN TO SIMPLY DISPARAGE AND BELIEVING THAT PROGRESS IS MADE THROUGH THE DIFFICULT PROCESS OF RESPECTFUL AND CIVIL DISCOURSE OR VARIANCE AND DISAGREEMENT ARE WELCOMED AND PROMOTED, NOT SHAMED AND SHUNNED.
I OPENLY AND VOLUNTARILY TAKE THIS PLEDGE, PLEDGE TO RESPECT ALL PEOPLE, THEIR BELIEFS AND OPINIONS, BE THEY SIMILAR TO OR DIFFERENT THAN MINE.
PLEDGE TO LISTEN AS MUCH AS I TALK, LEARN AS MUCH AS I EXPRESS, SOLVE PROBLEMS OF TOLERANCE AND COMPASSION, ACCEPT AND VALUE ALL VOICES AND WORK TOGETHER TOWARDS A BETTER TOMORROW, EVEN IF IT NEEDS SOME MORE DIFFICULT TODAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS YOLANDA ALAMEDA.
APRIL, COULD YOU MOVE HER OVER? I BELIEVE SHE WAS VIRTUAL.
MS. ALAMEDA, YOU MAY, UH, GO AHEAD AND UNMUTE AND TURN ON YOUR VIDEO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.
OUR NEXT, UH, SPEAKER IS GIOVANNI ESPERANZA TREVA ON YOUR WAY HERE, SO THAT THAT PERSON IS NOT HERE YET.
THERE WERE A LOT OF PROBLEMS FOR REGISTERING THE WEBSITE.
THAT'S WHY YOU LOT BLUE WORKS.
BEEN TRYING FOR TWO DAYS TO GET TO SIGN UP.
WE, UM, PUT A MESSAGE UP, MA'AM.
UH, THE NEXT SPEAKER IS CRAIG SCHENKEL.
IS CRAIG SHAMEFUL HERE TODAY? CRAIG CHANK IS NOT HERE.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS WILL RICHIE.
UH, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ESMARALDA GARBE.
I APOLOGIZE FOR MISPRONOUNCING.
CHAIR, IS IT OKAY IF WE CONTINUE AND THEN WE CAN CIRCLE BACK TO THEM AFTER WE FINISH THE LIST? YES, YES.
FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE THAT TOOK THE TIME OUT OF THERE TO COME HERE.
I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF PEACE 24.
MANY PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS CONTRIBUTED TO THE SCULPTURE TO DO WHAT KAREN BLESSING HAS DONE.
EVERY BRING COMMUNITIES TOGETHER ISN'T EASY TO WAKE UP AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
THE PEACE OF ART THAT'S IN JEFFERSON WAS MADE WITH LOVE AND FROM LOVE BY NEIGHBORHOOD KIDS, INCLUDING MYSELF FOR THEIR COMMUNITY.
REALISTICALLY, IT'S SOME FIT TO EVEN CONSIDER REMOVING THE PIECE OF ART SIMPLY BECAUSE ITS TRUE.
MEANING IS BEING MISINTERPRETED AND TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT.
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INSPIRED BY A NATIVE AMERICAN POEM.LET ME WALK A BEAUTY AS SOMEONE WHO IS DEEPLY INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT THAT CAN GUARANTEE THAT EVERY STEP WAS CAREFULLY TAKEN AND NOT ONCE WAS A NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURAL MO.
INSTEAD, IT WAS TREATED WITH, WITH REVERENCE AND RESPECT.
AND I TO HAVE A MINUTE, WOW, IT'S CRAZY.
I WISH I COULD DONATE THE TIME.
I WAS ONE OF THE STUDENTS THAT WORKED ON IT.
I ACTUALLY TAKE MY KID AND WHOO, WALKED AROUND AND TAKE PRIDE IN IT, WHICH WAS THE IDEA TO WALK DOWN THAT STREET AND SEE SOMETHING THAT I PERSONALLY WORKED IN AND HAVE TO BE A PART OF THE COMMUNITY THAT I'M IN.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, EVER GO DOWN THERE, BUT IT'S CUTE AND IT'S WAS DONE WITH A LOT OF LOVE BY SOMEONE WHO HAS NOTHING BUT LOVE TO OFFER.
AND I, I JUST HOPE THAT I CAN STAY.
YOUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DARYL RATCLIFFE.
UM, MY NAME'S DARRELL RATCLIFFE, CO-FOUNDER OF ASH STUDIO 3, 2 0 3 ASH LANE.
UH, I AM SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF 29 PIECES AND THE PEACE 24 PROJECT, UM, AS AN ARTIST, POET, WRITER, UH, NATIONAL THOUGHT LEADER ON, UH, CULTURAL EQUITY.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT PEACE 24, THE PROJECT, UM, THE COMMUNITY IS REALLY A NATIONAL EXAMPLE OF HOW TO DO A REALLY THOUGHTFUL, SOCIALLY ENGAGED, RESPECTFUL ART PROJECT AND IS A REAL TESTAMENT TO THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND, UM, KAREN IS ONE OF MY MENTORS, UM, AND HAS REALLY JUST BEEN, UH, EXEMPLIFYING WHAT ALLYSHIP CAN LOOK LIKE AND THE CITY, UM, WHICH HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO FIND.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I REALLY HOPE THAT THE COMMISSION AND EVERYONE INVOLVED, UM, YOU KNOW, USES THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE LIZ IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS AROUND CULTURAL, UH, APPROPRIATION, UM, BUT ALSO CULTURAL APPRECIATION AND HOW, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS PROJECT IS REALLY BRINGING OUR CULTURE PEOPLE TOGETHER.
UM, CIRCLING BACK TO, UM, OUR SPEAKERS IS GIOVANNI ESPARZA.
UH, MY NAME IS, HOPE THEY CALL ME.
WELL, MY NAME IS GIOVANNI, BUT THEY CALL ME HOPE.
AND SO I'M GONNA JUST START OFF INTRODUCING MYSELF.
GOOD AFTERNOON LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF 29 PIECES.
I'VE BEEN MADE AWARE THAT PEACE 24 HAS CAUSED SOME CONTROVERSY.
HOWEVER, I'M HERE TO SAY THAT PEACE 24 WAS BUILT WITH THE PURPOSE TO SPREAD LOVE AND HAPPINESS.
BACK IN SUMMER OF 2018, MY COLLEAGUES AND I SPENT OUR TIME OFF FROM SCHOOL, COLLEGE AND WORK TO BE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER AND BUILD A MONUMENTAL ART PIECE THAT WOULD BE TIMELESS.
TAKING INSPIRATION FROM A NATIVE AMERICAN PRAYER CALLED LET ME WALK IN BEAUTY, IN WHICH MANY BRILLIANT ARTISTS FROM ALL SORTS OF PATHS CAME TOGETHER AND STRIVED TO TRY TO PASS ON THAT MESSAGE WITH THE SAME INTENT OF LOVE AND COMPASSION THROUGH OUR ARTWORK.
ALSO, MOST IMPORTANTLY, MAJORITY OF US GREW UP IN THAT AREA AND PUT A LOT OF WORK IN TIME TO TRY TO MAKE AN IMPACT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I'M SURE I SPEAK FOR MOST OF MY FRIENDS HERE WHEN I SAY THAT WE WOULD BE DES DEVASTATED TO SEE OUR WORK, WHICH WE SPENT SO MUCH TIME AND LOTS OF EFFORT TO NOT ONLY SPREAD THE MESSAGE LOCALLY, BUT OVER THE WORLD WITH NO AIM TO TRY TO OFFEND ANYONE OR THEIR CULTURE AND TO BE INSPIRED BY IT.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE WRITTEN DOWN.
BUT I JUST WANNA SAY LIKE SINCERELY FROM MY HEART THAT IF THIS WAS TO BE TAKEN DOWN, LIKE I SPENT YESTERDAY, JUST TO GO DOWN, TO TAKE A PICTURE BY IT AND THE POSSIBILITY THAT I WOULDN'T EVER HAVE LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE IT THERE WITH ME, LIKE IN PHOTO
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PHOTOGRAPHY SO I COULD SHOW NOT ONLY LIKE THE MY GRANDCHILDREN, BUT TO SHOW MY PARENTS, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M VERY, THAT I TAKE PRIDE IN.CUZ I DIDN'T ACCOMPLISH A LOT, BUT I KNOW THAT'S WHAT I DID ACCOMPLISH.
AND NOT ONLY I HAVE LIKE SO MUCH TIME, I'M SORRY I'M NOT, I HAVE SO MUCH TIME ON THIS WORLD RIGHT NOW, AND WITHIN THAT TIME I'VE MADE THAT ART PIECE.
AND AFTER I LEAVE THIS WORLD, I HOPE IT'S THERE SO EVERYBODY CAN SEE WHAT I DID WITH MY LIFETIME.
AND I THANK KAREN FOR SO MUCH FOR LETTING ME HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE I AM LIKE ONE IN A BILLION PEOPLE WHO WORKED ON THIS BEAUTIFUL ART PIECE THAT I HOPE STAYS FOREVER.
AND I HOPE YOU GUYS CAN SEE LIKE MY TRUE COLORS AND I'M LIKE TRYING TO BE SO SINCERE WHEN WE SAY THAT WE LOVE WHAT WE DID.
I HOPE YOU GUYS CAN SEE WHAT WE LOVE AND HOPE THAT YOU HAVE THE SAME TYPE OF INPUT.
ARE WE ALLOWED TO ASK QUESTIONS OF PUBLIC SPEAKERS? MY UNDERSTANDING IS NO COURSE, UH, NO, THERE'S NO KIND OF INTERACTION AND STRESS TO THE CHAIR AND STAFF MAY FOLLOW UP AFTERWARDS OR COMMISSIONERS MAY FOLLOW UP AFTERWARDS, BUT NOT OH, OKAY.
NOT AS A MATTER OF DISCUSSION, DEBATE OF BUSINESS.
UM, AND THEN OUR NEXT SPEAKER, WE'LL GO BACK TO CRAIG SCHENKEL.
SO OUR NEXT SPEAKER AFTER CRAIG SCHENKEL WAS WILL RICHIE.
I AM THE FOUNDER OF JOURNEYMAN INC.
UH, WHICH IS A FOR-PROFIT AND AND CREATOR OF DIVERSE KNOWLEDGEMENT, WHICH ONE IS A 15 YEAR PROJECT WITH BIG THOUGHT.
UH, I'VE BEEN AN ARTIST AND A TEACHER AND AN EDUCATOR IN NORTH TEXAS FOR A LONG TIME.
MY WIFE'S A TEACHER, FOUR CHILDREN, KAREN AND KELLY ARE ARE DEAR FRIENDS OF OURS.
IT'S BEEN, UH, REALLY AWESOME WATCHING, UH, THEM AND BEING AROUND THEM AND RECEIVING THEIR MENTORSHIP.
AN ANGLE I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IS THAT 29 PIECES WAS OFFICED.
THEY'RE ALL IN JEFFERSON BOULEVARD.
UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE, I'M AT PUERTO RICAN.
I CAN KIND OF GET AWAY WITH THE DIFFERENT THINGS EVEN THOUGH SOME PEOPLE INITIALLY THINK I'M JUST, I MAY JUST BE A WHITE PERSON.
AND THE POINT OF POINT I'M SAYING THAT IS KAREN'S FEARLESSNESS AS THE FIRST VISUAL ARTIST EVER TO WIN A CULT PRIZE ON A PROJECT WITH DOMO NEWS AS A ARTIST WHO HELPED REDESIGN TIMES SQUARE IN THE NINETIES, UH, WHEN THEY WANTED TO CLEAN UP THE CITY OR THE INNER CITY RATHER, UH, SHE WAS NOT AFRAID AT THAT TIME.
I WASN'T SAYING SHE WAS OLD THEN, BUT TO HAVE AN OFFICE ON JEFFERSON TO PULL KIDS FROM SUNSET AND ADAMSON HIGH SCHOOL AND TO REALLY LIVE THE WORK, UH, I CAN TALK ABOUT THE SCULPTURE, UH, BUT I THINK THAT THE WORK AND THE RELATIONSHIPS EMBODY, UM, SOMEONE WHO IS REALLY, UH, PUT IN A LOT OF EFFORT TO GET NOTICE TO THAT INVISIBLE BRIDGE FROM NORTH TO SOUTH DALLAS.
UH, AND TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY, UH, FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE EVEN HERE TODAY, WHO ARE NOW YOUNG ADULTS, UH, AND THOSE OF US AS WELL AS EDUCATORS, AS ARTISTS WHO, UH, ALWAYS TRY TO, UH, LIVE BEYOND THE STARVING ARTIST MENTALITY, HAVE, HAVE SOMEONE LIKE KAREN TO LOOK UP TO, TO SHOW US A CAREER PATH, UH, AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, MAKE A WAY FOR OUR FAMILY.
THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS I WAS THE, UM, UH, THE ARTISTIC PRODUCER OF THE FESTIVAL IDEAS, THE INAUGURAL LEADER.
AND IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR ME TO REACH OUT TO ALIO FLORES AND COOPER LALE, UH, NATIVE AMERICAN GROUP TO DO, UH, THE BLESSING TO OPEN THAT FESTIVAL THAT WAS SPONSORED BY BANK OF AMERICA IN THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS.
SO I THINK THAT THOSE OF US WITH A CULTURAL RESPONSIBILITY, UH, ALL SEEK TO PROVIDE OUR STEPS ACROSS THAT BRIDGE.
AND I REALLY BELIEVE THIS PROJECT AND THE MONUMENT, UH, STANCE TO SHOW THAT BEST THAT OUR CITY HAS TO OFFER.
THAT INCLUDES YOUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS, MADAM CHAIR, PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
WE DO APPRECIATE YOU COMING TODAY.
FEEL FREE TO STATE YOUR DIRECTION, THE MEETING IF YOU'D LIKE TO.
WE'VE HEARD FROM OUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS, AND DUE TO PRESENTER TIME CONSTRAINTS, WE ARE GOING TO TAKE BRIEFING B BEFORE THE NEXT ONE.
SO BRIEFING B IS THE DALLAS CENTER FOR PHOTOGRAPHY.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IS PRESENT.
[00:35:10]
I'M SORRY, IS THAT MY CUE? YES, IT IS.THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE FROM LAST MONTH.
IT WAS VERY, IT WAS VERY INTERESTING.
49 WITH THE BUILDING WAS YEAH, THE LEAVE WASN'T LOOKING YESTERDAY.
AMERICA MAD CHAIR BY COMMISSION.
RULES OF PROCEDURE O SPEAKERS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP OR CALLED IN TO SIGN UP ARE ABLE TO SPEAK AT A MEETING.
THEY'RE IN THE NEXT PORTION OF THE MEETING.
UM, IF YOU WOULD LIKE, I'M HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU SO THAT YOU CAN COME SPEAK NEXT MONTH AND WE'LL FOLLOW UP VIA EMAIL.
KAREN, IF I MAY BE PERMITTED TO DO SO.
I'M VERY SORRY THAT YOU HAVE MADE AN EFFORT TO COME DOWN HERE AND THAT WE WERE EXPERIENCING SOME TECHNOLOGY ISSUES WITH THAT MR. THIS DOCUMENT.
MR. BUT YOU DON'T HEAR WHAT YOU AS A NEIGHBOR, I DON'T HAVE NOTHING WRONG WITH THE PROJECT.
THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO TELL YOU ABOUT DALLAS CENTER FOR PHOTOGRAPHY.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND THE FOUNDER.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW US, WE ARE THE ONLY NONPROFIT PHOTOGRAPHY CENTER AND COMMUNITY GALLERY IN THE REGION.
THE CLOSEST ONE IS DOWN IN HOUSTON.
WE BELIEVE THAT PHOTOGRAPHY IS THE LANGUAGE OF MODERN CULTURE AND IT'S ALSO THE MOST DEMOCRATIC OF ART FORMS. IT'S THE ONLY ART THAT CAN BE DONE AND ENJOYED WITHOUT SPECIAL TRAINING.
YOU CAN'T DO THAT WITH POTTERY OR PAINTING AND GOD FORBID DANCE BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA BREAK SOMETHING
AND WE ALL HAVE SOPHISTICATED CAMERAS IN OUR POCKETS RIGHT NOW.
EVERYONE HAS A SOPHISTICATED CAMERA AND THOSE ARE DEVICES THAT HAVE TREMENDOUS ARTISTIC AND STORYTELLING POWER.
AS A NONPROFIT, WE SERVE OUR COMMUNITY WITH WORKSHOPS, CLASSES, SPEAKER EVENTS, GALLERY EXHIBITIONS, YOUTH EDUCATION, AND WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE RECEIVED O AAC FUNDING FOR OUR PROGRAMS. WE'RE ALSO GLAD TO BE CONNECTING WITH PARTS OF THE DALLAS COMMUNITY.
WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH SOUTH DALLAS AND OAK CLIFF CULTURAL CENTERS, BOOKER T WE HAVE AN UPCOMING COLLABORATION WITH BRUCE WOOD DANCE AND WE THINK PHOTOGRAPHY MATTERS AND WE TRY TO PUT THAT INTO PRACTICE WHENEVER POSSIBLE.
I HEARD DURING THE INTRODUCTIONS THAT ART IS HEALING.
AND AS THE MOST ACCESSIBLE OF ART FORMS, WE THINK THAT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR HEALING IS TREMENDOUS.
COULD YOU PUT THE FIRST PICTURE UP, PLEASE? THIS IS OUR GALLERY, WHICH ALSO IT LOOKS LIKE I'M SITTING IN FRONT OF, BUT I'M NOT.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, US IT'S, WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE GALLERY.
IT'S ABOUT A 2000 SQUARE FOOT, UH, GALLERY.
WE HAVE HAD OVER THE LAST YEAR, 155 ARTISTS EXHIBIT, UH, SEVEN EXHIBITIONS AND AROUND 500 GALLERY VISITORS A YEAR.
WE CAN RECONFIGURE THE GALLERY FOR OUR SPEAKER EVENTS.
UH, WE HAVE A REALLY EXCELLENT PROJECTION SYSTEM.
I'M KIND OF AN AV NERD, SO I'M PARTICULARLY PROUD OF THAT ONE.
AND A TYPICAL PROGRAMMING YEAR, WE HAVE SIX SPEAKERS AND WE OVERALL HAVE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN FOUR AND 500 PEOPLE ATTEND, UM, CUMULATIVELY OF THOSE EVENTS.
WE OFFER WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES.
THIS IS A POPULAR CLASS WE OFFER ON, UM, NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY.
WE USUALLY SHOOT DOWN BY THE TRINITY.
IT IS AMAZING HOW MANY DALLAS RESIDENTS HAVE NEVER BEEN DOWN TO THE TRINITY.
AND WHEN WE HAVE CLASSES IN OAK CLIFF, THE SAME THING HAPPENS.
HALF THE PEOPLE LIVE IN DALLAS, THEY'VE NEVER BEEN THERE BEFORE.
SO IT'S KIND OF AN INTRODUCTION TO LOCAL CULTURE AS WELL.
IF YOU COULD CHANGE THE SLIDE AGAIN PLEASE.
SO, THE UNDUE, THIS IS OUR CLASSROOM FACILITY, WHICH IS ABOVE THE GALLERY.
OUR UND UNDUPLICATED NUMBER OF STUDENTS IS ABOUT 500 PER YEAR.
WE ALSO DO ABOUT 150 ONE-ON-ONE TUTORING AND MENTORING HOURS.
WE ALSO HAVE A MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM AND AT THE END OF 2023, WE HAD JUST UNDER 200 MEMBERS.
AND THAT'S A BIG PUSH FOR SOMETHING WE WANT TO INCREASE.
SO THIS YEAR WE'VE ROLLED OUT OUR GRANT FUNDED ROOTS OF PHOTOGRAPHY PROGRAM.
IT GIVES SCHOOL-AGED KIDS A CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE THE HISTORY, ART AND TECHNOLOGY OF PHOTOGRAPHY.
[00:40:01]
AN EXPERIENTIAL FIELD TRIP THAT'S BEEN REALLY WELL RECEIVED BY STUDENTS AND TEACHERS, AND IT'S DELIVERED AT NO COST TO THE SCHOOLS.THE, UH, PROGRAM ALIGNS WITH SEVERAL TES REQUIREMENTS AND IT GIVES THE YOUTH A PEEK INTO THE POSSIBILITIES OF PHOTOGRAPHY AS PART OF THEIR FUTURE WORK EXPERIENCE.
HERE YOU SEE A GROUP OF STUDENTS IN THE DARK ROOM FOR THE FIRST TIME MAKING PRINTS BY HAND.
THEIR ENTHUSIASM IS VERY, VERY HIGH, UH, AFTER THEY LEAVE THIS PROGRAM.
AND WE'RE CURRENTLY SEEKING FUNDING FOR A SUMMER DARK ROOM RESIDENCY FOR YOUNG ARTISTS REFERRED BY AREA EDUCATORS AS A WAY FOR THEM TO WORK AT NO CHARGE ON THEIR OWN PROJECTS.
AND THE PROJECT THAT I AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT IS TO TAKE THE SPECIAL EXPERIENCE THAT HAPPENS FROM SEEING PHOTOGRAPHY.
UH, I BELIEVE THAT PHOTOGRAPHY IS A VISUAL ART, BUT ONCE IT'S PRINTED AND DISPLAYED, IT BECOMES A PERFORMANCE ART, A PERFORMING ART.
AND WE ARE DESIGNING A SERIES OF LIT, UH, DISPLAY USE THAT YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT WILL TAKE OUT INTO THE PUBLIC.
CLYDE WARREN PARK IS ALREADY COMMITTED TO ONE OF THESE.
I'VE SPOKEN WITH THE, UH, AT AND T PERFORMING ARTS CENTER.
AND WE'RE GONNA BE PARTNERING WITH A RANGE OF VENUES TO GET THIS EXPERIENCE AND IMPORTANT COMMUNITY PHOTOS IN FRONT OF AS MANY PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC AS POSSIBLE.
THE SHOWS WILL ALL BE COMMUNITY PROJECTS SO THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN SEE THEMSELVES REFLECTED IN THOSE PHOTOGRAPHS.
THAT IS EXACTLY MY FIVE MINUTES.
I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? YES.
I QUESTION, DID YOU SAY THAT THOSE ARE DIGITAL? NO, THESE ARE PRINTS.
THEY ARE WATER WATERPROOF PRINTS.
AND I AM SO SORRY BECAUSE I VERY QUICKLY WANNA SAY THAT WE ALSO JUST STARTED OUR YEAR LONG PROGRAM ON WOMEN IN PHOTOGRAPHY.
IT GOES ALL THE WAY THROUGH DECEMBER AND THIS SATURDAY THE FIRST EVENT IS A DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER AND HER HUSBAND.
IT'S THREE O'CLOCK THIS SATURDAY.
WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE ANY OF YOU COME AND I'M HAPPY TO PASS, UM, AN INVITATION ALONG.
IF I CAN GET AN EMAIL ADDRESS VERY QUICKLY AS A FOLLOW UP.
UH, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU REACH OUT TO APRIL ALLEN WITH THE SOUTHERN GATEWAY PARK BECAUSE PART OF THAT PART THEY WANT TO DO A PROMENADE OF, UH, HISTORIC OAK CLIFF, UH, INDIVIDUALS.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT HAVING THAT THERE, ONCE THE PARK OPENS TO, YOU KNOW, CELEBRATE THE INAUGURAL CANDIDATES, UH, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
CAN YOU TELL ME WHO JUST SPOKE SO I CAN WRITE THAT DOWN? TINO.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIRWOMAN.
UH, PETER, WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE, THE STUDENTS GETTING INVOLVED, UM, ARE YOU PRIMARILY WORKING WITH D I S D? WE ARE, THE INTENTION WAS TO WORK WITH D I S D.
UM, GETTING THAT COMMUNICATION CHANNEL SET UP HAS BEEN, UH, A LITTLE BIT SLOW, A LITTLE BIT, LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT.
AND SO THE FOUR PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE COME UP, WE ACTUALLY HAVE TWO NEXT WEEK.
WE'RE WORKING WITH UPLIFT EDUCATION AS WE GET D I S D.
WE HAVE HAD, UH, ONE SCHOOL FROM GARLAND I S D, BUT THE GRANT WAS WRITTEN AROUND D I S D.
UH, NEXT TIME I WOULD EN ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONSIDER DISTRICT 12.
AND WE HAVE NO D I S D STUDENTS.
WE HAVE RICHARDSON, I S D, CARROLLTON FARMERS BRAND AND PLANO, I S D.
UM, AND, UM, SOMETIMES OUR, OUR KIDS DON'T GET THE SAME ACCESS AS THE OTHER DISTRICTS AND I KNOW THEY'RE HUNGRY FOR IT.
AND, UH, THE FUNDING ALSO INCLUDES BUS COSTS, WHICH I HAD NO IDEA WERE AS EXPENSIVE AS THEY WERE, SO, UM, YEAH.
UM, UH, UH, SIR, I WAS WONDERING, YOU MENTIONED THE PROGRAM, UH, AT THE SOUTH DALLAS CULTURE CENTER.
CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? THE, THE FIRST ONE WE'RE DOING IS ACTUALLY A DARK ROOM, UH, PROJECT.
UM, WE, OUR DARK ROOM FACILITY CAN HANDLE UP TO 10 PEOPLE AND THEY ARE GONNA BRING THEM HERE FOR A THREE PART WORKSHOP.
UH, ONE PART IS SHOOTING FILM WITH A FILM CAMERA THAT WE GIVE THEM.
UH, AND THEN THE NEXT TWO SESSIONS ARE THREE HOURS EACH.
AND THEY'RE IN THE DARK ROOM PROCESSING AND MAKING CONTACT PRINTS AND PRINTING.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER WORKED IN A DARK ROOM, BUT IT
[00:45:01]
IS THE OPPOSITE OF DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY.IT'S VERY, VERY, VERY TACTILE.
AND I HAVE FOUND FROM YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS THAT ESPECIALLY YOUNG PEOPLE REALLY ENJOY ONLY HAVING TO SOLVE ONE PROBLEM AT A TIME.
AND THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO EVEN BRING THEIR PHONES INTO THE DARK ROOM.
SO THERE'S THIS COMPLETE BREAK WITH THEIR NORMAL DATA OVERLOAD AS THEY SOLVE ONE PROBLEM AT A TIME.
BUT, WELL, THAT'S VERY EXCITING TO ME.
I AM A PHOTOGRAPHER WHO, WHO JUST, WHO JUST SAID, WHO JUST SAID THAT? JESSE HORNBUCKLE.
BUT YES, I, I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT PROGRAM.
I HOPE YOU LET US KNOW WHEN IT HAPPENS.
I I WOULD LOVE TO COME DOWN AND SEE IT.
SO ABSO ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY.
I JUST WANTED TO CO-SIGN ON WHAT, UM, PETER WAS SAYING ABOUT SATURDAY.
I, I CAN'T BE THERE CUZ I HAVE TO TAKE BABIES TO THE DANCE CHILDREN'S THEATER
UM, I JUST HAD LUNCH WITH JULIE AND ED AND THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL.
AND FROM NEW JERSEY TALKING EYES MEDIA AND THEY'RE, I'M SURE THEY'RE GONNA PROVIDE A REALLY WONDERFUL TALK.
A LOT OF WORK, DEEP WORK IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
AND THE, UH, TALKING EYES MEDIA IS A NONPROFIT PRODUCTION COMPANY, UH, WHICH JULIE RUNS, HER HUSBAND IS ONE OF THE BEST KNOWN PHOTOJOURNALIST IN THE WORLD.
AND WE, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THEY OFTEN GET IS, HOW DO TWO DRIVEN ARTISTS STAY MARRIED AND RAISE A FAMILY AT THE SAME TIME? UH, SO I'M, I'M VERY INTERESTED IN HEARING THAT STORY, ACTUALLY.
COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER SPELL.
UM, THANK YOU PETER FOR THE, FOR THE BRIEFING.
UM, DO YOU EVER DO ANY, UM, YOUTH ORIENTED, UH, CLASSES OFF OF YOUR CAMPUS? DO YOU EVER GO OUT AND DO THEM AT LIKE A SCHOOL OR AT AN AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? OR DO YOU MOSTLY BRING STUDENTS INTO YOUR FACILITY? WE HAVE DONE, WE HAVE DONE SOME, UM, PHOTO WALKS AND, UM, IT'S AN, IT'S, THAT'S ANOTHER THING WE WANT I, THAT WE HAVE SPOKEN TO SOUTH DALLAS ABOUT IS DOING PHOTO WALKS.
I I ACTUALLY TEACH OUR SMARTPHONE CLASSES BECAUSE I WAS A LITTLE BIT, BIT OF A LATE ADAPTER TO A SMARTPHONE.
BUT I HAVE TO ADMIT, THE LAST TWO TRIPS I'VE TAKEN ARE THE FIRST TWO TRIPS I'VE TAKEN SINCE I WAS 15 THAT I DIDN'T HAVE A BIG CAMERA WITH ME.
UM, THAT IS THE PROGRAM THAT SEEMS TO REALLY GET THEIR ATTENTION.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE ORIGINAL CONCEPT FOR THE ROOTS OF PHOTOGRAPHY PROGRAM WAS TO TAKE IT INTO THE SCHOOLS.
AND I REALIZED VERY QUICKLY THAT NOT ONLY WOULD THE PRODUCTION COSTS BE HIGHER, BUT KIDS HAVE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF ATTENTION WHEN THEY'RE ON A FIELD TRIP.
IF, IF WE TOOK THE PROGRAM INTO THEIR ENVIRONMENT, THERE'S SO MANY OTHER THINGS GOING ON.
SO IN THAT PARTICULAR CASE, WE BRING THEM TO US, BUT TAKING THE PROGRAMS INTO THE SCHOOLS IS SOMETHING WE'D VERY MUCH LIKE TO DO.
BUT IT'S, FOR US, IT'S SORT OF ONE STEP AT A TIME AND IT'S BUILDING THE FUNDING PIPELINE TO BE ABLE TO DO THOSE PROGRAMS. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I HAVE BEEN TO THE CENTER AT DALLAS CENTER FOR PHOTOGRAPHY.
I HAVE BEEN IN THEIR DARK ROOM AND IT IS IMPRESSIVE.
I THINK THAT THE FACILITY IS GREAT AND I THINK THAT WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO IS REALLY GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? WELL, I CAN SAY THAT I'VE TAKEN A CLASS THERE AND IT WAS ALSO AMAZING.
I HAVE ALSO, THAT MAKES ME, UH, VERY PROUD.
LIKEWISE, I HAVE ALSO TAKEN A CLASS OVER THERE, UH, MULTIPLE CLASSES IN FACT.
AND, UM, IT IS, UH, ONE OF THE BEST.
I'VE TAKEN A LOT OF CLASSES IN PHOTOGRAPHY THROUGH THE YEARS AND, UM, THIS WAS TAKING A CLASS FROM, UH, THE DALLAS PHOTOGRAPHY CENTER WAS THE FIRST CLASS THAT I TOOK THAT, UM, EXPLAINED MANUAL PHOTOGRAPHY IN A WAY THAT I REALLY PICK IT UP AND GRASP IT.
AND, UM, I HAVE NOT USED AUTO MODE SINCE
PETER, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TO COME TO TODAY'S BRIEFING.
AGAIN, WE APOLOGIZE FOR LAST MONTH.
UH, YOU'VE TOTALLY, TOTALLY MADE UP FOR IT.
I REALLY, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THIS.
AND I APPRECIATE, I KNOW Y'ALL HEAR
[00:50:01]
THIS ALL THE TIME, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE OAC.IT'S KIND OF FELT LIKE OVER THE YEARS, DALLAS HAS KIND OF GROWN A SOUL.
UM, I DON'T HAVE TO BE AS MUCH OF AN APOLOGIST FOR DALLAS AS I USED TO YEARS AND YEARS AGO.
AND I THINK OAC IS, UH, ACTUALLY A BIG PART OF THAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DO.
OKAY, LET'S MOVE TO THE NEXT BRIEFING, K R A ARTS ACCESS BRIEFING.
PRESENTING TODAY IS ANN BOTHWELL, THE VP OF ARTS AT K E R A WITH HER TEAM.
WELL, UM, GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY.
AND THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR FOR HAVING US HERE THIS EVENING AND GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS.
UH, IT, THE PROGRAM'S BEEN AROUND FOR A LITTLE WHILE, BUT WE HAVE JUST LAUNCHED A VERY NEW PHASE OF IT AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO TELL YOU MORE ABOUT IT.
I AM HERE WITH OUR TWO ARTS ACCESS REPORTERS.
UH, TO MY LEFT IS MICHELLE ASLAM, WHO YOU MAY HAVE SEEN A STORY FROM HER THIS WEEK.
HER FIRST STORY, UH, SHE JUST STARTED ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, UM, WITH THE PROGRAM.
AND SHE DID A PIECE EARLIER THIS WEEK ON THE BROWN GIRLS FOOD CLUB, UH, WHICH IS A GROUP OF WOMEN WHO ARE COMING TOGETHER TO SHARE CULTURE AND REALLY GREAT MEALS AT, UH, RESTAURANTS AROUND, UH, DALLAS.
UM, MICHELLE COMES TO US FROM FRESH OFF A FELLOWSHIP, A VERY PRESTIGIOUS FELLOWSHIP, THE CROC FELLOWSHIP AT NPR.
AND SHE WAS AN INTERN AT BOTH THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS AND AT K E R A.
SO WE'RE VERY GLAD TO HAVE HER.
AND THEN WE HAVE MICHELLE ELIZABETH MAYAN, SORRY, LIZ.
UM, LIZ HAS BEEN WITH K E R A FOR FOUR YEARS NOW, FOUR OR FIVE.
UM, UH, BUT CAME OVER TO ARTS REPORTING, UH, LAST FALL WITH THE ARTS ACCESS TEAM.
HAS WON MANY AWARDS FOR, ESPECIALLY FOR HER COVERAGE OF THE ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN OUR AREA, UM, INCLUDING A REGIONAL EDWARD OR MURRO AWARD.
SO, UM, UH, VERY TALENTED REPORTER AND THEIR EDITOR IS SAMANTHA GUZMAN.
UM, SHE COMES TO K E R A FROM THE DECIBEL PROJECT IN AUSTIN.
THIS WAS A COMMUNITY-BASED JOURNALISM PROJECT THAT WAS NOT WORKING WITH THE ARTS SO MUCH, BUT, BUT WE'RE GONNA BE USING A LOT OF THESE TACTICS IN OUR WORK.
UM, VERY, VERY FOCUSED ON COMMUNITY FIRST REPORTING AND, UH, GETTING TO KNOW THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY WERE COVERING AND GETTING CONSTANT FEEDBACK ON THE WORK THEY WERE DOING AND MAKING SURE THAT IT WAS WORKING FOR, FOR THOSE FOLKS.
AND SAM WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HERE THIS EVENING.
SHE IS, UM, UNDER THE WEATHER.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE WERE GONNA CO-PRESENT.
SO I MAY BE REFERRING TO MY NOTES A LITTLE MORE THAN I I NORMALLY WOULD.
AND I, BEFORE I GET TOO FAR DOWN THE ROAD ON ARTS ACCESS, I JUST KIND OF WANNA SHARE WITH YOU THAT THIS IS REALLY AN AMAZING TIME, UH, FOR ARTS LOVERS AT K E R A.
WE ARE REALLY, I CAN FEEL US MOVING TOWARD BECOMING, I'VE BEEN THERE AT THE STATION FOR 15 YEARS AND I CAN FEEL US NOW FINALLY STARTING TO REACH OUR POTENTIAL AS A HUB IN THE DALLAS AND THE NORTH TEXAS ARTS ECOSYSTEM.
AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE COME TOGETHER JUST IN THE LAST FIVE OR SO YEARS, BETWEEN K X T, OUR MUSIC RADIO STATION, POPULAR MUSIC RADIO STATION, AND OF COURSE WITH THE CITY'S SUPPORT, W R R, OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY ON W R R.
WE'RE A REAL HOME FOR MUSIC LOVERS, K E R A TV, UH, AND ALL OF THE PROGRAMMING WE DO AROUND THE ARTS THERE.
OUR VIDEO TEAM IS CREATING SERIES THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE, UM, BROADCASTING SHORT, SHORT VIDEOS THAT ARE GOING OUT ON TELEVISION ALL OVER TEXAS ON TOPICS LIKE, UM, THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND THE SHAPE OF TEXAS, THE BUILDINGS THAT KIND OF MAKE US WHO WE ARE.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE WE HAVE K E R A F M AND K E RRA NEWS.ORG, WHICH IS REALLY A SOURCE FOR, UH, ARTS AND NEWS AND INFORMATION THAT PEOPLE NEED TO HAVE TO CONNECT MORE DEEPLY WITH THE ARTS.
AND I'LL ALSO TELL YOU JUST A LITTLE HISTORY, MEDIA COLLABORATIONS ARE NOT NEW TO K E R A.
WE'VE DONE QUITE A FEW OF THEM.
ONE OF OUR BIG ONES IS, UH, BEEN NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AS THE TEXAS NEWSROOM PROJECT.
AND THAT IS A STATEWIDE COLLABORATION OF PUBLIC RADIO STATIONS AT SHARING CONTENT AND CREATING PROGRAMS LIKE THE TEXAS STANDARD.
WE COLLABORATE WITH BIG PARTNERS
[00:55:01]
AND SHARED CONTENT WITH NPR, SMALLER PARTNERS LIKE THE NONPROFIT, UH, NEWS WEBSITE, THE FORT WORTH REPORT.WE SHARE CONTENT WITH EACH OTHER.
UM, BUT THIS ARTS ACCESS PROGRESS OR PROGRAM IS REALLY, REALLY SPECIAL.
UM, IT IS UNUSUAL TO FIND, UH, NOT-FOR-PROFIT MEDIA COMPANY AND A FOR-PROFIT MEDIA COMPANY COLLABORATING IN THIS WAY.
UH, A LITTLE BIT OF A HISTORY.
OUR TAXES REALLY GOT STARTED ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO.
THE CEOS OF BOTH ORGANIZATIONS, THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS AND K E R A MET AND AGREED THAT WE WOULD BE STRONGER AND MORE EFFECTIVE, UH, FINDING FUNDING PARTICULARLY FOR ARTS JOURNALISM IF WE WORKED TOGETHER INSTEAD OF COMPETING WITH EACH OTHER.
AND WE REALIZED THAT THE COLLABORATION WOULD REALLY ALLOW THESE TWO LEGACY MEDIA OUTLETS TO REALLY START EXPERIMENTING AND INNOVATING WITH WAYS TO REACH YOUNGER AND MORE DIVERSE AUDIENCES.
SO, UM, WE DECIDED TO WORK TOWARD THIS, CREATING THIS TEAM OF REPORTERS AND AN EDITOR, UH, WHO WOULD BE LOOKING AT THE ARTS THROUGH THE LENS OF ACCESS AND EQUITY.
SO OUR FIRST PHASE WAS FUNDRAISING AND FIGURING OUT THE MECHANICS OF HOW WE WORK TOGETHER.
AND BELIEVE ME, THAT HAS BEEN A BIT OF A PROJECT.
WE'RE STILL,
BUT IN THAT PROCESS, THE ARTS JOURNALISTS AT K E R A AND THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS CAME TOGETHER AND TOGETHER AND SEPARATELY PRODUCED OVER A HUNDRED STORIES, UM, ABOUT THAT RANGE FROM THE CHALLENGES FACING, UH, WOMEN ARTS LEADERS OF COLOR TO FINDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR ARTISTS.
AND LIZ JUST TODAY HAD A STORY ON, UM, WHAT THEATER COMPANIES CAN DO TO BE MORE ACCOMMODATING TO DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING AUDIENCES.
SO LOTS OF CONTENT THAT WE'VE BEEN CREATING.
ALL OF OUR WORK IS FREE AND ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.
EVERYTHING THAT THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS DOES TOGETHER WITH K E R A IS IN FRONT OF THEIR PAYWALL.
AND OF COURSE, IT'S ALWAYS FREE AT K E R A NEWS.
UM, IT'S REALLY NOT A SURPRISE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, BUT WE REALLY HAVE A BROAD REACH FOR THIS TEAM.
MICHELLE'S STORIES ARE SHOWING UP ON BOTH WEBSITES, ACROSS BOTH, UH, ORGANIZATIONS, SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. UH, THEY CAN BE PICKED UP BY TEXAS STANDARD AND HEARD AROUND THE STATE IF THERE'S AN AUDIO COMPONENT AND SHARED WITH ALL OUR MANY PARTNERS.
SO IT'S REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ONE STORY TO HAVE A TON OF IMPACT.
UM, AND NOW WE'RE HEADING INTO A NEW PHASE BECAUSE WE FINALLY HAVE OUR TEAM ON BOARD AND SAM AND THE TEAM ARE REALLY WORKING TO COME UP AND REFINE THEIR VISION FOR THIS TEAM AND WHAT IS AN ARTS ACCESS STORY AND WHAT IS NOT AN ARTS ACCESS STORY.
WE'VE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS AROUND THAT AND WE'LL PRETTY SOON BE ABLE TO, UM, SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
UH, THE TEAM IS STILL WORKING CLOSELY WITH COLLEAGUES AT BOTH ORGANIZATIONS.
THEY'RE NOT OUT ALONE,
UH, AND THEY ARE NOT REPLACING ANYONE.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KNOW.
UH, THESE ARE NEW REPORTERS, NEW ARTS JOURNALISTS, UH, IN OUR AREA.
UM, K E R A STILL HAS AN ARTS TEAM, UH, WITH TWO REPORTERS, JEROME WEEKS, WHO MANY OF YOU PROBABLY KNOW, AND GALILEE ABDULLAH, WHO IS A FAIRLY NEW ARTS REPORTER AT THE STATION AND WHO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET TO KNOW.
SO, UH, WE KNOW THOUGH WE DON'T KNOW EX YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL FIGURING OUT SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE PROCESSES.
BUT WE KNOW THAT THIS TEAM IS GOING TO BE COMMITTED TO INNOVATIVE STORYTELLING, TO COMMUNITY LISTENING AND DIALOGUE WITH AND FOR UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE COMMUNITIES THAT, UH, HISTORICALLY HAVE BEEN NEGLECTED IN OUR COVERAGE AND ALSO IN THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS' COVERAGE.
AND WE REALLY SEE THIS WORK AS A WAY TO BOTH REACH THOSE COMMUNITIES AND HAVE THEM FEEL SEEN AND HEARD, BUT ALSO CREATE A MODEL FOR, UM, OTHER AREAS OF OUR COVERAGE WHERE THIS IS ALSO TRUE.
IT'S NOT JUST AN ISSUE IN THE ARTS.
SO, UM, THAT'S A LOT OF WEIGHT ON THESE SHOULDERS HERE.
BUT, UH, WE REALLY DO BELIEVE AT K E R A THAT ARTS CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE.
I THINK EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM WOULD AGREE WITH THAT.
AND SO WE ARE REALLY COMMITTED TO TELLING STORIES THAT ARE COMPLEX, THAT ARE RELEVANT AND THAT
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EXAMINE SYSTEMIC ISSUES THAT CAN MAKE THE ARTS INACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE.UH, THIS TEAM IS GONNA BE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY MEETING COMMUNITY MEMBERS AT THE K E R A.
WE ARE DOING THIS ALL OF THE TIME, BUT THIS IS A SPECIAL CHARGE FOR, FOR THIS TEAM.
AND, UM, THEY'RE GONNA BE LISTENING TO WHAT PEOPLE TELL THEM THAT THEY NEED IN ARTS JOURNALISM, WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION AND WHERE THEY WANNA CONSUME IT.
AND THEY'RE ALSO GONNA BE LISTENING TO WHERE WE FALL SHORT.
AND SO WE REALLY WANT PEOPLE TO BE CANDID WITH US ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY'RE NOT GETTING AND WHAT THEY'D LIKE TO SEE.
AND I REALLY THINK THAT THAT IS WHERE YOU ALL CAN REALLY COME IN.
EACH OF YOU ARE INTIMATELY, UM, AWARE OF THE CULTURAL LIFE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT YOU LIVE IN AND WORK WITH AND REPRESENT.
AND, UM, I THINK IT IS JUST AN AMAZING RESOURCE FOR, UH, OUR REPORTERS TO TAP YOU.
AND I'D LIKE TO OPEN UP THE LINES OF DIALOGUE SO YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE COMING TO US AS WELL.
AND I CAN MAKE SURE THAT I KNOW IF I START SPOUTING OUT MY EMAIL AND EVERYBODY'S EMAIL, THAT'S GONNA BE HARD TO TAKE DOWN, BUT I CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE THAT AVAILABLE TO ANNE MARIE SO EVERYONE CAN KNOW HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE WHOLE TEAM.
AND SAM REALLY WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU AS WELL.
I'M VERY SORRY THAT, UM, SHE COULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT, BUT HOPEFULLY YOU WILL HAVE US BACK TO GIVE YOU ANOTHER PROGRESS REPORT AS WE HAVE MORE MILESTONES TO REPORT ON.
I'D LOVE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING YOU WANNA ADD, MICHELLE MSK? NO QUESTION.
DID Y'ALL WANNA ADD ANYTHING? OKAY.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU, UM, FOR SAYING WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT YOUR, YOUR, YOUR COMMITMENT.
UM, I WAS DISAPPOINTED THAT YOU DIDN'T MENTION ART AND SEEK AS A STANDALONE BRAND BECAUSE YOU'VE DONE SO MUCH.
YOU INDIVIDUALLY AND JEROME WEEKS HAVE DONE SO MUCH TO, TO PROMOTE ART AND SEEK AND TO REALLY EDUCATE THE ART COMMUNITY ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, GOING THERE LISTING IT'S FREE, YOU KNOW, PUT YOUR EVENTS THERE AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
SO I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU ALL WOULD GO TO, UH, OTHER ARTS GATHERINGS, UH, TO, TO KIND OF WORK WITH THEM, RIGHT? A LOT OF THEM DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF HIRING A PR FIRM OR SUCH, BUT MAYBE WORK WITH THEM AND, AND KIND OF HELP EDUCATE THE ARTS COMMUNITY ABOUT HOW TO LAND A STORY WITH YOU GUYS, RIGHT? WHAT IS THE ANGLE YOU'RE LOOKING FOR? HOW DO WE POSITION IT IN A IN A WAY THAT YOU GUYS COULD PICK IT UP? AND THEN THE OTHER COMMENT THAT I'LL SAY IS THAT, AND YOU MENTIONED THIS TOO, YOU KNOW, DALLAS MORNING NEWS, GREAT PARTNER AND, AND WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY LUCKY TO HAVE THE BIG, YOU KNOW, TRIO OPERA DANCE AND, AND THEATER AND SYMPHONY QUARTET.
UM, EVERY CITY NEEDS THAT, RIGHT? WE NEED THAT BECAUSE IT ATTRACTS TOURISM DOLLARS.
UM, BUT THERE SEEMED TO BE A MOMENT IN DALLAS MORNING NEWS HISTORY WHERE IT JUST WAS COVERING THE BIG ONES, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
AND SO THEY SEEMED TO TRY TO CHANGE THEIR APPROACH AND REALLY GLAD THAT THEY TAPPED IN WITH YOU.
I HAD NO IDEA THAT THIS WAS A COUPLE YEARS IN THE MAKING
AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE COMMITMENT IS THERE FROM EVERYONE THAT'S INVOLVED.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN AND THANKS FOR MENTIONING ALL THOSE THINGS THAT YOU DID BECAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO HEAR.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND WORDS ABOUT ART AND SEEK.
UM, I WOULD SAY THAT, YEAH, THAT IS A PROJECT THAT'S BEEN NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART, BUT AS K E R A GROWS AND AS WE HAVE, WE HAVE OVER 10 POINTS TOUCHPOINTS FOR THE ARTS IN THE STATION, I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO START THINKING ABOUT K E R A ARTS AND ALL OF THE UMBRELLAS THAT ARE UNDER THAT.
UM, AND THE POTENTIAL THAT WE HAVE TO RAISE AWARENESS THROUGH SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, I, I JUST WANTED TO SAY I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT BECAUSE, UH, I, I, I HEARD THE, I HEARD THE, THE AD ON I THINK K E R A ONE MORNING, UM, JUST DRIVING TO WORK AND, UM, I'M A, I'M A MUSIC TEACHER, SO, YOU KNOW, I DO IT EVERY DAY.
BUT, UM, I I I LOVE THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE TAKING THE ANGLE AND THE LENS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT THROUGH, CUZ THAT'S WHAT WE DO EVERY DAY ON THIS COMMISSION.
I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S THE CULTURAL PLAN, RIGHT? THE CULTURAL PLAN IS VERY FOCUSED ON THAT.
AND I THINK, UM, I I I ECHO WHAT, UM, COMMISSIONER HALMA JUST SAID.
I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, THAT THOSE STORIES GET OUT THERE.
CUZ I THINK YOU TALK TO PEOPLE AND YOU ASK THEM WHAT THE ARTS ARE, OH, THAT'S ALL THE BIG EXPENSIVE STUFF IN THE