The Following Transcript Is Provided for Your Convenience, but Does Not Represent the Official Record of This Meeting. the Tran

The following transcript is provided for your convenience, but does not represent the official record of this meeting. The transcript is provided by the firm that provides closed captioning services to the City. Because this service is created in real-time as the meeting progresses, it may contain errors and gaps, but is nevertheless very helpful in determining the gist of what occurred during this meeting. [ Drums ] [ Drums ] [applause] [ Drums ] [applause]

>> I don't know about you but I'm all riled up. Thank you, Calipulli Tonalehqueh for an amazing amazing initiation to the ceremony. [applause]

>> Tamara Alvarado: Welcome friends and neighbors, city staff, students and seniors, distinguished guests and members of the City Council. Also: Welcome to tonight's newly-elected Mayor and Councilmembers and your families and special guests. Thank you for joining us. For those of you who don't know me, I'm Tamara Alvarado, and I'll be serving as your Emcee tonight. [cheering and applause]

>> Thank you. I am the Executive Director of the School of Arts & Culture at Our Mexican heritage plaza and I'm a co-founder of the Multicultural Arts Leadership And part of the Calipulli Tonalehqueh. So a little generation: The term Inauguration comes from the Latin "inaugurare" which means "to take omens from the flight of birds". The ancient Romans believed it to proper to consecrate a new beginning with ceremony. In the United States, we celebrate the succession of one peaceful, elected government by another, something most of us take for granted. But let us recognize with appropriate gratitude that we live in a society where voting is a right and change is allowed to occur. [applause] Today's ceremony as you can see will contain some measure of pomp and circumstance, as it should, for this is an official action of the people's government. So let us begin today with both happiness and pride in this most American way of doing things. Before we begin our ceremonies, let me formally introduce the distinguished office holders seated before me, the members of the San José City Council: Mayor Sam Liccardo [cheering and applause]

>> The newly elected Councilmembers who will be inaugurated today are: Chappie Jones of district 1. [cheering and applause]

>> Councilmember Raul Peralez of District 3; my district! [cheering and applause]

>> Councilmember Magdalena Carrasco of District 5. [cheering and applause]

>> And councilmember Tam Nguyen of district 7. Congratulations. [cheering and applause] PSFSS

>> Also with us today are recently Re-elected Councilmember Don Rocha of district 9. [cheering and applause]

>> Councilmember Ash Kalra of District 2. [cheering and applause]

! 1! >> Margie Matthews, who will begin service as the Interim Councilmember for District 4 Next week [cheering and applause]

>> And Councilmember Pierluigi Oliverio of district 6. [cheering and applause]

>> Councilmember Rose Herrera of district 8. [cheering and applause]

>> And Councilmember Johnny Khamis of district 10. [cheering and applause]

>> We with also like to recognize is some very special guests of note who are in attendance today. is state senator Jim Beall. Kansen Chu and Evan Lowe. County supervisors Dave Cortese, Cindy Chavez, Mike Wasserman. County assessor Larry stone. [applause]

>> Make sure to allow for that time for you. Okay, all right, all right. County school board member Joe De Salvo. [applause]

>> San José Unified school board member Susan Ellenberg. Moreland school district trustee Julie Grab. Campbell union school board members Michael and Julie Comstad . And Michael Rich.

>> Unfortunately extreme weather on the East Coast cancelled the honorable Norm Mineta's flight, he regrets his inability to attend. We wish to hear his words of wisdom. You were an intern in his office and that is part of the reason, Sam, he was going to be here tonight. Now we know why the West Coast is the best coast but that's not on the teleprompter. I now have the very special privilege of introducing a young man who has appeared on stages from Coast to Coast, as well as on television, and has even starred off- Broadway. Please welcome Manuel Romero to perform the National Anthem. Please stand. [ Guitar ] ¶ O say, can you see, ¶ ¶ by the dawn's early light ¶ ¶ what so proudly we hailed ¶ ¶ at the twilight's last gleaming ¶ ¶ whose broad stripes and bright stars ¶ ¶ through the perilous fight ¶ ¶ O'Er the ramparts we watched ¶ ¶ were so gallantly streaming ¶ ¶ and the rockets' red glare ¶ ¶ the bombs bursting in air ¶ ¶ gave proof through the night ¶ ¶ that our flag was still there. ¶ O say does that star spangled banner yet wave ¶ ¶ O'Er the land of the free ¶ ¶ and the home of the brave ¶¶ [cheering and applause]

>> Isn't he amazing? Manuel I remember you at Washington youth center at age 10 and look at you now. To provide us with an invocation, a moment of reflection on this day, please welcome Reverend Jon Talbert. Jon, come on out. He's a speaker, writer, and entertainer who's established a national reputation as a "Humanitarian Entrepreneur". I'm going to read a little bit more. Jon started a compassion organization in San José called Beautiful Day that spread virally across the country and has served thousands in random acts of kindness. [applause]

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>> That was very hard to follow. Was that the best national anthem you've ever heard in your life? My gosh. [applause]

>> To my friends stir leaders distinguished guests to our mayor and city council and to the great people of San José, grace and peace to you. Across the country there are literally are thousands much -- of inaugurations that are taking place in cities and towns, officials that are ceremoniously being sworn into office. In my mind, no inauguration is more important than what is happening in this city and in this room right here, right now. This year we have witnessed events in cities around the country like Ferguson or Brooklyn or cities that that have experienced natural disasters that break our hearts. In the back of our mind we wonder, what if that happened here? How would we respond? Mr. Mayor and city council, while this day marks the beginning of your leadership in our city it also calls tort collective the rest of us, to do our part to support the very foundation of San José. To be more involved to encourage to lift up to come alongside that we encounter that ancient calling, to love our neighbors. To those in this room, if you are a person of any faith, or not a person of faith, at least a person of goodwill, our city council is in this area, you would extend a hand of blessing, as I pray a prayer-blessing over them, asking that favor be bestowed on them in their leadership. Will you extend a hand of blessing with me? Heavenly father as the citizens of this great city we extend a blessing to our new mayor Sam Liccardo and the City of San José. Play you bless their leadership that they walk with integrity and honesty, may you bless their relationships, though closest to them and to build bridges to those that they disagree with. May you continue to bless our city. That businesses would prosper, jobs would be created, that our educators would be supported and built up. Bless our city services and the nonprofits, that they may lead us to care for those that are neglected and broken and lost. And may you bless every man, woman and child who calls San José home. That we would become better neighbors living in a city that has peace and prosperity. We thank you for your extension of grace afforded to us all in the name of Jesus, amen. [applause]

>> Tamara Alvarado: Thank you, Reverend Talbert. Inaugurations offer an opportunity for reflection and contemplation on many levels. Here to share his unique perspective is the Poet Laureate of Santa Clara County, Mr. David Perez. The author of Love in a Time of Row bob apocalypse which by the way is very good. Mr. Perez is a poet, writer and educator, who serves as a Professor of English at Ohlone College. He has been named "Best Author in the Bay" by the SF Bay Guardian. David.

>> Thank you, Tamera, Mr. Mayor, city council. In preparing this poem I was asked to write about the power of the human voice. And I realized along the way that I was also writing what I would want to say if I knew everyone in my neighborhood were listening. So this poem is for this occasion but it's also for you, San José. Voices I hear. I hear shouts issued from mothers, their cords tired and tuned. Bidding

! 3! daughters and sons, stop at the crossing and wait for the light. Cutting through St. James park the voices of women in thread-bare starter parkas recline on liberated Safeway shopping carts. Read me with Pall Mall cupped hands. Presenting delicate artifacts for me to examine. Pure obsidian and the boxes whisper back. I hear it's the future. I here grunting men at the pull-up bars tattooed pistons framed in Greek column. Milled from the same minerals, the same jungle. It's fight-night and they ask, Yo, who you got? In San José the answer to any sports question is a simple multiple-choice affair, sharks, earthquakes. 9erss or Kane Velasquez. Blinding vest directing traffic in a hand language everyone assumes I'm supposed to understand. The light rail squeals, clinging to a semblance of attitude control and condos puff their chest and yawn hip hop scenes from the youth, a father's ring tone drops like hail, he ignores it. He kneels low. Parts a girl's hair from her eyes, he points to a serpent ready to spring to a rube Goldberg facade, holding up the sun and speaks to her in a language I will never understand. But I know what he's getting at. These voices swell with a power only asnake oil salesman would try to name, and tell you what you already know: Any time you want, the town hall is a palace, the East side sidewalk, the Elysian fields, the theater, a cathedral. Any time you want. [applause]

>> Tamara Alvarado: Is thank you, David. The next time somebody asks you what's so special about San José remember these artists, and the dancers and the poets. Now let us begin the business of today's endeavor. The first person to be sworn in today will be Councilmember Chappie Jones of District 1. [cheering and applause]

>> He will be sworn in by daughter Sydnie Jones and son Payton Jones.

>> Chap pie. Repeat after me I, state your name.

>> I, Charles Chappie Jones,

>> do solemnly swear

>> that I will support and defend

>> the Constitution of the United States

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>> and the Constitution of the State of California

>> against all enemies, foreign and domestic;

>> that I will bear true faith and allegiance

>> to the Constitution of the United States

>> and the Constitution of the State of California;

>> that I take this obligation freely

>> without any mental reservation

>> or purpose of evasion;

>> and that I will well and faithfully

! 5! >> discharge the duties

>> discharge the duties Upon which I am about to enter. Upon which I am about to enter. [cheering and applause]

>> Tamara Alvarado: Next to be sworn in is Councilmember Raul Peralez of District 3. Is He will be sworn in by mother [cheering and applause]

>> He will be sworn in by mother Denise Peralez.

>> You said Raul!

>> I, Raul Peralez,

>> do solemnly swear

>> that I will support and defend

>> the Constitution of the United States

>> and the Constitution of the State of California

>> against all enemies, foreign and domestic;

>> that I will bear true faith and allegiance

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>> that I will bear true faith and allegiance

>> to the Constitution of the United States

>> and the Constitution of the State of California;

>> that I take this obligation freely

>> without any mental reservation

>> or purpose of evasion;

>> and that I will well and faithfully

>> discharge the duties

>> Upon which I am about to enter.

>> Upon which I am about to enter. O [cheering and applause]

>> Okay, that's good. Next to be sworn in today will be Councilmember Magdalena Carrasco of District 5. [cheering and applause]

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>> She will be sworn in by daughter Lluvia Carrasco.

>> I state your name.

>> I, Magdalena Carrasco,

>> do solemnly swear

>> that I will support and defend

>> the Constitution of the United States -- I'm sorry.

>> the Constitution of the United States

>> and the Constitution of the State of California

>> against all enemies, foreign and domestic;

>> that I will bear true faith and allegiance

>> to the Constitution of the United States

! 8! >> and the Constitution of the State of California;

>> and the Constitution of the State of California;

>> that I take this obligation freely

>> without any mental reservation

>> or purpose of evasion;

>> and that I will well and faithfully

>> discharge the duties

>> Upon which I am about to enter.

>> Upon which I am about to enter. [applause]

>> Tamara Alvarado: Next to be sworn in is Councilmember Tam Nguyen of District 7. O [applause]

>> He will be sworn in by Senator Jim Beall. [applause]

>> I, state your name.

>> I, Tam Nguyen.

>> Do solemnly swear.

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>> Do solemnly swear.

>> that I will support and defend

>> the Constitution of the United States

>> and the Constitution of the State of California

>> against all enemies, foreign and domestic;

>> that I will bear true faith and allegiance

>> to the Constitution of the United States

>> and the Constitution of the State of California;

>> that I take this obligation freely

>> without any mental reservation

! 10! >> without any mental reservation

>> or purpose of evasion;

>> and that I will well and faithfully

>> discharge the duties

>> Upon which I am about to enter.

>> Congratulations.

>> Thank you. [cheering and applause]

>> Okay, take a deep breath. Doesn't it feel good to be from San José? And it's not over yet. Now I have the great honor to introduce the man who will serve as San José's 65th Mayor, Sam Liccardo. [cheering and applause] So Sam Liccardo's career has focused on public service, from his work as a prosecutor, to his teaching at San José State, to work to bring BART to San José. For the past eight years, he served on the San José City Council, representing the Third District, one of the most diverse communities in the city, where he focused on improving public safety, revitalizing Downtown, expanding affordable housing, and making San José an environmental leader. Mayor Liccardo will be sworn in by Judge LaDoris Cordell, the City of San José's Independent Police Auditor.

>> A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don't necessarily want to go, but where they ought to be. Sam, as you take the helm of the City of San José, your challenge is to do just that: Take us where we ought to be. As you embark on your mayoral journey, may you demonstrate the qualities of a great leader. Intellect, vision, common sense, and most importantly, compassion. With that. Let's do this. [applause]

! 11! >> If you'll raise your right hand aand repeat after me. I.

>> I, Sam Liccardo.

>> Do solemnly swear.

>> that I will support and defend

>> the Constitution of the United States

>> and the Constitution of the State of California

>> against all enemies, foreign and domestic;

>> that I will bear true faith and allegiance

>> to the Constitution of the United States

>> and the Constitution of the State of California;

>> that I take this obligation freely

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>> without any mental reservation

>> or purpose of evasion;

>> and that I will well and faithfully

>> discharge the duties

>> Upon which I am about to enter.

>> Upon which I am about to enter. [cheering and applause]

>> I guess you're ready for a speech!

>> Mayor Liccardo: I thought I was done! That's a relative of mine, I know. Friends, I'm pleased, we had reached capacity at California theater and we didn't want to turn anyone away. And -- [applause]

>> Mayor Liccardo: Particularly since about half of you are my relatives. I'm grateful that we're all here now able to participate in the ceremony at the center for performing arts. However it might have been easier on election night if we'd gotten this many people to show up to vote in November. In my first days on the job I've already learned that there are several things that mayors can't control. The size of theater venues. Larry stone's wardrobe, Larry I botched your name, too, and the weather at Washington Dulles airport. And it's that reason you know the result of the bad weather Norm Mineta's flight to the Bay Area was cancelled. He can't be here. But we're blessto be joined by others who have inspired many by their exemplary leadership. The inimitable mayor Tom McEnery, thank you for being here. [applause]

>> Mayor Liccardo: Mayor Susan Hammer, who united us and steeped us in creativity. Mayor Ron Gonzales who emboldened us to invest in our children our infrastructure and our future. [applause] About

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>> Mayor Liccardo: And Mayor Chuck Reed, who instilled a vision of an environmentally sustainable city. For the future generation. [applause]

>> Mayor Liccardo: To each of the mayors present, and let me also add, Mayor Ron James, Mayor Norm Mineta who cannot be with us this evening, we owe you our gratitude for your service. As to each of you, I've also benefited personally from your advice. For example, just yesterday, Tom McEnery told me if I didn't keep it short tonight he'd jump on stage to deliver a five-minute rebuttal. I also want to thank the love of my life, Jessica. [cheering and applause]

>> Mayor Liccardo: And my parents, Sal and Laura, who join me on stage. [cheering and applause]

>> Mayor Liccardo: And of course all my many family members. I see them throughout here. I want to thank them for their support their good humor and their very patient love. [applause]

>> Mayor Liccardo: So here we are. Gathered in the center for the performing arts where audiences come to venerate the power of the human voice. It's here that many have been entertained, by the voices of legendary crooners like Ray Charles and Bing Crosby, Bob hope, Les Miserables or pro-profoundly embarrassed by the book of Mormon. Transmissions by e-mail and text and tweet and post and yes, even Emogi, voice carries meaning. Meaning that is far deeper, far broader and far more human. Voice punctuates, it enlightens, inspires, voice gives us our identity, both as individuals and as a community. And as I take office, I reflect on the voices that I hear from San José's past and present. Now, typically, an incoming mayor doesn't inspire confidence in a city by revealing that he hears voices. But they're here and I recall particularly the voice of a wonderful leader who just recently passed, Mayor Janet Gray Hayes. [applause]

>> Mayor Liccardo: Mayor Hayes offered me the best advice I've ever received, and that was, Sam she said, if you are going to get into politics there are two things you'll need to survive. The first is a sense of humor because you'll go batty without one. And the second is a very large bladder. Because those long council meetings can be brutal. Of course we also hear less inspired voices. How often have we heard from the pundits who lament san José's purported identity crises. What is San José's identity they ask? To this self Flagellation I invoke Irene Dallas, who we also lost just a few weeks ago. A renown Diva when Irene made her debut in 1967 at New York City metropolitan opera house, she was asked how she would like to be introduced to a global broadcast audience who would be hearing her for the first time Irene insisted, you'll have to tell them, that I'm from San José. Indeed she was, growing up just a few houses from my grandfather's home, Irene Dallas knew San José's identity well. She knew it because she shaped it. Today we can stop the lamenting. We're from San José. Let's embrace our city's

! 14! distinctive identity, one characterized which our diversity our openness and our character of innovation. We are diverse. Almost 40% of us were born in a foreign country. We were a majority-minority city before California became a majority-minority state and decades ahead of the rest of the nation. Our diversity has become a linchpin to our economic success. In a valley where one of every two venture backed technology companies have a foreign-born founder. With bold leadership we can position San José to become a global gateway to the United States, and an American gateway to the world. [applause] But we're not simply diverse. We are accessible. Newcomers do not experience the hierarchical or pretentious social landscape of other cities here. San José's open source, a place where every person can have an impact. Indeed a grandson of a small shopkeeper and owater boiler repairman just took the oath of office to be your mayor. [applause]

>> Mayor Liccardo: San José uniquely provides a path to power for its firsts, ushering our nation's first female big city mayor in Janet Gray Hayes. America's first Asian American, Norm Mineta, and Norm Archuleta, and May Farr PAC, enboldenned residents who speak truth power and they get results. Anyone with a desire to make a difference can do so in San José. And last, we are innovative. Our dynamic social landscape has become the perfect breeding ground for the world's most innovative community. San José routinely produces more U.S. patents over 5,000 annually than any other city on the planet. [applause]

>> Mayor Liccardo: Yep. As Connie Martinez eloquently put it, let's face it, we're geeks. San José has provided the launching pad for the geekiest and the best ideas from the disk drive to photovoltaics. From fruit cocktail to the Eggo waffle, it was invented here. Now -- [applause]

>> Mayor Liccardo: We are instinctively creative. And our creativity manifests it self, from bike party to San José Tyco to the taco festival of innovation. We are from San José! [cheering and applause]

>> Mayor Liccardo: Our unique identity has been forged and we should abide no doubts about who and what we are. So much for remarkable past and present. What of our future? What voices will our progeny hear? What narrative, what song, what story will we leave our children as our collective legacy? For a start, let's hear a bit of the vision from my new colleagues who represent the future leadership of our city. Councilmember Charles chappie Jones committed that every resident who wanted to be involved in our city will have that opportunity. Councilmember Raul Peralez, promised to promote san José's healthy are growth by working together for the collective good.

>> Yes, Raul.

! 15! >> Mayor Liccardo: I think my relatives have defected, part of Raul's family. Councilmember Magdalena Carrasco reminds us of our roots urging San José my family to pursue the American dream. I want to make sure that San José continues that. Growing inequality advocating for a city that is more accessible to the public. Each of these voices provides a hint of what is to come for our city and it's very promising. But to whom does it belong? That question was posed by Luis Valdez who is here tonight with his wife, thank you for joining us, Luis. [applause]

>> Mayor Liccardo: To whom does the future belong, it's asked? His answer, the future belongs to those who can imagine it. The future belongs to those who can imagine it. Friends, this is our moment to imagine San José's future. It is in this moment, in the depths of winter, eagerly awaiting a new spring when we can dream anew and stretch our imaginations around a different song. A narrative distinct of that of the familiar predictable voices all around us. In my first weeks in public office in 2007, I read about a significant mile stole in the history of our planet. For the first time in human history, more human beings lived in cities than not. The pace of urbanization is only accelerating. As a result cities have become the vocal point for new thinking about the world's problems from everything from poverty to crime to climate change. In the meantime, Congress and state legislators remain mired in gridlock. And the torch is passed to confront the world's great maladies. Across the country, we see cities employing novel approaches to boost greenhouse gases. We are from San José, how will we tackle these challenges? Particularly when San José like so many of American cities, bears the burdens of unfund he retirement needs, and addressing these challenges in this time of fiscal scarcity? We certainly need to continue Mayor Reed's legacy of fiscal responsibility. But we need to think of how we govern and how we serve our citizens? Nonprofit organizations and private sector leaders, who are ready to help us in tackling homelessness or boosting a sixth grader's reading skills. Problem solving for those issues like rising housing cost crime, drought that do not respect city limits. I'm proud to see so many of the Board of Supervisors with us. I'm proud to have a partnership with those at the county. Above all we will innovate. We can only flourish by creating a City Hall that's as innovative as our extraordinary community. I'm not speaking of ever larger Smartphones or ever faster data connections. Instead we'll embark on a wave of civic innovation with a human face. What do I mean? Our face -- consume -- our state faces chronic drought. But we're from San José. We can replenish our underground aquifers with highly purified recycled water, and a growing income gap divides our rich and our poor and it tracks a growing skills gap. But we can help to close the skills gap because we're from San José. We can transform every city library computer into a career center or accounting or coding. We face severe shortages in police staffing. And make no mistake, we will compensate our police officers well and fairly for the critically important work. And we will rebuild America's finest police department. [applause]

>> Mayor Liccardo: And we're from San José. We recognize that an effective crime reduction strategy should include a summer job for a troubled 17-year-old. Our commutes -- [applause]

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>> Mayor Liccardo: Our commutes are crippled by traffic. But we're from San José. And we'll show the world how to retrofit an auto-centric city into a city built for people by creating a world class transit network, reforming our cityscape and finishing once and for all, BART to San José! [applause]

>> Mayor Liccardo: We save the crisis of homelessness, but we're from San José and we can and we must leverage the valley's indomitable spirit and end homelessness in our lifetime. Throughout our nation, we see that people vote less, they volunteer less, they participate less. But we're from San José, novel forms of civic engagement from participatory budgeting, we can reconnect our city to City Hall. Even if only half the voters felt they prevailed in the last election, our entire city will participate in San José's great victories in the date ahead. [applause]

>> Mayor Liccardo: Of course, innovation doesn't come easy. Innovation takes risk and risk requires courage. And collectively, we must muster that courage. The courage to try what has been untried. The courage to open our city's workings to public scrutiny, the courage to open volunteer and allow volunteer energy to loosen City Hall's grip on every task. The courage to collaborate, with resolute adversaries. To learn to fall and to rise again. This, this then is our courageous moment to imagine our future. Together we can chart a new path. And we can reimagine our city. I conclude by extending an invitation to each of you. Join me in reimagining San José. In the weeks lady we'll be forming public working groups to shape key initiatives to better support our kids' learning, to broaden economic opportunity and to extent safety the our neighborhoods. Please join us in these conversations. We are many voices but we are one city. Through imagining and reimagining we can create a bold future for our city and bequeath agreat civic gift to a world whose future desperately depends on urban leadership, our leadership. On that global stage they'll hear our voice and we'll tell the world, that we're from San José. Thank you, God bless you, and God bless San José. [cheering and applause]

>> Tamara Alvarado: Congratulations to the Council and Mayor. We wish you well on behalf of all of the people of San José. May your work be guided by the spirit of innovation, patience, collaboration, and courage. And here with some final words of wisdom, please welcome Buddhist Monk Thich Phap Chon. Reverend Chon founded Lieu Quan Buddhist Center. [applause]

>> I would like to invite all of you please take a deep breath, breathe in and out so we can send the energy of love and compassion and well to Sam Liccardo. So as we come through cycle in the celebration of the inauguration of our new mayor, let's join together in this special prayer. [ Chanting ]

>> We the people of San José in such a beloved city, San José, to you, Mr. Mayor, to keep it and protect so that all the people of this city can flourish and risk the full potential. We pray that your journey be filled

! 17! with life that your health and spirit will continue strength and stamina and that you arrive in each moment with the gratitude and freshness, may the life of the enlightened one in your wisdom and compassion, we call on them to assist you. In reaching the challenge of this great city with courage, innovation and compassion, thus you inspire solidarity and interconnectedness. From the City Hall into this diversified community we ask that you remain open heart, to the voice of those who are suffering and alone. May your love of adventure devoting to service and humor stand you, Mr. Mayor, take great care as you make your appointment with destiny. And in the small hour, may you not worry in the universe which finally wish for you and within you. Findly, when you grow up, the success of our money city, stay present and imprint pace with every step. Make the city the beacon of light and hope. Dear Buddha, Mr. Mayor, his power stops his election officer and all of it earth the way to peace. Peace between ourselves, peace between our families, peace throughout the community and peace across our nation. May 92 one nurture the evil talk that -- may no one nurture the evil talk, may those who mayor smile, may we be free from all disaster. May all beings live in peace and harmony. ¶¶ ¶¶

>> All you have done, you have done, you have congratulations. Dear Mr. Mayor, our class 21 of the American leadership forum is very extremely proud of you and proud of your outstanding achievement. Congratulations Sam, and thank you. [applause]

>> Tamara Alvarado: Thank you again. Ladies and gentlemen, we have completed our program. Thank you for bearing witness to this proceeding and for being active and involved in our Demonstrate community. Good night. ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ celebration ¶¶ ¶¶

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