KHANNA, AT-LARGE CITY COUNCILOR AND I'M THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE. TODAY IS JULY 2ND 2026.
THE EXACT TIME IS 10:01 A.M.. IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER TWO OF THE ACT 2025 MODIFYING SO AND REQUIREMENTS OF THE OPEN MEETING LAW AND RELIEVING PUBLIC BODIES OF CERTAIN
REQUIREMENTS INCLUDING THE REQUIREMENT THAT PUBLIC BODIES CONDUCT ITS MEETING ANY PUBLIC PLACE THAT IS OPEN AND PHYSICALLY ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC. THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE CONDUCTING THIS HEARING VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM. THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED.
IT IS ALSO BEING LIVESTREAMED AT BOSTON.GOV/CITY COUNCIL DASH TV AND BROADCAST I'M GOING TO FINISH CHANNEL EIGHT RC AND CHANNEL 82 AND FILES CHANNEL
964. WRITTEN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE. EMAIL AT SCORPIUS@BOSTON.GOV AND WE BEEN MADE PART OF THE RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO ALL COUNCILORS. OKAY PUBLIC MONEY WILL BE TAKEN
AT THE END OF THIS HEARING. INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED ON AND IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY SIGNED UP THEY WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO TESTIFY.
IF YOU WISH TO SIGN UP FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND HAVE NOT DONE SO, PLEASE EMAIL US TO STOP LIAISON SHANE PACK. UH SHANE.PACK@BOSTON.GOV FOR THE ZOOM LINK AND YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST.
TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET NUMBER 0970 MESSAGE IN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON
TO ACCEPT AND EXPAND THE AMOUNT OF $1,073,000 239 OR $0.34 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE FY 26 SENATOR CHARLES SHANNON
JUNIOR COMMUNITY SAFETY INITIATIVE AWARDED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY AND TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. THE GRANT WILL FUND REGIONAL AND MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACHES TO COMBAT GANG
VIOLENCE THROUGH COORDINATED PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION, LAW ENFORCEMENT, PROSECUTION
AND RE UM INTEGRATION PROGRAMS. THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY MAMA TRAVEL AND WAS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON MAY 13TH, 2026. TODAY I AM JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL DISTRICT TWO CITY COUNCILOR COUNCILOR AT FLYNN.
WE'VE ALSO RECEIVED THE LETTER OF ABSENCE FROM AT-LARGE CITY COUNCILOR C LOUIJEUNE. I'M GOING TO GO INTO MY OPENING REMARKS AND ALLOW MY COLLEAGUES
UM, A BRIEF OPENING REMARKS AND WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO UM, OUR PANEL. BUT SHANNON RAN IS AN INVESTMENT INITIATIVE THAT SUPPORTS THE CITY OF BOSTON'S COMPREHENSIVE PUBLIC SAFETY
STRATEGY THROUGH REGIONAL AND MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACHES AND COLLABORATIONS AMONG STATE AND CITY AGENCIES ALONG WITH PARTNERSHIPS WITH FAITH-BASED PHILANTHROPIC EMBASSIES ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. IN ORDER FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON
TO OFFER THIS INITIATIVE, THE CITY COUNCIL MUST VOTE TO AUTHORIZE THE ORDER TO ACCEPT AND EXPAND THE $1.7 MILLION
GRANT. THAT WOULD FUND THE UM FOR THE FY 26. TODAY'S HEARING AS PART OF THAT OVERSIGHT PROCESS, THE SHANNON
GRANT IS INTENDED TO FUND COORDINATED PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION, LAW ENFORCEMENT, PROSECUTION AND REINTEGRATION PROGRAMS AIMED AT REDUCING GUN REDUCING GUN GANG AND YOUTH VIOLENCE IN THE CITY.
THESE INITIATIVES PROVIDE A PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES THAT SERVE POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND RECREATION ACTIVITIES AND SPECIFICALLY TARGET HOTSPOT AREAS IN BOSTON.
I WANT TO EXTEND MY APPRECIATION UM, TO THEM AND BILL'S FOR HIS LEADERSHIP THROUGH THIS PROCESS EACH YEAR AS A PROJECT COORDINATOR FOR THE SENIOR TRIAL SHANNON COMMUNITY SAFETY INITIATIVE AND THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AS MY UNDERSTANDING IS 15 YEARS NOW.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS. LAST YEAR WE HAD A PRODUCTIVE AND INSIGHTFUL PUBLIC HEARING AND THIS COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT
OVERSIGHT OF THE FY 25 TRAINING GRANT. DURING THIS HEARING, WE HEARD FROM THE NONPROFIT AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS ABOUT THE BENEFITS THIS GRANT HAS PROVIDED FOR THEIR WORK. WE ALSO HEARD DIRECTLY FROM
YOUTH AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THESE PROGRAMS ABOUT THE IMPACT THE PROGRAMS HAD ON THEIR LIVES. TODAY I WANT TO ENSURE THAT MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES CONTINUE TO HEAR FROM THESE ORGANIZATIONS DIRECTLY ABOUT THE WORK THEY DO UM THEY ARE DOING IN OUR BOSTON
AND IN OUR BOSTON COMMUNITIES AND HOW THIS GRANT WILL SUPPORT THAT WORK SO THAT MY COLLEAGUES ARE WELL INFORMED PRIOR TO THIS RAMP AND BROUGHT UP BEFORE THE COUNCIL FOR DISCUSSION AND
LATER ABOUT WE'LL HEAR UP TO FIVE MINUTES OF TESTIMONY TODAY FROM EACH ORGANIZATION. AND I WANT TO REITERATE MY INTENTION FROM THE FROM THE INVITATION SENT TO EACH ORGANIZATION THAT I HOPE THAT THIS IS A BENEFICIAL
OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE YOUR WORK AND MISSION TO THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL. WELL, RATHER THAN A HURDLE UM, TO JUMP I RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS OUT OF THE WORK FOR YOU AND
I'M DEEPLY APPRECIATIVE OF YOUR PARTICIPATION IN TODAY'S HEARING. WE'RE HONORED AND FORTUNATE TO HAVE SO MANY ORGANIZATIONS WITH US TODAY TO FOCUS ON THEIR WORK AND BE RESPECTFUL OF THEIR TIME.
I WON'T BE, UM, PAUSING FOR COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS AFTER EACH ORGANIZATION'S PRESENTATION SO WE CAN KEEP A SMOOTH FLOW. BOTH OF MY COLLEAGUES PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS YOU'D LIKE US TO COLLECT AND COORDINATE IN COORDINATION WITH CENTRAL STAFF SO WE CAN SEND OUT THESE REQUESTS FOR THE INFORMATION ON
BEHALF OF THE COMMITTEE. MY OFFICE CAN ALSO ASSIST YOU IN CONNECTING DIRECTLY WITH ANY OF THE ORGANIZATIONS AND PARTICIPANTS IN TODAY'S HEARING. PLEASE FEEL FREE. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT
TO ME DIRECTLY OR TO MY STAFF. SO WITH THAT BEFORE WE GO UM, TO MR BILLS, UM, COUNCILOR FLYNN, DO YOU HAVE ANY, UM, QUICK OPENING REMARKS? YES. >> THANK YOU. COUNCIL SANTANA UM, I'M HERE AT
MY OFFICE AT THE CITY COUNCIL. UM, I WAS I WAS EXPECTING A HIGH RANKING PERSON FROM THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT TO BE
HERE, UM, TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, SECURITY CHALLENGES WE HAVE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. WE ARE SEEING A SIGNIFICANT RISE IN CRIME IN BOSTON.
THERE WAS A BOSTON POLICE OFFICER THAT WAS RECENTLY ASSAULTED IN THAT COMMUNITY. I WANTED TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS UH, DIRECTLY TO THE POLICE COMMISSIONER.
UM, YOU MENTIONED THAT THIS GRANT WILL FUND GANG UM, YOU KNOW, INITIATIVES TO REDUCE GANG VIOLENCE, SUPPORT LAW ENFORCEMENT, UM, AND TROUBLED SPOTS.
BUT THOSE ARE THOSE ARE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS AND UM, FOR US TO ASK A POLICE COMMISSIONER OR A MEMBER OF THE COMMAND STAFF UM, SO WITH THAT AND IT'S
AND IT'S A LOT OF MONEY WELL WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON I'M GOING TO SUPPORT IT $1 MILLION UH FOR THE FOR THE BOSTON
POLICE DEPARTMENT UH, BUT THE BUT THE BOSTON POLICE COMMISSIONER OR SOMEONE FROM THE COMMAND STAFF IS NOT HERE AND THOSE ARE THE QUESTIONS I LIKE TO ASK ABOUT, UH, PUBLIC
SAFETY INITIATIVES, COMMUNITY POLICING, STAFFING LEVELS. UM, WHAT ARE OUR WHAT ARE OUR STAFFING LEVELS AND WHY ARE THEY SO LOW AND HOW DO WE WORK TOGETHER TO ADDRESS RECRUITMENT
AND RETENTION? UM, SO, UM, I'LL STOP THERE. THANK YOU, MR CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. AND AS ALWAYS I'M ALWAYS HAPPY
TO, UM, PUT ANY QUESTIONS ON UH ON BEHALF OF THE COMMITTEE, SO PLEASE. THAT WAS ALL WORK. UM, IF YOUR QUESTIONS ARE NOT ANSWERED TODAY, UM, I APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENDANCE. WE'VE ALSO BEEN JOINED BY CITY COUNCILOR AT LARGE COUNCILOR MURPHY AND DISTRICT
SIX CITY COUNCILOR BEN WEBER. I'M GOING TO GIVE BOTH OF THEM, UM, A BRIEF OPENING STATEMENT. SO COUNCILOR MURPHY. ,THANK YOU, COUNCILOR SANTANA
FOR HOLDING THIS. LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM THE NON-PROFITS WHO DO BENEFIT FROM THIS. I KNOW THEY'VE COME BEFORE US IN THE PAST BUT UH, HAPPY TO
HEAR FROM THEM AND LOOKING FORWARD TO SUPPORTING IT. BUT WANT TO REITERATE WHAT COUNCILOR FLYNN JUST SAID? I WASN'T SURE I WAS TRYING TO LOOK ON THE ZOOM ATTENDEES THE LAST HEARING WE HELD A COUPLE MONTHS AGO COUNCIL FLYNN AND I SPONSORED NOBODY FROM THE
POLICE SHOWED UP. SO IT IS UM DISAPPOINTING ESPECIALLY GOING INTO THIS HEAT WAVE IN THE SUMMER AND NOT BEING INCLUDED IN THE SUMMER SAFETY PLAN THAT I KNOW THE ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN PUSHING
OUT. SO I WISH THERE WAS SOMEONE WE COULD ASK DIRECTLY THOSE QUESTIONS. I KNOW WE CAN PUT THINGS ON THE RECORD, BUT WE KNOW THAT THOSE QUESTIONS MORE TIMES THAN NOT DON'T GET ANSWERED ANYWAY. SO MAYBE BEFORE THIS HEARING IS OVER SOMEONE WILL BE HOPPING ON
FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. UM I'M NOT SURE BUT THANK YOU AS THE CHAIR FOR HOSTING AND JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO LISTENING AND SUPPORTING WHEN
YOU BRING THIS UP FOR VOTE. THANK YOU COUNCILOR MURPHY. AND THEN WE DO HAVE MR BILLS FROM THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. UM HE IS WHO WE INVITED. WE I ASK THE CHAIR I THOUGHT THAT YOU AS SOMEONE WHO RANDALL WAS RUN BEEN RUNNING THE PROGRAM FOR 15 YEARS.
UH, HE HAS THE ABILITY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS SPECIFICALLY TO THIS GRANT. UM, AND THEN WE'LL OBVIOUSLY WE'LL BE HEARING FROM THE ORGANIZATIONS UM, BUT AS ALWAYS HAPPY TO, UM, PUT ANY QUESTIONS UM, ON BEHALF OF THE COMMITTEE
UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND COUNCILOR WEBER, DO UM YOU HAVE THE FLOOR? YEAH. >> THANKS. UH, UM I THINK, UH, LAST YEAR WE HEARD FROM. UH. >> HIGH SQUARE TASK FORCE ABOUT, UH, THE IMPORTANCE
OF THESE GRANTS AND, UH, I KNOW THAT DURING THE BUDGET AMENDMENT PROCESS WE WE TALKED ABOUT CREDIBLE MESSENGER PROGRAM, UH, WHICH UH I THINK UM, HAS HAS HAD UH, SORT OF UH
,BUMPS GETTING OUT OF THE GATE UH, AND I AND MILDRED HALEY AND UH, INTERESTED TO HEAR HOW THAT'S WORKING AND WHAT THE PLAN IS, UH, GOING FORWARD. UM, SO I JUST WANT TO THANK THE
CHAIR FOR HOLDING THIS, UH, THIS HEARING. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSION NEXT. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR WEBER. AND THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR BEING HERE. I WOULD NOW LIKE TO INTRODUCE
THESE PANELISTS WITH US TODAY WHO HAVE THEM IN BILLS WHO IS A PROJECT COORDINATOR, UM, WORK FOR THE SHANNON AND COMMUNITY SERVICE INITIATIVE UM WORKING
WITH THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. UM, I WANT TO TURN THE FOUR OVER TO YOU FOR YOUR OPENING REMARKS AND WE'LL GO FROM THERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US AGAIN. THANK YOU COUNCIL.
WE UH SO, UH, THE SHANNON GRANT FUNDS, UM, SUPPORT THE CITY OF BOSTON'S COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY AIMED AT REDUCING GUN GANG AND YOUTH VIOLENCE WITHIN THE CITY OF BOSTON BY PROVIDING SERVICES AND INTERVENTION PROGRAMING TO AT-RISK AND GANG
AFFILIATED YOUTH WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOODS UM THE GRANT HAS BEEN A SUCCESSFUL COLLABORATION BALANCING CITY COMMUNITY, FAITH
BASED AND SOCIAL SERVICE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATIONS UM PROVIDING OPPORTUNITY PREVENTION, SOCIAL INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION STRATEGIES, COMMUNITY MOBILIZATION AND ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE AND
DEVELOPMENT. UM THIS IS A GRANT THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY. UM, OUT OF THIS YEAR'S FUNDING
UM 1.73 MILLION UM WE WILL FUND 17 DIFFERENT UM NONPROFITS AND CITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS. UM. >> LAST YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO FIND 28 DIFFERENT UM
ORGANIZATIONS BUT BECAUSE OF THE CUTS IN FUNDING FROM THE STATE UM FROM THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY SECURITY, UM, WE HAD TO HAVE KIND OF SHARE THAT IN HALF. UM. >> AGAIN, THE SHANNON GRAY THIS IS A 20TH YEAR OF ITS
OPERATION. UM, IN THAT TIMELINE WE'VE BEEN ABLE FROM THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT TO FUND AT LEAST 250 DIFFERENT NONPROFITS WITH
AROUND THE CITY UM, THE SHANNON GRANT FUNDING CYCLE UM HAS BEEN A BLUEPRINT FOR OTHER FUNDING CYCLES WITHIN THE CITY. UM, SO I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT WORK THAT WE DO.
UM, AND THE SAME SIDE IT IS A PART OF THE CITY'S PUBLIC SAFETY UM INITIATIVES, COMMUNITY POLICING BASED INITIATIVES.
UM, THIS ONE IS LED BY MYSELF A CIVILIAN. UM, BUT WE ARE IN CONSTANT PARTNERSHIP, UM, WITH ALL NONPROFITS THAT ARE IN A LOT OF NONPROFITS IN OUR CITY UM,
DIFFERENT POLICE UNITS. UM, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT I, I AGREE WITH THE COUNCILORS THAT WE WE DO NEED TO HAVE A A MORE CLEAR SAFETY PLAN. UM, BUT WE WE ARE JUST KIND
OF UM, BUCKLED DOWN ON THIS ONE. THIS IS THE THING THAT WE DO. THIS IS OUR INITIATIVE. UM, I REALLY WANT TO SEND, UH,
SUPPORT TO ALL OF MY, UM, PARTNERS IN THIS IN THIS LONG RUNNING PROGRAM. UM, AGAIN, OVER 250 THIS YEAR, UM, WITH THE WITH THE
PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE 16 OUT OF 17 ARE UH, PEOPLE OF COLOR LED UM WOMEN LED TEN OUT OF OUR 17 PARTNERSHIPS. UM, WE'RE JUST VERY, VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE
AND THE WORK THEY HAVE BEEN DOING AND THEY KIND OF EVERYONE IS RECEIVING CUTS IN FUNDING. EVERYONE IS LOOKING AT WHERE WE CAN GET MORE MONEY FOR OUR PROGRAMING, MORE MONEY FOR YOUTH JOBS.
I KNOW THE COUNCIL IS AWARE OF THIS. UM I JUST WANT YOU TO UH TO KIND OF TAKE THAT INTO HEAT. THIS IS A PROGRAM FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT THIS IS A MAINLY A PROGRAM TO SUPPORT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, UM, THAT ARE AFFECTED
BY VIOLENCE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND ALL OF THE STAFF THAT ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR
THEIR PROGRAMS ARE GETTING THE YOUNG PEOPLE SERVICES. UM, SO I JUST THANK YOU FOR THE COUNCIL THANK YOU FOR THIS UM, HEARING. UM, BUT PLEASE BE AWARE THAT
THIS IS AN INITIATIVE THAT SUPPORTS THE CITY THROUGH NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, UM, WHICH ARE THE BACKBONE OF WHAT WE DO. UM, SO THANK YOU FOR THE COUNCIL UM, LET ME RUN THROUGH SOME OF OUR ALL OF OUR
PARTNERSHIPS. BUT THIS YEAR THEY'LL BE BUSY WITH UM GIRLS LEADERSHIP PROGRAM, UM, BOSTON MEDICAL
CENTER VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PROGRAM, UM, BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION, THE LEWIS D BROWN PEACE INSTITUTE PROJECT RIGHT YOUTH CONNECT, THE SUFFOLK COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE UH WHILE YOU
BOSTON THE RECORD COMPANY THE VERONICA ROBLES CULTURAL CENTER BEANTOWN SLAM TEEN EMPOWERMENT MAVERIK LANDING CULTURAL CENTER SPORTS MEN'S TENNIS AND ENRICHMENT CENTER ZONE MIX WE ARE BETTER TOGETHER AND MOTHERS FOR JUSTICE AND EQUALITY THOSE
ARE OUR PARTNERS FOR THIS YEAR 2026. UM WE'RE IN THE MID YEAR OF OUR PROGRAMING LIKE HALF OF THE YEAR'S ALREADY PASSED US AND THIS IS OUR HEARING UM A BIT
LATE BUT WE STILL UH OUR PROGRAMS ARE STILL GOING THROUGH SO THANK YOU FOR THE COUNCIL SUPPORT FOR ALL OF OUR PARTNERSHIP. UM AND THAT'S IT. THANK YOU, MR BELL.
UM, APPRECIATE YOUR TESTIMONY THERE. UM, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR COUNSELOR CARDS. I AM GOING TO KICK IT OFF FIRST WITH ONE QUESTION, THEN I'LL GO
TO COUNSELOR FLYNN. UM, I REMEMBER LAST YEAR YOU WENT OVER SOME NUMBERS ABOUT AND I THINK IT'S BEEN A 20 YEAR PROGRAM. I THINK UM, YOU HAD SPECIFIC
STATISTICS ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND UM, HOW OVER THOSE 20 YEARS, UM, IN CORRELATION WITH THIS UM, GRANT FUNDING IN THIS PROGRAM, UM, THAT WE'VE SEEN UM, REDUCTIONS IN THOSE NUMBERS. RIGHT. UH, YOU ALSO JUST MENTIONED THAT I THINK IT WAS 30 PLUS
ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE AWARDED UM THIS THAT WERE AWARDED UM SOME OF THIS GRANT FUNDING LAST YEAR COMPARED TO 17 THIS YEAR.
UM, DO I MEAN TO THOSE NUMBERS ARE GUN VIOLENCE AND ARE THOSE NUMBERS STILL COMING DOWN? UM, WHAT ARE HAPPENING TO THE ORGANIZATIONS WHO LOST FUNDING? ARE THEY STILL RECEIVING SUPPORT IN ANY WAY?
UM, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE FILL THAT GAP THERE? UM, I FOR SUPPORT I DON'T KNOW
HOW ORGANIZATIONS WHO LOST OUR FUNDING, UM, ARE RECEIVING SUPPORT THIS YEAR FROM THE CITY. UH, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY OTHER FUNDING SOURCES THAT ARE, UM,
LIKE THAT THAT ARE LIKE THIS, BUT I I KNOW THERE ARE SOME I KNOW THERE'S YOUTH DEVELOPMENT GRANTS SATURDAY I KNOW THAT THERE'S OTHER GRANT FUNDING SOURCES BUT UM UNFORTUNATELY WE COULDN'T WE COULDN'T WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY IT DIDN'T HAVE THE FUNDS THAT WE HAD LAST YEAR.
SO WE'RE TALKING EVERY ORGANIZATION RECEIVES A CERTAIN AMOUNT AND WE CAN'T WE DON'T WANT TO MAKE MAKE THEM DO ALL THESE WORK FOR UH LESS LESS
THINGS LESS MONEY IS UM IT'S JUST IT'S IT'S DIFFICULT FOR US TO TRY TO DO THAT. UM, STATISTICALLY I HAVE FOR YOU I CAN SEND YOU, BUT I MEAN CERTAIN THINGS JUST FOR LAST
YEAR. SIMPLE ASSAULT ARREST, UM, IN BOSTON INCREASED BY 17%. UM, ARRESTS FOR ROBBERIES
INCREASED IN BOSTON 62%. UM, AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS UM INCREASED 2%. UM IT'S IT'S WE HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING LESS THERE'S BEEN
LESS USE THE REST UM BUT THERE'S STILL THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO THERE'S ALWAYS ARRESTS AND THERE'S ALWAYS FUNDS THAT HAPPENS UM AND WE'RE WE JUST TRY TO GET AHEAD OF IT UM, BY SUPPORTING THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE AND SUPPORTING THE YOUNG PEOPLE
WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED. AWESOME. >> THANK YOU. UM, WHEN I WHEN I GO TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES IF ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR BILLS COUNCILOR FLYNN, UM, YOU HAVE
THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU, MR BILLS FOR BEING HERE FOR THE IMPORTANT WORK YOU ARE DOING. UM, CAN YOU JUST REPEAT THE LAST COUPLE OF SENTENCES YOU
HIGHLIGHTED ABOUT WHAT CRIME HAS GONE UP OVER THE LAST YEAR? CAN YOU. CAN YOU REPEAT THAT PLEASE? UM, THOSE THOSE NUMBERS ARE
FROM 2021 TO 2025. UM, SIMPLE ASSAULT IN BOSTON INCREASED BY 17%. UM ARRESTS FOR ROBBERIES INCREASED BY 62% IN THAT TIME
PERIOD 2021 AND 2025 AND AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS INCREASED BY 2% IN BOSTON 2021 TO 2025. OKAY. >> UM WHAT WHAT WHAT ABOUT. VIOLENT CRIME OVER THE LAST
OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS? UM I I HAVE MY I DON'T HAVE THAT YET. I CAN GET THAT TO YOU THOUGH. OKAY. >> THAT WOULD THAT WOULD. >> BE GREAT. THAT WAS.
AND WHAT IS HOW IS BOSTON POLICE RESPONDING TO VIOLENT CRIME KNOWING THAT WE'RE. UNDERSTAFFED.
POLICE OFFICERS ARE WORKING 16 HOURS A DAY AND THEN TO REDUCE THE TO REDUCE. THE OVERTIME WE ARE UM NOT
PUTTING POLICE OFFICERS ON OVERTIME. MANY OF THESE SHIFTS ARE JUST NOT BEING MANNED AT THE NECESSARY UM, STAFFING LEVELS. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S A
CONCERN TO YOU? UH, THAT'S REALLY NOT IN MY PURVIEW TO SAY, UM, BUT I CAN GET YOU THAT INFORMATION IF YOU SEND THE QUESTIONS TO THE TO THE STAFF AND OKAY.
NO, I I I RESPECT THAT I UNDERSTAND THAT I, I WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL TO YOU I. I DO UNDERSTAND IT'S NOT AN ISSUE THAT UM YOU WILL YOU
FOCUS ON THAT'S MORE OF THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP OF THE BOSTON POLICE AND THAT'S WHY I DID FEEL WAS IMPORTANT TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS IF. THE POLICE COMMISSIONER WAS HERE I KNOW THE POLICE
COMMISSIONER HAS IT BEEN HERE IN A LONG AND AN A PERIOD OF TIME OR HAS NOT SHOWN UP EVEN WHEN HE'S REQUESTED TO BE HERE?
UM, BUT THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF QUESTIONS I WANTED TO ASK. BUT BUT. MR CHAIR WAS. WHAT DID WE DID WE INVITED ANYONE FROM THE, UH, COMMAND
STAFF. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FOR THE QUESTION. UM, NO, WE WE INVITED MR BILLS. UM, WHO THE SAME PROCESS WE RAN LAST YEAR. UM, HERE'S WHAT IS OVERSEER OF THIS SPECIFIC GRANT I THINK
UM I THINK THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU'RE BRINGING UP AND UM, I THINK ARE VERY VALID AND ACTUALLY WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW, I THINK WARRANTS ARE PROBABLY A DIFFERENT TYPE OF HEARING. UM, TO HAVE THE APPROPRIATE
STAFF THERE TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS. UM, I THINK THIS IS RELATED TO THAT BUT I THINK THIS SPECIFIC IS IS SPECIFIC TO THE CHANGE GRANT. UM AND MR BILLS HAS BEEN OVERSEEING THE TRAINING GROUND FOR OVER 15 YEARS AND WE
INVITED THE ORGANIZATIONS UM SO HAPPY TO WORK ON A HEARING WITH YOU, UM, AND OTHERS UM, TO TO TRY TO ADDRESS THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO GET
ANSWERED. OKAY. >> NOW THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UM, CHAIR AND I GO. BACK TO THE VIOLENCE I SAW ON THE VIDEO ABOUT THE POLICE OFFICER BEING ASSAULTED AND I
THINK I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR EVERY ELECTED OFFICIAL TO CONDEMN THE VIOLENCE AGAINST UM AND TO CONDEMN THE VIOLENCE WE WITNESSED. BUT IT'S NEVER ACCEPTABLE TO ASSAULT A POLICE OFFICER.
UM, AND SOMEONE THAT ASSAULTS A POLICE OFFICER SHOULD BE ARRESTED. UM, PROSECUTED IN IF AND IF CONVICTED A STATE SENTENCE.
I JUST THINK WE NEED TO SET THE RIGHT EXAMPLE THAT IT'S NOT OKAY TO ASSAULT A BOSTON POLICE OFFICER. WE ARE DANGEROUSLY LOW WITH STAFFING LEVELS.
WE CAN'T WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH POLICE OFFICERS ON THE STREET. CRIME IS UP IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. WE'VE SAW IT.
WE SAW MANY VIOLENT CRIMES TAKE PLACE INCLUDING IN MY DISTRICT. I'LL ACKNOWLEDGE THAT INCLUDING IN MY DISTRICT, UM, IN SOUTH BOSTON AND THE SOUTH AND. BUT WE CAN'T.
PRETEND THAT EVERYTHING IS GOING OKAY AND THAT THERE'S NO VIOLENCE AND THERE'S NO CRIME IN BOSTON. WE HAVE TO WE HAVE TO ADDRESS IT, BUT WE NEED TO ADDRESS IT. MR CHAIR OF THE. IT'S THE. >> THE COMMISSION ON THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP, UH, ARE AVAILABLE TO SPEAK. >> WITH US.
THEY THEY THEY. CHOSE NOT TO DO THAT. UM BUT WE HAVE TO WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH A SUMMER PLAN.
IF THERE IS A SUMMIT PLAN THAT WAS ROLLED OUT BY THE CITY IT'S NOT WORKING. WE NEED TO REFOCUS OUR EFFORTS ON WHAT OUR PLAN IS THIS SUMMER
AND PRIORITIZE MORE POLICE ON THE STREETS SUPPORTING POLICE OFFICERS, COMMUNITY POLICING I DON'T THINK I DON'T THINK WE'RE DOING COMMUNITY POLICING ANY
LONGER IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. AND I THINK PART OF IT IS IS WE HAVE TO TREAT POLICE OFFICERS WITH RESPECT AS WELL. THEY'RE PART OF THE SOLUTION. THEY'RE NOT PART OF THE THEN THEY'RE NOT PART OF THE
PROBLEM. UM, BUT WE NEED TO INCLUDE THEM IN DECISION MAKING AND I THINK THERE'S A THERE'S A ROLE FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO PLAY IF WE WANT TO PLAY THAT ROLE AND UM, CHALLENGE THE LEADERSHIP OF THE
BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. UM, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY APPETITE ON THE CITY COUNCIL TO DO THAT. UM, BUT THE STATUS QUO IS NOT
WORKING. CRIME IS ON THE RISE. VIOLENCE IS ON THE RISE, POLICE OFFICES ARE UNDERSTAFFED AND RESIDENTS KNOW THAT. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.
THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. AND AGAIN HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU AND YOUR OFFICE ON I'M TRYING TO SET UP ANOTHER HEARING ON THAT TOPIC. THANK YOU. >> MURPHY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK THANK YOU.
UM THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. IF YOU COULD JUST TOUCH ON THE DATA WE USE TO EVALUATE IF THESE, UM, YOU KNOW, NONPROFITS
HOW DO WE BUT METRICS ARE WE USING AND I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM THEM AND I KNOW THEY DO GREAT WORK BUT WHEN WE'RE TYING IT DIRECTLY TO SAY GANG VIOLENCE OR YOU KNOW, THE THINGS WE'RE TYING INTO, HOW DO WE KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN EFFECTIVE.
COUNCILOR I CAN SEND YOU UM WE WE HAVE A RESEARCH PARTNER IN NORTHEASTERN. UM, AND EVERY YEAR THERE'S AN EVALUATION OF THE SHANNON
GRANT. UM, THERE'S, UH I COULD SEND YOU THE THE WEB LINK THAT WE USE FOR ALL OF OUR RUBRICS, UM, CHALLENGES, UM, STATEWIDE
ALLOCATIONS. UM, IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S DONE EVERY YEAR FOR US, UM, BY OUR PARTNERS HERE AT, UM, NORTHEASTERN. UM, BUT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SHANNON SPECIFICALLY IS THOSE
VERY THOSE VERY BASIC THINGS. UM. UM WE'RE LOOKING AT CASE MANAGEMENT. HOW MANY HOW MANY CASE MANAGEMENT CASES HAVE BEEN GONE THAT HAVE GONE ON FOR THE YEAR?
UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW MANY PEOPLE ATTENDED COMMUNITY MOBILIZATION MEETINGS. THAT MEANS OUR COMMUNITY BASED MEETINGS ABOUT VIOLENCE AND VIOLENCE INTERVENTION. HOW MANY YOUNG PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN EDUCATION PROGRAMS? UM HOW MANY YOUNG PEOPLE
PARTICIPATED IN POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND AND RECREATION PROGRAMS? HOW MANY HOTSPOTS WERE VISITED? UM, SO THOSE KIND OF THINGS ARE
THE THINGS THAT WE LOOK AT. SO FOR EXAMPLE I COULD TELL YOU IN 2015 UM SORRY 2025 UM, THERE WERE 2487 YOUTH THAT RECEIVED
CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMING. UM THERE WAS 2404 YOUNG PEOPLE THAT IN THE CASE MANAGEMENT UM ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS. UM AGAIN THIS IS WHERE THIS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. WE'RE NOT KIND OF LOOKING AT
THE POLICING WITH THE POLICE TO DO WITH LOOKING AT WHAT THE NONPROFITS ARE DOING. UM, WITH THE FUNDING UM, ABOUT 6000 COMMUNITY MEMBERS UM
ATTEND EVENT EVENTS, MEETINGS AND PRESENTATIONS ABOUT COMMUNITY VIOLENCE. UM THAT WOULD BE ABOUT 239 MEETINGS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THAT UM EDUCATION AND
EMPLOYMENT. UM ABOUT 3275 YOUNG PEOPLE UM PARTICIPATED IN EDUCATION PROGRAMING SPECIFIC FOR THIS UM
AND ABOUT 1218 YOUNG PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS UM VERY VERY PERTINENT TO YOUTH FUNDING, YOUTH JOBS FUNDING THAT WE ARE ALL LOOKING
FOR, ALL DONE OF OUR PARTNERS UM ABOUT 4015 YOUTH UM PARTICIPATED IN RECREATIONAL PROGRAMING UM WHICH IS A VERY MUCH A PART OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION. YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING FOR
YOUNG PEOPLE TO DO THAT ISN'T VERY UM FOCUSED ON SOMETHING THAT'S ALWAYS STRAIGHT. UM YOU HAVE TO HAVE YOUNG
PEOPLE THERE HAVING A GOOD TIME FOR THE SUMMER. UM, WE HAVE PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE FOR THAT. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PROGRAMING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMING. WE PROVIDE SERVICES FOR THAT AS WELL. UM SO THOSE ARE THE KIND
OF THINGS UM, COUNCILOR MURPHY THAT UM THAT WE MANAGE AND THAT WE CAN MEASURING UM, OUR SUCCESS OF THIS PROGRAM. YOU KNOW SO THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR THE THE THAT FOCUS I KNOW
THERE'S OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND I KNOW WE'VE BEEN ADVOCATING TO INCREASE YOU KNOW YOUTH SUMMER JOBS AND PROGRAMING DIRECTED TOWARDS THE SCHOOL AND YES THE
DATA AND I BELIEVE IT HAS TO BE TRUE THAT IT'S EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THERE'S A MURDER, WHEN WE KNOW THERE'S GANG VIOLENCE, HOW DO WE DO THESE FUNDS THEN GET
REDIRECTED OR MOVE TOWARDS THE NEEDS THERE ONCE DOES LIKE THAT HAPPEN WHICH HAS BEEN UNFORTUNATELY HAPPENING A LOT
ESPECIALLY IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD HERE IN MATTAPAN. FOR SHANNON SPECIFICALLY UM, WHEN THERE ARE PARTNERS PARTNERS THAT WE WORK WITH UM THERE WILL BE TWO DIFFERENT
ORGANIZATIONS THAT I COULD NAME SPECIFICALLY THAT WORK WITH FAMILIES THAT ARE AFFECTED BY MURDER. THAT WOULD BE THE LOUIS DE BROWN PEACE INSTITUTE, UM, AS WELL AS BOSTON MEDICAL CENTER VIA A PROGRAM THAT WORKS WITH
YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN SHOT UM, IN OUR CITY. UM, AND SO THOSE PROGRAMS SPECIFICALLY THE. PEACE INSTITUTE SORRY, IS THE PEACE INSTITUTE FUNDED THROUGH
THIS GRANT? YES. >> LOUIS DE BROWN OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. UM, AND SO THOSE WOULD BE THE TWO PROGRAMS AND I'M I'M LIMITING TO THEM BECAUSE BECAUSE I KNOW THEIR EXACT WORK. BUT I CAN'T SAY THAT ALL OF OUR OTHER PROGRAMS ARE NOW ALSO
DOING THIS WORK. UM, BECAUSE BOSTON IS NOT A LARGE PLACE. UM, WE DO HAVE A LOT OF KIND OF PROGRAMS THAT ARE KIND
OF PROVIDING THOSE SERVICES. UM, I CAN NAME YOU CONNECTED DOES THE CASE MANAGEMENT THEY'LL PROBABLY WORK WITH SOMEBODY WHO HAS BEEN AFFECTED. UM, AND SO IT'S ALL OF THE
PROGRAMS ARE DOING THIS WORK SPECIFICALLY, UM, TO TRY TO CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF VIOLENCE IN OUR CITY. THANK YOU. >> I HAVE NO OTHER QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MURPHY. COUNCILOR WEBER, UM, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. I JUST WANT TO, UM. I DON'T THINK HEIGHTS WHERE I KNOW CHI SQUARE TRANSPORT HAS
RECEIVED THIS IN THE PAST. I DON'T THINK THEY WERE MENTIONED, UM, IN THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE SO THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN PART OF THAT 30 TO 17 REDUCTION. BUT I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU THAT HEADS UP UM, BECAUSE WHATEVER YOU HAVE THAT YOU HAVE
FOR. YEAH. >> THANKS. UH YEAH. I WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT HOW SCHOOL TASK FORCE WHICH UM, YOU KNOW, IN MY DISTRICT WONDERFUL
ORGANIZATION THERE AND THEY'RE NOT BEING FUNDED I GUESS. CAN YOU JUST LET YOU KNOW WHAT WENT INTO THAT DECISION AND UM, THAT PROGRAMS WERE PROGRAMING
WHAT THEY'D BE ABLE TO OFFER. UM, IT'S IT'S IT'S JUST WE HAD A LIMITED AMOUNT OF FUNDS THIS YEAR. UM, THE WAY THAT SHANNON CYCLES WORK WE TRY TO FUND ORGANIZATIONS FOR A FEW YEARS AND THEN ROTATE. UM AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE HAD TO
DO THIS YEAR. UM, HIGH SCHOOL TASK FORCE IS A ABSOLUTE GREAT ORGANIZATION. UM, WE SUPPORT THAT WORK. UM WE ALSO SUPPORTED LAST YEAR
UM BY THE MILDRED HALEY HOUSING UM FOR THAT PROGRAMING THAT YOU SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED EARLIER . UM, BUT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO DO THAT THIS YEAR. UM, LAST YEAR THERE WERE THE
SHANNON UM THE APS EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY GAVE US SPECIFIC FUNDING FOR HOUSING. UM AND THAT DIDN'T PASS OVER TO THIS YEAR. SO LAST YEAR IT WAS MANDATORY THAT WE FUND HOUSING UM AND
THEN THIS YEAR WE JUST COULD NOT DO THAT WITH THE WITH THE CUT IN OUR FUNDING OKAY. >> AND SO YES SO CREDIBLE MESSENGER ALSO RECEIVED FUNDS UH I KNOW IT USED TO BE FOR
LAST YEAR THAT'S ALSO NOT IN THIS. IT'S NOT IN THIS GRANT BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT THEY'RE NOT DOING THAT PROGRAM BECAUSE I THINK IT WAS TEEN EMPOWERMENT THAT WAS DOING THE CREDIBLE MESSENGER PROGRAM THERE. UM I'M NOT SURE IF THEY DO. ORG IT WASN'T TEEN EMPOWERMENT
IT MIGHT LEAST MISSION SAY. YEAH YOU SHOULD SAY WE WE FUNDED IT THROUGH OUR AMENDMENTS. OKAY OKAY GREAT. IN PART OR WHOLE I'M NOT SURE
BUT UH UH BECAUSE YEAH THEY THEY HAD LOST UH FUNDING UM I GUESS SO IN TERMS OF. UH UH I GUESS A CREDIBLE MESSENGER.
DO YOU HAVE ANY METRICS TO REPORT ON LIKE OUTCOMES FROM THAT? >> BUT I CAN'T I DON'T HAVE IT SPECIFICALLY HERE ON ME BUT I CAN LOOK IN IN THE REPORT FOR LAST YEAR UM, AND TRY TO PULL THAT OUT.
I DON'T HAVE IT ON ME RIGHT NOW BUT IT CAN I THINK IF I HAVE TIME TO BREAK REALLY QUICK I NEED TO TAKE A BREAK THROUGH THIS. I HAD THAT TIME WITH ME, UH, THE CHAIR.
SO THANK YOU. I JUST RECESS I GUESS. I'M SAYING CAN WE DO A OR FIVE MINUTE RECESS? THAT'S WHO. SO WHO'S ON THE SECOND PANEL? I JUST I DON'T HAVE THAT. SO, UM, THERE'S NOTHING
NECESSARY A PANEL WE HAVE ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS UM, THE POTENTIAL ORGANIZATIONS. OKAY. >> FOR THE GRANT FUND RECIPIENTS, ALL OF THEM.
OKAY, GREAT. WE'LL HAVE ALL OF THEM TODAY. UM, AND WE THIS IS WHY WE ALSO DID IT VIRTUALLY. UM, IT'S LIKE A HOLIDAY WEEKEND. UM, BUT WE ALSO WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, GET THIS
PASSED OR GET IT UP FOR A VOTE AT THE NEXT COUNCIL HEARING. UM, SO DUE TO THE TIMING OF EVERYTHING IS UM WAS KIND OF A LITTLE OFF THIS YEAR BUT WE DO HAVE SEVERAL
ORGANIZATIONS AND UM WHO WILL BE PROVIDING VIRTUAL TESTIMONY AND WE HAVE SEVERAL UH WHO PROVIDED WRITTEN TESTIMONY AS WELL WHO WEREN'T ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN TODAY'S HEARING.
OKAY. >> YEAH, I'LL BE BACK IN A MINUTE. I JUST HAVE LIKE 1 OR 2 MORE QUESTIONS FOR MR BILLS AND THEN UH. OKAY. >> THINK I MEAN AND WE'LL GET BACK WHEN MR GOES COME BACK
OKAY.
YOU'RE ALL SET MR BILLS THANK. >> YOU THANK YOU COUNCILOR. YEP NO WORRIES. SO WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK INTO SESSION. UM I KNOW COUNCILOR WEBER UM, HAD A FEW MORE QUESTIONS. SO COUNCILOR WEBER YOU HAVE THE
FLOOR. SURE. >> UH, JUST IN TERMS OF UH, HOW TO DECIDE HOW YOU DECIDE WHERE THE WHERE THE GRANTS GO, I MEAN, DO YOU HAVE LIKE, UH YOU
DO HAVE DATA YOU OR YOU DO YOU LOOK AT GEOGRAPHY. I CAN JUST WALK ME THROUGH THAT. YES WE DO. I MEAN, THERE'S AN APPLICATION PROCESS, UH, FOR THE GRANT UM,
WE DO TO LOOK AT LIKE LOCATIONS ,UM, WHAT THE PROGRAM PROVIDES. UM, THERE'S A THERE'S A A RUBRIC THAT WE USE FOR FOR OUR GRANTS. UM, BECAUSE EVERYBODY WHO'S APPLYING IT'S THEIR ORGANIZATION IS GREAT.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN EVERYONE IS APPLYING WE KNOW THAT THEY DO THEY'RE DOING GOOD WORK. UM, SOMETIMES IT'S UM THE LIMIT
WOULD BE IF THERE'S LIKE THREE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT OFFER SOME SORT OF A SPORTS INITIATIVE OR A BASKETBALL THING. UM, OR IF THERE'S THREE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT ARE
OFFERING UM. LIKE HIGH HIGH SAY UM COURSES. UM SO SOMETIMES IT'S LIKE WELL WE CAN'T HAVE WE CAN'T DO ALL THREE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING TO DO THAT. UM I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE IT LIKE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR
AND 20 YEARS AGO WHEN IT STARTED, UM, WE HAD $3 MILLION TO USE UM, AND THIS IS MORE OF A ASKING LIKE SEEKING THE
COUNSELORS, THE COUNCIL'S ASSISTANCE IN KIND OF FIGURING OUT HOW WE COULD USE STATE FUNDING BETTER FOR US, UM, AND HOW WE CAN GET THOSE KIND OF THINGS BACK TO THOSE LEVELS THAT WE HAD IN THE IN THE
BEGINNING. UM, BUT YEAH, FOR US SPECIFICALLY THAT LIKE THIS YEAR WE PROBABLY GOT ABOUT 65 DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT
APPLIED FOR OUR FUNDING UM, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT IN THE IN THE LAST YEAR BECAUSE WE HAD BEEN ABLE TO DO ALMOST 30 OF THEM. UM, BUT THIS YEAR WAS BECAUSE OF THE LIMITED FUNDING WE
COULDN'T DO THAT. UM, IT'S JUST IT'S EVERY YEAR WE HAVE YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A COMMITTEE TO REVIEW THE APPLICATIONS. UM, IT'S A IT'S JUST DIFFICULT TO DO EVERY YEAR BECAUSE BECAUSE WE HAVE SEEN LIKE A
DROP IN THE FUNDING UH, SOME YEARS IT'S GOOD. BUT THIS LAST TWO YEARS WE'VE KIND OF SEEN A REDUCTION IN FUNDING IN THAT UM, AND IT
SEEMS LIKE IT'S FORECASTED ALSO DROP IN IN IN THE CONSECUTIVE YEARS THAT'S GOING TO FOLLOW THIS ONE. UM AND SO I WOULD JUST WOULD LOVE ASSISTANCE FROM THE COUNCIL IF IF YOU KNOW SOURCES OF FUNDING FOR OUR
ORGANIZATIONS UM TO KIND OF SO WE CAN GET IT OUT TO THEM UM AND IT'S INSTEAD OF THIS YOU KNOW AND IT'S IT'S HARD TO DO
BECAUSE A LOT OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN WITH US FOR A WHILE AND I'VE BEEN AROUND THE CITY FOR A WHILE AND I KNOW THE DIFFERENT PLACES. UM, AND WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO
MAKE SURE EVERYBODY HAS ADEQUATE FUNDS TO RUN THEIR ORGANIZATIONS. WE DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN BUT SOMETIMES IT'S IT DOES. WE'VE SEEN TONS OF ORGANIZATIONS LOSE FUNDING AND THEN LOSE THEIR
ORGANIZATIONS AND THAT'S IT'S HEARTBREAKING UM, FOR US BUT WE JUST WE CAN'T WE DON'T HAVE FUND LIKE WE THIS ONE SPECIFIC GRANT I'M TALKING ABOUT BUT THERE'S OTHER SOURCES
OF FUNDING THAT IN OUR COMMUNITY MEANS WE KNOW THAT YOU KNOW, THE ELASTICITY IS LOST WITH THE LOSS OF THESE FUNDS. AND SO WE'RE ALL KIND OF LOOKING AT THOSE POOLS OF WATER, UM, AND AND TRYING TO SIP FROM ALL OF THEM AND IT'S
IT'S DIFFICULT FOR UH ALL OF OUR PARTNERS. UM I ALSO DIFFICULT WHEN THERE'S A LOSS OF YOUTH JOB
FUNDING, UM, WHICH A LOT OF OUR PROGRAMS ARE USING TO SUSTAIN THEIR YOUNG PEOPLE. UM, SO IT'S A FIGHT THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR 30 YEARS NOW IN
THE CITY. UM, IT'S SOMETIMES IT'S DISHEARTENING THAT WE'RE STILL HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS HERE IN 2026 THAT WE WERE HAVING IN 1995 THE SAME BATTLE FOR YOUTH
JOB FUNDING IS STILL EXIST. UM, SO THAT'S I DON'T KNOW, COUNSELOR WEBB. IT'S IT'S DIFFICULT BUT WE'RE
TRYING. UM, IN TERMS OF UH, YOU KNOW, HISTORY OF GANG VIOLENCE, YOU KNOW JACKSON SQUARE HE HE STREET MILDRED HALEY, YOU KNOW, SO I'M ALL CONCERNED WHEN I
HEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE FUNDS FOR CREDIBLE MESSENGER WHICH WHICH ONE OF THE CITY COUNCIL'S HELPING OUT WITH HIGH SCHOOL TASK FORCE
IS LOSING FUNDS IS IN THIS PACKAGE. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN POINT TO UM, FOR FOR THAT COMMUNITY? UH, IN MY DISTRICT.
I WOULD SAY IN WELL, YOUTH CONNECT IS NOW BASED IN IN YOU CLOSER TO YOUR DISTRICT OVER BY
IT IN UM HEALTH COMMISSION DOES PROGRAMING ALL AROUND THE CITY UM BMC VIBE ALL AROUND THE CITY SAME THING WITH BCF. UM YOU KNOW I I'M I'M AWARE
OF A LOT OF THESE. PROGRAMS DO GREAT WORK ALL OVER THE CITY. IT'S JUST IS THERE ANYTHING UH OBVIOUSLY THERE WOULD BE I THINK SOME SERVICES THAT TOUCH UPON THAT AREA BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST, YOU KNOW, CITYWIDE. BUT IS THERE ANYTHING UM,
SPECIFIC. IN HIGH SCHOOL? NOT THIS YEAR. YEAH, YEAH. UM OKAY. AND THEN I JUST ONE.
LAST THING I KNOW. UH, THE SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT'S RULING ON SORT OF JUVENILE WILL, YOU KNOW, LIFE SENTENCES UH, UM, I THINK
IT WAS WITHOUT PAROLE, YOU KNOW, CHANGE THAT RULE AND THERE'S THERE'S NOW PEOPLE COMING, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE BEING RELEASED AND I KNOW I'VE HEARD CONCERNS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CITY NEEDS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PROVIDING SERVICES FOR PEOPLE SO THAT WHEN THEY'RE YOU KNOW,
MAYBE THEY WERE INVOLVED IN A GANG RELATED INCIDENT, YOU KNOW, 15 YEARS AGO OR 20 YEARS AGO AND NOW THEY'RE COMING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY LIKE WHAT WE'RE WHAT WE'RE DOING AROUND
THAT. UH. YOU MEAN REENTRY? >> YOU MEAN YEAH. YEAH, CORRECT. WE REALLY DON'T DO SHANNON DOESN'T REALLY PROVIDE RIGHT NOW WITH ANY KIND OF REENTRY PROGRAMING. UM, I WOULD PROBABLY LEAN ON OUR OTHER PARTNERS.
OR IS THIS WHY I OR UM, THE MAYBE THE SUFFOLK COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HAS A PROGRAM BUT WE CURRENTLY FOR THIS GRANT SPECIFICALLY WE
DON'T HAVE ANY REENTRY PROGRAM BUT I KNOW SOME OF OUR PROGRAM SOME OF OUR PROGRAM PARTNERS DO WORK WITH REENTRY. UM BACK AGAIN THAT WOULD BE LIKE THE LEWIS DE BROWN PEACE INSTITUTE. I KNOW THEY HAVE AN INITIATIVE UM TO TO GO BEHIND THE WALL AND
TALK TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE THERE. UM SO BUT FOR US WE DON'T HAVE THAT CURRENTLY. OKAY. >> OKAY. THANKS A LOT. THANKS FOR YOUR ANSWERS.
AND UH, THANKS TO THE CHAIR I'D TO YOU. THANK YOU. >> COUNCILOR WEBER. I JUST WANT TO UM BEFORE I DO MOVE ON TO THE, UM, POTENTIAL GRANT FUNDING RECIPIENTS.
DO UM, COUNCILOR PLANNING COUNCIL MEMBER DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR BILLS? UH, YEAH, I JUST SHOVE IT. MAYBE ONE QUICK QUESTION. CAN YOU JUST BRIEFLY. BRIEFLY HIGHLIGHT THE. AWARD RECIPIENTS THE GRANT
RECIPIENTS THAT. ARE RECEIVING THE FUNDING AND FOR HOW MUCH? UM, I CAN TELL YOU WHO UM I DON'T I'M NOT COMFORTABLE WITH
THE HOW MUCH PART, BUT I COULD GIVE YOU THE THE GENERAL UM, SO ON ALL OF OUR PROGRAM APPLICANTS THEY ARE APPLYING FOR UM, ABOUT $40,000 IN FUNDING. UM, THERE'S THERE'S SOME
PROGRAMS THAT I RECEIVE A BIT MORE THAN THAT, BUT THOSE ARE ONES THAT ARE DOING CLINICAL BASED CASEWORK. UM, BUT THE AWARDEES AGAIN ARE
BUSY WIFE UM BOSTON MEDICAL CENTER FAYETTE PROGRAM BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION THE LEWIS DE BROWN PEACE INSTITUTE UH PROJECT RIGHT UM YOUTH CONNECT SUFFOLK COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WHY ARE YOU BOSTON THE RECORD COMPANY
VERONICA ROBLES CULTURAL CENTER BEANTOWN SLAM TEEN EMPOWERMENT MAVERICK LANDING CULTURAL CENTER SPORTSMEN'S TENNIS AND ENRICHMENT CENTER ZONE MIX WE
ARE BONDED TOGETHER AND MOTHERS FOR JUSTICE AND EQUALITY. ARE THERE ANY. UH, RECIPIENTS IN THE SOUTH AND OR CHINATOWN OR SOUTH BOSTON?
NO, SIR. >> WHY IS THAT? UH I DON'T I JUST DIDN'T HAVE ANY APPLICANTS FROM SOUTH END OR CHINATOWN. NO ONE NO ONE APPLIED. I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK. DO I HAVE TO GO TO I DON'T I'M
NOT SURE ABOUT THAT. MORE HOW WOULD I I. >> MEAN THAT'S A THAT'S A I. CAN GET BACK TO YOU AND SAY. OKAY I'M OKAY I. GUESS I HAVE TO.
>> LET DO THE APPLICANT THIS ONE THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING I I DON'T HAVE IT THIS WAY. YEAH I MEAN I'M I'M GOING TO VOTE YES ON. A ONE $1 MILLION GRANT THAT WE RECEIVED FROM STATE AND THAT NONE OF IT IS GOING TO IMPACT. UH. >> DISTRICT TWO. >> I DON'T KNOW I'M NOT SURE,
SIR. WELL, WHO WOULD. KNOW THAT UM WHO WOULD KNOW THAT I. >> WOULD KNOW. >> BUT I HAVE TO I'D HAVE TO FIND MY THAT'S WHAT SO I CAN GET BACK TO YOU WITH THE IF WE DID HAVE AN APPLICANT FROM THE
SOUTH END OR CHINATOWN I HAVE TO LOOK THROUGH THE APPLICANTS. UM, I MEAN, I COULD I COULD RATTLE OFF A LOT OF NONPROFITS THAT DO EXCEPTIONAL WORK.
THAT THAT WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THIS WORK IN THIS FIELD THAT ARE ENGAGED IN THIS FIELD. UM, BUT IS IT IS IT A CASE THAT
THEY THEY APPLIED AND WEREN'T ACCEPTED OR THEY JUST DIDN'T APPLY AT ALL? I WOULD HAVE UM AND AGAIN I HAVE TO GET BACK WITH YOU WITH THE APPLICANTS.
WHICH WAS MR CHAIR, ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH. UM WHO WHAT WHO WHAT APPLICATIONS WERE RECEIVED BUT FROM DISTRICT. >> TWO NOW SO THANK YOU COUNCIL AND I THINK WE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY FOLLOW UP ON MR BILLS IN TERMS OF THE LIST OF UM ALL PEOPLE WHO APPLIED
THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE CITY AND THE UM, YOU KNOW, THE WE CAN PROBABLY HEAR YOU GET TO IDENTIFY UM, UH, DIFFERENT DISTRICTS. UM AND WE CAN SEE WHO APPLIED
FROM SOUTH AND CHINATOWN AND SOUTH BOSTON UM, YOU KNOW AND I THINK ALSO I THINK THAT'S ALSO POSSIBLE I THINK WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB, UH, MAKING SURE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE TRAINING GRANT IS OUT THAT WE'RE, UM, CONNECTING IT TO THE
ORGANIZATIONS AND NONPROFITS IN THE DISTRICT. UM, IT IS COMPETITIVE RIGHT NOW AS AS MR TURNER WAS MENTIONED, THIS USED TO BE A $3 MILLION
GRANT THAT NOW IS AT $1 MILLION. UM, AND YOU'RE SEEING UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME CITYWIDE UM, PROGRAMING HAPPENING WITH SOME OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS SO
YOU KNOW, THEY CAN BE SHIFTED UH UM UH, THE DA'S SO THERE THERE ARE PROGRAMING HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE CITY THAT TOUCHES DISTRICT TWO. UM, BUT I DON'T YOU KNOW, UH, THERE ARE THAT THERE'S NO
SPECIFIC ONE DIRECTLY FROM THE SOUTH END, UM, OR CHINATOWN WHO WAS AWARDED THIS? UM, I WILL FOLLOW UP AS THE COMMITTEE CHAIR TO GET THE LIST OF ALL THE APPLICANTS. UM, AND WE WILL MAKE THAT
AVAILABLE TO OUR COUNSELORS. THANK YOU. >> YEAH, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. UM, BUT I. >> DON'T. THINK I'VE EVER. >> MISSED. A HEARING ON ON THIS ISSUE. I'M HERE AND GET. ENGAGED ADVOCATING. FOR FOR THE FUNDING AND, UM,
WE'LL WE'LL SUPPORT IT OBVIOUSLY. AND THEN THERE ARE CITY COUNCILORS THAT THAT THAT ARE NOT HERE THAT THAT DON'T SHOW UP.
UM, THEY'RE GOING TO BE VOTING ON $1 MILLION CONTRACT UM NEXT. NEXT WEEK. AND THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO WEIGH IN ABOUT. ABOUT THEIR THOUGHTS OR
OPINIONS ABOUT THE GRANT. BUT YOU KNOW, I DO. THINK I DO THINK BIG. CITY COUNCIL IS UH MR CHAIR, I NEED TO START SHOWING UP. TO THESE. IMPORTANT HEARINGS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN AND COUNCILOR MURPHY. SO COUNCILMEMBER YOU ALSO WITH QUESTIONS FOR MR BILLS? YES. >> YEAH I'M GOOD THANKS, CHAIR. OKAY GREAT.
UM WELL THANK YOU MR BILLS FOR BEING HERE. WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO TO UM REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ANSWERING OUR QUESTIONS AND THEN WE'LL BE I'LL BE FOLLOWING UP WITH SOME MORE INFORMATION. UM, IT'S ACTUALLY AROUND WHO APPLIED AND YEAH.
SO SO WE CAN GET THAT UM WE CAN GET THAT TO ALL THE CONFERENCE AS WELL. UM HOPEFULLY AHEAD OF OF OF THE VOTE UM IT. JUST JUST LIKE A FOLLOW THROUGH
LIKE THE GRANT IS USUALLY RELEASED IN AROUND AUGUST. UM IT'S UP ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE LIKE IT'S PUBLIC. UM SO IT'S NOT THAT I'M NOT SEEKING PEOPLE FROM ALL THE DISTRICTS.
I'M JUST PUTTING IT UP IN WHOEVER APPLIES. THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT WE GET . SO UM, SOUTH IN WAS WAS MY OLD HANGING MY OLD STOMPING GROUNDS.
I USED TO WORK AT THE HARRIET TUBMAN HOUSE, THE UNITED SOUTH AND SETTLEMENTS FOR UM MANY YEARS I WORKED AT UM VIA VICTORIA AND SO IT'S IT'S NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART AS WELL. COUNCILORS. UM.
ABSOLUTELY. >> WELL THANK YOU AGAIN. UM. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU AGAIN. WE WILL DISMISS MR BILLS. UM, AND I WANT TO GO OVER TO.
UM AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN INVITING OUR POTENTIAL GRANT FUND RECIPIENTS TO EACH, UM, PERCENT AND TESTIFY. I WILL CALL ON EACH ORGANIZATION AND ASK YOUR REPRESENTATIVE TO TESTIFY UP TO
FIVE MINUTES WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED. PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF WHEN YOU BEGIN YOUR TESTIMONY PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ORGANIZATION AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD UH WITH THAT WE ARE GOING TO START WITH UM MOTHERS
FOR JUSTICE AND EQUALITY. OR MAYBE WE ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE THEM YET. UM, DO WE HAVE A CENTER FOR TEEN EMPOWERMENT A
REPRESENTATIVE FROM THEIR. ABA OH THAT'S A GOOD. ABIGAIL FOSTER. YEP. >> SORRY, SORRY. I WAS HAVING SOME, UH, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY HERE, I APOLOGIZE.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. UM, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. >> COUNCIL I APPRECIATE IT. UM GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. GOOD MORNING. UH, TO THE COMMITTEE I WOULD LIKE TO THANK CITY COUNCILOR SANTANA AND THE ENTIRE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC
SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE. MY NAME IS ABIGAIL FORESTER AND I AM THE CEO FOR THE CENTER FOR TEEN EMPOWERMENT. OUR MISSION IS TO EMPLOY, TRAIN AND EMPOWER YOUTH IN COLLABORATION WITH ADULTS TO CREATE PEACE, EQUITY AND JUSTICE.
THE SHANNON FUNDING HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN FULFILLING OUR MISSION AND OUR MISSION. WE MENTIONED THE WORD COLLABORATION WE HAVE FOUND AND
AN OATH IN THE OVER 34 YEARS OF DOING VIOLENCE PREVENTION WORK. COLLABORATION IS CRITICAL NOT ONLY AMONG SERVICE PROVIDERS AND INTERVENTION SPECIALISTS BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.
FOR DECADES, THE SHARED SHANNON GRANT HAS BEEN A BOLD STATEMENT TO COMMIT TO COMMUNITIES IMPACTED BY VIOLENCE REGARDING THE STATE'S COMMITMENT TO ENSURING LAW ENFORCEMENT, COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS PRIMARILY
YOUTH AND YOUNG PEOPLE FIND WAYS TO IMPLEMENT VIOLENCE PREVENTION EFFORTS TOGETHER. THIS FUNDING ISN'T JUST ABOUT
AGENCIES RECEIVING MONEY. IT IS A STATEMENT THAT OUR CITY STATE IS COMMITTED TO ENSURING COLLABORATION BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS STAY AT THE CENTER
OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION AS AN ORGANIZATION, THE SHANNON GRANT HAS ALLOWED US TO CONTINUE OUR WORK AROUND CREATING SPACE FOR YOUTH AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENTS TO GET TO HEAR FROM EACH OTHER AND KNOW EACH OTHER. COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENTS KNOW IN EACH
OTHER IS THE MOST CRITICAL ASPECT FOR WHY THIS FUNDING NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED. YOUTH IN DIALOG WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT UH AGENTS TO CREATE AND DEVELOP STRATEGIES TO PREVENT VIOLENCE IS A BEST
PRACTICE WHEN IT COMES TO REDUCING GUN VIOLENCE AND CREATING SAFER ENVIRONMENTS. WE'VE HAD SEVERAL OPPORTUNITIES AND INCIDENTS WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN IN DIALOG WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENTS AND HAVE BEEN SEEN IN THEIR COMMUNITY BY LAW THE SAME LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENTS HAD A POSITIVE INTERACTION THAT IS VIOLENCE INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION AT ITS HIGHEST LEVEL. THE FUNDS FROM THE SHANNON GRANT HAS SUPPORTED TEEN
APARTMENTS OUTREACH TO GANG INVOLVED YOUTH AND ALSO HAS ALLOWED US TO EXPAND THE WORK WE DO TO CREATE SPECIFIC INITIATIVES THAT TARGET STREET INVOLVED YOUTH WHO ARE NOT YET INVOLVED IN GANG VIOLENCE BUT
ON THE PERIPHERY OF BEING INFLUENCE INTO BEING GANG INVOLVED BECAUSE OF THE SOCIAL AB NORMS THAT ARE PUTTING PRESSURE ON THEM. I RECOMMEND AS THE LEADER OF TEEN EMPOWERMENT PASSING THE EXPANSION FOR THE SHANNON GRANT AND IF POSSIBLE EXPANDED IT EVEN MORE. IT IS ONE OF THE ONLY FUNDING
FUNDING SOURCES THAT HITS THREE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF PUBLIC SAFETY PREVENTION, INTERVENTION AND COLLABORATION. THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WHY THE
SHANNON GRANT IS SIGNIFICANT RESOURCE TO OUR ORGANIZATION AND THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE RECIPIENTS. WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO RECEIVING THIS FUNDING AS WE CONTINUE TO EXPAND AND FOCUS ON MAKING OUR CITY SAFER. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENCE AND UM, THE WORK THAT YOU DO. UM NEXT UP WE HAVE I THINK FROM THE RECORD COMPANY WE HAVE
PABLO VELEZ. OKAY. SEE YOU IN HERE. YES. HI. >> HELLO. >> GOOD MORNING. UH, GOOD MORNING, CHAIR SANTANA. UM, PABLO VELEZ FROM THE RECORD
COMPANY AND, UH, GOOD MORNING, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. UM, AS I SAID, MY NAME IS PABLO VELEZ AND I SERVE AS THE DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT AT THE RECORD COMPANY. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY. UM, AND, UH, THANK YOU TO THE
CITY, UM, FOR ITS CONTINUED INVESTMENT. UM, UH, IN THE RECORD COMPANY THROUGH THE SHANNON COMMUNITY SAFETY INITIATIVE FOUNDED IN
2010, THE RECORD COMPANY WAS. CREATED UM, AROUND A SIMPLE BUT POWERFUL BELIEF CREATIVITY. SHOULD BE A PATHWAY TO ECONOMIC MOBILITY. BOSTON HAS NO SHORTAGE OF TALENTED ARTISTS AND MUSICIANS.
WHAT MANY YOUNG PEOPLE LACK IS ACCESS TO. AFFORDABLE SPACE, PROFESSIONAL EQUIPMENT, MENTORS, INDUSTRY NETWORKS AND CLEAR PATHWAYS.
WE EXIST TO REMOVE THOSE BARRIERS. UH, TODAY THE RECORD COMPANY SERVES MORE THAN 3000 ARTISTS EVERY MONTH ACROSS TWO FACILITIES. OUR SOUTH END CAMPUS AT 916
MASS AVE IS HOME TO AFFORDABLE RECORDING STUDIOS, REHEARSAL ROOMS, PRODUCTION SUITES AND TRC ACADEMY OUR FREE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AGES 14 TO 24 THAT IS TAUGHT BY BERKLEE INSTRUCTORS AND INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS.
OUR 55 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD CAMPUS IN DORCHESTER IS ONE OF THE IT'S ONE OF BOSTON'S LARGEST, UH, CREATIVE SMALL BUSINESS HUBS HOME TO MORE THAN
400 ARTISTS AND CREATIVE SMALL BUSINESSES AND TOGETHER OUR TWO FACILITY SERVES ARTISTS FROM 21 OF MASSACHUSETTS 40 SENATE DISTRICTS WITH MANY OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE WE SERVE COMING
FROM BOSTON NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY FACED BARRIERS TO OPPORTUNITY. WE LAUNCHED TRC ACADEMY BECAUSE WE SAW TALENTED YOUNG PEOPLE WITH TREMENDOUS CREATIVE
POTENTIAL BUT NO CLEAR PATHWAY INTO BOSTON'S CREATIVE ECONOMY. THROUGH THE SHANNON GRANT, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE FREE HANDS ON WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT THAT TEACHES AUDIO ENGINEERING,
MUSIC PRODUCTION AND MUSIC BUSINESS WHILE ALSO HELPING STUDENTS DEVELOP THE PROFESSIONAL SKILLS AND EMPLOYER VALUES. HOW TO INTERVIEW COMMUNICATE PROFESSIONALLY, WRITE EFFECTIVE EMAILS, COLLABORATE WITH CLIENTS AND BUILD CONFIDENCE IN
THE WORKPLACE. IN JUST ONE YEAR, MORE THAN 100 YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE GRADUATED FROM TRC ACADEMY. WE'VE EXPANDED ACCESS THROUGH
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY'S OFFICE OF YOUTH ENGAGEMENT AND ADVANCEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING BEAT THE ODDS, BOSTON MUSIC PROJECT, BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF BOSTON COMMUNITY MUSIC CENTER, UM A BOSTON COMMON
ACADEMY AND MANY OTHERS WHILE CREATING ADDITIONAL PATHWAYS THROUGH BUNKER HILL COMMUNITY COLLEGE. BUT WHAT MAKES TRC DIFFERENT IS THAT OUR SUPPORT DOESN'T END WITH STUDENTS. WHEN STUDENTS GRADUATE, WE'VE INTENTIONALLY BUILT WHAT WE CALL A CONTINUUM OF OPPORTUNITY.
ACADEMY GRADUATES HAVE BEEN HIRED BY THE RECORD COMPANY TO PROVIDE LIVE SOUND ENGINEERING FOR OUR EVENTS, REFERRED TO PAID RECORDING AND PRODUCTION OPPORTUNITIES TO CLIENTS USING
OUR RECORDING STUDIOS CONTINUED INTO HIGHER EDUCATION TO OUR COLLEGE PARTNERSHIPS AND EVEN LAUNCHED BUSINESSES INSIDE OUR 55 MORSY CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP HUB AND WE'RE ALREADY SEEING THE RESULTS NINE
OUT OF TEN GRADUATES CONTINUE CREATING MUSIC AND AUDIO PROJECTS AFTER COMPLETING THE ACADEMY. MORE THAN ONE THIRD HAVE ALREADY WORKED IN PROFESSIONAL RECORDING STUDIOS, 1 IN 4 HAVE
APPLIED FOR PAID CREATIVE OPPORTUNITIES AND 1 IN 4 HAVE ALREADY SECURED PAID MUSIC OR AUDIO WORK. ONE GRADUATE, DEJA FITZGERALD, DESCRIBED TRC ACADEMY BY SAYING
THERE'S NOTHING LIKE BEING ABLE TO CAPTURE YOUR HEART THROUGH MUSIC AND THE TRC ACADEMY HELPS YOU GET THERE. THIS FEELS LIKE HOME. ANOTHER GRADUATE, CHRISTINA BARTLEY SHARED I NOW HAVE A MUCH CLEARER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TO APPROACH MUSIC AS
BOTH A CREATIVE AND A BUSINESS AND LEADER, MARINARA TOLD US NOW I KNOW HOW TO REPRESENT MYSELF PROFESSIONALLY. I LEARNED HOW TO SET UP MY SOLE PROPRIETORSHIP, TRACK MY
BUSINESS EXPENSES AND FILE TAXES CORRECTLY. PERHAPS THE MOST TELLING IS WHAT OUR GRADUATES ASK FOR NEXT 94% WANT ADDITIONAL TRAINING,
MORE THAN 80% WANT PAID STUDIO OPPORTUNITIES, 75% WANT INTERNSHIPS AND NEARLY 70% ONE MENTORSHIPS. THEY DON'T SEE TRC ACADEMY AS THE FINISH LINE. THEY SEE IT AS THE STARTING POINT OF A CAREER. THE JOURNEY CONTINUES AT 55
MORE. SEE WHERE 70% OF OUR CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURS ARE ALREADY EARNING OR BUILDING TOWARD INCOME THROUGH THEIR CREATIVE
WORK 86% REPORTING INCREASED COLLABORATION SINCE JOINING OUR COMMUNITY, 37% SAY THEY WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY SCALE BACK THEIR WORK IF THE RECORD COMPANY NO LONGER EXISTED AND 26% SAY THEY
WOULD CONSIDER LEAVING BOSTON ALTOGETHER. THOSE NUMBERS DEMONSTRATE WHY CREATIVE INFRASTRUCTURE MATTERS NOT ONLY FOR ARTISTS BUT FOR RETAINING TALENT, STRENGTHENING NEIGHBORHOODS AND CREATING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY THROUGH OUR CITY.
PUBLIC SAFETY DOESN'T BEGIN WHEN A YOUNG PERSON IS IN CRISIS. IT BEGINS WHEN THEY CAN SEE A FUTURE FOR THEMSELVES. THE SHANNON GRANT HELPS US GIVE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT FUTURE THROUGH EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT
AND COMMUNITY. ON BEHALF OF EVERYONE AT THE RECORD CO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN BOSTON'S YOUNG PEOPLE AND FOR HELPING US BUILD A SAFER, STRONGER AND MORE CREATIVE CITY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU PABLO REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TESTIMONY AND UM, REALLY APPRECIATE THE INSIGHT FROM SOME OF THOSE PARTICIPANTS.
UM AWESOME. SO NEXT UP WE HAVE YOUTH CONNECT I BELIEVE WE HAVE KEVIN HERE. YEP I SEE KEVIN. KEVIN YOU HAVE FLOOR WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.
I UNFORTUNATELY AM. EXPERIENCING SOME TECH LET'S SEE IF THIS WORKS BUT I DO HAVE SOME TECH ISSUES. UNFORTUNATELY AS WE TRANSITIONED OUR SYSTEMS I'M HOPING EVERYONE CAN HEAR ME SO . YOU CAN HEAR YOU. YEP OKAY SO MY APOLOGIES ON THE VIDEO I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT'S
GOING ON WITH IT. I TRIED TESTING IT UH BUT GOOD MORNING, UH, CHAIR SANTANA AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS KEVIN BARTON AND I SERVE AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
OF YOUTH CONNECT. UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY TODAY. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED ADVOCACY ON BEHALF OF THE CHANNEL INITIATIVE. UM, IN A YEAR WHEN SO MANY ORGANIZATIONS ARE NAVIGATING
REAL FUNDRAISING CHALLENGES, YOUR WILLINGNESS TO CHAMPION THE FUNDING AND THEN TO GIVE COMMUNITY-BASED PROVIDERS LIKE OURS A PLATFORM TO BE HEARD, IT
WAS REALLY A GREAT DEAL. UH, SO FOR 30 YEARS, UH, YOUTH CONNECT HAS DIRECTLY EMBEDDED LICENSED SOCIAL WORKERS INSIDE BOSTON POLICE STATIONS. UH, WE'RE CURRENTLY LOCATED IN
TEN STATIONS UM AND CITYWIDE UNITS INCLUDING UH EAST BOSTON, ROXBURY, DORCHESTER, NORRISTOWN, JAMAICA PLAIN, CHARLESTOWN AND THE SOUTH BEND UH TO PROVIDE FREE VOLUNTARY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES TO OUR MOST AT PROMISE AND SYSTEM
IMPACTED BETWEEN THE AGES OF 10 TO 24 UH YOUNG PEOPLE ARE REFERRED BY OFFICERS FOLLOWING ARREST OR FOR REASONS INCLUDING
IMPACT FROM OR CAUSING COMMUNITY VIOLENCE, SUBSTANCE USE, WEAPONS CARRYING AND AN OBLIGATION. BUT CHANTING SHANNON GRANT FUNDING REMAINS ESSENTIAL TO OUR MISSION.
UH, THE TRUTH IS WE KNOW THAT ABOUT 65 TO 70% OF YOU IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM STRUGGLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES. UH, WE ALSO KNOW COMMUNITY BASED INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION IS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN INCARCERATION.
AND WE KNOW THAT RELATIONSHIPS ARE WHAT OFTEN DRIVE CHANGE. SO THIS YEAR WE PROBABLY SAW OVER 560 WHO AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS ACROSS BOSTON ARE
SOCIAL WORKERS ARE PROVIDING INDIVIDUAL FAMILY THERAPY UM, EVEN WITH YOUNG PEOPLE AND DEVICES IN CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES INCLUDING UH NASHUA UH THREE THE SOUTH BAY UH ORDINARILY YOUNG PEOPLE IN SCHOOLS AND ALSO IN THEIR HOMES
UH WE BUILD UP SAFETY PLANNING AROUND VICTIMIZATION UH, PERPETRATION OF VIOLENCE AND ALSO RETALIATION. UH, WE BUILD NETWORKS OF CARING ADULTS AROUND EACH YOUNG PERSON
AND WE REALLY ARE TRYING TO COORDINATE SERVICES OF AND FORCE SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES, UH, JUVENILE JUSTICE PROVIDERS TO ENSURE THAT FAMILIES, UH YOUNG PEOPLE AND FAMILIES ARE NOT FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS.
ULTIMATELY, UH, WE NEED TO REDUCE UH, SOME OF THE ROOT CAUSES AND LET'S GIVE A WHOLE YEAR THAT WE KNOW ARE ASSOCIATED WITH ARRESTS, UH, INCARCERATION AND COMMUNITY VIOLENCE. UH, WHAT MAKES OUR MODEL, UH, DISTINCT IS THAT ALL OF OUR SERVICES ARE COMPLETELY FREE. THEY ARE VOLUNTARY AND THEY'RE
NOT TIME LIMITED. UH, WE DON'T DO INSURANCE, WHICH MEANS GRANTS LIKE THE SHANNON GRANT ARE ESSENTIAL. UH, RECENT CUTS TO THE SHANNON
GRANT HAS HAD REAL IMPACT ON SO MANY ORGANIZATIONS. SO MANY OF MY ORGANIZATIONS, UM, AND I KNOW MANY OF US HAVE ,UH, COME TOGETHER TO REALLY TRY TO FIGURE OUT WAYS THAT WE CAN SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER AND
COLLABORATE, WHICH MEANS GO TO SCHOOL. UM, AT YOUTH CONNECT WE DO REMAIN DETERMINED AND FORTUNATE TO PROVIDE THE SAME LEVEL OF CARE DESPITE THESE REDUCTIONS, BUT IT DOES COME AT A COST. UM, CONTINUED AND SUSTAINED
FUNDING MEANS WE CAN CONTINUE TO OPERATE OUTSIDE OF THE INSURANCE SYSTEM WHICH MEANS WE DO NOT TERMINATE SERVICES BECAUSE OF ONE PERSON DISAPPOINTMENTS UH, TO THE
YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE THIS IS TYPICAL UH WE STAY FOR THE LONG TERM AND CRITICALLY, UH, WE DON'T JUST SERVE THE YOUNG PERSON WHO SERVED THE ENTIRE FAMILY. AND WE DO THIS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OVER 200 OTHER COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
SO WE REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT BY WRAPPING SUPPORT AROUND THE SYSTEM CAN DO BUILD A VILLAGE THAT STRENGTHENS STABILITY AT HOME OR PEOPLE'S TRUST.
AND QUITE FRANKLY WE DO SEE BETTER OUTCOMES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE UM, AND FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO WE KNOW BOSTON IS RICH WITH RESOURCES. IT'S IT'S NOT ABOUT NOT HAVING RESOURCES BUT IT IS ABOUT MITIGATING THE BARRIERS TO
ACCESS THAT WE TEND TO FOCUS ON, PARTICULARLY FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WE ALONG WITH SOME OF THE OTHERS ON THE SCREEN. SO ARE WE HAVE TO MITIGATE THOSE BARRIERS. UM AND THEN I JUST WANTED TO HONESTLY JUST SAY THANK YOU TO CITY COUNCIL FOR EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING IN RESPONSE
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING OUR COLLABORATION AND AFTER THE CONTINUED SUPPORT, UH, DEFINITELY WANT TO THANK YOU. UH, DEMAND UH THE STEWARDSHIP
OF THE FUNDS AND THAT COME THROUGH ALL THE TIME WE'RE COMMITTED TO TO BOSTON YOUNG PEOPLE. THIS IS HOW WE GET IT DONE. IT WAS ALL TOGETHER AND IT WAS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT AND MY APOLOGIES FOR THE UH THE VIDEO IT WAS WORKING BEFORE I PROMISE. UM I WORRY THANK YOU KEVIN.
APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENCE AND APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU DO EVERY SINGLE DAY ON BEHALF OF OUR BOSTON TO YOU. UM AWESOME. THANK YOU.
NEXT UP WE HAVE, UM, BECCA I THINK WE HAVE THE ERICA BUTLER WITH US TODAY. UM YES WE DO. UM, HOW YOU CAN. YOU HEAR ME? HERE YOU GO.
>> I HAVE THE WORST, UH, SPEAKER TODAY MY OTHER SPEAKER BROKE. UM, BUT GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY. I'M GLAD THAT WE HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SEE EVERYBODY. I KNOW IT'S RIGHT BEFORE THE HOLIDAY, BUT, UM, THIS HAS BEEN A VERY IMPORTANT GRANT FOR BC
FOR THE GIRLS INITIATIVE. UM, ON BEHALF OF MY TIME AT THE COMMISSION ON MYSELF, UM, WE WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU AGAIN, UM, FOR GIVING US THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THE GREAT WORK THAT WE DO.
UM, THIS HAS BEEN A ONGOING PROCESS FOR US LITERALLY WE'VE HAD THIS GRANT FOR 15 YEARS. UM, I HAVE BEEN THE SOLE PROVIDER FOR MAINTAINING AND MAKING SURE THAT WE DO HAVE THESE SERVICES FOR GIRLS AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER. UM, ALSO THE OTHER THING JUST
TO LET YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE ASKING QUESTIONS IN REGARDS TO OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS I DO PLAN THIS
SUMMER AND I HAVE IN THE PAST EXPANDING OUR YOU KNOW, OUR ARRAY. I DO THE GIRLS INITIATIVE BUT BECAUSE OF ALL THE DISPARITIES WITH THE DIFFERENT THINGS HAPPENING WITH THE YOUTH, I HAVE EXTENDED TO DO YOUTH NIGHTS IN COLLABORATION WITH A
FEW DIFFERENT AGENCIES UM ADVOCACY SITES AS WELL AS WELL AS SHE WHO HAS BEEN A STRONG PARTNER WITH US AND WE'RE HOSTING FAMILY NIGHTS THIS SUMMER ON TUESDAYS UM FOR OUR FAMILIES 17 AND YOUNGER AND THEY NEED TO ATTEND WITH THE
FAMILY AND TRYING TO KEEP THAT GOING AGAIN UM, AS WELL AS GIRLS NIGHTS AT THE BOSTON BOWL A FEW OTHER AGENCIES HAVE STEPPED UP.
I DON'T WANT TO GET CRAZY, BUT I'M JUST GIVING SHOUT OUTS TO A COUPLE OF FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN VERY STRONG EVEN THOUGH THE FUNDING HASN'T COME IN AS SOON AS WE THOUGHT UM, JUST SO YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITHOUT THE FUNDS FOR THIS TIME
AND WE KEPT WHATEVER PROGRAMING AND THINGS THAT WE HAD IN MATERIALS FROM BEFORE AND DID A LOT OF THINGS AT COMMUNITY CENTERS. WE JUST HAD A COMPLETION OF A GIRLS NIGHT, A PAINT NIGHT AT THE HANNIGAN COMMUNITY CENTER
AND WE JUST REOPENED THE POOL. SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HOSTING A GIRLS NIGHT THERE AND DOING A POOL PARTY. UM, SO JUST KEEPING A LOT OF THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY. UM, JUST TO ANSWER YOU COUNCILOR FLYNN, WE WILL BE
DOING SOME THINGS IN SOUTH BOSTON WORKING WITH BARBARA AND KATHY ABOUT DOING WE ALWAYS LIKE TO DO A GIRLS NIGHT BINGO. UM, AND JUST TRYING TO KEEP THE GIRLS POSITIVE. KEEP THEM ENGAGED, KEEP THEM SAFE. UM, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT OUR
MISSION IS AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY KNOW THAT THEY CAN WALK INTO A CENTER AND BE HEARD. UM, AND I JUST REALLY WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE SUMMER
PROGRAM UM, THIS YEAR WE WILL BE DOING WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP NEW WE'VE HAD IT ONGOING WITH SIMMONS BUT THEY'VE GIVEN US GRACIOUSLY GIVEN UP SPACE THIS SUMMER TO DO A TWO WEEK PROGRAM IN COLLABORATION WITH GIRLS
LEAP ABOUT SELF-DEFENSE AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THEIR SURROUNDINGS AND WHAT'S HAPPENING. UM, WE ARE ALSO HOSTING A WELLNESS DAY FOR GIRLS AND THAT WILL ALSO BE AT A COLLEGE THIS SUMMER. SO ALLOW GIRLS AND I HAVE ALSO WITH ME I'M NOT SURE YOU DON'T
WANT ME TO SAY IT, BUT I HAVE ONE OF OUR PARTNERS IN MY OFFICE TODAY FROM OH YEAH UM, CARMEN FREEMAN WHO SHE AND I DO A LOT OF STUFF WITH THE GIRLS AND MENTORSHIP AND HOSTING UM,
A COUPLE I KNOW THEY'RE DOING AFTER DARK WITH US AS WELL AT OUR COMMUNITY CENTERS, WHICH I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT WITH PEDRO. I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT THING. UM, AND AGAIN I JUST I ANY QUESTIONS YOU GUYS HAVE FOR
ME I'M HERE. UM AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE OR ANY IDEAS THAT YOU HAVE GOING FORWARD I'M OPEN TO IT. I JUST LIKE I SAID WANT TO KEEP
THE GIRLS CONNECTED AND SAFE AND THAT'S MY MISSION FOR THIS SUMMER AND AND FUN. YOU KNOW WE WANT THEM TO BE KIDS AND I KNOW A LOT OF YOU KNOW I AM THE ONE. I DON'T EVEN CARE. I'M STILL ON THE TEAM TRYING TO
TALK TO THEM. I WILL GO DOWNTOWN TO MACY'S DOWN IN THE BASEMENT TO GIVE THEM FLIERS. SO I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW THAT THESE KIDS ARE EVERYWHERE AND ALL THEY WANT IS JUST A LITTLE BIT OF ATTENTION AND JUST LISTEN AND AGAIN IF
ANYBODY NEEDS ANYTHING FROM ME PLEASE LET ME KNOW. COLLABORATION AND I WILL GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO MY BOSTON POLICE LADIES. THEY HAVE BEEN VERY STRONG AND
PRESENT WITH THE GIRLS UM ON NIGHTS WHEN I'M THERE BY MYSELF DOING CERTAIN THINGS THEY WILL SHOW UP AND BE A STRONG FORCE AND HELP ME AND I DON'T MEAN LIKE ENFORCEMENT POLICE ENFORCEMENT THEY'RE THERE SOMETIMES DOING ARTS AND
CRAFTS. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT UM VERY STRONG PARTNERSHIP AND THERE'S A FEW OTHERS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO NAME BUT YOU ONLY GET FIVE MINUTES SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM, COUNCILOR SANTANA AGAIN I APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU.
UM, I RECALL UM, DEFINITELY ONE OF THE MOST COMMITTED PEOPLE IN THE CITY AND, UM, REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU DO ON BEHALF OF OF OUR BOSTON UM, YOUTH, UM, SPECIFICALLY OUR
YOUNG, UM, BABIES. SO, UM, THANK YOU. UM, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. UM, I THINK WE HAVE ONE MORE MAYBE IF YOU'RE MORE OF A, UM, PROJECT. RIGHT. I THINK WE HAVE MIKE HOLZER WITH US. YES WE DO.
YES. >> AND IF YOU COULD, UH, ELEVATE UH, ELIGIBLE PEOPLE. SO I THINK HE WAS UH, ON
SOMEWHERE ELSE AS WELL. HE'S OUR LEAD PROGRAM PERSON. UH, IF YOU ALL AND I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE HIM A COUPLE MINUTES AND I'LL WRAP UP AND WE WANT TO THANK ALL THE COUNCILORS. UM. >> I.
SORRY, I DON'T I DON'T WANT I DON'T MEAN TO CUT YOU OFF. WHO WHAT'S THE NAME? ELIJAH. >> MORE PEOPLE. OKAY. >> I DON'T SEE HIM IN THE WAITING ROOM, MR CHAIRMAN. ON THE TABLE? YEAH. ALL THE TWO AND THAT'S THAT'S A THAT'S HIS DAUGHTER. SO. >> OKAY, I'M MOVING THEM OVER
RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU. >> UH, WE APPRECIATE YOUR TAKING THE TIME TO DO THIS. THIS IS, UM, COMES UM, THE SHANNON GRANT IS A CRITICAL FUNDER FOR US.
UH, WE'RE ABLE TO DO, UH, A LOT OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES. UM, SO WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD AND YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF IDEA OF THE IMPACT OF THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO. HI, COUNCIL. UM, MY NAME IS JAMAL. PEOPLE'S I.
AM MY YOUTH. ENGAGEMENT WORK AT. >> WHAT PROJECT? RIGHT. >> UM. UNDER THE SHANA GRANT FOR MANY YEARS. UH UM UH, I CAME FROM. UNDERNEATH THE SHANA. >> GRANT AS A PARTICIPANT FOR
PROJECT RIGHT FROM THE, UM, WAY TO OUTREACH AND I BUILT MY OWN PROGRAM IN 2000 CALLED THE MIKE AND NOW BASKETBALL LEAGUE. FOR MANY YEARS WE. HAVE. . UM, PREVENT INTERVENTION
OF YOUTH VIOLENCE AND THE GROW AREA ESPECIALLY FROM MAGNOLIA AND COLUMBIA ROAD ALONG THAT
ASPECT UM PROVIDING YOU WITH FREE UH SPORTS PROGRAM, UM, PROVIDER UNIFORMS, UM ENGAGEMENT UM AND TO THE
SCHOOLS FROM UM DRUG PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION UM ESPECIALLY AND WE HAVE WORKED ESPECIALLY WITH UH BROWN INSTITUTE WITH SOME OF THE DEATHS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO IT ALLOWED US. >> TO HAVE BETTER ACCESS TO SO MANY COLLABORATIONS. UM, WITH THE GRANT PROGRAM THAT
I WORK ABOUT LET'S START FROM AND STAND AND GIRLS OVER THERE. SO IT WAS JUST. >> A BIG OLD CIRCLE OF FAMILY WHAT WE DO IN CONNECTION WITH YOUTH AND VIOLENCE AND STUFF LIKE THAT. UM AND WE SENT 2000 UM NOW 26 YEARS LATER THAT UM RUN INTO
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE MIKE AND OUTBACK BASKETBALL PROGRAM, ALL OF MY FRIEND THAT WE HAVE PROVIDED SO MANY IT WAS COUNTLESS YOU FROM ALL OVER THE
CITY AND ALSO IN THESE BOSTON NEIGHBORHOODS AS HIGH SCHOOL FROM THE MISSION BIRD CHARLESTOWN ALL OVER THE CITY.
UM, JUST FOR WHAT DO AND WHAT ACCESS TO EVERYTHING. AND IN THIS PROGRAM I AM THE ONLY YOUTH PROGRAM FOR SPORTS RELATED IN THE AREA. SO THIS SHANNON GRANT ALLOWS US TO HAVE PARTIES THAT HAVE
OWNERSHIP. SO SOMETHING POSITIVE OTHER THAN THE YOUTH VIOLENCE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT KEPT YOU FOUND EQUAL WHEN I'M GOING
AROUND FROM SPRING AND SUMMER UM WE'RE ABOUT TO START IN JULY AND THIS GRANT PROVIDES A LOT OF STUFF ON STAFF ABILITY FOR OUR YOUTH IN COLLABORATION WITH
THE YMCA AND EVERYTHING ELSE FROM TEEN UH, OUR CITY FOR ASB, UH, YOU NAME IT ANYTHING TO KEEP THE KIDS AND INVOLVED AND ANYTHING POSITIVE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. THAT'S WHAT WE FOCUS ON.
BUT THE ENGAGEMENT UM, I CAN HELP OUT IN POPULATION WITH PROJECT RIGHT. THANK YOU ALL AND WANT TO THANK THE COUNSELORS AND YOUR REPRESENTATIVES FOR COMING TO
OUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS THAT WE HAD AT THE FREEDOM HOUSE THAT WE ENGAGED. UH, SOME OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE RELATIONS WITH UH THE DIFFERENT POLICE DEPARTMENTS TO TALK ABOUT, UH, WHAT'S IN STORE OVER THE SUMMER. WE SHOULD NOTE THAT A COUPLE,
UM, OF OUR STAFF HAS HAD TO DEAL WITH UM, UH, SOME OF THE RECENT HOMICIDES. ONE OF THE RECENT HOMICIDE WAS A MEMBER OF OUR 84 CHAPTER THAT
DOES PREVENTION WORK AROUND VAPING AND TOBACCO USE AND HAD GONE TO THE STATEWIDE CONFERENCE AND HAD TOLD HIS FATHER HE'S VERY EXCITED ABOUT
TRYING TO TALK TO HIS OTHER PEERS ABOUT, UM, THE IMPACT OF VAPING AND TOBACCO SMOKING. AND ANOTHER ONE OF MY STAFF IS PROVIDING SUPPORT SERVICES FOR A RECENT HOMICIDE TO THE FAMILY UH, EXPERIENCE AS WELL. SO WE DO GET FUNDING TO THE
HEALTH COMMISSION THROUGH THE VIP PROGRAM AND THE COMMUNITY HEALING RESPONSE NETWORK TO PROVIDE SOME OF THESE OTHER SUPPORT NETWORKS. WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT THE
SHANNON GRANT IS IT ALLOWS US TO BUILD CONSISTENT RELATIONS WITH THE VERY DIFFICULT POPULATION TO REACH. WE'RE WORKING WITH TEEN EMPLOYMENT TO ADDRESS THE UM,
UM, ISSUES AT UH MCDONALD'S. UH UNFORTUNATELY OUR COMMUNITY CENTER IS UNDERWAY. UH, IT'S GOING TO TAKE ANOTHER TWO AND A HALF YEARS TO BE BUILT. UM, SO UH WE'RE TRYING TO DEAL WITH THAT AND UH, REVEREND CULPEPPER, AS I MENTIONED TO
YOU THE OTHER DAY, UH, ROXBURY WHITE AND SAY SUFFERED A SIGNIFICANT WATER MAIN BREAK DAMAGE AND THEY'RE CLOSED FOR OVER TWO WEEKS AND AND I'VE
HEARD IT'S GOING TO BE AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME WHICH IMPACTS SO MANY DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, SO MANY POLICIES NOW. SO WE WERE TRYING TO BE CREATIVE. WELL CONTINUE ON WITH FRIDAY NIGHT WE MADE A REQUEST FOR ONE OF OUR LOCAL SCHOOLS AND WE'RE WAITING TO HEAR FROM THAT AS
WELL. BUT AGAIN THE SHANNON GRANT'S BEEN HELPFUL IS UM UH, ABIGAIL TALKED ABOUT YES. WE'VE HAD DIFFERENT POLICE
YOUTH ACTIVITIES WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE DEVELOPED SOME RELATIONSHIPS WITH SOME OF THE POLICE OFFICERS AND LATER ON, UM THEY SEE EACH OTHER IN THE STREET AND WHEN SOMETHING COMES UP, UH, THEY'RE ABLE TO FOLLOW
THE YOUNG PERSON OUT OF THE SITUATION AND BECAUSE HE WASN'T INVOLVED AND GET HIM ON HIS WAY. SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS WORK AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR SUPPORTING. THIS PROCESS. THANK YOU MIKE AND THANK YOU ABIGAIL. REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TESTIMONY AND THE WORK THAT YOU
DO. UM YOU DO AND OUR COMMUNITY I ALSO UM WANT TO MENTION WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY DISTRICT SEVEN
CITY COUNCILOR UM AND YOUR CULPEPER UM WHO ACTUALLY OVERSEES UM BUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING RIGHT HERE IN YOUR DISTRICT. SO, UM, JANE, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I KNOW WE DO HAVE
MORE PEOPLE, BUT I DON'T THINK THEY'RE WITH US RIGHT NOW. SO I JUST WANT TO DO ANOTHER CALL FOR MOTHER FOR JUSTICE AND EQUALITY. UM, I'LL CALL FOR BOSTON MEDICAL CENTER.
UH, I DON'T SEE THEM IN ATTENDANCE, MR CHAIR. OKAY, GREAT. AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, MY COLLEAGUES THAT WE WILL ALSO RECEIVE THE PACKET
MADE FROM FIVE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS. UM, WELL, FROM ZOOM MICS, UM, FROM BEING TAPPED, UM, AND UH. UM.
. AS FAR THE TALKS UM, WITH THAT, UM, DO WE HAVE ANYONE UM.
H. OH, YEAH. >> YOU GOT ME. OF THE TO MAKE SURE I GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY. . >> I DON'T. THINK I'LL GIVE YOU A SECOND IF . >> I DON'T HAVE ANYONE SIGN UP FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. GREAT. THANK YOU. UM, SO THAT BRINGS US TO THE, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR THE END OF THIS HEARING, UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY IS AMAZING WORK BEING
DONE. UM, YOU KNOW, THE TRAINING GRANT IS UH IS UH, PROVIDES, UM, CRITICAL FUNDING TO SO MANY ORGANIZATIONS. UM, I THINK AS WAS MENTIONED AT THE TOP THIS USED TO BE A $3 MILLION GRANT AND IT IS NOW BEING REDUCED TO JUST ABOVE 1
MILLION AND WE'RE LOOKING AT POSSIBLY FURTHER REDUCTIONS UM, IN THE UPCOMING YEARS. SO UM, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT MY COLLEAGUES THOUGHT ABOUT THAT UM, AND
MAYBE WE CAN WORK WITH COUNCILOR WEBER WITH CHAIR OF UM CHAIR WAYS AND MEANS, UM ,TO SEE HOW WE CAN TRY TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY GAPS THAT WE CAN, UM, WE CAN HELP FILL AS A
COUNCIL. UM, WITH THAT I DO WANT TO GIVE COUNCILOR CULPEPPER NEW DO YOU WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS? YEAH. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. ABSOLUTELY. >> LOOK. >> UM, I RUSHED DOWN TO THE
OFFICE BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE THE LINK AND, UM, TO GET ON I TRIED TO GET ON AT HOME, SO SO LET ME RUN DOWN TO THE OFFICE BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH A PRETTY. >> WE'RE HAVING SOME DIFFICULTIES HERE AND YOU. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? AND UH, COMING. >> IN AND, UM. I CAN. >> I CAN HEAR. >> YOU, REVEREND. YOU CAN HEAR ME. >> AM I THE ONLY ONE THAT'S GETTING ME OR YOU. THAT THEY. DYLAN LET'S PUT THAT UP A
LITTLE BIT BECAUSE I REMEMBER THE EDIT WE PUT IT DOWN THE OTHER DAY. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? BUT I THINK WE'RE HAVING SOME DIFFICULTIES SO MAYBE WE'LL GIVE YOU A SECOND. UM, I WANT TO GO TO
COUNCILOR FLYNN. I WANT TO GET TO MY COLLEAGUES. JUST, UM, BRIEF CLOSING REMARKS IF YOU HAVE ANY, UM. AND COUNCILOR CULPEPPER, WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU. OKAY. >> UM, OKAY. >> AS WE GO. YOU HEAR ME? GLENN, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? YEAH, YEAH. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. I WILL. >> BE BRIEF. I LISTEN CLOSELY TO, UM, EVERY. AWARD RECIPIENT AND WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANT. WORK THEY ARE DOING TRYING. TO BRING. UM, CRITICAL.
SERVICES ESPECIALLY. TO YOUNG PEOPLE. TO PROVIDE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY OF HOPE AND, UM, SUCCESS AND NOT TO BE ENGAGED IN UM, CRIME
OR UH, OR VIOLENCE. BUT I DO. BELIEVE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER, RESPECT EACH OTHER,
SUPPORT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ESPECIALLY UM, DURING THESE CHALLENGING TIMES. AS A FORMER PROBATION OFFICER. I DO WANT US TO DO SOME MORE
WORK, UM, IN HELPING PEOPLE COMING OUT OF JAIL AND HELPING PEOPLE COMING OUT OF PRISON. UH, REENTRY SERVICES IS CRITICAL ALONG WITH, UM, HOW WE'RE ABLE TO WORK WITH PEOPLE
THAT HAVE QUERIES FROM FROM AN OFFENDER RECORD UM, SO. >> THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO. BE SUCCESSFUL, HEALTHY AND TO LIVE A PRODUCTIVE LIFE. SO THOSE. >> ARE. SOME OF THE ISSUES I WANT TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON.
BUT I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. SECOND, THANK YOU TO MR BILLS. >> FOR THE WORK. HE HAS DONE. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. UM MR. CHAIR THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. OKAY. >> UH I COULD. COUNCILOR SANTANA, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?
YEAH. >> YOU HAVE THE FORECAST CIRCLE PEPPER. YOU CAN HEAR ME THERE. WE CAN HEAR YOU. OH, GOOD. OKAY, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE.
CAN I TALK NOW? YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU TO THE FLOOR. I DO WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE. UH, FOLKS. >> WHO TESTIFIED TODAY. I DIDN'T. >> CATCH THEM ALL. I DID CATCH. >> THE END OF SOME. >> OF THE DISCUSSION, BUT THE
SHIN AND. GRANT FOR ME IS. CRITICAL THAT GRANT HAS A MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY LIVES.
AND I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS WORKING FOR SANTANA IN THE STREET WITH THE YOUNG FOLKS. ,UH. >> MICHAEL KOVAL. UM, WE WERE I MEAN I'M.
TALKING ABOUT. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GANGS. >> MY CLOSER WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GANG. NOT ON THE. PERIPHERAL OR NOT IN THE BUILDING OUT IN THE STREET. AND THAT CELL AND GREEN IT MADE SUCH A. DIFFERENCE FOR MANY OF THE
ORGANIZATIONS, SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE ACTUALLY DOING THE WORK. WITH THE YOUNG. FOLKS IN THE STREET AND I THINK GRANTS.
LIKE THE SHANNON. GRANT AND THE. SMALL GRANT THAT. WE USED. >> TO GET FROM THE BOSTON FOUNDATION WHEN WE STARTED THE CHARTER PEACE PROGRAM WE HAD THAT GRANT WAS FOCUSED ON. THE MOST INVOLVED YOUNG.
FOLKS AND UH YOUTH. UH, VIOLENCE. AND THE SHANNON GRANT WHEN
FOLKS COMPETED FOR IT. UH AND THEY RECEIVED IT, IT WENT RIGHT TO THE WORK. >> THAT WAS BEING DONE IN THE STREET. >> I HATE TO SEE IT CUT OUT OF THE CITY COUNCIL. I HOPE WE CAN DO SOMETHING.
TO BRING MORE MONEY TO THE REALLY ANTI-VIOLENCE WORK THAT YOUNG FOLKS ARE DOING IN THE STREET. LIKE AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT. THE DIFFERENCE TODAY. AND I KNOW THE MEN TELL TO
BOSTON AS THE SAFEST CITY IN THE COUNTRY, IT'S THE SAFEST CITY BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT WENT INTO THE STREETS. AND I. >> KNOW THE CUTS ALL OVER THE
PLACE BUT THIS IS ONE UH, AREA OF FUNDING THAT I WAS HOPING WOULD NEVER GET CUT BECAUSE IT MADE A BIG. DIFFERENCE IN. >> THE PEACE IN THE STREETS. I'M TELLING YOU, WE ALWAYS SAID IT TAKES A JOB TO STOP A BULLET. I BELIEVE THAT I'VE SEEN IT
HAPPEN AND IT'S TRUE IF YOU PUT THOSE YOUNG FOLKS TO WORK, THEIR WHOLE LIFE CHANGES, THEIR WHOLE PERSPECTIVE. CHANGES. >> AND SO I JUST WANT TO
COMMEND THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE STILL WORK WITH THE FOLKS IN THE STREET. I'M WORKING WITH THEM FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE. UH. >> BUT I STILL SUPPORT ALL THE UH, ANTI-VIOLENCE. ORGANIZATIONS YOUTH.
ORGANIZATIONS THAT DEPEND ON THAT. FUNDING TO KEEP THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING GO ON. AND SO I THANK YOU, MR CHAIR, FOR THIS. HEARING AND. UH, LET'S HUDDLE AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.
TO TRY. AND AT LEAST PREPARE FOR. NEXT YEAR. WE KNOW. IT'S CUT THIS YEAR. AND WE. ANTICIPATE NEXT YEAR BEING. EVEN TOUGHER. WE SHOULD START THINKING ABOUT
WAYS THAT WE CAN BRING MORE. FUNDING IF NOT TO THE SENATE GRANT. TO START OUR OWN GRANT. PROGRAM SO. >> THAT WE. >> CAN WORK THROUGH THE CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE THE FUNDS THAT THEY NEED. TO KEEP PEACE IN THE STREETS. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.
THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SUGGEST COMMEND ALL THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE CONTINUING TO WORK. AND I KNOW MIKE ALSO. AND I ARE GETTING A. >> LITTLE OLDER BUT.
OUR COMMITMENT HAS NOT UH, DIMINISHED AT ALL. AND YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER. HOW DANGEROUS GROVE HALL WAS.
PEOPLE CAN WALK TO GROWTH ON AND NOT. >> THINK ABOUT AND NOT EVEN THINK WELL JUST WALK. THROUGH AND SEE THE. YOUNG FOLKS BACK OUT AT. TORONTO PARK. IT'S JUST AMAZING. BUT IT DIDN'T HAPPEN WITH A. LOT WITHOUT A LOT OF WORK WENT INTO THE STREETS. >> SO. HOPEFULLY WE CAN.
>> WORK ON SOME FUNDING FOR NEXT YEAR. AND UH JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR FOR THIS HEARING AND GIVING THE ADVOCATES AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THE
WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING AND THE WORK THAT THEY WILL BE DOING. THERE'S SOME THAT MCDONALD'S UH. MY I'M LOOKING AT THAT MCDONALD'S TOO AND KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON THERE I'M STARTING TO GO GET. UH. >> THOSE UH, ENGLISH MUFFINS IN THE MORNING JUST.
TO MAKE. SURE UH, IT'S. QUIET OVER THERE. SO I'M KEEPING AN EYE. ON IT TOO. UM, AND. >> SO IF YOU HEAR SOMETHING OR
SEE SOME, LET ME KNOW. IF I SEE SOMETHING. >> I'LL SAY SOMETHING TO. OKAY. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR CULPEPER. AND I AGREE WITH ALL THAT YOU
CITED AND I THINK WE WE SHOULD HUDDLE UM, AND SEE HOW WE CAN SUPPORT A LOT OF THIS WORK. UM, GREAT. COUNCILOR WEBER, DO YOU HAVE
ANY CLOSING REMARKS? NO, THANKS. >> I JUST, UH. I WAS THE PLAN CHAIR TO BRING THIS UP FOR A VOTE NEXT WEEK. CORRECT. >> OKAY. >> WELL, UH. GREAT. UH.
THANK YOU. I SUPPORT THIS AND I LOOK FORWARD TO. WORKING WITH MY COLLEAGUES. >> THANKS FOR THE, UH, INFORMATIVE HEARING. GREAT. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILOR WEBER. I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER COUNCILORS I WANT TO MAKE SURE, BUT OKAY. UM, I I REALLY DO WANT TO THANK
AGAIN UM, ALL THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE DOING AMAZING WORK, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST, UH, VERY CRITICAL WORK, YOU KNOW, YOUTH JOBS AND, UM,
YOU KNOW, CHANGE MY LIFE FOR SURE AND I KNOW, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THE WORK THAT YOU'RE ALL DOING. UM, YOU KNOW, WE HEARD FROM MY RECORD, YOU KNOW, REACHING PEOPLE AT MACY'S BASEMENT, YOU
KNOW, UM, GIVEN FROM KEVIN OF, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST WORKING WITH THE INDIVIDUAL. WE'RE WORKING WITH THE ENTIRE FAMILY AND YOU KNOW, THESE ARE, UM, CRITICAL CRITICAL, UM,
PROGRAMING THAT WE NEED HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. UM, AND DEFINITELY WANT TO BE ABLE TO BRING THIS UP TO A VOTE AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING. UM, AND HOPEFULLY YOU GET TO UM
HOPEFULLY GET IT PASSED AND THEN WE'LL HOPEFULLY ALSO WORK ON TRYING TO SEE HOW WE CAN WORK ON FUNDING FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR. UM, SO WITH THAT I JUST WANT TO THANK UM THE ADMINISTRATION, YOU KNOW, UM, MR BILLS AND ALL
THE ORGANIZATIONS. IT'LL BE BOTH SHOULD BE AN INCREDIBLE WORK UM, FOR OUR YOUTH AND COMMITTEES AS THE
CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE, I INTEND TO BRING THE ORDER TO ACCEPT AND EXPAND THE FY 26 SHANNON GRANT TO THE FULL COUNCIL FOR DISCUSSION AND A VOTE ON OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING NEXT WEEK AT A
TIME I INTEND TO RECOMMEND AS CHAIR THAT THIS MATTER ALL TO PASS. UM WITH THAT I DON'T SEE ANY HANDS UP UM, THIS HEARING ON DOCKET NUMBER 0970. IT'S ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.