one of the main reasons why san francisco is such a special place and remains one of the world's greatest destinations, the arts. we need to make sure that our leaders remember that. but tonight is not for talking about budgets, it is about celebrating one of the greatest artists of any time, our time. how good is carlos santana [applause] -- as carlos santana of? -- carlos santana? [applause] an internationally renowned artist that lives his life with the generosity of a social worker, but is one of the biggest stars in the world today. he is also an international superstar who always keeps his

heart here in san francisco and the bay area and we are so fortunate to have someone like him that always comes home to us to perform, held the community, just to be with us. he is an expert -- he is an incredibly special person and we are honored to be able to honor him tonight. quickly i would like to bring up -- you cannot do this alone, we have the help of many city departments throughout the year, we needed sponsors from the private sector as well. we had a wonderful partner for the past few years, louise came on the scene with "the san francisco examiner, who has

underwritten tonight's events half. without further ado of would like to invite the publisher, john wilcox, to come and say couple of words. thank you. [applause] >> thank you. like so many other nights in this great city, tonight is special. not just because of the award being received, which honors otter this from generations who have made this city great and have been made great by the city. no city invites the hard to soar like san francisco does. and renowned san francisco and may have set a better when she said the some of them -- synonym for san francisco is

inspiration. most people think that cities inspire leaders and leaders inspire cities, but i would like to add that artists inspired cities and cities inspire artists. who knows which in print -- which inspiration comes first? it does not really matter, what matters is that happens. right here in our city, generation after generation. we are proud to participate tonight in the recognition of one of music's greatest artists. to continue to fulfill the pledge from one year ago to expand the coverage of the arts and support arts in our community. we want to thank you for allowing us to move out on this rewarding mission, thanking you for the opportunity to serve tonight on this stage and on the stage that is our city, every day of the week. we are honored to share this

night with one of the musical greats of all time. we want to congratulate carlos on a wonderful, outstanding career and on his award tonight. thank you, everyone. [applause] >> so, the first time that i saw carlos santana was when i graduated from high school in angels camp, he played some legendary shows there with the grateful dead. a lot of incredible memories followed, filling the auditorium, carlos's superstar status went through the roof in the 1990's and continues today. the last time that i saw him was at the amphitheater with 25,000 people. everyone in this room, mostly

everyone in this room, has seen santana of at least a few times. i know that everyone appreciates what an incredible artists he is. it is really special to be able to acknowledge that, as someone who receives his fair share of recognition but comes home to be with san francisco, a lot of the work that went into -- the mayor had the good judgment to recognize carlos, but staff did a lot of work to make this happen. no one more so than our executive director, louise, who has been the helm of this agency for the last two years. [applause] >> thank you.

we could not ask for a better president of the arts commission published than dee jay johnson. [applause] let's take a moment to also thank john wilcox and staff at the san francisco examiner. they really have been partners with many of the arts community and organizations, as well as the arts commission. many of you will remember that when we saw the installation, the examiner helped to spread the word throughout the city by printing 100,000 copies of the handouts that were distributed for an entire year while he got his sound insulation installed in city hall. they have been extraordinary partners on many occasions.

thank you so much. i was blessed when i came to san francisco to have found extraordinary, talented, dedicated, hard-working, more than 40 hours per week staff. i would like to thank them, please join me in thanking this hard-working staff. they really deserve it, they were -- will work tirelessly on behalf of arts and culture in the city, and they never punch a clock. they are extraordinary. this evening we have a double celebration. not only do we have literally a rock star robbery -- pottery -- honoree, but hundreds of arts

organizations here in san francisco, in the year approved, 2009, we can celebrate the good fortune of these people calling at home. we thank you, the artists in the art organization, for making san francisco your home. [applause] yesterday we had the privilege of starting the day with the chairman of the nea. we were allowed to give a cuff overview to the chairman of the creative committee of san francisco. in a way we were also the warm-

up act for the mayor. the chairman wanted to meet with the mayor. you had the chairman of the national endowment, connected to many grants and initiatives we were competing for. he decided to enter the larger meeting and join us. 15 minutes into that meeting i was starting to get worried because the conversation had not gotten to the talking points that the staff had worked on so hard. suddenly, an artist was revealed. he masterfully guided the conversation and spoke so eloquently about the importance of art in the city. by the time that the chairman left, hohe was totally convinced

the sentences that would be one of the pilot cities. without stealing any of the limelight from the honoree, i wanted to thank the mayor for all of the support that he gives the arts. [applause] >> a couple of more thank you's, the food has generously been so wide -- supplied by [lists names of restaurants] and check out the cake in the likeness of carlos santana. a hand for the generous donations of those sponsors. thank you.

the next person needs no introduction, except to say that in the six years that the mayor has been heading this city, he has really looked out for the arts in this community. the fact is that through the good times, the mayor expanded funding for the arts in san francisco. in the difficult times, he protected funding for the arts, which is hard to do, and brave, given the priorities that the city has to keep in mind. with that, i would like to bring to the stage, your mayor, gavin knew some -- nwsom. [applause] mayor newsom: i know that you are all asking when we will get to the main event.

you do not want a long speech for me. first, let me think -- thank everyone of you for being here today. let me thank those wonderful musicians. for entertaining and reminding us why we are here. thank you to lease -- luis and the arts commission for their stewardship in this process, for their outstanding recommendation of carlos santana. to all of you for making seven system such a special place. i was reminded a bit of the great room in this building, that this represents to me, as mayor, the city. also as a man that had the privilege to grow up in san

francisco. reminding him and all of you that this is where the united nations was conceived. it happened right next door in the opera building. this is where the united nations was founded. dow appropriate, founded in this city that understood it was right and appropriate to celebrate artistic differences, understanding that that is what makes this a special place. for that matter, it makes california and to this country of ours a special place, a remarkable capacity to live together, prospered together across every conceivable difference. at the end of the day at our best is our capacity for uniting around our common

humanity. in so many ways today we are celebrating those values. celebrating the value of diversity, celebrating the value that has brought so many of you to the forefront in terms of your unique expression in sharing a city that is constantly trying to allow people to live their lives out loud and become fully expressive. celebrating every single day, not tolerating every single day. a city that appropriated, a city where carlos was able to grow up, because his parents knew that there was something special about this city. allowing him to further his education, continuing a proud tradition that was instilled in him by a -- as a young boy.

that was the stewardship an example of his parents and father in particular in terms of his artistic talents that he advanced and nurtured, promoting with his children. we have all been the beneficiary of that legacy. our lives have been elevated and improved. we all talk about the end of the day and what it is all about. we all have unique stories that make up our lives. the idea is for each one of us to add value to other people's lives, helping them make their story just a little bit better. we have all had experiences where we have been elevated, our lives have been approved because of the challenge and fashion from the remarkable action of

people like carlos. with that spirit and a tremendous amount of pride, i come here tonight to recognize one of our own. to recognize someone who has been recognized so many times, appropriately so. someone who is not just a talent on the surface, but has an extraordinary heart and soul, someone who at the end of the day is someone that you want to cheer for, so when you want to support. -- someone you want to support. with that, i will conclude by all of you to appropriately put your hands together and to, with great intensity and purposefulness, allow me as i asked carlos to come to the stage, to introduce the awardee of the 2010 bears are award to

our very own carlos santana. [applause] carlos, come on up. [applause] >> thank you so very much. it is such a glorious, wonderful feeling to be validated. i love to validate as well. all of you, each one of you is significant and meaningful. we are interconnected and there is nothing you can do about it.

first, i would like to thank my mother for her conviction, thinking my father for his charisma. i would like to thank my sisters, maria, lete, irma, laura, and my brothers, gorge and antonio, for their prayers. coming to san francisco, witnessing for the first time it being filled with fruit, colors, serial, it blows you away.

truly it is something to come to sentences go. the mayor is right, my mother did not want to live in los angeles. she wanted to live in san francisco. i am very grateful and honored that he did -- she did. in the 1960's san francisco was giving birth the consciousness. so many people in such a variety of ways build san francisco. gladys knight. dionne warwick. jimi hendrix. everywhere i went was an affirmation.

you gained more strength when you claimed all the colors of the rainbow. it is infinitely more powerful to become transparent. once you claim your mexican, or israeli, or irish, then you look at it for what it is and you remember before you were any of those things. you were like and loved. those are the things they give you peace, lasting chances over the history of the planet, a lot of war happening because of religion, because of differences. i like to celebrate, like bob marley. like marvin gaye.

i would like to thank jerry and diane for helping me to accelerate into a new perception for myself. when we perceive specialists, you can get in trouble -- when we perceive that we are special, you can get in trouble. you need special drugs for special pain because no one understands you. but someone thinks you are special. will you except they your significant and meaningful? then you do not need a doctor. being special is me, myself, and my experience. it will always get you in

trouble. when you except that you are significant and meaningful, something happens with the universe, it comes to life. but i look at you the same way that you look at me. the creator made u.s. the same. consciousness. when i travel around the world, especially the united states, people crashed their head. we are very different. if you do not believe me, as clocks once in awhile. [laughter] -- watch fox once in a while. [laughter] i call than the complex clan

without sheep -- call them the dlklu klux klan without sheets. [laughter] barack obama promised to provide education, not incarceration. he has yet to keep the promise. we told him to it. do keep your promise. [applause] thank you so much. i cannot help myself, i do concerts', benefits for the black panthers, it has to come out. take it home, bring it home. the best is still ahead for all

of us in san francisco. i know in my heart, a person for person, there are more artists then, artists in the bay area. -- more artists than con artists in the bay area. [applause] when you bring together the collective consciousness of artists, you can see compassion, beauty. excellence, integrity. all of the things that come from the heart. i have learned a lot from [unintelligible] . i am still a hit the. -- hippe. a rainbow warrior. i am not at war with anyone, but

i do believe in combination, not confrontation. i see your eyes. what i do, it goes beyond, just do not get stuck, get out of your own way. music is the water, people are flowers. thank you so much. [applause]

. >> san francisco. . >> san francisco is a sanctuary city. . >> san francisco is a sanctuary city. san francisco is committed to providing safe access to public services to our community. . [indistinct voice on p.a.] announcer: when charles bennett graduated from high school, he dreamed of returning to his old neighborhood as a teacher. but without the money for college, only half his dream came true. [car horn blares] he's back in the old neighborhood. please support the united negro college fund.

because a mind is a terrible thing to waste.