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 sh, 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 hookup 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 Rivere 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 Dorchester, 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 Luke. [Applause] 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, Pasmquadi, Malise, Mikama, and Pavskott. 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. Christmas took 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 its 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 Bluec 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 [Applause]
streets. 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 Rivere and our founders to Ted Lansmark, Ruth Batson, Mel King, Melnia 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 [Applause] world. 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 Rivere 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. [Applause] 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. [Applause] 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 healthc 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 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, the mayor, the governor, uh everyone, all the nonprofits that were involved. Thank you for everything you're 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 loving
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 able 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. 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 Paris Jeff. [Applause] 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, we 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. Well, 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. Heat. [Music]
Oh Heat. Heat. [Applause] Wow. Let's give them lots of love. Perfection. Thank you so much. The amazing, most talented musicians of the Boston Pods. We love Leu. 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. Hold. 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 Rivere 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?
King, 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. Now, a lot of people here have lanterns, so I think you know which way they went.
One if by land. Two if by sea. Exactly. Even though it was technically a red, but nonetheless, doesn't rhyme as well. So, they're going to row out. Those lanterns are hung as a secret signal in Old North Church, which you're going to see in a little bit. And Paul Rivere along with William Daws are
going to ride off into history. But that revolution, that moment in time, that was not just something for Paul River. That was not just something for Samuel Adams, for John Hancock. It's a revolution for all who are living here. And I want to bring you to that
home on North Street that night 250 years ago where Paul Rivere is about to leave. Yeah. But when he is leaving, he's saying goodbye to his wife Rachel. Rachel River, who Paul had married in October of
1773, she's there that night with their young infant son, six stepchildren, and her mother-in-law. And Paul Rivere is essentially saying, "All right, I'm leaving. I don't know when I'm going to come back. I'm about to go try and warn the countryside that an armed group of
soldiers are leaving. A war might start." We have the benefit of hindsight. We know what happened. As Longfellow said, you know the rest. Rivere will get off into Charle Town, ride out, warn the countryside.
We'll meet up with William Daws. Dr. Samuel Prescott. The first shots at Lexington and Conquered fired, beginning an eight long year war, eventually resulting in a new nation. We know this, but they didn't.
They did not know that night what was going to happen. Rachel did not know when she was going to see her husband again. She does not hear from Paul until May 1st. 13 days living in an occupied town with six stepchildren, an infant, and her mother-in-law unaware of what is going
to happen. And I think that is why Paul Rivere, Rachel River, and others who experience this, that's why Paul especially captures our imagination. He doesn't come from, you know, a
wellto-do family. He's someone who's in the middle class. He's never on that financial or social level as a John Hancock or a Joseph Warren, but he's an everyday American, although he wouldn't have been at the time. He will become one. And he
is using this moment to fight for what he believed in, to make a choice, a choice with an uncertain future. a long fellow river would have been a footnote in history. But I think that action that being that average
Bostononian allowing and affording that opportunity to make that choice brought us all here tonight. So, thank you all very much for coming here. I hope that you enjoy this drone show. I hope that you enjoy Paul Rivere rowing across. And please enjoy the celebration
of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. Have a good night everybody. [Applause] Oh, he's right there. [Music] Yeah. Good luck. [Music]
Get out. [Music] How's that one? [Music] [Music]
Boston, the city on a hill, the hub of the universe, the cradle of liberty. This is a city where our nation's history and its future share the same block, where tradition is respected and
innovation is unleashed. Boston has always called to those unwilling to settle, to the dreamers and the doers undaunted by precedent. It's in our DNA to do what
has never been done. Let's run it back to 1770. British soldiers massacre five civilians outside the old state house. 3 years later, colonists turned the harbor into a
teacup. By 1775, Boston had reached a boiling point. Everyday revolutionaries from ministers and merchants to tavern owners and towns folk gathered in secret to criticize the
crown, trading whispers and sewing the seeds of democracy. The stage is set for a midnight ride that will launch a revolution. A humble craftsman, a husband and father, the son of an immigrant, by day, Paul Rivere worked in
his shop. By night, he plotted the path to freedom. On this very night, 250 years ago, British troops planned to execute a plot of their own to weed out the
rebellion taking root in an unruly colony. They planned to arrest the voices of resistance, those brave enough to speak out against tyranny, and then seize the weapons hidden at Conquered. Word reached the
patriots. 700 British soldiers were preparing to cross the Charles and march west overnight. But Boston was ready, and so was River, who set out under the cover of night. His mission was clear. Notify
those ready to fight for our freedom. The time had come. He knew there was a chance he wouldn't make it out of Boston. He could be captured or killed. So, a signal was set. Lanterns hung in the steeple of the
Old North Church to warn of the British forc's advance. [Music] One if by land, two if by
sea. Twin flames flickered in the steeple of the old north church. Two beacons burning bright against the encroaching darkness of night. The British would row across the Charles. The patriots knew what was
coming, and now they knew how. All that remained was to get the word [Music] [Music] out. His mission before him, River took to
the water. How many patriots would he be able to reach? Would it make a difference? What's one more set of hands against an enemy's army? One more heart set on freedom under colonial rule. River didn't know, but he was
going to find out. They would defend the people they loved with all that they had. of that he was [Music] [Music]
sure. With the crown looming, River slipped across the harbor rode by two friends. The moon was almost full that night, but the harbor was dark. The British warship, the HMS Somerset, cast long
shadows across the water. Rivere and his crew rode in silence. They completed their voyage unprotected. Landing safely in Charles Town, Hervier wasted no time borrowing a horse from a friend. He knew he was in for a long
night ahead. But before he set off, he was warned. The British are on alert. Patrols had been spotted in the area, and there was a good chance they would stop him. River knew the stakes for himself, for
his family, for the freedom they all dreamed of. There would be no turning back. He saddled up and set off, galloping through town after town on his journey toward Lexington. He roused Minutemen from their rest as he
warned of British troops already in motion, "The regulars are coming out." River made it to Lexington after midnight, spreading the word. The dream of freedom burning in his chest. He decided to go further to
conquer. Before he arrived, British patrols intercepted him. His journey cut short. He was detained and questioned. But his fellow riders escaped and pressed on. With them rode the fate of the colonies.
The clock was ticking. The British were coming. Militias were mobilizing. Just before dawn, British troops reached Lexington. Thanks to the light of the lanterns and the courage of River and
his riders, the colonists met them, musketss in hand. The shot heard around the world. The revolution was unfurling. There was no stopping it now. More than two lanterns were
illuminated that night. The fires of freedom blazed in every household and heart that heard the message of liberty. It spread through the strength of its sense. No one tells Boston how to take care of our
own. We knew our fate was to be more than the subject of kings. But in Boston, we know that fate favors action, that the future takes shaping, that the land of the free will always be
an ongoing project. We showed the world what 1,000 everyday revolutionaries could do at Bunker Hill. We pushed the British out of Boston and showed the world that those fighting for freedom will overcome any odds. And we never
stopped fighting. We championed the end of slavery because this is the land of the free. We planted ourselves in front of bulldozers to keep our communities together. And we marched with Dr. King because we did not start a revolution to
end up a nation divided. When the fight is for freedom, when it's our friends and our families that are under attack, Boston will never back down. This is the city where freedom was born. This is a city that will defend it
forever. In the 250 years since Revier's faithful ride, we have pushed our understanding of freedom in one direction alone to be bigger and broader to welcome more of us into the fold. We
will always believe that leadership is about representation, not repression. that the people should be empowered, not silenced, and that freedom is a right, not a threat. Today, we honor the brave patriots who fought for these values,
who lit the flame that continues to burn bright in Boston today. Today, and forever, we follow in their footsteps, ready to rise to the moment and prove what is possible. We are the people of Boston.
This is our story. We have never let anyone else write it. This is where heroes are born, movements are rooted, and history is made every day. From revolution to revolutionary, it all
starts right here.