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[Arts & Cultural Advisory Commission on September 14, 2023.]
AND THE TIME IS LESS.LOUIS, WHAT'S 4 44? YEAH, THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDAS PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
AND I'VE BEEN ADVISED THAT WE DO NOT HAVE ANY TODAY.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE VOTING AGENDA ITEMS. ITEM NUMBER ONE, APPROVAL OF THE AUGUST 10TH ARTS AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMISSION MINUTES MEMBER, THEY BE APPROVED AND SUBMITTED.
SECOND, IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED THAT THE MINUTES BE APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? IS THERE A QUESTION? ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
LET IT BE NON BY SAYING YES, RAISING YOUR HANDS.
WE ARE NOW AT RECOMMENDATION TWO FOR ITEM NUMBER TWO, RECOMMENDATION AND SUPPORT OF ADDITIONS TO THE CULTURAL FUNDING PROGRAM REVIEW PANEL.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES MICKEY BRAGGA ALONG.
I AM SO EXCITED TO BRING THIS VOTING ITEM TO YOU ALL TODAY.
UH, AS I'M SURE ARE MY FELLOW MEMBERS OF THE ALLOCATIONS COMMITTEE, WE HAVE WORKED TREMENDOUSLY HARD THIS YEAR.
UM, AND WE ARE REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT WE HAVE HAD FROM THE O A C.
WELL, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS TOO.
I WAS GETTING TO MY POINT TO SAY WE'RE SUPER EXCITED BY THE SUPPORT WE'VE HAD FROM THE STAFF.
THEY'VE WORKED REALLY HARD, INCLUDING KEEPING ME ON TRACK.
SO WHAT WE ARE PRESENTING TO YOU FIRST ON ITEM NUMBER AND I REFERENCE IS THE SPREADSHEET.
YOUR REFERENCE IS THE SPREADSHEET THAT IS GREEN, THIS ONE.
AND WE ARE RECOMMENDING 46 NEW PANELISTS.
THEY'RE BEING RECOMMENDED TO YOU UNANIMOUSLY.
63% OF THE, UH, NEW PANELISTS RECOMMENDED ARE ALANA, 60% ARE FEMALE, 35% OF ARE MALE AND 5% ARE OTHER.
SO WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE DIVERSITY IN OUR RECOMMENDATION TO YOU.
AND SO THE ALLOCATION COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS UNANIMOUSLY THAT THESE, UM, CITIZENS BE ADDED TO THE PANEL ROSTER.
I RECOGNIZE SOME OF THESE PEOPLE.
UH, UH, I RECOGNIZE SOME OF THESE PEOPLE AND THEY'RE VERY HIGH QUALITY, SO WELL, UM, WOULD THAT CONGRATULATIONS.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WILL MAKE A MOTION THAT THE ADDITIONS TO THE PANEL ROSTER BE APPROVED.
ARE YOU READY FOR THE QUESTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ACCEPTING THIS RECOMMENDATION, LET IT BE KNOWN BY RAISING YOUR HANDS.
THOSE WHO OPPOSE, RAISE YOUR HANDS.
THE AYE HAVE IT AND THE MOTION IS CARRIED.
MAY I JUST MAKE A COMMENT? SURE.
SO I BROUGHT THE IDEA OF PUTTING A SECTION OF THE PANELISTS IN OUR ANNUAL REPORT, AND I TOOK IT TO THE MEETING AND, UM, THEY RECEIVED IT VERY WELL, AND I THINK THAT IT'S PART OF THE STORY.
UM, SO I'M GONNA BE WORKING ON A SECTION, UM, JUST A VERY SHORT BLURB ABOUT IT SO THAT WE CAN PUT IT IN THE ANNUAL REPORT AND THEN I'LL SHARE IT WITH YOU, UM, AND MEGAN SO YOU GUYS CAN BE COMFORTABLE.
AND THEN WE'LL OF COURSE WE'LL BRING IT TO Y'ALL, BUT IT'S, IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE STORY.
SO, SO THAT'S GONNA BE ADDED TO THE ANNUAL REPORT? UM, WELL, I DON'T KNOW HOW, I MEAN, IS IT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO APPROVE, LIKE VOTE ON OR WE JUST, WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT IT AT THE OCTOBER, OCTOBER 19TH MEETING, AND SO THEY'LL GET THE FIRST LOOK AT IT THEN.
JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON, I THINK THE PART THAT WE DISCUSSED WAS, UM, JUST SOME, SOME DESCRIPTION AS TO HOW THEY ARE SELECTED AND THEIR, AND HOW THEY DETERMINE WHICH PROJECTS TO BE FUNDED.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? WE WILL MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER THREE, RECOMMENDATION AND SUPPORT.
UH, FISCAL YEAR 20 23, 24 C O P FUNDING ALLOCATIONS THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES.
AND I AM REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS VOTING AGENDA.
WE HAVE WORKED HARD AND, UM, I, THE NUMBER OF HOURS THAT THE STAFF, UM, HAS PUT INTO THIS, IN PARTICULAR JULIA AND MEGAN IN TRYING TO HELP US ACHIEVE OUR
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GOALS IS, IS REALLY THE BIG AMENDMENT.SO WE THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
UH, WE ALSO ARE BRINGING A UNANIMOUS RECOMMENDATION TO YOU.
YOU RECEIVED, UM, AN EMAIL FROM JULIE SHORTLY AFTER WE FINISHED OUR ALLOCATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING LAST THURSDAY, SETTING OUT THE DETAILS.
UM, AND IN SHORT, WE ARE RECOMMENDING FUNDING OF $6,255,278 TO 52 ORGANIZATIONS.
19% OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS ARE ALANA AND WILL RECEIVE A TOTAL OF $1,189,970.
JULIA INCLUDED A COUPLE OF SLIDES IN YOUR BRIEFING PACKET THAT SORT OF REMIND YOU OF OUR PROCESS, BUT JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON HOW WE ARRIVED AT THIS UNANIMOUS RECOMMENDATION.
WHAT IS NEW THIS YEAR IS THAT C O P FUNDING AMOUNTS HAVE TRADITIONALLY STARTED WITH THE FUNDING AWARDED FROM THE YEAR BEFORE AND ADJUSTED BASED ON SCORES THIS YEAR.
WE ALSO INSTITUTED A MINIMUM FUNDING PERCENTAGE FOR EACH TIER AS LONG AS THE ORGANIZATION RECEIVED A THRESHOLD SCORE.
AND THE THOUGHT PROCESS ON THAT WAS TO BEGIN TO ELIMINATE THE DISCREPANCIES THAT YOU SEE BETWEEN ORGANIZATIONS IN A SIMILAR TIER.
AND SO WE'RE BEGINNING TO LOOK AT PERCENTAGE OF REVENUE, NOT JUST A FLAT FUNDING, UM, BECAUSE YOU'LL SEE THAT SOME ORGANIZATIONS WILL RANGE WITHIN A TIER FROM, UM, IN OUR TOP TIER FROM, UM, LIKE, WHAT IS IT, FIVE MIL, 10 MILLION TO 30 MILLION.
SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT A LUMP SUM TO A PARTICULAR ORGANIZATION, THAT CAN BE VASTLY DIFFERENT FOR A $10 MILLION ORGANIZATION THAN IT IS FOR A $30 MILLION ORGANIZATION.
SO ALL WITH OUR GOALS OF, OF EQUITY, UH, ALL NEW ORGANIZATIONS THAT RECEIVED AT LEAST 80% OF POINTS WERE ADMITTED.
SO SEVEN OUT OF THE NINE APPLICANTS WERE ADMITTED.
SO WE HAVE SEVEN NEW ORGANIZATIONS AND ALL RETURNING ORGANIZATIONS THAT RECEIVED AT LEAST AN 80% SCORE WERE READMITTED EXCEPT ONE ORGANIZATION WHICH RECEIVED A 79.2.
AND THEY HAVE HAD, UM, SOME COUNSELING FROM THE O A C AND WE'LL HAVE COUNSELING AGAIN NEXT YEAR AVAILABLE TO THEM TO HELP THEM GET THEIR SCORE BACK UP.
SO, UM, THAT SAID, ON YOUR, UH, VOTING AGENDA ITEM THAT YOU RECEIVED LAST WEEK, THERE IS A LIST OF ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONS BEING FUNDED AND THE AMOUNT THAT IS BEING RECOMMENDED, AND THE ALLOCATIONS COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMEND THAT, UM, THIS COMMISSION APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE C O P FUNDING THIS YEAR.
WITH THAT SAID, I WOULD MAKE A MOTION THAT THE RECOMMENDED FUNDING APPROVED, I SECOND THAT TO IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION AS PRESENTED.
UH, MADAM CHAIR, I GOT A LITTLE BIT AHEAD OF MYSELF.
I ACTUALLY, UM, NEED TO MAKE A MOTION TO SEPARATE FIRST, MAY I WITH WITHDRAW MY MOTION? YES.
I, AS YOU CAN TELL, I'M REALLY TRULY EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK
UM, SO I WOULD LIKE, UM, SO WHAT WE NEED TO DO AT THIS POINT BEFORE WE VOTE ON THEM, IS TO SEPARATE THE VOTE SO THAT, UM, ANY COMMISSIONERS WHO SERVE ON THE BOARD OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE BEING FUNDED MAY CAN RECUSE THEMSELVES.
UM, AND I'LL ASK AT THIS TIME, IF ANYBODY HAS NOT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LET JULIA KNOW OF ANY OF THE BOARDS THAT YOU SERVE ON THAT ARE BEING FUNDED TO, PLEASE SLIP OVER HERE AND LET HER KNOW.
UM, MY, SO MY FIRST MOTION IS A MOTION TO SEPARATE THE VOTE INTO GROUPS, UM, AS, UM, ESTABLISHED BY THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE BASED UPON BOARD SERVICE OF COMMISSIONERS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.
THEN SPLIT THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA ACCORDING TO THE CONFLICT OF INJURIES.
ARE YOU READY FOR THE QUESTION? HEARING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR? LET IT BE KNOWN BY RINSING YOUR HANDS.
THOSE WHO OPPOSE THE AYES HAVE IT AND THE MOTION IS CARRIED.
SO, UM, MADAM CHAIR, IF I MAY, I WOULD LIKE NOW LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE, UM, ACCEPT ALL THAT WE APPROVE THE FUNDING RECOMMENDED BY THE ALLOCATIONS COMMITTEE FOR THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS, WHICH ARE GOING TO BE READ BY
SO FOR THIS FIRST VOTE, THESE ARE ORGANIZATIONS THAT I HAVE NO HISTORICAL COMMISSIONER PERCUSSIONS FROM, AND I DID NOT RECEIVE ANY EMAILS FROM ANY COMMISSIONERS THAT THERE WERE ANY CONFLICTS OF INTEREST WITH THESE.
SO COMMISSIONERS THAT, UM, ACTUALLY I'LL JUST START WITH THE FIRST ORGANIZATION IS ANITA AND MARTINEZ BALLET FOLKLORE.
SECOND IS AVANT CHAMBER BALLET, ABANDONED CORO EXPERIENCE, BIG THOUGHT COLOR, ME, EMPOWERED
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CREATIVE ARTS CENTER OF DALLAS, DALLAS BLACK DANCE THEATER, DALLAS CHAMBER SYMPHONY, DALLAS COUNTY HERITAGE SOCIETY, DALLAS HISTORICAL SOCIETY AT HALL OF SAFE, DALLAS, HOLOCAUST AND HUMAN RIGHTS MUSEUM, DALLAS MUSEUM OF ART, DALLAS SYMPHONY ASSOCIATION, DALLAS WIND SYMPHONY FINE ARTS CHAMBER PLAYERS, GREATER DALLAS YOUTH ORCHESTRA, JUNIOR PLAYERS GUILD, PEGASUS MUSICAL SOCIETY, PEROT MUSEUM OF NATURE AND SCIENCE, LONE STAR WIND ORCHESTRA, EXCUSE ME.PREMIER LONE STAR WIND ORCHESTRA, SALMON CENTER FOR THE ARTS, SOL REP THEATER COMPANY, THEATRO HISPANICA, CIS SPANNO DE DALLAS, TECO THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS, INC.
WHICH IS BISHOP ARTS THEATER CENTER, TEXAS INTERNATIONAL THEATRICAL ARTS SOCIETY, WHICH IS TITUS DANCE UNBOUND, TEXAS WINDS MUSICAL OUTREACH INC.
THE BLACK ACADEMY OF ARTS AND LETTERS, INC.
THE BRUCE WOOD DANCE COMPANY, DALLAS COUNTY HISTORICAL FOUNDATION, WHICH IS THE SIXTH FLOOR MUSEUM OF DE PLAZA, THE DALLAS OPERA, THE FLAME FOUNDATION, THE VERREE ENSEMBLE, THE WOMEN'S CHORUS OF DALLAS, THE WRITER'S, GARRETT THEATER THREE INC.
U S A FILM FESTIVAL UNDER MAIN THEATER ARTS MISSION, OAKCLIFF FLAMENCO FEVER, ORPHEUS CHAMBER SINGERS OUT LOUD, DALLAS BALLET, NORTH TEXAS UPTOWN PLAYERS AND FOREST FOR CAN I COMMENT ON GO? WE ANNOUNCED, I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S A CONFLICT.
LOOKING AT THE RULES, I CAN REFER TO THE STAFF.
UH, BUT FOR THE BLACK ACADEMY OF ARTS AND LETTERS, I BELIEVE IF WE PROVIDE SERVICES THAT ARE COMPENSATED, THAT, THAT'S NOT A CONFLICT.
I'M NOT ON THE BOARD, BUT I HAVE PROVIDED LEGAL SERVICES FOR THE BLACK ACADEMY OF ARTS LETTERS.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT RECEIVE FUNDING.
YEAH, IF YOU HAVE BEEN COMPENSATED FOR THAT WORK.
I'M SURE THE FIRST MENTION OF DALLAS COUNTY WAS THE OLD, OLD CITY PARK OR DALLAS HERITAGE VILLAGE.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH SOME NAME CHANGE, RIGHT? YES.
MAY I, UH, OFFER AN AMENDMENT TO A MOTION, OR WOULD YOU PREFER THAT I WITHDRAW MY MOTION? THEN REPHRASE.
WE AT THE DISCUSSION PHASE, RIGHT? UH, I, MY MOTION WAS THAT WE APPROVE GROUP ONE AND JULIA READ GROUP ONE TO US.
AND WITH PERMISSION, I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT TO GROUP ONE TO WITHDRAW THE, UM, BLACK ACADEMY OF ARTS AND LETTERS FROM GROUP ONE.
SO THAT THIS MOTION WOULD, UM, THE MOTION IS TO APPROVE FUNDING TO EVERY ORGANIZATION.
JUST READ BY JULIA EXCEPT THE BLACK ACADEMY OF ARTS AND LETTERS, AND WE'LL VOTE ON THAT IN A SEPARATE GROUP.
COMMISSIONERS, CAN WE AGREE TO ACCEPT THIS, UH, OFFER DEFENDANT AMENDMENT THAT SHE'S OFFERING? YES.
DID EVERYBODY AGREE GALLERY? YES.
NO, WE JUST REMOVED THAT REMOVED.
SO WE'VE ONLY REMOVED THE BLACK ACADEMY VOICE.
THAT DUE TO THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST, RIGHT? THAT, THAT THAT'LL KEEPS US FROM READING THAT LIST AGAIN ON A DIFFERENT MOTION IF THAT'S ACCEPTABLE TO EVERYBODY.
SO, SO THEN, UM, I THINK, OKAY, SO WE'RE AT THE DISCUSSION PHASE, THE LIST THAT YOU HAVE READ AND WE HAVE EXCLUDED FROM WHAT YOU READ PREVIOUSLY, THE GROUP, THE BLACK ACADEMY OF ARTS AND LETTERS.
ARE THERE OTHER CONCERNS, COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER? COMMISSIONER HUCKLE, YOUR HAND IS UP.
UM, I HAD TECHNICAL PROBLEMS, SO I'M PROBABLY JUMPING INTO THIS CONVERSATION LATE, BUT, UM, I HAVE A CONFLICT WITH THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM.
UM, UH, I, YES, JUDY, I WILL, I WOULD LIKE TO, TO NOT VOTE ON THAT PART OF THE AMENDMENT.
WE HAVE SAVED THAT VOTE JUST FOR EVERYONE BUT YOU IN ANOTHER ROUND.
UM, BUT I THINK WE NEED A SECOND ON AN AMENDMENT, DO WE NOT? YES, YOU'RE CORRECT.
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TO THE, UH, WE'VE GOT THE SECOND.I'LL, I'LL, I'LL OFFER A SECOND TO THE AMENDMENT.
I'LL OFFER A SECOND TO THE AMENDMENT.
SO DON'T WE NEED TO VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT? YES.
SO IF YOU FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WITH US GOING THROUGH THE VOTE, THE VOTE TO APPROVE IT, WE'LL DO THAT.
AT THIS TIME, WE'RE VOTING ON THE AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION TO STRIKE THOSE, UH, COMMISSIONERS THAT WERE CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY RAISING YOUR HANDS.
THOSE WHO OPPOSE, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
AND WE WILL RESUME WHERE WE WERE.
JULIE, WELL, I THINK MOTION ITSELF, THE FULL MOTION.
THE FULL MOTION WE OF THAT YOU WANNA RESTATE YOUR MOTION, CERTAINLY WILL.
SO THE MOTION, I, I HAVE MADE A MOTION THAT WE, THAT THIS COMMISSION UNIT, THAT THIS COMMISSION APPROVED A RECOMMENDATION FOR C O P FUNDING TO ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONS LISTED IN GROUP ONE, WHICH WERE READ BY JULIA HUSH.
AND THE BLACK BLACK, THE BLACK ACADEMY, THE BLACK ACADEMY OF ARTS AND LETTERS HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THAT GROUP.
I SECOND IT HAS REMOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE MOTION.
ARE YOU READY FOR THE QUESTION? CAN WE HAVE DISCUSSION? SURE.
IS THERE ANY WAY THAT WE CAN GO OVER THE ACTUAL FUNDING AMOUNTS? WE DON'T HAVE A PRINTOUT SO THAT IT CAN BE ON THE RECORD.
SO IT, IT IS IN, IT WAS, IT IS LISTED IN THE VOTING, THE VOTING AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE? YES.
WHICH WAS CIRCULATED TO ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION BY EMAIL FROM JULIA HASH, UH, ON SEPTEMBER THE SEVENTH.
SO, SO, UM, IF YOU WOULD LIKE A MOMENT I HAVE IT PULLED UP, I'D BE HAPPY TO BRING IT OVER THERE FOR YOU TO REVIEW IT.
IF WE NEED TO REVIEW IT BEFORE THE VOTE OR IF ANYONE ELSE FEELS THAT WE NEED TO READ IT, I'M HAPPY TO READ IT OUT.
WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE? DO WE NEED TO READ IT OR GO WITH THE DOCUMENT THAT YOU RECEIVED? I JUST THINK IT'S A LOT OF MONEY NOT TO HAVE ON, ON, IT'S IN THE PRINTED, UH, BUT WHICH IS A PART OF THE RECORD, A PART OF THE PUBLIC RECORD THAT WAS DISTRIBUTED.
BUT, UM, BUT I'M HAPPY TO READ IT IF YOU GUYS HAVE WANT ME TO READ IT.
I DO NOT HAVE IT BROKEN UP BY GROUP ONE GROUP, WHATEVER.
I CAN DO IT, I CAN DO IT AFTER CONFLICT THAT I CAN PULL THIS.
BUT YOU HAVE THE DO YOU DON'T HAVE DOLLAR AMOUNTS BY YOUR, SO IT'LL BE A LITTLE CUMBERSOME.
SO YOU'RE GIVING US THE, THE ARTS ORGANIZATION AND THE AMOUNT I CAN DO THAT.
IT WAS EMAILED TO EVERYBODY, BUT IT UNFORTUNATELY IT WAS NOT IN THE PACKET OF MATERIALS THAT WAS PRINTED AND BROUGHT OVER.
I DUNNO IF WE HAVE THE, I HAVE IT.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE THE, I HAVE IT PULLED UP DIGITALLY.
UM, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PULL IT UP WHERE YOU CAN SEE IT, IT SHOULD BE AN EMAIL FROM JULIA HO DATED SEPTEMBER 7TH AT 10:14 PM AT 10 14.
AND IT, UM, PRELIMINARY CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS PROGRAM FUNDING AMOUNTS FOR VOTE 9 14 23.
BUT MADAM CHAIR, I'M WHATEVER'S YOUR PLEASURE, I'M HAPPY TO READ IT OUT.
IF, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU, WE'VE HAD ONE INQUIRY THAT WANTS IT READ IN THE, UH, UM, HOW DO THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS FEEL? WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE? I'M FINE WITH IT HAVING BEEN SENT.
I, I, I MEAN, I'M, I'VE GOT AN UNSTABLE, UM, UH, WIFI, SO I'M WORRIED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, TIME.
SO I'M, I MEAN, WE, WE GOT IT.
I I DON'T NEED TO HEAR IT READ OUT.
I'M NOT HEARING WHAT VICKY'S SAYING.
AND MAD CHAIR AFTER OUR MEETING LAST WEEK, IT WAS MY IDEA THAT JULIA SENT IT OUT TO ALL THE COMMISSIONERS BECAUSE THE GROUPS WERE GOING TO BE, UM, GIVEN AN ALERT ON FRIDAY SO THAT THEY COULD START TO PREPARE, NOT THAT THEY WERE APPROVED BECAUSE IT STILL HAS TO GO TO CITY COUNCIL, BUT AS A COURTESY, I FELT LIKE IT NEEDED TO GO TO COMMISSIONERS, UM, BEFORE THE GROUPS WERE NOTIFIED.
UM, AND THAT'S WHY WE SENT IT OUT.
BUT JULIA SENT IT OUT THURSDAY AFTER 10:00 PM OKAY.
SO I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD READ IT.
AND JUST IN, IN RESPONSE, UH, TO COMMISSIONER T'S REQUEST, IT IS AN EXCELLENT, UH, POINT, COMMISSIONER TRILLA THAT WE DO WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW, AND I UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM.
SO WE DO WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THE INDIVIDUAL AWARDS THAT ARE BEING MADE, BUT THAT, THAT HA HAS HAPPENED ON THE PRINTED RECORD.
SO IF THAT SATISFIES YOUR CONCERN YEP.
THAT WOULD ELIMINATE THE NEED TO READ THEM OUT.
AS LONG AS WE HAVE OFFICIAL DOC, I DIDN'T REALIZE WE HAD AN OFFICIAL DOCUMENT, SO IT CAME IN A LITTLE DIFFERENT ORDER THIS YEAR THAN USUAL
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COMMISSIONERS.WE WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH THE MOTION AND SOLE THE FLOOR.
IS THERE ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE RECOMMENDATION PRESENTED.
THOSE WHO OPPOSE THE AYES HAVE IT IN MOTION IS CARRIED.
MADAM, MAY I MOVE FORWARD? YES, YOU MAY.
I WOULD NOW LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT THE COMMISSION ACCEPT THE FUNDING TO, UM, GROUP.
WELL, LET ME STOP IN MOTION AND LET ME ASK, LET THIS QUESTION, UH, COMMISSIONER NEIL FISH, WE HAVE THAT, UM, YOU ARE ON THE BOARD OF ARTILLERY, IS THAT STILL CORRECT? UH, NO.
I'VE NEVER BEEN ON THE BOARD OF ARTILLERY.
YOU HAD RECUSED YOURSELF LAST YEAR FROM THE VOTE ON ARTILLERY, OR AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT THE HISTORICAL RECORDS SHOWED? MM-HMM.
SO MY APOLOGIES, I SHOULD HAVE ASKED THAT QUESTION IN ADVANCE.
UM, WE'LL, BUT WE WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.
UM, IT'S JUST A VOTE ON THE FUNDING TO ARTILLERY AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY RECUSALS.
SO I MAKE A MOTION THAT THE COMMISSION APPROVE THE FUNDING TO ARTILLERY AS STATED IN VOTING AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE, WHICH WAS DISTRIBUTED TO THE ENTIRE COMMISSION ON SEPTEMBER 7TH.
SECOND, IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH RECOMMENDATION REGARDING THE, UH, C O P FOR 20 23 24 FUNDING ALLOCATIONS.
ARE YOU READY FOR THE QUESTION? IS THERE A DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY RAISING YOUR HANDS.
THOSE WHO OPPOSE THE AYES HAVE IT.
AND THE MOTION IS KAREN, POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
WE ONLY VOTED FOR AUXILIARY IN THAT GROUP.
UM, THE NEXT, THE NEXT GROUP THAT I'LL BE MAKING A MOTION ON, UH, WHICH WE HAVE IDENTIFIED AS GROUP NUMBER THREE INCLUDES ONLY KARA EA THEATER.
UH, BASED ON THE SEARCH THAT JULIA DID, WE HAD SOME COMMISSIONERS WHO HAVE HISTORICALLY RECUSED THEMSELVES FROM A VOTE ON CARMIA THEATER.
SO IF YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE COMMISSIONERS, UM, AND YOU WOULD LIKE TO RECUSE YOURSELF IF YOU ARE, WHEN WE GET TO THE VOTE STATION VOTE PORTION, IF YOU ARE REMOTE, THEN YOU NEED TO TURN OFF BOTH YOUR CAMERA AND YOUR, UH, YOU CAN TURN OFF YOUR CAMERA AND DO NOT VOTE.
TURN OFF YOUR CAMERA AND DO NOT VOTE.
UM, SO, UM, BASED ON HI HISTORICAL RECORDS, UH, LAST YEAR, COMMISSIONERS BLAZE YELLOW FISH AND CURIEL HAD RECUSED THEMSELVES.
UH, YOU ALL CAN RECUSE YOURSELVES OR NOT.
IT'S UP TO YOU BASED UPON WHAT YOUR CURRENT RELATIONSHIP IS.
UH, AND IF ANYONE ELSE NEEDS TO RECUSE THEMSELF, PLEASE DO SO.
WHEN WE GET TO THE VOTE PORTION, AND AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT THE, ALL, THAT THE COMMISSION ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE ALLOCATIONS COMMITTEE FOR FUNDING CARIA THEATER IN THE C O P FUND.
IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION AS PRESENTED AS EVERYONE WHO NEEDS TO BE RECUSED DONE.
SO PRIOR TO THE VOTE, IS THERE ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION OR ARE THERE QUESTIONS? I HAVE QUESTIONS.
UM, WHEN YOU RECUSE YOURSELF, IS IT WITHIN A FISCAL YEAR? YES.
YOU JUST HAVE A RELATIONSHIP? I DON'T THINK I, I DON'T HAVE TO RECUSE MYSELF THIS YEAR FOR CUTTING YET.
THOSE WERE BOTH THE AYE, HAVING AND THE MOTION IS CARRIED.
WE, JUST FOR YOUR, UH, RECORD KEEPING PURPOSES, MADAM CHAIR, WE HAVE 9, 10, 10 GROUPS.
GROUP FOUR HAS ONLY THE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL OF DALLAS.
UM, AND WE HAVE, UM, PRIOR RECUSALS BY COMMISSIONER BLAZE AND URIEL.
AND IS THERE, AND ANYBODY ELSE WHO NEEDS TO RECUSE YOURSELF WHEN WE GET TO THE VOTE STAGE, PLEASE DO THAT.
UM, AND THEN, UM, COMMISSIONER YELLOW FISH, IF YOU WANT TO RETURN FOR THIS MOTION.
MADAM CHAIR, I WOULD LIKE, UH, TO MAKE A MOTION THAT THE COMMISSION APPROVE THE FUNDING
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FOR THE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL OF DALLAS AS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDED BY THE ALLOCATIONS COMMITTEE.IT HAS MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION AS PRESENTED.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
LET IT BE KNOWN BY RAISING YOUR HANDS.
THOSE WHO OPPOSE THE AYES HAVE IT.
AND THE MOTION IS CARRIED WITH GROUP FIVE.
UM, MADAM CHAIR GROUP FIVE HAS, UH, ONLY ONE ORGANIZATION, KITCHEN DOCK THEATER.
SO IF WE HAVE ANYONE WHO NEEDS TO RECUSE THEMSELF, PLEASE DO SO.
AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT, THIS, THAT THE COMMISSION APPROVE THE FUNDING C O P FUNDING FOR KITCHEN DOG THEATER AS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDED BY THE ALLOCATIONS COMMITTEE.
SECOND, IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.
THAT WE ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION FOR GROUP NUMBER FIVE.
IS THERE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
THOSE IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY RAISING YOUR HANDS.
THOSE WILL POSE THE SAME SIGN.
AND THE MOTION IS KAREN MOVING TO GROUP SIX.
GROUP SIX AS, UM, ONLY THE DALLAS CHILDREN'S THEATER UNIT.
AND, UM, IN THE PAST, COMMISSIONER BLAZE HAS RECUSED, SHE RECUSED HERSELF.
UM, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT THE COMMISSION, EX COMMISSION APPROVE THE C O P FUNDING FOR THE DALLAS CHILDREN'S THEATER AS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDED BY THE ALLOCATIONS COMMITTEE MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION AS PRESENTED.
IS THERE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR? LETTING BE KNOWN BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
OR SHE HAVE MOTION? I, BECAUSE SHE GONE BEFORE WE START.
I THINK SHE JUST HAS A, SHE'S GOT A CONNECTION.
LET IT BE KNOWN BY RACE IN SHE'S RECUSED HERSELF.
HURTFULLY, WE'RE ASKING FOR THE OPPOSITIONS TO THE MOTION MIGHT BE ON TWO, TWO DEVICES.
THE EYES HAVE IT AND THE MOTION IS CARRIED.
UH, THE NEXT GROUP HAS ONLY IN IT, THE FOUNDATION FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN ART, ALSO KNOWN AS THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM.
UH, COMMISSIONER HORNBUCKLE HAS, UM, ASKED TO BE RECUSED FROM THIS VOTE.
SO AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT THE COMMISSION EXCEPT THE, UH, APPROVE THE FUND.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT THE COMMISSION APPROVED THE C O P FUNDING FOR THE FOUNDATION FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN ART, ALSO KNOWN AS THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MUS MUSEUM AS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDED BY THE ALLOCATIONS COMMITTEE.
SECOND, IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION AS PRESENTED.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR? LET IT BE KNOWN BY RAISING YOUR HANDS.
THOSE WHO OPPOSE THE AYES HAVE IT IN THE MOTION IS CARRIED.
THE NEXT GROUP INCLUDES IN IT ONLY THE SECOND THOUGHT THEATER.
AND COMMISSIONER NUGENT HAS ASKED TO BE RECUSED FROM THAT.
IS THAT STILL ACCURATE? SO IF YOU WOULD EXCUSE YOURSELF FROM THE ROOM.
OH,
SECOND, IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE ALLEGATIONS COMMITTEE AS PRESENTED.
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ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? LETTING BE KNOWN BY RAISING YOUR HANDS.THOSE WHO OPPOSE THE AYES HAVE IT.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE TWO MORE GROUPS.
THE NEXT GROUP IS THE BLACK ACADEMY OF ARTS AND LETTERS.
UM, COMMISSIONER SMALL HAS RECUSED HIMSELF.
IF THERE'S ANYBODY ELSE THAT NEEDS TO RECUSE THEMSELVES, PLEASE DO SO AT THIS TIME.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT THE COMMISSION APPROVE THE C O P FUNDING FOR THE BLACK ACADEMY OF ARTS AND LETTERS AS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDED BY THE ALLOCATIONS COMMITTEE.
SECOND, IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION AS PRESENTED BY THE ALLOCATIONS COMMITTEE.
IS THAT DISCUSSION HEARING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR? LET IT BE KNOWN BY RAISING YOUR HANDS.
THOSE WHO OPPOSE THE AYES HAVE IT.
I I HAVE ASKED COMMISSIONER JACKSON TO HANDLE GROUP 10 AS I AM RECUSING MYSELF FROM THE VOTE OF THE DALLAS THEATER CENTER, UM, BECAUSE MY HUSBAND SERVES ON THAT BOARD.
UM, MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE, MAKE A MOTION THAT WE, UM, ACCEPT THE DALLAS CHILDREN'S THEATER'S FUNDING AS, UM, APPROVE BY THE ALLOCATION DALLAS THEATER CENTER.
I'M SORRY, DALLAS THEATER CENTER.
CHILDREN'S DALLAS THEATER CENTER.
IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.
THAT WE ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION AS PRESENTED BY THE ALLOCATIONS COMMITTEE.
IS THERE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR? LET IT BE KNOWN BY RAISING YOUR HANDS.
WHAT'S THE TECHNICAL ISSUE? WE HAVE TO START AGAIN.
SO, COMMISSIONER BRAGGA ALONE, YOU WANNA GIVE US A TOTAL OF HOW MUCH WE JUST, UH, ARE RECOMMENDING? YES, WE, WE JUST COMPLETED A RECOMMENDATION OF $6,255,000.
19% OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS ARE ALANA ORGANIZATIONS.
AND $1,189,970 WAS AWARDED TO ALANA ORGANIZATIONS.
AND MADAM CHAIR, IF I MAY, I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO SHARE WITH THIS COMMISSION THAT WHILE YOU DO NOT VOTE ON ARTS ACTIVATE GRANTS AT THE COMMISSION, WE DO WORK ON ARTS ACTIVATE GRANTS WITH THE ALLOCATIONS COMMITTEE.
AND AT THE SAME MEETING WHERE WE COMPLETED OUR WORK TO MAKE THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO YOU TODAY, WE ALSO RECOMMENDED FUNDING FOR OUR ACTIVATE GRANTS, UM, TO 62 ORGANIZATIONS, A TOTAL OF ABOUT $625,000.
SO IN RECENT WEEKS, THE WORK OF THIS COMMISSION HAS RESULTED IN ALMOST $6.9 MILLION BEING AWARDED TO 114 DIFFERENT ARTS ORGANIZATIONS IN OUR CITY.
OH, ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS.
COMMISSIONER HOMO IS ALWAYS KEEPING ON
THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR AT THIS TIME.
I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE IF YOU WANT TO ASK QUESTIONS TO THE ALLEGATIONS COMMITTEE CHAIR
I HAVE ALL MY NOTES SO YOU GOT AN ODDS ACTIVATE.
ANY QUESTIONS MADAM CHAIR? I HAVE ONE QUESTION.
UM, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE PROPOSED PROJECT DISTRICTS, BUT CAN WE ACTUALLY GET WHERE THESE INDIVIDUALS IN THE ORGS ARE? YES.
[00:35:01]
OKAY.CAN YOU JUST TELL ME THEN OFFLINE WHO'S IN DISTRICT ONE? 'CAUSE I MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH THEM.
I JUST COULDN'T GET IT DONE BY.
I'M SURE I CAN OFFER A LITTLE BIT OF EXPLANATION ON THAT.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT ON THE ARTS ACTIVATE GRANTS IS THAT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO US AS COMMISSIONERS TO BE ABLE TO REPORT TO OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND OTHER FOLKS IN THE DISTRICT WHAT WORK IS HAPPENING IN THEIR DISTRICT.
AND WHAT YOU MAY OR MAY NOT REALIZE ABOUT ARTS ACTIVATE IS THAT, UH, AN ARTIST OR AN ORGANIZATION MAY LIVE IN ONE DISTRICT, BUT, BUT THEY MAY PERFORM THEIR ARTS ACTIVATE PROJECT MAY TAKE PLACE IN ANOTHER DISTRICT.
ANOTHER THING THAT WE FIND HAPPENS WITH THE ARTS ACTIVATE GRANTS IS THEY TELL US WHAT DISTRICT THEY HOPE TO PERFORM TO, TO PRESENT IT IN.
BUT THE ARTS ACTIVATE, AND I'LL HAVE TO RELY ON JULIA FOR A LITTLE BIT OF CLARIFICATION ON THIS.
THERE'S A MAP THAT IS COLOR CODED BASED UPON WHERE WE ARE FOCUSING ON DELIVERY OF SERVICES.
SO SOMETHING MIGHT HAPPEN TO THE, LET'S SAY THE RECREATION CENTER WHERE THEY PLANNED TO PRESENT THE PROJECT.
UM, THE AIR CONDITIONING BREAKS DOWN, THEN THEY WILL REACH OUT TO THE OFFICE AND SAY, WE CAN'T HAVE THIS CAMP FOR KIDS IN 105 DEGREE WEATHER AT A REC CENTER WITH NO AIR CONDITIONING.
BUT WE FOUND ANOTHER LOCATION THAT HAS TO STILL BE IN THAT SAME SERVICE DISTRICT, BUT IT ACTUALLY MAY BE IN A DIFFERENT COUNCIL DISTRICT.
SO SOMETIMES THE PROPOSED PROJECT DISTRICT WILL CHANGE, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, IT THEY ARE DELIVERED IN THOSE DISTRICTS.
UM, AND THEY ARE ON YOUR PAPER THAT WAS GIVEN TO YOU.
BUT A SECOND SITE OF THAT IS WHERE THE ARTIST OR THE ORGANIZATION THAT IS AWARDED, RESIDES YOU.
SO, UM, THAT IS INFORMATION WE HAVE NOT PREVIOUSLY GATHERED.
AND, UH, THANKS TO COMMISSIONER HAL'S RECOMMENDATION, WHEN WE COME TO YOU WITH ROUND TWO OF ARTS ACTIVATE, WE WILL HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
UH, YOU SHOULD ALSO KNOW THAT WE MADE A DECISION AS A COMMITTEE.
WE VOTED AS A COMMITTEE TO GO AHEAD AND AWARD, UM, $625,000 IN THIS ROUND, WHICH IS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN WE TYPICALLY AWARD.
BUT WE HAD, WE HAD MORE APPLICANTS THAN WE HAVE EVER HAD IN ROUND, ROUND ONE IN REALLY HIGH SCORES, REALLY GOOD PROJECTS.
SO RATHER THAN POSTPONING SOME OF THESE GREAT PROJECTS AND SAYING, PLEASE COME BACK AND YOU DID WELL, BUT WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU MONEY IN ROUND TWO, UM, THE ALLOCATIONS COMMITTEE MADE A DECISION TO AWARD AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO THE, TO THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAD SCORED HIGH ENOUGH, UM, TO, TO MERIT RECEIVING THAT GRANT.
THAT STILL LEAVES US WITH TWO ROUNDS, TWO MORE ROUNDS.
THAT WILL BE SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 2 75 TO $300,000.
IS THAT RIGHT? I DON'T, MY MEMORY IS GOOD.
SO, UM, IT WAS, IT WAS A VERY GOOD MONTH FOR THE ALLOCATIONS COMMITTEE AND A VERY GOOD MONTH FOR ARTS IN DALLAS.
AND I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO RECOGNIZE YOUR HARDWORKING COMMITTEE.
YEAH, THANK YOU YOU FOR YOUR ROBUST WORK.
UM, IS IT, UM, CAN WE BE PRIVY TO, FOR THOSE OF US WHO HAVE, UM, DISTRICTS THAT ARE NOT REPRESENTED IN ARTS ACTIVATE IT VERY, THERE'S NOT A LOT IN MY DISTRICT FOR SE.
IS, IS IT, CAN I FIND OUT WHO ELSE MIGHT HAVE APPLIED IN MY DISTRICT AND WHY THEY WERE NOT AWARDED, BUT I COULD HELP LOOK AT AWARDS AND IF THERE WEREN'T PEOPLE I DON'T NEED TO KNOW RIGHT NOW, OBVIOUSLY, BUT THEN IF NOT, I NEED TO DO SOME WORK IN THAT DISTRICT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE BRING MORE ARTS THERE.
UM, ONE OF THE, UM, YEAH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO FOR FOLLOW UP, UM, COMMISSIONER, IS THAT WE SEND AN EMAIL TO EVERYONE THAT APPLIED AND THEY GET TIME TO TALK TO STAFF.
AND SO IF ANYBODY FROM YOUR DISTRICT ASKS TO DO THAT, WE'LL LET YOU KNOW.
UM, I'M AWARE THAT, I JUST DUNNO WHO ELSE MIGHT HAVE APPLIED THAT I DIDN'T KNOW.
SO I WOULD, IF THAT IS A DESIRE, CAN WE WORK WITH YOU ONE-ON-ONE TOO? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, I, I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO IT THIS ROUND BECAUSE YEAH, IT'S FINE.
LET'S LEARN HOW WORK A NEW SYSTEM ON THE COMPUTER FOR THIS.
UM, BUT FIND FINDING WHERE FOLKS ARE BETWEEN THE DISTRICTS AND THE PINK AND THE YELLOW ARE ACTUALLY TWO DIFFERENT SYSTEMS,
SO GIVE ME UNTIL ROUND TWO, BUT AS SOON AS I GET THAT WORK THOUGHT, I'M HAPPY TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? I WOULD, IN RESPONSE TO THAT AND ANYBODY ELSE WHO'S HAVING SIMILAR THOUGHTS, REMIND YOU TO, UM, ENCOURAGE ARTISTS AND ORGANIZATIONS IN YOUR DISTRICT TO APPLY.
AND ONE OF THE WAYS TO DO THAT IS WITH, IF YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER HAS A NEWSLETTER, UH, THE OFFICE HAS SOME REALLY GOOD MATERIALS THAT TYPICALLY COME OUT TO ALL OF US.
SO IF YOU SHARE THAT WITH YOUR SOURCES, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HELPS.
UM, AND WE WELCOME YOU AT OUR ALLOCATIONS COMMITTEE.
YOU CAN'T VOTE, BUT YOU CAN COME AND LISTEN TO
[00:40:01]
US.AND, UM, UH, CHAIRWOMAN, THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME.
IT WAS VERY REMISS ME NOT TO RECOGNIZE THE COMMITTEE BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN, UM, SPENT A LOT OF TIME
IT'S BEEN A LOT OF TIME, BUT IT'S ALSO BEEN LIKE EVERY SINGLE MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE HAS, UM, HAS WORKED ON THIS.
AND WE'VE COME UP WITH A REALLY GOOD, UM, RECOMMENDATION BASED UPON EVERYBODY BEING VERY INVOLVED.
SO THANK YOU ALL AND WE APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING A UNANIMOUS DECISION TO US.
IT TAKES A LITTLE WORK TO GET DONE,
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO OUR AGENDA.
WE ARE AT THE BRIEFINGS SECTION.
STOKER, WHO'S OUR CULTURAL SPOTLIGHT TODAY FROM THE THANKSGIVING FOUNDATION.
STOKER, I THINK WE SUBMIT YOU IN OUR RETREAT.
WE ARE, WE ARE STILL OVERJOYED THAT WE WERE ABLE TO HOST YOU AT THE THANKSGIVING SQUARE.
I SERVE AS THE CHIEF ENGAGEMENT OFFICER AT THE THANKSGIVING FOUNDATION.
AND SO I'VE BEEN ASKED TO GIVE ABOUT FIVE MINUTES OVERVIEW ON, UH, ON WHAT IT MAY LOOK LIKE FOR US TO REALIZE WHAT THE, WHAT THE THANKSGIVING, UH, FOUNDATION DOES.
YOU MIGHT KNOW ABOUT THE THANKSGIVING SQUARE, AND YOU'VE OBVIOUSLY BEEN IN THE THANKSGIVING SQUARE, BUT WHAT DOES THE, THE FOUNDATION DO AND THEN OFFER ANY TIME BACK FOR OUR ENGAGEMENT, ESPECIALLY ON OUR ASPIRATIONAL GOALS AS TO HOW WE'RE IMAGINING OURSELVES IN THE WEEKS AND MONTHS AND YEARS AHEAD? THE THANKSGIVING FOUNDATION WAS FOUNDED IN 1964.
WE ARE CELEBRATING OUR DIAMOND JUBILEE THIS NEXT YEAR, 60 YEARS.
WE WERE ESTABLISHED BY A GROUP OF FOUR BUSINESS PEOPLE WHO DECIDED TO RESPOND TO, UH, PRESIDENT KENNEDY'S ASSASSINATION IN PROFOUND WAYS.
UH, AT THAT TIME AND IN THEIR INTERPRETATION OF DALLAS, DALLAS WAS KNOWN AS THE CITY OF HATE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND THEY WANTED TO RESPOND IN KIND AND TRY TO DEVELOP AN OVERARCHING UNDERSTANDING THAT DALLAS ISN'T DEFINED BY A TERRIBLE ACTION BY ONE PERSON, BUT IS DEFINED BY ITS PEOPLE.
THERE WAS, UH, SOME SHIFTS GOING ON AS WELL, ESPECIALLY IN TEXAS.
OUR IMMIGRATION LAWS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY TO WELCOME MORE AND MORE NEIGHBORS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY OR FROM ACROSS THE WORLD, EXCUSE ME, NOT JUST EUROPEAN COUNTRIES THAT HAD A FAR GREATER CHANCE TO HAVE IMMIGRANTS, UH, COMING INTO THE COUNTRY FOR MANY, MANY DECADES.
UH, RATHER, THAT OPPORTUNITY WAS OPEN TO SEVERAL NEW COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD IN AFRICA, ASIA, SOUTH AMERICA, AND DALLAS.
UH, BEING SO CLOSE TO, UH, THE BORDER WAS A WONDERFUL PLACE TO WELCOME ALL, ALL OF THESE NEW, UH, NEIGHBORS WHO NOT ONLY BROUGHT THEIR CULTURES, ALSO THEIR RELIGIONS.
AND SO THE FOUNDATION SAID, WELL, SINCE THINGS ARE CHANGING, WHY DON'T WE LEAN INTO AN INTERFAITH MULTI-FAITH CONVERSATION WHERE WE CAN GET TO KNOW OUR NEIGHBORS? AND SO, OVER THE LAST 60 YEARS, THAT'S WHAT THE THANKSGIVING FOUNDATION HAS BEEN KNOWN FOR, CONVENING, WELCOMING, UM, NURTURING, AND EVEN PROVIDING A SECOND HOME FOR MARGINALIZED MINORITIZED FAITH COMMUNITIES WHO NEEDED A SAFE PLACE TO WORSHIP IN THEIR OWN WAY, TO FOCUS THEIRSELVES, UH, FOCUSED THEMSELVES ON COMMUNITY BUILDING AND FIND A PROFOUND SENSE OF BEING PART OF DALLAS.
IN 1977, THE THANKSGIVING SQUARE ITSELF WAS COMPLETED.
THE ARCHITECT WAS PHILIP JOHNSON.
AND AT THAT COMPLETION, UH, THERE WAS THIS WONDERFUL CONNECTION ONCE AGAIN, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE SEEN THE CHAPEL, YOU KNOW THAT TRANSCENDENT MOMENT.
IT IS A NONDESCRIPT CHAPEL WITH A TRANSCENDENT 73 PANEL, DAL DEVERE STAINED GLASS WINDOW, INVITING YOU TO CONSIDER WHAT MAY BE TRANSCENDING YOU, CALLING YOU, UH, COMMITTING YOU, DRIVING, YOU, WOOING YOU INTO SOMETHING BEYOND YOURSELF.
THAT, UH, BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF ARCHITECTURE HAS WELCOMED GUESTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.
BEFORE SOCIAL MEDIA, THERE WAS, UH, THE GRATITUDE WALL IN THE CHAPEL, AND THERE ARE THESE LITTLE FOUR BY SIX CARDS WITH THE LITTLE PUNCH THROUGH.
AND YOU CAN WRITE YOUR, UH, A WORD OF GRATITUDE I AM GRATEFUL FOR.
AND WE RECEIVE ABOUT 450 CARDS A WEEK.
WE HAVE ABOUT 290,000 GUESTS THAT TRAVEL IN AND THROUGHOUT THE THANKSGIVING SQUARE.
AND WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE MANY WAYS THAT DALLAS
[00:45:01]
HAS SUPPORTED, UH, SPECIFICALLY OUR WORK TOGETHER.NOW, THE FOUNDATION OWNS THE PROPERTY.
SO WE ARE A PRIVATE FOUNDATION THAT OWNS A PUBLIC SPACE.
SO THAT PUTS US IN THIS STRANGE NO PERSONS LAND, DOESN'T IT? UH, WE'RE NOT, UH, WE'RE NOT ALL TOGETHER AVAILABLE FOR, UH, FOR CITY AND COUNTY FUNDING.
AND WE CAN, WELL, WE'RE FREE TO MOVE ABOUT THE COUNTRY.
UH, WE CAN HAVE MEETINGS WITHOUT QUORUMS AND, UH, WE CAN, THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FUNNY,
UH, BUT IT ALSO PUTS US IN, IN AN INTERESTING SPOT, ESPECIALLY AS WE CONSIDER OUR NEW, UH, OUR NEW WAY OF BEING.
I WAS THE SENIOR MINISTER OF FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH IN DALLAS, TEXAS.
DALLAS TEXAS, NOT DALLAS, MICHIGAN.
WHENEVER I SAY THAT IN LARGE UNITED METHODIST GROUPS, THEY, I HAVE TO MAKE THE DISTINCTION OF DALLAS FOR NINE YEARS.
AND I DID A LOT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION AND HEALTHCARE ADVOCACY WORK.
THE BOARD WAS INTERESTED IN, UH, IN A NEW PROJECT THAT THEY WERE, UH, THAT THEY WERE LEANING INTO WITH STANFORD UNIVERSITY.
STANFORD, UH, FORMED THE WORLD HOUSE PROJECT, UH, DEVISING ITSELF AROUND DR.
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR'S VISION OF THE WORLD.
JUST AS A HOUSE, IF YOU NEED CLOTHES, YOU GO TO THE CLOSET, IT GLOWS.
IF YOU'RE HUNGRY, YOU GO TO THE KITCHEN.
IT'S NOT ALL THAT HARD, EVERYBODY.
IF WE IMAGINE THE WORLD AS A HOUSE, WE CAN CARE FOR EVERY ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORS HOLISTICALLY AND CARE FULLY.
AND SO, UM, I WAS HIRED TO EXPAND, UH, OUR SOCIAL AND RACIAL EQUITY WORK.
UM, AND AS YOU CAN TELL, WALKING AROUND IN THESE BODY CLOTHES, I SOMETIMES GET SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE AS A WHITE, CISGENDER MALE AS WHO IS, UH, WHO HAS, UH, PRIVILEGE AND POWER IN SIGNIFICANT WAYS.
UH, MY TRANSCENDENT MOMENT, UH, ESPECIALLY OVER THE LAST, UH, 25 YEARS OF MINISTRY, IS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT, UH, CONNECTING MORE DEEPLY WITH THOSE WHO HAVE CONSISTENTLY BEEN BEEN DEEMED OTHER.
I HAVE COME TO RECOGNIZE MY OWN PRIVILEGE WALKING IN A ROOM AND, UH, DETERMINE THAT THAT IS NOT THE WAY OF THE WORLD.
JUST BY SIMPLY WALKING INTO A A ROOM, PEOPLE AUTOMATICALLY GIVE ME UNEARNED PRIVILEGE.
AND SO MUCH OF MY CALL INTO THIS NONPROFIT SPACE HAS BEEN ABOUT CONNECTING MORE DEEPLY WITH SECOND AND WEST DALLAS, AND ANCHORING OURSELVES IN THE LA ANCHORING MYSELF IN THE LAST 60 YEARS OF HAVING DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS OF WELCOMING ALL NEIGHBORS INTO DALLAS AND DALLAS COUNTY.
THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS BECAUSE WE'RE CELEBRATING OUR DIAMOND JUBILEE NEXT YEAR, WE ARE LEANING INTO, THAT'S THE THIRD TIME I'VE SAID IT, SO THAT'S THE LAST TIME I'LL SAY IT.
WE ARE RENOVATING, UH, WE'RE RENOVATING PHILIP JOHNSON'S MASTERPIECE, WE BELIEVE, UM, AND OFFERING SOME HELPFUL INCLUSIVE CORRECTIONS, MOST SPECIFICALLY BEING FAR MORE VISIBILITY FORWARD.
WE BELIEVE THAT THOSE, UH, WHO VISIT THE SQUARE ARE OFTENTIMES TURNED AWAY IF THEY'RE MOBILIZED DIFFERENTLY THAN THEIR OWN TWO FEET.
AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO DETERMINE HOW WE CAN DO THAT.
AND SO WE'RE KEEPING PHILIP JOHNSON'S, UH, PHILIP JOHNSON'S IDEA OF THE RAMP INTO THE CHAPEL, EXTENDING THAT OUT SO IT CAN BE CLIENT RAMPS INTO THE TUNNELS UNDERNEATH THAT.
WE, UH, WE ARE ADJACENT TO, TO WHERE YOU ALL HAD YOUR MEETING IN THE HALL OF THANKSGIVING.
SO IT'S FAR MORE ACCESSIBLE WITH NEW SPACES FOR, UH, NEW, NEW SPACES FOR NEW PEOPLE, UH, COMING, COMING.
AND THE EXPERIENCE OF THANKSGIVING SQUARE.
UM, WE'RE DROPPING THOSE REALLY, REALLY TALL WALLS TO BE FAR MORE INCLUSIVE AND CREATING A PLAZA ALONG A PACIFIC AVENUE SO PEOPLE CAN WALK ALONGSIDE AND FIND ON THE STREET NEW NEIGHBORS.
THEY CAN LOOK OVER INTO OUR GARDEN AND SAY, OOH, THAT LOOKS INVITING.
INSTEAD OF, OH, THEY DON'T WANT ME IN.
OOH, THAT'S, THAT LOOKS INVITING.
SO AS WE CONTINUE TO DO OUR WORK, WE'RE TRYING TO LIVE UP TO OUR GOAL BY 2025 TO MAKE DALLAS THE MOST JUST FAIR, EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE CITY IN THE UNITED STATES.
THE HANDOUTS BEFORE YOU IS A PICTURE OF
[00:50:01]
OUR MOSAIC.THIS COMES FROM OUR NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER THIS LAST YEAR.
OUR THEME THIS YEAR IS LOVE PEOPLE.
IT'S NOT ALL THAT HARD AND IT'S THE HARDEST THING WE'LL EVER DO.
UH,
UH, WHAT WHAT WE'RE REALLY ABOUT PHILOSOPHICALLY AND HOW WE'RE TRYING TO LIVE INTO THIS HIGH CALL THAT WE'VE BEEN GIVEN OVER 60 YEARS AGO.
COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, FOR YOUR INTERVIEW, FOR THE WAY YOU STEWARD OUR CITY.
WE ARE FOREVER GRATEFUL AND TRYING TO CATCH UP WITH YOU ALL AS WE BELIEVE THAT WE ARE A CULTURAL ORGANIZATION, UH, LEANING INTO FOURTH TIME, UH, AND ALSO LIVING UP TO OUR CALL ALONGSIDE YOU TO MAKE DALLAS A FAR MORE HOSPITABLE AND JUST FILLED PLACE PERMISSION.
DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS TO ASK DR.
STOKER, PLEASE? UM, IT'S FANTASTIC.
WE REALLY ENJOYED, UM, HAVING OUR RETREAT DOWN THERE.
AND SINCE Y'ALL ARE, I NEVER KNEW THAT THE, UH, CENTERED AROUND THE J F K ASSASSINATION, YOU KNOW, WE SUPPORT, UH, THE HOLOCAUST AND HUMAN RIGHTS MUSEUM.
I JUST WONDERED IF YOU WERE WORKING WITH THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE PLANNING THEIR 60TH, THEY'RE DOING A BIG, HUGE 60TH.
I WONDER IF YOU WERE WORKING WITH THEM.
WE, WE HAVE MANY CONVERSATIONS, UH, SPECIFICALLY WITH MARY PAT.
UH, SO MANY, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, OVER THE LAST FIVE OR SIX YEARS WITH WHAT, WHAT WE BELIEVE IS A RADICAL CULTURAL TRANSFORMATION.
PEOPLE REALLY, WE HOPE, ARE LOOKING INWARD AND NOT JUST GETTING THE OUT OF TALKING ABOUT, UM, UH, PROBLEMS IN ORDER TO, TO SCOOT 'EM UP UNDER THE RUG.
AND WE JUST CONTINUE BUSINESS AS USUAL.
BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF ISSUES THAT ARE COMING UP FOR MARY PAT AND FOR US, UM, PEOPLE THAT, UH, THAT ARE REPRESENTING COMMUNITIES THAT WE HAVE NOT HEARD THEIR VOICE LOUD AND CLEAR BEFORE.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, I BELIEVE, UH, THAT THE WORK OF, UH, THE HOLOCAUST AND HUMAN RIGHTS, UM, MUSEUM IS A GREAT PAIRING WITH US.
WE'VE ALSO WORKED WITH THE SIXTH FLOOR MUSEUM SPECIFICALLY AROUND THE PHENOMENAL, IF YOU ALL DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO SEE IT, UH, THEIR PHENOMENAL LAST EXHIBIT, UH, ABOUT THE POOR PEOPLE'S CAMPAIGN.
IT WAS AMAZING, UH, PART OF OUR HISTORY THAT IS OFTENTIMES FORGOTTEN BECAUSE OF THE CULTURAL TRANSFORMATION THAT WAS HAPPENING IN 68, BUT A SIGNIFICANT NODAL POINT IF WE ACTUALLY TAKE THE TIME TO LISTEN DEEPLY TO WHAT THOSE PIONEERS, THOSE ACTIVISTS, AND THOSE PROPHETS ARE TRYING TO TELL US FOR 2023.
SORRY, I'M A PREACHER AND IT'S
J F K OR THE SIXTH FLOOR MUSEUM IS ACTUALLY PUT, I SAID HOLOCAUST, BUT STILL ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY.
WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO, I, I'M THE GRANDSON OF AVON LADY, SO I'VE KNOCKED ON EVERY DOOR
ONE, UH, MY DAUGHTER, WE GO TO FIRST UNITED METHODIST IN RICHARDSON.
AND, UH, MY DAUGHTER'S CONFIRMATION CLASS TOURED THAT, YES, IT WAS THE SAME NIGHT THAT THEY WENT TO A CATHOLIC THE NIGHT BEFORE THEY WENT TO A, A SYNAGOGUE.
UM, NUMBER TWO WAS THERE, IS, IS THERE ANY OPPORTUNITY FOR THE RECONFIGURATION, UM, TO HOST, UM, PERFORMANCES? ABSOLUTELY.
SO WHERE YOU WERE IN THE HALL OF THANKSGIVING, WE'RE ACTUALLY EXPANDING THAT INTO, UM, A IF, IF YOU THINK OF AN OUTDOOR, UH, RECEPTION SPACE.
SO LET'S IMAGINE THAT, UM, YOUR PARTNER, UH, YOUR GETTING MARRIED AND YOUR RECEPTION'S RIGHT UNDERNEATH, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE CHAPEL KIND OF LOOKS LIKE A TIERED WEDDING CAKE IF YOU HAVE JUST THE RIGHT ANKLE.
AND WOULDN'T IT BE COOL IF YOU HAD YOUR RECEPTION RIGHT UNDERNEATH THAT? SO WE'RE EXPANDING THAT SPACE.
THEN WE'RE ALSO, UH, THAT ENTRANCE INTO THE TUNNELS.
WE'RE CREATING A STAGING A STAGE SPACE, SO IT CREATES A NATURAL AMPHITHEATER FOR BOTH SPOKEN WORD.
AND THEN YOU CAN ALSO, UH, OUR AUDIO, THE AUDIO SYSTEMS IN THAT SPACE ARE VERY ECHOY, SO WE'RE GONNA CARE FOR THAT AS WELL.
SO THOSE WILL BE TWO OUTDOOR, SEMI, SEMI COVERED VENUES.
AND THEN MY THIRD ONE IS, HOW CAN THIS OFFICE HELP YOU? OH MY GOSH.
THAT IS THE, THAT IS MUSIC TO MY EARS.
UM, VISIT US, UM, COME BY AND SEE US, EMAIL US, CALL US OFTEN.
UH, IF YOU HAVE FAMILY COMING IN FOR HOLIDAYS, UM, COME BY AND, UH, AND FOCUS YOUR ATTENTION IF YOU'D LIKE TO CELEBRATE BIRTHDAYS OR ANNIVERSARIES.
[00:55:01]
WE CELEBRATED THE 50TH ORDINATION YEAR OF A ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST, UH, OF HIS ORDINATION YEAR A FEW WEEKS AGO.UM, WE LOVE, WE LOVE TO HAVE PEOPLE THERE.
WE LOVE TO HAVE PEOPLE CONNECTED.
WE'RE OPEN 365 DAYS A YEAR FROM NINE TO FOUR EVERY DAY.
UM, ONE WAY THAT THE, THAT THIS COMMISSION CAN HELP IS, UH, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF IMAGINING WHAT A CITY OF THANKSGIVING LOOKS LIKE.
YOU HAVE KIND OF THE DOTS HERE ON THE BACK OF THIS CARD.
WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE FOR US TO STAY, UH, TO STAY IN THIS SPACE OF GRATITUDE AND THANKSGIVING? THE FIRST THING IS LOVING OUR NEIGHBORS FAR MORE DEEPLY.
THAT MEANS FACING SOME OF THE HARD CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE IN AND ACROSS OUR CITY.
THE THANKSGIVING FOUNDATION WANTS TO BE PART OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
WE BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE A NETWORK OF FOLKS, A NETWORK OF PARTNERS, BOTH IN SOUTH AND WEST DALLAS AND ACROSS DALLAS, REALLY TO ACTIVATE THESE KINDS OF COMMUNAL CONVERSATIONS UNDER THE, UNDER THAT BEAUTIFUL ROOF OF GRATITUDE.
IF WE ALL COME KNOWING THAT WE'RE GONNA APPRECIATE EACH OTHER, UH, BY THE END OF OUR MEETING, MAYBE JUST, MAYBE WE CAN FIND APPRECIATION IN THE OTHER.
SO WHAT WE PRACTICE INSIDE THE WALLS, WE CAN TAKE OUTSIDE THE WALLS AND ACTIVATE IT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND REALLY UNITE US TOGETHER.
OUR MOST PROFOUND, UH, WORK IN THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN, UH, A PROJECT REALLY HUMANIZING POLICE OFFICERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UH, SPECIFICALLY THE, THE NEW CADETS WHO ARE BEING RECRUITED, UM, IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
IF AT ANY TIME YOU ALL WANNA PARTICIPATE IN THOSE DINNERS, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU SIT AT TABLE, LISTEN DEEPLY.
IT WOULD BE A PRIVILEGE FOR US, FOR YOU TO COME AND PARTICIPATE IN THOSE, UH, THOSE EVENTS.
JUST TO GET A TOUCH POINT, UH, THIS MONDAY AND NEXT MONDAY, I'M CONTINUING THAT WITH SOME QUALITATIVE RESEARCH WITH, UM, WITH FOCUS GROUPS ON WHAT DO WE OWE EACH OTHER? IS THE, IS THE PROMPT.
AND SO MAYBE TAKING THAT TOO AS YOUR DAILY DEVOTION, IF YOU WILL, OR YOUR MEDITATION, IF THAT'S YOUR, UM, IF THAT'S YOUR FOCUS, YOUR MANTRA, WHAT DO WE OWE EACH OTHER IN THIS ACTION AND THIS BEHAVIOR AND THIS WAY OF BEING, HOW ANDY STOKER'S SHOWING UP WITH THIS COMMISSION.
AM I GIVING YOU ALL THE LOVE I HAVE FOR YOU UNCONDITIONALLY SO THAT YOU CAN SHOW UP FULLY AND BE YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF AROUND ME? AND I'M, AM I DOING THE SAME FOR YOU? THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF TRANSFORMATIONAL MOMENTS, NO MATTER THE BODY CLOTHES, WE HAVE TO REALIZE AND RECOGNIZE HOW WE CONNECT MORE DEEPLY WITH ONE ANOTHER.
UM, THE WORK OF JUSTICE, THE WORK OF EQUITY, THE WORK OF INCLUSION IS NOT A WEEKEND JOB.
THIS IS A 24 7 JOB, AND THERE ARE FAR MORE NEIGHBORS IN DALLAS WHO HAVE BEEN AT THIS WORK FAR LONGER THAN WE HAVE.
WE HAVE A LOT TO LEARN ABOUT ACTIVATING OUR HEARTS, OUR HEADS, AND OUR LIVES TO BUILD A BETTER DALLAS.
BUT THIS SPACE, IF TWO WE'RE ARTISTS OR SOME OF US ARE ARTISTS, OR THIS IS THE ARTS AND CULTURE MM-HMM.
AND I'M THINKING AS SOON AS YOU SAID SPACE, I'M LIKE, OH, THERE'S ANOTHER SPACE.
THIS SPACE IS SPECIFICALLY IT.
IT HAS A, YOU KNOW, A FAITH PRACTICE.
IT'S ABOUT FAITH PRACTICES AS A, AND I'M AN ARTIST WHO WAS DECONSTRUCTING, DECOLONIZING.
SO BEEN A LONG, STRANGE PROCESS.
AND SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT LIKE, UH, WHAT I COULDN'T DO AT CHURCH, YOU KNOW, AND HOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT I'M ALLOWED, WHAT DOES THAT PROCESS LOOK LIKE FOR SOME A PIECE? IF SOMEONE WANTED TO COME AND PRESENT A PIECE OR, OR AN EXPERIMENTAL PIECE IN THAT SPACE, WHAT WOULD THAT PROCESS LOOK LIKE FOR THEM TO, TO, TO ACQUIRE THIS? THE USE OF THE SPACE? YEAH.
SO WE ARE, WE ARE NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY FAITH TRADITION.
WE ARE, UH, WE ARE THE SWITZERLAND OF SPIRITUALITY
UM, WE HAD AN AMAZING ART EXHIBIT WITH THE TEXAS JEWISH ARTIST ASSOCIATION.
AND THEY, UH, THEY HAD YOUNG STUDENTS WHO HAD JUST FINISHED THEIR BAR AND BAT MITZVAHS AND THEY CAME AND DID CHALK ART, UH, UP AND DOWN OUR SIDEWALKS CELEBRATING THIS INCREDIBLE TRANSITION IN THEIR LIVES.
YOU KNOW WHAT, LUIS? UH, LUIS HAS MY CONTACT INFORMATION.
I'M SORRY, I'VE RAN OUTTA CARDS.
THIS AVON LADY WAS BUSY TODAY.
[01:00:01]
LET'S BE IN CONTACT AND FIGURE OUT WHERE WE CAN, WHERE WE CAN, UH, HELP YOU DECONSTRUCT AND DECOLONIZE AND INVITE PEOPLE TO DO THE SAME.UM, SO THANK YOU ANDY FOR THE LOVE.
UM, I WAS FAMILIAR WITH THANKSGIVING SQUARE BACK THROUGH TANA OFFICE, AS I MENTIONED, WHO KNEW PETER STEWART.
UM, AND, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IF PEOPLE KNOW THIS, BUT PETER STEWART WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER, RECOGNIZED BACK WITH THE REAGAN ADMINISTRATION.
SO I'VE ALWAYS SEEN THAT AS LIKE THE BIGGEST, STRONGEST SUIT FOR THANKSGIVING SQUARE.
UM, AND I JUST FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, ESPECIALLY THAT YOU'RE JOINING KYLE.
UM, AND I DO APPRECIATE THE ARTS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WERE ARTS FAIRS OR FESTIVALS THAT USED TO HAPPEN BEFORE THE PANDEMIC THERE IN THE, IN THE PLAZA, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT SPACE ACTIVATED MORE SO FOR THE ARTIST.
UH, AND MAYBE YOU GUYS CAN, CAN LOOK AT SPACE FINDER, WHICH IS A O A C TOOL, UM, TO MATCH ARTISTS, ORGANIZATIONS WITH SPACE.
UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IS THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER, WHICH IS HELD ITS PAST FEW YEARS AT THE MYERSON.
WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE ARTS SOMEHOW WORKED INTO THE PROGRAM JUST BECAUSE IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.
BUT THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THANKS FOR EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING.
DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER DANIEL, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU, UH, FOR TAKING THE TIME.
I AM A TRANSPLANT TO DALLAS AND I'VE WALKED AS MANY PEOPLE BY THROUGH, AROUND, UNDER, ON TOP OF THANKSGIVING SQUARE FOR, WELL, THE 15 OR SO YEARS, UM, THAT I'VE BEEN HERE.
AND I, AND I AM RETICENT, BUT IT'S TRUTHFUL TO SAY THAT THE FIRST TIME THAT I WAS ACTIVELY LIKE IN A ROOM WAS WHEN WE WERE THERE FOR, UH, THE COMMISSION RETREAT.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR COMING AND HELPING ME JUST UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS, THIS MASSIVE PART OF DALLAS HISTORY AND DALLAS'S LOW LINE BECAUSE IT'S LIKE THE LOWER PART OF THE SKYLINE.
SO, UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME OUT AND NOW WHEN I WALK BY WITH PEOPLE, I CAN BE LIKE, DID YOU KNOW
I NEED ONE, THE OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS.
STOKER, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND COME BACK TO SEE US AGAIN.
IVORY, YOU WANNA GIVE US AN UPDATE ON COMMUNITY ARTS PROGRAMS NEXT? UM, YES MA'AM.
I THINK WE HAVE A, A HANDOUT HERE TO I DON'T SEE YOU.
WHERE ARE YOU? UH, AM I ON? OKAY.
YEAH, YEAH, WE'RE READY WHEN YOU ARE.
UM, I APOLOGIZE THAT MY CAMERA'S NOT WORKING, BUT NEVERTHELESS, THE INFORMATION IS THE SAME WHETHER YOU CAN SEE ME OR NOT.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING OVER THE SUMMER.
THIS IS WILLOW SANCHEZ FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND YOU MUST HAVE YOUR VIDEO AVAILABLE IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE.
CAN SOMEONE ELSE FROM THE OFFICE WITH THE CAMERA ACCESSIBILITY, WALK US THROUGH RHONDA'S REPORT? HER CAMERA IS IN DIGITAL EQUITY.
[01:05:02]
BENJAMIN, IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU, I'LL, I'LL BE HAPPY TO, UH, BRIEF THE ITEM.I'M PLEASE DO NOT AS, UM, CHARMING AS RHONDA IS WHEN IT COMES TO THIS.
UH, BUT AS WE ALL IN NEW YORK OH, THERE, THERE, YOU'RE, APPRECIATE IT.
I WANT NO EXCUSES, NO EXCUSES HERE.
ALRIGHT, I HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION AND A LITTLE BIT.
SO WELL, YEAH, A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.
SO, UH, COMMUNITY ARTS, WE HAVE BEEN REALLY BUSY THIS, UH, SUMMER AND MADAM CHAIR, I'M GONNA FLIP A LITTLE BIT FROM THE, UM, AGENDA AND START WITH THE REIMAGINED VACANCY PROJECT INSTEAD OF THE TEEN PROJECT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE, UH, PROJECT, BUT, UM, WE HAVE A COLLABORATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF CODE COMPLIANCE, UM, IN WHICH WE HAVE THE BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE.
UM, AND ONE OF THE, UM, THE, THE ITEMS IN THIS INITIATIVE IS THE REIMAGINED VACANCY PROJECT.
THE REIMAGINE VACANCY PROJECT, UM, TAKES AREAS OF THE CITY, WHETHER IT'S A VACANT LOT OR AN ABANDONED BUILDING OR SOMETHING, AND WE, WE GO TO IT AND WE FIND A WAY TO BEAUTIFY IT.
THIS SPECIFIC PROJECT IS THE CLARENDON PROJECT AND, UM, IT'S LOCATED AT 1451 EAST CLARENDON.
AND WHAT WE DID WAS WE IDENTIFIED THESE OLD TRAIN TRESTLES, UH, THAT WERE JUST ABANDONED.
UM, THEY WERE TAGGED AND WE FIGURED OUT A WAY TO REIMAGINE THE VACANCY, SO TO SPEAK.
UM, IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
ACTUALLY, ACTUALLY, IF YOU WOULD GO BACK TO THE, THE FIRST SLIDE PLEASE.
SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE IDENTIFIED THESE LOCATIONS AND WE LAUNCHED A, A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS BACK IN MAY.
AND, UH, WE SELECTED AN ARTIST THROUGH THE PANEL PROCESS.
AND, UM, HE IS THE ONE WHO WAS CHOSEN TO ACTUALLY DO THE ART PIECES THAT YOU WILL SEE IN A COUPLE OF SLIDES THAT ARE COMING UP.
WE ALSO DECIDED NOT JUST TO DO, UH, THE MURALS ON THE TRESTLES, BUT WE ALSO DECIDED TO DO A LANDSCAPING PIECE IN THE MIDDLE OF EVERYTHING.