Apr 30, 2026 City Council A Session

[ PROCEDURAL  ]

[00:01:23]

>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. THE TIME IS 9:10 A.M. ON APRIL 30TH, 2026. THE CITY COUNCIL IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER.

MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL ROLL.

>> MAYOR PRO TEM, WE HAVE A QUORUM. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: WONDERFUL. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL BEING HERE TODAY.

WE WILL HAVE A VERY FAST SESSION, I IMAGINE. WE'LL BEGIN WITH OUR INVOCATION. COUNCILMEMBER MEZA GONZÁLEZ IS RECOGNIZED TO INTRODUCE

TODAY'S INVOCATEUR. >> GONZÁLEZ: THANK YOU, TODAY I AM PROUD TO INTRODUCE REVEREND CARRIE GUERRA WHO HAS SERVED AS PASTOR AT ST. FRANCIS EPISCOPAL CHURCH SINCE 2020. SHE HAS HAD SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY AND FAITH.

DISCERNMENT SHAPED BY YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE CHURCH. SHE IS PASSIONATE ABOUT NURTURING SPIRITUAL GROWTH, CULTIVATING RELATIONSHIPS, SERVING THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY. TOGETHER WITH HER HUSBAND THEY HAVE A FULL AND JOYFUL LIFE WITH THEIR TWO DAUGHTERS, TWO SON-IN-LAWS AND FOUR BELOVED GRANDCHILDREN. ST. FRANCIS IS A WONDERFUL CHURCH WITH A HISTORY OF SERVING THE COMMUNITY THROUGH FOOD PANTRIES, COMMUNITY GARDEN, VARIOUS MEETINGS OFFERED ON-SITE AND A WEEKLY REFUGEE HEALTH CLINIC IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UT HEALTH SAN ANTONIO. THANK YOU REVEREND FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANK YOU. WILL YOU PRAY WITH ME? ALMIGHTY GOD, SEND DOWN UPON THESE WHO HOLD OFFICE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM, CHARITY AND JUSTICE THAT WITH STEADFAST PURPOSE THEY MAY FAITHFULLY SERVE IN THEIR OFFICES TO PROMOTE THE WELL-BEING OF ALL' PEOPLE. REGARD THE TIES THAT FORM OUR CIVIC LIFE. CONTINUE TO SEND US THESE HONEST AND ABLE LEADERS.

ENABLE US TO ELIMINATE POVERTY PREJUDICE AND DEPRESSION.

THAT PEACE MAY PREVAIL WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS AND JUST WITH ORDER -- AND JUSTICE WITH ORDER. AND THAT MEN AND WOMEN FROM DIFFERENT CULTURES AN DIFFERENT TALENTS MAY FIND WITH ONE ANOTHER THE FULFILLMENT OF OUR HUMANITY.

ALL THIS WE ASK IN YOUR HOLY NAME, AMEN.

MEXICO THANK YOU>> MCKEE-RODRIGK YOU FOR THE INVOCATION. ITEM 3 IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE MEETINGS OF APRIL 8, 9TH, 15TH AND 16. ARE THERE ANY DISCUSSION OF

THE MINUTES? >> MOTION TO APPROVE. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: PLEASE

VOTE. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: MOTION CARRIES.

[POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE  ]

[00:05:02]

I WILL START WITH A PROCLAMATION FOR TRANSGENDER HISTORY WEEK.

QUALITY OF TEXAS IS RECOGNIZED, BUT FIRST I'LL READ THE PROPOSITION.

WHEREAS THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO REAFFIRMS ITS COMMITMENT TO PROTECTING THE RIGHTS, DIGNITY AND BODILY AUTONOMY OF ALL RESIDENTS ASSURANCING EVERY PERSON CAN LIVE AS THEIR AUTHENTIC SELF, FREE FROM DISCRIMINATION, AND WHEREAS TRANSGENDER WEEK IS AN ANNUAL OBSERVANCE SELL EVACUATING THE RICH CULTURE AND RESILIENCE OF TRANSGENDER, NON-BINARY AND NON-SEXUAL INDIVIDUALS LOCALLY. AND WHEREAS THEY HAVE EXISTED THROUGHOUT ALL CULTURES THROUGHOUT HISTORY AND CONTRIBUTED TO SOCIETY. AND WHEREAS THEY ARE OFTEN OVERLOOKED OR ERASED HISTORIES AS A COUNTER TO MISINFORMATION AND ENSURE THAT THE CULTURE AND EXPERIENCE OF TRANS ANCESTORS ARE A SOURCE OF WELL-BEING AND A TOOLKIT FOR CELEBRATION TODAY. WHEREAS THE THEME OF 2026 EMPHASIZES THAT GENDER LIBERATION IS FOR EVERYBODY, CONNECTING TRANS RIGHTS TO THE PURSUIT OF FULFILLMENT. NOW THEREFORE I ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, IN RECOGNITION THEREOF, DO HERE BY PROCLAIM MAY 4TH THROUGH TENTH, 2026, TO BE TRANSGENDER WEEK IN SAN ANTONIO AND TEXAS AND CALL UPON ALL RESIDENTS TO OBSERVE THIS WEEK BY ENGAGING IN EDUCATION, STORIES, HISTORY, AND REMEMBER THOSE WHO WORKED TOWARD A MORE INCLUSIVE FUTURE.

[APPLAUSE]. I KNOW YOU BROUGHT FRIENDS, SO PLEASE.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE FORMER COUNCILMEMBER THE FIRST TRANS COUNCILMEMBER.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HELLO AND GOOD MORNING. I AM SOPHIA, THE COMMUNITY AND ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR WITH QUALITY OF TEXAS. I WAS THE FIELD DIRECTOR AND NOW I'M ALL OF THE THINGS. I THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ FOR RECOGNIZING MAY 4TH THROUGH THE TENTH TRANSGENDER WEEK. I WANT TO THANK ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR OUR TRANS AND LBGTQ COMMUNITY.

BECAUSE -- I KNOW THAT YOUR NAMES WILL BE FOREVER REMEMBERED FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS, AND FOREVER IN THE HISTORY BOOKS BECAUSE HISTORY IS WHAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE. SINCE WE FIRST STARTED RECORDING HISTORY IN ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA, A 4,000 HYMN READ TO TURN A WOMEN TO A MAN [INDISCERNIBLE].

PRINCESSES AND PEOPLE CAME FROM ACROSS THE LAND TO ASK FOR SUCCESSFUL HARVEST, SUCCESSFUL WARS AND HAVING BABIES AND CHANGE GENDERS. A TRANSGENDERED MAN WHO PERFECTED THE C-SECTION TO ENSURE WOMEN DIDN'T BUY DURING BIRD DURING THE 1830THS, IN THE 1960 OOZE, A FORMERLY ENSLAVED BLACK WOMAN ACTIVIST WAS ONE OF THE FIVE BLACK WOMEN TO TESTIFY BEFORE A CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE THAT INVESTIGATED THE MEMPHIS MASSACRE THAT GAVE WAY TO THE 14TH AMENDMENT.

DR. ALLEN HEART, TRANSGENDER MAN IN 1941 DEVELOPED THE GOLD STANDARD FOR TESTING TUBERCULOSIS. SOPHIE WILSON, A TRANS WOMAN WHO ASSIGNED A PROCESSOR THAT ALL ELECTRONICS USED TO THIS DAY AND [INDISCERNIBLE] THAT GAVE WAY TO THE IPHONE AND EVERY SMARTPHONE WHICH WE ALL USE TODAY. DR. LYNN CONWAY, A TRANSGENDER WOMAN PIONEERED COMPUTER SCIENTISTS WHO REVOLUTIONIZED THE MICROCHIP MAKING FASTER SMARTPHONES AND COMPUTERS POSSIBLE. YOU WOULD BE BUFFERING IF IT WASN'T FOR HER. DR. BEN BARNES, A NEURO BIOLOGIST WHO PIONEERED THE TREATMENT OF CELLS THAT CAUSES ALZHEIMER'S DECIDE. HE SAID THERE IS DIFFERENCES IN COGNITION AND EVIDENCE OF GENDER PREJUDICE. I STRONGLY FEAR THAT TRANSITION WOULD END MY CAREER. FROM ERIKA ANDREWS, A NATIONAL TRANS SUPERSTARS FROM SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, TO JAMIE ZAPATA AND CASSANDRA WHO IS ARE THE FIRST TRANS REAL ESTATE AGENTS IN THE UNITED STATES.

LEO CASTILLO, COUNCILMAN FROM DISTRICT 2 TO CREATE HISTORY EVEN AT THE CAPITOL WITH THE LARGEST RECORDED ADVOCACY DAY IN TEXAS HISTORY ORGANIZED BY YOURS

[00:10:02]

THE COMMON THEME IN ALL OF THESE ACHIEVEMENTS WERE I DON'T THINK I COULD HAVE DONE WHAT I DID HAD I NOT BEEN ALLOWED TO TRANSITION. I HAVE BEEN WHO I AM SINCE I WAS FOUR YEARS OLD. THIS BY MY PARENTS IRE AND REPRIMAND, DESPITE THEIR BEATINGS AND OPPRESSION, HERE I AM AT 49 THRIVING, CONTINUING MAKING HISTORY IN SUCH A BEAUTIFUL CITY THAT IS SAN ANTONIO. THANK YOU AGAIN COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU AGAIN COUNCILMAN MCKEE FOR RECOGNIZING TRANS HISTORY

WEEK. [APPLAUSE]. >> IT'S TOUGH TO FOLLOW THAT ACT. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR, WHO IS IN THE AIR SOMEWHERE, AND CITY COUNCIL. AS YOU KNOW MY NAME IS LEO CASTILLO, THE OUTREACH AND ADVOCACY DIRECTOR AT THRIVE YOUTH CENTER. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THIS. THIS IS FREAKING AMAZING TO SEE OUR CITY RECOGNIZE TRANS HISTORY WEEK. IT MEANS MORE THAN WORDS CAN CAPTURE.

WHEN I GREW UP KNOWING I WAS TRANS, I FELT COMPLETELY ALONE LIKE I WAS THE FIRST TRANS PERSON TO EVER EXIST. I DIDN'T SEE MYSELF REFLECTED ANYWHERE IN COMMUNITY SPACES, LEADERSHIP OR SPACES LIKE THIS. OVER TIME I FOUND MY PEOPLE AND I LEARNED ABOUT THE HISTORY OF MY COMMUNITY THROUGH ORGANIZING AND THROUGH COMMUNITY I FOUND MY CHOSEN FAMILY, FOLKS WHO SHOWED ME THAT NOT ONLY DO WE EXIST, BUT WE'VE ALWAYS EXISTED AND THAT'S WHY THIS PROCLAMATION MATTERS SO MUCH BECAUSE IT TELLS EVERY YOUNG TRANS PERSON IN SAN ANTONIO THAT YOU ARE NOT ALONE, THAT YOU BELONG HERE, YOUR HISTORY MATTERS AND YOUR FUTURE DOES TOO.

I DREAM OF A CITY WHERE EVERY TRANS YOUTH CAN GROW UP FEELING SUPPORTED, RESPECTED AND FREE TO BE THEIR AUTOMATIC SELVES AND TODAY THIS BRINGS US ONE STEP CLOSER TO THAT VISION. THANK YOU FOR SEEING US, HONORING US AND STANDING

WITH US. [APPLAUSE]. >> GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY.

I'M A RETIRED U.S. ARMY COLONEL. I'M A BOARD MEMBER OF FIESTA YOUTH AND MORE IMPORTANTLY AS IT RELATES TODAY, I AM THE PROUD PARENT OF A TRANSGENDER LESBIANS. CENTERED ON TRANS HISTORY DAY ON MAY 6TH AND TODAY IS THE [INDISCERNIBLE] THE WORLD'S FIRST TRANS CLINIC. TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHY THIS WEEK WAS STARTED. AS A LOT OF RECOGNITION WEEKS ARE, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY CENTERED ON SOMETHING POSITIVE. AS A PARENT I FIND IT IRONIC THAT WE LIVE IN A TIME THAT CONTINUES TO IGNORE HISTORY AND ATTACK THE VITAL HEALTH CARE THAT OUR TRANS SIBLINGS AND KIDS NEED. I WANT TO THANK THE CITY FOR RECOGNIZING THIS IMPORTANT WEEK AND THAT THIS PROCLAMATION IS MORE THAN WORDS ON PAPER, BUT MEANS THAT WE WILL PROVIDE THE HEALTH CARE THAT TRANS FOLKS NEED TO LIVE. AS A PARENT I CAN TELL YOU HOW LUCKY I FEEL THAT MY DAUGHTER WAS ABLE TO ACCESS THE CARE SHE NEEDED WHEN SHE STARTED HER TRANSITION.

UNFORTUNATELY THAT'S NOT THE CASE AS IT STANDS TODAY. AND AS A BOARD MEMBER OF FIESTA YOUTH I CAN ATTEST TO HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR TRANS YOUTH TO BE ACCEPTED AND LOVED FOR WHO THEY ARE. IT NOT JUST IMPORTANT FOR OUR YOUTH TO HAVE SAFE SPACES AND NECESSARY HEALTH CARE, IT IS JUST AS IMPORTANT THAT WE RECOGNIZE THE POSITIVE IMPACT THAT TRANS FOLKS HAVE HAD AS SOPHIA'S MENTIONED AND WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE ON OUR WORLD AND ENSURE THAT OUR YOUTH SEE THIS AND KNOW THEY TOO ARE IMPORTANT MEMBERS OF OUR SOCIETY. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HELPING TO CREATE THE ENVIRONMENT TO ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT TRANS FOLKS.

[APPLAUSE]. >> GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS TIME.

THE SPACE HAVE BEEN OPENED UP TO US TODAY NOT JUST FOR ME, BUT FOR THE COMMUNITY STANDING BESIDE ME. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FLAMING FOR JESUS AND I'M IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO LIVE AS AN OUT AND PROUD LESBIANS. I'M FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR EXPLORE MY GENDER IDENTITY, TO DEFINE WHAT IT MEANS TO ME AND NAVIGATE HOW I'M RECEIVED BY MY PEERS AND MY SOCIETY. IN A WORLD THAT OFTEN ASKS US TO HIDE, I CHOOSE DISABILITY. AS A GENDER NON-CONFORMING AFRICAN-AMERICAN LESBIAN, I CARRY A HISTORY THAT IS WRITTEN IN THE VERY LAWS OF THIS LAND. THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THIS COUNTRY WOULD HAVE RECOGNIZED ME AS ONLY THREE-FIFTHS OF A PERSON. THAT WAS 1787.

60 YEARS LATER IN THE 1840'S, WOMEN STOOD UP AND MOVED FOR MOVEMENT IN THEIR OWN AGENCY. ALMOST 60 YEARS AFTER THAT, IT WAS WRITTEN THAT IF WE DON'T LEARN FROM OUR HISTORY WE ARE DOOMED TO REPEAT IT. LESS THAN 60 YEARS AFTER THAT FROM 1954 TO 1968, THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT TOOK FORCE IN THE UNITED STATES.

JUST ONE YEAR LATER WE RIOTED. TODAY MARKS NOT ONLY THE PROCLAMATION OF TRANS HISTORY WEEK HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, BUT TODAY IS A MARK IN TRANS HISTORY. EACH OF YOU HERE IS A PART OF THIS HISTORY.

IT'S A STORY THAT NO MATTER HOW HARD THEY TRY, CANNOT AND WILL NOT BE ERASED.

TODAY WE CELEBRATE NOT ONLY WHERE WE ARE, BUT WHERE WE COME FROM.

[00:15:02]

[INDISCERNIBLE] IS BLACK HISTORY. TRANS HISTORY IS WOMEN'S HISTORY, TRANS HISTORY IS U.S. HISTORY. WE ARE NOT DOOMED, WE ARE NOT INVISIBLE. WE WOULD NOT BE SILENCED, ERASED OR REWRITTEN TO FIT A NARRATIVE OF HATE, EXPLOITATION OR MARGINALIZATION.

OUR VOICES RING LOUD, OUR STORIES STAND TRUE. EVERYDAY, EVERY BATTLE.

WIN, LOSE OR DRAW. WE CONTINUE THE WORK. EVEN 57 YEARS AFTER OUR FIRST COLLECTIVE WORDS OF RESISTANCE WERE UTTERED, WE'RE STILL THE MOVEMENT.

WE ARE TRANS HISTORY. THANK YOU ALL. [APPLAUSE]

>> GOOD MORNING. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION COULD HONOR TRANS HISTORY WEEK. THIS RIGHT HERE IS WHY I LOVE SAN ANTONIO, BECAUSE I WOULD ALWAYS SAY IT ALLOWED, SAN ANTONIO HAS NO HOME FOR HATE.

MY NAME IS RAIN, THE FOUNDER OF UNFILTERED WINGS AND THE CREATOR OF THE FIRST EVER TRANSGENDER MARCH IN THE HISTORY OF SAN ANTONIO. IMPART OF THAT HISTORY NOW.

I CREATED SOMETHING THAT WILL CARRY ON FOR YEARS TO COME, SOMETHING BIGGER THAN ME AND EVEN WHEN I'M GONE, I KNOW NEW LEADERS WOULD RISE TO TAKE WHAT I'VE BUILT AND CONTINUE SHOWING HOPE AND VISIBILITY FOR OUR TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY.

BUT LET ME BE CLEAR, I WOULD NOT BE STANDING IN SPACES LIKE THIS READING THIS KIND OF FREEDOM IF IT WASN'T THE ELDERS WHO CAME BEFORE ME, TO ONES WHO MARCHED WHEN IT WASN'T SAFE, TOOK THE HITS SO WE COULD TAKE THE STAGE. I HONOR YOU, I CARRY YOU AND I THANK YOU. AND THIS IS PERSONAL FOR ME. MY GRANDMOTHER THAT MANY OF Y'ALL MAY KNOW, JOAN, YOU ARE MY STRENGTH. YOU LIVE IN EVERYTHING I DO.

AND TO MY MOTHER WHO LOVED ME UNCONDITIONALLY AND LET ME BE EXACTLY WHO I WAS MEANT TO BE. REST YOUR BEAUTIFUL SOUL. YOUR LOVE BUILT THE COURAGE YOU ALL SEE TODAY. TODAY I STAND BEFORE YOU NOT AS RAIN, BUT AS A FIGHTER AND REFLECTION OF EVERY TRANS PERSON WHO WAS NEVER TOLD TO -- SORRY.

WHO WAS EVERY TOLD TO SHRINK, HIDE OR TO DISAPPEAR.

TO MY SISTERS, BROTHERS, ENTIRE TRANS COMMUNITY, YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE. AND TO THE YOUTH, HEAR ME CLEARLY, NEVER BE AFRAID TO BE YOURSELF. NOT SOMETHING TO DEBATE, ERASE.

WE ARE POWERFUL AND WE ARE HERE. AS LONG AS I'M ALIVE I WILL CONTINUE CREATING SPACES WHERE OUR COMMUNITY CAN EXIST LOUDLY, SAFELY AND UNAPOLOGETICALLY LIKE THE MARCH OF US. NEXT YEAR IS OUR FIFTH ANNUAL MARCH. FIVE YEARS OF RESILIENCE, VISIBILITY, FIVE YEARS OF REFUSING TO BE SILENCED. AND I EXPECT TO SEE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU MARCHING WITH US. BECAUSE LET'S TALK ABOUT IT. MANY OF OF Y'ALL ASK US TO SHOW UP WHEN YOU'RE RUNNING FOR THESE SEATS WHEN YOU NEED OUR VOICES, OUR VOTES, OUR PRESENCE. WE'RE ASKING FOR THAT SAME ENERGY BACK NOT JUST FOR PHOTO OPS, NOT FOR APPEARANCES, BUT FOR REAL SUPPORT, ACTION AND RESPECT.

TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WATCHING, JUDGING, QUESTIONING MY EXISTENCE AND COMMUNITY, INSTEAD OF SITTING IN YOUR ASSUMPTIONS, COME MEET US, COME STAND WITH US AND COME EXPERIENCE WHAT LOVE ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE.

BECAUSE WHAT WE'VE BUILT IS ROOTED IN LOVE, ALWAYS HAS BEEN, ALWAYS WILL BE.

TODAY WE'RE MAKING HISTORY NOT JUST REMEMBERING THE PAST, BUT HONORING THE PRESENT AND PROTECTING THE FIGHT OF OUR FUTURE TRANS LEADER, OUR COMMUNITY, OUR LEGACY. AND TO MY LATINO TRANS RESIDENTS, WE SEE YOU YOU, EVEN WHEN THE WORLD TRIES TO TELL YOU YOU DON'T BELONG, YOU ABSOLUTELY DO.

WITHOUT YOU THIS WORLD WOULD NOT BE AS POWERFUL AND VIBRANT AND BEAUTIFUL AS IT IS. TODAY WE DON'T SHRINK, WE DON'T APOLOGIZE, WE DON'T ASK FOR PERMISSION. WE STAND, WE SPEAK, WE EXIST UNFELTERED AND THIS IS OUR

POWER. [APPLAUSE]. >> GOOD MORNING.

I HAVE TO PUT ON MY READERS BECAUSE I'M A SEASONED WOMAN, I APOLOGIZE.

GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL. MY NAME IS LINDSAY ANDREWS, A PROUD MARRIED TRANS LATINA WOMAN BORN AND RAISED RIGHT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, AROUND THREE NUNNS, TRUE STORY. I'M THE FIRST TRANS WOMAN RADIO PERSONALITY ON LATINO RADIO. AS OF LATELY I'M THE FIRST OPENLY TRANS PERSON TO SEVEN ON THE SAN ANTONIO ARTS COMMISSION. THANKS TO MAYOR JONES WHO CLEARLY BELIEVES IN BREAKING BARRIERS AND OCCASIONALLY BREAKING THE MOLD.

WE ARE HERE FOR THE TRANS HISTORY WEEK AND IT MATTERS BECAUSE TRANS PEOPLE DIDN'T JUST APPEAR LIKE A NEW FIESTA MEDAL. WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF THIS CITY, ITS CULTURE. GOING UP MANY OF US DIDN'T SEE PEOPLE LIKE US ANYWHERE.

THIS WEEK CHANGES THAT. IT TELLS YOUNG PEOPLE YOU BELONG, YOU HAVE HISTORY, AND YOU HAVE A FUTURE. TRANS HISTORY ISN'T ONLY A STRUGGLE, IT'S A JOY, IT'S

[00:20:07]

HONESTLY, IF SAN ANTONIO CAN HANDLE THE TRIPLE DIGIT HEAT AND I-35 CONSTRUCTION, IT CAN HANDLE A TRANS PERSON AND TRANS PEOPLE JUST FINE. [LAUGHTER].

I WANT TO THANK YOU, COUNCIL, AND MAYOR JONES, FOR RECOGNIZING THIS WEEK AND MAKING SPACE FOR OUR STORIES. OUR HISTORY IS STRONG, OUR FUTURE IS BRIGHTER THAN A FIESTA FLOAT AT HIGH NOON. THANK YOU, GRACIAS.

[APPLAUSE] >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.

PLEASE STAY. THERE ARE SOME COUNCIL REMARKS.

COUNCILMAN GALVAN. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM.

I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY. FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THE PROCLAMATION DONE TODAY. I CAN'T SAY ANY BETTER THAN THE FOLKS WHO SPOKE TODAY ABOUT THE HISTORY AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO ROOT OURSELVES IN HISTORY NO MATTER WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE, UNDERSTANDING THAT TRANS FOLKS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY AND ALWAYS WILL BE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THIS WEEK AND UPCOMING WEEK AND ABOUT THE ISSUE OF -- PEOPLE THAT HAS BEEN CREATE, THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN CREATED. TRANS FOLKS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.

UNFORTUNATELY THERE'S EFFORTS TO PUSH THEM BACK, PUSH THEM OUT, AND EXCLUDE.

AND DEMONIZE A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL.

THIS IS A PERMANENT THING FOR ME. I HAVE PEOPLE IN MY HOUSEHOLD, I HAVE FAMILY, I HAVE FRIENDS, I HAVE MENTORS WHO ARE TRANS WHO HAVE HELPED SHAPED ME INTO THE PERSON I AM AND I ALWAYS WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE STANDING FIRM WITH THEM AS WELL AS EVERYBODY IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO IS EXPLORING, LEARNING AND TRYING THEIR BEST TO BE THEIR BEST SELVES AND FEEL SAFE IN OUR CITY.

THERE IS NO EFFORT THAT WE MUST STOP AT TO MAKE SURE ALL OF OUR FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY ARE PROTECTED AND FEEL SECURE HERE IN OUR CITY AND ARE ABLE TO LIVE TO THEIR FULLEST POTENTIAL. SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU AGAIN TO EVERYBODY WHO SPOKE. I MUST OF COURSE SAY THANK YOU TO MY FORMER COLLEAGUE LEO, FORMER TEXAS RISING ALUMNI AS WELL FOR ALL THE WORK THAT EACH OF YOU HAVE DONE. AND IN PARTICULAR THIS IS -- I'VE KNOWN SOPHIA AND LEO FOR A LONG TIME AND THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT YOU DON'T KNOW WHO NOT ONLY SAT ON COUNCIL, BUT BEFORE THAT SAW YOU AT SCHOOL ARE ON IN THE COMMUNITY AND RECOGNIZE YOU AS FOLKS WHO REALLY LIVE THE WAY TO MAKE FEELING COMFORTABLE AND SAFE IN THIS COMMUNITY POSSIBLE HERE, PLAIN AND SIMPLE. IT'S BECAUSE OF EACH OF YOU AND EVERY SINGLE TRANS PERSON IN THIS WORK AND ADVOCACY AND THAT FOLKS FEEL MORE CONFIDENT AND PROUD TO SAY I AM PROUD TO BE WHO I AM IN SAN ANTONIO.

THERE ARE SO MANY FOLKS HERE WHO ARE TRANS, EXPLORING, LEARNING, AND ARE SIMPLY PART OF SAN ANTONIO TOO. I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WORK YOU DO EVERYDAY.

THANK YOU FOR BEING YOURSELVES AND BEING THAT SHINING LIGHT FOR SO MANY FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND HAPPY TO CELEBRATE THE HISTORY NEXT WEEK AND CONTINUE PUSHING IN ADVOCACY AS WELL ON BEHALF OF THE TRANS COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU.

COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I WANT TO THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR MOVING THIS PROCLAMATION FORWARD.

AS STATED WHEN WE GROUND OURSELVES IN HISTORY AS AS ONE OF THE SPEAKERS SHARED, TRANS HISTORY IS CIVIL RIGHTS HISTORY, IT IS SO MANY THINGS.

AND WHEN WE GROUND OURSELVES IN HISTORY AND WE TALK ABOUT THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, WE LOOK AT IT AS SOMETHING THAT JUST OCCURRED, NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO THE ACTORS, THE AGITATORS, THE FACILITATORS OF THESE MOVEMENTS.

AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT BUILDING A BETTER SAN ANTONIO, I THINK ABOUT MANY OF THE RESPECTIVE ORGANIZATIONS IN WHICH YOU ALL SERVE IN A PERSONAL CAPACITY, A PROFESSIONAL CAPACITY, BUT THE WORK THAT Y'ALL DO BEYOND THE PROFESSIONAL CAPACITY. AND I ATTENDED THIS YOUTH SUMMIT IN WHICH THEY TALKED ABOUT WHY THEY ORGANIZE. THESE ARE 17, 16-YEAR-OLDS TALKING ABOUT WHY THEY ORGANIZED. AND THEY SHARED BECAUSE IT'S THE WAY THEY SHOW THE CITY AND THE COUNTRY AND THEIR NEIGHBORS THAT THEY LOVE THEM, THAT THEY LOVE THIS CITY. SO JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT AND THANK YOU ALL FOR Y'ALL'S WORK AND Y'ALL'S LEADERSHIP. ONE STORY, AN ANECDOTE THAT I'M ALWAYS SURE TO SHARE IS PRIOR TO BEING ON COUNCIL I WAS A MEMBER OF TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT AND SOPHIA WAS THE LEADER OF THE HEALTH CARE COMMITTEE.

AND IF YOU ALL DON'T KNOW THIS, I'M VERY SHY AND SOPHIA GAVE ME A LIST OF PHONE NUMBERS TO COLD CALL. I WAS LIKE, OH, SHE TOLD ME TO DO IT.

I'M GOING TO DO IT. AND HERE'S A LIST OF ADDRESSES, GO HIT THESE DOORS AND SURVEY THEM ON HEALTH CARE ACCESS. AND I WAS LIKE, OKAY.

HERE'S A LIST OF ADDRESSES. I'M GOING TO GO HIT THESE DOORS AND COLD CALL THESE PEOPLE. ABOUT LITTLE DID I KNOW THAT SOPHIA WAS A TRAINED HOUSING ORGANIZER TO HIT THE DOORS OF HOUSING TENANTS, TO COLD CALL MY NEIGHBORS, TO TALK

[00:25:01]

THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR. [APPLAUSE]. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK

YOU, COUNCILMEMBER. COUNCILMEMBER KAUR. >> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM, AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. I THINK THE ONLY THING THAT WAS MISSING WAS A DRAG SHOW. WE WILL HAVE TO DO THAT AT CHAMBERS NEXT TIME.

WHEN YOU GUYS WERE SPEAKING THE THING THAT HIT HOME TO ME, ONE OF Y'ALL SAID RATHER THAN SITTING IN YOUR DISCOMFORT AND YOUR ASSUMPTIONS, COME TALK TO US AND JUST REALIZE HOW MUCH LOVE THERE TRULY IS. I FEEL LIKE IF WE CONTINUE TO PUSH THAT MESSAGE FORWARD WE WILL REALLY BE ABLE TO BRIDGE THIS GAP OF HATE THAT EXISTS. AND YOU'RE RIGHT, LINDSAY, IF YOU CAN SIT THROUGH OUR TRAFFIC INFRASTRUCTURE PROBLEMS, YOU CAN LOVE OUR TRANS COMMUNITY TOO, RIGHT? I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SOPHIA RECENTLY BROUGHT TO US AN IDEA FOR A CCR THAT WE WILL BE BRINGING FORWARD, BUT IT'S TO DESIGNATE A MEMORIAL WAY TO ERIKA ANDREWS, MANY OF Y'ALL'S DRAG MOM AND HELPED SUPPORT THE TRANSITION FOR SO MANY FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY. THAT WILL BE COMING FORWARD FOR NORTH MAIN FROM ASHBY TO CYPRESS. WE'RE JUST GETTING A LITTLE BIT OF FINE TUNING ON THAT.

WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND FOR BRINGING THAT FORWARD.

OF COURSE COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO, WE HAVE THE BEST SOPHIE ON THE DAIS.

THANKS, MAYOR PRO TEM. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: WE'LL HAVE TO FIX THAT.

[LAUGHTER]. COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO.

>> GAVITO: THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED ADVOCACY.

I MEAN, SOPHIA AND LEO, Y'ALL ARE ALWAYS TALKING TO US ABOUT THIS.

AND REALLY I THINK IN GENERAL WHETHER IT IS THE MARCH, WHETHER IT IS SITTING ON BOARDS TO MAKING SURE THAT THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE SUSTAINED, THAT AWARENESS IS SO INSTRUMENTAL. AS COUNCILMAN GALVAN SAID IT NOT ONLY INSPIRES PEOPLE, BUT AS COUNCILMEMBER KAUR SAYS, BREAKING DOWN THESE BARRIERS SO PEOPLE CAN COME TO GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER. WE'RE ALL SAN ANTONIANS, WE ALL CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER.

SO I JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIRELESS ADVOCACY FOR MAKING THIS.

AND I ALSO -- I WANT TO JOIN THE MARCH. I WANT US TO KNOW WHEN IT IS SO THAT WAY WE CAN BE THERE WITH Y'ALL. THANK YOU.

[APPLAUSE]. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.

COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL FOR SHARING.

I THINK Y'ALL BROUGHT FORWARD JUST THE MOST EXCELLENT GROUP TO CONTINUE TO TELL THIS STORY. YOU KNOW, THE HISTORY OF TRANSGENDER, THE RECOGNITION OF THE ELDERS THAT Y'ALL DID AND THE FIESTA FOR OUR FRIENDS, YOU GUYS ARE REALLY GOOD AMBASSADORS. YOU KNOW, I THINK WHAT YOU ALSO COMMUNICATED IS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS. AND I WAS TELLING SOPHIA BEFORE WE HAD THIS, YOU NEED TO EXPLAIN TO OTHER GENERATIONS, THIS IS WHAT IT IS TO BE ME AND SHARING YOUR STORIES. AND IT WAS WHEN MY STUDENTS CAME AND A MUTUAL STUDENT -- BECAUSE I TAUGHT FOURTH GRADE AND THEY WERE TELLING ME CHRISTIANS IS NOW THIS, AND EXPLAINING THE STORY. AND THEN THEY WERE LIKE, AND THEY WOULD LIKE YOU TO DO A DRAG SHOW AT MISSION MARQUEE. AND I WAS LIKE SURE, YES, DONE, BECAUSE TO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO BE OPEN WHERE PEOPLE ARE LIKE LET'S HAVE A CONVERSATION AND EXPLAIN TO YOU WHERE I'M AT, WHERE I'VE BEEN AND HOW MY STORY ISN'T MUCH DIFFERENT FROM YOUR STORY. AND YOU GUYS MADE ME EMOTIONAL BECAUSE YOU GAVE ME HOPE TODAY BECAUSE IN -- AS TIMES GET HARDER AND DARKER, THIS, YOU COMING UP, YOU CONTINUING TO SHARE THE STORY, YOU KNOW THE SENTIMENT THAT IS OUT THERE, BUT YOU COME AND YOU SHARE AND IT GIVES ME HOPE THAT WE AS A NATION ARE GOING TO BE OKAY IF WE CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. I KNOW Y'ALL SERVE, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE FROM YOU, AND FOR YOU GUYS COMING EVERY YEAR AND WE CONTINUE TELLING THE SAN ANTONIO STORY AND THAT YOU GUYS FULLY EMBRACE THAT YOU ARE CRITICAL AND PART OF IT, THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE].

>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER. COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA.

>> MUNGIA: THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. EXCUSE MY TARDINESS. I'M SO FORTUNATE WHEN I'VE

[00:30:03]

AND I'M SO, SO HAPPY TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SIGN THE CCR FOR THE LOVING ORDINANCE AND HAPPY TO BE WITH Y'ALL THIS FRIDAY TO TALK ABOUT IT. BECAUSE AS I TOLD YOU IN THE PAST, WE CAN'T JUST SHOW UP TO ONE EVENT A YEAR AND SAY HEY, WE'RE HELPING THE COMMUNITY, BUT WE'VE GOT TO BE THERE YEAR-ROUND. AND TO GO UP AGAINST THE STATE WHO IS TRYING VERY HARD TO PUT LIMITATIONS ON OUR NEIGHBORS WHEN THEY'RE NOT EVEN FIXING HEALTH CARE. SO I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT AND CRITICAL WORK YOU'RE DOING. IF I CAN SHARE ONE ANECDOTE, MY UNCLE WHO HELPED RAISE ME WAS GAY, AND ONE OF HIS GOOD FRIENDS WAS MARVIN, WHO WAS A TRANSGENDER WOMAN AND NOW GOES BY MARTY. AND I WAS SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE HAD THAT EXPERIENCE IN MY LIFE EARLY ON AND THAT ACCEPTANCE BECAUSE MARTY WAS NOTHING BUT NICE AND KIND TO MY FAMILY, AND STILL IS. SO THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT. SO WE JUST HAVE TO KEEP THAT WORK UP AND WE HAVE TO PUSH AGAINST VERY AGGRESSIVE LAWS THAT ARE TRYING TO DIMINISH US. YOU GUYS ARE DOING FANTASTIC WORK.

I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT-OUT TO FRANKIE IN PRECINCT 1 WHO IS DOING AMAZING WORK OVER THERE TOO AND BRINGING TO LIGHT THE COMMUNITY ISSUES AS WELL.

THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY, APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.

>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER. COUNCILMEMBER MEZA GONZÁLEZ.

>> GONZÁLEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. JUST THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO IN OUR COMMUNITY.

LEO, YOU ARE THRIVING. YOU WILL CONTINUE TO THRIVE. AND WE MEET A LOT OF ADVOCATES HERE IN THIS ROLE, BUT YOU ARE A STRONG AND MIGHTY BUNCH OF ADVOCATES, SO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO EVERYDAY FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

CHRIS AND HIS WIFE GINGER WAS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE LBGTQ COMMISSION WHEN I WAS IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, SO THAT IS A FAMILY THAT REALLY WALKS THE WALK.

SO I'M JUST PROUD TO KNOW YOUR WIFE AND NOW YOU, AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL THE

WORK THAT YOU DO. [APPLAUSE]. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU ALL. I HOPE THAT -- YOU HEARD FROM A LARGE MAJORITY OF US ON COUNCIL AND OBVIOUSLY THIS PROCLAMATION WAS ISSUED BY MAYOR GINA ORTIZ JONES AND I HOPE YOU FEEL THE OVERWHELMING LOVE AND SUPPORT UP HERE.

FEEL OBLIGATED TO HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE TO ALL THAT HAS BEEN SHARED TODAY.

MAYBE ONE OR TWO ANECDOTES. THE FIRST STUDENT MY VERY FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, FIRST DAY OF TEACHING, THE FIRST STUDENT WHO WALKED UP TO ME, INTRODUCED THEMSELVES, WALKED INTO MY CLASSROOM, PROBABLY SAW THE PICTURE OF ME AND MY HUSBAND ON MY DESK, THE RAINBOW AND TRANS FLAGS IN MY CLASSROOM AND FELT COMPELLED TO COME BACK OUT, REINTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND SAY THIS IS MY NAME AND THESE ARE THE PRONOUNS I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO USE WITH ME. AND I THINK ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE AND THAT YOU ALL ARE TAKING TO MAKE YOURSELF A SAFE SPACE FOR ALL WHO NEED IT, TO BE THE TRUEST AND MOST AUTHENTIC SELF.

MY LAST YEAR TEACHING FULL-TIME, I HAD SIX STUDENTS WHO HAD EITHER ATTEMPTED SUICIDE OR RUN AWAY. AND EACH ONE OF THEM WAS TRANS OR GENDER NON-CONFORMING. AND WHAT THEY WERE EXPERIENCING IN THE WORLD AROUND THEM ESPECIALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC WHEN THEY WERE ISOLATED AND AT HOME THEY DIDN'T HAVE A SPACE WHERE THEY COULD BE THEMSELVES. THEY WERE HEARING ON TV THE WAY THAT THEY WERE BEING TALKED ABOUT, THE LEGISLATION THAT WAS BEING PROPOSED TO BAN AND SILENCE THEM AND PUSH THEM INTO NONEXISTENCE, THEY WERE HEARING THEIR PARENTS TALK ABOUT IT. SO THE WAY THAT WE DISCUSS PEOPLE, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE PEOPLE, THE WAY THAT WE TALK ABOUT EACH OTHER MATTERS.

AND IT'S PUSHING PEOPLE TO MAKE LIFE-ENDING DECISIONS. SO WE ALL HAVE A DUTY TO TREAT EACH OTHER WITH RESPECT AND KINDNESS AND LOVE.

SO THANK YOU ALL FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO. AND IT'S AN UPON TO BE A PART OF THIS PROCLAMATION. [APPLAUSE] UP NEXT WE HAVE THE NATIONAL WEEK OF ACTION FOR MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN. I'LL READ A PROCLAMATION FOR THE NATIONAL WEEK OF MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN.

WHEREAS THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO RECOGNIZES THE AMERICAN INDIANS IN TEXAS, THE SPANISH COLONIAL MISSIONS AND WILL OBSERVE NATIONAL AND MISSING MURDERED INDIGENOUS PEOPLE ON MAY 5TH. AND MANY OF THESE PEOPLE, INCLUDING OUR NEIGHBORS, COLLEAGUES ARE SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AND OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES. WHEREAS THE MURDER AND DISAPPEARANCE OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE ARE HEINOUS COMPACTION CONTACTS AND UNDERMINE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE TO HEAL FROM HARM AND TRAUMA. THE MISSING AND MURDERED

[00:35:07]

I'D LOVE TO WELCOME AIT TO SAY A FEW WORDS. >> THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR THE TIME AND OPPORTUNITY, COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I AM A MEMBER OF THE [INDISCERNIBLE] TRANSCRIBE. I AM ALSO -- HAVE THE HONOR AND PRIVILEGE OF BEING THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER FOR THIS AND PROUD TO BRING FORWARD THIS PROGRAM WE BUILT IN 2021 PROGRAM AS IT'S BECOME NOW AS WE GAIN MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO BRING MORE AWARENESS AND BUILD MORE RESOURCES AROUND THIS EPIDEMIC. NOT JUST AWARENESS ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL, BUT DOWN HERE IN THE LOCAL LEVEL AS WELL. AND SO I'M REALLY PROUD TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS WORK, BUT ALSO MORE PROUD TO BE ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT AND UPLIFT THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN ALSO DOING THIS WORK, YOU KNOW, IN DIFFERENT WAYS, AND ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO PROVIDING MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD RESOURCES AND FIGHT THAT FIGHT, YOU KNOW, AGAINST THIS EPIDEMIC. AND SO TODAY I BRING YOU OUR NEWEST ADDITION TO OUR PROGRAMMING, WHICH IS THE SAN ANTONIO MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN AND PEOPLE COALITION. SO WE HAVE MANY OF OUR MEMBERS HERE, JUST A HANDFUL. AND WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHERS THAT COULD NOT MAKE IT TODAY. AND SO WE RECOGNIZE THEM AS WELL HERE IN THIS SPACE AND THE SAME AUDIENCE. SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO US TO ALWAYS THINK ABOUT NOT JUST HOW WE SHOW UP, BUT HOW WE CONTINUE TO BUILD ADVOCACY AND OPPORTUNITIES TO SHARE MORE AND MORE -- SHED MORE AND MORE LIGHT ON THIS ISSUE. SO AS I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE IN THIS SAME SPACE, THIS IS A CITY THAT HAS ROUGHLY AROUND 65,000 NATIVE IDENTIFIED PEOPLE AND EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE IS HONORED, IS SACRED AND DESERVES RESPECT.

IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, IN ALL SECTORS, IN ALL SPACES.

SO THAT'S THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING AS AN ORGANIZATION.

BUT THIS IS ALSO A LARGE STATE, AS MANY HAVE SHARED, THAT IT ALSO LOOKING TO CONTINUE TO OPPRESS PEOPLE FLAY OUR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, MARGINALLIZED COMMUNITIES AND SO ON. THIS STATE IS ALSO A SIGNIFICANT PIECE OF THE PUZZLE ACROSS THE NATION. THIS IS THE SECOND LARGEST STATE IN THE COUNTRY WITH ROUGHLY ALSO ABOUT 800,000 NATIVE IDENTIFIED PEOPLE ACROSS THE STATE.

THIS TYPE OF OPPRESSION IS SIGNIFICANT TO OUR COMMUNITIES.

MANY PEOPLE CONTINUE THE STEREOTYPE THAT NATIVE PEOPLE ONLY LIVE ON RESERVATIONS WHEN IN FACT 70% OF ALL NATIVE PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY LIVE IN METROPOLITAN CITIES LIKE SAN ANTONIO, DALLAS, HOUSTON, EL PASO, CORPUS AND BEYOND. AND SO THESE COMMUNITIES ARE IMPORTANT, THESE COMMUNITIES ARE SACRED AND THE MORE AND MORE WE CAN DO TO HONOR THAT THE BETTER.

THIS WEEK OF ACTION, THIS DAY IS SIGNIFICANT AS MAY 5TH, BUT WE'RE ALSO CELEBRATING OUR SECOND WEEK OF ACTION THIS YEAR COMING UP BETWEEN MAY 5TH THROUGH MAY 9TH. WE HAVE MANY DIFFERENT EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING, AN EVENT HAPPENING EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE DAYS. EACH OF Y'ALL HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATED WITH ABOUT OUR KICKOFF DAY, WHICH IS ON MAY 5TY HALL HERE TO READ THIS PROCLAMATION TO THE PUBLIC AND TO THE PRESS AS WELL. WE ENCOURAGE MORE AND MORE OF YOU ALL AS CITY COUNCILMEMBERS TO JOIN US. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA FOR AGREEING TO JOIN US THAT DAY. AND WE APPRECIATE ALL THE RESPONSE THAT WE'VE GOTTEN SO FAR. WE CONTINUOUSLY URGE YOU ALL TO COME OUT. IF YOU CAN'T COME OUT ON TUESDAY, COME OUT TO THE OTHER EVENTS. WE HAVE MANY WAYS TO BRING YOU INTO THE SPACE AND SHED LIGHT ON THIS ISSUE AND BE IN THAT COMMUNITY SPACE TOGETHER.

[00:40:01]

I'LL PASS THE WORD OVER. >> GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR RECOGNIZING THIS DAY, BUT ALSO THE WEEK OF ACTION. MY NAME IS JORDAN GALVAN AND I'M OUR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR AT AMERICAN INDIANS IN TEXAS.

TODAY I BROUGHT A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT KEY FACTS AND FIGURES TO ADD A LITTLE BIT EXTRA CONTEXT TO THE ISSUE. I THINK WHEN IT COMES TO AWARENESS, EDUCATION IS AN IMPERATIVE PART OF INCLUDING THAT. SO WHEN WE RECOGNIZE IN 2024 OVER 10,248 MISSING INDIGENOUS PEOPLE WERE REPORTED, WITH A LARGE PART OF THAT BEING WOMEN, 4,628 BEING MEN AND MOST REPORTED MISSING WERE UNDER THE AGE OF 18. AND THAT STILL DOES LEAVE A CRITICAL AMOUNT OF DATA AND INFORMATION OUT AS A LOT OF THESE DIFFERENT CASES GO UNDERREPRESENTED AND UNDERINVESTIGATED BY THE MEDIA AS WELL AS THROUGH THOSE FEDERAL AND DIFFERENT FORMS OF INVESTIGATION AND JURISDICTION. AND IN FACT, TEXAS IS ALSO ONE OF THE TOP STATES THAT HAS THE HIGHEST RATES OF AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKAN NATIVE MISSING PERSONS CASES. SO WE CAN SEE THIS ISSUE IS JUST PRESENT ACROSS THE ENTIRE NATION, BUT ALSO LOCALIZE UNDERSTAND OUR OWN BACKYARDS. WHEN WE LOOK AT THESE DIFFERENT THINGS IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE SOLUTIONS FOR THESE ISSUES LIE DIRECTLY IN THE HANDS OF THE COMMUNITY AND THOSE WHO HAVE SURVIVED THESE ISSUES AND THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN MOST IMPACTED. SO WHEN WE INVITE YOU ALL OUT TO COME TO THE WEEK OF ACTION, WE LIKE TO SIT WITH THE COMMUNITY NOT ONLY AS A WEEK OF AWARENESS, BUT AS A WEEK OF CHANGE AND SPEARHEADING THAT AND BUILDING THAT BASE, AND FINDING THE ABILITY TO LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER AND CREATE THOSE SOLUTIONS, THAT WAY CREATE SOLUTIONS FOR BEYOND JUST THE AWARENESS OF IT ALTOGETHER.

AND JUST RECENTLY AS WELL, THERE WAS A REPORT THAT SAID THAT THERE WAS FEDERAL FUNDING OF OVER $1.3 MILLION INVESTED BY THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT IN LAUNCHING A NEW FORENSIC GENEALOGY PROGRAM AIMED AT SOLVING THE CITY'S MOST STUBBORN COLD CASES. WITH THAT OVER 366 UNSOLVED HOME SIDES AND OTHER SEXUAL ASSAULTS CAN BE ELIGIBLE FOR FORENSIC GENEALOGY IN THOSE CASES.

I IMPLORE ALL OF US AND AS SERVANTS TO THE COMMUNITY TO THROUGH NATIVE PEOPLE IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS, AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND HOW WE CAN BEST SERVE THE COMMUNITY TO ALLOW HEALING AND RECREATION TO OUR WAYS, IDENTITIES AND TO OUR PROTECTIONS AS PEOPLE. SO A LOT OF PEOPLE WHEN THEY HEAR ABOUT THIS ISSUE THEY FREQUENTLY ONLY UNDERSTAND IT AS SOMETHING THAT IS RELEVANT OR ABLE TO BE INVOLVED IN OR SUPPORTED BY OTHER NATIVE PEOPLE, BUT IN FACT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE ALL RESPONSIBLE TO AND WE ALL CALL FOR THAT STANDING IN SOLIDARITY AND SUPPORT TO SUPPORT CHANGE. I THINK THERE'S A BEAUTY IN IT BEING THE HISTORY OF TRANS VISIBILITY AS WELL BECAUSE A LOT OF DATA DOES NOT RECOGNIZE OUR TRANS INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE ARE ALSO EQUALLY INVOLVED IN THAT REPRESENTATION. WE STAND WITH ALL OF YOU AS WELL AND APPRECIATE YOU FOR YOUR RECOGNITION AND PROTECTION OF ALL OF OUR RELATIVES.

SO WE IMPLORE YOU TO JOIN US AND THANK YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THIS DAY AND WE LOOK NOT ONLY TO SEE CHANGE AND AWARENESS ON THAT DAY, BUT ALSO MOVING INTO

THE FUTURE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS STACY. AND I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING ON THE BOARD OF AMERICAN INDIANS IN TEXAS SPANISH COLONIAL MISSIONS AS THEIR VP. I AM ALSO A PROUD MEMBER OF THE SAN ANTONIO'S MMIWP COALITION. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HAVING US HERE.

AND HERE TODAY TO RECOGNIZE THE MMIWP WEEK OF ACTION. WHILE I'M NOT A NATIVE SAN ANTONIAN, I AM A NATIVE HAWAIIN. I AM HERE TO SHOW THAT THE PEOPLE OF HAWAII STAND WITH OUR BROTHERS, OUR SISTERS AND COUSINS TO SUPPORT THOSE WHO CANNOT STAND HERE TODAY. WE STAND IN THEIR PLACE AND RECOGNIZE THAT THEY ARE NOT FORGOTTEN. THEY WILL NOT GO UNHEARD AND THEY WILL NOT -- THEY WILL BE HONORED AND REMEMBERED. MAHOALA FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND TO HONOR THEM IN CITY HALL AND SHED LIGHT ON SUCH A MAJOR APPEAR DEPOSIT MILK AMONGST OUR PEOPLE.

I'LL BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T REMIND US ALL THAT WE'RE ALL COMING UP ON A YEAR OF THE KILLING OF JOHN NAN JOSS ON THE SOUTHSIDE OF SAN ANTONIO, ONE OF OUR

[00:45:07]

ALSO A MEMBER OF THE LBGTQ COMMUNITY AS WELL. WE'RE HONORED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT REPRESENTATION, YOU KNOW, OF WHAT JONATHAN JOSS BRINGS TO THIS COMMUNITY AND WHAT THAT ISSUE SHED LIGHT ON IN RELATIONSHIP TO THIS ISSUE OF MISSING MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN AND PEOPLE. WE ACKNOWLEDGE AND HONOR JONATHAN AGAIN THIS YEAR, BUT ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE STILL DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER YET FOR HIS MURDER.

THANK YOU. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU.

COUNCILMEMBER GALVAN? >> GALVAN: THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM AND THANK YOU ALL FOR THE CONVERSATION TODAY, FOR THE PROCLAMATION TODAY AND FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO EVERY SINGLE DAY. I WANT TO MAKE SURE I ALSO RECOGNIZE RAMÓN.

WE SPOKE AFTER ONE ANOTHER, WE DIDN'T NECESSARILY MEET FULLY THIS MONTH, AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE WORK. BECAUSE AGAIN WE TALK ABOUT SIMILAR TO THE TRANSGENDER WEEK OF HISTORY, UNDERSTANDING THE HISTORY THAT IS INVOLVED IN THE CURRENT HISTORY OF TODAY IS CRITICAL TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO ACTUALLY ADDRESS THEM. WE KNOW THE COLONIAL STRUCTURES IN PLACE HERE IN OUR CITY AND IN OUR COUNTRY CREATE RESTRICTIVE ACTIONS AND RESTRICTIVE PROVIDERS THAT NOT ONLY AFFECT ONE COMMUNITY, DID YOU CAN AFFECT MULTIPLE COMMUNITIES AS THOSE TOOLS ARE USED IN DIFFERENT PLACES. SO BEING ABLE TO UNDERSTAND HOW THEY WERE FORMED, HOW THEY'RE CREATED, UTILIZED, ONE COMMUNITY AND SEVERAL OTHERS HELPS US TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO BREAK THE SYSTEMS DOWN AND CREATE SYSTEMS THAT ARE UPLIFTING TO FOLKS AND LIBERATING FOR FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITIES FREELY, FAIRLY AND IN TRUE SAFETY. WHEN WE LOOK AT RESTRICTIONS AND OTHER FORMS OF SAFETY THAT ARE CONSIDERED TO BE WEAK FOR SOME FOLKS, WE MOVE THEM OUT OF THE WAY, WE GET THEM OUT OF THE WAY, WE CAUSE MORE HARM INSTEAD OF FINDING WAYS TO INCLUDE FOLKS AND MAKING SURE EVERYONE CAN LIVE IN OUR SOCIETY IN A POSITIVE MANNER. IT CREATES THE UNDERREPORTED CASES. IT CREATES THE PLACES OF FEAR AND THESE DARK SHADOW AREAS THAT WE CANNOT SEE AND FULLY ADDRESS. CONVERSATIONS LIKE THESE ARE CRITICAL TO NOT ONLY STARTING THAT WORK, BUT CONTINUING TO SHED LIGHT ON IT AND GET MORE FOLKS INVOLVED IN IT. I WANT TO SAY AGAIN THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DO EVERY SINGLE DAY NOT ONLY IN THIS SPACE, BUT ACROSS THE ENTIRE SPACE OF FIGHTING FOR INDIGENOUS

>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA?

>> MUNGIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. I JUST WANT TO SAY, JORDAN, YOU DID FANTASTIC WORK AND YOU SHOULD CONSIDER RUNNING FOR OFFICE IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A STEP DOWN FROM WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO YOU. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO AT AIT, AND ONE OF YOUR GREATEST AND BEST ADVOCATES, I TALK TO YOU ALMOST ON A DAILY BASIS, MS. BRENDA. I KNOW SHE'S WATCHING FROM HOME TODAY.

I'M SO HAPPY TO JOIN Y'ALL NEXT WEEK BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS TRULY ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT GOES SEVERELY UNDERREPORTED.

AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT IT'S AT THE INTERSECTION OF WOMEN IN OUR SOCIETY AND INDIGENOUS WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR THAT SO I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, LIKE YOU SAID, TO FOCUS ON THE SOLUTIONS OF THE ISSUE. WE'RE NOT GOING TO JUST GO AND GET A PROCLAMATION AND THEN COME BACK NEXT YEAR. WE'VE GOT TO WORK WITH SAPD. WE HAVE TO WORK WITH OUR SHERIFF'S OFFICE BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW MY COMMUNITY ON 35 IN MY DISTRICT IS WHERE THE ENTRANCE OF THE HUMAN SMUGGLING COMPONENT IS RIGHT THERE ON 35 AND WE KNOW WHO THAT AFFECTS MORE THAN OTHERS. COUNT ME AS A PARTNER TO WORK WITH YOU TO DO BETTER IN OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU

DO TODAY. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER.

COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR COMING, RAMON AND JORDAN. THANK YOU FOR SHARING. VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IS SOMETHING WE TALK ABOUT OFTEN AND WE KNOW THAT THIS HAPPENS.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT I WORKED ON FOR YEARS WITH THE PD IN TERMS OF TRYING TO GET WOMEN OUT OF ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS. I THINK WHAT YOU ARE DOING HERE IS SO POWERFUL BECAUSE YOU GET SPECIFIC AND YOU SAY IT'S INDIGENOUS WOMEN.

IT'S UNDER 18. IT'S MORE THAN 50% OF WHO GOES MISSING.

AND THIS IS JUST A FRACTION OF WHAT WE SEE HAPPENING NATIONWIDE AND GLOBALLY.

WOMEN ARE BEING TARGETED. THEY ARE BEING DISMISSED WHEN THEY TELL THEIR STORIES. WHAT I AM SO PROUD ABOUT AMERICAN INDIANS IN TEXAS AND THE TRIBAL COMMUNITIES IS THAT THEY MOVE TO ACTION SAYING WE WILL FIND A SPECIFIC SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM WE HAVE FOR US. AND BEING AN EXAMPLE FOR

[00:50:04]

HEAR WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE RESERVATIONS BUT FOR YOU TO COME AND PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE IN TEXAS, THE SECOND LARGEST STATE, MEANS SO MUCH AND MEANS THAT WE REALLY DO HAVE TO MOVE TO ACTION AND PLEDGE THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE FORENSICS THAT WE START ADDRESSING THE ISSUES OF OUR TRIBAL WOMEN THAT HAVE GONE MISSING OR HAVE BEEN TRAFFICKED AND THAT WE CANNOT FIND. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO AND YOUR PASSION FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND THE FACT THAT YOU TEMPER THE CULTURE AND THE CELEBRATION WITH THE HARSH REALITY THAT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. SO THANK YOU.

I LOOK FORWARD TO ALL THE ACTION OF NEXT WEEK AND GETTING UPDATES ON THAT AND

BEING PART OF IT. THANK YOU. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO FOLLOWED BY COUNCILMEMBER

ALDERETE GAVITO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO SHED LIGHT ON THE IMPACT OF INDIGENOUS WOMEN AND THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO ENSURE THERE IS ACCOUNTABILITY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL IMPACTED INDIVIDUALS. AS JORDAN AND RAMON HIGHLIGHTED THAT THE WORK GOES BEYOND THIS WEEK. I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT YESTERDAY WE RECEIVED ALL DO IN TERMS OF MITIGATING DROPOUTS FOR MANY OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS BY PROVIDING CULTURAL-RELEVANT CURRICULUM, MENTORSHIP, AND SO MUCH MORE. THIS GOES BEYOND THE WEEK BUT JUST TO HIGHLIGHT THAT YOU ALL HAVE MANY IRONS IN THE FIRE AND HOW YOU'RE PROVIDING SUPPORT TO SAN

ANTONIANS. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ:

COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO. >> GAVITO: I THINK YOU NAILED IT WITH YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT AWARENESS AND AWARENESS IS IMPORTANT.

BUT ALSO TOO, RELATED TO THE TRANS COMMUNITY, AWARENESS IS THE FIRST STEP BECAUSE WE HAVE TO FIND SOLUTIONS. THANK YOU FOR STATING THAT SO WELL.

IT'S APPLICABLE ACROSS THE BOARD. AWARENESS IS IMPORTANT BUT

WE HAVE TO FIND SOLUTIONS. THANK YOU. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK

YOU. COUNCILMEMBER KAUR. >> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. WHAT COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO SAID IS ACTUALLY WHAT I WAS GOING TO SHARE. I LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION BECAUSE OF YESTERDAY. READING ABOUT WHAT YOU DO IN PREVEPREVENTION AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SUPPORT, I WOULD LOVE TO CONTINUE TO SEE HOW WE COULD BETTER SUPPORT THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WORK THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING AND THAT'S A HUGE AMOUNT OF CONSTITUENCY. IF WE CAN DO ANY ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR THAT, MAYBE THROUGH PUBLIC SAFETY OR FIND WAYS TO BETTER SUPPORT THOSE PROGRAMS, WE WOULD LOVE TO. THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING, NOT JUST FOR THIS MOMENT WHEN WE'RE RECOGNIZING HISTORY BUT ALSO

IN THE COMMUNITY. THANKS, MAYOR PRO TEM. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO. IT'S TRULY VALUABLE AND VALUED AND I HOPE THAT WE GET TO WORK TOGETHER FOR MANY, MANY MORE YEARS TO COME.

ONE MORE ROUND OF APPLAUSE. [APPLAUSE] >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I'LL NOW RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER MEZA GONZALEZ FOR A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.

>> GONZALEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. IF I COULD HAVE THE MEMBERS OF THE BOB ROSS SENIOR CENTER COME UP AND BOB ROSS FAMILY.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BOB ROSS SENIOR CENTER. [APPLAUSE] WE RECENTLY CELEBRATED 19 YEARS. 19 YEARS AGO THE DOORS OPENED FOR A ONE OF A KIND SENIOR CENTER. THE RESEARCH AND VISION OF COUNCILMEMBER BOB ROSS CAME TOGETHER TO CREATE A SPACE THAT WOULD REDEFINE HOW WE SERVE OLDER ADULTS IN SAN ANTONIO . A TRUE ONE-STOP CENTER FOR CONNECTION, LEARNING, AND ACTIVE LIVING. WHAT BEGAN AS A BOLD IDEA HAS GROWN INTO SOMETHING EVEN MORE MEANINGFUL. A VIBRANT COMMUNITY.

THIS PLACE IS FILLED WITH JOY, FRIENDSHIP, AND PURPOSE.

I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF EXPERIENCING THAT SPIRIT FIRSTHAND, WHETHER IT'S PLAYING BINGO TOGETHER, ORGANIZING HOLIDAY AND THANKSGIVING LUNCHES OR CELEBRATING OUR SENIORS EVERY CHANCE THAT WE GET. THOSE MOMENTS REMIND US THAT THIS CENTER IS NOT JUST ABOUT SERVICES BUT IT'S ABOUT THE PEOPLE.

THIS MILESTONE IS A TESTAMENT TO WHAT'S POSSIBLE WHEN A CITY SHOWS UP FOR ITS RESIDENTS. THE LEGACY OF BOB ROSS LIVES ON, NOT JUST IN THIS BUILDING BUT IN EVERY LIFE TOUCHED HERE OVER THE LAST 19 YEARS.

[00:55:05]

AS THIS CENTER CONTINUES TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY, WE MUST CONTINUE INVESTING IN IT.

ESPECIALLY AS IT NEARS TWO DECADES OF SERVICE SO IT CAN REMAIN A PLACE OF PRIDE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. I'M HONORED TO HAVE SOME MEMBERS FROM DISTRICT 8 SENIOR CENTER. THEIR WONDERFUL AND CARING DIRECTOR AND HIS STAFF, AS WELL AS COUNCILMEMBER BOB ROSS' CHILDREN, WHO WILL SHARE A FEW WORDS.

THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TO SHARE THIS SPECIAL MILESTONE WITH US.

. [APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ. I WANT TO TELL THE STORY OF THE CENTER .

JUDGE WOLFF AND MAYOR GARZA APPOINTED MY FATHER TO HERD THE CATS TO DEVELOP A CITY-COUNTY PROGRAM AND A POLICY FOR WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH SENIORS IN SAN ANTONIO. AND SOMETIME DURING THAT YEAR, HE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER BUT THIS WAS HIS GOAL IS TO GET THIS PROJECT THROUGH.

SO SOMETIME THE WEEK BEFORE, THEY HAD A PARTY ON THURSDAY TO CELEBRATE THE END OF THE PROCESS AND DELIVERY OF THE REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL ON THURSDAY.

AND THAT FOLLOWING MONDAY, HE PASSED AWAY. SO HE LIVED LONG ENOUGH TO DO THAT. I WOULD BE REMISS NOT TO MENTION THAT HE STARTED HIS CAREER IN CITY GOVERNMENT WITH -- ERIK WAS A YOUNGSTER THEN AND JELYNNE WAS IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TOO AND THEY GREW UP TOGETHER AND HE WOULD BE VERY PROUD WHERE EVERYBODY HAS ENDED UP. HOPEFULLY HE HAD SOME PART IN HELPING THAT PROCESS ALONG. ON BEHALF OF MY FAMILY, WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR NAMING THE CENTER. IT WAS PROBABLY MY MOTHER'S PRIDE AND JOY. SO SHE MADE IT A POINT EVERY YEAR TO GO THERE EVERY YEAR SHE LIVED. SO HE PASSED AWAY, I BELIEVE WHEN HE WAS 85.

SHE MADE IT 105 AND SHE WENT THERE EVERY YEAR SINCE THE NAMING, INCLUDING THE LAST YEAR OF HER LIFE. AND SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR FAMILY.

THANK YOU FOR NAMING IT AFTER HIM AND THANKS, COUNCILMAN ART HALL FOR BESTOWING THAT HONOR OF NAMING THE FIRST CENTER. THE GREAT NEWS IS IT'S GROWN TO WHERE THERE'S ALMOST ONE IN EVERY AREA OF THE CITY. YOU HAVE MADE HIS VISION

BECOME A REALITY. >> GONZALEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BOB ROSS SENIOR CENTER.

I KNOW YOU HAVE TO RUSH AWAY BUT THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT AND HOPEFULLY YOU ENJOY THE

[CITY MANAGER'S REPORT  ]

>> WALSH: GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. JUST A QUICK VIDEO, SPOTLIGHTING ONE OF OUR GREAT EMPLOYEES, WALTER. WALTER IS HERE TODAY.

I SEE HIM IN THE BACK. WALTER IS SHY BUT HE JOINED THE CITY IN 2008 AS A SOLID WASTE MANAGER AND HE MANAGES OUR SOLID WASTE SAFETY AND TRAINING TEAMS. FOR THOSE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE NOT PARTICIPATED IN -- YOU'LL SEE A CLIP OF IT IN THE VIDEO -- WE HAVE A SIMULATOR WHERE WE TRAIN DRIVERS ON HOW TO DRIVE OUR TRUCKS. AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO TRY IT.

IT'S NOT AS EASY AS IT LOOKS. THERE'S A LOT OF HAND-EYE COORDINATION. BUT WALTER OVERSEES THAT. IN ADDITION TO HIS ROLE IN SOLID WASTE, HE ALSO SERVES AS A MEMBER OF OUR BLACK AND AFRICAN AMERICAN EMPLOYEE AFFINITY GROUP STEERING COMMITTEE, WHICH HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR FIVE OR SIX YEARS NOW AND REALLY PARTICIPATES ORGANIZATION. I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT WALTER BECAUSE HERE A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, AS WE WERE CELEBRATING AND REMEMBERING DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, WALTER RECEIVED THE 2026 SERVICE AWARD AND RECOGNITION FROM THE BAPTIST MINISTERS UNION FOR HIS WORK AND CONTRIBUTION TO THE ORGANIZATION, TO THE DEPARTMENT, TO THE EMPLOYEES. HE'S CERTAINLY THE FIRST SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT EMPLOYEE WHO HAS RECEIVED THAT HONOR AND I WANT TO THANK WALTER FOR WHAT HE DOES EVERY DAY IN SOLID WASTE AND FOR OUR

[01:00:01]

[VIDEO]

>> I MANAGE THE SAFETY AND TRAINING TEAM. I ALSO COORDINATE THEIR HIRING PROCESSES FOR EMPLOYEES COMING INTO OUR CART COLLECTIONS TEAMS. THE CORE VALUES THAT I EMBODY MOST IS TEAMWORK AS WELL AS PROFESSIONALISM.

TEAMWORK BECAUSE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IS OPTIMUM TO THE AMOUNT OF WORK AND AMOUNT OF EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAVE. WE COVER EVERY INCH OF THE CITY. AS FAR AS PROFESSIONALISM, WE MUST NEED TO BE WHERE WE ARE ON TIME. WE HAVE A LOT OF VEHICLES OUT ON THE ROAD FROM DAY-TO-DAY. WE ARE MANDATED BY LOCAL STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS TO PROVIDE CONSISTENT SOLID WASTE COLLECTION SERVICES. I AM A MEMBER OF THE BLACK AFFINITY GROUP . WE GET EMPLOYEES FROM AROUND THE CITY, PREPARE IT FOR PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, ITS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

AND WE DO THAT THROUGH COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY. I RECEIVED THE LEGACY AWARD AND I AM SO PROUD TO BE RECOGNIZED BY THE BAPTIST MINISTERS UNION AS WELL AS THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, DAVID MCCARY. I'M STILL SHAKING.

I HAVE AN EXTREMELY HIGH LEVEL OF GRATITUDE .

[APPLAUSE] >> WALSH: THANK YOU, WALTER.

THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THAT'S IT.

>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, ERIK. ITEMS 5 THROUGH 27 WILL BE

[CONSENT AGENDA  ]

>> MOTION TO APPROVE. >> VIAGRAN: SECOND. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. AGAIN, A NUMBER OF HIGHLIGHTS.

LET ME FIND THAT LIST. I WILL START WITH COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE

GAVITO. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM.

I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT 17 AND THAT'S APPOINTING JUSTIN JOHNSON TO THE SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMISSION. JUSTIN WAS BORN AND RAISED RIGHT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. HE TAKES PRIDE IN OUR CITY AND IS PASSIONATE ABOUT GIVING BACK TO HIS COMMUNITY AND IMPROVING OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.

HE IS A MARKETING AND CREATOR PARTNERSHIPS EXECUTIVE WITH OVER 15 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE BUILDING GROWTH STRATEGIES AT THE INTERSECTION OF CREATORS, CULTURE, AND COMMERCE. HIS WORK HAS CONTRIBUTED TO OVER $500 MILLION IN REVENUE ACROSS GLOBAL PLATFORMS. HE HAS DEVELOPED SCALABLE PROGRAMS THAT HELP BUSINESSES OF ALL SIZES TO GROW THEIR AUDIENCE, REVENUE, AND LONG-TERM CUSTOMER LOYAL. HIS REACH SPANNED FROM SAN ANTONIO TO FORTUNE 500 BRANDS. MOST RECENTLY AS HEAD OF MARKET DEVELOPMENT AT ACORN, HE LED PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS NORTH AMERICA. JUSTIN GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN AND SERVES ON THE RED MCCOMBS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND THE TERRY FOUNDATION . I'M PROUD TO APPOINT JUSTIN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR BEINGNESS

TO SERVE AND CONGRATULATIONS, JUSTIN. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. COUNCILMEMBER KAUR. SORRY.

GO AHEAD. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, INCLUDING ME, AND GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE BACK, NOT ONLY TO THE DISTRICT BUT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AT-LARGE. I'M EXCITED TO BRING WHAT I HAVE LEARNED THROUGHOUT MY

CAREER BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU.

THANKS, JUSTIN. >> KAUR: I'M HIGHLIGHTING ITEM NO. 21, A LARGE-AREA REZONING. THANK YOU TO THE DSD TEAM FOR YOUR HELP MOVING THIS FORWARD. WE FOUND THIS OUT BECAUSE THERE WAS A CONSTITUENT THAT APPLIED FOR MAJOR-MINOR HOME REHAB AND COULDN'T BECAUSE THEY WERE UNDER THE WRONG ZONING. BUT ZONING COSTS AND WE DIDN'T WANT TO PUT THAT ON OUR RESIDENTS SO WE ARE ADJUSTING THE ZONING TO RESIDENTIAL AND HOPEFULLY THEY WILL ADD MORE UNITS. I KNOW THAT DSD IS GOING TO BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THEM. I ALSO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM 18, APPOINTING OURS TRULY, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN TO BE THE DIRECTOR AT-LARGE FOR THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL

LEAGUE BOARD OF DIRECTORS . THANKS, MAYOR PRO TEM. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK

[01:05:02]

YOU. COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU.

I WANT TO -- TWO QUICK HIGHLIGHTS. FIRST OF ALL, ITEM 15.

THE MAYORAL'S APPOINTEE OF SUZANNE SCOTT. I KNOW THE MAYOR COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY BUT I DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SUZANNE, WHO CONTINUES TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY IN SO MANY WAYS. I WANT TO THANK HER FOR AGREEING TO SERVE ON THE STORMWATER FOR THAT. THAT IS NOT A GLAMOROUS COMMITTEE.

AND THE SECOND IS THE RESOLUTION APPROVING THE REAPPOINTMENT OF JELYNNE LE BLANC JAMISON TO THE NORTH SECTOR AND MARILU REYNA TO THE SAN ANTONIO WATER SYSTEM. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SERVING AND CONTINUING TO SERVE AND MAKING SURE THIS CITY MOVES FORWARD AND WE HAVE TO WATER THAT WE NEED.

THANK YOU. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO.

>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. I WANTED TO THANK MR. MCCARY AND THE SOLID WASTE TEAM, ESPECIALLY WALTER.

MANY DISTRICT 5 RESIDENTS SERVE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IN THE SOLID WASTE TEAM AND THEY WAKE UP EVERY DAY, WHEN THEY DROP BY OUR OFFICE THEY SHARE HOW PROUD THEY ARE TO SERVE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND WORK FOR THE SOLID WASTE TEAM.

I WANTED TO THANK WALTER AND MR. MCCARY FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM 11, THE REAPPOINTMENT OF JELYNNE JAMISON AND MARILU REYNA. THESE TWO LEADERS ARE POWER POWERHOUSES AND CHANGE MAKERS. THE VALUE YOU BRING TO THE SAWS COMMITTEE AND EACH ORGANIZATION THAT YOU SERVE IS JUST HIGHLIGHTING THE INTERSECTION OF HEALTHCARE, ACCESS TO WATER, ELECTRICITY, SO ON AND SO FORTH, AS WELL AS COMMUNICATING WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE TO OUR CONSTITUENCY.

I VALUE Y'ALL'S LEADERSHIP AND THE WAYS IN WHICH Y'ALL CONTINUE TO SERVE THE CITY

OF SAN ANTONIO. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ:

COUNCILMEMBER GALVAN. >> GALVAN: I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM 6.

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTRICT 6. I WANTED TO START OFF BY SAYING TRAINING IS NOT OPTIONAL FOR OUR SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT.

IT DIRECTLY ENHANCES THEIR ABILITY TO RESPOND TO AND SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.

HIGH-QUALITY TRAINING IS NOT A LUXURY, IT'S A NECESSITY. THE SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT'S [INDISCERNIBLE] AND NOW REQUIRES CRITICAL REPAIR.

IF YOU HAVE BEEN THERE AND SEEN SOME OF THE TRAINING, IT IS NOT ONLY INTENSE BUT ALSO A CLEAR NEED FOR IMPROVEMENT THERE TO MAKE SURE OUR FOLKS ARE PREPARED FOR ANY KIND OF EMERGENCY GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY. THE FACILITIES ARE EXPOSED TO EXTREME TEMPERATURES MAKING ONGOING ATTENTION TO STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY ESSENTIAL. I WANT TO THANK THE SAN ANTONIO FIRE ASSOCIATION FOR MAKING SURE WE ARE AWARE OF THE CRITICAL NEED FOR THIS WWORK .

I UNDERSTAND THAT OF COURSE THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE NEEDED HERE ARE CRITICAL FOR MAKING SURE THAT OUR FOLKS ARE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF NOT ONLY THEMSELVES IN THESE CONDITIONS BUT ALSO OUR LARGER COMMUNITY TOO.

THANK YOU AGAIN AND VERY EXCITED TO SEE THE IMPROVEMENTS COMING ONLINE

IN DISTRICT 6. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK

YOU. COUNCILMEMBER SPEARS. >> SPEARS: THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. I WANT TO START WITH ITEM NO. 9.

THIS IS THE ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE SUBMISSION OF A GRANT APPLICATION AUTHORITY . AUTO THEFT AND BREAK-INS ARE NOT MINOR CRIMES.

THEY ERODE A SENSE OF SAFETY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. THIS FUNDING STRENGTHENS A DEDICATED REGIONAL TASK FORCE FOCUSED ON STOPPING THESE CRIMES AT THE SOURCE AND NOT JUST RESPONDING AFTER THE FACT. IT ALLOWS US TO PUT MORE OFFICERS, MORE COORDINATION, AND MORE TARGETED ENFORCEMENT BEHIND A PROBLEM WE KNOW IS INCREASING. I FULLY SUPPORT LEVERAGING STATE RESOURCES LIKE THIS TO EXPAND OUR LOCAL CAPACITY WITHOUT PLACING THE FULL BURDEN ON OUR TAXPAYERS.

THIS IS EXACTLY THE KIND OF PROACTIVE INTELLIGENCE-DRIVEN POLICING OUR COMMUNITY EXPECTS AND DESERVES. PUBLIC SAFETY STARTS WITH PROTECTING PEOPLE'S HOMES, THEIR VEHICLES, AND THEIR PEACE OF MIND.

AND THIS INVESTMENT MOVES US FORWARD. THANK YOU TO STAFF FOR PURSUING THIS GRANT AND TO THE MOTOR VEHICLE CRIME PREVENTION AUTHORITY FOR GIVING IT TO US. I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM NO. 10.

THIS IS AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZATION THE SUBMISSION OF A GRANT APPLICATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF FUNDS UPON AWARD FOR THE ADVANCED LAW ENFORCEMENT RAPID RESPONSE TRAINING PROGRAM IN THE AMOUNT OF $6,000 FROM THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR AND PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICE . THANK YOU AGAIN TO STAFF FOR PURSUING THIS GRANT OPPORTUNITY. TRAINING IS EVERYTHING, ESPECIALLY WHEN SECONDS

[01:10:01]

WE OWE IT TO BOTH OUR OFFICERS AND OUR RESIDENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE BEST TRAINING AVAILABLE AND NO SHORTCUTS. EVEN SMALL INVESTMENTS IN TRAINING CAN HAVE LIFE-SAVING IMPACTS IN THE FIELD.

I WILL ALWAYS SUPPORT EFFORTS THAT EQUIP OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT WITH TOOLS, TRAINING, AND READINESS THEY NEED TO PROTECT THIS CITY. STRONG TRAINING, STRONG RESPONSE, AND STRONG SUPPORT FOR OUR OFFICERS. THIS IS HOW WE KEEP SAN ANTONIO SAFE. I BET Y'ALL CAN GUESS THE LAST ONE I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS NO. 5. THIS IS AN ORDINANCE APPROVING A CHANGE ORDER IN THE AMOUNT OF $7.4 MILLION TO EXPAND PARKING. A NEW PARKING STRUCTURE AND GROUND TRANSPORTATION CENTER AT THE SAN ANTONIO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

THIS IS FUNDING FROM THE INTERIM FINANCING AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT AND CONTINGENCY FUND . THIS IS WONDERFUL. I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS.

THIS IS FORWARD THINKING. IT'S AN INVESTMENT ABOUT STAYING AHEAD OF GROWTH AT OUR SAN ANTONIO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AND NOT REACTING TO IT.

AS PASSENGER TRAFFIC INCREASES, WE MUST ENSURE THE INFRASTRUCTURE KEEPS PACE, ESPECIALLY PARKING AND GROUND ACCESS. THIS PROJECT DIRECTLY IMPROVES THE TRAVEL EXPERIENCE FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS AND ADDS 450 ADDITIONAL SPACES. IT ALSO SUPPORTS THE LONG-TERM SUCCESS OF THE SAT FORWARD PROGRAM AND THE NEW TERMINAL DEVELOPMENT. THIS IS A PROACTIVE FINANCIAL DECISION FOR THE AIRPORT TO DECIDE TO ADD ANOTHER FLOOR TO THE PARKING GARAGE DURING A TIME WHEN IT WILL MINIMIZE ADDITIONAL COSTS IN THE NEAR-TERM AND DRIVES INCREASED REVENUE IN THE LONG TERM. AIRPORT LEADERSHIP HAS MADE THIS POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF HOW EFFICIENTLY THE EXPANSION CONSTRUCTION IS FLOWING AND HOW WELL THE MONEY BEING INVESTED IS BEING MANAGED. WHEN WE INVEST IN THE AIRPORT, WE'RE INVESTING IN JOBS, TOURISM, AND SAN ANTONIO'S COMPETITIVENESS.

THE LAST THING IS NEXT WEEK IS TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK SO DON'T FORGET TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR TEACHERS AND SPECIALS AND NURSES AND ADMIN.

ALSO, GO SPURS GO! >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU.

COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THIS MORNING I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM 14, WHICH IS THE APPOINTMENT OF VALERIE MARTINEZ TO THE DIEZ Y SEIS COMMISSION.

SHE HAS RECEIVED THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT AND SERVES IN A WEALTH OF ROLES.

JUST WANTED TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR APPOINTMENT. THANK YOU, PROFESSOR

MARTINEZ. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU.

THERE BEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. PLEASE VOTE. MARRIEDS.

[Executive Session At any time during the meeting, the City Council may recess into executive session in the C Room to consult with the City Attorney's Office (Texas Government Code Section 551.071) and deliberate or discuss any of the following:  ]

TIME IS NOW 12:49 P.M. ON APRIL 30, 2026, AND THE SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL WILL RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION. NO OFFICIAL ACTION WAS TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.

THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.

THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.