the forefront of campaigns for people winning in time of rights. -- employment rights. she also institutionalized ethnic studies. she is working to build more awareness on working to bridge the gap between ecology, race, and community. [applause] [applause] lucky fisher travis, 17, is a youth supervisor with new ideas. he strives for greatness and also pushes and support this

project leaders to envision britain is in themselves. -- greatness in themselves. [applause] [applause] michellechu, 17, is a committed youth board member and on the youth empowerment advisory board. she is a college-bound ambassador in march from mentor school, where she is a wonderful model tutor. michelle is a responsible and motivated later working to bring you up voice to her community. [applause] nataliegranados, 18, has been a

leader in the grenada movement where she had been in the budget crisis and have bravely spoken at the bourse supervisors. she has advocated for sense of participation and funding to be restored to our city's quality youth programs. [applause] [applause] roblin bonner, 18, is an outspoken member of the youth leadership. roblin graduated from downtown high where she was a passionate role model and advocated for youth to be more engaged in the political process. [applause]

[applause] -- 17, pawlenty first single occupancy sro in the chinatown development center. he also wrote a grant proposal to create a bilingual fire safety and emergency preparedness curriculum along with emergency kits for each participating sro unit. [applause] [applause]

valerie clinker is a voice of community change in front and behind the camera. she was a guest youth analyst at the third anniversary women's pioneer awards ceremony and presented gina davis with the woman pioneer award. she was also named valedictorian of the changing program. [applause] last but not least, a nasalee, 18, spearheaded the 16th street

bart installation about gender which infused her passion for art and activism. an asset is a second year career educator at the arid and engaging facilitator of the group trend magic rashid is committed to becoming a visible and zero allied to the transgender community. [applause] [applause] >> thank you, supervisor mirkarimi, kim, mayor. once again, we are all here to honor and the phenomenal accomplishments of these 15 new four years. it has been a blessing and give

to work with these wonderful warriors. thank you all for sharing this memorable day with us in honoring the 2011 youth warriors. these 15 are shining examples of what it means to be a warrior and is a gift to myself, the family, friends, nominators, and importantly, to the city and county of san francisco. we all appreciate everything you have done. thank you, from the bottom of our hearts. [applause]

the youth empowerment fund would love if you joined us for refreshments. please take some time to meet with the warriors and we also have photographs. thank you in helping us celebrate the 2011 you for your awards and ceremony. >> sanrio famous for the designs

for hello kitty. i thought i would try to make it as cute as possible. that way people might want to read the stories. then people might be open to learn about the deities and the culture. ♪ they reached out to make about five or six years ago because of the book published. they appreciated that my work was clearly driven from my research and investigation. after i contributed my artwork, the museum was really beside themselves. they really took to it. the museum reached out to me to see if i would be interested in my own space inside the museum. i tell them that would be a dream come true.

it is the classical, beautiful indian mythology through the lens of modern design and illustration and storytelling. they're all of these great sketch as i did for the maharajah exhibition. i get a lot of feedback on my artwork and books. they complement. they say how original the work is. i am the first person to say that this is so derived from all of this great artwork and storytelling of the past. the research i put into all of my books and work is a product of how we do things that a-- at pixar. sometimes you will see him depicted monkey-like or as superman. i wanted to honor his monkey coloring.

i decided to paint him white with a darker face. it is nice to breathe new life into it in a way that is reverent and honors the past but also lets them breathe and have fun. it is almost a european notion to bring these symbols and icons from southeast asia. they decorate their deities. it was a god they interacted with every day in a human way. the most important thing has been to create work that is appealing to me. i want to see vishnu to pick did in a modern way. it dawned on me by reinterpreting the deities in a way that is modern and reverent

to the history, i am building a bridge for young and old audiences to make friends with the culture and these icons to learn their stories. ♪ >> and on behalf of the society, its board of directors, and want to welcome you to the celebration of the 2012 black history month kickoff program here at city hall. on behalf of our sponsors, comcast, represented by linda today, i believe, and mr. chang, from comcast, on behalf of our co presenters who are in the audience and listed on the back

of your program -- i will read them off to you and ask that they would stand as i read the groups of. the alpha kappa alpha sorority. we have the bayview ymca urban services program. please remain standing, if you would. we have the black women organized for political action in the crown. we have a black women's during the waters with us today. gamma phi delta sorority. the museum of the african diaspora. the national coalition of 100 black women, san francisco chapter. the it san francisco chapter of the links inc.. let us give them a round of applause. [applause] these are all code-presenters of this event. it is a portrait these organizations are here. the theme for black history this month is black women in american culture and history.

all these organizations are organizations of black women who do an outstanding and amazing job. i would also like to acknowledge members of the official family, supervisor malia cohen, supervisor, fifth district, supervisor chu, supervisor olague, and supervisor weiner. i am going to miss some people. we have port commissioner kim brandon with us today. [applause] and a host of others. i am sure i will get the names as they come up. i would like to thank you for being here, and welcome. we are going to start the program with an indication by reverend carolyn dyson. reverend dyson, who is going to

do the indication for us, also has the signal honor of being the first woman ordained in the baptist church in the city and county of san francisco, back in 1982. join me in welcoming rev. dyson, please. [applause] >> good afternoon, everybody. an indication. we come as a community today, calling for the validation and good things on this occasion, in celebration of black history. we have gathered at this moment in time so that historical truths would be this month pepys celebration foundation, as the city once again owners the contributions of african- americans. let the scribe's record that on the third day of february, in

the year 2012, in the city of st. francis, time stood still as the historical accounts of african americans in america and in san francisco were acknowledged for their contributions that helped to build the nation and the city. as we allow this invitation to lend itself to truth, i pray that there can be an understanding, that there can be no history that does not weaved into the fabric of its record the true, undistorted account of the slaves, the negros, black folks, and african americans, calling forth the truth of our journey today. and truth be told, while our babies were being sold, our men were still call boys, and our women were referenced as dell's

and girls. black people, my people, our people even then, were daring to make differences and contributions to american history. you can say amen. from harriet tubman to slave porters in the underground railroad, to michelle obama and today's white house. the footprints on history from african-americans cannot be washed away. and the bells of greatness, ingenious, artistic talent, philanthropy, and leadership cannot be on rum -- cannot be unrung. we have come this far by faith. we celebrate and embrace this theme of the african american women, culture, and history. wellcome will not allow me in this discourse to call the role of great women in african

american history. let me pray that their numbers are many, and the stories of them tell the truth of women, african american women, in culture and history. for our women have been on the move. our women have refused to be moved. and our women continue to move mountains in african american history. and now, in closing, let me cradle this month's celebration in the history -- in the city of st. francis, with a sense of gratitude and neutral respect. the we black, white, brown, or red, we are all god's children. mavis in vacation -- may this invocation be accepted and the record show that in the city of st. francis, black history 2012 celebrated in truth the contribution, culture, and

history of african-americans, and their contributions to this nation and to this great city. let us say a man. -- amen. >> thank you, reverend dyson. ok. with that, we are going to move to the next item on the agenda, which is the singing of "lift every voice and sing," the negro national anthem. it is in your program. the words in your program. we are only going to sing the first stanza. we are not going to sing all three versus of it. in your program. please stand. >> everyone join in with singing the national anthem, "lift every voice and sing," by james weldon

johnson. ♪ lift every voice and sing till earth and heaven ring rang with the harmony of liberty let our rejoicing rise high as the listening skies let it resume armed -- resound loud as the roaring sea sing a song full of the hope it has brought us sing a song

full of the hope that the present has brought us facing the rising sun of our new day begun let us march on till victory is won ♪ thank you. [applause] >> i understand that the mayor will be joining us in a minute. i have some other person's i would like to identify it as present. commissioner griffith is with us. also harlan kelly, assistant general manager san francisco public utilities commission, junior partner to our keynote speaker today. [applause]

dr. veronica honey cut with the san francisco community college. a member of the board of education. dr. moses is with us. commissioner linda richardson is with us also. one of the things that is significant -- i mentioned that reverend dyson is the first woman ordained in the baptist church in san francisco, in 1982. it is also very significant that this year -- we should also be aware this is the 160th anniversary of three of the leading religious institutions in the african american community. the zion church, of bethel, and third baptist will all be celebrating their 160th anniversary this year. these churches were established two years after san francisco was established.

thank you for joining us. [applause] the other thing i would like to speak briefly on is the fact that we celebrate black history month annually. black history month was started under the auspices of the association for the study of african american life and history. it was designed as a time when we highlight the contributions and roll african americans have played in society in general, and the world at large. recently, there was a movie that was screened that i have the privilege of being on a panel to discuss a after the movie. it was entitled "more than just a month." there was a discussion going on about the history, whether african american history should

be relegated to a month, or whether it should be celebrated 365 days of the year. the effect of the matter is that it is celebrated 365 days a year. this represents a culmination of a specific focus. when we talk about african- american history, we are talking about african american history not as a separate and distinct history, but as an integral part of history -- the history of san francisco, the history of the united states, and of the world. we cannot think about this broader concept of history without understanding the role and contributions people of african descent have played in this broader statement of what history is. this is true not only for people of african descent, but all people. we are all part of history. "we present from the african american perspective is simply that -- a perspective of history

that helps fill up that picture. without the understanding of these covers perspectives, it is difficult to fully appreciate our true history. i am doing the best i can appear. -- up here. i guess we should have some of three stanzas a couple of times. [laughter] we also have ms. jackson with us. a pleasure to have you with us. in your programs, there is also a flier in your programs. it is on the flip side of "lift every voice and sing." it is a flier about a program which will be doing on sunday, february 26. we will be honoring several african american women, consistent with the theme of african american history and culture. those women are identified here.

we do have one of them with us today. i have a supervisor kennedy with us today. she will be one of the people we will be honoring on the 26th. we certainly encourage you all to come out and be part of that event. that is fine. with that, i think what we will do is -- are featured speaker today -- the mayor was delayed with some matters of urgency before him. rather than delay further, we will move on. i will assume the honor. there is no way i can do the justice he would have done to introducing our keynote speaker today. but i will say that in your programs we have a brief

biography of our keynote speaker today, naomi kelly. you can read that at your leisure about her background. suffice it to say that ms. kelly is an extraordinary woman with a great contribution to the city and county of san francisco in her administrative capacities. we have the pleasure of working with her and the city administrator, ed lee, when the society was engaged in working to have the city adopts a slavery disclosure ordinance, which the board of supervisors did adopt. it is on the book. the ordinance would require certain entities that do business with the city to disclose whether their origins -- where they have their origins historic plea, and whether they are in any way related to slave trade. we worked closely with ms.

kelley in that regard. the skills, expertise, and commitment she brought to that challenge was unswerving in terms of its implementation. at the board of supervisors last week, we were there when the announcement -- when she was before committee with regard to her nomination to become the next city administrator. i got up and made a few comments. somebody got up after me. i said to that after him, "i wish i had said what he said." he said we talk about the fact that naomi kelly, hopefully next tuesday, will be approved by the board of supervisors to become the first african- american, first woman as city administrator. we all hope for that. not just because she is the first african american. not just because she is a woman. but because she is absolutely, by far, the best person to do that job. and our experience with her was that she --

[applause] and as evidence of the wisdom and great insight of san francisco african american historical and cultural society, we invited her to be our keynote speaker before she was nominated, so we knew what was coming up. we would like to welcome to further introduce our keynote speaker, mayor lee. [applause] >>(z

-- first of all begin by announcing some very special guests here. these are our students from charles drew preparatory school. thank you for being here. [applause] it is my honor to join all of you today to kick off this very important event, the 2012 black history month in our wonderful city. a city for the 100%. everybody gets to live in our city and live with dignity. that is what i am going to be doing in all my years is making sure everyone can be here. [applause] we are recognizing the celebrates the spirit of our african-american experience, the contributions that everyone has made to our great city to make sure it is a diversity. that is why i moved here. it is why you moved here. that is why so many of