►
From YouTube: Black History Month Kickoff 2/3/2023
Description
Mayor Michelle Wu and city officials kicked off Black History Month by celebrating black resistance and excellence in Boston City Hall.
A
Well,
it
is
a
pleasure
to
be
here
in
city
hall
with
all
of
you.
The
first
thing,
I'm
going
to
say
is
I
know
covet
is
still
a
reality,
but
if
you're
comfortable,
there
are
a
hundred
other
seats
open
right
here,
I
see
all
y'all
standing
up
near
the
food
mind
you,
but
when
I
serve
in
the
food
just
yet.
So,
if
you
want
to
grab
a
seat
instead
of
standing
up,
we
invite
you
to
do
so
in
a
safe
manner.
A
Well,
hello,
everybody,
shagun,
edu
I
have
the
privilege
of
serving
as
the
chief
of
Economic,
Opportunity
and
inclusion.
It
is
a
delight
to
be
here
to
welcome
all
of
you
to
this
very
special
event.
I
want
to
first
thank
the
members
of
the
black
employee
network
or
Ben
who
have
helped
to
organize
this,
not
just
this
event,
but
these
slate
of
events
that
are
happening
throughout
the
month
of
February.
A
If
you
are
a
member
of
Ben
I
want
to
give
you
an
opportunity
to
stand
up
and
be
recognized
because
a
lot
of
work
wouldn't
first
I
know
you
all
are
out
there
stand
up,
will
be
recognized
if
you're
a
member
of
Ben
and
help
to
make
this
happen.
I
see
Frida
and
Keith
Kyron
Ayanna.
Look
at
this
stand
up.
Stand
up,
stand
up,
stand
up.
Let
them
see
you
all
right.
A
A
We
really
appreciate
your
dedication,
not
just
to
the
city
but
to
the
City
Hall
staff,
so
my
job
is
to
help
make
this
go
quickly
and
I
haven't
been
doing
that
because
I've
been
talking
too
much
so
I'm
going
to
welcome
the
Reverend
Dr
Arlene
Hall
to
help
deliver
the
invocation
get
us
in
a
excellent
space
before
we
continue
with
the
program.
Reverend
Dr
Hall.
B
It
is
always
an
honor
to
stand
in
this
capacity
to
be
used
of
the
Lord
I
want
to
ground
my
prayer
in
the
Old
Testament
text
of
Amos,
chapter
5
24,
but
let
Justice
roll
down
as
Waters
and
righteousness
as
a
mighty
stream.
Let
us
pray
mighty
God.
We
are
grateful
for
this
day
for
this
moment
for
this
opportunity,
where
we
can
gather
as
a
people
to
acknowledge
you
to
acknowledge
your
hand
at
work
in
the
lives
of
so
many
people.
B
We
lift
up
a
city
of
Boston
in
this
moment
and
we
thank
you
Father
God,
for
what
you're
doing.
Thank
you
for
the
man
and
woman
who
served
in
the
city
day
in
and
day
out.
We
ask
you,
according
to
this
text,
that
Justice
and
right
decisions
will
flow
from
City
Oil
to
the
neighborhoods.
Justice
will
flow
from
City
all
to
every
city,
Department
in
the
name
of
Jesus,
so
that
oh
God,
our
children,
especially
our
black
children,
will
be
able
to
go
out
and
go
home
in
the
name
of
Jesus.
B
We
ask
you
that
you
will
be
with
us
in
this
moment
that
there
will
be
continual
healing
that
there
will
be
continual
Justice,
that
those
who
are
standing
and
fighting
for
righteousness,
father
God,
will
receive
the
support
and
the
help
they
need.
So
we
just
Commit
This
Time
to
you
that
you
will
do
in
and
through
us
what
we
cannot
do
without
you.
We
acknowledge
that
you
are
the
greatest
one.
You
are
the
mighty
one
and
in
you
we
entrust
this
time
of
gathering
in
Jesus
name
and
everyone
say
Amen.
A
Say
Amen
again
all
right
welcome
to
City
Hall
Baptist
Church.
Thank
you,
Reverend
Dr
Hall.
Thank
you
very
much
before
I'm,
going
to
invite
Jermaine
tullik
to
come.
Join
me
for
the
solo
but
I
as
he
comes
up
to
the
microphone.
I
want
to
acknowledge
some
folks
that
are
in
the
audience
with
us.
Of
course,
city
council
president
Ed
Flynn
is
joining
us.
A
A
I
see
Jose
maso.
A
And
other
members
of
the
cabinet
I
know
Lori
Nelson
is
running
around
here,
who
else
all
right,
all
right,
like
I,
said
I'm
supposed
to
be
making
this
go
faster
and
I'm
not
doing
that.
So,
ladies
and
gentlemen,
I
want
to
I
want
you
to
give
a
warm
welcome
to
Jermaine
tulloch.
C
C
C
D
A
Incredible
wow:
we
want
to
welcome
our
dear
mayor,
Michelle
Wu,
who
has
joined
us.
A
So
I
was
asked
to
deliver
a
20-minute
speech.
Why
are
none
of
you?
Look
you
don't
look
happy,
but
just
as
a
reminder,
the
national
theme
for
Black
History
Month
is
that
of
black
resistance,
and
if
there
is
any
two
sentences,
I
will
say
about
that.
You
know
when
you
use
the
word
resistance.
A
Some
people
get
scared
about
what
that
term
might
mean,
but
I
just
want
to
say
to
all
of
the
black
employees
who
are
within
the
sound
of
my
voice
that
the
mere
Act
of
you're
waking
up
in
the
morning
and
deciding
to
wipe
the
crust
out
of
your
eyes
and
to
take
your
shower
brush
your
teeth.
You
know,
hopefully
you
know
when
you
get
in
your
car
and
take
that
or
take
the
tea.
That's
right
preferably
take
the
tea
and
come
into
work.
A
That
is
an
act
of
resistance
and
I.
Want
you
to
know
that
every
day
that
you
are
the
living
embodiment
of
of
resistance,
there
was
because
you
know
the
reverend's
trying
to
make
me
preach,
but
I
I
I
will
say
that
you
know
wise.
Words
were
shared
with
me
before
that,
despite
the
difficulty
of
the
moment
and,
however,
frustrating
the
hour
that
it
will
not
be
long
before
we
see
the
fruits
of
our
labor.
A
F
F
We
are
here
for
black
resistance
in
me
and
when
I
heard
about
the
title,
I
thought:
what
does
resistance
mean
to
me
and
resistance
to
me
is
using
my
voice
and
amplifying
any
Injustice
any
inequality
that
I
Witness
I
watched,
AOC,
deliver
a
powerful
message
and
I
want
to
do
the
first
poem
called
resilience.
F
F
When
the
tough
get
going,
the
going
get
tough
must
and
I
have
met
my
mama,
the
scars
she
bears
are
invisible.
Only
those
with
the
third
eye
could
see
you
see
her
body
is
strong,
agile,
but
weakened
by
her
experiences.
Black
women
are
to
only
be
strong.
No
complaints,
no
check-ins
only
checkups
to
ensure
the
body
is
intact.
Heavy
the
head,
who
wears
the
crown
but
I,
see
it
slipping
weight
on
her
shoulder.
She
carries
worlds
around.
F
We
simply
orbit
in
her
Universe,
even
when
she's
lost
in
her
own
space,
but
who
who
will
carry
her
burdens?
I
mean
her
anger,
her
depression,
her
anxiety,
her
bipolar,
her
wallet.
She
don't
need
no
partner,
but
society's
price
tags
tells
her
different
stories.
Fairy
tales
unbeknownst
to
her
for
she's,
a
dollar
in
a
dream
mentality.
Don't
worry,
I
got
this
swag
I
can
do
bad
all
by
myself,
no
two
cents
to
rub
together,
but
she
rubbed
out
meals
who
will
nourish
her
soul.
F
It's
tired,
been
beaten,
but
not
just
by
Life
by
family
and
Society,
who
cast
her
away,
didn't
want
to
help
her
rewrite
her
wrongs.
Running
away
from
generational
trauma.
She's
out
of
breath,
panic
attacks
her
nervous
system
like
a
baby.
She
birth.
She
sells
soothes
resilient
black
and
brown
women
overcome
so
many
obstacles
and
when
asked,
how
are
you
they
reply?
My
mama
replies,
I
reply,
I'm,
fine
resilience.
F
Thank
you.
This
next
piece
is
called
black
black
Excellence.
Can
we
give
it
up
for
all
the
beautiful
black
folks
in
the
building?
We
are
in
Black
History
Month,
one
of
my
favorite
months,
one
of
the
shortest
months.
It's
also
my
birthday
month.
My
birthday
is
in
three
days
laughs
same
day
as
Bob
Marley,
so
I
wanted
to
do
black
excellence
in
honor
of
just
celebrating
our
joy.
F
Black
excellence,
our
land,
the
motherland,
where
the
sun
illuminates
our
melon
and
we
glow
different
afro-descendants
fighting
oppression
and
systematic
institutions,
black
magic.
We
turned
into
black
girl
magic
that
energy,
you
can
feel
call
it
Vibes.
We
snap
in
our
necks
and
fingers
like.
Yes,
our
voices
carry
Joy,
they
be
like
how
can
these
people
be
so
liberated
when
we
violate
their
civil
rights
and
their
existence?
F
We
exist
in
ourselves,
our
ancestors
birth
doulas,
in
order
to
reproduce
black
babies
that
ignite
the
culture,
natural
hair,
braided
locks,
wigs,
we
weave
Beauty
into
sculpted
masterpieces
how
we
speak
with
our
eyes
and
be
knowing
what
that
look
mean.
Call
it
telepathy
like
how
our
ancestors
talk
to
us
in
dreams.
How
multilingual
we
are
when
we
say
sakbase.
F
What
it
do
homie,
what's
the
compliment
in
each
other
like
where
are
you
going
dressed
like?
That
means
you
look
good
with
a
t
on
the
end.
We
embody
deities
Aphrodite.
They
tried
to
abandon
us
overseas.
What
they
didn't
know
is.
We
are
healing
folk
protected
by
crystals,
like
black
tourmaline
and
obsidian
orishas,
like
yamaya
carried
us
to
safety.
Surely
providing
our
fruitful
livelihood
cropping
out
negativity
and
planting
seeds
in
the
backyards
and
windowsills
to
feed
our
families.
F
Our
chance
become
mantras,
ceremonies
held
in
homes
and
churches
in
Gola,
now
Nigeria
Ghana
Haiti,
we
Igbo
people.
We
are
historic.
We
were
buried
in
Gold
the
definition
of
royalty,
our
music
pulsating,
a
frequency
that
demands
you
to
move
Lauren,
Hill,
Jay-Z,
Sam,
Cooke,
Anita,
Baker,
James,
Brown,
Kendrick
Lamar
resonates
deeply.
We
are
culturally
appropriated
and
still
act.
Accordingly,
we
can
move
things
just
by
standing,
still
Cosmic,
it's
spiritual.
It's
God,
we
sprinkle
all
that
Razzle
Dazzle
on
everything,
no
matter
societal
conditions,
restraints
or
tactics
we
Thrive
period.
A
A
Is
that
chief
mallor
that
I
see
in
the
back
Brianna
mallor
who's
here,
but
all
the
way
in
the
corner
over
here
I
want
to
shout
out
Frank
Farrow
and
our
team
from
blackmail
advancement,
Rufus
Falk,
and
there
are
so
many
others
that
are
joining
us
this
afternoon.
A
There
is
a
young
woman
I'm
about
to
invite
up
from
one
of
the
best
well
I'm,
not
allowed
to
say
the
best
neighborhood
in
the
city,
so
from
a
great
neighborhood
in
the
city,
Mattapan,
a
student
at
Wellesley,
High
School
and
the
youth
policy
engagement
liaison
for
City
councilor,
Julia,
Mejia
I
want
to
invite
hold
on.
Let
me
get
it
right,
too.
G
Happy
Black,
History,
Month
I'm,
very
grateful
and
blessed
to
be
here.
I
H
Tippy
toes
I'm,
so
small.
Thank
you.
This
piece
I
have
today
is
called
my
blackness
is
an
infinite
abundance.
I
H
My
blackness
is
not
just
the
pigmentation
of
black
brown
coloring,
but
it's
the
representation
of
every
black
sister
and
brother
that
has
fought
for
all
the
other
black
brothers
and
sisters
that
have
to
live
a
life
in
a
system
of
racism
and
discrimination.
My
blackness
represents
the
wounds
that
have
to
constantly
be
reopened.
When
you
hear
of
another
traumatizing
story
about
a
black
man,
woman
or
child
that
got
killed,
brutally
attacked
by
a
racist
cop,
my
blackness
is
Vigor.
H
I
am
constantly
reminded
of
how
powerful
I
am
by
every
black
owned
business
becoming
successful
because
they
say
we
can't,
but
we
do.
They
say
we
won't
be
anything.
But
we
are
my
blackness
is
the
voice
I
had
inside
of
me
because
they
chained
our
people
and
we
were
left
with
no
voice
suffered
in
silence.
But
yet
with
the
loudest
cry-
and
here
we
are
centuries
later,
a
new
birth
of
life,
and
yet
we
are
still
facing
the
stem
of
racism,
racism,
systemic
racism,
my
blackness
is
survival.
H
I
am
a
young
black
girl
surviving
this
world
with
a
portrayed
Vision
that
black
people
are
immoral.
My
blackness
is
having
a
dream
and
chasing
those
dreams
and
finally
seeing
those
dreams,
because
ain't
that
what
MLK
said
my
blackness
is
old,
negro
Spirit
chose
to
reconnect
with
my
ancestors
African
incense
white
sage
rituals
prayer.
Connecting
with
my
gods
and
goddesses.
My
blackness
is
culture,
my
Heritage
Bongos
drums
and
rattles.
My
blackness
is
the
trails
of
steps
to
success
and
freedom
through
trial
and
tribulation.
H
A
And
there's
there's
one
thing
that
councilor
Mejia
says
that
young
people
are
not
our
future.
They
are
our
present
who
are
helping
to
create
our
future,
and
so
we
thank
you
so
much
Maya
and
I
want
to
acknowledge
councilor
Tanya
Financial
Anderson,
who
has
joined
us
district,
7,
City,
councilor,.
A
Well,
it
gives
me
great
honor
to
be
able
to
welcome
this
next
person
when
you
look
at
so
a
week
ago,
we
were
at
MGM,
Music,
Hall
and
many
members
of
the
cabinet
were
there
and
were
acknowledged
and
the
state
of
the
city
addressed.
But
and
when
you
look
at
the
at
who
makes
up
the
cabinet,
there
are
black
folks
running
operations,
running
Community
engagement,
running
Communications,
running
the
police
department,
running
Emergency,
Management,
running
Transportation,
running
the
economy
running
what
else
we
got
running
development,
but
I
was
saving
invite.
A
That's
my
lead
in,
but
all
right
running,
running
the
environment.
What
else?
Well,
okay,
all
right
in
the
cabinet
in
the
cabinet
counseling,
but
that
that
has
never
been
true
for
this
city
and
all
of
its
history,
that
all
of
these
important
roles
are
filled
by
not
just
people
of
color,
but
black
people
who
have
the
wisdom
and
understanding
and
knowledge
to
help,
execute
and
work
with
the
17
000
other
employees
here
in
the
city
of
Boston,
to
make
it
a
better
place.
A
I
could
run
down
the
list
of
all
the
things
that
have
happened
in
just
the
last
year.
That
have
positively
impacted
our
communities
across
this
city,
but
again
I'm
told
that
I
need
to
step
out
of
the
way
because
I've
been
talking
too
much
but
I'd
be
happy
to
make
that
list
and
give
it
to
you,
but
I
feel
I.
J
J
I
want
to
shout
out
to
folks
who
are
I,
can't
believe
and
I'm
gonna
I'm
still
just
trying
to
find
a
way
to
make
them
undo
their
their
transitions
into
their
next
phases
and
anyway,
two
transitions
that
we
want
to
celebrate
and
recognize
all
the
work
that
they
have
put
in
as
well.
Miss
Carla
Payne
retiring
after
44
years
of
service
to
the
city
of
Boston.
J
J
In
acknowledging
our
role
in
deepening
disparities
in
our
city,
in
setting
up
systems
that
haven't
seen,
everyone
don't
work
for
everyone
and
that
can
feel
really
heavy
that
there's
decades
centuries
and
we
as
individuals
in
this
moment
it
can.
It
can
feel
daunting.
How
much
is
in
front
of
us
to
do.
J
J
She
was
busy
at
work
earlier,
but
sends
her
love
to
everyone
and
a
lot
of
the
things
that
she
says
and
that
I
had
the
chance
to
sit
next
to
her
on
the
city
council
floor
for
many
years,
just
alphabetically,
you
know
back
and
forth
much
of
what
she
says
resonance
in
my
head
every
day
about
who
should
be
at
the
center
of
our
work,
but
also
about
how
intentional
policy
harms
that
we're
committed
can
only
be
reversed
and
therefore
must
responsibility
is
to
reverse
intentionally
with
the
policy
Solutions
and
addressing
those
harms.
J
So
many
of
our
Elders
today
have
been
on
the
front
lines
fighting
and
bringing
along
the
Next
Generation
for
decade
after
decade
after
decade,
and
we
also
stand
on
their
shoulders
today.
Celebrate
them.
There's
too
many
Elders
to
to
recognize
some
of
them
60.
Some
of
them
are
now
memorialized
permanently,
alongside
our
beautiful
new
Embrace
monument
in
the
1965
Freedom
Plaza,
and
there
are
many
more
every
day
in
our
community
who
we
continue
to
lift
up
and
learn
from
and
and
carry
the
Baton
forward
alongside.
J
Finally,
it
is
my
job
here
to
recognize.
There
are
many
people
who
have
contributed
so
much,
but
one
person
I've
gotten
the
chance
to
know
in
all
different
capacities
throughout
the
years
and
he
he
was
he's
he's
like
kind
of
pops
up
here.
Doing
one
thing:
pops
up
here
doing
another
thing,
and
then
you
realize
taking
a
step
back,
that
it's
actually
all
connected
all
the
work
from
first
showing
up
as
a
young
professionals,
organizer,
making
sure
that
the
next
generation
was
fully
represented
in
spaces.
J
We
could
have
these
intergenerational
conversations
to
coming
and
saying.
Okay
now
we
are
creating
a
space
for
dialogue,
whether
it's
about
entertainment
in
the
city,
Who
belongs
and
who's
welcome,
or
policies
around
housing-
and
you
know-
oh
we're
gonna
just
have
a
light
conversation
you're
chatting
on
the
stool.
It's
live
stream
to
everyone.
You're
gonna
make
make
these
policy
commitments.
J
J
And
to
chip
for
your
outstanding
commitment,
dedication
and
service
to
our
young
people
of
color
through
the
greatest
Minds,
a
non-profit
organization
dedicated
to
supporting
students
in
high
school
college
and
Beyond,
and
most
of
all,
for
being
a
community
pillar
for
the
city
of
Boston
official
certificate
of
recognition
and
gratitude.
K
Oh,
my
Lord
I
am
so
glad
to
be
here
today.
Thank
you,
mayor,
Michelle
Wu,
for
those
great
words
and
support
I
mean
it's
been
a
long
journey.
I
remember
when
I
was
19
years
old
and
I
came
home
from
college
and
I
was
living
in
Mission,
Hill
and
I'm
with
Gail.
K
My
stepmom
and
my
dad
and
I
realized
that
there
needed
to
be
more
students
going
to
the
historically
black
colleges,
so
at
19
years
old,
I
organized
all
my
friends
to
go
to
all
the
Boston
public
high
schools
during
our
break
to
actually
go
to
Jeremiah
Burke
go
to
Dorchester
High
go
to
English
High
go
to
Boston
Latin.
There
were
30
40
of
us
that
woke
up
every
morning
and
I
know
Gail
and
my
dad
would
get
all
those
caught.
Remember.
We
didn't
have
cell
phones
back
in
the
day
y'all.
This
is
1989..
K
We
had
to
do
some
old
school
organizing,
but
the
commitment
of
all
those
young
people
with
me
who
believed
in
my
leadership
at
19
years
old,
to
say
we
need
to
be
out
there
as
Leaders
was
just
an
amazing
thing.
So
I
got
to
thank
all
the
thousands
of
young
people,
but
also
all
the
mentors
and
all
the
college,
students
that
were
all
born
and
raised
here
that
wanted
to
show
up
and
make
sure
that
the
other
kids
got
an
opportunity
to
see
black
excellence
and
that
they
can
do
it
all
right.
K
So
I
just
want
you
guys
to
know
that
another
thing
my
family
came
here
in
the
1920s,
so
1910
Reverend
James
Greenwich
had
a
church
on
Cedar
Street
in
Roxbury
called
the
Saint
James
Church
and
he
was
the
founder
of
that
church.
He
was
very
good
friends
with
Reverend
Haynes
and
that
family
as
well.
K
But
it's
interesting
is
that
his
his
nephew,
who
I'm
named
after
George
C
Greenwich
in
1953,
he
was
a
porter
of
something
called
a
Pullman
Pullman
Pullman
company,
which
many
African-American
men
were
waiters
and
my
my
great-grandfather
dad.
He
worked
right
over
there
at
the
dad.
What
hotel
was
that
over
there,
the
Parker
House
all
right?
He
worked
at
the
Parker
House
and
but
my
but
my
George
C
Greenwich.
K
What
he
decided
to
do
is
that
he
realized
that
a
lot
of
white
men
in
1953
were
being
passed
over.
He
was
being
passed
over
by
them.
He
would
train
them
because
he
wanted
to
be
a
supervisor
conductor
and
what
he
decided
to
do.
In
1953
there
was
a
new
government
agency
called
the
mass
commission
against
discrimination,
and
he
filed
a
complaint
and
after
that
complaint
was
reviewed,
that
he
in
1953
was
able
to
reverse
a
90-year
ban
that
African
Americans
cannot
be
conductors
1953.
This
is
one
year
before
Brown
versus
Board
of
Education.
K
So,
as
we
look
here
and
think
about
our
namesakes
and
I
want
everybody
here
to
talk
to
your
parents,
talk
to
your
grandparents
and
hear
about
this
history
because
you
have
it
in
you
too.
Okay,
you
do
I
have
two
of
my
wonderful
young
women.
Right
here
say:
hello,
stand
up
foreign,
they
were
like,
we
can
come,
Michelle
will
cancel
school
today.
K
K
But
let
me
bring
you
back
forward
and
as
I
close
this
out,
because
I
know
it's
a
long
thing
is
that
I
remember
back
in
1999,
we
organized
something
called
the
state
of
young
black
Boston
Mariana
was
that
she
was
a
firecracker
back
then
in
high
school
as
well,
but
it
was
us
as
20
to
30
somethings
wanting
to
make
Boston
our
home
and
we
organized
a
huge
conference
at
Roxbury,
Community
College
250
people
showed
up
and
we
pushed
and
pushed
thank
you
and
then
we
challenged
Mayor
Menino
at
the
time
to
do
something.
K
At
this
conference
we
pushed
and
said
that
we
want
to
be
more
welcomed
in
this
city.
At
the
time
mayor
Manito
said
to
all
of
us
that
he
didn't
think
that
Boston
was
an
unwelcoming
City
for
blacks
or
any
minority
leader,
and
he
thinks
that
opening
more
black
clubs
and
restaurants
could
create
more
division.
K
I
thought
we
were
trying
to
move
away
from
that
integrated
City.
That's
what
we
want.
You
go
to
Atlanta
two
groups,
don't
beat
Miami
said
that
if
someone
feels
uncomfortable,
it
was
because
they
think
negatively.
He
said
occasionally:
I
go
to
Chef,
Lee's
and
I
might
be
the
one
only
white
person
there.
It's
all
mindset.
He
said
it's
all
mindset.
He
said
this
in
the
Boston
Globe
after
the
great
staff
of
Charlotte
Richie.
K
You
have
shown
us
through
your
cabinet
that
this
place
can
be
a
place
for
everybody
and
I
want
to
thank
you
for
that,
because
that
means
that
there's
a
lot
of
things
that
we
can
really
do
to
make
this
city
better,
and
you
made
sure
that
you
got
an
A-list
star
of
people
to
make
this
place
a
better
place.
So
everyone
give
it
up
for
everybody
right.
There.
K
Hundreds
and
thousands
of
kids
I've
worked
with
over
the
last
30
years
and
I'm
so
glad
they're
in
your
government,
they're
in
schools,
Serita
Thomas,
Adina
Thomas
have
run
down
to
Charter
School
Tony
Richards,
with
all
the
great
work
Shara
Owens,
all
these
different
people,
but
they're
here,
because
they
believed
that
someone
can
make
a
difference
and
I
want
to
thank
them
for
their
years
of
support
of
just
saying
chip
I'm
going
to
show
up
with
you
all
right
and
I.
Just
also
want
to
thank
my
mom.
Is
here
mom,
please
stand
up.
K
George
Greenwich
Gail
Grady,
Greenwich,
Paulina,
Haywood,
Greenwich,
Hurd
Burke,
all
right
I
just
want
to
thank
you
for
always
believing
in
my
dreams.
Okay,
always
you
know
you
say
chips
at
it
again.
You
know
what
I
mean
my
mom,
especially
I,
said
Mom
I
want
to
go
to
the
Moon.
Let's
go
all
right
and
that's
it
so
I
just
want
to
just
thank
everybody,
and
this
is
a
true
honor
and
I'm
so
glad
to
be
home.
K
L
I
had
the
pleasure
chip
and
I,
we
had
our
our
organizations
in
the
same
building
and
I
remember
when
the
heat
would
go
out.
We
had
a
few
little
things
we
went
through
together,
so
it's
so
great
to
see
you
receive
this
honor
hello,
I'm,
Reverend,
Mario,
chief
of
environment,
energy
and
open
space,
I'm,
usually
known
as
the
chief
of
all
things
green,
but
this
month
I'm
the
chief
of
all
things
red
black
and
green,
and
really
grateful
to
be
with
you.
L
M
I
didn't
ask
yes,
I
did
yes,
I
did
how
y'all
doing
I
just
wanted
to
embrace
you
for
a
little
bit
and
I
won't
take
as
long
as
chip
did
love.
You,
brother
I,
just
want
to
say
Happy
Black,
History
Month.
We
look
forward
to
celebrating
black
history
on
the
15th
here
on
the
mezzanine
floor.
I
wanted
to
thank
president
Flynn,
of
course,
for
sponsoring
and
supporting
the
event.
M
I
want
to
thank
mayor
Wu
for
also
sponsoring
the
event,
because
we're
going
to
look
for
more
money,
so
we
can
make
it
real,
real,
real,
real,
real,
real
nice
and
I
just
wanted
to
say
you
know
here
we
are
in
City
Hall
and
you
hear
a
lot
in
politics,
don't
listen
to
YouTube
or
what
I
was
saying
on
YouTube
politics
is
hard
y'all.
Okay,
and
here
we
are
with
so
much
accomplishments.
M
We've
gotten
this
far
to
City
Hall,
where
we
have
a
woman
of
color
mayor
who
is
clearly
intending
and
intentional
and
purposefully
trying
to
her
best
to
include
us.
The
job
is
difficult,
it's
not
something
that
can
happen
overnight.
It's
not
something
that
you
know
the
policies
that
I
talk
about
and
I'll
be
like.
Okay,
I
disagree
with
that
mayor
Wu,
but
it
doesn't
mean
anything.
M
It
just
means
that
at
the
moment
she
is
trying
to
figure
it
out
how
to
do
it
in
the
best
way,
and
so
I'll
do
my
part
as
your
representative
as
D7
counselor,
to
do
my
job
in
policy.
But
here's
the
thing
we
all
know
that
we're
not
we're
not
even
close
to
what
racial
Equity
looks
like
so
in
the
spirit
of
Black
History
Month.
We
know
that
we
are
the
best
qualified
and
I'm
talking
about
the
black
women.
Black
women
have
stepped
up
the
most
educated,
the
most
qualified,
the
most
resilient.
M
We
don't
want
that
title,
but
we
want
to
be
appreciated,
but
we
have
to
put
our
money
where
our
mouth
is
and
we
have
to
change
policies
and
we
have
to
change
the
wages
for
people
in
Parks,
because
the
majority
of
our
black
people
are
cleaning
our
streets
are
cleaning
our
Parks.
We
have
the
majority
of
our
Municipal
Police.
We
they
make
low
if
you're
black,
you
have
the
lower
jobs
in
the
city.
M
If
you're
in,
if
you're
a
Boston
police
officer,
you
barely
can
make
it
into
the
BPD
Department,
the
fire
department
is
almost
80
percent.
White
bpda
is
over
80
percent
white.
So,
when
you
hear
me
talk
about
this
stuff,
I
want
to
make
room.
I
want
to
preserve
the
jobs
of
everybody
and
my
brethrens.
My
white
brothers
and
sisters
I
want
to
work
with
you,
because
we're
integrated
I
want
to
talk
about
black
history
month
and
what
that
means,
and
not
necessarily
always
connected
to
the
horrible
traumas
and
histories
of
repression
and
oppression.
M
But
that
doesn't
mean
that
we
don't
like
each
other
right
and
that's
what
this
is
about
black
history.
What
is
that?
We
are
the
best
contributors
that
we've
changed
the
world,
that
the
African-American
has
paved
the
way
that
hip-hop
has
done
it,
that
our
culture
have
done
it,
that
our
Beauty
has
done
it.
And
then
here
we
are
me,
a
black
Muslim
immigrant
African
woman,
that
I'm
able
to
be
here
because
of
you
sis,
because
of
you
brother,
and
then
we
have
hard
conversations
and
then
we
can
hug
and
eat
chicken.
M
Yes,
chicken,
the
best
food
in
the
world
and
that
we
can
do
this
with
humor
and
love,
but
the
fight
goes
on
and
so
I
look
forward
to
the
fight,
I,
look
forward
to
yelling
and
biting
and
scratching
and
loving
you
and
hugging
you
and
doing
the
work.
I
love
you,
black
people,
I
love!
You
all
of
my
brothers
and
sisters,
fellow
human
beings,
happy
black
history
month
and
I.
Think
in
my
heart!
That's
what
it
truly
means!
Thank
you.
So
much.
L
Okay,
so
I
know
that
Frida
has
I
wish
she
might
be
behind.
The
scene
has
pulled
so
much
together
has
brought
so
many
people
here.
She
did
make
the
mistake,
though,
of
putting
a
few
too
many
preachers
on
the
program.
That
being
said,
I'm
Gonna
Keep.
It
really
sh,
really
short
and
saying
that
you
know
the
theme
this
this
month.
L
So
I
will
leave
the
rest
of
my
remarks
and
I
will
quickly
introduce
our
next
speaker
now
we're
going
to
do
a
black
church
style,
so
Dr
Emmett
price.
The
third
is
an
internationally
recognized
expert
on
black
music
and
culture,
afro,
diasporic,
sacred
and
secular
expressions
and
Christian
worship.
L
He
has
spent
much
of
the
past
few
decades.
Writing
lecturing.
He
even
got
a
podcast
and
conducting
Cutting
Edge
research
on
Bridging.
The
generational
divide,
an
acclaimed
scholar,
doc
price
is
the
author
of
hip-hop
culture.
He
is
the
executive
editor
of
the
Encyclopedia
of
African-American
music
and
the
editor
of
the
black
church
and
Hip-Hop
culture
toward
Bridging.
The
generational
divide.
C
D
C
C
D
D
D
E
E
We
thank
you
for
your
commitment
and
dedication
for
each
and
every
one
of
our
workers,
laborers
within
City
Hall.
Thank
you
for
the
legacies
that
you
are
building,
as
you
do
the
great
work
that
you
do
to
the
Reverend
doctor,
Arlene
Hall,
Boston's,
prayer
Warrior.
We
thank
you
for
those
knee
pads
that
you
use
on
The,
Daily
and
perhaps
hourly
basis
to
pray
on
behalf
of
this
city
and,
most
importantly,
on
behalf
of
each
of
us
to
the
Brilliance
of
Amanda
Shea
whoa.
E
Thank
you.
You
exude
and
exemplify
what
black
Excellence
black
Brilliance
is
and
you've
been
doing
it
for
quite
a
while.
Thank
you
to
our
dear
sister
scholar,
sister
Maya,
our
scholar
in
the
house.
Thank
you.
It
takes
great
courage
to
begin
in
song
and
then
go
in
speech
and
your
eloquent
prose
lifted
us
up
and
I
leaned
over
the
Chip
And
I
said
indeed,
Kendrick
Lamar
was
right.
It's
going
to
be
all
right
to
brother,
Jermaine
whoa,
see
black
Brilliance
is
what
happens
when
you
take
your
education
and
you
mix
it
with
your
real
life.
E
Experience
embodied
experience
and
you
don't
let
one
be
more
important
than
the
other
you
let
each
inform
one
another,
and
so
you
can
stand
up
here.
Trained,
can
seeing
all
the
great
songs
of
the
world
and
yet
stand
up
here
as
a
black
man
and
share
with
us
both
your
pain
and
your
hope.
Thank
you
for
that.
E
Who
are
the
folks
who
were
doing
all
the
work
in
the
in
the
neighborhoods
and
and
who
are
the
folks
who
were
mentoring,
the
young
people
and
who
are
the
folks
who
are
not
following
the
trajectory
of
poo
pooing
on
hip-hop
and
poo
pooing
on
our
Urban
expression
and
the
two
people
who
unanimously
I
was
pointed
towards?
Were
these
two
people
right
here
and
so
what
a
great
honor
it
is
to
sit
in
between
the
two
of
you
on
this
day.
E
But
your
black
resilience
in
the
form
of
black
resistance
to
the
fallacy
of
white
supremacist
ideologies
pushed
you
back
forward
to
say
that
I
have
some
work
still
left
to
do
so.
The
countless
young
people
who
you
have
mentored
and
who
have
been
in
relationship
with
young
people
who
you
have
mentored
and
who
have
watched
you
Mentor,
the
folks
who
they
couldn't
get
proximity
to.
You
are
in
alignment
to
the
work
that
you
have
done,
and
so
your
legacy
far
exceeds
the
number
that
you
can
count
on.
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
As
they
sung
the
song,
they
believed
in
the
words
as
they
believed.
In
the
words
they
believed
that
their
lives
do
matter
and
they
resisted
the
fallacy
of
white
supremacist
ideology
and
when
they
did
that
these
young
people
continued
to
sing
the
song
even
after
the
Abraham
Lincoln
celebration,
they
sang
the
song
so
much
that
in
1919
the
NAACP
declared
it
the
Negro
national
anthem.
E
Deeply
inspired
by
a
number
of
things,
including
this
song
in
1926
Harvard
trained,
Dr,
Carter
G
Woodson
declared
that
one
of
the
ways
that
we
can
influence
the
thinking
of
non-melonated
people
is
to
help
them
understand
our
Rich
contribution
to
the
world.
So
he
declared
negro
history
week
book
arming
with
the
with
the
birthdays
of
Abraham
Lincoln
Frederick
Douglass,
that's
how
we
get
February,
it's
not
because
they
y'all
know
who
they
are
right.
They
gave
us
the
shortest
month.
In
the
year
it
was
selected
based
on
the
information
that
they
had
at
that
time.
E
We
think
differently
about
Abraham
Lincoln
now
by
the
way,
but
we
still
got
February
1976
President,
Gerald
Ford
declares
Black
History
Month,
a
national
recognition
and
yet
in
2023,
I'm
glad
Reverend,
chief,
that
you
mentioned
this
as
we
mourn
the
death
of
Tyree,
DeAndre
Nichols
and
the
horrible
situation
by
which
he
was
maimed,
tortured
and
lynched
by
some
black
men.
We're
gonna,
we're
gonna,
say
it.
We
gonna
say
it:
we
don't
forget
to
mourn
for
our
own
brother,
Tyler
Lawrence,
here
closer
to
home,
see
we're
complicated
people
and
we
can
hold
complicated
things
in
tension.
E
That's
why
I
love
the
work
that
chip
has
done
over
the
years,
I
often
think
about
what?
If
what,
if
Chip
was
in
Memphis
ten
years
back
in
order
to
help
influence
these
folks?
What
what
if
Reverend
chief,
was
in
Memphis
15
years
back,
right
and
and
I
know,
we
can't
replicate
ourselves,
and
this
is
not
to
put
any
additional
burden
on
your
shoulders.
E
E
It's
wonderful
to
have
an
emotional
response
to
the
phenomenal
singing
and
to
our
grios
here
who
have
told
the
historical
past
and
current
situation
and
have
declared
a
hopeful
proximity
of
the
prophetic
notion
of
what
is
to
come.
It
is
great
to
have
our
learned
ones
here,
who
have
been
celebrated
and
who
have
been
elevated,
who
are
leading
us
stewarding.
The
resources
of
this
great
land
that
have
been
storeded
by
those
who
were
here
before
we
came.
E
E
I
challenge
you
to
love,
Big,
Brother,
Cornell,
says
love
is
what
Justice
looks
like
lived
out.
I
challenge
you
to
love,
I
challenge
you
to
love
and
to
get
away
from
Big
Sisters
notion
of
bitter
Twisted
lies
because
we
still
rise.
I
challenge
you
to
love.
Big
sister
said
that
when
they
go
low
we
go
high.
I
challenge
you
to
love.
E
L
So
I
was
supposed
to
leave
to
go
to
a
meeting,
but
I
couldn't
I
wanted
to
make
sure
we
had
this
opportunity
to
close
out
I'm,
maybe
one
of
the
few
people
so
because
I'm
one
of
the
few
people
that
learned
all
the
words
to
these
songs
I
went
to
an
Afrocentric
preschool
the
Henry,
Buckner,
School
and
I.
Remember
we
sang
this
song
even
for
Miss
Rosa
Parks
when
she
came
to
visit
our
school
when
I
was
four
years
old
and
we
were
required
to
know
every
single
word
of
these
song
of
this
song.