and calm you are Did you get A+es in Miss Coughlin's first grade class because when they said don't go you really stayed And when they said shh you really shushed You're the best crowd ever Good evening All right let's start over Now I want to start something with you My name
is Latoya Edwards I work on NBC 10 Boston Monday through Friday I start work at 3:00 a.m That means my alarm clock goes off at 1:50 a.m If I have energy and I haven't had coffee since 9:00 a.m you have energy Okay no excuse So let's start this all over We'll do it
over here here and here Okay ready good evening Pretty good Good evening All right I see you Okay middle you got a lot of people You ready good evening Woo Now that's how we kick off a
celebration All right Officially I want to welcome you welcome you to an amazing night Can I just tell you we have a really brief program We're going to try and squeeze this all in for less than 30 minutes You're going to hear great speakers You're going to get a land acknowledgement And Paul Friaking River
is I mean Paul Rivere is going to walk by by hooker by crook at 8:10 Before that happens I have to hand out maybe 650 lanterns to you And then we're all going to follow Paul Rivere down to a waterfront And then we're going to see the most ridiculous drone show And then
we're going to watch Paul River literally row across the harbor I'm not joking This is going down Okay So what I need you to do is be really excited about it And then the second thing I need you to do is when you watch the morning news Monday
morning you turn to your cousin from Doorchester Latoya Edwards on NBC 10 Boston Okay All right Now let me go to the program I'm going to be very official Welcome everyone Thank you for joining us for the launch of Boston 250 on the 250th
anniversary of Paul River's ride This is such a magical night Again my name is Latoya from NBC 10 I'm super thrilled to be your mistress of ceremonies for the next phase of the program I'm a proud product of Boston I grew up in Dorchester graduated from Boston public
schools Woo woo i was a former Miss Massachusetts USA And I love my city Go Celtics Go Bruins Go Patriots But tonight we're like go Paul Rivere Okay So we're here tonight to
commemorate our past but more importantly we're here also to reflect on our past learn from it and recognize the traits that make Boston unique and strong The first thing we need to do is be respectful And so what I want to do right now I'm delighted to begin our program with a message from Jean Luke
Perry Jean Luke is the president of the North American Indian Center of Boston co-chair of the city of Boston's commemoration commission John Luke is going to join us right now for a message of invocation but also a message of land acknowledgement Let's give lots of love
right now to John [Applause] Luke To my relations greetings and thanks To the river to the waters to our more than human rel relatives To the Wampenog Nipmuk Massachusetts Abanaki
Pasmquati Malise Mikama and Ponavskott Greetings and thanks We remember a time when three mountains not highrises watched over this land We remember the buffalo the deer the gra uh
the groves and planting grounds and the council fires of the peoples We remember the martyrs in resistance Chrisuks liberating himself from slavery and lauded as a revolutionary amongst the abolitionists Po met a comet
envisioning a future of dispossession roused a spirit of res rebellion amongst his peoples And to the many buried on Boston Harbor Islands we remember To the people of these United States you
remember as well One day the groves will be replanted One day the graves will be restored None will be removed from that families That day the dreams of children will overcome their nightmares And on
that day the land and people as one shall be free [Applause] Touch John Luke Thank you so much All right Boston if you're new here
and I know we have a lot of tourists in town so I just want to share something as a true daughter of the city and anybody who you bump into can tell you because we all feel this way if you're born and raised here or if you're Yeah you know it Okay So Boston has never been satisfied with the status quo It is
literally in our DNA to go boldly into the unknown to run contrary to what's customary to imagine a better way than and then make it so For more than 250 years we've been bucking tradition that's been Boston's tradition This is a
city where old sits seamlessly alongside new Tradition doesn't get in the way of innovation and cultural movements regularly spring from our soil We are will always be a city of everyday ordinary revolutionaries Boston is known
as the birthplace of America's revolution So a polite and refined historical retrospective hold on let me turn the page won't do justice to Boston's fiercely independent spirit Boston 250 is about honoring Boston's
long lineage of uprising and innovation with a semiquincentennial initiative that is expansive and it's inclusive representing Boston's past its present its future Boston 250 is an open invitation for everybody to join us for a celebration as ambitious as exuberant
and as inviting as the city itself I'm honored to help you kick this off and be involved And with that I'm thrilled to be able to pass the microphone right now to an inspiration to the inspiration for Boston 250's vision visionary and fearless leader the mayor of Boston
herself Give it up for Mayor Michelle Woo Thank you so much Latoya Good evening Boston and welcome welcome to the official kickoff of Boston 250 I want to thank the Boston
250 founding leadership partners State Street the Boston Foundation Liberty Mutual and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and all of our city's revolutionary spaces for supporting the incredible programming that we all get to experience tonight this weekend and all year long And I want to shout out
the Boston Athletic Association and Bank of America as we gear up for Marathon Monday on top of it all Thank you to Governor Healey for your partnership and leadership on everything and on Massachusetts 250 as well Thank you to my colleagues in
public service here tonight Representative Erin Michaelitz Senator Lydia Edwards City Councelor Gabriella Kleta Zapata Thank you for everything that you do And I'm so grateful Jean Luke and for your partnership and your stewardship As we kick off this
celebration of our city's revolutionary history I want to be clear This is not about reflecting on some fixed point long ago 250 is an impressive number But tonight is not about marking the passage of time Because the number of years that
have passed matters much less than what we have done with those years What we're celebrating is not the kind of history that gathers dust on a shelf The lanterns of the American Revolution were lit right here at that church right here
in this neighborhood Paul Rivere a craftsman the son of an immigrant and a Boston public schools graduate rode through these streets [Applause] Merchants and farmers stood shoulder-to-shoulder at Bunker Hill And
in the face of an empire's army everyday residents gave their lives as revolutionaries This is a history whose roots run deep in our soil It's a history on which our city was built and it's a history that extends all the way
up to our present Boston is a city where the past present and future of our nation begin Revolution wasn't just something we started It's how we've lived every day of the last two and a half
centuries The idea that a better world is possible and always worth fighting for has made us home to a long line of giants who dared to snatch freedom from the jaws of injustice from Revier and our founders to Ted Lansmark Ruth Batson
Mel King Melia Cass Dr Martin Luther King Jr and Ketta Scott King This has made us home to our nation's first public school first public library and public park and the greatest colleges and universities and hospitals anywhere in the world
[Applause] This spirit has made us a hub of invention innovation and the highest quality of life-saving care It has made us the city of champions undaunted by curses and streaks because we know
there's nothing we can't do when we come together no matter the odds So as we follow River on his ride remember that this evening is just one sliver of something much bigger As we cheer on the Celtics in the playoff
Sunday and as we cheer on our friends family and neighbors in the marathon on Monday remember that what we're celebrating isn't what the history books say It's the way of life that's made possible when we choose to press on in
the face of uncertainty When we link arms with each other and stand up to tyranny When we give all that we've got to secure a better future for the people we love What we're celebrating tonight this weekend and every day here in
Boston is the beauty of possibility in the city that gave this nation its freedom and has never stopped fighting to keep it alive Thank you to all of you for continuing to make us the revolutionary city we are And now it is my pleasure to
introduce the leader of our great commonwealth Governor Mora Healey Good evening Boston Good evening Massachusetts Good evening everyone Happy 250th Happy anniversary of Paul River's
Midnight Ride And don't let anybody tell you otherwise the beginning of America's independence and the birth of this great country It's so great It's amazing I wish you could all be here and see what
is out before me This expanse of people celebrating gathering Thank you so much everybody for coming out tonight showing your love for this country for this great state for our great city of Boston And thank you to Mayor Woo for your great leadership for your
resolve for your commitment to the actual values and ideals that made this country great Thank you to you and your team for everything that you've done for Boston [Applause] 250 Thank you to our colleagues in
government uh Councelor Kleta Zapata Senator Lydia Edwards also a JAG Thank you for your service to our nation in many in many forms And of course to this neighborhood's very own chairman
Aaron Michaelitz And thank you to this vibrant North End community I also want to acknowledge that play that was just put on Was that not beautiful that was amazing What a gift to all of us So thank you our playwright and all of our
actors Um thank you who worked so hard to make tonight possible I also wanted to in particular acknowledge the great men and women of the National Park Service We love you in Massachusetts We value you We want more
of you We are blessed to have you You are national treasures Thank you one and all for what you do at the old iron sides what you do on Bunker Hill what you do over here and across our great state and across our great country I just wanted to say big love
from this Commonwealth to all of [Applause] you So tonight from here to conquered all over the place we're going to be celebrating I mean it all over the place We're going to be celebrating this incredible moment
An incredible moment in world history This is where it all began This is where the beacon went up Paul Rivere William Daws set out to rally every farm and village and town And the people of
Massachusetts responded They defended their communities They put their lives on the line They defied a king and his army and in doing so launched this great American experiment And they didn't stop
there These events defined a revolutionary spirit that we the people of Massachusetts still embody today At every moment in our history we sent
up the beacon and made freedom a reality for more people Leading the abolitionist movement to resist and end slavery Leaving leading the movement for women's suffrage and universal suffrage Leading
on civil rights on education on health care on marriage equality Because at our best at our best we have always lit the lanterns We've always been the beacon We always
answer the alarm This is the legacy of this hallowed ground This is our DNA This is who we are So we know that Paul River's alarm was more than a call to arms It was a
call to courage a call to action a call to will a call to collective determination and a call to stand up and show up for freedom And as I stand here I'm committed we're committed to
ensuring that Massachusetts champions these values in this moment at this time in the history of our great nation [Music] [Applause] So so kids old and young embrace this
moment Let's be inspired by this energized by this motivated by this Let's live up to our legacy Stand up for freedom today God bless Boston God bless Massachusetts And yes God bless these
great United States of [Applause] America I want to bring forward someone very special I mentioned Aaron Michael Witz earlier a person who is working so hard for all of us across this great
state A person who knows and is of this neighborhood I don't know if he's ever seen it so filled but let's put our hands together for Chair Aaron Michaelitz [Applause] Thank you Governor Thank you so much What a crowd This is unbelievable
Someone who grew up here This is the most people I think I've ever seen in this uh in our the pover mall here But um well welcome to the North End everyone Uh we like to think we invented America here in this uh in this small little neighborhood uh of Boston And uh
you know we just want to celebrate today Today is not just about celebrating uh the the what happened 250 years ago And I want to thank everyone for putting this together for putting Boston 250 together from the mayor the governor uh everyone all the nonprofits that were involved Thank you for everything you've been doing But I'm going to be brief
because I know we got to take some lanterns down to the waterfront here And I just want to say that we are not just celebrating what happened 250 years ago We are celebrating what we've done in this city and and in this country every day which is celebrate our history We have celebrated what made this country
great 250 years ago every single day by cultivating by treasuring by loving the history of this country and unloving the history of this city and exactly what we did today That's why you see this neighborhood All the buildings are very small so you can make sure everyone gets
to see uh the old North Church and the steeple that's right there You you're a you're able to see it all the way from Charles Town Maybe hopefully we don't have to use it ever again uh in order to be able to see through Charles Town but but you never know So the fact is is that we we want to make sure that we are keeping things the history alive the
history well I want to thank all the nonprofits for doing it every single day uh in this community all the work that they do along the freedom trail and every step away across the Commonwealth So thank you so much and let's all celebrate Thank you very much [Applause]
And it and it is my honor to bring up my partner in the legislature who also represents this neighborhood Senator Lydia Edwards [Applause] Good evening everyone I do recognize we're pressed for time So I just want to say again welcome and thank you for all
of you being here tonight Um my name is Lydia Edwards the state senator and I am honored to represent and be part of a body that has a legacy well over almost as old as this country in the state Massachusetts state's legislature I'm also honored to be part of the uh the
first the nation's first militia the one that stood up and answered the call many times This militia has a legacy not only in fighting in the Revolutionary War but also sending the 54th the fighting 54th in the Civil War on to win that
war What many of you call it is the Massachusetts Army National Guard It is the entity of citizen soldiers We hold that legacy and I'm proud to be a member of it as a JAG and an attorney that defends and fights for soldiers who fight for our country I'm here today not
just to celebrate but to remind each and every one of you that revolution ain't easy But the beautiful thing about it and the only thing that you can really do is know that you can control only the beginning of it But you don't know who
gets to participate You don't know who will answer that call And we come in all languages all colors all backgrounds And we love in all different ways But we answer the call Today is to remind ourselves that the baton has been passed down for generations and we have now
picked up that baton That baton for liberty that baton for freedom that baton to answer when those of us who are being targeted when those of us are being oppressed We have that baton to fight for freedom And I am part of that legacy And so are all of you So are all
of you Today we remember the spark has started but it continues to flame and continues to light the way We have a long way to go and I am standing here with many people men and women who may not have been part of that original vision but
the beautiful thing about democracy in this country is you can never define who is truly American and who is absolutely patriotic We come in so many different ways and come from so many different countries and that is something to be proud of So I am here
today to say welcome to this beautiful city Welcome to this beautiful Commonwealth And also I'm going to bring up my friend and sister in service city councelor uh Gabriella Kleta [Applause]
Zapata Thank you so much Senator Edwards Good evening everyone My name is Gabriella Kleta Zapata I am proud to represent the two neighborhoods hosting this evening both the North End and Charles Town on the Boston City Council Give it up for Charles Town too We love
the North End but we love Charles Town I want to thank the governor my colleagues and and state legislature the mayor and all organizers and volunteers who made tonight possible It's an honor to be here with all of you to celebrate a
revolutionary moment that echoes across two and a half centuries A revolutionary ride that began in Boston's historic North End and crossed the darkened Charles to Boston's first neighborhood
of Charles Town Paul River's midnight ride 250 years ago was not a solitary act of heroism but a coordinated warning cry a call to arms that set the colonies
on a path towards revolution His lanterns in the Old North Church his landing in Charles Town his alert to the militias all were acts rooted in resistance
His journey began on our cobblestones guided by our neighbors driven by urgency and destined for the history books And at its core it was powered by something even greater Patriotism and a love for country that did not yet exist
yet but lived as an idea worth fighting for As this nation faces modern struggles for justice and equality River's story reminds us that ordinary people can step up in extraordinary
times This anniversary is more than just a commemoration It's a recommmitment to liberty to civic duty to remembering that de democracy is built not just by those in power but those willing to act boldly in moments of
uncertainty Let this celebration stand as a reminder that Boston's identity as the cradle of liberty is not inherited but it is earned Again and again be bold Boston
[Applause] I want to thank you all so much Have fun Be safe Thanks everyone [Applause] All right All right Let's keep this going Thank you to our leaders who've spoken so far I'm now pleased to
introduce an esteemed cultural leader here in the city of Boston He is the president and CEO of Embrace Boston where he's leading a citywide racial equity transformation through the Embrace Monument the Embrace Center and ongoing community organizing efforts Please continue showing lots of love
right now for Dr Amari Parish [Applause] Jeff Good evening everyone I'm going to be quick I'm going to act like I'm on two time speed so we can get out here and see some lanterns and Paul Rivere
Can we give a shout out to organizer of tonight's [Applause] event in 1976 America marked 200 years of independence Celebrated not just history and storytelling but mythmaking Back
then our collective internet was television beaming into our homes tales of America promise contradiction and nostalgia We watch shows like All in the Family Rich Man Poor Man and Leverne and Shirley reflecting America's tensions
around race self-reliance and the longing for simpler times That era saw an end of war marked by the chaotic departure of Vietnam Echoes we recognize again today after leaving Afghanistan In
1973 even Boston's celebration of the Tea Party was met with protesters throwing empty barrels of oil into our harbor While inflation surged at 12% We grappled with a constitutional crisis
and the implosion of a presidency We have been here before Now in 2025 at as we approach America's 250th anniversary we find ourselves once more at a crossroads holding not just an
opportunity but an urgent responsibility Birthdays are like personal New Year's Eve Moments to pause reflect and commit a new This milestone demands a resolution for the next 250 years
Boston our city rich with narrative and history stands uniquely poised to lead this conversation Through everyone 250 a courageous coalition with the city of Boston and over 150 cultural
organizations we unite under one clear urgent purpose to widen the circle expanding who is seen and who is heard and who shapes America's story for the next 250 years Central to our resolve is our next
weekend's remembrance of the 1965 Freedom Rally recalling Dr King's powerful visit to Boston during the civil rights era That rally resonated deeply echoing the revolutionary spirit first ignited here in 1775 when Boston
became a catalyst against colonial oppression Nearly two centuries later our city served as a crucible for civil rights activism proving that once again our city's role as the birthplace of change Today on the eve of our nation's
250th birthday let's make our resolution clear Not about diets and workouts although some of us need to diet and work out Not even about those overdue calls to our loved ones Please call your mama when you leave
here Instead let's recommmit ourselves to the unfinished business of revolutions to connecting our diverse stories to the promise of American democracy Because the true revolution is always in progress always unfinished and
it's our city's duty as Bostononians Americans and residents of this earth to carry it forward Thank you [Applause] Wonderful Oh now I have a a quick thing A dad just came forward He's lost his
nine-year-old little girl Her name is Isabella She's wearing silver Isabella if you're lost walk up to the stage here You found Isabella Isabella come forward Muffin
We've been looking for you baby This is a night of miracles here Oh sweetness Okay See guys give come here muffin All right I love this I love this
Beautiful Beautiful Shout out to you guys Thank you All right Because you were so great with that you apparently have all sorts of skills I didn't know Um we got a treat for you We are now going to give lots of energy because we have a nice surprise We're going to hear
from musicians with the Boston Pops right now as we await for Paul Rivere playing American Revolutionary War Medley arranged by Yari Villinoeva Give it up for the musicians of the Boston Pops [Music]
Heat [Music] Heat Let's [Music]
go Heat Heat [Applause] Wow Let's give them lots of love Perfection Thank you so much The amazing most talented musicians of the Boston Parks We love you We thank you for your tribute What a beautiful beautiful
beautiful piece All right everybody It's that time Paul Rivere is here Okay Okay Okay Hold on Hold on Hold on So I need you I know you got a lot of people with you but we are going to
You've been so wonderful So we're going to in an orderly fashion head down to Handover Street Paul River is about to walk by but it's historical so we can't like crowd him but we're going to follow him like closely but not too close There have been uh some lanterns already distributed and we're going to follow him down to Langome Park in the harbor
Then this unbelievable drone show will happen Then he's going to row across the harbor I don't know what you thought was going to happen but this is a big deal Did you enjoy yourself so far can you give it up for all the organizers and the mayor for the launch of Boston
[Music] 250 all right everybody carefully walk down to Handover Street right there because Paul River will be walking by in just a moment The lanterns if you have them haven't given you already I think they've been given out Thank you so much
for coming Enjoy your weekend Be safe for all the runners out there We love you We'll see you soon Have fun tonight Thank you I'm Latoya Edwards