MY NAME IS ED FLYNN CITY COUNSELOR I AM THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON ARTS CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT
TOURISM, SPECIAL EVENTS TODAY'S OCTOBER 10TH, 2025 THE EXACT TIME IS 1005.
THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED. IT IS BEING LIVESTREAMED AT BOSTON.COM CITY COUNCIL DOES TV BROADCAST ON XFINITY CHANNEL
EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 FIOS CHANNEL 964 WRITTEN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT C C C DOT AC BOSTON
DOT GOV AND WILL BE MADE PART OF THE RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO ALL CITY COUNCILORS PUBLIC. TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THE HEARING. INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED IN ORDER IN WHICH THEY SIGNED UP
AND WILL HAVE 2 MINUTES TO TESTIFY. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TESTIFYING IN PERSON PLEASE ADD YOUR NAME TO THE SIGN UP SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE THE CHAMBER
AND BACK THERE IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO TESTIFY VIRTUALLY PLEASE EMAIL OUR CITY COUNCIL STAFF LIAISON MEGHAN
CAVANAUGH AT MEGHAN AND DOT CAVANAUGH CAVE AND HGH AT BOSTON.COM FOR THE LINK AND YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE
LIST. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET ONE FOUR FOR THREE OR FOUR HEARING ON EQUITABLE CONTRACTING IN BUSINESS TWO
OPPORTUNITIES FOR MAJOR CIVIC AND SPORTING EVENTS IN BOSTON. THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT ROSIE LOUIJEUNE REFERRED TO THE
COMMITTEE ON AUGUST 8TH I'M SORRY AUGUST SIX, 2025 AND DOCKET ONE FOR FOUR FOR ORDER FOR A HEARING FOR EQUITABLE INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND
TOURISM FUNDS IN BOSTON THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY COUNCILOR AT LOUIJEUNE COUNCILOR O'BRIEN WE'RE ALL COUNCILOR JOIN MEJIA REFER IT TO THE COMMITTEE ON AUGUST SIX,
2025. TODAY I'M JOINED BY CITY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL AT CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT BOOTSIE
LOUIJEUNE CITY COUNCIL AARON MURPHY AND WHEN OTHER CITY COUNCILORS COME IN I WILL RECOGNIZE THEM AT THIS TIME I
WOULD LIKE TO GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANY CITY COUNCIL, GIVE AN OPENING STATEMENT AND LET ME START WITH THE CITY COUNCIL LOUIJEUNE COUNCIL REGION U OF THE FOLLOWING THANK YOU SO MUCH
MR CHAIR AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR FLEXIBILITY. WE JUST LAST MINUTE SWITCHED THE PANELS THE ORDER OF THE PANELS THAT I THINK THAT WILL HOPEFULLY ADD SIGNIFICANTLY TO THIS CONVERSATION I'M HAPPY TO
EVERYONE WHO IS HERE TODAY THIS IS A FILING ON TWO DOCKETS ONE ABOUT TOURISM AND ENSURING THAT WE ARE EQUITABLY INVESTING IN TOURISM OPPORTUNITIES HERE IN
THE CITY OF BOSTON. GIVEN THE WORK OF THIS COUNCIL IN APPROVING THE TMD JUST IN 2021 THERE HAVE BEEN SOME SUCCESS STORIES BUT THERE'S ALWAYS AN OPPORTUNITY
FOR US TO GROW AND TO DO BETTER AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT CONVERSATION. IN THIS CONVERSATION TODAY WE ARE ALSO COMBINING IT WITH ANOTHER DOCKET. SO SOMETIMES HEARINGS HAPPEN JUST ON ONE DOCKET BUT WE DECIDED BECAUSE I FILED TWO
SIMILAR DOCKETS TO HAVE THIS HEARING ON BOTH DOCKETS ONE THAT IS REALLY FORWARD LOOKING AND LOOKING AT NEXT YEAR IT'S GOING TO BE WE ARE IN A DEFINING DECADE FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON AND WE ARE IN A
REMARKABLE MOMENT BETWEEN BOSTON TO 50 AND 2026, THE 400 ANNIVERSARY OF OUR CITY AND 2030 THE RETURN OF SOUTH BOSTON AND HOSTING FIFA WORLD CUP
MATCHES WE WILL WELCOME MILLIONS OF PEOPLE HERE TO OUR CITY AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN ACTIVITY. HOW WE PLAN FOR THESE EVENTS WILL SHAPE OUR OUR CITY'S ECONOMIC LEGACY FOR GENERATIONS
EQUITY IS A CORE VALUE IN WHAT WE DO HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AS WE CONTINUE TO PUSH FORWARD ON PROGRESS. EACH OF THESE CELEBRATIONS ARE NOT JUST ABOUT PAGEANTRY. IT'S ALSO ABOUT PARTICIPATION
AND MAKING AND PUTTING BOSTON ON A GLOBAL MAP AND SHOWING PEOPLE WHAT THE TRUE BOSTON REALLY LOOKS LIKE OR WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN WE EQUITABLY INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITIES EQUITY MUST BE BAKED INTO
CONTRACTS, PARTNERSHIPS AND INVESTMENTS THAT FUEL OUR TOURISM SECTOR. HOW WE ENSURE BOSTON'S ECONOMIC STORY REFLECTS ON ALL OF US AND IT MEANS SOMETIMES CREATIVITY TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE INCLUDING
EVERYONE AND HELPING PEOPLE SCALE UP IN THE WAYS THAT WE TRADITIONALLY DEFINE AND LOOK AT TOURISM AND INVESTMENTS. THE CITY HAS MADE STRONG COMMITMENTS TO EXECUTIVE ORDERS ON EQUITABLE PROCUREMENT AND SUPPLIER DIVERSITY.
CHIEF IT ALL IS HERE WITH US. I SEE BISHOP BORDERS I MEAN ABOUT BISHOP BORDERS SORRY DIRECTOR BORDERS I GO TO HIS DEBT. SURE. SO ANY WITH US HERE HE'S BEEN
DOING REALLY GREAT WORK HERE FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON AND MAKING SURE WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING A PART OF BOSTON BLACK BOSTON THAT IS TOO OFTEN LEFT OUT. AND SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR STEWARDSHIP IN THIS IMPORTANT WORK. TODAY'S DISCUSSION IS ABOUT
ALIGNING OUR PRINCIPLES AT THE CITY WITH THE PRIVATE AND QUASI PUBLIC PARTNERS WHO MAKE OUR MAJOR EVENTS POSSIBLE. HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT OPPORTUNITIES FLOW BEYOND DOWNTOWN TO BOSTON, TO
DORCHESTER, ROXBURY, MATTAPAN, EAST BOSTON AND EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD? THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT THE EVENTS THAT ARE COMING IT'S ABOUT BUILDING A STRUCTURE IN BOSTON WHERE IT IS NOT AN
AFTERTHOUGHT OR WE'RE DOING THIS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO DO THE WORK OF EQUITY. IT'S PART OF WHO WE ARE IN OUR AUTHENTIC IDENTITY AS A CITY AND IT'S ABOUT HOW WE LEAVE BEHIND A MORE INCLUSIVE TOURISM
ECOSYSTEM, HOW WE MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WHEN THEY COME AND VISIT BOSTON THEY SEE ALL OF BOSTON NOT JUST CERTAIN SECTORS AND NOT JUST CERTAIN COMMUNITIES AND HOW WE'RE DOING WHAT'S OUTLINED IN THE
MARKETING PLAN FOR THE TEDMED IS MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE SUPPORTING AND BUILDING FOR ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS BOTH IN THE JOB SECTOR AND IN CONTRACTOR OPPORTUNITIES.
SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE WHO IS HERE TODAY. I THINK THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY GOOD CONVERSATION WITH WORK FOR US TO BUILD ON. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. COUNCILOR MURPHY, YOUR NEXT
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE JOINING US HERE TODAY ON THESE TWO IMPORTANT DOCKETS AS BOSTON
PREPARES FOR A HISTORIC DECADE OF MAJOR EVENTS FROM THE BOSTON TO 50 COMMEMORATION AND TALL SHIPS RETURN TO THE WORLD CUP MATCHES IN 2026, WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE OPPORTUNITIES CREATED BY THESE EVENTS ARE SHARED EQUITABLY ACROSS ALL BOSTON'S NEIGHBORHOODS. THESE ARE BILLION DOLLAR MOMENTS FOR OUR REGION AND IF
DONE RIGHT THEY CAN HELP CLOSE WEALTH GAPS, GROW LOCAL BUSINESSES AND BUILD LONG TERM COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT LAST FAR BEYOND A SINGLE CELEBRATE.
THAT SAME PRINCIPLE APPLIES TO HOW WE INVEST OUR TOURISM DOLLARS THE TOURISM DESTINATION MARKET DISTRICT THE TEDMED NOW GENERATES TENS OF MILLIONS EACH YEAR.
WE SHOULD BE ASKING ARE THOSE FUNDS REACHING ALL OF BOSTON? ARE WE LIFTING UP THE SMALL BUSINESSES CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS AND WORKERS WHO MAKE OUR CITY SUCH A SPECIAL
PLACE TO LIVE IN VISIT TODAY'S HEARING IS ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY AND INCLUSION MAKING SURE THAT SUPPLY OF DIVERSITY, EQUITABLE CONTRACTING AND FAIR INVESTMENT ARE BUILT INTO EVERY LARGE
SCALE EVENT IN TOURISM INITIATIVE I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM ME BOSTON THE SUPPLY DIVERSITY OFFICE LOCAL CHAMBERS, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS ABOUT HOW
WE CAN MAKE THESE OPPORTUNITIES WORK FOR EVERYONE. SO THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE. I KNOW WE HAVE A STAR STUDDED PANELISTS AND SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS CONVERSATION
AND SEEING HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE WE DO THIS RIGHT. THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU COUNCILOR MURPHY I WILL GIVE A BRIEF OPENING STATEMENT AGAIN
WANT TO WELCOME EVERYONE TO THE CHAMBER FOR THIS IMPORTANT DISCUSSION. TOURISM PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON SUPPORTING OUR CITY'S SUPPORTING OUR COMMONWEALTH.
WE ENCOURAGE TOURISM. WE HAVE SO MANY EXCITING EVENTS TAKING PLACE FROM NOW OVER THE NEXT OVER THE NEXT YEAR AS WELL ESPECIALLY.
BUT WHAT I LIKE ABOUT TOURISM IS WHEN I SEE TOURIST AND RESIDENTS VISITING THE NEIGHBORHOODS WHETHER IT'S IN CHINATOWN, WHETHER IT'S IN THE
SOUTH END OF ROXBURY TALKING TO RESIDENTS, GOING TO RESTAURANTS, SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES, INTERACTING WITH RESIDENTS, LEARNING FROM EACH
OTHER. I KNOW THERE'S WONDERFUL SPORTING EVENTS AND A SAILING EVENT COMING UP AND I'D LIKE TO
PARTICIPATE OR GO GO, GO AND SEE THEM. BUT WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT FOR ME IS ARE THERE KIDS FROM BOSTON THAT ARE ALSO ABLE TO ENJOY A SOCCER GAME, OTHER KIDS
FROM CHINATOWN THAT ARE ABLE TO GET ON THE ON A BOAT MAYBE FOR A LITTLE BIT OF A RIDE ON A SAILBOAT AND EXPERIENCE WHAT THE OCEANS ARE ALL ABOUT.
WHEN I STARTED EIGHT YEARS AGO AS A CITY COUNCILOR REPRESENTING CHINATOWN ROXBURY AREA PUBLIC HOUSING IN SOUTH BOSTON, A LOT OF MY CONSTITUENTS HAVE NEVER BEEN TO THE TO THE BOSTON
HARBOR. THEY'VE NEVER BEEN TO THE HARBOR ISLANDS. I WANT TO HEAR FROM CITY OFFICIALS AND FROM BUSINESSES HOW ARE WE GOING TO ENSURE THAT
OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IN THIS CITY ARE ALSO ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE EXCEPTIONAL EVENTS THAT ARE COMING TO THE CITY OF BOSTON? AGAIN, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU
AND WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO THE FIRST PANEL AND I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THEM AND ASK THEM IF THEY'D LIKE TO COME COME ON DOWN AS WELL.
SO THE FIRST PANEL WOULD INCLUDE SHEENA COLLIER. IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME TO THE
TAKE A SEAT AT THE FRONTIER CALL A NIGHT NICOLE ALBIE AND
ALICIA THEN I'LL FEEL RAMOS IF I MISPRONOUNCE THAT I APOLOGIZE.
OKAY. AND AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE EVERY PERSON HERE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE
YOURSELF WHAT ORGANIZATION YOU'RE WITH AND ALSO PROVIDE AN OPENING STATEMENT IF YOU'D LIKE. UM, MAYBE SHEENA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO START? SURE.
GOOD MORNING. COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE CHAIR FLYNN COUNCILOR MURPHY. THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO TESTIFY ON THESE TWO IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS. MY NAME IS SHEENA COLLIER.
I'M THE FOUNDER AND CEO OF SMALL BLACK WHERE A MEMBERSHIP AND CULTURAL PLATFORM THAT CONNECTS THOUSANDS OF BLACK PROFESSIONALS AND RESIDENTS THROUGH OUR DIGITAL COMMUNITY AND SIGNATURE EVENTS.
I'M ALSO THE FOUNDER OF CALL YOUR CONNECTIONS OR THE STRATEGY AND DESIGN FIRM THAT WORKS WITH CIVIC INSTITUTIONS AND AND COMPANIES TO CREATE
EXPERIENCES TOGETHER THROUGH BOTH OF MY BUSINESSES. A LOT OF OUR WORK IS FOCUSED ON COMMUNITY AND CULTURE BUT IMPORTANTLY ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. I THINK IN RELATION TO THIS CONVERSATION AND WE'VE BEEN
ABLE TO REALLY CREATE SPACES THAT NOT ONLY HIGHLIGHT BOSTON'S DIVERSITY BUT CREATE MEASURABLE ECONOMIC IMPACT OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS BALTIMORE BLACK IN PARTICULAR HAS GROWN
FROM THIS SMALL NETWORK TO A PLATFORM WHERE WE JUST HOSTED A 20,000 PERSON FESTIVAL AT THE LOT ON D IN SOUTH BOSTON FOR THE FIFTH YEAR WE'VE WELCOMED
OVER 55,000 PEOPLE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND EVERY YEAR WE'RE ENGAGING MORE THAN 50 LOCAL VENDORS WITH 80% OF THEM BEING BLACK AND WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES. AND SO YOU KNOW, I CONSIDER US
A HUGE CONTRIBUTOR TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THIS REGION. WE'VE BEEN GRATEFUL TO RECEIVE FUNDING FROM MIT BOSTON TO TEDMED FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS WHICH HAS HELPED US GROW
SUSTAINABLY. BUT I I'M HOPING THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAN BE RAISED IN THIS CONVERSATION THAT ARE BOTH TRUE IS FIRST BOSTON BLACK HAS GROWN BY PARTICIPATING IN THE VISITOR
AND EVENTS ECONOMY HERE PARTICULARLY THROUGH THAT SUPPORT. BUT SECOND, OUR PARTICIPATION IS STILL A VERY TINY SLICE OF A VERY LARGE PIE IN ACCESS FOR US OR EVEN A HANDFUL OF FIRMS IS
NOT ACCESS FOR A WIDER ECOSYSTEM OF BLACK AND BROWN OWNED BUSINESSES WHO SHOULD BE BENEFITING WHEN BOSTON WINS? SO I HAVE I HAVE MANY MORE THOUGHTS BUT I'LL KIND OF STOP
THERE FOR NOW AND YOU KNOW, HOPING AND HAVE SOME ACTUAL RECOMMENDATIONS I LOVE THIS YEAR ABOUT PARTICULARLY WITH WHAT IS ON THE DOCKET FOR 2026 HOW WE CAN BE MORE ACTIONABLE ABOUT THESE COMMITMENTS.
THANK YOU SHEENA CALL CALL A NIGHT GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. I'M REALLY HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY. YOU KNOW I THINK MADAM PRESIDENT WE SEE LUCY AND ALSO
CITY COUNCILOR AT FLYNN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY. MY NAME IS COLIN NIGHT AND THEN THE FOUNDER AND CEO OF LIVE LIKE A LOCAL TOUR BOSTON AND WE GIVE PEOPLE A CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE FOOD HISTORY AND CULTURE OF NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE
ROXBURY, DORCHESTER AND JAMAICA PLAIN AND I THINK IT'S IMPERATIVE FOR US YOU KNOW, OVER THIS NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS AS WE HAVE THE 2/50 AND OUR 400
YEAR ANNIVERSARY TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL NEIGHBORHOODS ARE VISITED AND THAT DOLLARS ARE BEING CIRCULATED WITHIN COMMUNITIES OTHER THAN DOWNTOWN BOSTON, CHINATOWN IN THE NORTH
IN WHICH ARE ALL GREAT NEIGHBORHOODS. BUT I DO FEEL LIKE OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS NEED TO BE EXPLORED AND THIS IS REALLY AN EFFORT FOR ME TO CIRCULATE DOLLARS WITHIN BUSINESSES OF COLOR WITHIN THESE
NEIGHBORHOODS AND ALSO LOOKING FOR PROCUREMENT DOLLARS TO EXPAND AND SCALE MY BUSINESS SO THAT THEN I CAN HIRE MORE TOUR GUIDES AND WE CAN, YOU KNOW,
TOUR MORE NEIGHBORHOODS AND CIRCULATE EVEN MORE DOLLARS. RIGHT NOW I'M A VERY, VERY SMALL MICRO-BUSINESS OF ONE PERSON AND A COUPLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA PEOPLE. BUT I TRULY BELIEVE WITH THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE FUNDING AND MORE MARKETING DOLLARS THAT I COULD REALLY EXPAND AND MAKE A TRUE MARK IN TOURISM IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.
THANK YOU FOR CALLING NICOLE. GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY. I AM COLETTE WILL BE THE PRESIDENT CEO OF THE BLACK ECONOMIC
COUNCIL OF MASSACHUSETTS. WE ARE A MEMBER BASED STATEWIDE ORGANIZATION WITH A MISSION TO BUILD BLACK WEALTH. WE DO THAT THROUGH OUR ADVOCACY
AND OUR PROGRAMING. OUR PROGRAMING IS GEARED TOWARDS HELPING OUR TO CREATE MORE BLACK EMPLOYERS FIRMS. WE KNOW THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO
BE TEN TIMES WEALTHIER THAN THEIR PEERS AND THE WAY THAT WE HELP THEM GROW IS PRIMARILY THROUGH PROCUREMENT AND SO OUR MEMBERS ARE BLACK OWNED FIRMS BUT WE ALSO HAVE ALLY
ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE MEMBERS OF BECKMANN THAT ARE DOING THE WORK TOWARDS ACHIEVING MORE INCLUSIVE PROCUREMENT AND HELPING TO BUILD WEALTH ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH AND WE HAVE
SEVERAL OF OUR MEMBERS ARE HERE TODAY AND WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF INCLUSIVE PROCUREMENT. I ALSO HAVE THE PLEASURE OF SERVING ON THE BOARD
OF DIRECTORS OF ME BOSTON AS WELL AS OTHER BOARDS. THANK YOU NICOLE ELISA GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING MR CHAIR. MY NAME IS ALIZA BANAFSHEH
RAMOS AND I'M THE CHIEF OF POLICY AT THE BLACK ECONOMIC COUNCIL OF MASSACHUSETTS OR BECKMAN FOR SHORT. YOU KNOW WHAT I WANT FOLKS TO KNOW AT THIS TIME IS THE WORK WE DO FROM AN ADVOCACY PERSPECTIVE IS MAINLY ABOUT
SUPPORTING SMALL AND MICRO-BUSINESSES MICRO-BUSINESSES BEING BUSINESSES THAT ARE FEWER THAN TEN EMPLOYEES AND HAVE LESS THAN $250,000 IN ANNUAL REVENUE.
WE DO SUPPLIER DIVERSITY AND INCLUSIVE PROCUREMENT SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT ADVOCACY BOTH HERE AND AT THE STATE LEVEL. WE BELIEVE IN ECONOMIC JUSTICE
AND ECONOMIC MOBILITY SO DOING ADVOCATING FOR PROGRAMS THAT DO BOTH OF THOSE THINGS WE ALSO THINK ABOUT THE TRANSITION TO A CLEAN ECONOMY AND HOWEVER WE CAN SUPPORT OUR BUSINESSES TO
BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT TRANSITION AS WELL AS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FOR ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES AND LASTLY, HOUSING IS A FOUNDATION FOR BUILDING WEALTH. WE BELIEVE IN CLOSING THE RACIAL WEALTH GAP AND WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT HOW HAVING
EQUITABLE PROCUREMENT AND CONTRACTING FOR DOCKET 1443 IS A WONDERFUL WAY TO HELP GROW AND SCALE SMALL AND DIVERSE BUSINESSES ACROSS THE CITY OF BOSTON WHEN WE HAVE SUCH
LIKE A ONCE IN A GENERATION OPPORTUNITY WITH THESE UPCOMING MAJOR CIVIC AND SPORTING EVENTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOU FOR BEING HERE AT THIS TIME AND
AGAIN I'M GOING TO GO TO MY CITY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES TO ASK QUESTIONS. I USUALLY PUT THE TIMER ON FOR 6 MINUTES BUT SINCE THERE'S ONLY THREE COUNCILORS HERE I DO
WANT TO GIVE EVERY COUNCILOR AS MUCH TIME AS THEY WOULD LIKE DURING THIS DURING THIS DOCKET. SO I'M GOING TO START WITH CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE AND THEN I'LL GO TO
COUNCILOR MURPHY AND THEN AND THEN I'LL GO AFTER HERE. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. BEFORE WE BEFORE WE DO THAT I DO WANT TO READ SOMETHING INTO
THE RECORD. IT'S A WRITTEN TESTIMONY TO THE CITY COUNCIL BY AND RAMON OF WE ARE ALEX.
ALEX ALEX EPIPHANY LATIN NEXT. YEAH OKAY. THANK YOU. THE CITY COUNCIL LOUIJEUNE CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE COUNCIL THE WORLD COUNCIL ME HERE FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON
THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE AND INDYA RAMON PRESIDENT AND CEO OF WE ARE ALEX IS A STATEWIDE NETWORK OF MORE THAN 4000 LATINO
LEADERS ENTREPRENEURS ADVOCATES ADVANCING EQUITABLE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. I'M HERE TO TESTIFY ON BEHALF OF DOCKET 1443 FOCUSED ON EQUITABLE CONTRACTING AND
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR MAJOR CIVIC AND SPORTING EVENTS IN BOSTON AND 1444 CONCERNING EQUITABLE INVEST INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND TOURISM FUNDS
BOSTON IS KNOWN FOR ITS HISTORIC LANDMARKS TOP UNIVERSITIES CULTURAL SITES BUT THERE'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO ATTRACT MORE VISITORS ENSURE THAT THE BENEFITS OF TOURISM REACH A WIDE RANGE
OF BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE CITY ESPECIALLY THOSE HISTORICALLY UNREPRESENTED ACCORDING LATINO BLACK WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES.
ACHIEVING THIS REQUIRES INVOLVING A WIDER RANGE OF PARTNERS IN THE CITY'S TRAVEL AND TOURISM CONTRACTING. TODAY I WANT TO SPEAK AS AN ADVOCATE FOR MICROBE BUSINESSES
MICRO BUSINESSES SMALL OFTEN A HOME BASED INDIVIDUALLY OPERATED ENTERPRISES THAT CAN PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN PROMOTING BOSTON ATTRACTING VISITORS, EXPANDING ECONOMIC BENEFITS
INTO MORE NEIGHBORHOODS. ACCORDING TO THE U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION OFFICE OF ADVOCACY 2025 REPORT IN MASSACHUSETTS THERE ARE
APPROXIMATELY 756,000 SMALL BUSINESSES MAKING UP 99% OF ALL BUSINESSES IN THE STATE. AROUND 126,000 OF THESE HAVE BEEN BETWEEN ONE IN 919
EMPLOYEES WHICH TYPICALLY FITS WITHIN THE MICRO-BUSINESS RANGE. THESE SMALL BUSINESSES EMPLOY ABOUT 1.5 MILLION PEOPLE REPRESENTING NEARLY 45% OF THE
STATE'S WORKFORCE. THIS DATA HIGHLIGHTS THE CRITICAL ROLE IN MICRO AND SMALL BUSINESSES PLAY IN MASSACHUSETTS ECONOMY AND WORKFORCE TO SUPPORT THESE
BUSINESSES EFFECTIVELY THE CITY MUST RECOGNIZE THEIR VALUE, ENCOURAGE THEIR PARTICIPATION AND REDUCE BARRIERS TO ENTRY IN RFP PROCESSES. FOR THAT I WANT TO OFFER THREE
RECOMMENDATIONS TO MAKE THE CITY'S RFP PROCESS MORE INCLUSIVE FOR MICRO-BUSINESSES ALL REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS SHOULD BE CLEARLY DEFINED SHOULD CLEARLY DEFINE
MICRO-BUSINESSES AND ENCOURAGE RESPONDENTS INCLUDING LARGER ORGANIZATIONS TO INCORPORATE MICRO-BUSINESSES AS SUBCLASS CONTRACTOR. THIS DEFINITION SHOULD APPEAR
ALONGSIDE EXISTING LANGUAGE SUPPORTING WOMEN IN MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES ENTERPRISES TO REINFORCE INCLUSION GOALS.
NUMBER TWO IS RECOGNIZING THAT MANY RFP HAVE COMPLEX TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS THAT CAN BE BARRIERS FOR MICRO-BUSINESSES. THE CITY SHOULD CONSIDER ADJUSTING SUBMISSION CRITERIA
OR CREATING A DEDICATED RESOURCE HUB. THIS HUB WOULD PROVIDE GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT TO MICRO-BUSINESSES OWNERS NAVIGATING THE APPLICATION PROCESS NUMBER
THREE THE CITY SHOULD PROMOTE RFP OPPORTUNITIES WIDELY ENSURE POSTINGS ARE FREELY ACCESSIBLE ON A CITY WEBSITE OR OTHER OFTEN OPEN PLATFORMS TO MAXIMIZE VISIBILITY AND ACCESS
FOR BUSINESS OWNERS. ADDITIONALLY, THE CITY SHOULD TRACK AND PUBLICLY REPORT INCLUSION METRICS IN RFP TO ENSURE MICROBUSINESSES ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED AND CONSIDER
STRUCTURING CONTRACTS TO ALLOW SMALLER MANAGEABLE PORTIONS THAT MICRO-BUSINESSES CAN REALIZE REALISTICALLY BID ON BY IMPLEMENTING THESE MEASURES. BOSTON CAN STRENGTHEN ITS
TOURISM ECONOMY IN A MORE INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE WAY ENSURING A WIDER DISTRIBUTION OF THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS ACROSS THE CITY. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY AND I'M
HAPPY HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE RESPECTFULLY RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED BY AN INDOOR ROMAN
PRESIDENT AND CEO. NOW AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO START THE Q&A PORTION OF THIS DOCKET AND I'M GOING TO
START WITH CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE AND AGAIN I'M GOING TO NOT USE THE TIMER ON THIS DOCKET AND GIVE MY COLLEAGUES THE TIME THAT THEY FEEL IS NECESSARY TO ASK THAT THEY ASK THEIR QUESTIONS.
MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR READING THAT LETTER FROM ANITA AND WOLF. I LOVE NECSA IT WAS VERY EXCITED AND OUT TO COME BUT LAST MINUTE I WAS NOT FEELING
WELL. I WANT TO THANK HER FOR ADVOCACY. I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE. I THINK AN AND MOVING SO FAST TO TRY TO HAVE THESE DOCKETS AND TO SOLVE PROBLEMS. I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW POWERFUL
IT WOULD BE TO HAVE SO MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING THE WORK OF PUTTING ON GREAT EVENTS FOR OUR CITY, OF DOING THE WORK, OF MAKING SURE PUTTING ON A GREAT EVENT AND DOING SO IN A WAY THAT LIFTS UP THE DIVERSITY
OF BOSTON HOW POWERFUL IT WOULD BE TO HAVE YOU ALL IN THIS SHARED SPACE. SO THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE A FORMER STATE AND FORMER STATE SENATOR OR SENATE FOR YOU FOR BEING WITH US. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
MY FIRST QUESTION IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE FOR COLIN. YOU KNOW, MY FIRST JOB HERE ACTUALLY WAS AS A WALKING TOUR GUIDE OF BOSTON'S NEIGHBORHOODS AND REMISS THAT I HAVE NOT BEEN ON ONE OF YOUR TOURS AND SO MY
BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR I HOPE TO GO ON A TOUR BUT IF YOU COULD TALK TO US AS A MICRO-BUSINESS OWNER WHAT CHALLENGES YOU MAY HAVE FACED IN IN GETTING ACCESS TO
OPPORTUNITIES BOTH FROM THE CITY OR OTHERWISE TO HELP EXPAND AND SHOWCASE A MORE DIVERSE BOSTON? I THINK FIRST IS JUST THE LACK
OF BEING ABLE TO NAVIGATE, YOU KNOW, THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS BEING A MICRO-BUSINESS AND NOT HAVING A STRONG TEAM AROUND YOU THAT IS WELL VERSED IN THOSE
AREAS TO GET TO WHAT YOU NEED I THINK HAS BEEN A TRUE BARRIER FOR ME. I LIKE TO CALL MYSELF A VISIONARY. I GOT THE BIG IDEAS AND WHAT I THINK YOU KNOW THIS TOUR
COMPANY CAN DO IN THE CITY OF BOSTON NOT JUST HERE IN BOSTON BUT REALLY YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, YOU KNOW BUT BEING A VISIONARY AND BIG IDEAS DON'T ALWAYS GET THINGS DONE. AND SO I'M REALLY LOOKING
FORWARD TO SOME SUPPORT IN TRYING TO GET PROCUREMENT PROCUREMENT DOLLARS AND LOOKING FOR SUPPORT IN HOW TO BE ABLE TO NAVIGATE THAT. AND SO I CAN BE READY YOU KNOW,
FOR A LOT OF THESE REALLY GREAT EVENTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE HAPPENING OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS AND ALSO WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO HIRE, YOU KNOW, YOUNG PEOPLE IN COLLEGE STUDENTS FROM THESE
NEIGHBORHOODS IN THESE AREAS TO BE ABLE TO DO TOURS, TO BE ABLE TO SCALE AND EXPAND IT? SO I'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR ABOUT FIVE OR SIX YEARS AND I'M REALIZING NOW THAT I'M NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS BY MYSELF.
SO IT WOULD REALLY BE GREAT TO GET SOME SUPPORT FROM THE CITY AND SUPPORT FROM OTHERS TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. THANK YOU AND I HOPE THAT THERE ARE HOPEFULLY WE WILL BE INVESTING A LOT IN TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE FOR THE CITY SO TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO HELP YOU DO THE PROCESS OF OF OF BEING ABLE TO APPLY FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP GROW AND EXPAND YOUR BUSINESS. SO WE'LL WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT I WANT TO TURN TO CINA.
YOU TALKED ABOUT THE GROWTH OF BOSTON WHILE BLACK OVER THE YEARS. CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE GROWTH THAT YOU'VE SEEN AND WHAT'S ALSO HAPPENED WITH THE FUNDING? HAVE YOU SEEN THE SIMILAR LEVEL OF GROWTH IN FUNDING FROM
SPONSORS AND FROM SUPPORTERS THAT MATCHES THE GROWTH THAT YOU'VE EXPERIENCED? YEAH, YOU KNOW AS I MENTIONED SO BOSTON MA BLACK IS FIVE WE DO OUR BUSINESS HAS A COUPLE
OF DIFFERENT ELEMENTS INCLUDING A SUBSCRIPTION MODEL BUT WE REALLY WERE ABLE TO SCALE BECAUSE OF OUR EVENTS MODEL AND HAVING THESE LARGE SCALE EVENTS THAT WE DO IN THE CITY. THE REASON THAT I MENTIONED OUR
SUMMIT IN OTHER EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THAT THOUGH NOT AS BIG OR JUST AS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE ARE UTILIZING WE'RE DOING BUSINESS WITH A LOT OF LOCAL BUSINESSES IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS OF BOSTON PARTICULARLY AROUND OUR KIND OF LARGEST GROWTH WHICH IS OUR REUNION AND SOME OF THE BIGGER EVENTS WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
THREE OF THE FIVE YEARS GET SUPPORT THROUGH TEAMED TO BE ABLE TO KIND OF BE AN ANCHOR SPONSOR OF THAT EVENT. WE IN THIS THIS PAST YEAR THIS PAST JULY ALSO BROUGHT IN THE
CITY OF BOSTON AS A SPONSOR AS WELL TO THE TOURISM SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, INCLUSION, ARTS AND CULTURE AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. AND SO THOSE HAVE BEEN HUGE.
I MEAN WE WITHOUT A DOUBT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONTINUE TO NOT ONLY SUSTAIN THE ROLE THOSE EVENTS IF WE DIDN'T HAVE PARTICULARLY ACCESS TO TOURISM
FUNDING AND REALLY HELPING I THINK MEET BOSTON OTHERS TO SEE EVEN EVENTS THAT ARE LOCAL LOCALLY GROWN WE DO NOW BRING IN PEOPLE TO HOTELS BUT THAT
WASN'T ALWAYS YOU KNOW FROM THE BEGINNING IT REALLY WAS DRAWING FROM LOCAL NEIGHBORHOODS. BUT I BELIEVE THAT THOSE AND THOSE EVENTS ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT IN REALLY DRIVING TOURISM IN THE CITY.
WHAT WE'VE FOUND IS THAT THE RESIDENTS PEOPLE FROM HERE BRING IN PEOPLE FROM OUT OF TOWN. SO WHAT'S HAPPENED WITH REUNION ? A NUMBER OF PEOPLE NOW BRING THEIR THEIR ACTUAL FAMILIES A FAMILY REUNION AND SO WE'RE
SEEING PEOPLE COMING FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY TO REUNION EVERY YEAR. SOME OF THAT IS SHOWING UP IN HOTEL ROOMS BUT WE ALSO KNOW FOR OUR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AS WELL THAT PEOPLE STAY AT
PEOPLE'S HOUSES AND SO WE'VE TRIED TO DO AS MUCH TRACKING AS WE CAN ABOUT HOW MUCH WE'RE BRINGING PEOPLE INTO THE CITY THROUGH AI AND OTHER TYPES OF TOOLS WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
MEASURE OUR ECONOMIC IMPACT. SO AGAIN THE THE EVENT HAS BEEN FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS AND AT THE LAUNCH ON THIS ON THE SEAPORT THIS YEAR WE ALSO EXPANDED TO ANOTHER SPACE IN THE SEAPORT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO
SHOW EVEN BY YEAR THREE THAT WE WERE DRIVING ALMOST $1,000,000 IN ECONOMIC IMPACT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ON THAT DAY BECAUSE PEOPLE NOT ONLY COME TO THAT EVENT THEY ALSO THEN LEAVE
AND GO EAT SOMEWHERE ARE THERE YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALSO ABLE THROUGH CELL PHONE DATA TO SEE WHAT OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS THEY GO TO. SO CHINATOWN WAS ACTUALLY A BIG PLACE THAT PEOPLE GO. I THINK PEOPLE ARE GOING OUT TO EAT AFTER EVENTS AND WE'RE ABLE
TO SEE HAS EMBEDS WE'RE EVEN ABLE TO SEE THE DEMOGRAPHIC BREAKDOWN OF WHO'S THERE. AND SO IT'S BEEN I'M REALLY PROUD OF HOW WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE AND BE A PART OF IN THE
SUMMER DRIVING ECONOMIC IMPACT IT CORPORATE SPONSORSHIPS HAS ALWAYS ALSO BEEN A BIG PART OF IT AND AS WE KNOW WE'VE HAD A CLIMATE THIS YEAR THAT'S BEEN
VERY ANTI DIE WHICH IS WHERE COMPANIES TEND TO PUT US IN OUR NEAR DIE DEPARTMENT AND SO YOU KNOW FROM MID-JANUARY TO BEGINNING OF APRIL WE QUICKLY
LOST ABOUT HALF A MILLION IN CORPORATE SUPPORT AND SO THAT SUPPORT REALLY POWERS THOSE EVENTS AS WELL AS KIND OF THE OPERATING MODEL OF BOSTON MY BLACK AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT YOU KNOW I THINK IT HIGHLIGHTED FOR ME THOUGH THAT OBVIOUSLY WAS A BIG HIT TO OUR BUSINESS IN A CITY LIKE BOSTON,
A STATE LIKE MASSACHUSETTS THAT HAS THIS ROBUST VISITOR AND TOURISM ECONOMY, WE ALMOST SHUT OUR DOORS THIS YEAR AND I THINK THAT IT HIGHLIGHTS EVEN FOR A
COMPANY WITH A STRONG BRAND AND REPUTATION THAT'S BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE IMPACT THAT THERE'S STILL SOME FRAGILITY. WE'RE STILL VULNERABLE AND I ACTUALLY DON'T THINK THAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED SOMEWHERE
LIKE HERE LIKE WE HAVE SHOWN AND PROVED TIME AFTER TIME HOW MUCH WE ARE A KEY PLAYER IN THE CITY EVEN AS A SMALL BUSINESS AND HAVING TO GET TO THE POINT
WHERE WE WERE EVEN CONSIDERING THAT AND STILL IN A SOMEWHAT PRECARIOUS FINANCIAL PLACE WITH KNOWING THAT YOU KNOW THERE'S THIS 2.3 BILLION TOURISM
INDUSTRY AND TAXES IN THE CITY, I, I REALLY THINK THAT WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT BECAUSE WE'RE JUST AN EXAMPLE OF OTHER BUSINESSES THAT THAT HAPPEN FOR THIS YEAR OF HOW WE REALLY CLOSE THAT GAP AND AND NOT HAVE
TO HAVE SO MUCH RELIANCE ON CORPORATE DOLLARS WHICH YOU KNOW CAN BE VERY SENTIMENTAL. I MEAN WELL WE HAVE A VERY STRONG ECONOMY HERE THAT COULD BE POWERING OUR BUSINESS AND OTHERS. THANK YOU.
AND THE THREE OF YOU AND ANITA WHO'S FROM AMPLIFY A LOT LATIN ACTS ARE JUST FOUR OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE BROUGHT HERE. BUT THERE COULD HAVE BEEN AS YOU TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, MS. COLLIER THAT COULD HAVE BEEN SO
MANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND BUSINESSES THAT ARE IN THIS INDUSTRY BUT STRUGGLE TO GET THE SUPPORT TO REALLY THRIVE AND TO REALLY SHOW A TRUE BOSTON SO I WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR THAT. YOU ALSO MENTIONED AND THIS IS A QUESTION FOR YOU AND I WANT TO ASK THIS QUESTION TO EVERYONE YOU SAID THAT YOU HAD RECOMMENDATIONS AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO 2026 AND THE POSSIBILITIES AND THE MAJOR
EVENTS THAT ARE GOING TO AGAIN BRING IN BILLIONS IN REVENUE, MILLIONS IN VISITORS, WHAT ARE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AND WHAT IDEAS DO YOU HAVE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THIS ROOM FOR THE
NEXT THE NEXT PANEL BUT ALSO FOR US AS AN ELECTED OFFICIALS AND HOW WE DO THE WORK OF MAKING SURE CONTRACTING AND OPPORTUNITIES REALLY FLOW TO
OUR BLACK AND BROWN BUSINESSES AND TO OUR COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. I MEAN IT'S BEEN SAID MANY TIMES BUT I THINK JUST TO ECHO
AGAIN THE EXTRAORDINARY SCALE OF OPPORTUNITY THAT IS COMING TO BOSTON IN THE IN THE NEXT YEAR AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF THOSE DOLLARS CONTINUE TO
CIRCULATE WITH SOME WITHIN SOME OF THE SAME LIMITED NETWORK FIRMS. SO YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT I THINK WE'RE REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT CLOSING THE RACIAL WEALTH GAP IN THIS AREA.
ONE BEFORE EVEN GETTING THROUGH PROCUREMENT BECAUSE I THINK THE INCLUSION HAS TO EXIST NOT JUST AMONG CONTRACTING BUT THE HOST COMMITTEES, THE PLANNING GROUPS, THE DECISION MAKERS
THAT ARE MAKING DECISIONS AROUND THESE EVENTS HAVE TO REFLECT THE DIVERSITY OF THE CITY AS WELL. MORE CONCRETELY, YOU KNOW, ONE I THINK PUBLISHING AN EQUITY
AND EVENTS PROCUREMENT STANDARD THAT HAS VERY CLEAR MWB SPENDING TARGETS AND PUBLIC REPORTING THAT MAY EXIST WITHIN SOME OF THE STATE INFRASTRUCTURE OR EVEN THE WORK THAT BECKMANN IS DOING.
BUT I THINK JUST CALLING IT OUT MORE SPECIFICALLY AROUND EVENTS RELATED TO FIFA IN BOSTON 250 YOU KNOW LAUNCHING A SUPPLIER COHORT OF LOCAL FIRMS WHO ARE
PRIORITIZED FOR TRAINING PRE-QUALIFY FOR CONTRACTING AND JUST ARE REALLY ABLE TO BE TO MOVE THROUGH THE PROCESS. YOU KNOW, COLIN BROUGHT UP AND
WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHALLENGES OF BEING ABLE TO MOVE THROUGH THESE PROCESSES. YOU KNOW, FOR ME I'M SOMEONE WHO CONSIDERS MYSELF WELL IN THE KNOW AND THERE'S STILL A LOT I DON'T KNOW ABOUT PEOPLE
COMING TO BOSTON OR ABOUT LIKE HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE THINGS. I DO EVENTS SO I CAN IMAGINE NOT JUST THE MAIN EVENTS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BUT THE AUXILIARY THINGS THAT ARE GOING
TO NEED TO HAPPEN IN THE CITY. AND I THINK THAT THERE JUST NEEDS TO BE MORE OF AN EFFORT TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ON THAT BUT ALSO TO MOVE THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS SPECIFICALLY SPECIFICALLY FOR A TEDMED.
YOU KNOW, I RESEARCHED THAT TEAM THE YOU KNOW, AS WE'VE APPLIED FOR IT EVERY YEAR I'VE EVEN LOOKED AT IT IN OTHER CITIES. SO I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A FOCUS ON HOTELS AND FOCUS
ON, YOU KNOW, BRINGING VISITORS INTO HOTEL ROOMS. WE'VE BUMPED UP AGAINST IT WHEN WE'VE TRIED TO INCREASE FUNDING JUST BECAUSE AGAIN WE THOUGH WE ARE PULLING PEOPLE FROM ACROSS
THE COUNTRY WE HAVE MOSTLY A LOCAL FLAVOR. HOWEVER, I STAUNCHLY BELIEVE THAT PART OF ANY CITY'S TOURISM STRATEGY OR STATE TOURISM STRATEGY HAS TO BE ABOUT THE
PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE AS WELL BECAUSE WE ARE THE GREATEST AMBASSADORS OF THAT PLACE THAT ARE GOING TO BRING OTHER PEOPLE IN. SO SPECIFICALLY I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS DONE IN OTHER TRENDS I THINK BOSTON CAN BE A LEADER AS
AS WE LIKE TO BE BUT CREATING A NEIGHBORHOOD AND CULTURE FUND TRACK FOR A MULTI-YEAR WORKING CAPITAL TO SUPPORT CULTURALLY ROOTED EVENTS SO THAT YES, WHILE THERE IS THIS FOCUS ON
THE EVENTS THAT BRING IN HOTELS ,BRING IN HOTEL VISITORS REALLY HAVING A SLICE OF THAT THAT IS FOCUSED ON NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL CULTURAL EVENTS LAST TO
JUST FOR YOU KNOW, HAVING A CITYWIDE EQUITY IN EVENTS LIAISON THIS IS YOU KNOW COULD BE SOMEONE OR SOMEONE'S OR SOMEBODY THAT CONNECTS ALL
OF THESE HOST COMMITTEES, ALL OF THESE FIRMS. YOU KNOW, THERE'S A NUMBER OF PEOPLE YOU KNOW THAT I KNOW ARE STAPLES AND EVENTS IN THIS CITY THAT I DON'T KNOW YOU
KNOW, AND THERE'S REALLY NO WAY FOR US TO INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER. AND SO I THINK THAT BECAUSE THERE COULD BE SUBCONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES ARE PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES THAT PEOPLE JUST DON'T KNOW ABOUT BECAUSE WE AREN'T CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER
. AND THEN LASTLY, THIS IS JUST YOU KNOW, YEARS AGO THERE WAS A CAMPAIGN I IT WAS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND BOSTON JUST AROUND ALL INCLUSIVE
BOSTON AND EXPANDING ON THINGS LIKE THAT TO NOT ONLY INVEST ON THE MARKETING SIDE BUT REALLY EVENTS AND HOW DO WE BRING IF
WE ARE TRYING TO CREATE A DIFFERENT MESSAGE ABOUT BOSTON, WHAT ARE WE DOING TANGIBLY TO BRING THAT TO LIFE AS WELL AND HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT AS WE ARE SAYING THAT WE'RE DIFFERENT, THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY
GIVING PEOPLE A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE AND AND SO YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT STANDS SPECIFICALLY BUT IN THOSE TYPE OF EFFORTS, HOW ARE WE MAKING SURE THAT THERE IS A KIND
OF CO-BRANDED STORYTELLING AND EVENTS CAMPAIGN THAT GOES ALONG WITH THE MARKETING I IMAGINE IN THIS NEXT WE ARE GOING TO BE MARKETING BOSTON A LOT IN MASSACHUSETTS A LOT.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ACTUAL STORY WE'RE TELLING THAT THERE ARE SOME ACTUAL THERE'S THINGS THAT ARE ACTUALLY HAPPENS AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT STORY IS REAL YOU
KNOW THAT WOULD LIKE TO JUMP IN AND SHARE WE ARE AS I SAID, A MEMBER BASED ORGANIZATION MEMBER. MANY OF OUR MEMBERS ARE HERE TODAY AND MUCH LIKE ANITA RAMON
AND WE ARE WE ARE AN ORGANIZATION WHO ARE MISSION IS REALLY TO DRIVE THE ECONOMIC EQUITY AND PROSPERITY ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH.
I WOULD SAY THAT WE ARE HERE TODAY TO URGE THE CITY TO ADOPT A 25% INCLUSIVE PROCUREMENT GOAL FROM MINORITY AND WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES FOR THE MAJOR CIVIC AND SPORTS EVENTS COMING
TO BOSTON. THESE EVENTS ARE PROJECTED TO GENERATE UP TO BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND A 25% BENCHMARK
WOULD DIRECT 125 TO $275 MILLION TO WOMEN AND MINORITY OWNED FIRMS AND THAT'S AN UNPRECEDENTED OPPORTUNITY FOR WEALTH CREATION.
THESE CONTRACTS SPAN FOOD SERVICES TOURS, EVENTS, MARKETING, HOSPITALITY, TRANSPORTATION AND PRINTING AND SETTING. THIS GOAL WOULD LEVEL PLAYING
FIELD SO BLACK AND DIVERSE FIRMS CAN ACCESS THE SAME OPPORTUNITY AS OTHERS AND AVOIDING MISSING A PARTICIPATION IN A BOOM AS AS
HAS BEEN THE CASE IN DOT COM AND LIFE SCIENCES AND IRONICALLY CANNABIS SO IN 21
ALONGSIDE TWO LATINO ORGANIZATIONS I AMPLIFY WHAT CONNECTS. BECKMAN FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE CITY OF BOSTON FOR ITS LACK OF EQUITABLE CONTRACTING OUTCOME.
AT THAT TIME BOSTON SPENT LESS THAN HALF OF 1% OF ITS CONTRACTING DOLLARS WITH BLACK OWNED FIRMS OVER A FIVE YEAR PERIOD AT LAST AT BECKMAN'S
MASSIVE BLACK EXPO LAST WEEK, MAYOR MICHELLE WU ANNOUNCED THAT OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS HOWEVER, THAT THE CITY HAS HAD MORE THAN $450 MILLION IN CONTRACTS HAVE GONE TO
BUSINESSES OWNED BY PEOPLE OF COLOR INCLUDING SEVERAL BLACK MEMBERS. THAT PROGRESS SHOWS WHAT'S POSSIBLE WHEN THERE'S INTENTIONALITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY AROUND MAKING
COMMITMENTS TO GO FROM HALF OF 1% TO 14% IN JUST A FEW YEARS. THAT'S NOT GOOD INTENTIONS.
THAT IS ACTUALLY SETTING GOALS AND FOLLOWING THROUGH. I'D LIKE TO ADD TO THAT AND THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION, MADAM PRESIDENT. YOU KNOW THESE RESULTS PROVE THAT INEQUITIES CAN BE
DISMANTLED WHEN THERE IS FOCUSED LEADERSHIP, ACCOUNTABILITY AND INTENTIONALITY. SO WE SEE THAT NEXT STOP FOR THE CITY TO HAVE THIS 25% INCLUSIVE PROCUREMENT GOAL FOR THESE UPCOMING EVENTS BECAUSE
WE DON'T WANT LIKE I SAID EARLIER, I'M WBEZ TO MISS OUT ON THIS ONCE IN A GENERATION OPPORTUNITY WE DID SUBMIT LENGTHY WRITTEN TESTIMONY SO I'M NOT GOING TO SAY TOO MUCH BUT I JUST WANT TO ADD A COUPLE
OF MORE POINTS THIS INCLUSIVE PROCUREMENT GOAL OF 25% IS MORE THAN JUST AN ECONOMIC ARGUMENT. I THINK WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT ECONOMICS HERE SO FAR BUT IT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT I BELIEVE
WE HAVE A STRONG MORAL ARGUMENT AROUND BOSTON AS A MAJORITY MINORITY CITY AND YET SO MANY ENTREPRENEURS AND BUSINESSES OF COLOR STILL STRUGGLE TO ACCESS OPPORTUNITY AND WE KNOW THAT LIVING IN A SOCIO
POLITICAL MOMENT WHERE THERE IS A CHILLING EFFECT THAT CINA SPOKE TO AND HOW IT'S IMPACTING HER BUSINESS, HOW IT'S IMPACTING ALL OF OUR BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. WE KNOW THAT THIS IS NATIONAL
BUT IT'S HAVING A LOCAL EFFECT AS WELL. WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE BUSINESSES AND CUSTOMERS WHO ARE BEING IMPACTED BY IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT RAIDS. WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE IMPACTED BY TARIFFS AND SUPPLY CHAIN
CHALLENGES AND SO IN THIS REALLY DIFFICULT MOMENT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT BOSTON CONTINUES TO STEP UP AND STAND WITH OUR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, STAND WITH OUR BUSINESSES OF COLOR AND SHOW THAT
INCLUSION CONTINUES. THAT INCLUSION EXCUSE ME CONTINUES TO BE A STRENGTH HERE IN BOSTON AND WE KNOW THAT THIS COULD BE SUCCESSFUL. WE'VE SEEN BENCHMARKS BE SET OR GOALS BE SET IN DIFFERENT
PROJECTS AND HAVE SUCCESS. WE KNOW THAT RIGHT NOW. NICOLE IS SERVING ON THE WHITE STADIUM SUPPLIER DIVERSITY GROUP AND FAR 44% OF CONTRACTS HAVE GONE TO BUSINESSES OWNED
BY WOMEN OR PEOPLE OF COLOR. I SIT WITH HER. WE DO WORK TOGETHER. SHE'S A CHAIRWOMAN ON THE STATE SUPPLIER DIVERSITY ADVISORY BOARD AND SHE ALREADY MENTIONED WHAT SHE DOES FOR ME AT BOSTON. SO WE'RE CONSTANTLY HAVING
THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH PUBLIC ENTITIES, PRIVATE ENTITIES, QUASI PUBLIC ENTITIES AND I WILL JUST SAY WE KNOW THAT IT WORKS BECAUSE WE WORK WITH BUSINESSES. THAT'S WHAT BECKMAN DOES ON A REGULAR BASIS.
LAST YEAR WE SUPPORTED 260 BUSINESSES THROUGH OUR BACK OFFICE SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAM. WE ALSO HAVE A PROGRAM THAT DOES SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT AND WE SURVEYED THOSE BUSINESSES
THOSE 260 BUSINESSES. THEY REPORTED OUT 50 MILLION IN CONTRACTS AND 70 NEW JOBS CREATED AND THAT'S JUST FOR 2020 FOR WE ALSO SUPPORT JUST A QUARTER OF THOSE RESPONDED TO
THE SURVEY AND JUST A QUARTER OF THOSE 260 BUSINESSES REPORTED OUT 50 MILLION IN CONTRACTS AND 70 NEW JOBS CREATED. WE ALSO HAVE BACK TO COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS WE PROVIDED
$650,000 IN LOANS TO SMALL BUSINESSES WHO HAD CONTRACTS IN HAND AND THAT'S CRITICAL. THEY HAVE CONTRACTS IN HAND AND WE WERE ABLE TO UNLOCK 6 MILLION AND TOTAL CONTRACTS 18
FULL TIME JOBS AND DOUBLE FIRM REVENUE FOR ALL OF THOSE BUSINESSES. SO THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WITH SMALL AND DIVERSE BUSINESSES GET A CHANCE RIGHT NOW NICOLE LIKES TO SAY WE'RE
UNDERUTILIZED IN ONE OF BOSTON'S FASTEST GROWING ECONOMIC ASSETS BEING SMALL AND MICRO-BUSINESSES AND I JUST WANT TO DOUBLE DOWN ON SAYING WHY WE NEED THIS GOAL A 2022 MASSACHUSETTS TAXPAYERS
FOUNDATION STUDY FOUND THAT ELIMINATED IN RACIAL DISPARITIES COULD GROW THE STATE'S ECONOMY $25 BILLION OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. THAT'S 25 BILLION WITH A B INCLUSIVE PROCUREMENT IS A
DIRECT PATH TO THAT GROWTH AT THE CITY IT'S ENTREPRENEURS. IT'S NEIGHBORHOODS. EVERYONE WOULD BENEFIT FROM HAVING THIS 25% INCLUSIVE PROCUREMENT GOAL AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO JUST GIVE A RECOMMENDATION.
WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND WE DID SUBMIT WRITTEN TESTIMONY. THANK YOU AND THANK YOU SO MUCH TO MAMA BEING HERE. I KNOW YOU HAD TO MOVE AROUND YOUR SCHEDULE AND IT REALLY MEANS A LOT TO HAVE YOU HAVE DONE THAT AND FOR YOU TO BE HERE.
YOU ALSO HIGHLIGHTED A LOT OF THE WORK THE CITY HAS BEEN DOING FROM THE SHELTER MARKET PROGRAM TO SCALE PROGRAM ALL OF WHICH HAVE INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY THE AMOUNT OF THE CITY'S CONTRACTING THAT IS
GOING TO BLACK AND BROWN OWNED BUSINESSES. SO I THINK THAT IS INCREDIBLE TO HAVE LEFT. ONE THING THAT I'D LIKE TO JUST PUT A PIN ON YOU STATED THAT AT LEAST FOR THE WHITE STADIUM CONTRACTING THAT 44%
OF CONTRACTS ARE GOING TO IS IT BLACK AND WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES BLACK AND BROWN AND WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR WOMEN PEOPLE OF COLOR AND WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES GREAT. ONE OF THE THINGS AND THIS IS
FOR LATER DISCUSSION IS WHAT DOES THAT REPRESENT ASSUMING THE PROPORTION OF THE TOTAL DOLLAR AMOUNT OF CONTRACTING BECAUSE IT COULD BE 44% BUT ALSO BLACK AND BROWN BUSINESSES MAKE HAVE A LOT A SMALLER SHARE
OF THE OVERALL BECAUSE I DO THOSE TEND TO BE THE SMALLER BUSINESSES SO THAT'S AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WANT US TO BE ATTUNED TO WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CONTRACTS IN THE CITY, WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CONTRACTS NEXT YEAR THE
NUMBERS BRING UP THE NUMBER OR THE PERCENTAGE OF OF OF OVERALL CONTRACTS BUT ALSO LIKE WHAT IS THE TOTAL PIE AND WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL PIE THAT THOSE BUSINESSES ARE GETTING AND THE BEGINNING I THINK IS PROBABLY BECAUSE
OF THE REALITY OF OF HOW THINGS WORK FOR THAT FOR THAT BUT MAYBE TO BE 44% OF THE CONTRACTS BUT MAYBE 22% OF THE OVERALL REVENUE BUT HOPEFULLY OVER TIME THOSE TWO PERCENTAGES
WE'LL START TO MEET BECAUSE YOU'RE GETTING LARGER SCALE BLACK AND BROWN WOMAN OWNED BUSINESSES THAT CAN COMPETE WITH SOME OF THE LARGER REVENUE CONTRACTS. THE LAST THING THAT I THAT'S
AND HE MAY BE REGRETTING NOT STARTING THE TIMER BUT THE LAST QUESTION THAT I HAVE FOR YOU BECKMAN FOR THIS PANEL AND THEN I'LL ALLOW MY COLLEAGUES TO ASK MOVE ON TO THEM IS DO YOU HAVE
YOU MENTIONED THE 25% TARGET WE WE WE HAVE THE EVENTS NEXT YEAR. DO YOU HAVE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS OR IDEAS FOR THESE LARGE EVENTS NEXT YEAR AND HOW THEY CAN DO A BETTER JOB OF ENSURING THAT?
THESE GOALS ARE BAKED INTO THEIR PROGNOSES THEN RATHER THAN LIKE OKAY WELL THE CITY SAYING THAT WE HAVE TO DO THIS LIKE WHAT ARE THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU HAVE TO FOR IT TO BE BAKED IN THE PROCESS? SURE. ABSOLUTELY. I MEAN ONE IS SETTING GOALS AND
MAKING SURE THAT THE GOALS ARE TRANSLATED NOT JUST AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL BUT THROUGH PRIME CONTRACTORS AND HAVING IT FLOW ALL THE WAY THROUGH. ALSO DON'T WAIT TILL THE END
OF THE PROJECT, SEE HOW YOU'RE DOING. HAVE TRANSPARENCY THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT AND ACCOUNTABILITY IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THAT YOU ACTUALLY ACHIEVE YOUR
GOALS AND NOT JUST SET GOALS. AND SO I ALSO THINK THAT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE NOT REALLY SURE HOW THEY'RE GOING TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THOSE GOALS THAT THEY PARTNER WITH
ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAN HAVE A TRACK RECORD AND CAN HELP THEM TO IDENTIFY THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE READY, WILLING AND ABLE TO
SUPPORT THEM IN FULFILLING AND EXECUTING THESE AMAZING EVENTS THAT ARE COMING TO TOWN. SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD SAY THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.
IT CAN'T BE AN AFTERTHOUGHT, CAN'T ADD EQUITY AT THE END. IT HAS TO BE SOMETHING THAT IS DESIGNED FROM THE VERY BEGINNING AND YOU KNOW AND
BEING VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT SEEKING SUPPORT IN IN IN IN IN DOING ALL THE STEPS THAT ARE REALLY NECESSARY TO ACCOMPLISH THESE GOALS. YEAH, WE'D ALSO LOVE TO SEE A
DATA DASHBOARD. I THINK ANY TIME WE CAN HAVE A LIVE DASHBOARD OR ONE THAT'S UPDATED ON A BI WEEKLY OR MONTHLY BASIS WE TALK A LOT ABOUT TRANSPARENCY AND SIMILAR TO THE POINT YOU MADE A FEW
MOMENTS AGO WHO IS ACTUALLY WHAT'S THE BREAKDOWN OF THAT SPAN, THE BREAKDOWN OF THE 44% ONE WAY THAT THERE CAN BE CORRECTIONS ON AN ONGOING BASIS OF OH WE'RE REALIZING MAYBE ONE GROUP IS AN OUTSIZED PART OF A
44% FOR EXAMPLE, THIS DASHBOARD ALLOWS ORGANIZATIONS AND THE PUBLIC TO KIND OF SELF-CORRECT SO WE CAN ENSURE THAT MORE SMALL DIVERSE MICRO-BUSINESSES ARE ABLE ACCESS OPPORTUNITIES.
I'D ALSO SAY I DON'T WANT TO UNDERSCORE THE IMPORTANCE OF ORDER LEADERS WHETHER IT'S THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY, THE CITY'S ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
OFFICE TO CONTINUE PROMULGATING THAT. WE WANT THOSE 25% TO TAKE PLACE. WE'VE HEARD FROM BUSINESSES AND WE'VE HEARD FROM EXTERNAL FOLKS
THAT ESPECIALLY IN THIS MOMENT WHEN THEY'RE NOT HEARING OH, WE'RE STILL DOING EQUITY, WE'RE STILL DOING AN INCLUSIVE PROCUREMENT. THEY MIGHT STEP BACK THINKING IT'S NOT HAPPENING. SO KIND OF REAFFIRMING THAT ON AN ONGOING BASIS IS SOMETHING
THAT FOLKS WILL USE AS A GUIDING LIGHT BECAUSE OF IT'S NOT SAID IT WON'T BE DONE SO IN ADDITION TO WHAT NICOLE SAID, YOU KNOW, BEING THIS IS PART OF HOPEFULLY BOSTON'S BRAND FOR
ALL OF THESE PROJECTS MOVING FORWARD AND THAT WILL HELP REACH THE GOALS THAT WE WANT TO SEE AND HOPEFULLY SURPASS 5% 25% I THINK IS A GREAT NUMBER BUT WE'D LOVE TO SEE AS MUCH AS
POSSIBLE HAPPENING KNOWING LIKE I SAID, BOSTON IS A MAJORITY MINORITY CITY AND WE HAVE SO MANY BUSINESSES OF ALL TYPES DOING WORK THAT ARE READY FOR THIS MOMENT. THANK YOU THINK FOR MENTIONING
ACCOUNTABILITY AND DATA BECAUSE THAT'S ALL CONVERSATION IS IS OFTEN NOT IF WE'RE NOT AUDITING AND HOLDING OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE AND PROVIDING THE DATA BACK UP THE NUMBERS. SO I THINK YOU KNOW FOR THEM JUST JUST TO ADD TO THAT COUNCILOR SORRY JUST QUICKLY I
WANT TO TRIPLE DOWN ON THE TRANSPARENCY PIECE AND ALSO AS WE THINK ABOUT I'M VERY MUCH OF A SUPPORTER OF THE MORAL AND CIVIC REASONS AND THEN YOU
KNOW, ON THE BUSINESS SIDE JUST LIKE WE SEE HAPPENING WITH COMPANIES, VISITORS WANT REPRESENTATION AND AUTHENTICITY. SO AS WE ARE ALSO JUST THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE MAKE OURSELVES MORE COMPETITIVE AS WE MARKET
THESE EVENTS PEOPLE ARE MAKING A LOT OF DECISIONS OF IF THEY ARE EVEN GOING TO VISIT THE US RIGHT NOW AND I THINK THE MORE THAT BOSTON CAN BE A LEADER AND SHOW THAT WE ARE WELCOMING NOT ONLY TO VISITORS BUT IN THE WAY
THAT WE DO BUSINESS IT IS JUST GOING TO ALL AROUND BE A SMART BUSINESS MOVE FOR US AS A CITY AS WE COMPETE FOR VISITORS AND FOR OUR RESIDENTS. SO AGREED.
THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. BEFORE I GO TO COUNCILOR MURPHY, I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE FORMER CITY COUNCILOR LYDIA EDWARDS AND CURRENT STATE SENATOR ADELE EDWARDS.
GOOD TO BE WITH YOU. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. COUNCILOR MURPHY EUROPE. THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY
AND JUST HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. YOU MADE IT CLEAR WHY IT'S IMPORTANT BUT MY QUESTIONS ARE AROUND HOW DO WE THEN MAKE SURE IT HAPPENS RIGHT? SO. WHAT BARRIERS HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED WHEN TRYING TO
PARTICIPATE IN LARGE EVENTS CONTRACTS OR TOURISM GRANT PROGRAMS UP TO THIS POINT? AND IF YOU'VE ALREADY STARTED LOOKING FORWARD TO THE BIG EVENTS COMING UP, WHAT SUPPORT EITHER TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE,
COMMUNICATION OR PARTNERSHIPS WOULD MAKE THESE OPPORTUNITIES MORE ACCESSIBLE AND HOW CAN THE CITY STRENGTHEN COLLABORATION BETWEEN EVENT ORGANIZERS AND NEIGHBORHOOD BASED BUSINESSES?
BECAUSE I THINK ALL OF YOU SPOKE ABOUT YOU KNOW, ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS ACROSS THE CITY NEED TO BENEFIT FROM THIS ONCE IN A GENERATION PROBABLY OPPORTUNITY.
I CAN JUMP IN AND JUST SHARE SOME OF THE BARRIERS AND IT REALLY DOES. I ALWAYS SAY IF I WAS BUYING THEN IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER WHAT WE AS BUSINESS SUPPORT OR
INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES DO. SO I, I BELIEVE THAT OUR BIGGEST BARRIER IS ANY TIME THAT THERE IS A LACK OF COMMITMENT ON THE SIDE
OF BUYERS TO INCLUSIVE PROCUREMENT AND THAT THAT COMMITMENT HAS TO FOLLOW THROUGH IN THEIR ACTIONS AND
HOLDING THEIR TEAMS AND THEIR CONTRACTORS ACCOUNTABLE. IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET THERE FROM HERE. IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT. SO THAT I WOULD SAY IS THE BEEN
THE BIGGEST BARRIER IS THAT WE ARE SEEING ENOUGH COMMITMENTS AND THEN ACTIONS PUT IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT THAT WE
REALIZE THOSE GOALS. I WOULD ADD SPECIFICALLY TO THE EVENTS THAT ARE COMING IN THE NEXT YEAR THERE'S JUST I THINK THE FLOW OF COMMUNICATION.
SO I REMEMBER WAY BACK WHEN WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO BID FOR THE OLYMPICS I WAS A PART OF A LOT OF COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT. PEOPLE WERE COMING INTO
NEIGHBORHOODS. I REMEMBER GOING TO THINGS AT THE FREEDOM HOUSE WHERE EVERYONE WAS ENGAGED IN THIS CONVERSATION OF WHETHER THIS WAS RIGHT OR WRONG FOR BOSTON. I KNOW THIS IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT BUT JUST THAT SAME
TYPE OF GROUND GAME OF HAVING PEOPLE BE A PART OF CONVERSATION. IT REALLY WASN'T UNTIL THIS HEARING WHAT ARE AND BEING INVITED TO SPEAK THAT I REALLY
I, I MEAN I KNOW THIS BECAUSE I KNOW MATH BUT REALLY UNDERSTOOD THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY THAT IS ON THE TABLE AND I'M I'VE BEEN SURPRISED IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT IT IN THE
CITY. IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE EVERYONE IS ENGAGED AROUND HOW THIS IS GOING COULD REALLY SHIFT BOSTON NEXT YEAR. AND SO I THINK BEING ABLE TO
YOU KNOW, ALONG WITH YOU KNOW CALL SAID ON THE COMMITMENTS FROM THE BUYERS FROM A COMMUNITY LEVEL BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES SIT RIGHT WE ARE AMONGST OUR CUSTOMERS AMONGST
OUR COMMUNITY. IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER AND THAT WE'RE REALLY THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE ALL PARTICIPATE AND BRING I AGREE WITH THE THE FEELING OF THE CONVERSATION.
I DON'T REALLY HEAR MUCH ABOUT IT SOMETIMES HERE ON THE COUNCIL. DO YOU FEEL AT ALL THAT THAT MAY BE INTENTIONAL? IF WE KEEP IT QUIET THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO SHARE IT? IS THAT A THOUGHT ANY OF YOU
HAVE JUST YEAH I HAVE A LOT OF BUT NOT THOUGHTS OF WHY BUT I. I DON'T KNOW BUT DO THINK THAT
IT'S TO ACTUALLY WHERE YOU ALL ENDED ON THE LAST QUESTION YOU KNOW ALONG WITH THE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY I JUST WANT SOME OF THIS TO BE REFRAMED ALSO AS LIKE OPPORTUNITY.
THIS IS NOT A REPRIMAND OR NOT A BAD THING THAT YOU KNOW WE HAVE TO HAVE INCLUSION AND IT REALLY. I MEAN THERE'S STATS ALL OVER THE PLACE OF HOW MUCH A BENEFIT TO EVERYONE.
AND SO I THINK MAYBE SOMETIMES IT IS MAYBE THINGS ARE KEPT CLOSE TO THE CHEST BECAUSE OF JUST MAYBE OUR PERCEPTION AROUND SCARCITY OR ACCESS.
I REALLY THINK ACCESS SHOULD BE KIND OF THE RULE AND NOT THE EXCEPTION AND SO WHATEVER THE REASONS ARE THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY AMONGST OTHERS FOR BOSTON TO REALLY STAND OUT AND
LEAD AND I THINK IF WE SEE IT LIKE THAT AND REALLY SEE IT AS LIKE HOW WE BRING IN THE CITY ALONG EVERYONE IN THIS CITY ALONG WITH US IT COULD JUST THE ENERGY OF THE CONVERSATION COULD JUST BE VERY DIFFERENT.
I WOULD SAY THAT TOO BECAUSE I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING ON SO MANY OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE PART OF THESE SPORTS AND CIVIC DEFENSE THAT ARE COMING UP THAT
THERE'S GOOD INTENTION BUT THERE'S NOT THE INTENTIONALITY . THERE'S NOT BE THE SAME YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO HAVE A GREAT EVENT. WE'RE GOING TO DO ALL THE THINGS THAT WERE THAT ARE
NEEDED TO HAVE A GOOD EVENT. BUT THERE'S NOT THAT SAME LEVEL OF SERIOUSNESS AROUND HAVING IT BE AN EQUITABLE INCLUSIVE EVENT.
AND SO WE WANT TO HELP PIVOT OR ACTIVATE THAT GOOD INTENTION AND REALLY HAVE IT BE A PART OF WHAT'S BEING PLANNED FOR THESE AMAZING EVENTS THAT ARE
COMING UP. YES. AND ADDING TO THAT NOT JUST LIKE A NICE TO HAVE LIKE IT'D BE NICE IF THIS WAS EQUITABLE INCLUSIVE OF FOLKS HAD ACCESS. WE WANT IT TO BE STANDARD AND
PART OF THE PROCESS AND SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THAT IN YEARS TO COME. I THINK SOMETIMES WE'RE HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS THAT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE STILL TRYING TO GET ACCESS AND EQUITY.
THANK YOU. YOU THANK YOU COUNCIL MURPHY OVER THE OVER THE WEEKEND I WAS AT THE BOWLING BUILDING ON
SATURDAY FOR THE OPEN STUDIO FOR THE FOR THE ARTISTS THAT WAS SELLING THEIR PAINTINGS OR POTTERY OR SCULPTURES AND ONE
OF THE ONE OF THE PEOPLE THERE DID ASK ME ABOUT WHAT OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE FOR THOSE TYPES OF ARTISTS OF COLOR OF SMALL BUSINESSES AS THEY
THEY MAY NOT NECESSARILY HAVE A A A STOREFRONT FOR THE FOR THEIR OFFICE. THEY DO A LOT OF THEIR PAINTINGS AT HOME BUT IS THERE
ARE YOU REACHING OUT TO THOSE TYPES OF ARTIST AND IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO ENGAGE PURCHASE A PAINT IN IN IN THESE MAJOR EVENTS THIS SUMMER?
WELL ABSOLUTELY. I MEAN I THINK A LOT OF TIMES FOLKS KIND OF CAST A VERY NARROW VIEW ON WHAT IT TAKES TO DO EVENTS.
WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU KNOW, THE EVENTS THERE'S ALL THE PLANNING THAT GOES AHEAD BEFOREHAND AND ALL THE VENDORS AND ALL THE SUPPORT THAT NEEDS TO BE A PART OF THAT.
THEN THERE'S THE EVENT ITSELF AND THEN THERE ARE THINGS ARE HAPPENING AFTERWARDS AND SO OUR GOAL HERE AT BECKMAN IS TO MAKE SURE THAT YEAH, WE'RE CASTING A
BROAD NET BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WHETHER IT'S A DAY OR A COUPLE OF DAYS THERE'S JUST A LOT AND IT'S NOT JUST FORWARD FACING PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO BE PART OF THESE EVENTS THAT ARE
GOING TO MAKE THEM GREAT. SO ARTISTS CAN HELP WITH SOCIAL MEDIA CAN HELP WITH SOME OF THE OTHER ADVERTISING, SOME OF THE OTHER CREATIVE ELEMENTS OF GOING TO MAKE THESE EVENTS REALLY SPECIAL.
BUT WE REALLY THINK ACROSS THE BROAD SPECTRUM FROM THE BORING STUFF THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN FROM SECURITY TO SANITATION, TRANSPORTATION AND TO THOSE
THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, FRONT AND CENTER AS WELL. THAT'S WHAT WE DO. MM HMM. THANKS SO MAYBE MY MY FINAL QUESTION IS WHEN THESE
WONDERFUL EVENTS DO COME TO THE CITY, HOW ARE WE GOING TO CONNECT THESE THESE EVENTS TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND ENSURE
THAT RESIDENTS KNOW ABOUT THESE EVENTS THAT MAYBE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO ATTEND, MAYBE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO PARTICIPATE, ENGAGE
IN CONTRACTING. BUT WHAT IS THE STRATEGY OF COMMUNICATING WITH VARIOUS NEIGHBORHOODS PEOPLE OF COLOR? HOW ARE WE GETTING THE MESSAGE TO THEM SPECIFICALLY ON WHAT IS
TAKING PLACE IN THE CITY AND HOW COULD THEY POSSIBLY PARTICIPATE IF THEY CHOOSE? WELL, THAT THAT THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION. I MEAN THAT IS WHY WE WOULD
LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PART OF THE PLANNING. THOSE EVENTS CAN'T HAPPEN LAST MINUTE. THEY CAN'T BE POP UP EVENTS. WE HAVE TO BE AS INTENTIONAL
WITH THOSE AS EVERYTHING ELSE. AND SO FOR EXAMPLE, SERVING ON THE MASSACHUSETTS 250 COMMITTEE I'M THE CHAIR THE COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE AND SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH SOME OF THE FOLKS HERE IN THIS ROOM. WE HAVE AN EQUITY PLAYBOOK THAT WE ARE WE ARE IMPLEMENTING THAT
NOT ONLY INCLUDES INCLUSIVE PROCUREMENT BUT IT ALSO INCLUDES MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THE OUTREACH THAT WE'RE HAVING OUTSIDE OF THE JULY 4TH
POPS EVENT AND WE'RE PLANNING THOSE NOW. AND SO IT JUST TAKES THAT LONG AND SO THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO REALLY CAUTION AGAINST TREATING
THIS AS AN AFTERTHOUGHT. WE'RE JUST NOT GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN IN THE LAST MINUTE PLANNING ON BEING EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE. I THINK ALSO TAPPING INTO
NETWORKS OF OUR LOCAL, YOU KNOW, ETHNIC RADIO AND YOU KNOW, OUR LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL NEWSPAPERS AND NEWSPAPERS . WE KNOW THAT WHEN WE HAVE EVENTS EVEN AS WE HAVE OUR MASS
BLACK EXPO, WE'RE SURE TO INVITE AND PARTNER WITH ALL OF OUR LOCAL AND DIVERSE MEDIA AS WELL AS FORMS OF NONTRADITIONAL MEDIA AND SOCIAL MEDIA AND TAPPING INTO FOLKS WHO HAVE LARGER NETWORKS
TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO REACH PEOPLE WHO MIGHT YOU KNOW, MAYBE CLOSING THE RACIAL WEALTH GAP ISN'T THE TOPIC THAT DRIVES THEM BUT THEY'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT TRYING A NEW RESTAURANT OR YOU KNOW, MEETING A CERTAIN PERSON THAT'S GOING
TO BE AT ONE OF OUR EVENTS. SO WE REALLY RELY ON OUR NETWORK OF LOCAL FOLKS AND THEY DO A GREAT JOB COVERING OUR EVENTS AND RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS. SO I ALWAYS WANT TO MAKE SURE
I'M UPLIFTING OUR BLACK PAPERS AND LOCAL ETHNIC RADIO AND STUFF LIKE THAT AND WE'RE NOT PROPRIETARY ABOUT OUR EQUITY PLAYBOOK. WE'RE HAPPY TO SHARE THAT
BROADLY WITH ORGANIZERS BUT IT'S YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S AN ARTIFACT IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE USEFUL AS A TOOL. BUT AGAIN, THERE HAS TO BE MORE
OF A COMMITMENT AND IN ORDER FOR THAT TOOL TO BE ABLE TO HELP GUIDE TO SUCCESS. COUNCILOR I WOULD ADD THERE'S A COUPLE OF MODELS I THINK THAT
WE CAN THAT WE'VE DONE RECENTLY AND IN THE PAST THAT WE CAN CAN LOOK TO BECAUSE I THINK THAT QUESTION REALLY IS ALSO FOR THE ORGANIZERS OF THESE EVENTS
OF HOW ARE THEY BEING INTENTIONAL ABOUT IT. BOSTON HAS AN AMAZING COMMUNITY OF CREATORS, INFLUENCERS AND ARTISTS AND OTHERS WHO IF
EQUIPPED WITH THE INFORMATION AND THE RESOURCES TO DISTRIBUTE IT I THINK CAN DISTRIBUTE ON BEHALF OF A LOT OF THESE EVENTS . MANY YEARS AGO I WORKED FOR THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN STARTED
A FESTIVAL THAT RAN FOR ABOUT A DECADE. QUITE A FIERCE URGENCY OF NOW ARE FUN AND IT WAS A DECENTRALIZED MODEL WHERE THE CHAMBER WAS THE HOST OF THE MAIN EVENT BUT.
THEN WE WORKED WITH LOCAL CREATORS TO HOST EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK. THE CITY OF BOSTON JUST SOMETHING SIMILARLY WITH THE HBCU WEEK AND THE FOR THE CULTURE WEEK WHERE YOU HAD THE
ANCHOR EVENT THAT WAS HAPPENING BUT THROUGHOUT THE WEEK OTHERS WERE ENCOURAGED TO HOST THINGS RELATED TO THAT. I WOULD JUST ADD FOR I DON'T THINK THE CITY DIDN'T DO THIS AND I DON'T THINK WE DID THIS AS A CHAMBER EITHER OF THOSE
THINGS THAT ALSO COME WITH SOME RESOURCES FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY HOST IN. YOU KNOW IF YOU ARE PEOPLE TO GET THE WORD OUT GIVEN THE MARKETING DOLLARS OR IF YOU ASK THEM TO HOST YOU KNOW, GIVING
THEM SOME DOLLARS TO BE ABLE TO HOST. BUT AGAIN, IF WE REALLY SEE THIS AS SOMETHING THAT THE WHOLE CITY IS PARTICIPATING IN AND EVERYONE HAS A ROLE IN IT AND PEOPLE ARE RESOURCED TO PARTICIPATE IN IT, I THINK THAT
NATURALLY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, HELP SPREAD THE WORD AROUND IT. THANK YOU. AND MY MY FINAL QUESTION AND MAYBE IT'LL BE A QUESTION I WILL ASK THE NEXT PANEL BUT I WANTED TO GET YOUR OPINION AS
WELL. HOW WILL WE ENGAGE IN OUR PEEPS STUDENTS ESPECIALLY OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS? IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO BE PART OF THE PROCESS
TO BE ENGAGED, TO BE EXPOSED TO BUSINESSES SPORTING EVENTS, CULTURAL EVENTS, ARTS AND CULTURE? IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
KIDS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE AS WELL? SO AS A AS WHEN I WORKED AT SOMETHING YOU SAID IN YOUR OPENING COUNCILOR AROUND YOU
KNOW WHEN YOU IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT YOU SERVE HAVING RESIDENTS WHO HAD NEVER EVEN HAVE EVEN BEEN TO THE HARBOR YOU KNOW OR HAVEN'T OF THE CITY AND I WORKED IN BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR MANY
YEARS. I WORKED THAT STREET NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE AND YOU KNOW, AND THEN CAME TO WORK AT THE CHAMBER IN THE FINANCIAL DISTRICT. AND FOR MANY OF THE FAMILIES I WORK WITH THOSE THOSE I MIGHT AS WELL HAVE WENT TO ANOTHER
STATE BECAUSE THEY JUST HAD NO CONNECTION TO THIS PART OF TOWN. THERE'S A LOT OF SO THAT WAS YOU KNOW, A DECADE AGO I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY NOW ONE WITH SOCIAL MEDIA.
HONESTLY LIKE AGAIN, THERE ARE WAYS TO GET EVERYONE TO PARTICIPATE IN A MESSAGE, KIND OF RALLY THEM AROUND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CITY IN A WAY
WHERE THEY REALLY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE INCLUDING AND IN TELLING THE STORY AND BEING A PART OF THE STORY I THINK MORE CONCRETELY I KNOW THE CHAMBER IS DOING SOME OF THIS AND MORE OF THIS CAN BE DONE OF REALLY
CONNECTING PARTICULARLY THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND EVENTS COMMUNITY TO BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND MAKING SURE THAT YOUNG PEOPLE ARE SEE A PIPELINE FOR THEMSELVES INTO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE REST OF THE CITY.
SO IT COULD BE TAPPING INTO SOME EXISTING PROGRAMS THAT ARE ALREADY HAPPENING. SOME OF THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE ALREADY ON A CAREER PATHWAYS AND SEE IF THERE'S WAYS FOR THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE.
THERE WAS A THERE'S A PROGRAM THAT I LEARNED OF MANY YEARS AGO THAT ACTUALLY UTILIZED HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AS EVENT STAFF, YOU KNOW, AND WAS ABLE TO HAVE
THEM PARTICIPATE WHEN LARGE EVENTS CAME TO THAT CITY. SO YOU KNOW, TAPPING INTO SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT ARE ALREADY HAPPENING. BUT I THINK THE AGAIN BACK TO A LOT OF THIS STARTS WITH COMMUNICATION AND AWARENESS.
I DON'T THINK THEY KNOW THAT THEIR CITY THAT THESE THINGS ARE EVEN COMING TO THEIR CITY AND THEIR THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES AREN'T TAPPED INTO IT. SO REALLY OPENING UP THE COMMUNICATION CHANNELS. I WILL JUST OH, GO AHEAD,
MIGUEL. SO JUST GOING TO SAY THAT AND WHEN AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ALSO YOUNG PEOPLE ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE.
IT'S NOT JUST RACIAL DIVERSITY THAT WE'RE SPEAKING ABOUT AND AS SHEENA SAYS, THERE ARE ORGANIZATIONS THAT I THINK WOULD LOVE TO BE A PART OF HELPING TO ORGANIZE TO GET STUDENTS AND OTHER RESIDENTS
INVOLVED. I WOULD ALSO SAY PRIOR TO WORKING AT BECKMAN I WORKED AT THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION AND A LOT OF THE WORK WE DID WAS WITH STUDENTS IN THE AFTER SCHOOL SETTING AND THERE WERE ADVISORY COUNCILS,
YOUTH ADVISORY, DIFFERENT AFTERSCHOOL YOUTH PROGRAMS AND THEY'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT WITH LOCAL EVENTS. SOME OF THEM ARE CIVICALLY FOCUSED HEALTH FOCUS A LOT
OF DIFFERENT FOCUSES BUT THEY WORK WITH A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND BEPS AND I KNOW THEY ALSO WORK WITH NONPROFITS OR OTHER AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS WITH BPA STUDENTS SPECIFICALLY I KNOW THEY'D BE REALLY EXCITED AND
THEY'RE BASED IN ALMOST EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD SO THAT WOULD BE A GREAT WAY TO ACTIVATE YOUNG PEOPLE. WELL THANK YOU TO THIS PANEL FOR BEING HERE, FOR STAYING IN
,PROVIDING EXCELLENT TESTIMONY, EXCELLENT FEEDBACK AT THIS TIME. COUNCIL LOUIJEUNE I'M GOING TO DISMISS THIS PANEL AND WOULD
OBVIOUSLY LOVE YOU TO FOR YOU TO STAY BUT I WOULD LIKE TO BRING DOWN ASK IF CITY COUNCIL A FORMER CITY COUNCIL CURRENT STATE SENATOR EDWARDS IF YOU'D LIKE TO
APPEAR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING, SENATOR. MORNING. IT'S GOOD IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE, SENATOR. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR FLYNN AND COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE AND MADAM PRESIDENT, THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE. I CAN SAY AS YOU YOU'RE THE ONLY BODY THAT INTRODUCES ME AS THE FORMER CITY COUNCILOR AND THEN SENATOR. I UNDERSTAND THE PRIORITIES BUT
I HAVE TO SAY I WANTED TO TESTIFY SPECIFICALLY TODAY HEARING IT AND SEEING THE WONDERFUL HEARING NOTICE AND THE CONVERSATION THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. AND IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THREE COMPONENTS.
FIRST, SPEAK TO THE TOURISM MARKETING BID SPECIFICALLY THEN ALSO SPEAK TO SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS, SOME OF WHICH I HEARD TODAY BUT ALSO IN LIGHT
OF THE EQUITABLE CONVERSATION THAT WE'RE HAVING NATIONALLY BUT ALSO LOCALLY. SOME ALSO SUGGESTIONS THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER AND THEN AND FINALLY ALSO IN PREPARATION FOR
NEXT YEAR INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING. IS THAT OKAY? YES, IT IS. SENATOR. SO FIRST I WANTED TO SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO THE TOURISM DESTINATION AND MARKETING DISTRICT PLAN.
I WAS THE LEAD SPONSOR FOR THAT TO HAPPEN IN THE CITY COUNCIL. THE HISTORY OF IT IS THAT IT CAME ABOUT BECAUSE OF STATE LAW AND STATE LAW ALLOWED FOR CITIES AND TOWNS TO GROUP
TOGETHER ACTUALLY TO CREATE THIS DISTRICTING AND MARKETING PLAN AND WHY AFTER THE PANDEMIC WE FACED AND THEN THE PANDEMIC
DESTROYED OUR BUSINESSES AND OUR TOURISM BUSINESS ESPECIALLY AND WE DID NOT HAVE THE RESERVE AS A COMMONWEALTH TO HELP US BOUNCE BACK AND AS IS OFTEN
SAID WHEN I GUESS MAINSTREAM BUSINESSES OR MAINSTREAM ENTITIES GET A COLD YOU CAN SAY OUR NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESSES OR
OUR MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES CATCH THE FLU. AND SO WHAT WE SAW WAS RECORD NUMBERS OF OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES CLOSE. WE DID NOT HAVE THE RESERVES TO
PUSH AND BACK THEM UP AND THIS IN PART IS A RESPONSE TO THAT TO CREATE THOSE RESERVES. THIS TOURISM A SUCCESSFUL EXAMPLE IS THE GREENWAY WHERE LOCAL PROPERTY OWNERS THAT
ALIGN THE GREENWAY EACH HAVE AGREED TO AN INCREASE SLIGHT INCREASE IN THEIR PROPERTY TAXES AND THAT CREATES A RENEWABLE FUND THAT ALLOWS FOR US TO INVEST IN A FREE
ACCESSIBLE ENTITY AND RESOURCE OVER HERE. SO BOSTON AND CAMBRIDGE CAME TOGETHER. WE CELEBRATED IT HERE, WE VOTED ON IT HERE AND CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL VOTED ON IT THERE.
IT WAS UNANIMOUS AND BEFORE IT WAS UNANIMOUS 8080 TO 90% OF THE LOCAL BUSINESSES HOTELS ESPECIALLY SUPPORTED THIS CREATION. AS A RESULT WE BECAME THE FIRST
CITY AGAIN BOSTON LEADING THE WAY TO OPT IN TO THIS TOURISM BID, IF YOU WILL. AND AS I'M SURE THEY WILL TESTIFY, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO RAISE
TO HELP US SURVIVE WHATEVER PANDEMIC RECESSION OR WITHDRAWAL OF FEDERAL FUNDS IS GOING TO BE VITAL IN THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS. AS SUCH. I WANTED TO TESTIFY AND SPEAK
TO THE WONDERFUL GEM THAT THIS BODY HELPED CREATE AND WHY IT'S VITAL TO ASSURE THAT WE SUPPORT IT AND ALSO STAND BY IT.
I CAN SPEAK ALSO TO THE DIRECT INVESTMENTS FROM THIS ENTITY IN MY DISTRICT THE LATINO ART AND MUSICAL FESTIVAL, A DANCE AND MUSICAL FESTIVAL THAT WE'VE HAD
THE MIT BOSTON HAS DIRECTLY INVESTED ADVERTISE AND PUSHED FOR IT AROUND THE ENTIRE STATE OR EXCUSE ME THEY AROUND THE CITY. I CAN SPEAK TO THE GATHERING WE
STARTED OF ALL NEW ENGLAND AND STATE AND STATE REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS ALL OF THE BLACK AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND THERE'S ABOUT 50 OF US IN NEW
ENGLAND GATHER NOW ANNUALLY AND AGAIN MEET BOSTON HAS SPONSORED THAT GATHERING SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT REGIONAL RESPONSE TO RACIAL EQUITY RACISM AND ALSO OPPORTUNITIES.
SO THESE ARE GATHERINGS THAT I HAVE SEEN DIRECTLY INVESTED IN OUR COMMUNITIES BY MEET BOSTON TO ASSURE THAT WE HAVE NOT ONLY AN EQUITABLE VOICE BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU WHEN WE WERE
DESIGNING THIS ONE OF THE BIG PUSHBACKS OR PUSHES THAT WE HAD MYSELF AND COUNCILOR BAKER AT THE TIME WAS MAKING SURE THAT THE MONEY THAT THIS GENERATES IS SPREAD ACROSS ALL OF THE
NEIGHBORHOODS OF BOSTON AND WHEN AND ALSO THAT IT BE GREEN MONEY AND ALSO THAT THE UNION WAS ON BOARD AND THE HOTEL UNION IS ON BOARD. SO THIS IS A JAM. IT CONTINUES TO PRODUCE INCREDIBLE AMOUNTS
OF INVESTMENTS IN OUR COMMUNITIES. I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE WILL SEE IT THAT WAY AND ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO CONTINUE TO PUSH AND MOVE AND GET INVOLVED ACTUALLY IN MAKING
SURE THAT THE MONEY CAN GET SPREAD AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD. MOVING ON TO THE SECOND COMPONENT OF RECOMMENDATIONS, I THINK IT WAS MARC COLLIER WHO TALKED ABOUT POTENTIALLY AN
EQUITY CITYWIDE EQUITY IN ADVANCE KIND OF POSITION IN THE CITY. I AM TAKING I'M A YES I'M A HUGE YES TO THAT BUT ALSO
THINKING THAT MAYBE THE CITY SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER LOOKING AT CREATING A EQUITABLE OR A CALENDAR OF EQUITABLE EVENTS DURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH OR
DOING LATIN HISTORY MONTH AND ACTUALLY HAVING A CALENDAR FROM THE CITY COUNCIL OR FROM THE CITY IN GENERAL THAT IS DEMONSTRATING WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO FOR THAT MONTH. I REPRESENT THE THIRD SUFFOLK
WHICH IS EAST BOSTON REVERE AND WINTHROP AND ALSO ALL OF DOWNTOWN BOSTON. THIS AREA HISTORIC HISTORICAL COMPONENTS AND ASPECTS ARE HUGE FOR US SO MAKING SURE THAT
THAT'S PART OF OUR TOURISM CONVERSATION ESPECIALLY THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY MUSEUM . THESE ARE ALL WONDERFUL WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN PUSH THOSE DOLLARS TOWARDS OUR HISTORY AND THEN ALSO PUSH IT TOWARDS OTHER
HISTORICAL NEIGHBORHOODS OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN. AND THEN AND THEN FINALLY NEXT YEAR I'M I'M EXCITED A LITTLE NERVOUS ABOUT THE WORLD CUP COMING UP. I'M EXCITED ABOUT OUR 250TH
ANNIVERSARY. THESE ARE WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITIES AGAIN, AS COLLIER MENTIONED THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE SEEING DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION AS A BURDEN BUT INSTEAD AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
SHINE OUR BRIGHTEST. SO I HOPE THAT WE WILL SEE THOSE CONVERSATIONS. I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM THE CITY COUNCIL HOW WE'RE PREPARING. I KNOW THAT IN THE STATEHOUSE WILL BE MEETING WITH FIFA TO
DISCUSS ALL OF THE INVESTMENTS BUT LONG STORY SHORT WE HAVE A LOT TO SHINE AND TO SHOW THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY AND I LOOK FORWARD TO MAKING SURE
THAT WE HAVE A PARTNER WITH THE TEAM EXCUSE ME THE TEAM D AND ALSO WITH OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SENATOR.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I DON'T THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT. I DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
SENATOR, I I WELL, MAYBE ONE QUESTION. WITH SO MANY SO MANY EVENTS TAKING PLACE IN AND AROUND THE
THE DOWNTOWN AREA OR THE WATERFRONT OR IN THE FINANCIAL DISTRICT OR NEAR THE BOSTON COMMON, HOW DO WE CONNECT
RESIDENTS TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS ? IS IN SPECIFICALLY FOCUSING ON TRANSPORTATION. ARE WE ABLE TO GET PEOPLE TO INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGH
THE THROUGH THROUGH VARIOUS MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION IN ALSO GETTING RESIDENTS OF THE CITY INTO DOWNTOWN BOSTON SO THAT THEY CAN EXPLORE AND PARTICIPATE.
BUT IS BUT DO YOU SEE TRANSPORTATION AS A CHALLENGE AND IF YOU DO, IS THERE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW WE HOW WE COULD WORK TOGETHER ON TRANSPORTATION ISSUES? THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
I CAN SPEAK DIRECTLY TO TRANSPORTATION MY DISTRICT IS THE HUB OF OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, ONE OF WHICH IS THE FERRY AND I HAVE BEEN
SPEAKING WITH THE CONVENTION AND ALSO MEET BOSTON ABOUT HOW WE CAN PUSH FOR MORE ADVERTISEMENT ABOUT THE FERRY AND GETTING PEOPLE ON THE BOAT. IT IS HARDER SOMETIMES TO SEE THIS GULF OF WATER.
SO FROM EAST BOSTON OR LESS MAYBE INCLINED TO GO DOWNTOWN TO THINGS. SO HAVING THAT FERRY HAS REALLY CONNECTED US IT'S A FIVE MINUTE QUICK ACROSS THE POND AS WE SAY
TO GET TO DOWNTOWN MAKING IT AFFORDABLE AND ALSO MAKING IT FUN SO HAVING IT ON THE WEEKEND. SO WE HOPE THAT THE CITY WILL PARTNER IN US WITH US TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S A YEARLONG FERRY, THAT IT CONTINUES TO BE
AFFORDABLE. THAT'S ONE THING MAKING SURE IT'S A FERRY THAT'S INCREASING BACK AND FORTH TRAFFIC BETWEEN DOWNTOWN AND THE AIRPORT. THERE ARE NOW THREE BOATS BUT
THEY'RE NOT COORDINATED AS AN AIRPORT TRANSPORTATION HUB. BUT WE SHOULD FROM AQUARIUM AREA HAVING BEING ABLE TO WALK RIGHT TO THE BOAT AND GO STRAIGHT TO THE AIRPORT IS A HUGE, HUGE WIN FOR A LOT
OF PEOPLE. 10 MINUTES, $6. I ALSO THINK THAT LOOKING AT SHUTTLE BUSSES AS WELL AS SUPPORTING THE YOUTH BUSSES
FROM THE YMCA AND SO ON AND SO FORTH FROM COMING FROM DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS, MAYBE PARTNERING THEM IN, SPONSORING THEM TO HAVE THE KIDS COME UP FOR THE DAY. YOU KNOW AT THE END OF THE DAY YOU'RE RIGHT.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE JUST DON'T MAKE SOMETHING FREE AND AVAILABLE. BUT ACROSS THE CITY WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO BUILD THE BRIDGES AND THE CONNECTORS. COUNCILOR FLYNN TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE CAN GET THEIR.
THANK YOU, SENATOR. AND MY FINAL QUESTION AND I KNOW IT'S CERTAINLY PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN YOUR DISTRICT BUT AS PART OF YOUR OUTREACH AND YOUR COLLEAGUES IN THE STATE HOUSE,
ARE YOU GOING TO COORDINATE WITH MASSPORT AND FIGURE OUT ANY SUPPORT MASSPORT COULD PLAY ESPECIALLY ON TRANSPORTATION RELATED ISSUES IN COMMUNICATION
ISSUES AND HOW WE CAN ENSURE THAT MASSPORT WORKS WITH US AND I DO HAVE TREMENDOUS RESPECT FOR MASSPORT. I JUST WANTED TO SEE WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE, SENATOR. YES.
ONE OF THE WAYS IN WHICH MASSPORT WAS IMMEDIATELY RESPONSIVE TO OUR CONCERNS WAS HELPING US BRING BACK THE FERRY TO THE AIRPORT SO THAT YOU CAN
COME FROM DOWNTOWN AND GO TO WINTHROP AND GO TO THE AIRPORT. SO THEY HAVE BEEN RESPONSIVE AND NOW THEY'RE ADVERTISING WATER TRANSPORTATION. SO WHEN YOU GET OFF YOUR PLANE YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THERE'S FERRIES TO TAKE YOU DOWNTOWN OR
TO SEAPORT OR TO LONG WHARF. SO THAT IS A HUGE WIN AND I THINK THAT THAT'S THE KIND OF COORDINATION AND IMMEDIATE RESPONSE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HOPE FOR. FOR MORE OF FROM MASSPORT IS BASICALLY LETTING TRAVELERS
KNOW ALL OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY HAVE AND HELPING THEM TO GET AS CLOSE OR YEAH AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND NOT NECESSARILY DRIVE THROUGH THE BEAUTIFUL NEIGHBORHOOD OF EAST BOSTON.
WELL, THANK YOU, SENATOR, AND WE'RE HONORED TO HAVE YOU AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I INTRODUCED THE SENATOR FIRST AS A AS A CITY COUNCILOR, THEN AS A SENATOR.
BUT I ALSO SHOULD RECOGNIZE THAT SHE'S BEEN A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES AS WELL. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU, SENATOR AND YOUR FAMILY FOR THEIR SERVICE TO THE UNITED STATES.
THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT, THE UNITED STATES MILITARY. THANK YOU, SENATOR. THANK YOU. HAVE A GOOD DAY. THANK YOU. WE'RE ON TO THE SECOND PANEL
AND WOULD LIKE TO INVITE DOWN TO MEMBERS OF THE SECOND PANEL INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING SECOND
FROM THE OFFICE OF CHIEF OFFICE OF THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY INCLUSION DAVID O'DONNELL FROM THE FROM MIT BOSTON, NEIL
DAUGHTRY FROM FIFA, THE BOSTON HOST COMMITTEE STACEY LYNN ALSO FROM THE ALSO FROM FIFA AND DUSTY RHODES.
GOOD TO SEE YOU, DUSTY CONVENTIONS EXECUTIVE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR AND PRESIDENT AT. AT THIS TIME I WOULD I WOULD ASK IF EACH PERSON WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF GIVE YOUR
NAME YOUR TITLE IN OPENING STATEMENT IF YOU'D LIKE TO PROVIDE ONE AND WHOEVER WANTS TO GO FIRST PLEASE DO WELL
COUNSELOR SINCE I HAVE I HAD THE MOST EXPERIENCE ON THE PANEL DOING THESE THESE HEARINGS AND I'LL KICK IT OFF AND TO COLLEAGUES. WELL BUT BUT ACTUALLY IT'S SO IT'S INTERESTING BEING ON THIS
SIDE OF THINGS THOUGH, RIGHT? SO IT'S UNCOMFORTABLE. WELL, GOOD MORNING COUNSELORS AND GREAT TO SEE SO MANY FRIENDS AND ADVOCATES AND COLLEAGUES HERE IN THE ROOM.
SO FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS SHAGUN IDOWU FOR THE LAST 1376 DAYS AND COUNTING, I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING AS THE CHIEF OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND INCLUSION FOR THE CITY AS I SHARE AT EVERY HEARING OUR NAME
CHANGED FOUR YEARS AGO TO ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND INCLUSION. OUR VISION REMAINS OF A CITY THAT IS RESILIENT, EQUITABLE, SUSTAINABLE AND VIBRANT ONE
THAT CENTERS PEOPLE AND ONE THAT IS FOCUSED ON HELPING ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES BUILD GENERATIONAL WEALTH. AND I THINK BUILDING ON WHAT SHEENA SHARED DURING HER TESTIMONY AND NICOLE FROM
BESSEMER ALSO FOR THE CITY THIS IS NOT A MORAL ARGUMENT IN TERMS OF OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUITY AND DIVERSITY. IT'S NOT A SOCIAL ARGUMENT BUT RATHER AN ECONOMIC IMPERATIVE IF WE WANT TO ENSURE THE STABILITY OF OUR CITY'S ECONOMY
FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. SINCE JANUARY 2022, WE'VE WORKED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY BOSTONIAN HAS FAIR AND EQUAL ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITIES BUT ALSO CREATING THOSE ON RAMPS TO OPPORTUNITIES.
AND SOME OF THE WAYS ARE SOME OF THE RESULTS OF DOING THAT OVER THE LAST THREE AND A HALF YEARS THE OFFICE OF SMALL BUSINESS HAS AWARDED $35 MILLION TO SMALL BUSINESSES
HERE IN THE CITY MAJORITY OF THOSE DOLLARS GOING TO BUSINESSES OWNED BY WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR IN OUR CANNABIS INDUSTRY 54% OF SHOPS THAT ARE
OPEN AND OPEN AT THE MOMENT ARE OPERATED BY EQUITY APPLICANTS. OUR AMAZING CHIEF OF WORKER EMPOWERMENT TREND WIN HAS BROUGHT IN NEARLY $100 MILLION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO
HELP ENSURE THAT WE'RE AGAIN CREATING ON RAMPS FOR WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR. BUT ALL BOSTON RESIDENTS TO HAVE ACCESS TO HIGH WAGE JOBS TO HELP STRENGTHEN OUR MIDDLE CLASS AND AGAIN AS WAS MENTIONED ON THE PREVIOUS
PANEL, THE CITY HAS LEANED INTO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE NOT JUST THAT YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT EVENTS THAT ARE COMING TO THE CITY BUT ALSO HOW THE CITY IS HELPING TO GROW EVENTS THAT ARE ALREADY IN THE
CITY TO BE ATTRACTIVE FOR OTHERS TO COME AND TRY TO TAKE THEM AWAY BUT THEY NEVER WILL LIKE THE HBCU CLASSIC THAT WAS LED AND SPEARHEADED BY JOHN BORDERS, OUR DIRECTOR OF TOURISM, SPORTS AND
ENTERTAINMENT BUT ALSO HOW WE CONTINUE TO TRY TO SUPPORT EVENTS LIKE FAMILY REUNION EVENTS LIKE BAM'S FEST AND SO MANY OTHERS THAT HAPPEN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. ANOTHER WAY THAT THE CITY HAS
ENSURED THAT WE ARE FOCUSED ON EQUITY AND DIVERSITY IS BY ENSURING BROAD PARTICIPATION OF SMALL AND LOCAL COMPANIES IN THE AREA OF PROCUREMENT. SO THIS IS MY FAVORITE TOPIC AS YOU ALL KNOW I SAY THAT EVERY
TIME WE COME TALK ABOUT SUPPLIER DIVERSITY AND BECAUSE OF THE SUPPORT OF THIS COUNCIL WE'VE SEEN YEAR OVER YEAR GROWTH SUCCESSES THAT WE'VE HAD OR THE RESULT OF INTENTIONALITY AND POLICIES
THAT THIS BODY HAS ADOPTED AND IN FACT THERE'S GOING TO BE A FORTHCOMING OUR FORTHCOMING ANNUAL REPORT ON EQUITY IN CITY CONTRACTS IN ANTICIPATION OF SUPPLIER DIVERSITY WEEK
WHICH AS A FREE PLUG IS OCTOBER 20TH OH EXCUSE ME OCTOBER 27TH TO OCTOBER 31ST BEING MANAGED BY I THINK SESNO IS HERE SOMEWHERE A WONDERFUL MEMBER OF OUR TEAM.
THAT REPORT WILL SHOW AMONG OTHER THINGS A HUGE INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF SPENDING AND I HEARD THAT QUESTION EARLIER IN THE WHITE STADIUM PIECE. SO THIS IS WHAT MATTERS THE DOLLARS THAT WE'RE PAYING OUT A
HUGE INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF DOLLARS THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN SPENDING. NUMBERS THAT I'VE GOT IS THAT IN COMPARISON TO FISCAL YEAR 19 THROUGH 22 WHICH IS FOUR YEARS
THE CITY SPENT ROUGHLY $233 MILLION AND JUST IN THE LAST THREE YEARS WE SPENT 369 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS WHICH IS A 63% INCREASE. AND IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNT OF CONTRACTS WE'VE AWARDED
AGAIN FOR THAT SAME PERIOD FY 19 TO 22, THE CITY AWARDED CONTRACTS VALUED AT 323 MILLION TO WOMEN IN MINORITY BUSINESSES AND IN THE SAME PERIOD FOR FY 23 TO 25 WHICH IS ONLY THREE
YEARS WE'VE AWARDED CONTRACTS VALUED AT $628.7 MILLION WHICH IS A 52% INCREASE. SO WE'RE PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING BUT WE'VE GOT A LOT MORE FURTHER TO GO.
HAPPY TO BE HERE TO DISCUSS THIS TOPIC BECAUSE AS HAS BEEN SHARED BY PRETTY MUCH EVERYBODY THAT'S SPOKEN TODAY, NEXT YEAR IS A GENERATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON.
YOU KNOW, BOSTON CONTINUES TO LEAD AS I THINK WE ARE THE ONLY CITY THAT WILL HAVE THE CONVERGENCE OF THREE MAJOR OPPORTUNITIES AND MAJOR EVENTS LIKE FIFA, LIKE THE TALL SHIPS,
A CELEBRATION AND CELEBRATING OUR 250TH ANNIVERSARY. OF COURSE BOSTON IS WHAT KICKED IT OFF DESPITE WHAT PHILLY HAS TO SAY. WE DID IT FIRST AND BEST AND THEY DID THE PAPERWORK I THINK IS WHAT MAYOR MAYOR WALSH SAID
. AND SO IT'S AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY NOT JUST TO CELEBRATE WHAT BOSTON HAS DONE BUT TO LOOK FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE OF WHAT BOSTON IS BECOMING AND WHAT WE WILL BE
AND LOTS OF SUCCESSES THAT WE HAVE TO INFORM HOW WE OPERATE NEXT YEAR. SO I'VE JUST MENTIONED ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE AS A CITY TO INCREASE AND BOOST SUPPLIER DIVERSITY.
NICOLE WAS HERE EARLIER. I KNOW THAT A LOT OF THE CONVERSATION HAS BEEN ON THE EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING BUT AS AS SHE MENTIONED IN HER TESTIMONY, SOMEONE HAS TO BUILD WITH THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING. SOMEONE NEEDS TO CLEAN THE THINGS AND TRANSPORT FOLKS
WHERE THEY GOT TO GO PROVIDE THE SECURITY SOMEONE NEEDS TO PROVIDE THE DECOR AND THE FLOWERS YOU KNOW SOMEONE NEEDS TO COMMUNICATE AND MARKET ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON AND SO THERE ARE HUGE OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT
BUSINESSES THAT EITHER DIDN'T EXIST BEFORE WHEN THE LAST FOR INSTANCE TALL SHIPS EVENT WAS HERE THAT EXIST NOW OR THAT WERE TOO SMALL THEN WHO ARE NOW
BIG ENOUGH HAVE NOT JUST ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITIES BUT ACTUALLY CAN SECURE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP GROW THEIR BUSINESS. AS AN ADMINISTRATION WE'RE FOCUSED ON ENSURING THE SAFETY MOBILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY
OF ANYTHING THAT WE PUT TOGETHER BECAUSE I THINK COLIN MENTIONED THIS IS REALLY OUR ROAD TO THE 400TH AND 2030 THAT OTHER CITIES JUST GET TO TALK ABOUT 2026 AND THE ROLL INTO 50
BUT WE'RE CELEBRATING FOR THE NEXT FIVE OR SIX YEARS BECAUSE OF ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT BOSTON KICKED OFF IN THIS COUNTRY. SO WHATEVER WE DO FOR 24, 2026 ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN
REPLICATE LEADING UP TO AND DURING 2030 FOR THE 400TH BUT THAT IS WHAT WILL SUSTAIN WHAT WE'RE DOING EVEN BEYOND 2030
JUST VERY QUICKLY WHICH I KNOW I'M SAYING AFTER SPEAKING FOR 10 MINUTES JUST FOR THE THREE DIFFERENT EVENTS JUST TO PUT ON THE TABLE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT CITIES CONSIDERING OR HAS ALREADY DONE PER THESE
DIFFERENT EVENTS AND AGAIN I LOOK FORWARD REALLY TO THE IDEAS THAT COME FROM THIS BODY AS WELL AS COLLEAGUES HERE IN THIS ROOM FOR WHAT MORE WE CAN DO. BUT FOR THE 2/50 I THINK BOSTON DID IT FIRST AND BEST OF SO FOR
BUNKER HILL DAY WE HAD A DRONE SHOW THAT WAS BEAUTIFULLY DONE AND NARRATED BY SOME RANDOM PERSON. I MEAN BUT YOU KNOW THE DRONE SHOW I THINK SHOWED WHAT WAS
POSSIBLE FOR 2026 AND WE'RE SEEING THIS REPLICATED ACROSS DIFFERENT STATE EVENTS INCLUDING THE INCLUSION OF DRONES. I KNOW THERE'S AN EFFORT TO CREATE A LANDING PAGE THAT WILL
GATHER ALL THE DIFFERENT EVENTS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE SO MUCH LIKE SINA MENTIONED KIND OF THIS UMBRELLA EVENT THAT SAW A LOT OF PEOPLE DO THINGS HAPPEN THAT ACCESSIBILITY FOR PEOPLE TO SEE EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON WILL BE IMPORTANT AND
I KNOW WE'RE WORKING WITH ME BOSTON ON ON THAT ON THAT PAGE HAVING AN INTERACTIVE MAP TO SHOW WHAT'S GOING ON. WE'RE WORKING WITH EMBRACE BOSTON AND OTHER COLLEAGUES AND
COMMUNITY E250 TO DEVELOP A MARKER CAMPAIGN. SO DURING THE BICENTENNIAL A LOT OF THE DIFFERENT MARKERS WE SEE ACROSS THE CITY WERE REPLACED THERE IN 1975 AND SO
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PUTTING OUR MARK NOT JUST CELEBRATING AND HONORING THOSE WHO HELPED KICK OFF THE BIRTH OF OF OF THE NATION BUT ALSO
THOSE WHO CONTRIBUTED TO MAKING BOSTON AND THIS COUNTRY A BETTER PLACE GIVEN THAT WE WERE NOT YET DONE IN 1776 OR 1787 AND WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE
FABRIC OF SOCIETY SINCE THEN. SO ENSURING THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON THAT INCLUSION PART AND BLOCK PARTIES WE WANT TO CELEBRATE OUR NEXT YEAR AND SO I'VE HEARD ALL THE QUESTIONS WHICH I'M GRATEFUL FOR AND I'M
EXCITED ABOUT BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO INVOLVE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. FINALLY FOR FIFA I'LL LET MY COLLEAGUES TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
WE ARE STILL IN THE NEGOTIATION PHASE ON FANFEST AND WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE BUT WE ARE COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN AND TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR
BUSINESSES GET TO PARTICIPATE. WE'RE ALSO IN CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW TO UTILIZE OUR OUR PARKS FOR DIFFERENT VIEWING OPPORTUNITY USE IF POSSIBLE WHICH WOULD INVOLVE MORE FOOD TRUCKS, MERCHANDISE,
RESTAURANTS, ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF. FINALLY, FOR OUR GREAT FRIENDS AT SALE BOSTON 258 TALKING ABOUT TALL SHIPS A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT THE CITY IS DOING ONE IS WE ARE THINKING
ABOUT HOW TO INVOLVE OUR GLOBAL AFFAIRS TEAM, OUR SPECIAL EVENTS TEAM AND THINKING ABOUT CULTURAL OR NEIGHBORHOOD TOURS OF ALL THE SHIPS THAT ARE COMING IN, YOU KNOW THEY'RE REPRESENTING DIFFERENT COUNTRIES AND SO WE WANT TO BE
ABLE TO GET FOLKS WHO EITHER WHO WERE BORN IN THOSE COUNTRIES OR WHO ARE DESCENDED FROM FOLKS IN THOSE COUNTRIES TO TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO VISIT THE SHIP AND HAVE A
SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY IN THAT WAY . IN TERMS OF CONTRACTS, ONE CONTRACT THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE RELEASING AND YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST IT'LL BE PUBLIC NEXT WEEK OR THE WEEK AFTER IS AN
RFP TO COORDINATE VENDORS FOR 15 DIFFERENT SITES ACROSS SOUTH BOSTON SEAPORT, NORTH END, CHARLESTOWN FOR VENTING OPPORTUNITIES. AND SO THIS COULD BE FOR FOOD
TRUCKS, IT COULD BE FOR FOOD CARDS, IT COULD BE FOR MERCHANDIZING. BUT THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE THAN A MILLION FOLKS THAT ARE MOVING AROUND THE CITY AROUND THE PARADE OF SALE TIME IN JULY
AND WE WANT TO STICK SMALL BUSINESSES IN THESE AREAS TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE BENEFITING FROM THAT FOOT TRAFFIC. AND SO WE'LL HAVE AN RFP OUT LATER THIS MONTH TO FIND A COORDINATOR TO BRING IN A BUNCH
OF DIFFERENT BUSINESSES THERE AND THE SAME SUPPLIER DIVERSITY STANDARDS WILL BE APPLIED TO THAT AS WE DO TO EVERY OTHER CONTRACT THAT WE PUT OUT. SO I'LL END THERE THANK YOU FOR MY 15 MINUTES OF SHARING SOME
THOUGHTS AND I'LL TURN IT TO MY COLLEAGUES. GOOD MORNING. I GUESS I'LL GO NEXT. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS DAVID O'DONNELL. I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF COMMUNICATIONS FOR ME BOSTON
AND THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR WHO IS AND OUR MADAM PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE AND CHAIR FLYNN FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF ME BOSTON. THE TOPICS WE'RE DISCUSSING TODAY ARE REALLY CRITICAL TO
OUR MISSION AT MIT BOSTON. THEY ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO OUR CEO MARTHA SHERIDAN'S VISION FOR THE COMPANY AND FOR THE SECTOR AND HER LEADERSHIP AND HER INNER CONVICTION. AND I DO WANT TO NOTE ALSO THAT
THE TWO MAJOR EVENTS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR THE SUMMER OF 26 WILL NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE INVESTMENT OF MIT BOSTON AND THEREFORE WE REMAIN VERY INTERESTED IN PROCUREMENT PROCESSES EQUITY AND HOW THEY IMPACT ALL
OF BOSTON WHEN THEY'RE HERE. WHAT WE DON'T HAVE DIRECT OVERSIGHT OVER SOME OF THOSE THINGS. WE DO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO SHARE COMMUNICATION AROUND THESE EVENTS AND AS SINA NOTED EARLIER, A SHARING OF RESOURCES
IS SOMETHING THAT IS IS IMPERATIVE AND WE'RE DEVOTED TO THAT. SO A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WE HOSTED AN EVENT FOR 500 FOLKS OUR PARTNERS AT THE MENINO CENTER THAT WAS VERY INFORMATIONAL AND WE HAD
REPRESENTATIVES FROM SOUTH BOSTON, FIFA AND MASS 250 AT THAT EVENT. THAT WILL BE THE FIRST OF MANY SUCH EVENTS THAT WE HOST. AGAIN, IN THE INTEREST OF SHARING INFORMATION. WE'LL HAVE OUR NEXT ONE IN DECEMBER.
IT'S WELL KNOWN THAT THE TOURISM INDUSTRY WAS SEVERELY IMPACTED BY THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC. SENATOR EDWARDS REPRESENTS EARLIER OUR SECTOR ESSENTIALLY CAME TO A STANDSTILL FOR 18 MONTHS IN COMING OUT OF THAT
PERIOD WAS THE FORMATION OF THE BOSTON CAMBRIDGE TOURISM DESTINATION MARKETING DISTRICT WHICH I'LL REFER TO SIMPLY AS THE TMD GOING FORWARD. IT WAS REALLY ESSENTIAL FOR THOSE CITIES TO GET BACK TO THRIVE AND FOR THE WORKFORCE
THAT UNDERPINS THE TOURISM ECONOMY TO GET BACK TO WORK. OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS WE HAVE SEEN THE INDUSTRY REGROW TO THE POINT WHERE WE HAVE REACHED SOME 2019 BENCHMARKS
AND EVEN EXCEEDED SOME. THERE WERE A COUPLE OF LAGGING METRICS COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC NOT NOTABLY THE MEETING SECTOR BUT ALSO INTERNATIONAL VISITATION BUT EVEN THOSE WE HAVE SEEN RETURN IN MANY WAYS TO 2019
BENCHMARKS. NOW INTERNATIONAL OF COURSE IS NOW GOING THROUGH ITS OWN CHALLENGING PERIOD ANOTHER PHASE AND I JUST WANT THE COUNCIL AUDIENCE HERE TO REST ASSURED THAT MEET BOSTON THROUGH OUR INTERNATIONAL REPS
IS VERY DEDICATED, DEVOTED, INTERESTED IN SPREADING THE WORD THAT BOSTON CAMBRIDGE IS A VERY INCLUSIVE, DIVERSE DESTINATION. SO IN THIS PERIOD WHERE A LOT OF INTERNATIONAL VISITORS ARE DECIDING TO GO ELSEWHERE OR
JUST NOT COME STATESIDE AT ALL. ME BOSTON IS WORKING HARD TO OUR AGENCIES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROPAGATING A MESSAGE OF INCLUSIVITY AS PART OF THE FORMATION PROCESS BACK IN 20 2021 ME BOSTON WORKED WITH
REALLY IMPORTANT STAKEHOLDERS NOTABLY THE HOTEL COMMUNITY IN BOSTON AND CAMBRIDGE BUT OF COURSE CITY COUNCIL HERE IN OVER IN CAMBRIDGE TO CREATE A DISTRICT PLAN THAT WOULD ESSENTIALLY FRAME AND DICTATE HOW WE COULD UTILIZE TMD FUNDS
PER THE ENABLING LEGISLATION. THESE FUNDS WERE TO BE RAISED BY AN ASSESSMENT THAT HOTELS WOULD SELF-IMPOSED SO NOT A TAX BUT AN ASSESSMENT ALSO PER THE LEGISLATION THE FUNDS HAD TO GO BACK TO THE BENEFIT OF THE
PAYER OR THE ELECTORS THAT IS THE HOTELS. WE'VE HAD A VERSION OF THE DISTRICT PLAN IN THE HANDOUT THAT I GAVE YOU AND YOU CAN SEE WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE REALLY ROBUST INVESTMENTS AND
WHERE WE HAVE A REINVIGORATED BRAND A GLOBAL SALES MARKETING AND PR STRATEGY ENTICING LARGE EVENTS TO COME TO BOSTON AND INVESTING DEDICATED RESOURCES AND D I FOCUSED PROGRAMS NOTABLY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
AND SUPPLIER DIVERSITY. WHAT I'LL TALK MORE ABOUT IN A MOMENT BUT ABOVE ALL ELSE THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THE PLAN REMAINS TO DRIVE OVERNIGHTS FOR BOSTON AND CAMBRIDGE HOTELS CREATING THE DISCIPLINE WAS A
ROBUST PROCESS FROM BOSTON. WE NEEDED A PLAN THAT WOULD CLEARLY BENEFIT THE HOTEL COMMUNITY AGAIN THE PAYERS BUT ALSO RESONATE WITH OUR OWN VALUES AND THAT THIS MUNICIPAL BODY WOULD FUND FIND MERIT IN AS WELL.
THERE WERE SEVERAL AREAS OF ALIGNMENT AND I THINK WHAT'S PERHAPS MOST RELEVANT FOR US TO DISCUSS TODAY IS HOW WE COULD CONTRIBUTE TO EVENT SUPPORT WITHIN THE PLAN. YOU'LL SEE FROM THE PLAN WHICH
IS ALSO AS I MENTIONED IN THE PACKET THAT EVENT SUPPORT SECTION INCLUDES TWO SEPARATE PARAGRAPHS. THE FIRST PARAGRAPH HAS TO DO WITH THE LARGE EVENTS THAT THE HOTELS WOULD REALLY WANT AND AGAIN THEY'RE THE ONES THAT WE HAVE TO BE ACCOUNTABLE TO FIRST AND FOREMOST.
MAJOR EVENTS THAT DRIVE OVERNIGHTS AND INCLUDE A SUITE OF MEDIA AND MARKETING ASSETS THAT CREATE BRAND RECOGNITION FOR THE DESTINATION. THINK OF EVENTS LIKE WORLD FIGURE SKATING FOR NATIONS
ARMY-NAVY FIFA SALE BOSTON AND OF COURSE THE HBCU GAME THAT WE JUST HOSTED RECENTLY. BEYOND THESE LARGE SCALE EVENTS, ME BOSTON ALSO WANTED TO INVEST IN COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT MIGHT NOT REALLY BE
DRIVERS OF THE VISITOR ECONOMY PER SE AND THEREFORE NOT AS ENTICING TO THE PAYERS THE HOTELS BUT THEY WOULD HELP US TO BUILD NEW PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS ALL 23 BOSS NEIGHBORHOODS AND THROUGHOUT THE SQUARES OF CAMBRIDGE.
WE WERE VERY STRATEGIC IN HOW WE WORDED THIS SECTION OF THE PLAN, NOTING THAT TMD FUNDS QUOTE COULD BE DEDICATED UNQUOTE TO SUPPORTING EVENTS THAT WEREN'T NECESSARILY THE TYPE OF EVENT OR SCALE OF EVENT
THAT THE HOTELS WOULD WANT US TO PURSUE. I BELIEVE THAT OUR EFFORTS TO INCLUDE THIS CLAUSE IN OUR SUBSEQUENT LEVERAGING OF THIS CLAUSE HAS PRODUCED SOME AMAZING SUCCESSES AND NEW PARTNERSHIPS FROM BOSTON THAT WOULD OTHERWISE HAVE NOT BEEN
POSSIBLE. IT'S REALLY BOOSTED OUR INVESTMENT CAPABILITY IN AN ERA WHEN PHILANTHROPIC GIVING, CORPORATE GIVING AND BIG MEDIA BRAND SPONSORSHIPS HAVE LARGELY DISAPPEARED.
ME BOSTON WAS ABLE TO FILL A VOID INTENTIONALLY AND AUTHENTICALLY FROM THE MAP WE PRODUCED WHICH IS ALSO IN THE PACKET THERE YOU'LL SEE THE SCORES OF EVENTS THAT WE HAVE SUPPORTED ACROSS ALL BOSTON NEIGHBORHOODS AND CAMBRIDGE AS
WELL. WE'RE SO PART SO PROUD OF THIS WORK AND WE BELIEVE THAT A CRITICAL PART OF TODAY'S CONVERSATION IS ABOUT EQUITY IN THAT INVESTMENT AND PERHAPS FACTS CANNOT CHANGE EVERYONE'S
MIND BUT THE FACTS ARE THE FACTS OF ALL THE EVENTS SUPPORT WE'VE PROVIDED OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS A THIRD OF IT HAS GONE TO DIVERSE AND MULTICULTURAL EVENTS. AND THIS ISN'T JUST CHERRY PICKING NUMBERS OR SKEWING MATH WITH MAJOR INVESTMENTS WE'VE
MADE TO ORGANIZATIONS LIKE EMBRACE BOSTON, BOSTON ALL BLACK, THE ACP AND HBCU. IN FACT IF YOU WERE TO REMOVE ALL THE MAJOR EVENT FUNDING SUCH AS THOSE FOR I JUST MENTIONED OF THE MAJOR EVENTS
THAT I REFERENCED EARLIER, OVER HALF OF OUR COMMUNITY EVENT SUPPORT HAS GONE TO DIVERSE MULTICULTURAL NEIGHBORHOOD EVENTS. IT'S RELEVANT TO NOTE TWO THINGS FIRST, THIS IS NOT HOW
TEDMED IS TYPICALLY OPERATED ACROSS THE U.S. THERE'S OVER 200 OF THESE DISTRICTS IN THE COUNTRY AND WHEN WE ASKED OUR CONSULTANTS AT CIVITAS IF THEY COULD FIND ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A TEDMED THAT HAD COMMUNITY EVENT
SUPPORT THAT WAS NOT OSTENSIBLY TIED TO ROOM NIGHTS IN THEIR PLAN THEY COULD PRODUCE ONE EXAMPLE OF OVER 200 IN THE INVESTMENTS FROM THAT DESTINATION PALE IN COMPARISON
TO THE MILLIONS THAT MIT BOSTON HAS INVESTED. SECOND, DESPITE THIS MEET BOSTON IS NOT AN EVENTS FUNDING OR GRANT ADMINISTERING AND WE'RE ORGANIZATION A CRITIQUE OF OURS HAS BEEN HOW WELL ARE WE COMMUNICATING THAT THESE
FUNDS EXIST AND I'D SIMPLY NOTE THAT AGAIN IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAP THAT I'VE INCLUDED THAT WORD IS OUT THAT WE DO THIS. OUR PLAN IS ALSO PUBLIC ON OUR WEBSITE AND WE HAVE COMMUNITY FOCUSED PERSONNEL WITHIN OUR PARTNERSHIP DEPARTMENT TO HELP
TO SOCIALIZE THESE OPPORTUNITIES. STILL, WE ARE NOT A PUBLIC AGENCY LIKE MONT THAT HAS A GRANT SEASON. WE'RE NOT A FOUNDATION LIKE BAR HIGHLAND STREET OR BOSTON FOUNDATION THAT HAS THIS IS AN ESSENTIAL ASPECT OF THEIR EXISTENCE.
WE'RE CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU THAT IS PRIMARILY CHARGED WITH DRIVING CONVENTION LEISURE VISITATION, DESTINATION SALES AND MARKETING WHERE WE CAN INVEST IN EVENTS THAT DRIVE DESTINATION SALES AND MARKETING
AND FILL HOTEL ROOMS. WE WILL WHERE WE CAN INVEST IN EVENTS THAT DON'T NECESSARILY DO THIS BUT ARE ALSO PART OF OUR MORAL COMPASS. WE WILL ALWAYS DO WHAT WE CAN
AT MIT BOSTON AND THIS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER BY THE FIRST PANEL WE HAVE A FOUNDATIONAL IN CULTIVATING RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR OWN RESIDENTS ACROSS ALL 23 NEIGHBORHOODS. IT'S ESSENTIAL IN MANY WAYS IT'S REALLY THE MOST EFFECTIVE
WAY FOR US TO GO ABROAD AND TELL PEOPLE TO COME TO BOSTON. WHO ARE WE TO GO ANYWHERE WHETHER IT'S SAN FRANCISCO, LONDON, NEW YORK AND TELL A PERSON THAT THEY SHOULD COME TO BOSTON IF WE DON'T HAVE THE TRUST IN OUR RESIDENT VERTICAL
COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE CAPTURING THEIR VOICE AUTHENTICALLY IS AT THE HEART OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD VIDEO SERIES WHICH THUS FAR HAS PRODUCED DEDICATED DESTINATION MARKETING VIDEOS FOR ROXBURY DORCHESTER, JAMAICA PLAIN
ALLSTON, HYDE PARK NORTH AND EAST BOSTON, CHINATOWN. WE JUST RECENTLY RELEASED ROSLINDALE AS THE 10TH VIDEO IN THAT SERIES. YOU NOTICE THESE ARE NOT NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE TRADITIONALLY RECEIVED THEIR EQUITABLE MARKET SHARE
OF VISITOR SPENDING AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THESE VIDEOS ATTEMPT TO CRACK. THEY SHOWCASE ALL THE AMAZING CULTURAL CULINARY COMMERCIAL EXPERIENCES THAT MAKE THESE NEIGHBORHOODS COMPELLING FOR ANY VISITOR. I WANT TO NOTE FOR A MOMENT THE PARTNERSHIP OF CALL A NIGHT WHO
SPOKE EARLIER WHO HAS NOT ONLY BEEN INVOLVED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD VIDEO SERIES BUT ALSO A APPEARED IN PODCASTS, HAS CONDUCTED TOURS FROM BOSTON STAFF, HAS CONDUCTED FOR ALL OF OUR PR AGENCY AND HAS
CONDUCTED A NUMBER OF TOURS FOR TRAVEL WRITERS, BLOGGERS AND INFLUENCERS THAT HAS LED US TO BE ABLE TO GENERATE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF EARNED MEDIA VALUE FOR COLLIN. HE'S BEEN A TREMENDOUS PARTNER THAT FOCUS ON THE HOME
COMMUNITY TAKES MANY FORMS. IT IS THE GUEST WE HAVE ON THE PODCAST IS THE CONTENT WE PUSH OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND GOING BACK TO THE LANDMARK ALL INCLUSIVE BOSTON CAMPAIGN THAT WAS ALSO REFERENCED ON THE FIRST PANEL WHICH WAS A
PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN MIT BOSTON ,THE CITY BOSTON PHILLIPS AND PROVERBS AGENCY THAT EXECUTED THAT CAMPAIGN BETWEEN 20 2022. IT'S ALSO REFLECTED IN THE DIY INITIATIVES THAT ARE CODIFIED
IN OUR PLAN NOTABLY SUPPLIER DRIVE DIVERSITY AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. ME BOSTON HAS BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CONE AND HARRISON ASSOCIATES TO DEVELOP A SUPPLIER DIVERSITY
MODULE FOR THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY. WE'RE ABOUT TO ROLL THAT OUT AND IT'S TRULY PIONEERING FOR THE TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY SECTOR. LIKEWISE ON THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FRONT WE'VE WORKED WITH CONANT HARRIS TO DEVELOP
THE PATH PROGRAM THAT'S PROMOTING ADVANCEMENT TRAVEL, HOSPITALITY, HOSTING AN ANNUAL CAREER FOR EVERY SPRING WHICH MANY MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL HAVE ATTENDED. MEET BOSTON CONSIDERS WORKFORCE ADVOCACY AS A CORE PART OF OUR
MISSION AND DRIVING NEW VISITATION IS KEY TO GROWING WAGES, ADDING CHEFS AND SUPPORTING OUR DIVERSE WORKFORCE. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT OUR TMD ALONG WITH OUR ORGANIZATIONAL VALUES HAS ENABLED US TO NOT ONLY DEVELOP
THESE IMPORTANT DEI INITIATIVES BUT TO DOUBLE DOWN ON THEM IN AN ERA WHEN THEY'RE BEING ASSAILED DAILY AND WHERE EVERY WEEK WE SEE ANOTHER INSTITUTION BEING FORCED TO ABANDONED OR RENAMED THEIR EQUITY GOALS SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR
FUNDING SLASHED. THE BEAUTY OF THESE FUNDS IS THAT THEY ARE PRIVATE. WE CAN DO WITH THEM WHAT WE WISH SO LONG AS THEY ADHERE TO THE DISTRICT PLAN AND SINCE WE WORKED WITH OUR HOTEL COMMUNITY IN THIS MUNICIPAL BODY TO MAKE
SURE THAT THOSE DEI FOCUSED VALUES WERE ENSHRINED IN THE PLAN, THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO REMAIN. OVER THE PAST YEAR WE'VE SEEN SOME TENSION AS IT RELATES TO COMMUNITY SUPPORT BECAUSE ME BOSTON IS ONE OF THE ONLY
GIVING ENTITIES OUT THERE AND BECAUSE NOT EVENT ORGANIZER KNOWS THAT OUR INVESTMENTS ARE DICTATED BY A DISTRICT PLAN. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME EXAMPLES WHERE BOSTON'S EFFORTS HAVE FELT INADEQUATE TO SOME. WE RESPECT EVERYONE'S
PERSPECTIVE BUT WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT MUCH OF THIS OPINION STEMS FROM A MISUNDERSTANDING OF OUR DISTRICT PLAN AND ME. IN ME BOSTON CENTRAL PURPOSE AS A DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION OUR INVESTMENTS MUST GO BACK TO THE BENEFIT
OF BOSTON AND CAMBRIDGE HOTELS. WE'VE DONE OUR BEST TO EDUCATE STAKEHOLDERS IN TODAY'S CONVERSATION AS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THAT ONGOING CONVERSATION. ME BOSTON IS VERY INVESTED IN HELPING HOME GROWN EVENTS EVOLVE INTO BONAFIDE VISITOR
EVENTS. IT'S WHY WE'VE INCREASED OUR INVESTMENT IN BAM FEST TENFOLD OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS AND WHY WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH BOSTON ALL BLACK TO HELP WITH NEW SURVEYING AND DATA POINTS
THAT CAPTURE HOW THAT EVENT IS GROWING. AS A VISITOR AND VISITOR SPENDING SORT OF FESTIVAL FOR BOSTON, WE CONTINUE TO WORK IN CONCERT WITH THE BLACK TRAVEL ALLIANCE, AN INDUSTRY LEADERS
LIKE MAGUIRE GLOBAL TO UNDERSTAND PERCEPTIONS AROUND BOSTON WHICH HAVE IMPROVED SINCE THE ORIGINAL RESEARCH WE CONDUCTED AHEAD OF ALL INCLUSIVE BOSTON. BUT WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO. ME BOSTON EMBRACES THIS WORK AS
THE BEST WAY TO PROMOTE THE THOUGHT LEADERSHIP THAT HAS ALWAYS EMANATED FROM THE CITY. WE WILL ALWAYS LOOK TO ADD MORE VOICES TO THAT TALE AS WE MOVE BEYOND THE 250TH AND TOWARDS THE CITY'S 400TH.
BOSTON IS DEVOTED IS DEVOTED TO UPLIFTING STORIES AS THE TRUE MEANS TO MARK THESE MOMENTOUS OCCASIONS. AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TODAY TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF ME.
BOSTON THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DUSTY. THANK YOU, DUSTY.
I DON'T MEAN TO THANK YOU. MY NAME IS DUSTY RHODES. I'M VERY HONORED TO BE HERE AND THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME. I AM WITH THE COMPANY, BY THE
WAY, WHICH INDENTURES WHICH IS 48 YEARS OLD FORMED AS A WOMAN DOING BUSINESS BACK IN THE DARK AGES OF 1977. VERY, VERY PLEASED TO BE HERE.
WE HAVE PARTICIPATED IN SO MANY EVENTS IN THE COURSE OF OUR HISTORY HERE AND IN BOSTON AND SUCH AS FIRST NIGHT AND HARBOR
FEST AND THE ORIGINAL WORLD CUP BACK IN 1994 AND MANY, MANY DIFFERENT INITIATIVES WITH MANY NONPROFITS IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE ARE IN A DISADVANTAGE BUSINESS ZONE WHICH MEANS WE'RE DOWN ON THE WATER RIGHT RIGHT IN IN RAY FLYNN MARINE PARK AND
I HAPPEN TO HAVE BEEN ENTICED BY DAVE DAVIS 100 YEARS AGO. IT WAS NOT FOR UPON THE OCCASION OF THE QUINCES IN
TAHRIR WHICH WAS THE TO WELCOME A TALL SHIP FESTIVAL UP ON THE OCCASION OF COLUMBUS AND THE 500TH ANNIVERSARY AND TO WHICH
WE PUT OUR TOE IN THE WATER AND FOUND THAT THERE COULD BE QUITE AN APPETITE FOR A MAJOR MARITIME FESTIVAL ON OUR SHORES AND COBBLED IT FROM NOWHERE TO
WHAT WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY OPPORTUNITY FOR BOSTON TO SHOWCASE ALL THAT IT HAD TO OFFER IN 1992 AND WITH THE
SPECTACULAR TALL SHIP FESTIVAL KNOWN AS SAIL BOSTON IN 1988 WE FORMED THE FOR THE FIERY 1 TO 3 SHOW BOSTON FOR THE PURPOSE
OF CONTINUED MARITIME TOURISM NOT ONLY IN THE BENCHMARK YEARS OF MAJOR FESTIVALS BUT WHENEVER A VISITING SHIP COMES FROM A FOREIGN NAVY INTO THE PORT WE
WORK VERY CLOSELY IN ADVANCE SO THAT THOSE SAILORS CREW GET TO ENJOY THE BENEFITS IN BOSTON IN MANY CASES ON WHICH THEY WERE
LATINO OR THEIR CAPE VERDEAN I WOULD BASICALLY GO AND VISIT AND HAVE EXCHANGE ENGINES WITH THOSE COMMUNITIES.
WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN PRODUCING 1992 AND THEREAFTER THE MILLENNIUM IN 2000 AGAIN IN OH 917 AND COMING UP ON THE I CAN SAY THE WORD SUMMER
QUINCENTENNIAL COMING UP IN 26 THESE EVENTS. FIRST OF ALL BOSTON IS BLESSED WITH A GREAT GREAT HARBOR AND WHERE IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT THE
FACT THAT THE HARBOR IS SOMEWHAT NARROW AND EVEN A BETTER EVENT BECAUSE THE SHIPS ARE COMING INTO THE PORT, IT'S NOT WAY OFF IN THE DISTANCE.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT VERY REAL, VERY CLOSE CREATING A SAIL BOSTON EVENT TAKES YEARS AND YEARS OF PLANNING AND THE PLANNING QUITE FRANKLY IS
INTERNATIONALLY IF YOU'RE WORKING WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF ARGENTINA ABOUT SENDING THEIR BELOVED NAVAL VESSELS TO BOSTON. THOSE DISCUSSIONS BEGAN SIX OR
SEVEN YEARS AGO. SO TO COORDINATE MANY DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, TO HAVE THEIR PRIDE, ENJOY THEIR TRAINING SHIP, THEIR NAVAL CROWN JEWEL TO COME
INTO BOSTON OF THE CIVIC SIX DAYS WORK WE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH AGAIN THE ATTACHE AND EMBASSIES AMBASSADORS AND
ARE CONTINUALLY DOING THIS AND I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT THROUGH THESE EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON SINCE 2018 WE'RE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE
HAVE 28 SIGNIFICANT SHIPS COMING FROM 25 DIFFERENT CULTURES WHICH PROMISES TO BE QUITE A SPECTACULAR EVENT FOR
THE CITY OF BOSTON. MORE IMPORTANTLY, A MULTICULTURAL EVENT. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE SHIPS AREN'T COMING FROM SAVANNAH AND CHARLESTON, THEY'RE COMING FROM
GERMANY, INDONESIA, MALAYSIA, JAPAN, CHINA, FRANCE, COLOMBIA, PERU, ARGENTINA, ECUADOR, CHILE
AND WE'RE THRILLED WITH THIS KIND OF PARTICIPATION. NOW I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A SIDE NOTE BECAUSE THE SHIPS WERE RECEIVED IN 1992 SO WELL AND THE CREW
AND CADETS WENT INTO THE COMMUNITIES AND SO WELCOMED AND SO SO ADORED, IF YOU WILL, THOSE CREW AND CADET YOUNG FOLK
ARE NOW THE AND THE THE ATTACHE AND THE CAPTAINS OF THEIR NAVY IN THEIR RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES. SO WHEN YOU SAY WE'RE THINKING OF GOING TO BOSTON, THERE'S A GREAT DEAL OF ENTHUSIASM
BECAUSE BOSTON EMBRACES THESE THESE CREW AND CADETS AND AS THEY COME OFF OF THESE SHIPS AND GET INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS ,THEY TRULY HAVE A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE THAT IS OUR
REPUTATION AND THAT WE COULD NOT DO IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT KIND OF ENTHUSIASM FROM THE COMMUNITIES. I'VE MENTIONED THE FACT THAT WE'RE BLESSED WITH 25 DIFFERENT
COUNTRIES. WE WILL PROBABLY HAVE OVER 100 SHIPS THE DATES. HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF JULY 11? JUST 16. HOWEVER, MOST OF THE SHIPS WILL ARRIVE HERE THE MORNING AFTER
THE LAST 50 OR ARRIVE HERE ON FRIDAY THE 10TH IN OUR OUTER OUTER HARBOR AND THEN THEY WILL PARADE IN ON THE 11TH.
THEREAFTER WE HAVE A SERIES OF EVENTS OVER THOSE. WE WORK VERY, VERY CLOSELY SCHOOLS OUT. SO WHAT WE DO IS WE WORK WITH THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS
OF BOSTON OR OFTEN THE YMCA AND BRINGING THE YOUTH IN EARLIER IN THE MORNING BEFORE THE SHIPS ARE OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC SO THAT WE HAVE AN EXCHANGE THEY COME ON, THEY COME UP THE GROUND, THEY MEET WITH THE
CREW, THEY MEET WITH THE CADETS, THEY MEET WITH THE C.O. AND HAVE AN EXPERIENCE UNDERSTAND WHAT THESE FOREIGN FOREIGN NATIVES ARE ABOUT.
THE CHALLENGE OF THE EVENT IS EMOTIONALLY ON THE WATER AND THEN THE PHYSICALITY YOU ARE BREATHING SPACE THAT WE HAVE IN
THE PORT KNOW AND GIVE A GREAT DEAL OF THANK YOU AND OUTREACH TO MATH PORT. THEY HAVE A BURGEONING CRUISE SHIP INDUSTRY SO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE OLDER THAN I AM MAY
REMEMBER THE SHIPS USED TO TIE UP AT BLACKROCK AND FLYNN AND FLYNN MARINE PARK NO LONGER CAN DO THAT HAPPILY WE HAVE SUCH A GOOD CRUISE INDUSTRY SO WE ARE
BEING QUITE CREATIVE AS WE GO AROUND THE PORT BUT FORTUNATELY AND FORTUNATELY AND WILL EMBRACE NOT ONLY THE THE SEA
THE CURRENT PEER TO PEER BOSTON HARBOR HOTEL NORTH AND CHARLESTOWN EAST BOSTON JEFFREY'S POINT MAIDUGURI ALL OF THOSE COMMUNITIES WE ARE
WORKING WITH NOT ONLY FOR THE KURDISH SHOW BUT FOR THE BERTHING. I WILL THANK ME IN BOSTON WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO THIS WITHOUT WITHOUT THE SUPPORT
OF MIT BOSTON WHICH THEY JOINED US YEARS AGO AND WORKING WITH THE 65 PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES FOR OUR TRANSPORTATION, PUBLIC
SAFETY AND OUR SECURED BERTHING . WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH MASSPORT MWI RAY DCR AND OF COURSE THE CITY OF BOSTON. WE WILL THIS EVENT IS FREE.
IT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR SIX DAYS. IT IS A JOYOUS OCCASION AND MANY, MANY PEOPLE WILL BRING THEIR CHILDREN AND THE GRANDPARENT AGE AND COME DOWN. IT'S A FAMILY EVENT AND
HOPEFULLY THEY SPEND LOTS OF MONEY WHICH I'M VERY PLEASED TO HEAR WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE THE MASS LENDING OPPORTUNITY
BECAUSE WE ONLY CONTROL WE SELL BOSTON ONLY CONTROL A LITTLE BIT OF SPACE ON THE LAND BUT IT'S A CITY THAT OPENS ITSELF UP TO ALL THE WONDERFUL LENDING OPPORTUNITIES WHICH WE LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON. THANK YOU. THANK YOU DUSTY. NEIL GREAT. THANK YOU FOR CHAIRMAN FLYNN. PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE APPRECIATE
YOU ALL BRINGING US TOGETHER. THANK FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY ON BEHALF OF THE FIFA WORLD CUP BOSTON 2026 HOST COMMITTEE MY NAME IS NEIL DOHERTY AND I SERVE AS THE DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS. I'M JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUE
STACEY VINCENT WHO'S OUR DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL IMPACT. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE FIRST PANEL FOR FOR PROVIDING ALL THE INFORMATION THAT THEY DID WITH THE BEST PRACTICES AND RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SIT WITH THEM IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO TALK TO OUR EVENT MORE SPECIFICALLY AND REALLY WORK WITH THE INTENTIONALITY THAT THEY DESCRIBE. I THINK THAT WOULD BE HUGELY APPRECIATED ON OUR END WE'D LOVE TO JUST PROVIDE AN
UNDERSTANDING OF THIS EVENT AND WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON SO LIKE TO START WITH A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE TOURNAMENT AND OUR ROLE AS THE LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE. THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP WILL BE THE LARGEST SPORTING EVENT IN
HISTORY. 48 NATIONS WILL COMPETE IN 104 MATCHES OVER 39 DAYS FROM JUNE 11TH TO JULY 19TH. BOSTON IS ONE OF 16 HOST CITIES ACROSS NORTH AMERICA INCLUDING 11 IN THE U.S., THREE IN MEXICO
AND TWO IN CANADA. BOSTON WILL HOST SEVEN MATCHES IN TOTAL FIVE GROUP STAGE GAMES, ONE ROUND A 32 AND A QUARTERFINAL ON JULY NINTH. ALL MATCHES WILL BE PLAYED AT GILLETTE STADIUM IN FOXBOROUGH WHICH WILL BE KNOWN AS BOSTON
STADIUM DURING THE TOURNAMENT. WHILE FAN EVENTS AND CELEBRATIONS WILL TAKE PLACE HERE IN BOSTON AND ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH, THIS EVENT IS AN EXTRAORDINARY OPPORTUNITY FOR BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS NEARLY 2
MILLION VISITORS ARE EXPECTED GENERATING AN ESTIMATED BILLION DOLLARS IN ECONOMIC IMPACT TO OUR REGION. FANS WILL FILL OUR HOTELS, DINE IN OUR RESTAURANTS, EXPLORE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND SHOP IN OUR BUSINESSES. OUR GOAL IS TO CREATE AN
EXPERIENCE THAT INSPIRES VISITORS TO STAY LONGER THAN JUST ONE MATCH BUT TO SPEND A WEEK HERE AND EXPLORE ALL THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER HERE IN BOSTON AND THROUGHOUT THE REGION THE ECONOMIC IMPACT IS PROJECTED TO
GENERATE OVER $65 MILLION IN DIRECT REVENUE FOR THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS NEARLY $10 MILLION FOR THE CITY THROUGH HOTEL AND MEALS TAXES. IT'LL ENERGIZE OUR CITY LIKE NEVER BEFORE AND WE WANT EVERYONE RESIDENTS, VISITORS,
BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITIES TO SHARE IN THE EXCITEMENT AND OPPORTUNITY THAT IT WILL BRING. BOSTON HOST COMMITTEE SERVES AS THE LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE WHERE A TEMPORARY NONPROFIT RESPONSIBLE FOR PLANNING AND DELIVERING ALL EVENTS
SURROUNDING THE MATCHES AT THE STADIUM. SO BASICALLY EVERYTHING THAT IS HAPPENING OUTSIDE OF THE STADIUM, THE GAMES THEMSELVES ARE RUN BY FIFA. THE COMMITTEE MUST GENERATE ITS
OWN FUNDING AND THE SCALE OF OUR CELEBRATION DEPENDS ON THE RESOURCES WE RAISE. WE HAVE THREE PRIMARY SOURCES OF FUNDING. FIRST IS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THE 11 U.S. HOST COMMITTEES
COLLECTIVELY SECURED $625 MILLION FOR SECURITY COSTS THROUGH THE RECONCILIATION BILL THAT WAS PASSED IN JULY OF THIS YEAR. I'M SORRY ALL OF THIS YEAR WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE OFFICE OF BUDGET MANAGEMENT TO
FINALIZE THE FUNDING REQUIREMENTS FOR THAT AND WE. IN ORDER THAT FUNDING IS CRUCIAL FOR US TO HAVE A SAFE AND SECURE EVENT NEXT SUMMER ACROSS THE 11 U.S. HOST CITIES. SECOND, OUR STATE AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS WE'RE PARTNERING WITH THE COMMONWEALTH, THE CITY AND MUNICIPALITIES ACROSS THE REGION TO PRODUCE THIS EVENT. IN AUGUST GOVERNOR HEALEY AND HER ADMINISTRATION INCLUDED FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE WORLD CUP IN THE CURRENT CLOSED OUT SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET THAT'S
BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE. WE'RE CONTINUING TO TRACK THAT AS IT MOVES THROUGH THE HOUSE AND SENATE OVER THE COMING WEEKS. THIRD, FUNDING SOURCES OUR COMMERCIAL SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM PRIVATE FUNDRAISING IS A VITAL PART OF THIS EFFORT AND WE'RE PARTNERING WITH ICONIC BOSTON
BUSINESSES EAGER TO SUPPORT THE EVENT AND SHOWCASE OUR CITY TO THE WORLD. ME BOSTON HAS BEEN A SUPPORTER FROM DAY ONE AND WAS A MAJOR FACTOR IN BOSTON BIDDING FOR AND BEING SELECTED THE HOST CITY.
WE'RE GRATEFUL TO MARTHA SHERIDAN AND HER TEAM AT MIT BOSTON FOR ALL THE INCREDIBLE SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THUS FAR AND INTO THE FUTURE INCLUDING EVENTS LIKE HER PARTNERSHIP EVENT AT THE CONVENTION CENTER
A FEW WEEKS AGO WHERE WE SPOKE TO ABOUT 500 BUSINESSES IN THE CITY AND HOW THEY CAN GET INVOLVED IN THIS EVENT. SO AS FUNDRAISING CONTINUES, OUR PLANNING REMAINS FOCUSED ON THREE CORE PRIORITIES SECURITY,
TRANSPORTATION AND CELEBRATION . THE HOST COMMITTEE OVERSEES SECURITY FOR ALL EVENTS OUTSIDE THE STADIUM INCLUDING THE FAN FESTIVAL TEAM HOTELS, TEAM TRAINING SITES AND ANY OTHER OFFICIAL BOSTON 26 EVENTS.
WE'RE COORDINATING CLOSELY WITH BOSTON POLICE, FIRE, EMS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ALONG WITH STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES TO ENSURE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS. ON THE TRANSPORTATION SIDE, RELIABLE AND EFFICIENT
TRANSPORTATION WILL BE CRITICAL AS FANS TRAVEL BETWEEN BOSTON AND FOXBOROUGH. THE MTA HAS BEEN AN OUTSTANDING PARTNER COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING SAFE, DEPENDABLE SERVICE DURING THE EVENT. WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH BTP AND OTHER TRANSPORTATION AGENCIES
TO MINIMIZE DISRUPTIONS FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS AND WORKERS DURING THESE MATCHES. THIRD PILLAR FOCUSES ON THE CELEBRATION BRINGING THE EXCITEMENT OF THE TOURNAMENT BEYOND THE STADIUM AND INTO OUR COMMUNITIES.
EACH HOST CITY WILL FEATURE A FIFA FAN FESTIVAL AS THE CENTRAL HUB OF ACTIVITY WHICH WILL BE LOCATED HERE IN BOSTON . WE ALSO ANTICIPATE ADDITIONAL EVENTS ACROSS THE CITY AND COMMONWEALTH THAT WILL UNITE COMMUNITIES, ATTRACT VISITORS
AND SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES. THESE PRIORITIES DRIVE OUR WORK AND FORMED THE FOUNDATION OF MOST OF THE CONTRACTING AND VENDOR OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE THROUGH THE HOST COMMITTEE. CURRENTLY WE HAVE TWO EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST OPEN. ONE IS FOR PRIVATE SECURITY
SERVICES RELATED TO THE FAN FESTIVAL AND THE OTHER IS FOR CLEANING AND WASTE MANAGEMENT SERVICES RELATED TO THE FAN FESTIVAL. ADDITIONAL THROUGH THE HOST COMMITTEE WILL MAY AND WILL BECOME AVAILABLE ONCE WE FINALIZE THE SCOPE AND SCALE
OF THAT EVENT. THROUGH THE FUNDRAISING THAT I DISCUSSED BEYOND THE HOST COMMITTEE THOUGH FIFA AND ITS COMMERCIAL AFFILIATES ARE EXPECTED TO HOST A RANGE OF EVENTS IN BOSTON NEXT SUMMER
CREATING FURTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL AND SMALL BUSINESSES TO PARTICIPATE AND SHOWCASE THEIR EXPERTISE TO A GLOBAL AUDIENCE. BUSINESSES CAN FIND INFORMATION ON THESE OPPORTUNITIES AT
BOSTON FWC TWO SIX DOT.COM BOSTON F826 WSJ.COM. OUR BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES PAGE INCLUDES LINKS TO THOSE EYES AND A FORM FOR VENDORS INTERESTED IN GETTING INVOLVED .
SUBMISSIONS THERE ARE NOT ONLY SHARED WITH THE HOST COMMITTEE WHICH IS OURSELVES BUT ALSO WITH FIFA AND ITS AFFILIATES THROUGH THEIR LOCAL IMPACT SUPPLIER PROGRAM. SO IF YOU ARE HEARING FROM BUSINESSES IN YOUR DISTRICTS IN
ANYWHERE IN THE CITY, PLEASE DIRECT THEM TO THAT FORM SO THAT THEY CAN BE INCLUDED. THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO BE MADE AWARE OF UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES AND WE ASK THAT YOU DO. PLEASE SHARE THIS EVENT AS WIDELY AS YOU CAN WITH YOUR
NETWORKS SO WE KNOW TODAY'S HEARING IS FOCUSED ON EQUITABLE PROCUREMENT AND ENGAGEMENT AND WE SHARE THAT COMMITMENT FULLY. WE ARE EAGER TO WORK WITH THE CITY, THE STATE AND THE LEADERS IN THIS ROOM TO ENSURE THAT THE BENEFITS OF THIS EVENT REACH EVERY OF BOSTON.
I WANT TO THANK CHIEF ITOCHU AND HIS TEAM FOR THE CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP FROM DAY ONE AND MAYOR WU AND HER ENTIRE ADMINISTRATION FOR THEIR GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT AS WE PUT THIS EVENT AND BRING THE WORLD TO BOSTON NEXT SUMMER. WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO AND
WE'RE EAGER TO WORK WITH EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO BE INVOLVED IN SHOWCASING BOSTON ON THE GLOBAL STAGE. BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO STACY, I WANT TO CLOSE BY EMPHASIZING JUST HOW EXTRAORDINARY A MOMENT THIS IS FOR OUR CITY. NEXT SUMMER'S GOING TO BE EXTREMELY BUSY AS YOU KNOW,
THREE MASSIVE, MASSIVE EVENTS NEARLY 2 MILLION VISITORS ARE GOING TO BE RUNNING AROUND HERE. THERE'S A LOT OF PLANNING AND WORK TO BE DONE. BUT THE FIFA WORLD CUP IS THE MOST WATCHED EVENT IN THE WORLD OVER 5 BILLION VIEWERS ACROSS
THE TOURNAMENT. HERE IN BOSTON WE HAVE SEVEN MATCHES INCLUDING A QUARTER FINAL. THAT ALONE COULD DRAW NEARLY A BILLION VIEWERS. THIS IS OUR COLLECTIVE MOMENT TO SHOWCASE EVERYTHING THAT MAKES BOSTON GREAT OUR HISTORY, OUR CULTURE, OUR BUSINESSES AND
OUR PEOPLE. AS THE HOST COMMITTEE WE'RE COMMITTED TO DELIVERING AN UNFORGETTABLE EVENT ONE THAT VISITORS AND RESIDENTS ALIKE WILL LOVE. BUT OUR VISION AND OPPORTUNITY BUT OUR VISION AND THE OPPORTUNITY BEFORE US EXTENDS
FAR BEYOND NEXT SUMMER. A SUCCESSFUL WORLD CUP WILL POSITION BOSTON TO HOST FUTURE GLOBAL EVENTS AND BRING LASTING OPPORTUNITIES, INVESTMENT AND INVESTMENT TO OUR CITY AND ITS BUSINESSES. SO WE LOOK FOR WE'LL LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND EVERYONE IN THE ROOM HERE TO CREATE AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE NEXT SUMMER. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY. LOOKING FORWARD TO THE QUESTIONS, STACY. THANK YOU, NEAL. GOOD AFTERNOON.
CHAIRMAN FLYNN, PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE AND COUNCILORS, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY. MY NAME IS STACY LYNN SANDS AND I SERVE AS THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL IMPACT FOR THE FIFA WORLD CUP 2026 BOSTON HOST
COMMITTEE. I'VE BEEN IN THIS ROLE FOR FOUR MONTHS LEADING OUR HUMAN RIGHTS AND SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGIES WHICH SPANS ALL FUNCTIONAL AREAS OF EVENT COORDINATION
INCLUDING OUR ANTI-TRAFFICKING RESPONSE. ACCESSIBILITY, ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND WHAT FIFA REFERS TO AS RESPONSIBLE CONTRACTING. IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE IN
MASSACHUSETTS HELPING TO BRING THIS GLOBAL EVENT TO LIFE. THE WORLD CUP IS MORE THAN JUST A SPORTING EVENT. IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE BOSTON AND THE REGION TO THE WORLD. OUR SHARED GOAL AS A LOCAL
ORGANIZING COMMITTEE IS TO DELIVER A SAFE, ENJOYABLE AND INSPIRING EVENT THAT LEAVES A POSITIVE AND LASTING LEGACY FOR OUR COMMUNITIES. AS PART OF FIFA'S HUMAN RIGHTS
SUSTAINABILITY FRAMEWORKS FOR WORLD CUP 26 HOST COMMITTEES ALL OF THEM ALL 16 ARE EXPECTED TO INTEGRATE INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS AND SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS ACROSS ALL AREAS
OF EVENT PLANNING AND DELIVERY . THESE FRAMEWORKS ARE BUILT ON THE UNITED NATIONS GUIDING PRINCIPLES ON BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS WHICH MEANS EACH HOST COMMITTEE IS EXPECTED TO
CONDUCT HUMAN RIGHTS DUE DILIGENCE THAT MEANS IDENTIFY RISKS PREVENTING HARM AND ENSURING BENEFITS OF HOSTING FLOW TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES. WHILE FIFA'S GLOBAL POLICIES
THE TERMS SUSTAINABLE PROCUREMENT AND RESPONSIBLE CONTRACTING IN THE U.S. CONTEXT, THIS ALIGNS CLOSELY WITH WHAT WE KNOW AS EQUITABLE PROCUREMENT.
WE ARE TAKING CARE TO MEET OUR CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS TO FIFA WHILE LEVERAGING THE COMMONWEALTH AND CITY'S EXISTING STRENGTHS IN THESE AREAS. OUR WORK THIS WORK ON RESPONSIBLE CONTRACTING IS
BUILT ON THREE MAIN PILLARS. FIRST, RESPONSIBLE CONTRACTING AND TRANSPARENT DEALINGS. FIFA EXPECTS HOST CITIES TO APPLY ITS RESPONSIBLE
CONTRACTING STANDARDS MEANING ANY ENTITY DELIVERING WORLD CUP RELATED WORK WITH ITS SMALL, LOCAL OR INTERNATIONAL MUST DEMONSTRATE RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND SUSPEND
SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH ITS SUPPLY CHAIN THAT IS REFLECTED IN OBLIGATIONS TO INCLUSIVE HIRING SO OUR WORKFORCE AS WELL AS LOCAL PARTICIPATION IN BOSTON WE'RE ALIGNING WITH THE
CITY AND COMMONWEALTH ITS ALREADY ROBUST SUPPLIER DIVERSITY AND EQUITABLE PROCUREMENT SYSTEMS. RATHER THAN ATTEMPTING TO RECREATE THOSE OURSELVES WE WANT TO AMPLIFY THE SYSTEMS
THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT LOCAL VETERAN MINORITY LGBTQ I.E. WOMEN DISABLED AND VETERAN DISABLED OWNED BUSINESSES CAN ACCESS
OPPORTUNITIES THE TOURNAMENT WILL CREATE. THE SECOND PILLAR IS THE LOCAL IMPACT SUPPLIER PROGRAM. YOU'LL JUST MENTION THIS THIS IS A FIFA LED INITIATIVE THAT IS IN ITS VERY EARLY STAGES BEING IMPLEMENTED ACROSS ALL 16
HOST CITIES. IT AIMS TO MAKE THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS MORE INCLUSIVE BY CONNECTING LOCAL AND SMALL BUSINESSES WITH TOURNAMENT RELATED OPPORTUNITIES. AS THE HOST COMMITTEE WE INTEND
TO LINK THAT PROGRAM DIRECTLY TO THE STATES AND CITIES EXISTING CERTIFIED BUSINESS DATABASES. BEYOND MATCHMAKING IT ALSO FOCUSES ON CAPACITY BUILDING AND VISIBILITY SO THAT OUR
BUSINESSES ARE WELL POSITIONED TO PARTICIPATE AND TO BENEFIT LONG AFTER THE EVENT. WE ALSO AGAIN WANT TO ENCOURAGE INTERESTED BUSINESSES TO GO TO OUR WEBSITE AND COMPLETE THE NEW BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
FORM. THAT DATA WILL THEN BE PASSED ALONG TO FIFA AND ITS COMMERCIAL PARTNERS AND AFFILIATES. THE THIRD PILLAR IS LEGACY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
WE ARE CURRENTLY DEVELOPING BOSTON'S REQUIRED HUMAN RIGHTS ACTION PLAN WHICH WILL TRANSLATE FIFA'S GLOBAL STANDARDS INTO A LOCAL ROAD MAP FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND INCLUSION ENSURING THAT WHAT WE
DO HERE STRENGTHENS OUR REPUTATION AND OUR COMMUNITIES AND MORE IMPORTANTLY DOES NO HARM. WHILE MUCH OF THIS WORK IS STILL IN PROGRESS, SOME OF IT IS IN ITS EARLY STAGES.
OUR DIRECTION AS A LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE IS CLEAR. WE ARE BUILDING A MODEL THAT COMBINES GLOBAL STANDARDS WITH LOCAL STRENGTH LEVERAGING THE COMMONWEALTH'S LEADERSHIP AND SUPPLIER DIVERSITY AND THE
CITY'S COMMITMENT TO EQUITABLE PROCUREMENT TO ENSURE THAT THE BENEFITS OF THE WORLD CUP ARE SHARED WIDELY. THANK YOU AGAIN CHAIRMAN FLYNN, PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP AS WE PREPARE TO WELCOME THE WORLD TO BOSTON. WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS WORK TOGETHER TO DELIVER A TOURNAMENT THAT EXCITES THE WORLD AND LEAVES A LEGACY THAT WE CAN ALL BE PROUD OF. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, STACEY. I KNOW BEFORE I GO TO THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT I KNOW ONE PERSON THAT WAS ALREADY MENTIONED BUT I WOULD LIKE TO
MENTION HER AGAIN FOR HER FOR HER WORK IN IN ALL ISSUES RELATING TO DIVERSITY INCLUSION . SOMEONE SOMEONE I'VE HAD TREMENDOUS RESPECT I'VE HAD
TREMENDOUS RESPECT FOR FOR A LONG, LONG PERIOD LONG PERIOD OF TIME 1 TO 4. FORMER STATE SENATOR, THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US AS WELL.
AT THIS TIME I'M GOING TO ASK CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BEGIN THE QUESTIONING? I WOULD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR
YOUR TESTIMONY. I THINK IT HIGHLIGHTED A NUMBER OF THE ISSUES. I HAVE QUESTIONS FOR EVERYONE AND I'M BOTH HAPPY WE PUT THE
TWO DOCTORS TOGETHER AND I'M NERVOUS BECAUSE I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND SO HOPEFULLY WE WILL BE ABLE TO GET THROUGH THEM. DAVE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. I SAT DOWN WITH YOU AND MARTHA.
I WISH MARTHA COULD HAVE BEEN HERE TODAY BUT GLAD TO HAVE HEARD YOUR TESTIMONY. ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN I LOOK AT THE BOSTON CAMBRIDGE TOURISM DESTINATION MARKETING DISTRICT PLAN WHICH WAS CONCEIVED IN
2021 I THINK THE TDSB IS GREAT GREAT THAT FOLKS OPTED IN FOR THIS ASSESSMENT TO HELP DURING A CHALLENGING TIME THAT IS CONTINUING TO REAP BENEFITS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TODAY AND
WE THINK THAT'S GREAT. I WANT TO SEE IT SUSTAINED SO LONG AS WE ARE ABLE TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE THINKING ABOUT TOURISM IN THE WAY THAT WE WANT TO IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND
THINK ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE UPLIFTING OUR VALUES AND INCLUDING EVERYONE. ONE OF THE THINGS MY TEAM DID PLAN STATED THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE SEATS OF THE COMMITTEE SHALL ALWAYS BE COMPRISED AND
THERE'S THE DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE THAT DETERMINES HOW THE FUNDS WILL BE DISPERSED AND WHO MAKES UP THAT COMMITTEE. IT SAYS THE COMMITTEE SHOULD ALWAYS BE COMPRISED OF ASSESSED LODGING BUSINESS OWNERS THE
MAJORITY OF SEATS BUT NOT IT DOESN'T SAY THE SUPERMAJORITY. IT DOESN'T SAY SO WHAT DOES A COMPOSITION OF THAT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE LOOK LIKE? SURE. SO EVERY VOTING MEMBER OF THE
TMD COMMITTEE IS A GENERAL MANAGER OF A BOSTON OR CAMBRIDGE HOTEL SO THERE ARE TWO NON-VOTING AT-LARGE MEMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN THERE FROM THE BEGINNING AND STILL REMAIN
INCLUDING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CAMBRIDGE OFFICE FOR TOURISM. WHEN WE FIRST ENACTED THE PLAN AND STARTED THE DISTRICT WE CREATED A LARGER GROUP OF THE
INITIAL COMMITTEE WITH THE UNDERSTANDING WE WERE GOING TO SUNSET SOME OF THOSE SEATS AS WE APPROACH THE RENEWAL. SO IT WAS THROUGHOUT THE HOTEL
PETITION PROCESS WHICH IS WHAT OCCURRED BEFORE BOSTON AND CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THE DISTRICT AND 21 IT WAS PART OF THE HOTEL PETITION PROCESS AND STAKEHOLDER CONVERSATIONS
WHERE WE ALIGNED WITH THE HOTEL COMMUNITY ON THE PROPERTIES THAT WOULD BE REPRESENTED ON THE COMMITTEE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS. RIGHT. SO BECAUSE AGAIN THE THE INVESTMENT IN THE FUNDS HAVE TO
BE DICTATED BY HOTELS WE'D LOOK AT WHERE THE HOTELS AND THE GREATEST HOTEL INVENTORY WAS THROUGHOUT BOSTON AND CAMBRIDGE RIGHT. AND THAT KIND OF WAS REFLECTED IN HOW WE COMPOSED THE COMMITTEE ITSELF BACKED BY
HOTELS DOWNTOWN HOTELS, SEAPORT HOTELS, CAMBRIDGE HOTELS YOU KNOW WHERE THE MAJORITY OF HOTELS ARE. SO THE COMPOSITION OF THAT COMMITTEE AND THE VOTING MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE WILL ESSENTIALLY REMAIN THE SAME
AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO GO DOWN TO 11 VOTING MEMBERS FROM THE ORIGINAL 15 THAT WERE IN THAT PLAN. BUT THE VOTING MEMBERS WILL ALWAYS BE THE HOTELS OF BOSTON IN CAMBRIDGE. IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE THE
PLAN THAT WAS THOUGHTFULLY WRITTEN AS WAS STATED BY THE STATE SENATOR INCLUDED LANGUAGE THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE IT TO BE THE ASSESSED HOTELIERS IT DOESN'T REQUIRE IT TO BE IT
SAYS THE MAJORITY. SO WONDERING WHY IT'S A 15 MEMORY GOING DOWN TO 11 IS PROBABLY EASIER FOR DECISION MAKING AT SOMEONE OVER 13 REMEMBER IT BUT WHY IS A
DECISION THAT 11 OF THE 11 PEOPLE WHO ARE MAKING THE DECISIONS ABOUT HOW TO USE THESE FUNDS ARE THIS LODGING BUSINESS OWNERS WHEN THE PLAN
ITSELF THAT WAS AS EVERYONE HAS STATED SO FAR METICULOUSLY THOUGHT OF ONLY REQUIRES A MAJORITY AND A MAJORITY OF 15 IS A RIGHT SO THAT SEVEN COULD GO TO PEOPLE WHO ARE THINKING
MORE HOLISTICALLY ABOUT WHAT TOURISM COULD AND SHOULD LOOK LIKE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO IT'S PER THE LAW THAT HOTELS HAVE TO BE THE VOTING MEMBERS.
WHAT THAT CLAUSE MEANS IS THAT IF WE CHOSE TO INCLUDE A LARGER AMOUNT OF NON VOTING MEMBERS FOR EXAMPLE INSTEAD OF TWO IF WE HAD, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL
ONES THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMITTEE ALWAYS HAS TO BE HOTELS SO I CAN CONSULT WITH OUR PARTNERS AT CIVITAS TO ASK
IF THAT LANGUAGE CAN BE CLARIFIED A BIT IN THE RENEWAL OF THE DISTRICT PLAN BECAUSE TO YOUR POINT MADAM PRESIDENT, IT DOES CREATE A BIT OF QUESTIONING AROUND WELL
COULD WE JUST MAKE THIS COMMITTEE LARGER AND AS LONG AS YOU KNOW 51% ARE HOTELS I'M NOT ADVOCATING FOR A LARGER RATE ON ADVOCATING THAT THAT'S NOT WHAT MY I'M JUST I'M JUST TRYING TO
UNDERSTAND THIS PLAN THAT WAS SO DILIGENTLY RIGHT MADE IT OUT LIKE BECAUSE IF I HEAR YOU AND I HEARD YOUR TESTIMONY THAT KNOW IT IS IT IS A COMMITTEE THAT WHERE WE ARE WE ARE
ALREADY TRYING TO PITCH THE VALUE OF SUPPORTING EVENTS THAT ARE COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT MAYBE NOT TODAY ARE GENERATING THE HEADS AND BEDS THAT YOU WANT TO SEE. BUT IF WE WITH SUSTAINED INVESTMENT COULD BECOME THOSE
EVENTS. WONDERING IF YOU HAD A DECISION MAKING BOARD THAT WASN'T JUST HOTELIERS YOU'D BE ABLE YOU'D PROBABLY HAVE LESS OF A
DIFFICULTY IN PITCHING THAT ARGUMENT. I SEE YOUR POINT AND IF WE WERE TO INCREASE THE SIZE OF THE NON-VOTING CONTINGENT OF THE TMD COMMITTEE THE HOTELS, THE
VOTING MEMBERS WOULD STILL HAVE TO BE THE MAJORITY BUT THAT'S WHAT THAT CLAUSE THERE FOR. BUT I UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT. YOU KNOW THAT IF THERE'S PERSPECTIVE FROM OUTSIDE OF THE HOTEL HOTEL COMMUNITY THEY CAN
HELP INFORM AND EDUCATE THEM AS TO HOW SOMEBODY COULD GROW AS A VISITOR EVENT FOR EXAMPLE. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE AT MI BOSTON EMBARK ON THOSE CONVERSATIONS KIND OF OUTSIDE OF EVEN COMMITTEE CONVERSATION
SO THAT IF WE'RE TALKING WITH, YOU KNOW, A FAMILY REUNION OR YOU KNOW, A BAND SPACE OR ROXBURY FILM FESTIVAL THAT THEY ARE UNDERSTANDING THAT WHEN IT COMES TO THAT WAS VOTED
COMMITTEE MEMBERS THE NOTION OF VISITATION AND HAD SOME BEDS AND OVERNIGHTS IS CRITICAL SO WE ARE BOSTON TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS OUTSIDE OF THE COMMITTEE HEARINGS THEMSELVES. BUT I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND YOUR
POINT THAT IT ADDS A LOT MORE ELEMENTS OF YOU KNOW, HOW SOMETHING COULD GROW AS AN EVENT IF THOSE PERSPECTIVES ARE INCLUDED AND WE DO DO OUR BEST TO YEAH. AND I THINK THAT THE MARKETING
PLAN GIVES YOU THE ROOM TO WHICH IS WHAT I WAS I'VE HAD THE HONOR OF BEING A GUEST SPEAKER AT ONE OF BOSTON'S CAREER FAIRS AND REALLY LAST YEAR AND IT WAS IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE TURNOUT. THERE WERE GREAT A LOT
OF HOTELS THERE, A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE IN SEARCH OF EMPLOYMENT. I'M WONDERING WHAT DO YOU DO TO TRACK THE SUCCESS RATE OF BEING ABLE TO PLACE PEOPLE RIGHT AS A
CAREER FAIR BEING ONE OF THE MAIN POINTS OF OF GETTING AT THIS OR THE GOALS OF OF SUPPLY DIVERSION WHAT WHAT DOES THE DATA THAT YOU USE TO TO TRACK
THE SUCCESS OF SURE SURE AND YOU'LL SEE ANOTHER DOCUMENT THAT I INCLUDED IN THE PACKET WAS OUR KIND OF A LOOK BACK AT THE RESULTS OF THE TEDMED SEASON. YOUR FOURTH IS WHAT'S IN THE
PACKET AND YOU'LL SEE IN THERE THERE IS A SECTION ON BOTH CAREER FAIR AND ALSO THE OVERALL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE WE HAVE WITH CLINTON HARRIS SO ESSENTIALLY WE WORK WITH WITH KIND OF SEEM TO TRACK
THAT SO WE REGISTER JOBSEEKERS WHEN THEY ARRIVE WE REGISTER OUR PARTNERS THAT ARE THERE EXHIBITING AND THEN WE FOLLOW UP WITH OUR PARTNERS TO SEE YOU KNOW OF THE JOB APPLICANTS AND
SEEKERS THAT CAME YOU KNOW HOW MANY INTERVIEWS YOU DID, HOW MANY INTERVIEWS YOU DID YOU CONDUCT AND HOW MANY WERE PLACED RIGHT? WE WANT THAT NUMBER TO GROW. IT HAS GROWN OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. I THINK THAT OUR CAREER FAIR
WHICH LAUNCHED IN 23 I BELIEVE EVERY SUBSEQUENT YEAR WE'VE SEEN THE NUMBER OF JOB SEEKERS THAT ACTUALLY GET EMPLOYMENT GROW. WE'VE SEEN THE NUMBER OF ATTENDEES JOB SEEKERS GROW.
ANOTHER REALLY IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IS THE PATH PROGRAM I MENTIONED AND AGAIN THAT STANDS FOR PROMOTING ADVANCEMENT IN TOURISM HOSPITALITY WHICH WE'RE ALSO
WORKING WITH CONE AND HARRISON ASSOCIATES ON IS IT IS TIED TO THE CAREER FAIR SOMEWHAT IT MAKES SENSE THAT WE HAVE THE SAME PARTNER KIND OF HELPING US WITH BOTH BUT IT'S ALSO DIFFERENT PATH IS DESIGNED TO
CREATE MORE PATHWAYS AND MOBILITY WITHIN THE SECTOR SO IT'S ABOUT MIDDLE TO UPPER LEVEL POSITIONS LEADERSHIP POSITIONS WITHIN TOURISM HOSPITALITY BECAUSE WHILE THE WORKFORCE ITSELF IS INCREDIBLY
DIVERSE AND THE WHOLE SECTOR RELIES ON IT WE HAVE ME BOSTON HAVE TAKEN IT UPON OURSELVES TO MAKE SURE WE'RE OPENING DOORS FOR UPWARD MOBILITY WITHIN THE INDUSTRY. THAT'S WHAT PATH IS DEVOTED TO AND PATH COMES WITH ITS OWN
ASSOCIATED SLEW OF METRICS THAT CONAN OVERSEES AND SHARES WITH US QUARTERLY. IN FACT, HE JUST PRESENTED TO OUR BOARD LAST MONTH ON NUMBER OF PLACEMENTS BASICALLY KONAN
WILL SEE WHEN THERE ARE NEEDS IN THE INDUSTRY HE WILL PROVIDE CANDIDATES TO THOSE MEET BOSTON PARTNERS AND THEN HE WILL TRACK WHO GETS PLACED AND IF THERE ARE AREAS WHERE WE FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD BE DOING BETTER OR WONDER WHY CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS
WEREN'T PLACED, HE WILL FOLLOW UP ON THAT AND REPORT BACK TO US. LIKE WITH THE CAREER FAIR THE PATH PROGRAM I THINK STARTED SLOWER THAN WE WANTED AND NOW
HAS GROWN IN TERMS OF THE PLACEMENTS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL BOTH RIGHT VOLUME IS GREAT NUMBER OF JOB SEEKERS, A GREAT NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS IN PATH IS GREAT BUT WE WANT TO SEE CONVERSIONS AND WE'RE STARTING
TO SEE THAT SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION MADAM PRESIDENT, THAT TRACKING THOSE METRICS ARE PROVIDED TO US BY. CONAN OKAY. AND WHAT ABOUT THE IS A ROLLING
OUT A NEW RFP PROCESS FOR FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROGRAM? OH, FIRST OF ALL, OUR DIVERSITY YES. SO WE'RE AGAIN WORKING WITH CONAN AND WE HAD A VERY ROBUST RFP PROCESS THROUGHOUT 24 AND
INTO 25 TO IDENTIFY PARTNER THAT COULD HELP US BUILD A MODULE THAT WOULD HELP OUR PARTNERS THAT WANT TO BE MORE INTENTIONAL IN VENDOR PROCUREMENT TO DO THAT. SO THAT IDENTIFIED AN AGENCY
CALLED NECTAR IQ WHICH WAS THE VENDOR THAT EMERGED FROM THAT RFP PROCESS AS THE PARTNER OF ME BOSTON AND I REFER TO IN MY REMARKS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ROLLING THAT OUT I THINK IS
THE TERM I USE SOON. WHAT THAT MEANS IS SINCE WE ONBOARDED NECTAR IQ WE HAVE BEEN INTERNALLY FIRST LOOKING AT ALL THE SPEND THAT BOSTON HAS DONE WITH OUR PARTNER SO
CAPTURING ALL OF IT NOT JUST THAT'S GOING TO YOU KNOW BLACK AND BROWN VETERAN LGBTQ PLUS LIKE BUSINESSES SORT OF ALL OF IT RIGHT. SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH NECTAR IQ IS TO CREATE A BENCHMARK UNDERSTANDING OF HOW WE'RE DOING.
YOU KNOW THE NUMBER 25% WAS MENTIONED EARLIER. WE'RE TRYING TO ARRIVE AT WHAT ARE WE DOING NOW AND HOW WE CAN IMPROVE IT, RIGHT. YOU KNOW, WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE MEETING THAT 25% TARGET, WE'RE
WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT IT'S NOT A IS YOU KNOW, NICOLE BECKMAN SPOKE ABOUT IT. IT'S NOT A TARGET THAT YOU HAVE. BUT OUT OF CURIOSITY, WOULD YOU DO YOU KNOW IF YOU'D BE THERE? I DON'T KNOW YET BECAUSE WE'RE STILL COMPILING ALL THE DATA
INTERNALLY ABOUT THE SPEND. BUT THE POINT IS TO BUILD A PLATFORM THAT ALL OF OUR PARTNERS CAN TAP INTO, RIGHT? SO WE'RE HOLDING OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE FIRST. OKAY. SO HOW IS MIT BOSTON MIT DOING AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO CREATE
A BASELINE, A BENCHMARK AND ASPIRATIONAL GOALS FROM THERE WHICH WE CAN CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, REPORT TO THE COUNCIL BUT BIGGER PICTURE MORE HOLISTICALLY. IT'S ABOUT ENCOURAGING OUR INDUSTRY PARTNERS BECAUSE
ME BOSTON IS A PARTNERSHIP ORGANIZATION TO ALSO UTILIZE THE NECTAR IQ SUPPLIER DIVERSITY MODULE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ROLLING OUT AND THERE'S NOT MANY DESTINATION
MARKETING ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE DONE THIS YOU KNOW A LOT YEAH YOU KNOW SAY AND INDICATE THAT THEY OF COURSE WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN EQUITABLE PROCUREMENT BUT TO ACTUALLY BUILD A PLATFORM OR A MODULE
THAT ALLOWS US TO SELF-ASSESS AND ALSO ALLOWS OUR PARTNERS TO BE ENGAGED AND INVOLVED IS SOMETHING WE'RE VERY PROUD OF. SINCE YOU MENTIONED IT, I DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE THE RENEWAL.
IT'S A THE LAW REQUIRES A RENEWAL VOTE EVERY FIVE YEARS. SO WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT THAT RENEWAL AND WHAT IS IN HOW IS THE PROCESS GOING TO BE
INCLUSIVE OF A MORE DIVERSE SET OF VOICES? AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND THE MODEL OF IT BEING DRIVEN BY HEADS AND BEDS AND THIS IS AN ASSESSMENT
OF THE CITY APPROVED THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT VERY INTENTIONAL LANGUAGE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR ACTIONS ARE ACTUALLY MEETING THAT INTENTIONALITY SO WHAT ABOUT SCHEDULING? WHEN IS THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY WILL THE CITY COUNCIL BE MADE
AWARE OF THAT RENEWAL OF THAT MUST BE MUST BE MADE AND THEN THREE HOW ARE YOU GOING TO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE A WIDER ARRAY OF VOICES? SURE, SURE YOU WILL BE MADE
AWARE BECAUSE IT ACTUALLY IS APPROACHING IT'S IMMINENT AND BY THE LAW WE ARE REQUIRED WE WE'VE NOTICED YOU ANYWAYS BUT TO PUT IT IN A PUBLICATION WHICH YOU WILL IN THE GLOBE AND ALSO MORE THAN 30 DAYS OUT
ALERT OUR HOTEL PARTNERS IN BOSTON AND CAMBRIDGE THAT WE ARE CALLING FOR A RENEWAL VOTE WHICH WE'VE DONE BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO TAKE PLACE ON OCTOBER 29TH FOR THAT RENEWAL VOTE WHICH REQUIRED WHAT IS
REQUIRED IS 50% OF HOTELS IN BOSTON AND CAMBRIDGE WITH OVER 50 ROOMS TO COME AND VOTE FOR THE RENEWAL. THE ORIGINAL FORMATION OF THE DISTRICT REQUIRES 62% FOR AN AMENDMENT THAT WAS IN THE
ENABLING LEGISLATION. WE GOT CLOSE TO 78% OF HOTELS WHEN WE FIRST FORMED THE DISTRICT THE 22% THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THAT NUMBER WERE NOT NO VOTES. THEY WERE NO SHOWS SO THERE
WASN'T ONE THERE MIGHT'VE BEEN ONE VOTE AGAINST THE FORMATION BUT WE GOT CLOSE TO 80%. THIS WILL ACQUIRE 51%. WHAT WE ARE DOING AND ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING IS SHARING
A PRESENTATION DECK WITH ALL OF OUR HOTEL COMMITTEE ON AGAIN WHAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS BUT WHAT WE INTEND TO DO OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS AND A BIG PART OF THAT OF COURSE IS LARGE EVENT
SUPPORT, COMMUNITY EVENT SUPPORT AND WE ALSO LEAN ON OUR BOARD OF WHICH YOU KNOW, SOME MEMBERS OF OUR BOARD ARE ALREADY PRESENT PRESENT AT TODAY'S HEARING TO INFORM US ABOUT WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO
SEE IN TERMS OF THE COMMUNICATION THAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE HOTEL COMMITTEE COMMUNITY AS WE APPROACH RENEWAL. BUT AS I MENTIONED IN MY REMARKS, EVERYTHING FOCUSED AROUND DIVERSITY, EQUITY INCLUSION WORK AROUND PROMOTING
ALL COMMUNITIES, AROUND MAKING SURE THAT THE RESIDENT VERTICAL, THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF BOSTON ARE AMPLIFIED AS IT RELATES TO HOW WE PROMOTE THE DESTINATION OUTWARDLY THOSE ARE ALL ENSHRINED IN THE PLAN WILL
CONTINUE TO BE THANK YOU. ONE LAST QUESTION FOR YOU FOR YOU ON THIS MATTER IS ARE THERE THE COMPANY THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT IS DOING A REVIEW
OF SPENDING? IS THAT ESSENTIALLY DOING AN AUDIT OR WHO DOES AN AUDIT OF EXPENDITURES? AND FOR ME BOSTON, IT'S ESSENTIALLY A SELF AUDIT SO THE COMPANY WE'VE CONTRACTED WITH
WILL BE THE PARTNER IN HOW WE ROLL THIS OUT FOR THE INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE. BUT WE DECIDED TO AS A FIRST STEP TO LOOK AT OUR SPENDING RIGHT? SO NOT ONLY AS A WAY FOR US TO
KIND OF UNDERSTAND BEST PRACTICES AND FUNCTIONALITY OF THE NECTAR IQ PLATFORM BUT ACCOUNTABILITY AND THAT WILL BE MADE PUBLIC EVERYONE WILL BE
ABLE TO ACCESS IT WHERE YOU PUT OR THE CITY COUNCIL OR YOU PUT IT ON YOUR WEBSITE OR THAT I DON'T KNOW NOT TO COME BACK TO YOU WITH THE ANSWER ON THAT. YOU KNOW, I ASSUME OUR STAKEHOLDERS, OUR BOARD, THE FOLKS ARE BUILDING THIS WITH NECTAR IQ AND CONNOISSEUR
ACCOUNT AND HARRIS WE'LL SEE THOSE NUMBERS BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO UTILIZE THEM TO ACHIEVE YOU KNOW, ASPIRATIONAL GOALS GOING FORWARD. BUT IN TERMS OF WHERE ELSE THAT INFORMATION IS SHARED, I WILL HAVE TO COME BACK TO YOU ON THAT.
THANK YOU, MR CHAIRMAN. I HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS BUT I WANTED TO IF YOU HAD QUESTIONS I WANT TO KNOW, MADAM CHAIR, YOU CAN CONTINUE ASKING. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR CHAIR.
IT DOES SAY THANK YOU FOR HERE FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. I'M EXCITED FOR TALL SHIPS BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF I'VE EVER BEEN AND I THINK THAT'S PART OF THAT. SOMETIMES PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN I
CHINA MADE THIS POINT THESE EVENTS AND THESE LARGE EVENTS WILL BRING PEOPLE IN BUT HOPEFULLY WILL BRING PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS TO THEM.
AND I'M WONDERING IF THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES AND YOU DID LAY THIS OUT BUT JUST WANT TO BE CRYSTAL CLEAR IF THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES IS THERE HAVE BEEN OPPORTUNITIES ARE READY TO
THINK ABOUT WHAT EQUITY AND CONTRACTING LOOKS LIKE FOR TALL SHIPS NEXT YEAR. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. WE'RE VERY COGNIZANT OF THAT AND IT'S BEEN PART OF OUR
PLANNING NOW THAT WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO THE FOURTH FIRST QUARTER OF NEXT YEAR. WE HAVE ON OUR ON OUR WEBSITE A PORTAL FOR BRANDING AND
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES AND WE'VE BEEN ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO GO TO THAT PORTAL AND TELL US WHAT WHAT SERVICES YOU HAVE, WHAT WHAT CAN YOU OFFER AND WE SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFIED NOW
THAT WE'RE REALLY RIGHT ON TOP OF THINGS IN OUR PLANNING IS THE ABILITY TO RECRUIT FOOD PURVEYORS WHICH I'M GOING TO
NEED TO WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH SUGAR ON OF COURSE SANITATION PRINTING, CLEANING SERVICES, WASTE REMOVAL SIGNAGE, CAR
SERVICE AND ENTERTAINMENT AND ARE THOSE ARE THOSE ALL OF THE CONTRACTS THAT YOU WILL HAVE THAT THEY'RE THEY'RE THE ONES THAT NOW NEED TO BE FILLED. BUT THERE ARE COUNTRIES THAT
HAVE ALREADY BEEN FILLED PROBABLY NO SUCH THINGS AS LONGSHOREMEN AND FERRIES,
PILOTS, TUGS BY BIRTH PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY OWN THE BERTHS WHETHER IT'S MASSPORT OR MWI. RIGHT OR THE CITY THOSE CONTRACTS WHERE THERE'S LIKE NOT A LOT OF COMPETITION.
IT IS YEAH IT IS A PERSON OR COMPANIES WHO DO THAT THESE ARE THE AGAIN WE DON'T CONTROL WHAT HAPPENS ON THE WATER THE COAST GUARD DOES WE CONTROL WHAT WE
ARE DEMISED IS OUR AREA OF OPERATION WHICH ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE CITY. WHEN WE HAVE OUR FESTIVAL SITE THEN WE CONTROL THE VENDORS
THAT COME IN AND ONTO THAT SITE . IT'S DIFFERENT OVER IN CHARLESTOWN WHERE YOU'RE DEALING WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE I COME UP HERE FISH
PIER AND SOME OF 88 BUCKS AND ARE MASSPORT CONTROLLED SO SOME OF THOSE VENDORS THAT HELP WITH THE BERTHING OF THE VESSELS ARE NOT THINGS THAT WE GO OUT CONTRACT FOR BECAUSE THEY'RE
EXISTING MARITIME REGS REGULATIONS FOR THAT THE AREAS THAT I JUST MENTIONED ARE WHERE WE ARE LOOKING FOR VENDORS. THANK YOU. AND I THINK THAT'S I MEAN WHEN DID NOT KNOW THIS IS NOT WHY
THE PUBLIC HEARING BUT I'M GLAD THAT WE ARE HAVING AN A PUBLIC HEARING BECAUSE IT'S POSSIBLE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT THESE VENDING OPERATE THAT THESE CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES EXIST. SO IF YOU COULD SAY ONE MORE
TIME HOW PEOPLE CAN FIND OUT ABOUT IT, MAYBE WE COULD BRAINSTORM ABOUT HOW WE DO A BETTER JOB OF SHARING THIS. EVERYONE GOING TO THE SHARE BOSTON SITE SHALL BOSTON.COM
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES OR CALL OUR OFFICE 439 7700 BUT IT'S ON OUR PORTAL RIGHT ON OUR SITE FOR PEOPLE TO FILL AND WE'RE GETTING APPLICATIONS WE'RE VERY
PLEASED THAT'S GREAT AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION I'M JUST PERUSING THE SITE I'M EXCITED ABOUT ALL THE SHIPS THAT ARE COMING. I DID IT AND I SAW A LOT OF I SAW SHIPS COMING FROM EUROPE
FROM FROM LATIN AMERICA MAYBE I THINK THERE ARE SOME COMING FROM ASIA ARE THERE FOR THE SOME OF THE BEST VESSELS IN THE
WORLD OR FROM LATIN AMERICA, LATIN AMERICA THEY ARE VERY STRONG FIELD TRAINING PROGRAMS WITH THEIR NAVIES. I ALSO SHOULD MENTION THAT WE'RE VERY PLEASED TO BE OBVIOUSLY WORKING WITH THE U.S. COAST GUARD WORK BERGOGLIO THE
COAST GUARD VESSEL OBVIOUSLY THE USS CONSTITUTION WILL BE GOING OUT AND LEADING THE PARADE. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY WE'RE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE UNITED STATES NAVY BECAUSE AS YOU MAY KNOW, THIS IS THE 250TH
ANNIVERSARY OF THE NAVY AND WE'RE WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO BE HAVING AT LEAST THREE OR FOUR GREYHOUND THAT'S NAVY VESSELS COME COME TO THE PORT AND
THAT'S HERE AND THAT'S A VERY STRONG DRAW BECAUSE AS MANY OF OUR COLLEAGUES HERE KNOW, THEY HAVE FAMILY IN THE NAVY OR WERE IN THE NAVY. AND SO TO GET ON BOARD A DESTROYER OR WHATEVER AND WE'RE
WORKING VERY HARD COUNSELOR, MAYBE YOU CAN HELP US WITH THIS CLOSE TO GETTING AN IRISH GRAY HULL BUT WE NEED SOMEBODY TO HELP PUT US OVER THE GOAL LINE.
SO WE'LL TALK TO YOU ABOUT THAT AS WELL IF YOU NEED ANYBODY TO HELP YOU GET A HAUL OR A SHIP FROM THE CARIBBEAN OR AFRICA, LET ME KNOW BECAUSE I THINK IT WOULD BE BEAUTIFUL. I DON'T I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S
TOO LOW. OBVIOUSLY IT'S NOT TOO LATE BECAUSE I KNOW AS A AS A NAVY VETERAN I'M SURE CAPITAL FLIGHT IS TICKLED AND EXCITED TO GET FOR THE FOR THIS EVENT BUT I'D
LOVE TO SEE SHIP REPRESENTATION FOR YOU KNOW THE OVER 20% OF FOLKS WHO IDENTIFY AS CARIBBEAN OR OF AFRICAN DESCENT SEE A SHIP.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S POSSIBLE BUT THAT WOULD BE IT WOULD BE A BEAUTIFUL EDITION OF SOMETHING WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE FLEET THAT'S COMING INTO THE PORT AND WE TALK ABOUT MAYBE 80 OR 90 VESSELS, MANY OF THOSE BS AND
SHE'S VESSELS THAT'S THE SIZE WILL BE PART OF THE WHOLE FLOTILLA PARTICULARLY THE CARIBBEAN. SO FROM JAMAICA OR FROM YES, EXACTLY. AND ALSO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A
VERY STRONG WHAT WE CALL GREYHOUND REACH BECAUSE IF WE DON'T HAVE A TALL SHIP BUT YOU'VE GOT A GREAT NAVY SHIP I.E. IRELAND FOR EXAMPLE WE'RE VERY MUCH WELCOMING THE
GREYHOUND TO OUR PORT. GREAT. IF I COULD BE OF ASSISTANCE TO ANY LET ME KNOW I'LL BE BACK TO YOU. YEAH. YEP. LANDS ARE OPEN. IN FACT I KNOW SOMEBODY SOMEBODY KNOWS SOMEBODY TO MAKE
IT HAPPEN SO I'M JUST GOING DOWN THE LINE I GUESS CHIEF IT WILL. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU FOR THE FOCUS OF THE MAYOR AND YOUR ADMINISTRATION AND DIRECTOR BORDERS AND THE
STAFF AND YOU STOLE FROM ME SIS NOW AND YOUR FOCUS ON SUPPLIER DIVERSITY JUST THINKING ABOUT IT SOMEONE MAY HAVE MENTIONED IT BUT I DON'T BELIEVE IT WAS YOU AND MAYBE IT'S THIS POSITION OF AGGREGATING THESE
OPPORTUNITIES AND JUST HAVING MASSIVE VENDOR EVENTS WHERE PEOPLE CAN KNOW OR WHAT IS
THERE A STRATEGY THAT IS JUST SO PEOPLE CAN KNOW ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT DUSTY WAS TALKING ABOUT OR THE THE THE ONES THAT I BELIEVE JUST CAME ONLINE FROM FIFA OR THAT WILL
COME ONLINE BECAUSE I THINK AGAIN SHE AND STATED YOU KNOW SHE'S PRETTY PLUGGED IN AND EVEN SHE'S HAS DIFFICULTY IN NAVIGATING SO WHAT ARE WE DOING LIKE WE HAVE A PORTAL AND BW EAS ARE WE ABLE TO EMAIL THEM
IS THERE SOMEONE ABLE TO CALL THEM ABOUT THIS IS ONE WEBSITE THAT HAS ALL THIS AGGREGATE INFORMATION. THESE ARE OPPORTUNITIES COMING UP LIKE IS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE THAT VERY INTENTIONAL HOLD HAND IN REACHING OUT RIGHT
BECAUSE EQUITY REQUIRES AS YOU KNOW MORE INTENTIONALITY ON THE FRONT END IN ORDER FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS ALL. THAT'S RIGHT. WELL, I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION AND ONE THING I NEGLECTED TO MENTION IN MY OPENING REMARKS
BECAUSE I WAS ALREADY AT 15 MINUTES AND DIDN'T WANT TO ADD MORE TO IT I CLOCKED 20 BUT OKAY WAS THAT A FEW MONTHS AGO WE FORMED SOMETHING CALLED THE
2026 BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY COMMITTEE WHICH INVITE YOU KNOW INVOLVES ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES HERE IN SOMEWHERE IN THE AUDIENCE TO BEGIN TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION OF WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES COMING UP SO WE
CAN UNDERSTAND THE AREAS OF SPEND AND THEN YOU KNOW, WE SHARED OUR LIST AND OUR TEAMS ARE WORKING DIRECTLY WITH EACH OF THE GROUPS THAT ARE HERE. BUT FOR US IT'S ALSO UNDERSTANDING WHAT ARE THE QUALIFICATIONS CAUSE IT'S NOT
ENOUGH TO JUST SAY YOU KNOW FOR INSTANCE I'M LIKE ON SIGN ITEM ON SIGNAGE LET'S SAY OR SANITATION WHERE WASTE REMOVAL WE'LL SAY WE COULD HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF VENDORS WHO HAVE
LIKE A TRUCK BUT THIS WOULD REQUIRE YOU KNOW, SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE, TEN RIGHT? AND SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD INTO THIS IS TWOFOLD. ONE IS KNOWING WHO HAS THE CAPACITY SO WE ARE DIRECTLY
REACHING OUT TO THEM, CONNECT THEM TO FOLKS TO SEE IF THIS IS AN APPROPRIATE OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM OR EXPLORING JOINT VENTURES BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY AND I THINK BECK MENTIONED THIS AND I
BELIEVE ANITA FROM WE ARE ALEX I MENTIONED THIS IN HER REMARKS OF OF HELPING BUSINESSES SCALE SO WE'RE LOOKING AT IT THAT WAY. SO I WOULD SAY ONE OF THE YOU KNOW, WHITE STADIUM WAS
MENTIONED WE'RE USING THAT AS A TACTIC HERE. YOU KNOW FOR WHITE STADIUM THERE'S A DOT GOV WEBSITE THAT SHOWS HOW MUCH WE'RE SPENDING WHO'S BEEN AWARDED AND WE UPDATE THAT REGULARLY.
WE WOULD LIKE TO DO THE SAME THING HERE NOT JUST ON WHAT THE CITY IS SPENDING BUT TO AGGREGATE ALL OF THE CONTRACTS THAT ARE BEING AWARDED USING THE DOT GOV WEBSITE WE CAN LINK TO THE OPPORTUNITY PAGES BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO YOU
KNOW DUPLICATE WORK BUT I THINK THAT WOULD ADD TO THE AIR OF TRANSPARENCY THAT WAS MENTIONED ON THE PREVIOUS PANEL. BUT OF COURSE WE'RE GOING TO LEVERAGE OUR EXISTING DATABASE TO GET THE WORD OUT THERE.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO MARKET YOU KNOW WE'VE YOU KNOW WE HAVE IOWA HAS THE BEST CITY WEBPAGE SECOND ONLY TO THE MAYOR WHICH YOU KNOW I'LL TAKE CREDIT FOR THAT IN TERMS OF OUR CABINET
BUT KELSEY AND AM I DOING A GREAT JOB BUT SOMEONE MENTIONED AGAIN I THINK IT WAS ANITA WHO SAID WE NEED A WIDE TO PROMOTE ABSOLUTELY RECREATE GRAPHICS THAT WE SHARE WIDELY FOR OTHERS TO SHARE.
THAT'S HOW WE'VE ACTUALLY ENSURED PARTICIPATION IN A LOT OF THE MAJOR CONTRACTS THAT HAVE BEEN AWARDED. SO SO ANYWAY ALL THAT TO SAY THAT COMPLETELY AGREE AND WE WANT TO USE OUR ARCHIVE PAGE WE
WANT TO DO THE INTENTIONAL OUTREACH BUT WHAT'S IMPORTANT FOR THAT IS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE AND WHAT THE TIMELINE IS BECAUSE THESE EVENTS ARE HAPPENING. I KNOW WE'RE SAYING NEXT YEAR BUT HONESTLY IT'S LIKE IT FEELS
LIKE IT CAN HAPPEN TOMORROW. I KNOW MANY OF YOU WOULD RATHER IT HAPPENED YESTERDAY BECAUSE WE'RE READY READY TO BE OVER THE HUMP BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CONNECTING FOLKS WITH CAPACITY BUT AND NOT DELAY ACTIVITY.
BUT THE IMPORTANT THING IS UNDERSTANDING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES. THANK YOU. ONE FOLLOW UP QUESTION YOU KNOW, BASED ON SUPPORTING EVENTS AND SUPPORTING BUSINESSES AS SO WHAT ARE THE
CHALLENGES THAT YOU SEE FOR SOME OF THE BLACK AND BROWN EVENTS AT THAT FOR NEIGHBORHOOD EVENTS THAT HAPPENED IN THE CITY OF BOSTON THAT ARE FEEL LIKE THEY ARE CONSTANTLY FIGHTING FOR FUNDING OR IN FEAR
THAT LIKE OKAY I GOT YOU KNOW SUPPORT THIS YEAR WILL IT HAPPEN NEXT YEAR WILL EITHER BECAUSE OF A CHANGE CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT OR BECAUSE OF THE
FINANCES OF AN ORGANIZATION I MEAN SO I'M WONDERING WHAT YOUR PERSPECTIVE IS ON THAT AND I'M WONDERING LIKE WHAT IS IT THAT WE CAN BE DOING AS A CITY TO BETTER SUPPORT THESE EVENTS? I KNOW THE ANSWER IS ALWAYS
RESOURCES AND MONEY BUT SOMETIMES IT'S CONNECTING THE DOTS, RIGHT? THERE'S A BUSINESS THAT'S YOU KNOW, WANTS TO BE INVOLVED IN NATURE OF THE PEOPLE WORK UP. I'VE ALREADY CONNECTED THEM TO AN ORGANIZATION THAT NEEDS SPONSORING.
I NEED SUPPORT. HOW CAN WE BE DOING THE BETTER WORK OF CONNECTING PEOPLE AND SUPPORTING BLACK AND BROWN RUN EVENTS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON THAT OFTENTIMES MAY NOT HAVE THE SAME FUNDING OR CAPITAL
THAT OTHER EVENTS HAVE WHICH AGAIN IF WE ARE EVEN IF YOU'RE USING HAS IN AS THE WATERMARK I THINK BEING INTENTIONAL THE
WORK OF EQUITY MEANS LIKE HOW ARE WE HELPING ORGANIZATIONS GET THERE SO I'LL SAY TWO THINGS ONE IS YOU'RE RIGHT. I MEAN THERE IS A CLIFF COMING IN TERMS OF DIRECT FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR A LOT OF THE
WONDERFUL EVENTS THAT HAPPEN IN OUR COMMUNITY. I MEAN SPEAKING AS YOU KNOW, TAKE THE LIBERTY I YOU KNOW, I'M HERE AS CHIEF BUT JUST AS A BLACK PERSON I GREW UP IN THE CITY. I'VE NEVER SEEN THE AMOUNT OF EVENTS THAT HAPPENED OVER
THE SUMMER THAT CATER TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY, THE TYPES OF EVENTS, THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT CAME OUT. IT WAS A REALLY BEAUTIFUL, WONDERFUL THING AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY ESPECIALLY AND WHAT'S
GOING ON AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, YOU KNOW, SHE AGAIN MENTIONED THE COMPETITIVE NATURE HASBRO, LEGO, ELI ALL THE COMPANIES THAT WE ARE VERY PROUD HAVE COME INTO THE CITY UNDER THIS ADMINISTRATION.
DIVERSITY WAS ONE OF THE TOPICS THAT CAME UP. PEOPLE ARE CHOOSING BOSTON BECAUSE OF THAT DIVERSITY AND THE WAY WE CHANGE KIND OF THE NARRATIVE OF THE CITY THAT'S OUT THERE. CONTRARY TO WHAT SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE KEEPS SAYING ABOUT THE
CITY THIS IS A VERY DIFFERENT PLACE BUT WE HAVE TO MARKET AND PROMOTE THAT WE BOSTON HAS DONE A GREAT JOB OF OF PROMOTING THAT BEYOND THE CITY'S LIMITS
BUT THE WAY WE ALSO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE IN THE CITY BELIEVE THAT IS JUST YOU KNOW SUPPORTING THESE EVENTS BUT THAT IS PART OF I THINK THAT IS PART OF THAT THERE'S NO GREATER AMBASSADORS FOR A CITY THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY THEMSELVES.
EXACTLY. AND HOW THEY EXPERIENCE THE CITY I'LL GIVE AGAIN NOT TO PROLONG BUT LIKE EVEN WHEN NAACP WAS HERE THERE WAS CONCERN THAT YOU KNOW, WITH 10,000 AFRICAN-AMERICANS COMING
TO THE CITY AND WHAT YOU KNOW, FIRST OF ALL WHEN THEY WERE FIRST SUPPOSED TO COME HERE IN 2019 I BELIEVE THERE WAS A HESITATION OF A LOT OF MEMBERS
OF COMING TO BOSTON BECAUSE OF BOSTON'S HISTORY AND YOU KNOW, FOLKS WERE MORE COMFORTABLE COMING WHEN THEY DID BUT BECAUSE THEY AND YOU
KNOW, THEY WERE IN THE SEAPORT ,THEY SAW GRACE BY NATURE. THEY SAW ZANZIBAR. THEY SAW, YOU KNOW, THE LEADERSHIP, ETC. AND YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR AND I WERE CASUALLY WALKING UP TO FOLKS AT GOSPEL
FEST THAT JOHN AND AMY YANDEL HELPED US GET OVER TO. WHAT'S THE NAME OF THE PLACE LEADER BANK PAVILION SORRY FOR THE THE BROWN BRACELET THERE
AND FOLKS WERE SAYING WOW LIKE I HAVE A WAY DIFFERENT UNDERSTANDING A PERSPECTIVE OF THE CITY BECAUSE THEY WERE MEETING OTHER PEOPLE WHO WERE FROM THE CITY THAT WERE TALKING ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE CHANGED AND SO SHE IS COMPLETELY RIGHT AS WELL AS AS
YOU COUNCILOR. BUT EVEN THE CITY YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF OUR ABILITY TO TO SPONSOR EVENTS IS HAMSTRUNG BY THE YOU KNOW, FRIVOLOUS AND YOU
KNOW, UNFORTUNATE ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY AND THINGS HAPPENING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL . BUT THERE ARE OTHER WAYS FOR US TO SUPPORT AND I ALWAYS SAY TO
FOLKS THAT REACH OUT TO US AND I THINK A COUPLE OF THOSE FOLKS MIGHT BE HERE BEHIND ME THAT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A CHECK. YOU KNOW, THERE ARE IN-KIND SERVICES THAT THE CITY CAN PROVIDE AND SO I ALWAYS ASK FOLKS WHAT ARE YOUR EXPENSES
AND WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT THE CITY CAN HELP SUPPORT WHERE THAT OTHER ENTITIES CAN HELP SUPPORT SOME PEOPLE PUT A LINE IN THEIR BUDGET ON MARKETING. WELL, IS THAT SOMETHING WHERE ME BOSTON OR OTHER ENTITIES THAT HAVE A WAY BROADER NETWORK
CAN HELP YOU DO THINGS LIKE THAT? SO I THINK FOR US IT'S ABOUT BEING CREATIVE AND NOT JUST FOCUSING ON THE CHECK BECAUSE EITHER WAY WHEN WE GIVE THE CHECK TO THE TO THE ENTITY THEY'RE USING THAT CHECK TO
GIVE TO SOMEBODY ELSE. SO IT'S LIKE OKAY, WELL HOW DO WE HELP, YOU KNOW, FIX THAT PART? BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YES, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE, YOU KNOW, APPRECIATE THE EVENTS THAT ARE COMING HERE NEXT YEAR. BUT I THINK AN OPPORTUNITY AND
A FOCUS PARTICULARLY THROUGH TOURISM, SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT IS HOW WE ARE GROWING LOCAL EVENTS TO BECOME THE TYPES OF EVENTS THAT BRING A WAVE OF FOLKS HERE. YOU KNOW, THE HBCU CLASSIC YOU
KNOW, ONE OF THE AND I'M SURE THERE WERE HEADS ON BEDS FOR THAT EVENT I MEAN THERE WERE 12,000 PEOPLE AT THE STADIUM AND MANY OF THEM WERE FROM THE CITY IN BOSTON. BUT WE KNOW ANECDOTALLY THAT MANY TRAVELED TO BOSTON FOR FOR THE WEEKEND AND THE SUITE
OF EVENTS THAT HAPPEN SO YOU KNOW, SO THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO TO BUILD ON WHAT HAPPENS NEXT YEAR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION WILL
BE TO THE 15. NEAL, GREAT JOB ON THIS SIDE OF THE YOU KNOW YOU'RE A NATURAL. I'M WONDERING IT SEEMS LIKE THE ONLY TWO CONTRACTS THAT YOU'VE
PUT OUT TO BID SAY A VERY SIMILAR QUESTION TO DUSTY HAVE BEEN THE TWO THAT YOU MENTIONED OR HAVE THERE BEEN OTHER CONTRACTS THAT HAVE BEEN METED OUT ALREADY WHERE IT'S LIKE A
NONCOMPETITIVE PROCESS BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY ONE VENDOR JUST TRYING TO GET A SENSE OF AND THEN LIKE WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THIS 25% GOAL I THINK IT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND WE ARE IN A
SIMILAR BOAT WITH SIMILAR BOAT WITH BUT WITH DUSTY AND THE SALE BOSTON TEAM THESE TWO CONTRACTS THAT ARE OUT FOR SECURITY AND CONTRACT SORRY WASTE SERVICES ARE
RELATED TO THE FAN FESTIVAL WE HAD AN EXPRESSION OF INTEREST WAS PUT OUT FOR A EVENT MANAGEMENT COMPANY TO BE TAKING ON THE FAN FESTIVAL WHO WILL THEN SUBCONTRACT AND HOW WE WORK WITH THAT COMPANY TO WORK
THROUGH THEIR SUBCONTRACTING SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE THAT BUSINESSES IN BOSTON ARE SUPPORTED FOR THAT IS A PRIORITY OF OURS. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF OTHER CONTRACTS RELATED TO CITY
DRESSING AND SIGNAGE AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT ARE NOT THERE YET AGAIN. SO MUCH OF IT IS DEPENDENT ON WHERE OUR FUNDRAISING WILL LAND TOWARD THE END OF THE YEAR AND BUT THINGS LIKE TRANSPORTATION
IS ANOTHER BIG PIECE OF MOVEMENT FROM BOSTON TO FOXBOROUGH FOR THE MATCHES THAT'S A CONTRACT THAT IS CLOSE TO WRAPPED UP FOR BUS SERVICE WRAPPED UP WHAT DO YOU MEAN
JUST YOU'VE PUT OUT AN RFP OR THAT HAS GONE OUT YEAH FOR YEAH, FOR THE RFP EXACTLY. BUT BEYOND THOSE ARE THE HOST COMMITTEE EVENTS RIGHT.
WHICH ARE THE THOSE THREE PILLARS I MENTIONED SECURITY CELEBRATION AND TRANSPORTATION ONCE DECEMBER 5TH COME SO ON DECEMBER 5TH IS WHEN THE DRAW HAPPENS FOR THE TEAMS AND WHERE
PEOPLE WILL BE GOING FOR THE WORLD CUP NEXT SUMMER ACROSS THE 16 CITIES SO THAT WILL TRIGGER FIFA AND THEIR COMMERCIAL AFFILIATES TO SO THE
FOLKS WHO ARE GLOBAL PARTNERS LIKE COCA-COLA AND BANK OF AMERICA AND ADIDAS AND THESE MEGA BRANDS WHO WILL BE HOSTING EVENTS IN EVERY CITY DEPENDING ON WHERE THEIR FAVORITE TEAMS GO OR WHERE THE BIG MATCHES
WILL BE BUT THEY WILL BE IN EVERY CITY AND THEY'LL BE LOOKING TO THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT IN BOSTON TO SAY OKAY, WHERE ARE WE GOING TO HAVE THIS? WHO CAN HOST THE CATERING? WHO CAN DO THE WHO HAS THAT CAR
SERVICE THAT PICKS US UP AT LOGAN AND BRINGS US RIGHT IN AND GETS US AROUND WHERE WE NEED TO BE ALONG WITH WHAT COULD BE SECURITY AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT COME INTO EVENT MANAGEMENT.
SO THAT'S WHERE THAT BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY PAGE COMES IN ON OUR SIDE THERE'S A GREAT NUMBER OF PORTALS GOING ON. I THINK THAT THROUGH SUGARMAN AND HIS TEAM I HOPEFULLY WE CAN FIND SOMETHING THAT THAT WORKS
WITH BOTH TO THE QUESTION EARLIER ABOUT THE THE WORK WITH THE CITY JUST YESTERDAY ANDREA AND KAT AN INSURANCE OFFICE HELPED US TO GET THOSE TWO CONTRACTS OUT TO THE CITY'S LISTS.
THEY'VE BEEN HUGELY HELPFUL AND SUPPORTIVE ALREADY SO WE HOPE TO CONTINUE THAT COLLABORATION . AND JUST AS FAR AS PROCUREMENT STACY, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WAS ANYTHING YOU'D WANT TO SO I
HAVE INQUIRED ABOUT WHETHER IF YOU FIRST STARTED TO CONTRACT FIFA PROPER HAS STARTED TO CONTRACT IN THE HOST CITIES ALREADY AND AS FAR AS I KNOW THE ANSWER IS NO. AND ANTONIO'S POINT THEY WILL BE WAITING ON THE DRAW TO SEE
WHERE THOSE COMMERCIAL AFFILIATES WILL BE HAVING THEIR EVENTS. SO THAT'S VISA, COCA-COLA, ALL OF THOSE. SO THAT IS THE ROLE OF THE LOCAL IMPACT SUPPLIER PROGRAM.
THEY WANT US TO SHEPHERD OUR BUSINESSES TO THEM SO THEN THEY CAN MATCH MAKE FOR YOU KNOW, EVENT PRODUCTION FLOWERS, DECORATION ALL OF THOSE THINGS FOR THOSE EVENTS THAT WE ARE
NOT IN CONTROL OF. SO ONE MORE PLUG TO PLEASE GO IN AND PUT IN YOUR INFORMATION IN THE NEW BUSINESS FORM. SO WE ARE RIGHT NOW WORKING WITH THE LOCAL IMPACT SUPPLIER
PROGRAM TO FIGURE OUT HOW THAT REPORTING AND THAT SYSTEM IS GOING TO WORK. IT'S A FAIRLY NEW INITIATIVE IT SEEMS LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO EXPECT US TO SHEPHERD THOSE CONTRACTS ONCE A MONTH FROM NOW
TOWARD THE END OF THE TOURNAMENT. SO LAST WEEK, WEDNESDAY, THESE NUMBERS ARE CORRECT. AS OF LAST WEDNESDAY WE HAD ABOUT 150 LOCAL BUSINESSES SIGN
UP ON THAT FORM. SO THE WORD IS GETTING OUT. I THINK THAT WHAT WE COULD RELY OR HOPEFULLY ASK THE COUNCILORS FOR IS TO GET THAT WORD OUT GET THE WORD OUT TO YOUR DISTRICTS.
LET THEM KNOW TO FILL OUT THAT FORM, UNDERSTAND THAT YOU KNOW WE ARE NOT AND ALSO NOT IN CONTROL OF HOW THOSE CONTRACTS WILL BE AWARDED. WE JUST WANT TO BE THAT INTERMEDIARY TO MAKE SURE LOCAL
BUSINESSES OF ALL KINDS ARE GIVEN SO THEY HAVE EYES IN FRONT OF FIFA AND THEIR COMMERCIAL PARTNERS AND I THINK ANOTHER THING THAT I'VE HEARD
TODAY AGAIN IS THERE ARE A LOT OF PORTALS FOR A LOT OF PLACES TO PUT INFORMATION INTO AND FROM AN EQUITABLE PROCUREMENT AND INCLUSIVE SPACE THAT COULD
ALSO, YOU KNOW, LAND TO A LOT OF ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN FOR VERY SMALL COMPANIES PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE A LOT OF STAFF. SO IF WE COULD ALL WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S EASIER FOR THEM RATHER THAN
HAVING TO GO TO FIVE PLACES TO PUT THEIR INFORMATION, I AGREE AND IF I COULD JUST ADD I THINK IT WAS MENTIONED IN THE FIRST PANEL THERE'S NOT A TON OF TALK
ABOUT THIS RIGHT NOW IN THE WORLD AT LEAST HERE IN BOSTON AROUND THE WORLD THE WORLD CUP IS THE BIGGEST THING EVER BUT THEY ARE THE WORLD IS COMING
HERE AND I THINK AS WE LEAD UP TO DECEMBER 5TH AND THAT THE DECISION OF WHERE TEAMS WILL GO LIKE I WAS JUST TALKING TO A BACK MY MEMBER EARLIER WHO HAS
A A A SENEGALESE BUSINESS DOWNTOWN HERE AND SENEGAL IS PLAYING TODAY AND MAY BE QUALIFYING FOR THE WORLD CUP IF THEY COME HERE AND GET DRAWN TO BOSTON AND HOW DO WE MAKE SURE
OUR BUSINESSES WITH THE THE CULTURAL IDENTITY OF THE COUNTRIES THAT WE'LL BE PLAYING HERE ARE ACTIVATED SO THAT THE FOLKS FROM THEIR HOME COUNTRY CAN CAN KNOW WHERE TO GO AND KNOW HOW TO GET THAT
INVOLVEMENT SO THAT'S EVERYTHING WILL CHANGE IN DECEMBER AND IT WILL REALLY TURN UP AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE FOLKS ARE READY AND SIGNED UP AND AWARE AND WAITING FOR
THAT INFORMATION. THANK YOU BOTH CAN BE UPS HERE IN THE BACK AND I ACTUALLY LIVED IN SENEGAL FOR FIVE MONTHS AND IT WOULD BE DUSTY IF
THERE'S A GREAT HALL FROM SENEGAL WE CAN GET SORT OF MELD IT ALL. I MEAN THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING TOGETHER. SO THANK YOU. I'VE ASKED A LOT OF QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR, FOR YOUR INDULGENCE. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR.
PRESIDENT AGAIN, THANK YOU TO THE PANEL THAT IS HERE. I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROFESSIONAL WORK JOHN BORDERS HAS DONE HERE AT THE CITY
OF BOSTON AND HIS TEAM AS WELL . DAVID, LET ME ASK YOU WHAT ARE
YOU DOING TO LOOK AT COMPANIES OWNED BY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND WHAT WHAT ARE YOUR RESULTS SO FAR? SO IN THE DISTRICT PLAN YOU'LL
SEE WE WE DO ALSO HAVE AN ACCESSIBILITY INITIATIVE WHICH UP NOW HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON CREATING AND PUSHING OUT CONTENT AS RELATES TO ACCESSIBLE EXPERIENCES IN
BOSTON. WE WILL HAVE AS PART OF THAT SUPPLIER DIVERSITY MODULE A SPECIFIC TAG FOR BUSINESS OWNERS THAT WANT TO PROMOTE THEIR BUSINESS AS ACCESSIBLE
AND MAYBE EVEN PART OF THEIR OWN BRAND AND IDENTITY AS WELL . WE'VE WORKED WITH A CONSULTANT WHO'S ONE OF THE MOST WELL-KNOWN ACCESSIBILITY TRAVEL CONSULTANTS. HE'S BOSTON BASED ACTUALLY HIS NAME IS JOHN MORRIS TO HELP US
BUILD CONTENT TRAVEL BLOGS NOT ONLY HOW TO NAVIGATE THE CITY AS A WHOLE BECAUSE OF COURSE THERE ARE SECTIONS OF THE CITY THAT ARE THAT ARE OLDER AND NOT AS EASY TO NAVIGATE BUT WHAT
MUSEUM EXPERIENCES LOOK LIKE, WHAT EXPERIENCES LOOK LIKE. HE'S ONE OF THE MORE RENOWNED VOICES IN THAT SPACE SO WE WERE VERY PROUD AND CONTINUE TO BE PROUD OF THE WORK WE'RE DOING
WITH HIM. WE'RE BRINGING IN ANOTHER ACCESSIBILITY TRAVEL INFLUENCER THIS DECEMBER. HIS NAME IS COREY LEE. HE'S VERY, VERY WELL KNOWN AND HE'S GOING TO HELP US TO DO THE
SORT OF THE ONGOING KIND OF AUDIT AND ASSESSMENT OF BOSTON AND ITS ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS. BUT YOU HAVEN'T AWARDED ANY CONTRACTS AS OF NOW TO PERSONS
WITH DISABILITIES CONTRA TAX NO PAID CONSULTANTS AND ADVISORS? YES. SO THE THE CONTRACTS IS GOING TO AWARD TO THESE TWO TRAVEL
PEOPLE THAT SPECIALIZE IN SUPPORTING PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES THAT'S IN PREPARATION FOR ALL THESE EVENTS COMING UP. IS THAT ACCURATE TO SAY? NOT NECESSARILY GEARED JUST TO
THOSE EVENTS? NO. I MEAN IT'S IT'S A VERY SIGNIFICANT FACT THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE WORLD COMING TO BOSTON NEXT YEAR. IT'S JUST ONGOING WORK THAT'S THAT'S YOU KNOW, MISSION VITAL FOR BOSTON IN TERMS
OF ACCESSIBILITY AND ACCESSIBLE TRAVEL AND TO GO BACK TO THE TO THE TO THE THE THE FIRST POINT COUNCILOR YOU KNOW I SUPPOSE YOU COULD CHARACTERIZE IT AS A CONTRACT THAT WE DID WITH JOHN
MORRIS WE ALWAYS CALLED THEM AND ACCESSIBILITY CONSULTANT BUT IT WAS SOMETHING WHERE WE CONTRACTED WITH HIM OVER 18 MONTH PERIOD TO ADVISE US AND HELP US BUILD CONTENT. OKAY.
I DO THINK FOR EVERYBODY HERE THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE COMPANIES THAT ARE OWNED BY PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IS IN VETERANS AS WELL. I'M NOT GOING TO FOCUS ON THAT
ANY ANY MORE BUT I JUST IT IS A PRIORITY FOR ME AS WELL NOT ONLY PEOPLE OF COLOR AND WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES BUT PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES AND VETERAN
OWNED COMPANIES SHOULD BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION. AND IF I COULD JUST KNOW CHAIR FLYNN THEY ALL WILL BE AS PART OF THAT NEW SUPPLIER DIVERSITY TO MAKE SURE THAT COMPANIES THAT ARE OWNED BY FOLKS WITH DISABILITIES OR VETERANS ARE
LISTED SPECIFICALLY SO WE CAN TRACK AND UNDERSTAND HOW WHAT WE'RE DOING OKAY ON THE OUTREACH TO VETERANS WHO ARE YOU WORKING WITH OUTREACH TO VETERANS THAT IS ALSO RUNNING
THROUGH NEKTAR IQ WHO'S NEKTAR IQ? IT'S THE IT'S A VENDOR THAT WHEN I WAS REFERRING TO OUR WORK WITH CONAN HARRISON ASSOCIATES TO TRY TO DEVELOP A
SUPPLIER DIVERSITY MODEL THE INDUSTRY NEKTAR IQ WAS ONE OF TEN COMPANIES THAT RECEIVED OR AT LEAST ADVANCED TO A FINAL STAGE OF THE RFP PROCESS THAT HAD BUILT ESSENTIALLY A CRM
SYSTEM THAT TAGGED DIFFERENT BUSINESSES AS EITHER MINORITY OWNED, VETERAN OWNED LGBTQ PLUS OWNED DISABILITY OWNED. SO THEY THROUGH PRETTY ROBUST
PROCESS WE ARRIVED AT THEM AS THE BEST PARTNER TO WORK WITH. OKAY I'VE I'VE NEVER HEARD OF THEM BUT I THINK WE NEED TO DO MORE OUTREACH TO VETERAN
OWNED COMPANIES OKAY SURE THANK YOU DUSTY AND FOR THE IMPORTANT WORK YOU HAVE BEEN DOING AND YOUR TEAM HAVE BEEN DOING AND WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THE TALL
SHIPS DUSTY AND I THINK YOU YOU LOVE TO SAIL BOSTON IN THE TALL SHIPS. IT BRINGS VARIOUS CULTURES TOGETHER, UNITES THE CITY. WE LEARN FROM EACH OTHER,
SUPPORT EACH OTHER. BUT I LOVE SEEING INTERNATIONAL SAILORS IN OUR CITY ENGAGING WITH RESIDENTS, TALKING ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE. BOSTON ON BOSTONIANS TALKING
ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES AS WELL DUSTY YOU I'VE I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN SEAL BOSTON AND THE PARADE OF SHIPS MY ENTIRE LIFE NOT JUST SERVING IN THE
MILITARY FOR 24 YEARS BUT WORKING THERE WITH THE U.S. NAVY WHEN WHEN SHIPS WOULD COME IN JUST ON ON THE ASPECT OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
DUSTY I KNOW YOU'RE VERY INCLUSIVE IN WORKING TO ENSURE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES HAVE EQUAL ACCESS BUT WHAT IS YOUR PLAN IN TERMS OF ENSURING
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ALSO HAVE EQUAL ACCESS TO VISITING SOME OF THESE WONDERFUL INTERNATIONAL SHIPS AND GIVING THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE
EXPOSED TO TOURING A SHIP AND IN TALKING TO PEOPLE WE HAVE TO NAVIGATE YOU KNOW, THE PORT WE HAVE TO NAVIGATE GETTING ON TO
THE SHIP OFF OF THE SHIP ON ON THE PROW OR WHATEVER WHATEVER FACTORS WE HAVE BUT DO HAVE A PLAN FOR THAT. DUSTY WELL OF COURSE THE PIERS ARE ALL ACCESSIBLE NO PROBLEM
AT ALL. THE THERE ARE NO THERE WAS ONLY ONE TALL SHIP IN THE WORLD THAT WAS TOTALLY HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE. LORD NELSON OUT OF GREAT BRITAIN WE'RE NOT SURE THAT
SHE'S COMING. BUT THAT BEING SAID, THE NAVY SHIPS THAT WE HAVE ARE ALL ACCESSIBLE FOR WHEELCHAIRS AND WE HAVE A DEMARCATED AND WE'LL HAVE IT OBVIOUSLY ON OUR WEBSITE ABOUT WHICH VESSELS CAN
YOU GO VISIT IF YOU'RE HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE BUT A GOOD DEAL BECAUSE ALSO THE ELDERLY YOU KNOW THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY ABLE TO GET ON ALL
OF THE ALL THE TALL SHIPS SO WE WANT TO DIRECT THEM. SO THERE I SPEND TOO MUCH TIME TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT. WE WANT TO DIRECT THEM TO AREAS WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO GET FULFILLED BETTER. THANK YOU DUSTY AND THANK YOU
FOR HIGHLIGHTING THAT AND THAT TYPE OF EDUCATION AND INFORMING PEOPLE WOULD BE IMPORTANT. I DO REMEMBER WHEN THE HARBOR
WALK THE ACCESS TO THE THE OCEAN WAS NOT ACCESSIBLE AND IN THE MID EIGHTIES AND IT BECAME ACCESSIBLE UNDER UNDER MIFFLIN AND AND COYLE AND AND VIVIEN
LEE WAS A WONDERFUL FRIEND OF MINE SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF ANY TYPE OF EVENT THAT WE HAVE THAT WE ALWAYS WANT TO INCLUDE PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES AND
THERE ARE PART OF OUR CITY AND THEY WANT TO BE ENGAGED. THEY WANT TO ENJOY EVERY OPPORTUNITY LIKE WE ARE ABLE TO ENJOY EVERY OPPORTUNITY INCLUDING OUR STUDENTS,
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND BYPASS. I'D LOVE TO SEE THEM ACCESS NOT JUST TALL SHIPS AND THEN ONLY JUST FOCUS ON ON ON NEAL AS
WELL AND AND TO STACIE I'D LOVE TO SEE OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES BE PART OF THE SOCCER TOURNAMENT AND ENSURE THAT THEY ARE THEY ARE
RESPECTED, HEARD AND AND PART OF THE CIVIC LIFE OF THE OF THE SOCCER TOURNAMENT. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO ENGAGE STUDENTS? HOW ARE WE GOING TO ENGAGE
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES TO ENSURE THAT THIS WONDERFUL SOCCER TOURNAMENT IS ALSO ENJOYED BY THEM AS WELL? ABSOLUTELY. COUNCILOR, IT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND I APPRECIATE ALL
OF YOUR YOUR THIS BEING SUCH A PRIORITY OF YOURS THROUGHOUT YOUR CAREER HUGELY APPRECIATE IT I THINK FOR US YOU KNOW WITH THE FAN FESTIVAL THAT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING HERE IN BOSTON
THAT'S GOING TO BE THE HUB OF OF ALL THE EXCITEMENT THAT'S GOING ON FOR THE TOURNAMENT THAT'S OUTSIDE THAT TICKETED EVENT AT GILLETTE STADIUM. OUR GOAL WOULD BE TO HAVE
EVENTS THAT ARE FOCUSED ON KIDS OR JUST, YOU KNOW, CITY KIDS TO HAVE THEM IN AND REALLY PARTICIPATE IN THE EVENT WHETHER THAT'S A SPECIFIC GAME OR DAY'S THAT THAT'S SOMETHING
WE'RE EAGER TO TO TALK THROUGH HAPPY TO ALSO WORK WITH SUPER TEN AND SKIPPER AND HER TEAM OVER PEEPS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONNECTED WITH THE RIGHT FOLKS AND THEN I'LL LET STACY SPEAK ON THE DISABILITY SIDE
OF THINGS. BUT YOU KNOW WE WOULD CERTAINLY WANT TO LEAN INTO THE EXPERTISE OF COMMISSIONER MCCOSH AND THE TEAM HERE WHO'S YOU KNOW THE BEST IN THE NATION. SO STACY, IN TERMS
OF ACCESSIBILITY AND INCLUSION FOR DISABLED POPULATIONS, FIFA HAS PROVIDED MANY GUIDELINES AND FRAMEWORKS FOR US NOT JUST ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE STADIUM BUT WHAT HAPPENS AROUND
IT. SO WE HAVE QUITE A FEW GUIDELINES AND FRAMEWORKS TO WORK WITHIN FIFA FROM THE MAIN OFFICE IN MIAMI THAT WE ARE CONTRACTUALLY OBLIGATED TO DO
SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE NOT JUST THINKING OF ACCESSIBILITY IN TERMS OF FOR EXAMPLE WHEELCHAIR USERS. WE ARE LOOKING AT PEOPLE WITH LIMITED MOBILITY AND ALSO NEURODIVERGENT AS WELL. SO WE NEED TO ACCOUNT FOR THOSE
ON ALL OF OUR EVENTS. SO SENSORY SPACES, SENSORY KITS, ALL THOSE TYPES OF THINGS INCLUDING PRAYER ROOMS AND QUIET ROOMS AS WELL TO ACCOUNT FOR PEOPLE WITH SENSORY ISSUES
IN TERMS OF COORDINATE WITH DISABILITY ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN MASSACHUSETTS AND THE REGION. BOSTON 26 WAS VERY PROUD TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE AMPUTEE SOCCER EVENT THAT HAPPENED A
COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. OUR CHIEF SPOT AN IMPACT OFFICER SERVED ON THEIR PANEL AND WE HAD OUR MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS TEAM OUT THERE FOR AMPUTEE SOCCER SOCCER UNITY AS WELL.
WE ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO BRING ON A CONSULTANT WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE AND ACCESSIBILITY TO HELP US COORDINATE OUR EFFORTS FOR STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT NOT
JUST FOR DISABLED ADULTS IN IN THE REGION BUT ALSO WITH THEIR STUDENTS. THAT PERSON HAS NOT BEEN HIRED YET THAT HASN'T GONE OUT TO PUBLIC IN TERMS OF WHAT THAT
CONSULTANT WILL DO FOR US. TRANSPORTATION AND ACCESSIBILITY IS A BIG PIECE SO WE ARE WORKING WITH MTA MASSPORT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE VISUALLY IMPAIRED COULD ACTUALLY GET AROUND FIND THE TRAIN.
WE ARE LOOKING AT NEW TECHNOLOGY TO HELP THEM WITH THAT AS WELL TO SORT OF MIRROR WHAT'S HAPPENING IN EUROPE REALLY COOL STUFF WITH APPS AND WHATNOT. SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM BUT
WE ALSO KNOW THAT WE CAN'T CIRCUMVENT THEIR POLICIES AND WHAT THEY DO BUT WORKING WITH THEM TO IMPROVE WHAT THEY HAVE AND IN TERMS OF FAN FEST WE WOULD HAVE OUR CONSULTANTS TO
WALK THROUGH AS AN ACCESSIBILITY AUDITS AS WELL AND BRING IN MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE WE ARE DOING WHAT WE ARE MEANT TO DO IN TERMS OF PROCUREMENT THAT IS ALSO PART AGAIN IT'S NOT JUST
BLACK AND BROWN BUSINESSES THAT FIFA EXPECTS US TO ENGAGE. THEY EXPECT US TO ENGAGE OR AT LEAST SHEPHERD TO THEM VETERAN OWNED BUSINESSES, DISABLED VETERAN OWNED BUSINESSES AND
DISABLED ORGANIZATIONS AND FIRMS TO THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE VERY MUCH INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH LOCAL AND SMALL BUSINESSES WITH THOSE OWNERSHIPS. THANK YOU NEIL.
LET ME ASK WE ASK ANOTHER QUESTION WE'RE GETTING TO THAT BPA STUDENT ATHLETES ESPECIALLY SOCCER SOCCER TEAMS FROM BPA
SCHOOLS, HIGH SCHOOLS OR GRAMMAR SCHOOLS, GRADE SCHOOLS DO YOU HAVE A PLAN MAYBE TO INCLUDE SOME OF THESE STUDENT
ATHLETES SAID BPA US INTO WHAT FIFA IS DOING? SO I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'D LOVE TO TO TALK THROUGH, YOU KNOW, AS A LATIN ACADEMY ALUM WITH THIS
ONE, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE INCREDIBLE AND JUST A SUCH AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR STUDENTS TO TO REALLY JUST TAKE PART IN THE BIGGEST EVENT ON EARTH, THE BIGGEST SPORTING EVENT ON
EARTH. AND I THINK AS WE WORK WITH FIFA, WHO ARE THE ONES WHO REALLY PUT ON THE MATCHES THEMSELVES IF YOU WATCH A PROFESSIONAL SOCCER GAME, YOU KNOW THE PLAYERS WILL WALK OUT
WITH THE KIDS DURING THE GAME. AND HOW DO MAKE SURE THOSE ARE BOSTON KIDS. HOW DO WE GET FOLKS FROM DPS AND OTHER YOU KNOW, SOCCER LEAGUES IN BOSTON TO TO BE THE ONES WHO WALK OUT WITH LIONEL MESSI AND FOLKS LIKE THAT?
SO DEFINITELY A PRIORITY THAT WE WANT TO DO AND I KNOW WE WERE INTENDING TO WORK WITH ATHLETICS IN THE FOLKS OVER THERE TO TO SEE WHAT'S POSSIBLE
DO WE DO A AND WITH FOLKS LIKE THE SOCCER UNITY PROJECT LIKE HOW DO WE DO A MINI WORLD CUP OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT HERE IN BOSTON DURING THE TOURNAMENT? YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
I'D LIKE TO I'D LIKE TO SEE SOME OF THESE SOCCER PLAYERS THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN FIFA BEING OUR COMMUNITIES AND ENGAGING OUR KIDS, ENGAGING
WITH ALL KIDS, REALLY ENGAGING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND HELPING THEM WHETHER IT'S A CLINIC OR REFEREEING OR OR JUST THERE AND
TALKING ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES IS THAT SOMETHING YOU MIGHT YOU MIGHT DO? NEAL YEAH, THAT'LL DEFINITELY BE HAPPENING WITH FIFA LEGENDS THEY'RE CALLED SO YOU KNOW PROS FROM THE TOURNAMENTS OF YEARS
PAST WILL BE GOING TO DIFFERENT CITIES AND HAVING EVENTS AND TALKING TO KIDS AND ADULTS ALIKE ABOUT WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE A PRO AND AND WHAT IT'S LIKE TO PLAY ON THE BIGGEST STAGE.
SO THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE ON THE BOOKS . THERE'S AN ORGANIZATION THAT DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS BUT THEY HAVE A A ASPECT OF IT THAT
ENGAGES DISABLED VETERANS THAT ARE IN WHEELCHAIRS, IN SPORTS AND THEY HAVE EXCELLENT PROGRAMS. I'VE BEEN TO A COUPLE OF THEM
TO EXPERIENCE IT BUT THE NATIONAL COMMANDO NOW IS CALLED MINI YOU MIGHT KNOW OF BOSTON BUT HE WOULD BE A GREAT PERSON
TO TALK TO ABOUT WHAT THE DAV IS DOING TO SUPPORT VETERANS WITH DISABILITIES AND MAYBE PARTNERING WITH SOME VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS TO ENSURE THAT
THEY CAN ALSO PARTICIPATE IN IN FIFA AS WELL. IS THAT IS THAT SOMETHING YOU GUYS MIGHT WANT TO YEAH, THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC. WE'D APPRECIATE ANY CONNECTION YOU COULD MAKE. OKAY. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. UM, LET ME ASK DUSTY. DUSTY, DO YOU THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU AND CEIL
BOSTON TO ENGAGE DISABLED VETERANS AS WELL AND ENSURE THAT THEY ARE PART OF THE PART THE WONDERFUL EVENTS OF THE SHIPS COMING IN? IS THAT SOMETHING YOU MIGHT BE
COMMITTED TO REACH OUT TO CALL ME? OKAY. I MEAN AND BOTH ABOUT WHAT CAN WE DO TO BE MORE INCLUSIVE I KNOW AND I'LL TAKE CARE OF THAT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU DUSTY AND LET ME ASK LET ME ASK YOU, CHIEF, WOULD WOULD OVERALL WHAT IS THE CITY PLANNING TO DO? YOU HEARD THE QUESTIONS I WAS
ASKING ABOUT SUPPORTING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. WHAT IS THE OVERALL MISSION OF THE CITY OF BOSTON AS IT COMES TO THESE WONDERFUL EVENTS
BUT HOW THE PEOPLE OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES GOING TO BE ABLE TO PURCHASE, OPERATE, ENGAGE AND ENSURE THAT THEY'RE PART OF THE PROCESS AS WELL WELL AS YOU KNOW, COUNCILOR,
YOU KNOW THIS IS A CITYWIDE EFFORT NOT JUST ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND INCLUSION BUT OUR PARTNERS ACROSS ALL DEPARTMENTS AND INCLUDING COMMISSIONER MCCOSH HIS OFFICE SO ALSO SNEAK IN THERE
COMMISSIONER SANTIAGO AND OUR VETERAN AFFAIRS IS THE OVERALL MISSION OF THE CITY IS TO ENSURE THAT ALL 730,000 RESIDENTS GET TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE WONDERFUL EVENTS, GET TO EXPERIENCE IT BECAUSE YOU KNOW
IT MIGHT BE A ONCE IN A LIFETIME HOPE NOT. BUT FOR TWO FOUR TALL SHIPS TO BE HERE, FOR FIFA TO BE HERE IT'LL BE THE ONLY TIME WE CAN CELEBRATE OUR 250TH. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
EVERYONE GETS TO PARTICIPATE. BUT I WILL SAY THAT FOR THE MISSION OF OUR CABINET, OUR OUR NUMBER ONE MISSION IS TO MAKE SURE THAT DOLLARS ARE GOING TO OUR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, OUR CONTRACTORS, OUR ENTREPRENEURS
ALL WHO ARE DISADVANTAGED. THAT INCLUDES NOT JUST TO YOUR POINT WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR BUT THOSE WHO CERTIFY THEMSELVES AS VETERANS, THOSE WHO CERTIFY THEMSELVES AS
SERVICE DISABLED. AND THANK YOU CHIEF. I JUST WANT TO STRESS THE OF ENSURING THAT THESE WONDERFUL EVENTS ARE GOING TO
BE EXPERIENCED BY PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES AND I THINK THAT REALLY WE REALLY NEED TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE INCLUDED. I WAS AT THE HORACE MANN SCHOOL
A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND IN CHARLESTON SUPPORTING STUDENTS THAT ARE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING AND YOU KNOW, WATCHING THEIR EXCITEMENT GOING
TO SCHOOL AND LISTENING AND TALKING TO SOME OF THEIR TEACHERS AS WELL. BUT THEY WANT TO BE ENGAGED. THEY WANT TO BE PART OF THE CIVIC LIFE OF BOSTON AND I JUST WANT TO DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO
ENSURE THAT STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES ARE PART OF THE PROCESS. WHAT CAN I THANK YOU COUNSELOR, FOR BRINGING UP THAT POINT AND I THINK ONE ONE OF THE TAKEAWAYS FROM TODAY'S HEARING
IS THAT WE WILL GO BACK TO OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE ADMINISTRATION TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE PART OF THESE CONVERSATIONS NOW AS OPPOSED TO WAITING UNTIL WE'VE SET OUT A LOT OF THE DETAILS. I'D ALSO LIKE TO NOTE FOR THE
RECORD OR ASK ON THE RECORD THAT YOU OR YOUR OFFICE SHARE RECOMMENDATION FROM SOME ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE SHOULD BE IN TOUCH WITH. I KNOW THAT OVER OUR TIME TOGETHER IN OUR ROLES YOU'VE
BROUGHT UP VETERAN HOME BUSINESS PARTICIPATION AND WE WOULD VERY MUCH LOVE YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS ON NOT JUST ENTITIES THAT WE SHOULD BE WORKING WITH BUT VETERAN OWNED BUSINESSES THAT ARE WITHIN YOUR
NETWORK SO THAT WE ARE INCREASING OUR NUMBERS. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE DON'T KNOW BUT WE'D LOVE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CONNECTED BECAUSE OUR WHOLE GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS WHO HAVE NOT GOTTEN WORK WITH THE CITY GET IT BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE'LL GET
OTHERS TO ACTUALLY PARTICIPATE WHEN THEY SEE THAT PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE THEM OR HAVE THE SAME IDENTITY OR EXPERIENCE ARE ALSO GETTING CONTRACTS WITH THE CITY. THANK CHIEF HERE SO I'LL FOLLOW
UP WITH YOU AND THANK YOU FOR THE REACHING OUT ON THAT ON THAT ISSUE I DON'T HAVE ANY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS WE DO HAVE
A LOT OF PUBLIC TESTIMONY THAT I WANT TO GET RIGHT TO ALL OKAY
. BUT LET ME RECOGNIZE THE CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. I HAD MORE QUESTIONS BUT I DO WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL OF EVERYONE'S TIME AND I WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL OF THE PANEL
AND THOSE WHO ARE HERE FROM PUBLIC TESTIMONY. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK AND WANT TO UNDERSCORE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR US TO BE TRACKING AND USING METRICS TO ACTUALLY SEE IF WHAT WE'RE SPENDING MONEY ON MAKES
SENSE FOR US TO ALSO HAVE MORE FOR US TO BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT WHAT OUR EQUITY INVESTMENTS LOOK LIKE AND WHAT IT MEANS TO SUSTAIN THEM OVER TIME AND THAT THESE ARE NOT THAT EFFORTS TO
INVEST IN ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE TOO OFTEN FORGOTTEN OR SIDELINED TOO OFTEN BLACK AND BROWN ONES IS NOT JUST AS MANY PEOPLE HAVE SAID I FEEL GOOD.
IT'S ABOUT US REALLY TRYING TO CHANGE THE LANDSCAPE OF THE CITY OF BOSTON BOTH INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY AND I THINK IF WE DO SOME OF THAT THAT I THINK THE CHIEF ALLUDED TO IS THAT
PEOPLE LIKE TO SPEND MONEY IN THEIR COMMUNITIES THAT LIKE TO SPEND MONEY SO FAR AS THEY FEEL WELCOME THAT COULD THEN LEAD AND TRANSLATE TO HEADS ON BEDS. BUT THERE IS WORK THAT WE HAVE TO DO INTERNALLY TO MAKE THAT
HAPPEN AND I JUST ENCOURAGE US TO LOOK AT DATA FROM WHEN THERE WERE EVENTS THAT WERE VERY WELCOMING TO BLACK AND BROWN FOLKS HERE AND TO SEE HOW MUCH MONEY AND HOW MUCH REVENUE THAT GENERATED. I THINK I THINK EVERYONE FOR
COMING WITH GOOD IDEAS AND I'M REALLY GLAD THE PANEL OFFERED SOME RECOMMENDATIONS TO ALL OF YOU ON HOW TO MAKE THESE EVENTS SUCCESSFUL. THIS MORNING I STARTED OFF IN EAST BOSTON AT THE YMCA
CELEBRATION AND DAVID SCHAPIRO, THE HEAD OF EAST BOSTON, THE HEAD OF THE YMCA SAID WE ALL DO WELL WHEN WE ALL DO WELL AND I REALLY WANT US TO BELIEVE THAT AND WE IS IT HAS TO BE
INCLUSIVE AND IT HAS TO INCLUDE EVERYONE AND IT HAS TO INTERNALLY INCLUDE THOSE WHO OFTEN HAVE NOT BEEN INCLUDED IN THAT IDEA OF WHAT IT MEANS FOR US ALL TO DO WELL, ANYTHING
ELSE OF THAT IS JUST SMOKE AND MIRRORS ANYTHING THAT'S NOT DATA DRIVEN, THAT'S NOT SUPPORTING YOU KNOW, REGARDLESS OF I DON'T CARE WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, WE REMAIN WHO WE ARE AS A CITY AND THAT'S ONE THAT IS
COMMITTED TO BRING OUT THE BEST IN ALL OF OUR 23 NEIGHBORHOODS AND DOING THE WORK OF EQUITY WHICH IS CORRECTING FOR WHEN WE HAVE IGNORED PEOPLE INTENTIONALLY AND IGNORED COMMUNITIES INTENTIONALLY. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR
YOUR WORK. I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT THESE EVENTS AND I'M SO EXCITED. I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT THESE EVENTS AND I'M SO EXCITED TO HELP BRING VENDORS TO THESE EVENTS FOOD, ENTERTAINMENT, SECURITY MORE MORE SYNERGY SO ENERGIZING WHAT OPPORTUNITIES
ARE AVAILABLE AND SO WHATEVER I CAN DO AS AN ALLERGY COUNSELOR OR PRESENCE CITY COUNCIL TO MAKE PEOPLE AWARE OF THESE I'M I'M RAISING MY HAND TO DO THAT. I THINK THIS THIS HEARING IS A DISPLAY OF THAT. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING
SO MUCH OF YOUR TIME TO US THIS MORNING AND ME THESE CONVERSATIONS CONTINUE BECAUSE I'M SURE THE CHAIR WILL KEEP THIS IN COMMITTEE AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE ADDITIONAL CONVERSATION HEARINGS AS NEEDED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO THE PANEL FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY AND YOU ARE DISMISSED AT THIS TIME. WE'RE GOING TO GO TO PUBLIC
TESTIMONY AND I HAVE A LIST OF PEOPLE THAT ARE LOOKING TO TESTIFY IN WHEN I CALL YOUR
NAME COULD YOU COME DOWN AND USE THE MICROPHONE ON THE LEFT OR THE MICROPHONE AT THE RIGHT
? WELL, LET ME START WITH CAROL
COPELAND AND I'M GOING TO CALL OUT A FEW NAMES AND MAYBE WE COULD SPREAD IT OUT AT DIFFERENT MICROPHONES.
CHRISTA KRISTEN MENDEZ LA GRANDE. LINDA HE LEFT. HE LEFT. HE LEFT.
OKAY. VIC PAVIC MARIE MARIE FERMIN IF
YOU WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO TO THAT MICROPHONE? MARIE AND SENATOR OH, OKAY. I'M SORRY.
I'M SORRY. AND AND CHRISTA WILL BE LAST.
YES, YOU CAN COME DOWN, MA'AM. I HAVE MY HAND BUT I OKAY. TELL ME WHAT YOUR NAME IS. OKAY. YOU COULD COME DOWN.
I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU AND WANT TO GIVE EACH PERSON THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY FOR 2 MINUTES. BUT IF YOU WANT TO IF YOU CAN
PLEASE SAY YOUR NAME IN ORGANIZATION AND THEN GET RIGHT TO YOUR RIGHT TO YOUR POINT ON IT TO HAVE PUBLIC TESTIMONY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I AM CAROL COPELAND THOMAS. I'M A 38 YEAR BUSINESS OWNER, A SPEAKER, TRAINER AND CONSULTANT AND I AM ON THE BOARD OF MEET BOSTON. SO I AM REPRESENTING MIT
BOSTON. I AM ALSO A MEMBER OF BURMA AND I WAS GLAD TO HEAR THAT PANEL THIS MORNING. GOOD AFTERNOON TO OUR PRESIDENT PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE AND
COUNCILMAN FLYNN AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. MY NAME IS CAROL COPELAND THOMAS AND I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING ON THE BOARD OF MIT BOSTON FORMERLY
KNOWN AS THE GREATER BOSTON CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU FOR MANY YEARS. I ALSO CHAIR OUR MULTICULTURAL COMMITTEE, A GROUP THAT FOR
DECADES HAS WORKED TO ENSURE THAT BOSTON'S TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRIES REFLECT THE DIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE WORK AND VISIT HERE.
DURING MY TENURE I HAVE WITNESSED A REMARKABLE AND DELIBERATE EVOLUTION IN MEET BOSTON'S COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION
AND MULTICULTURAL ENGAGEMENT. WHAT BEGAN AS A CONVERSATION ABOUT REPRESENTATION HAS MATURED INTO A WELL-STRUCTURED, SUSTAINABLE EFFORT.
ONE THAT INVESTS IN COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS, MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES AND CULTURAL EVENTS THAT BRING LIFE TO EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IN OUR CITY.
OUR MULTICULTURAL COMMITTEE MEETS REGULARLY TO ADVANCE THAT MISSION MOST RECENTLY BY SPOTLIGHTING INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS THE MUSEUM OF AFRICAN
AMERICAN HISTORY AND PLANNING PROGRAMS THAT CELEBRATE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, WHICH WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THESE EFFORTS TO STRENGTHEN BOSTON'S
IMAGE AS A WELCOMING CITY WHILE ALSO GENERATING TANGIBLE ECONOMIC BENEFITS THAT RIPPLE ACROSS SMALL BUSINESSES, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND
RESIDENTS ALIKE. MEET BOSTON'S CHARITABLE AND COMMUNITY FUNDING PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE IN THAT ECOSYSTEM.
THESE FUNDS HELP SUSTAIN THE FESTIVALS, CULTURAL GATHERINGS AND GRASSROOT ROOTS ORGANIZATIONS THAT EMBODY THE SOUL OF OUR CITY.
ELIMINATING OR DIMINISHING THAT SUPPORT WOULD UNDERCUT YEARS OF INTENTIONAL PROGRESS AND PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN PUBLIC PRIVATE AND COMMUNITY
STAKEHOLDERS. I WANT TO PUBLICLY EXPRESS MY FULL SUPPORT FOR OUR PRESIDENT AND CEO MARTHA SHERIDAN, WHOSE
LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN ALIGNING EQUITY AND ECONOMIC GROWTH. HER VISION HAS NOT ONLY ELEVATED BOSTON'S PROFILE ON A
NATIONAL AND GLOBAL STAGE BUT HAS DONE SO WITH INTEGRITY, INCLUSIVITY AND MEASURABLE IMPACTS. IN CLOSING, I URGE THE
COUNCIL TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING MEEK BOSTON'S EQUITABLE INVESTMENT STRATEGIES. THIS IS NOT CHARITY. IT'S GOOD BUSINESS, GOOD GOVERNANCE AND GOOD FAITH.
BOSTON'S STRENGTH LIES IN ITS PEOPLE AND MEET BOSTON'S APPROACH ENSURES THAT EVERY COMMUNITY SHARES IN THE CITY'S SUCCESS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU, CAROL. THANKS FOR BEING WITH US AND THANK YOU FOR THE IMPORTANT LEADERSHIP YOU HAVE PROVIDED FOR MANY YEARS IN THIS CITY.
THANK YOU. HELLO EVERYONE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, ESPECIALLY IN LISTENING TO SUCH A DEEP CONVERSATION
THAT WILL HAVE TRICKLE EFFECTS FOR NOT ONLY 2026 BUT FOR MANY YEARS TO COME. MY NAME IS VIC INNOCENT. I AM FOUNDER AND GENERAL
PARTNER OF FRANK AND BUILD VENTURES, A VENTURE CAPITAL FIRM ESTABLISHED IN BOSTON. WE FOCUS SPECIFICALLY ON SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES.
SO WHEN EVERYONE SAYS INVESTING VENTURE CAPITAL IS RIGHT THERE WITH YOU GENUINELY INVESTING DIRECT DOLLARS INTO THE ECONOMY .
SO THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO US CONSIDERING BOSTON CITY'S MASSIVE APPEARANCE AND POSITIONING IN TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT.
OUR FIRM FOCUSES ON THOSE WHO ARE BUILDING WITHIN ITS SPACE DEEP, DEEP TECH SPACE AND DUAL USE.
WE ALSO COVER THE BLUE ECONOMY AS WELL AS INFRASTRUCTURE. I MYSELF HAVE BEEN EX-NATIONAL
AND I AM CURRENTLY A MEMBER AS WELL AS ON THE BOARD OF GREEN ENERGY CONSUMERS ALLIANCE FOR BOSTON. THERE HAVE BEEN LOTS OF FACTS
THAT WERE STATED EARLIER TODAY AND SO I WILL ADD A FEW MORE. CONSIDERING THE GREAT WEALTH TRANSFER THERE HAVE BEEN ESTIMATES OF ANYWHERE FROM 60
TO $124 TRILLION FOR THAT WEALTH TRANSFER. ADDITIONALLY FOR BOSTON ITSELF 13.5 BILLION OF THOSE DOLLARS WERE REPRESENTED IN 2023 GOING
INTO 2024. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT INVESTMENT IT IS INVESTMENT NOT ONLY MORALLY BUT ALSO VERY, VERY MUCH ECONOMICALLY. WE'VE HEARD IT MANY TIMES
BEFORE BUT FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF A VENTURE CAPITAL FIRM I AM HERE TO STRESS THAT THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS GOING INTO INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE'S
POCKETS AND SO WE MUST STEADFAST BE BESIDE STARTUP STARTUP BUSINESS OWNERS. I MYSELF AND MY FIRM WE ARE A
MEMBER OF THE APEX AND P-TECH AND THE PROCUREMENT TECHNICAL ALLIANCE COMMISSION FOR THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AS
WELL AS I HAVE LENT MY OWN VOICE AND WORDS TO THIS YEAR'S CYBER SBIR REAUTHORIZATION SET . SO CONSIDERING ALL OF THE
ECONOMIC DIRECTIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE PROGRAMS ,SOME THAT REMAIN, SOME THAT NO LONGER EXIST SUCH AS THE ANGEL INVESTOR TAX CREDIT I
REALLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE COMPULSION TO DESIGN AND HAVE INTEGRAL AVENUES TO KEEP BOSTON
AS A TOP FOUR INVESTMENT IN SMALL BUSINESS CITY IS ON OUR BACKS RIGHT NOW. THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SO MANY
PEOPLE GLOBALLY TO BE IN BOSTON FOR 2026 IS A HIGHLIGHT NOT ONLY OF THE CITY BUT SUCH EFFORTS DISCUSSED TODAY RUNS FAR DEEPER THAN JUST TOURISM.
I DON'T MEAN TO SAY JUST TOURISM BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. IT IS ABSOLUTELY ROOTED IN A CITY INVESTING IN ITS OWN CITIZENS THUS AFFECTING THE ENTIRE STATE.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO INVOLVEMENT OF EVERYONE, I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO REMIND US THAT WHETHER WE WANT TO OR NOT ESPECIALLY FOR THE YOUTH, THOSE KIDS WHO ARE
IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND WHATNOT, THEY ARE THE CONTENT CREATORS WHO WILL BE COVERING THIS NO MATTER WHAT. WHETHER WE INVITE THEM OR NOT. SO ON A NATIONAL STAGE LOCAL
JOURNALISM AS WELL AS INDIVIDUAL PERSONS WHO ARE CONTENT CREATORS THEIR EYES ARE ON US RIGHT NOW AND IN THE NEXT YEAR.
SO I WILL END THIS WITH ALSO MENTIONING THAT I'LL JUST LEAVE IT WITH A SHORT QUOTE BECAUSE OUR FIRM DOES COVER SPACE AS WELL AS MARITIME AND
SHIPBUILDING. I LOVE THE QUOTE ARISING TIDE LIFTS ALL BOATS. AND SO WHEN WE DISCUSS THESE MATTERS IT IS FOR THE INCLUSION OF EVERYONE ESPECIALLY SMALL
BUSINESS OWNERS WHICH IS MY WHOLE WORLD AS A VENTURE CAPITAL FIRM OWNER. THANK YOU AND THANK YOU VERY. IT'S GOOD TO BE WITH YOU.
HI, MY NAME IS MARIE FERMAN AND I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING THIS, UH THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR AND TO HEAR
THE BIGGER PICTURE AND TO TRY TO GET IT TO RELATE TO MY SMALLER PICTURE WHICH IS MY SMALL BUSINESS. SO THANK YOU.
I SERVE AS THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF BLACK BIZ DEV. IT'S A501C3 ORGANIZATION AND BLACK BIZ DEVELOPMENT GROUP LLC. WE PROVIDE MARKETING,
ADVERTISING AND TRAINING SERVICES IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP TO BUSINESSES AND YOUTH 14 TO 22.
MY PARTNERSHIP WITH BOSTON HAS BEEN TRANSFORMATIVE PERSONALLY AND IN MY BUSINESS IT HAS OPENED DOORS TO INVALUABLE
EXPERI OPPORTUNITIES AND ENDURING FRIENDSHIPS ALLOWING ME TO EXPLORE NEW HORIZONS BEYOND ROXBURY WHERE I LIVED
AND MY FAMILY HAS LIVED FOR OVER FIVE GENERATIONS. THE JOURNEY WITH ME BOSTON BEGAN WITH MY BLACK BASEBALL
EVENT THAT I GIVE FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES IN BOSTON, CAMBRIDGE AND OTHER COMMUNITIES WHERE THERE ARE REALLY LOCAL AND SMALL BUSINESSES.
MICHAEL MANN WHO IS HERE TODAY AND PART OF ME PASSED AND WAS THE COMMUNITY LIAISON WHO GUIDED ME TO JOIN AND PARTNER
WITH ME BOSTON TO COME OUT OF ROXBURY ACTUALLY. MICHAEL INTRODUCED ME IMMEDIATELY TO THE PRESIDENT
MARTHA SHERIDAN WHOM I SAW ON TV PRIOR TO PRIOR TO PROMOTING DIVERSION AND INCLUSION. SO I THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE A
GOOD ORGANIZATION FOR ME TO BE A PART OF THOSE SAME TEAM MEMBERS THAT I MET INITIALLY ARE THE TEAM MEMBERS THAT I
WORK WITH QUITE FREQUENTLY THEY GIVE ME 1 TO 1 INSTRUCTION ON TOPICS SPECIFIC THEY OH THEY DO
TOPICS SPECIFIC WORKSHOP FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES TAILORED TO MY NEEDS. FOR INSTANCE THE FIRST WORKSHOP
FOR ME WAS AT MIT BOSTON OVER THE YEARS MY COMPANY HAS A BENEFIT TO BUY ME BOSTON RESOURCES INCLUDING MARKETING
REFERRALS, ACCESS TO WORKSHOPS AND THEY HAVE STRENGTHENED MY BUSINESS IN A WAY BY PROVIDING ME WITH SPONSORSHIP FOR MY
BLACK BASEBALL WHICH HAS BEEN DONE FOR OVER FIVE YEARS. WE'VE CELEBRATED OVER 80 LOCAL BUSINESSES AND FOR MY NEWEST
EVENT IN VENTURE THAT HELPS TO GIVE MY ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM THAT I DO WITH YOUTH MORE DEPTH AND MORE INFORMATION
IN THAT PROGRAM WAS A PROGRAM I GAVE RECENTLY CALLED THE WAY WE WERE ROXBURY BLACK WALL STREET 1900 TO 1965.
SO MY ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM INFUSES CULTURE AND HISTORY AND IT SO THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE NOT ONLY INFORMED ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY BUT THEY
UNDERSTAND WHAT THE HISTORY AND THE STRUGGLE HAS BEEN TO BE IN IN ENTREPRENEUR. SO THE FUNDRAISING DEPARTMENT
ACTIVE FUNDING ME AND GIVING ME SERVICES IN THEIR MARKETING I MEAN I MEET WITH THE MARKETING THEY'RE MY FRIENDS SO YOU KNOW I GET ALL KINDS
OF INFORMATION FROM THAT THAT INFORMS ME AND AFTER SPONSORING ME AND GIVING ME A LOT OF REFERRALS FOR SPONSORSHIPS I MEAN THEY DON'T RESPOND TO
ME BUT THEN THEY SAID OH YOU NEED TO GO HERE, GO THERE, GO THERE AND GET MORE MONEY. SO YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE BEEN INVALUABLE TO MY SMALL BUSINESS.
COULD COULD I ASK YOU TO TAKE THE NEXT 30 SECONDS TO SUMMARIZE THEM? OKAY. THANK YOU. I WHOLEHEARTEDLY ENCOURAGE ALL BLACK BUSINESSES TO PARTNER
WITH ME BOSTON AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE INCREDIBLE OPPORTUN ITIES THEY OFFER. AND I JUST WANT YOU TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THEM AND BECCA I AM
ALSO A MEMBER OF BLACK OC. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS Q A AQUA DEVOTEE AND I'M A FORMER INTERNATIONAL MODEL AND NOW ENTREPRENEUR AND
I'M ALSO A SPACE GRANT AWARD WINNER AND I'M ALSO THE FOUNDER OF BOLESKINE BAKE LLC. IT IS A TRULY HONOR TO STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY TO SPEAK ABOUT
A TOPIC THAT HAS THE POWER TO TRANSFORM COMMUNITY STRAIN ECONOMY AND OPEN DOORS FOR INNOVATION. THE IMPORTANCE OF SMALL BUSINESSES SECURING CONTRACT
DURING MAJOR GLOBAL EVENTS LIKE THE WORLD CUP. WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE WORLD CUP MOST PEOPLE IMAGINE THE EXCITEMENT, THE PACKED STADIUM,
THE CHEERING FAN AND THE GLOBAL SPOTLIGHT. BUT BEHIND THAT SPECTACLE IS A MASSIVE NETWORK OF OPPORTUNITY FROM CATERING, HOSPITALITY,
EVEN PRODUCTION, MARKETING, BEAUTY, LOGISTICS, TRANSPORT, TRANSPORTATION AND MUCH MORE. AND THIS IS WHERE THE SMALL BUSINESSES MODERN WAS SMALL
BUSINESSES ARE THE HEARTBEAT OF EVERY ECONOMY. WE ARE THE ONE WHO HIRE LOCALLY REINVENTS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND KEEP THE SPIRIT OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP ALIVE.
WHEN A LARGE SCALE SCALE EVENT COMES TO OUR COMMUNITY, WE SHOULD NOT BE A CELEBRATION OF SPORT. THEY ALSO SHOULD BE A CELEBRATION OF LOCAL TALENT,
LOCAL CREATIVITY AND LOCAL OWNERSHIP SECURING CONTRACT FOR THE SMALL BUSINESSES DURING THE WORLD CUP ISN'T JUST ABOUT MAKING SALE IS ABOUT CREATING
EQUITY IT'S ABOUT GIVING UNDERREPRESENTED AND MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES A FAIR SIT AT A TABLE IS ABOUT ENSURING THAT WHEN THE WORLD ATTENTION IS ON
US OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES SHINE AS BRIGHT AS INTERNATIONAL BRANDS. IMAGINE A WORLD CUP WHERE THE VENDORS ARE A SMALL WOMEN OWNED
CATERING COMPANY SERVING AUTHENTIC LOCAL DISHES. IMAGINE LOCAL DISHES AND IMAGINE LOCAL BEAUTY AND WELLNESS BUSINESSES PREPARING
STAFF AND PERFORMING LOCAL DESIGNER DRESSING VOLUNTEER AND LOCAL MARKETING FIRM HANDLING CAMPAIGN THAT REFLECTS THE REAL DIVERSITY OF OUR COMMUNITY.
THAT IS HOW WE CREATE LASTING IMPACT NOT JUST A FEW WEEK OF GAME HOUR FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. WHEN THE SMALL BUSINESSES GET THOSE CONTRACTS THEY GROW, THEY
HIRE MORE PEOPLE THEY GAIN VISIBILITY AND CREDIBILITY. THEY BUILD HEALTH AND STAY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. SO I URGE THE DECISION MAKER,
ORGANIZER AND CITY OFFICIAL LET'S MAKE SURE OUR CURRENT MEN SYSTEM IS FAIR AND INCLUSIVE. LESS SIMPLIFY ACCESS, BREAK DOWN BARRIERS, ENSURE SMALL BUSINESSES ESPECIALLY MINORITY
AND WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES ARE PRIORITIZED. AND ALL TO ALL THE ENTREPRENEUR HERE. LET'S BE READY AND LET'S GET CERTIFIED. LET'S GET VISIBLE AND STAY INFORMED BECAUSE THE
OPPORTUNITY IS COMING AND BELONG TO US TO THE WORLD CUP IS MORE THAN A TOURNAMENT IS A GLOBAL STAGE IN OUR BUSINESS DESERVE TO BE PART OF THE SHOW. AND ON A PERSONAL NOT I WORK IN
A BEAUTY INDUSTRY WE REALLY NEED MORE VISIBILITY ON THE VIDEO INDUSTRY AND THE WORLD. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR AND THANK YOU
CO AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE IS CHRISTINA HILL HAILEY.
AND BEFORE YOU GO HAILEY WAS THERE ANYONE THAT WANTED TO OFFER TESTIMONY THAT I HAVEN'T CALLED OR THAT DIDN'T SIGN IN THAT STILL WANTS TO TESTIFY?
IF YOU DO, PLEASE COME DOWN. BUT GO AHEAD, HAILEY, AND TAKE TAKE 2 MINUTES PLEASE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE. SO MY NAME IS HAILEY FORTIER AND I AM THE OWNER OPERATOR
OF HAILEY HENRY WINE BAR WHICH IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER IN DOWNTOWN CROSSING AND NATALIE WINE BAR WHICH IS IN FENWAY. I'M HERE REPRESENTING ME BOSTON.
BUT OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH THEM ON A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS OF I'VE TRAVELED WITH THEM ABROAD TO KIND OF SEND THE MESSAGE ALONG WITH THEM WHAT
THEIR MESSAGE IS INVOLVING DIVERSITY, INCLUSION, TOURISM AND MAKING SURE THAT THE CITY'S BEEN SEEN ON A MORE GLOBAL LEVEL IN TERMS OF THE DIVERSITY
THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER WITH ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND AND THINGS OF THAT ALL OF OUR INDUSTRY, ALL OF OUR INDUSTRIES AS WELL. I'VE SEEN IT FIRSTHAND.
I HAVE BEEN WELCOMED IN TO MEET BOSTON NUMEROUS TIMES. THEY HAVE SUPPORTED THE BUSINESS IN A MULTITUDE OF WAYS. MOST IMPORTANTLY SOMETHING COMING UP THAT I'M WORKING ON.
IT'S A PROJECT THAT WILL BE THE FIRST OF THE CITY I THINK FROM MY FROM MY KNOWLEDGE. BUT WE'RE GOING I'M GOING TO BE
CREATING A WINE FAIR IN FEBRUARY THAT'S CALLED FEMME FACT THAT IS 100% JUST COMPLETELY CURATED OF FEMALE WINEMAKERS WOMEN WINEMAKERS
FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. THERE IS A PLETHORA OF ETHNIC DIVERSITY IN IT BLACK AND BROWN LATIN, JUST LOTS OF DIFFERENT
WINEMAKERS THAT'S GOING TO BE CONVENING HERE IN FEBRUARY IN A TIME WHERE ALSO RESTAURANTS REALLY NEED A PLUG BECAUSE OF HOLIDAY FATIGUE, YOU KNOW,
SO RESTAURANTS WILL BE IMPACTED BY IT, HOTELS WOULD BE IMPACTED BY IT, SMALL BUSINESSES WILL BE IMPACTED BY IT. I THINK THE ONE THING THAT I'VE HEARD HERE IN THE PAST 2 HOURS OF LISTENING TO THESE INCREDIBLE PANELS IS THAT SMALL
BUSINESSES TAKE PRIORITY BECAUSE THERE ARE THINGS THAT KIND OF CREATE THE CITY AND MAKE THE CITY GO ME BOSTON WHEN I TOLD THEM ABOUT THIS IDEA OF THIS WINE FESTIVAL I DON'T
EVEN KNOW THAT I GOT THE ACTUAL SENTENCE OUT BEFORE MARTHA AND KATE DAVIS AND DAVE O'DONNELL WERE LIKE WE'RE DEFINITELY INVOLVED IN THIS. WE WANT THIS TO HAPPEN AND SO FROM DAY ONE THEY HAVE
SUPPORTED THE VISION OF THE DIVERSITY THAT WE BRING AT THE BAR AND ELSEWHERE. YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S ALSO A LOT OF THESE WINEMAKERS THAT ARE
COMING THEY ARE ALL FEMALE WINEMAKERS. IT'S A FESTIVAL THAT IS REALLY SURROUNDED BY BY HIGHLIGHTING AND SPOTLIGHTING FEMALE MAKERS. BUT A LOT OF THOSE MAKERS ARE
ALL ALSO PART OF THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF REPRESENTATION ACROSS THE BOARD. THAT BEING SAID, YOU KNOW ANYTHING THAT THE COUNCIL CAN
DO TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT ME BOSTON IN ALL OF THEIR EFFORTS THROUGH EVERY INDUSTRY THAT I'VE SEEN THEM DIVERSIFY I, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT AND I'M SURE THAT LOTS OF OTHER
RESTAURANT OWNERS AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS THAT I KNOW WOULD SAY THE SAME THING ABOUT THEM BECAUSE THE ORGANIZATION IS MADE UP OF LOTS OF DIFFERENT PARTNERS BUT A LOT OF THEM ARE
ACTUALLY PEOPLE IN THE SAME INDUSTRY AS ME AND OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST FOUR YEARS WITH COVID AND THE WAY THAT THE CITY AND SMALL BUSINESSES JUST
TOOK A VERY BIG HIT. BOSTON HAS BEEN A REALLY BIG ALLY TO SMALL BUSINESSES TO GET THEM BACK UP AND GOING SO AND IN CONSIDERATION I WOULD
APPRECIATE THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, HAILEY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I HAVE ONE DOCUMENT THAT I'D LIKE TO READ INTO THE RECORD.
IT'S PUBLIC TESTIMONY. IT'S FROM COLETTE PHILLIPS, THE FOUNDER CEO COLETTE COLETTE PHILLIPS COMMUNICATIONS GET CONNECTED. I'M GOING TO READ IN A GOOD A GOOD PORTION OF IT.
FIRST LET ME GIVE MY HEARTFELT THANKS TO BOSTON CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT THE HONORABLE MADAME ROSA LOUIJEUNE FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE OFFER MY PERSONAL TESTIMONY AND INSIGHT
AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON THIS IMPORTANT ECONOMIC DRIVER OF BOSTON'S ECONOMY. LET ME PREFACE MY TESTIMONY BY SAYING THAT THIS THAT MY TESTIMONY IS NOT AN ATTACK ON
IT ON ANYONE OR ON ME. BOSTON THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE MY OBSERVATION ON SOME OF THE ISSUES IN OPPORTUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN MISSED OR UNINTENTIONALLY OVERLOOKED THAT
HOLDS SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR BOSTON'S ECONOMY ECONOMY WITHIN THE HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM INDUSTRY. I WANT EVERYONE AND ANYONE WHO HAS A BUSINESS WITHIN THE
HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM INDUSTRY FROM THE VERY SMALLEST VENDOR TO THE LARGEST ENTITY HOTELS, RESTAURANTS, NIGHTCLUBS, ENTERTAINMENT, FOOD TRUCKS, TOURS, MUSEUMS AND ALL
THE HIDDEN GEMS OUT THERE TO SUCCEED. IT IS ALL IN ALL OF OUR COLLECTIVE ECONOMIC INTEREST THAT BOSTON TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY SECTORS DO WELL THE
TERM A RISING TIDE LIFTS ALL BOATS COULD NOT BE MORE APPROPRIATE HERE I WANT ME BOSTON TO BE SUCCESSFUL AS SOMEONE WHO WORKED EARLIER IN MY CAREER IN MARKETING IN THE
HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY AND ADVISE THE MASSACHUSETTS OFFICE OF TRAVEL AND TOURISM ON HOW TO ENGAGE AND ATTRACT DIVERSE VISITORS. I BELIEVE I BRING A STRONG
TRACK RECORD AND KEEN UNDERSTANDING OF THIS INDUSTRY . FIVE YEARS AGO IN 2020 MY FIRM COLLETTE AND PHILLIPS COMMUNICATION IS HONORED TO BE
AWARDED THE CONTRACT TO CREATE A COMPREHENSIVE CAMPAIGN AIMED AT SHAPING RESHAPING BOSTON'S IMAGE WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY SUPPORTING THE CITY'S RECOVERY FROM THE DEVASTATING
IMPACTS OF THE PANDEMIC ON ITS TOURISM SECTOR TO A CHOOSE. TO ACHIEVE THIS WE ASSEMBLED A DYNAMIC TEAM OF CREATIVE PARTNERING WITH PROVERB
AGENCIES PROVERB AGENCY TO DEVELOP AN IMPACT STRATEGY AND WITH ME BOSTON THE MARKETING BUREAU THAT MARKETS AND PROMOTES TOURISM AND
HOSPITALITY IN THE CITY DESPITE THE INITIAL SUCCESS OF OUR MULTI AWARD WINNING ALL INCLUSIVE BOSTON CAMPAIGN THAT RESONATED WITH DIVERSE AUDIENCES, I FIND MYSELF
EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED IN WONDERING WHY THIS MOMENTUM HAS NOT BEEN BUILT UPON. IT BEGS THE QUESTION WHY DOES SUCH A POSITIVE AND EFFECTIVE CAMPAIGN AD SEEM NOT TO HAVE
BEEN FULLY LEVERAGED? THIS LACK OF URGENCY TO MEET THE MOMENT HAS LEFT BOSTON AT RISK OF MISSING THE VALUABLE OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE IN
RAPIDLY INVOLVING TRAVEL CONSUMER MARKET. AS THE TRAVEL AND TOURISM INDUSTRY EVOLVES, IT IS IMPERATIVE A CULTURALLY DIVERSE
CITIES LIKE BOSTON TO ADAPT AND SEIZE EMERGING EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES AT A TIME WHEN AMERICA IN GENERAL IN BOSTON IN PARTICULAR EXPERIENCED A DECLINE IN INTERNATIONAL TOURISM BECAUSE OF THE CURRENT
GOVERNMENT'S TARIFFS AND PERCEIVED REAL OR IMAGINED HOSTILITY TOWARDS OUR GLOBAL ALLIES. IT IS CONCERNING THAT BOSTON IS NOT ACTIVELY PURSUING THE
EXPANSIVE DOMESTIC MARKET OF BLACK, HISPANIC AND ASIAN DOMESTIC TRAVELERS A DEMOGRAPHIC WITH A COLLECTIVE TRAVELING SPENDING POWER EXCEEDING $250 BILLION.
THIS OVERSIGHT REFLECTS A SHORTSIGHTED APPROACH AND FAILS TO RECOGNIZE THE POTENTIAL ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF ENGAGING THESE COMMUNITIES.
BOSTON'S POPULATION IS APPROXIMATELY 50% OF PEOPLE OF COLOR YET THE MARKETING STRATEGY EMPLOYED SEEM ROOTED AND OUTDATED LOOKING FOR A LENS THAT IS OVER 50 YEARS OLD
RATHER THAN TODAY'S DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE REALITY. THIS IS NOT SIMPLY A MATTER OF POLITICAL CORRECTNESS OR DIVERSITY EQUITY OR INCLUSION AWARENESS. IT IS FUNDAMENTALLY ABOUT ECONOMICS.
BY OVERLOOKING THE NEEDS AND INTEREST OF BLACK AND LATINO AND ASIAN TRAVELERS. BOSTON IS MISSING A SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH IN RETURN ON INVESTMENT
ESPECIALLY WHEN COMPETING MARKETS SUCH AS PHILADELPHIA, NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON D.C. AGGRESSIVELY PURSUING THESE MARKETS. IF BOSTON WERE TO ADAPT ADOPT A
MORE VISIONARY APPROACH IT COULD INVEST STRATEGICALLY IN INITIATIVES THAT CELEBRATE AND UPLIFT DIVERSE CULTURES ESPECIALLY AS WE ARE ON THE EVE OF CELEBRATING AMERICA'S 250TH
BIRTHDAY. CONSIDER THE POTENTIAL OF THE FOLLOWING BAM BAM FEST AN ANNUAL MULTI-DAY MUSIC CELEBRATION SHOWCASING DIVERSE
MUSICAL TALENT SIMILAR TO MONTREAL JAZZ FESTIVAL THE BOSTON WILD BLACK FAMILY FESTIVAL A VIBRANT GATHERING CELEBRATING BLACK CULTURE AND COMMUNITY.
THE ROXBURY INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL AND WEEKLONG EVENT HIGHLIGHTING STORIES AND FILMMAKERS FROM MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES THE ASIAN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL GET CONNECTED
ANNUAL FOOD FESTIVAL A TASTE OF ETHNIC BOSTON AT A CULINARY CELEBRATION OF BOSTON'S DIVERSE CULTURAL CUISINES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO MAKING BOSTON AN
INTERNATIONAL CULINARY DESTINATION. THE WEEK LONG ANNUAL FESTIVAL BY TANZA NEW ENGLAND LONGEST RUNNING LATINO CULTURAL
FESTIVAL PROMOTING 50 PLUS TRAVEL 50 PLUS TRADITIONAL CUISINE ARTS HIGHLIGHTING THE DIVERSITY OF THE LATINO CULTURE
. THE AMERICAN CARIBBEAN FESTIVAL THE THIRD LARGEST IN THE COUNTRY A 50 YEAR PLUS TWO DAY WEEKEND EVENT CELEBRATING THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY INVESTING A
MINIMUM OF $250,000 IN EACH OF THESE INITIATIVES WOULD NOT ONLY ELEVATE THEM BUT ALSO POSITIONED BOSTON AS A TOP DESTINATION FOR DOMESTIC
LEISURE TRAVELERS OF COLOR. THERE'S FURTHER COMMENTS AS WELL BUT I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF READ IN AS MUCH AS I COULD AT THIS TIME.
BEFORE I OFFER A BRIEF CLOSING COMMENTS I DO WANT TO GIVE THE CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT THE LEAD SPONSOR AN OP ED OPPORTUNITY TO OFFER CLOSING COMMENTS IF YOU'D
LIKE. THANK YOU AND THANK YOU SO MUCH MR CHAIR FOR HOSTING THIS HEARING. IT IS 140 WHICH MEANS WE'VE BEEN HERE SINCE TEN WHICH IS THREE MORE THAN THREE AND A HALF HOURS.
IMAGINE IF OUR OTHER COLLEAGUES HAD BEEN HERE IT WOULD HAVE WE WOULD HAVE CONTINUED STRETCHING OR I WOULD HAVE STOPPED. I WOULD HAVE HAD TO TALK LAST BUT I'M GRATEFUL FOR EVERYONE WHO HAS COME. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY AN IMPORTANT
TOPIC TO OUR CITY. WE OBVIOUSLY REALIZE HOW MUCH THE TOURISM INDUSTRY AND HOW MUCH IT GENERATES FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON. BUT HOW MUCH IS A DEEP DESIRE FOR US TO BE PUTTING ON DISPLAY
A BOSTON THAT IS TRUE AND THAT IS AUTHENTIC AND HOW MUCH THERE'S A DEEP DESIRE TO FINALLY AS WE FEEL LIKE WE ARE ON THE CUSP OF SOMETHING HERE WE FEEL LIKE WE ARE ON THE CUSP OF ACTUALLY DOING THE WORK
OF UPLIFTING COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN TOO OFTEN SIDELINED FINANCIALLY, SOCIALLY RIGHT. THESE EVENTS ARE ALSO OF BOSTON AND I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE INTENTIONALITY TO ENSURE THAT
THESE EVENTS CAN BE EVENTS THAT GENERATE THE THE NATIONAL INTERNATIONAL TOURISM OTHER EVENTS ARE ABLE TO GENERATE AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO 2026,
THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A NUMBER OF REALLY EXCITING EVENTS THAT HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO AND I'M HOPEFUL WITH OUR COLLECTIVE WORK WITH THE CHIEF AND WITH DUSTY AND MIKE CREWS AND ABLE
TO BE HERE. BUT NEIL AND STACY WHO TESTIFIED ON BEHALF OF FIFA AND THE WORK OF ME BOSTON THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PUT ON WE WERE ABLE TO PUT ON DISPLAY A CITY
OF BOSTON THAT NO ONE HAS EVER SEEN BEFORE NEXT YEAR AND WE CAN ONLY DO THAT IF WE'RE INTENTIONAL WHICH IS WHY TALKING ABOUT THE TEDMED INVESTMENTS ARE IMPORTANT AND TALKING ABOUT WHO'S AT THE TABLE WHEN THAT DECISION WHEN THOSE DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE
ESPECIALLY WHEN THE LANGUAGE OF THE MARKETING PLAN ALLOWS FOR GREATER ELASTICITY WITH WHO IS MORE THE DECISION MAKERS IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. I AM GRATEFUL THAT WE HAVE THE TEAM AND IT HAS DONE REALLY
GREAT WORK FOR SO MANY IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND THE WORK OF EQUITY REQUIRES US TO LEAN IN MORE THAT WORK OF MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE REPRESENTING A CITY THAT IS 54% PEOPLE OF COLOR THAT WE'RE USING OUR
EVERYTHING WE HAVE AT OUR DISPOSAL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PUTTING ON DISPLAY A BOSTON THAT IS REPRESENTATIVE OF THAT AND WHERE WE CAN GIVE WALKING TOURS OF ROXBURY, DORCHESTER, THE SOUTH END, ALL OF THAT I
THINK ALL THAT'S IMPORTANT IS OBVIOUSLY THE BEGINNING OR AT THE BEGINNING OF A CONVERSATION THESE COMPANIES HAVE BEEN HAPPENING BUT THIS IS PART OF A CONTINUUM OF A CONVERSATION THAT IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAPPEN ESPECIALLY AS WE CONTINUE INTO NEXT YEAR WHICH
WILL HOPEFULLY BE AN AMAZING YEAR FOR THE CITY AND FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED. THAT PARTICULARLY HIGHLIGHTS OUR BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES . SO THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYONE WHO CAME HERE AND THANK YOU MR CHAIR AGAIN AND TO
OUR INCREDIBLE CENTRAL STAFF FOR THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE THANK YOU ALSO TO THE CITY COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF TEAM THAT DID EXCELLENT WORK PREPARING
FOR THIS AS WELL. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE BOTH PANELS REALLY FOR BEING HERE FOR THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT YOU DOING. I THINK WE ALL LEARNED A LOT TODAY. IT'S ABOUT WORKING, RESPECTING
EACH OTHER. WE MAY NOT AGREE ALL THE TIME BUT IT'S ABOUT SITTING DOWN HAVING A CONVERSATION, TREATING EACH OTHER WITH RESPECT, ENSURING THAT EVERYBODY IS PART
OF THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS . BOSTON WORKS BEST WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER. THIS HEARING DOCKET 14431444 IS
ADJOURNED IN THIS DOCK. THESE TWO DOCKETS WILL STAY IN COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU