and thank in person for their contributions to the city. and i think we have this year's winner epitomizes the kind of person that we should take the time to acknowledge and to go further into that i'd like to actually take a moment and invite now our supervisor district 8 malia cohen who would like to share her opening thoughts on this award. (applause) >> can i just tell you how good it feels to be up here, to look out to see all the people that make everything possible, that really makes san francisco wonderful? and i just have got to give a special shout out. you knew i grew up in the portola for those that don't know. [cheering and applauding] >> right there at the intersection of silly man and colby, my parents still live there. that's where it started for me. but tonight is a night that we have abopportunity * to up lift and support and say thank you to all the people that certainly provide me support and provide me the motivation

to get up and come to work every single day. this is an opportunity to thank and praise the people that call me stop, that e-mail me, find me on facebook, send me a twitter and pick, found me on next door. i tell you, this is your day. put your hands together. hang in there, we're almost done. but this is the day that we get to celebrate -- (applause) >> i'm calling it the nen-ers. you know what's interesting? i've been around city hall long enough to watch the nen awards grow and mature into what it is today. so, i also want to give a special shout out to daniel homesy who is the originator of this. thank you, daniel. (applause) >> also i want to acknowledge his right hand christina palone, the new director, mon, mayor's office neighborhood services over there in that corner. (applause)

>> and for those of you that don't know, i represent district 10, that's the southeast neighborhoods. that's bayview, that's potrero hill, visitacion valley, it's a little hollywood, it's dogpatch. it used to be the portola, half of it. my heart is still with you, but i'm glad like the speaker said, it is whole. and that is what's important, is that that neighborhood remains whole so that our city will be whole. you agree? [cheering and applauding] cheers >> so, a few years back there was this little idea to take back the bayview and really began to rewrite the history and the narrative that we often hear about in bayview. and it actually started, ironically, with a small little abandoned swath of land that has grown up to become the cuseda garden. and it's the thought child and the physical manifestation of hard work, of a few community

leaders that got together and rolled up their sleeves and got to work. and tonight i have the honor to introduce one of the co-founders, his name is jeffery betcher. where are you? get up here. and jeff is going to introduce to you as he escorts ms. annette young smith to the stage. this lady, ladies and gentlemen, is a lifetime achievement award winner. please, please welcome her to the stage. (applause) >> i can't think of a more deserving woman. thank you. come on in. jeffery, i love you. >> i love you, too. >> hello, neighbors. good evening.

you know, first i have to say that i "heart" the portola, i really do. [laughter] >> this is an amazing win frankly for the whole southeast sector, from progress park down, and it's a wonderful night. great to be here with all of you. my name is jeffery betcher. i am the executive director of the organization that emerged 10 years ago from annette young smith and carl page's work on the block where i live. annette lived across the street from me and started planting flowers here or there around the block. and that changed everything mysteriously. and we figured out over time what it was that really created the change, and it wasn't the garden. it wasn't the plants. it was that annette was unafraid to cross the street and give a hug to someone she didn't know, who was radically different from her, and she started to build a personal

relationships that have become cusada gardens and now a network of people and places and projects that are really shaping the culture and life in bayview hunters point. it was -- it's been the distinct pleasure of my life, frankly, to careful where you move, it can change everything. but if you're going to move to a new place, annette young smith is the neighbor that you would pray to have. and i can tell you that she has been a terrific friend and mentor, too. she is still the chair of the board of the cusada gardens. we know it's quesada. [laughter] >> she is still the board. she is still very much at the heart and soul of everything we do. she is our spiritual mentor, and we love her. we truly, truly adore this woman. and i'd like to introduce her to you and i think you'll

understand why. congratulations, annette young smith. (applause) >> first of all, i thank god for being here and i thank god for all of you being here. >> amen. >> and i'd like to thank jeffery for nominating me and i accept the award. thank you. that's all. [laughter] (applause) ♪ ♪

(applause) >> what a fantastic way to end this evening. a standing o. that's fantastic. (applause) >> and a woman who obviously practices actions speak louder than words we need here in city hall. without further a do, we conclude this year's nen awards. i want to acknowledge my partner michael pollack back there. (applause) >> not only does he make me look old and fat, but he's an incredibly talented young man. these amazing videos, we'll get all this up on the web for you to share with your friends in the years to come. look forward to future announcements. with that i'd like to conclude the fifth annual nen awards. we'll see you next year. and now we invite you to join us in north light park for a fantastic of food and wine for you to enjoy. thank you all very much. ♪

♪ ♪ >> creator father and we ask thanks this day and ask for blessing for those that prepared this food and nourish our souls. we thank you for the opportunity to gather, to honor four native americans from our community. remember those that are not with us, unable to be here, or

traveling. we ask for blessing upon them, their families, their friends. we come before you. we are humbled two leggeds. we give things. honde,honde, the best it could possible me. to the singers, to the dancers, their families. honde, honde to everyone in attendance. ( spiritual chanting).

(spiritual chanting).

grandfather, creator, once again we come together, and gave praise and honor to you, and if you for the many blessings, and again honde, honde for this day. we say these things in your name. please remain standing as we welcome and present to you the grand entry of our eagle staff and our dancers. here we go. bring em in. carrying the

first flag of this nation, of this land, the eagle staff larry harristan. how about a round of applause for larry? thank you larry. bringing in our dancers. (drums). good to see you. our southern and northern dancers. welcome ladies. welcome. followed by our jingle "dancing with

dancers. welcoming our dancers as well. our northern traditional dancers followed by our grass dancers. how about a big round for applause for all ours dancers? good to see you. (drums).

going over to our group over here. flag song. please. long before the national anthem composed by francis scott key the 50 people that this land. >> >> the first people that this

land had these fight songs, national anthems for these tribes, paying homage to the first flag of this land, the eagle staff. remembering our veterans as well, the warriors whether going to battle or returning from battle paying homage to their service, paying homage to this flag. always honored our veterans, our warriors. (chanting)

(spiritual chanting). remember our fallen veterans and those still in battle. going

into a victory song. here we go. everybody dance. (drums).

go dancing rocking san francisco city hall indian way. how about a big round of applause for all our dancers? all right. [applause] all right. once again let's

hear it for your singers, our dancers from everywhere here in the san francisco bay area. [applause] all right. good singing. good dancing. posting the eagle staff at this time. be shout out to larry harrison for taking care of our eagle staff. you maybe seated. calling up to the podium at this time michael lupdtin and vice president of the marketing and branding for this station. >> hi everyone. can you hear me? hello everyone. i am from kqmd and i wanted to welcome you

to this eighth annual indian heritage celebration. we are honored to be honoring four heroes from the community who have tirelessly worked throughout the year to provide the kind of service that admissible media is about and engaged community and robust heritage is about. nominated by community leaders they have worked at the grass-roots level and share the highest values we all share. as a public supported media organization we are committed to this and in november we are celebrating american heritage indian month with special programs on our television channels including kqed and plus and world. many are provided by native american public television which is actually an organization that produces indian producers and

countries with partnership with public television and radio, so it's a fantastic organization and they have shared a lot of unique programs with us. two highlights are racing the redses, a rare view into reservation life homeland, native americans in the armed forces. you will get to meet the four local heroes. that's the term we like to use and people in the community that wins a award that is very special and i think it's important to thank the city of san francisco for hosting this event. -- plawz. thank you. this is really quite a beautiful space and honor to be standing at the base of the stair case and this incredible rotunda and i want to thank the dancers and

singers and drummers for sharing their heritage with us and just adds to this special event and be sure to tune in through november. thanks. [applause] >> all right. thank you michael and i would like to call to the stage at this time mr. joaquin torres the director of neighborhood service from the mayor's office. good to see you again. [applause] >> well, good evening everyone and just to reaffirm on behalf of mayor lee it's a pleasure to have you here tonight in city hall, our humble abode. to all of the musicians and performers and nice to bring life into

sometimes these cold walls and we we can. kqud and to all of you for coming out of the studio and brings your presence into here city hall. i know the broadcasting world is happy from the election results last night and we can continue to deliver programming for our communities. [applause] and i know we were inspired by the president's words last night when we talked about the importance of diversity and here in san we are no stranger to that language when we celebrate all the different communities we have here in san francisco and the filipino and native american community here in san francisco. we continue to build upon our

city's long standing history and celebrate diversity and multiculturalism as a part of our lives and here we celebrating the american indian and enriches the great history of our city. these events are special to us and gives us the opportunity to recognize the unsung heroes whose work goes unnoticed and it's an opportunity to share with the larger community and i would like to thank the native american organizing community and the health center, the health center of santa clara, our office and i would like to make a special note of one of our employees who has been diligent for serving communities in san francisco and lois figueroa and thank you for the work that you do on behalf of the communities and of course you recognize the american aids

project. [applause] to borrow from the president's words and our san francisco and our bay area community moves forward because of you. we move forward because of you, and the honorees and your work that rerecognize tonight and recognizes the triumph that left from depression to the greatest heights of hope. the belief that each of us will pursue our dreams we are a san francisco, a bay area family and we rise or fall together as one nation and one people, and so i would like to invite up to the stage to receive what we present in recognition of this important event lynn hunt, the ceo -- [applause] -- of the indian health center

of santa clara county. on behalf of mayor lee and recognizing and honor of the committee we would like to say on resolve on behalf of the mayor and city and county of san francisco we recognize this as national indian month here in san francisco. [applause] >> smoky bay singers. two starts, napsters. two starts. here we go.

(drums and chanting).

>> how about a big round of applause for all our dancers. here we go. indian way. [applause] napsters, keep it going. make them dance. dancer style.

there you go. get it. the dancers were lead in by larry harrison and will be lead out. (

chanting). >> all right. one more time. how about a big round of applause for all our dancers, for all our singers? [applause] >> all right. it's a great honor to bring to the stage at this time liz hunt on behalf of the american indian health center santa clara valley. [applause] >> thank you earl and thank you everybody. it's an honor to be here. i am liz hunt and we have been honored to serve the american indian community in the south bay for over 35 years. it is my pleasure to introduce