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From YouTube: City Academy Graduation
Description
Mayor Martin J. Walsh celebrates the first graduating class of City Academy in Faneuil Hall. These graduates will go on to careers as emergency respondents, EMTs, and Paramedics.
A
A
Good
morning,
just
what
I
like-
and
it
is
indeed
a
beautiful
morning-
my
name
is
Vivian
Leonard
and
I'm.
The
director
of
human
resources
for
the
city
of
Boston
and
I
have
the
honor
of
being
in
this
position
and
serving
the
city
of
Boston
on
behalf
of
the
city
of
Boston
and
Mayor.
Walsh
I
would
like
to
welcome
you
to
the
first
annual
City
Academy
graduation,
and,
if
you
just
would
indulge
me
for
a
moment,
I
want
the
graduates
to
stand
up.
A
You
must
continue
to
prepare
yourself
for
those
opportunities
that
will
continue
to
come
your
way
in
order
that
you
would
be
able
to
step
into
them,
and
what
I
also
would
like
to
acknowledge
is
that
this
graduation,
it
was
supposed
to
originally
take
place
on
February
5th.
However,
we
had
the
rolling
rally
in
the
Patriots.
Why
right.
A
A
City,
a
cat
before
well
city
Academy,
came
to
fruition
as
the
result
of
an
announcement
that
mayor.
While
she
may
sit
down
I'm
sorry,
I'm,
not
gonna,
make
you
stand
the
whole
time
sit
down.
Thank
you.
City
Academy
came
to
fruition
as
a
result
of
an
announcement
that
Mayor
Walsh
made
in
his
2018
inaugural
address,
as
I
like
to
state
cities
do
not
run
themselves.
It
takes
bold
leadership
and
vision.
Mayor
Walsh,
thank
you
for
your
bold
leadership
and
vision
in
order
to
bring
City
Academy
to
fruition.
A
City
Academy
is
the
collaboration
between
the
mayor's
office
of
Workforce
Development,
which
is
led
by
tren
win-win
and
the
office
of
human
resources,
which
is
led
by
me.
Our
partners
in
this
initial
venture,
where
the
Boston
Water
and
Sewer
led
by
Henry
Vitali
Boston
Housing
Authority,
led
by
Bill
McGonagall
Boston
practice,
Department,
led
by
Chief
Chris
Cook,
the
Public
Works
Department,
led
by
a
chief
of
the
streets,
Chris
Osgood
and
last
but
not
least,
they
eat
the
Boston
EMS
medical
services,
better
known
as
EMS,
which
is
led
by
Chief
James
hooli
of
they're.
A
A
City
Academy
recruited
and
trained
residents
from
across
Boston's,
diverse
neighborhoods
for
entry-level
positions
that
provided
good
wages
and
benefits
in
addition
to
opportunities
for
additional
advancement
with
the
city
of
Boston.
More
importantly,
we
were
a
search
of
workers
who
would
see
themselves
as
public
servants
working
daily
to
earn
the
trust
of
residents
and
businesses
and
I'm
very
happy
to
state
that
this
collaboration
has
resulted
in
91
percent
of
city
hires
in
2018,
making
at
least
$14
an
hour
and
being
eligible
for
benefits
such
as
vacation,
sick
leave
and
health
insurance.
Why
is
that
so
important?
A
You
have
to
understand
that.
Just
recently,
the
state
has
passed
a
law
that
says
by
2023.
So
within
five
years
we
will
get
to
the
minimum
wage
being
$15.
However,
once
again
under
Mayor
Walsh's
leadership,
we
are
exceeding
the
expectations
that
we
place
on
ourselves
to
ensure
that
workers
are
earning
a
living,
wage
and
good
benefits.
A
So
that's
really
exciting
for
me,
and
it
makes
me
know
that
this
is
the
reason
and
my
purpose
for
being
in
this
position
today,
because
I
get
the
opportunity
to
enhance
the
lives
of
others
and
work
for
someone
like
mayor
Walsh,
who
has
the
bold
leadership
and
vision
so
I'm
very
grateful
for
that.
Now,
I
would
like
to
introduce
you
to
one
of
our
partners
that
I
knew
from
a
past
life
when
I
worked
at
City
Hospital,
where
City
Hospital
also
had
EMS
as
a
department.
A
He
was
not
the
chief
at
that
particular
time,
but
like
many
of
you
in
the
audience
and
many
of
us
on
the
stage,
he
had
a
dream
and
he
had
hope.
So
when
an
opportunity
presented
itself,
he
took
it
upon
himself
to
take
a
T
course
where
he
trained
passed
the
certification
process
and
obtained
a
job
with
the
Boston
EMS,
where
he
continued
to
take
advantage
of
opportunities
and
being
prepared.
A
So
therefore
he
was
promoted
to
paramedic
and
then,
after
that,
he
continued
to
prepare
himself
for
additional
opportunities
and
received
several
promotions
along
the
way
before
becoming
the
chief
of
EMS.
Nearly
ten
years
ago
and
I'm,
speaking
of
none
other
than
my
friend
chief
James
hooli,
if
you
could
welcome
to
the
stage,
please.
B
B
I'm
sorry
directing
what
yeah
as
well,
thanks
for
inviting
me
here
today
and
I'm
very,
very
proud
to
be
associated
with
this
event
to
the
candidates,
the
office
of
Workforce,
Development,
City
Academy.
Congratulations
to
all
of
you,
especially
those
of
you
who
are
an
EMT
training
track.
Thank
you
for
your
dedication.
So
far,
you
have
path
to
becoming
a
Boston
EMS
emergency
medical
technician
and
thank
you
to
your
families
who
have
supported
you
throughout
the
training
process.
B
So
far,
just
over
a
year
ago,
I
spoke
to
Vivian
leaded
we're
at
an
event
in
in
Brighton,
and
one
of
the
best
things
about
working
in
public,
safe
service
in
government,
particularly
in
this
administration,
is
that
everyone
does
work
together.
A
lot
we
get
to
know
each
other.
We,
where
we're
free
to
bounce
ideas
off
each
other
and
and
one
of
the
greatest
things
I've
noticed,
is
lots
of
times
you
need
help.
B
All
you
have
to
do
is
ask,
and
your
partners
and
other
agencies
are
happy
to
do
too
happy
to
help
out
it's
it's
it's
a
great
thing,
so
it
was
just
over
years
ago.
We
spoke,
and
we
spoke
about
and
Vivian
as
she
said,
has
been
a
friend
for
over
40
years
and
I
spoke
to
her
about
some
of
our
recruiting
challenges
and
over
the
years
we've
seen
a
decline
in
the
number
of
candidates
who
apply
to
work
for
us.
B
For
when
a
patient
is
in
the
midst
of
a
medical
crisis.
Having
a
connection
with
the
provider
can
not
only
ease,
fear
and
anxiety,
but
can
also
assist
in
communication,
allowing
personnel
to
better
understand
a
patient's
symptoms,
illness
or
injury.
So
much
of
what
we
of
the
care
that
we
provide
in
the
field
in
homes
and
in
the
back
of
ambulances
extends
well
beyond
clinical
expertise.
B
The
conversation
and
the
compassion
we
show
to
our
patients
can
have
a
profound
impact
so
that
evening
Vivian
stopped
me-
and
she
said
you
have
to
speak
to
trend-
went
about
this
because
you
have
a
need.
She's
got
a
program
that
can
help
and
later
at
a
subsequent
meeting
that
I,
remember
daniel
tavares
from
the
mayor's
office
was
that
where,
when
various
programs
are
talking
about
owd,
he
was
saying,
and
you
have
jobs
at
the
end,
which
is
the
real.
B
The
real
gift
in
this,
so
that
night
trend
was
also
at
the
event
and
in
a
few
minutes,
this
incredible
idea
in
which
we
would
partner
and
work
together
to
recruit
residents,
train
them
to
become
EMTs
and
meet
our
dire
need
for
residents
interested
in
and
eligible
to.
Work
for
us
was
born.
This
idea,
a
spoke
up
with
trend
rapidly
took
shape
and
within
just
a
few
short
months.
Her
team
was
out
recruiting
hundreds
of
residents
to
apply
for
the
MTC
Academy
training
track.
B
Recognizing
that
we
wanted
to
ensure
candidates
not
only
wanted
to
work
for
us,
but
would
also
be
able
to
pass
the
EMT
cost
and
be
eligible
to
apply
for
us.
The
office
of
workforce
development
interviewed
each
person
check
the
driving
record
and
proctored
an
aptitude
test.
We
also
conducted
quarry
checks,
a
physical
test
and
a
drug
45
people
assaulted
for
a
three
week
bridge
cost
and
from
there
25
candidates
received
a
scholarship
for
the
EMT
course,
which
started
in
August
of
2018.
C
C
B
B
I
would
like
to
extend
my
utmost
gratitude
to
trans
team,
including
Midori,
Morikawa,
Lynn,
Sanders,
Stephanie,
O'shea,
Angie,
Camacho
and
her
bond,
as
well
as
Kelly
Folsom,
and
the
training
personnel
at
Boston
EMS,
including
superintendent,
Pierce,
all
captain's
ken
skarner
captain
Michelle
fede
and
captain
Naomi
waters,
and
to
our
chief
of
staff,
Laura
Siegel,
for
making
this
all
possible
today
to
today's
graduates.
I
hope
that
today
instills
our
a
new
dedication
to
see
this
process
through
you're
over
halfway
there.
Ladies
and
gentlemen,
I
was
immediately
impressed
by
the
spirit
that
this
group
showed.
B
B
Have
it
when
I
stopped
by
some
of
the
classes
like
over
the
months?
It's
you
can
see.
You've
got
that
spirit.
You
want
to
belong
here
and
that's
the
most
important
thing
and
you
so
have.
No
doubt
we
want
you
to
succeed.
We
want
to
see
many
of
you
in
a
recruit
Academy
this
spring.
The
success
of
this
program
will
breed
further
success
and
you'll
have
paved
the
way
for
others.
It's
a
challenging
road
ahead
of
you,
ensuring
that
you
pass
the
necessary
necessary
state
certifying
exams
and
a
couple.
B
You've
already
have
congratulations,
but
it's
ultimately
a
rewarding
endeavor,
there's
an
honor
and
privilege
serving
others
during
their
times
of
greatest
need
and
you'll,
be
there
when
infants
take
their
first
breath
and
when
others
take
their
loss
thanks
to
the
hard
work
and
investment
in
this
program,
you
will
be
well
prepared.
Congratulations.
B
All
right,
I'm,
sorry,
I,
didn't
read
the
fine
print
I
was
thought.
I
was
supposed
to
introduce
somebody,
but
it's
important
that
you
study
right
pay
attention,
oh
well,
but
anyway,
no,
it's
just
real
quickly.
I
I
have
the
great
honor
of
introducing
our
mayor
and
when
I
referred
back
before
that,
the
idea
in
this
administration
is
that
we
all
do
try
to
help
each
other
out.
B
You
know
no
doubt
with
everything
public
works
box,
everybody
else
doing.
We
all
have
needs
and
we
all
are
desiring,
and
we
all
have
had
the
message
loud
and
clear.
We
want
to
draw
from
our
neighborhoods.
We
want
to
draw
and
attract
our
young
people.
Well,
we
want
as
much
diversity
as
we
can.
We
want
what
people
could
speak
different
language.
Everything
I
mean
that's
that
goes
across
the
board
in
the
city
and
that
urge
first,
all
work
together
really
is
under
the
leadership
of
one
gentleman
and
it's
my
pleasure
to
introduce
him
right
now.
D
Thank
you,
Thank
You,
chief
and
I
appreciate
your
remarks
and
your
words
and
what
you've
done
with
our
EMT
system
in
Boston
that
has
grown
under
Chief
ulis
leadership.
I
want
to
thank
him.
I
want
to
thank
Vivian
Leonard,
affirm
from
director
of
Office
of
human
resources,
really
committed
to
making
sure
this
program
is
successful,
Trin
Wynn
and
her
team
and
everyone
at
the
office
of
Workforce
Development,
who
focused
on
on
the
issue
of
rising
everyone.
Equally
across
the
city
of
Boston
I
know
our
student
speaker
is
gonna,
be
up
in
a
few
minutes.
D
Thank
You
Adam
as
well
I
want
to
congratulate
all
the
families
and
friends
that
are
in
this
in
this
hall
today,
you
should
be
proud
of
of
the
graduates
that
are
gonna
be
coming
up
here
in
a
few
minutes
and
I
know.
I
am
certainly
as
mayor
Vivian
talk
a
little
bit
about
two
years
ago
in
my
my
second
inauguration
about
wanting
to
a
strong
focus
on
rebuilding
the
middle
class.
D
It's
something
that
is
really
important
for
us
here
in
the
city
of
Boston,
as
you
can
see
that
there's
a
lot
of
development
going
up
around
Boston,
there's
a
lot
of
new
homes
being
built
in
Boston.
One
of
the
concerns
that
we
have
in
our
city
is
that
this
this
this
economic
boom
and
this
prosperity
that's
happening
in
the
city.
It
isn't
and
wasn't
happening
for
everybody,
and
how
do
we
make
sure
that
that
opportunity
does
present
itself
for
everyone
and
we
created
two
programs?
D
One
is
called
Boston
hires
and
the
other
one
is
called
City
Academy
Boston
hires
is
focused
in
the
private
sector,
working
with
employers
on
job
training
organization
and
also
getting
people
into
jobs
with
living
wages
and
benefits.
And
when
I,
when
I
think
about
this
program,
it
was
a
focus
that
we
put
out
there.
That
was
the
next
step
into
making
sure
that
families
have
strong
economics
to
allow
families
to
opportunity
and
people
the
opportunity
to
be
able
to
live
and
thrive
in
the
city.
D
Raise
families
in
the
city
buy
a
home
in
the
city
move
forward
in
the
city,
one
of
the
things
I
was
fortunate
enough.
My
parents
came
from
Ireland,
so
they're
immigrants,
where
my
father
came
out
here
in
1956
to
America.
He
joined
the
laborers
Union
and
he
was
able
to
get
into
a
union
in
in
the
50s
and
60s
and
70s
work
wasn't
always
steady.
It
was
a
lot
of
unemployment.
No,
there
wasn't
the
the
boom
that
we're
experiencing
today,
but
what
happened
was
when
he
went
on
a
job.
D
He
earned
a
living
wage
and
over
his
time
in
the
Union
over
40
years
in
the
Union.
Now
he
was
able
to
work
on
jobs
that
collective
bargaining
agreements
were
able
to
to
move
him
up
into
the
middle
class
where
he
was
able
to
buy
a
home
and
raise
two
kids
and
and
support.
My
mother
and
my
brother
and
myself
we
were
able
to
have
a
home
were
able
to
put
food
on
the
table.
We
would
never
rich
by
any
stretch
of
the
imagination,
but
we
had
health
benefits.
D
We
had
health
care
and,
as
he
got
older
in
life,
when
he
retired,
he
had
a
pension
and
he
was
able
to
retire
with
dignity
and
able
to
have
that
pension
when
he
passed
away
that
pension
was
able
to
be
support.
My
mother
and
he
also
had
Social
Security
that
helped
him
there,
and
that
was
the
American
dream
for
my
father
and
my
mother
and
the
immigrant
that
they
were
the
next
generation.
D
Obviously
my
brother
and
myself,
you
know
we
learned
from
that
and
it's
important
that
when
I
think
about
us
being
mayor
of
the
city
of
Boston,
no
one,
everyone
has
the
opportunity
that
my
father
did
I'm,
not
sure
how
we
got
into
the
Union
at
the
time.
But
I
know
that
a
lot
of
guys
that
came
from
Island
join
the
Union.
D
We're
trying
to
do
now
is
bridge
the
gap
to
get
people
into
that
area,
where
you
begin
that
upward
mobility
and
it's
important
that
as
you
do
it
yourself
as
individuals.
But
it's
also
important
that
the
city
helps
you
helps.
You
continue
that
upward
mobility-
and
you
know
Vivian-
talked
about
the
the
minimum
wage.
Gonna
be
15
bucks
an
hour
in
a
few
years,
that's
great,
but
in
a
few
years
that
minimum
wage
is
gonna,
be
obsolete
again
and
people
aren't
gonna,
be
the
kid
basically
raised
a
family
on
minimum
wage
today.
D
City
Academy
we're
engaging
people
in
our
community,
we're
connecting
them
with
the
tools
and
the
understanding
and
the
training
and
the
skills
that
they
need
to
begin
careers
in
the
city
of
Boston,
because
it's
not
simply
just
going
on
a
website
finding
a
job
and
going
for
it
because
a
lot
of
times
what
the
requirements
are.
It's
intimidating
and
people
say
well,
I,
don't
have
that
I!
Don't
have
this
I.
Don't
have
that
and
it's
about
making
sure
that
we
help
you
educate
you
on
how
to
understand
that
the
skills
that
might
be
on
paper.
D
You
have
those
skills,
you
might
not
realize
it
or
might
not
understand
the
way
it's
written,
but
you
have
those
skills
when
we
need
to
do
that,
which
we
years
into
this
program,
roughly
we've
seen
already
Boston
hires,
has
already
placed
over
four
thousand
residents
into
quality
jobs.
That's
that's
a
good,
that's
a
good
first
step.
Our
goal
is
20,000
jobs
by
the
year
2022,
but
we're
not
and
we're
not
gonna
stop,
but
I
want
to
thank
City.
D
The
results
of
many
partners
coming
together
is
important
for
us,
so
we
need
to
continue
to
bring
these
partnerships
to
the
table
because,
as
we
see
new
cranes
and
new
buildings
and
new
companies,
we
need
to
make
sure
that
there's
opportunities
for
people
that
live
in
our
city,
people
that
might
not
have
been
born
here,
people
that
might
have
come
from
another
another
place,
people
that
were
born
here,
people
that
came
from
other
countries
making
sure
that
these
opportunities
are
happening.
We
have
great
employers.
D
We
believe
that
good
good
work
should
be
met
with
good
wages.
This
isn't
about
nickel
and
diming
the
worker
in
making
money
for
operative
companies.
This
is
about
making
sure
that
that
workers
could
share
in
the
prosperity
of
companies
as
they
grow.
Here
in
the
city
of
Boston,
we
have
some
great
employers,
Boston
Medical
Center,
which
hired
more
than
400
residents
in
the
first
six
months
of
our
campaign.
There's
an
opportunity
there
with
those
jobs
comes
health
care
with
those
jobs
comes
comes
a
pension
or
retirement
system.
D
It's
important
for
us
that
we
think
about
this,
and
we
think
about
how
do
we
support
the
whole
family?
Building
pathways
is
a
program
that
I
was
fortunate
to
start
with
trained
when
she
worked
at
the
Boston
Housing
Authority
before
is
the
mayor
with
the
building
trades
put
draw
predominantly
people
of
color
and
women
to
get
them
opportunities
for
careers
into
the
building
trades.
Our
third
class
building
pathways
a
few
years
ago
was
was
13
all
women
in
the
class
in
industry.
That
people
say
well,
there's
no
women
that
want
to
get
into
the
industry.
D
We
found
women
that
want
to
get
into
the
construction
industry
and
those
folks
that
are
in
those
classes
now
are
making
good
wages
the
first
graduates
of
that
of
building
pathways,
our
journey
people,
meaning
that
they're
vested
and
they're
working
on
jobs
and
they're
earning
the
top
wages
and
the
different
respective
straits
and
they're.
It's
an
opportunity,
buy
a
home,
raise
a
family,
put
food
on
the
table
and
have
a
good
middle-class
life,
and
that's
something
that
we're
going
to
continue
to
do
see.
The
Academy
is
also
off
to
a
strong
start.
D
All
of
you
graduates
in
front
of
me
and
the
ones
that
couldn't
make
it
today
because
of
rescheduling
because
of
the
parade
have
shown
us
that
this
first
class
represents
26
Boston
residents
from
26
different
families
from
26
different
backgrounds
from
all
neighborhoods
all
across
the
city
of
Boston.
That's
a
good
snapshot
of
who
we
are
as
a
city
right
here.
If
you
look
at
the
front
row
here
and
look
at
actually
everybody
here
in
finial
hall,
it's
a
snapshot
of
who
we
are
as
a
city.
D
The
Koreas
you're
starting
will
have
a
ripple
effect
into
the
communities
and
also
the
craziest
outing
will
have
a
ripple
effect
into
your
families
and
change
them
for
generations
to
come
to
be
able
to
get
on
your
feet
and
be
able
to.
This
is
the
beginning
point.
This
isn't
the
ending
point.
This
is
an
opportunity
for
you
to
continue
to
build
on
what
you
want
to
do
in
your
career.
It
has
taken
a
lot
of
people
to
make
this
happen.
D
The
impact
is
that's
going
to
have
not
just
on
your
families
but
on
our
city
as
a
whole,
I'd
like
to
thank
the
office
of
Workforce
Development,
who
runs
City
Academy,
to
thank
all
of
our
Human
Resources
officers
in
in
the
city
Vivian
and
everyone
that
works
with
Vivian
all
across
the
city
of
Boston.
We
like
to
thank
Boston,
EMS,
obviously
chief,
who
Lee
is
very
committed.
He
talked
about
it
today.
D
Public
Works,
Department
I
want
to
thank
our
public
works
department
and
all
the
folks
at
our
public
works
department
in
our
parks
department
who
have
done
a
lot
to
make
this
program
successful.
That's
the
secret
of
making
change
happen.
It
depends
on
hard-working
individuals
like
the
graduates
in
front
of
me.
It
also
depends
on
the
community
of
people
who
support
you
every
step
of
the
way
and
it's
also
uncommitted
people
who
want
to
make
sure
that
you're
successful
you
know
you
don't
have
a
name
to
a
lot
of
the
people
in
City.
D
We're
working
to
meet
national
challenges
that
affect
every
city
in
America
when
I,
when
I
go
to
the
US
Conference
of
Mayors
and
I
talked
to
other
males
from
other
cities
across
America.
The
biggest
thing
we
talk
about.
We
talk
about
a
lot
of
big
things,
we're
talking
about
the
environment.
We
talk
about
transportation.
We
talk
about
housing,
we
talk
about
economic
development,
but
all
of
the
things
we
talked
about
kind
of
have
a
common
theme
and
it's
caught.
D
That
common
theme
is
making
sure
that
the
middle
classes
pathways
into
success
in
America,
and
we
also
talked
about
how
that
road
has
got
narrower
and
narrower
and
narrower
and
every
day
seems
more
difficult
to
see
it
happen.
But
we
have
to
do
what
and
we're
starting
here
in
Boston.
It's
making
sure
that
that
row,
that's
narrow,
widen
that
road
to
make
sure
that
there's
opportunities
for
all
that
we
can
continue
to
bring
people
into
that
into
the
middle
class
and
opportunities
for
success
in
Boston
were
rebuilding
pathways.
D
We're
showing
a
way
forward
the
graduates
in
front
of
me-
and
this
is
for
the
people
in
the
room.
What
I
see
is
I
see
Boston.
This
is
who
we
are
as
a
city
and
it's
important
for
us.
So
we
understand
that
we're
a
city
for
everybody,
I'm,
not
gonna,
get
caught
up
in
identity,
politics,
I'm,
not
gonna,
get
caught
up
on
the
rhetoric
coming
out
of
Washington
I'm
gonna
say
what
we
do
in
Boston.
D
I
see
every
race
in
our
city,
I
see
every
gender
in
our
city,
I,
see
every
ethnicity
in
our
city,
I
see
every
background
in
our
city.
In
every
single
person.
Our
city
deserves
an
opportunity
to
be
successful
and
to
benefit
from
what's
happening
here.
I
want
to
solve
I
want
all
working
people
and
I
see
you
have
a
job
that
could
support
their
families.
D
So
when
we
talk
about
minimum
wage
in
the
future,
we're
talking
about,
if
for
younger
people
that
have
an
entry-level
job
into
society,
not
a
mother
who's
trying
to
raise
a
child
and
worried
about
minimum
wage,
isn't
gonna
cut
it
or
a
father
and
a
mother
worried
about
making
sure
that
there's
food
on
the
table
we'll
be
able
to
send
their
kids
to
school,
and
we
would
that
dream
of
a
college
maybe
help
them
in
college.
We
have
to
continue
to
work
hard,
I'm,
proud
that
you
have
taken
the
challenge.
D
D
This
is
you
we're
gonna,
look
back
on
this
day,
someday
and
think
about
how
important
this
was
I
just
want
to
take
you
back
when
I
we
started
building
pathways,
which
is
the
pre
apprentice
program
for
the
building
trades
I,
remember
talking
addressing
the
students,
so
the
young
people
that
were
in
that
first
class
we
had
an
18
or
older.
In
that
class
we
had
a
51
year
older
in
that
class
we
had
everyone
in
between
most
of
the
folks,
in
that
first
class
were
living
in
public
housing.
D
Most
of
folks
in
that
class
never
never
never
made
any
type
of
money
in
their
life
and
I
told
them
that
first
class,
that
you
said
it
you're
pioneers
in
this
industry
and
whatever
happens
with
this
class,
is
going
to
be
really
important
for
the
future
of
this
program.
When
the
graduation
came
six
weeks
later,
I
spoke
to
that
same
class
and
I
thank
them
for
graduating.
That
class
and
I
told
them
the
impact
that
that
class
would
have
on
society
and
that
class
would
have
on
the
building
trades
for
generations
to
come.
D
That
was
about
seven
years
ago.
The
other
day
we
had
that
we
had
a
celebration
at
the
Intercontinental
Hotel,
where
we
had
about
200
graduates
at
building
pathways
that
were
in
the
back
of
that
room.
These
are
two
hundred
people
that
were
making
an
average
of
price.
Seventy
thousand
dollars
a
year
that
we're
raising
families
that
one
would
forward
they
set
the
road
and
they
set
the
bar
high
for
the
future
classes
that
follow
City
Academy
are
doing
the
same
thing.
D
You
might
not
realize
the
impact
and
we
might
not
ever
see
the
impact
completely,
but
we
know
that
everyone
that
goes
through
City
Academy
and
everyone
that's
hired
through
busting
hires
is
making
an
impact
for
your
own
personal
family.
So
again,
I
want
to
thank
you
all
I,
look
forward
to
seeing
you
in
City
Hall,
before
seeing
you
in
the
neighborhoods
I,
look
forward
to
see
you
as
city
employees,
I'm,
proud
of
that
not
just
EMTs.
We
have
other
city
departments
to
be
a
Police
and
Fire.
D
We
have
Public
Works,
we
have
transportation,
we
have
a
whole
bunch
of
different
jobs
in
City
Hall.
We
have
a
daycare
center.
We
have
a
whole
bunch
of
different
jobs
in
City
Hall.
We
have
workforce
development,
we
have
Human
Resources,
we
have
city
councilors,
we
have
May
as
we
have
it
all
over
there,
so
I
look
forward
to
making
sure
I
look
forward
to
seeing
you
be
successful
and
again,
I
just
want
to
thank
everyone
who
supports
this
important
program
and
to
all
the
family
members.
I
just
want
you
to
realize.
D
E
Thank
you,
everyone
for
coming!
Thank
you,
mayor,
Marty,
Walsh,
Boston,
employees,
family
and
friends.
My
name
is
Adam
L
Dumas,
where
I
went
through
the
CDL
City
Academy
track.
First
off
happy
Black
History
Month
I'd
like
to
thank
the
mayor's
office
for
providing
these
opportunities,
acknowledging
the
hard
work
and
investment
in
us
from
the
city
academy
team,
as
we
all
grow
older
and
become
more
settled
in
our
lives.
E
I
believe
opportunities
decrease
with
the
ever-changing
job
market
and
ever-changing
job
requirements,
not
having
the
right
credentials
and
experience
have
left
many
of
us
unprepared
for
work
demands
of
today.
Some
of
us
in
our
families,
in
our
old
jobs,
mostly
dead-end,
offering
no
opportunity
for
advancement,
we
did
not
offer
or
did
not
offer
a
pay
which
could
keep
up
the
cost
of
living
in
Boston,
many
of
us
held
two
or
sometimes
three
jobs,
even
like
four
or
five.
E
E
Also
in
many
ways,
and
for
many
of
us,
City
Academy
has
been
a
second
chance,
a
way
to
make
the
changing
careers
and
gaining
credentials
less
intimidating
and
stressful,
because
the
stakes
are
high.
For
us,
we
have
bills.
Rent
to
pay,
children
and
spouses
to
take
care
of
our
CDL
class
has
also
opened
up
our
eyes
to
branches
and
opportunities
such
as
hoisting
cosmic
tanker
cranes,
forklifts
union
membership,
public
work,
jobs,
water
and
sewer
opportunity.
All
networking
and
site
visits
we
had
and
all
the
connections
we
made
are
setting
us
up
for
success.
E
E
I'm
also
leaving
here
with
extra
financial
knowledge,
many
of
us
attended
workshops
and
signed
up
for
coaching
through
Roxbury
Center
for
financial
empowerment.
So
when
we're
making
a
little
extra,
we
know
what
to
do
with
it,
how
to
use
it
wisely,
save
and
provide
financial
security
for
us
in
our
families.
Some
of
us
over
the
years
have
had
to
take
public
assistance.
Cash
benefits,
food
stamps
just
to
make
ends
meet
hopefully
not
anymore.
Once
we
get
started,
we're
getting
jobs,
that'll
make
us
more
self-sufficient,
financially
secure
and
jobs.
E
We
can
be
proud
of
and
tell
our
families
about.
We
started
with
a
three-week
bridge
course
that
focus
on
things
like
note-taking,
networking,
test-taking
conflict
resolution
and
helped
us
explore
and
visit
different
city
departments.
To,
let
us
know
the
union
folks,
like
the
Teamsters,
they
basically
open
their
doors
to
us
to
treat
us
like
their
brothers
and
sisters.
E
Basically,
it
was
like
having
an
inside
person
who
was
like
you
know,
like
an
uncle
who
already
has
a
job
and
they're
just
telling
you
you
know
this
is
how
it
goes.
Also
Suffolk,
construction.
Let
us
use
their
facilities.
You
know
showed
us
what
their
their
lives
are
like
and
what
other
opportunities
are
there
as
well
and
opened
the
door
for
us
like
open
their
their
house
for
us?
Basically,
so
thank
you
to
them,
but
more
than
anything,
the
bridge
course
helped
us
get
to
know
ourselves
and
one
another.
E
We
reflected
on
our
strengths
tried
to
work
on
our
weaknesses
and
bond
it
together
and
learn
from
one
another.
These
bonds
were
strengthened
even
more
when
we
went
to
parker
driving
school
and
these
shared
experiences
built
friendship
and
support
networks
that
no
one
can
take
away.
We
have
helped
each
other
and
others
good
job
pick
these
two
others
up
and
when
we
felt
so
down
celebrated
each
other's
success
like
we're
here
doing
today
and
congratulating
each
other.
E
The
support
and
guidance
we
received
so
far
will
continue
and
I'd
like
to
give
a
special
thank
to
C.
Academy
team
was
guided
us
along
the
way,
Lyn
Saunders,
basically
first
time
like
experience
and
all
the
obstacles
and
everything
she
guided
us
through
it
and
put
everything
together.
So
thank
you
so
much.
E
Stephanie
O'shea,
as
well
as
helping
out
what
everyone
in
every
every
backup
position
and
anything
she
could
be
there
anytime.
She
got
a
chance
to
help
all
of
us
individually.
Thank
you
as
well.
Also
I'd
like
to
thank
Angie
Angie
Camacho
she's
like
she
was
like
someone
who
was
there
every
day
for
us,
you
can
call
her
at
her
house
at
night.
E
Kelly
Folsom
right
there
he's
like
he's
a
real,
true
teacher.
If
you
ever
sit
down
with
him,
he
can
tell
you
about
his
whole
life
experience
and
all
the
different
jobs
that
he's
had
and
everything
he's
been
through
to
get
him
where
he
is,
and
his
energy
is
definitely
definitely
top
notch
like
something
you
would
want
to.
You
would
want
to
come
to
seven
o'clock
in
the
morning
after
you've
done
like
an
overnight
shift
or
after
you're
gonna
go
to
your
job
later
on
that
day.
E
So
thank
you
and
everyone
else
who
helped
out
a
marthy
and
also
Jimmy
Donovan,
as
well
as
Tom
Folsom,
who
really
just
like
held
her
hand
throughout
the
process
and
did
a
bunch
of
things
they
didn't
have
to
do
and
adjust
it
to
whatever
came
came
our
way
and
just
to
kind
of
just
a
first-time
thing
and
just
to
kind
of
get
us
started
on
the
right
path.
So
I
can't
can't
be
more
thankful.
Thank
you,
guys.
E
Thank
You
mayor
for
coming
as
well
and
the
City
Academy
team
and
my
colleagues
and
my
friends
I
appreciate
that
it's
like
a
second
chance
is
making
new
friends
at
this
age
as
well,
so
very
grateful
for
that
I'm
honored
to
speak
here,
grateful
to
the
city
and
a
blessed
opportunity
to
get
my
licenses
and
start
working
provide
better
for
my
family.
Thank
you
guys.
C
Thank
you
so
much
Adam.
That
was
a
very
inspiring
speech.
Now
we're
just
going
to
hand
out
these
certificates
from
the
commercial
driver's
license
and
heavy
equipment
track,
and
also
the
EMT
track
as
well.
Just
to
let
you
know
that
these
are
certificates
that
are
industry
recognized,
so
employers
actually
see
them
and
they're
mandatory
for
these
jobs,
so
you
have
an
inroad
to
obtaining
these
jobs.
C
This
is
only
one
pathway
that
we've
designed
we've
designed
12
other
industry
pathways
to
make
sure
that
there
are
all
these
growth
industries
in
the
city
of
Boston
every
resident,
no
matter
where
you
come
from
or
how
you
got
here
from
no
choice
of
your
own.
You
have
a
chance
to
succeed,
and
this
is
what
the
city
is
all
about.
So
I
want
to
just
name
all
the
graduates.
C
If
you
can
come
here
and
take
your
pictures,
that'd
be
great,
so
we
have
Adam
moosari
Jessica,
aroo,
Joe
Carmen,
you
villus
Ricardo,
Bach,
Eva
and
Lisha
Ellerby,
who
are
graduates
of
the
commute
commercial
driver's
license
track.
Also
I
want
to
let
you
know
that
there
were
also
other
graduates,
but
they
couldn't
be
here
so
feel
free
to
congratulate
them
as
well.
C
Also
for
the
EMT
tracks,
if
we
can
also
have
Cecilia
Deirdre
day,
Kenneth
Fitzgerald,
Steven,
Gonzalez,
Melissa,
Holloman
angel,
Leone,
Laura,
Leon,
Jessica,
Miranda,
Kayla,
ruder
and
Brian
Yoon,
and
there
are
other
graduates
who
can't
be
here
today.
Please
come
up
and
take
your
pictures
and
have
your
certificate.
Thank
you.
A
What
I
would
say
is
that
it's
not
lost
on
me
today
that
we
are
here
in
the
historic
Fanueil
Hall
and
we
have
Frederick
Douglass
statue
over
here
and
Lucy
stone
over
here.
This
is
a
place
where
people
actually
came
and
talked
about.
How
do
we
create
more
opportunities
by
way
of
ensuring
justice
ensuring
that
there's
Human
Rights
Economic
Opportunity?
All
of
that
took
place
here.
A
The
mayor
is
doing
a
wonderful
job
in
terms
of
ensuring
that
we,
here
at
the
city
of
Boston,
are
making
sure
that
those
things
that
were
spoken
about
so
long
ago,
but
still
remain
issues
and
that
we're
going
to
keep
pushing
to
assure
that
these
things
will
happen
for
our
city,
the
city
of
Boston,
as
we
continue
to
lift
people
up
and
I,
couldn't
think
of
any
better
leader
to
ensure
that
we're
doing
that.
The
mayor
Walsh.
Thank
you
very
much
for
coming
and
congratulations
to
all
of
the
graduates.