it was my first job where i got my first check, first paycheck, and i see jeff maury, he signed my first paycheck. he always remember the signature on your first paycheck, and i was really fortunate because i grew up in this community and of course there were a lot of challenges, and there continue to be a lot of challenges, and i was fortunate because i was given an opportunity to work at the family school where i learned how to answer the phones. and one of the first days that i started, i answered the phone, hello? and the person who was in charge of the administration at the family school said no, london, that's not how you answer the phone. you need to say, hello, this is london breed, you're calling the family school. how may i help you? what a big difference, right? and i thought wow. what a big difference. the thing is like mignon, and cal, there were people who were incredible mentors, and they supported me and encouraged me, and i ended up going to college, and i ended up going to college because they told me i could do it. me provided me with an opportunity. and i'll be honest

i, too, had my first paycheck signed by jeff maury, and what i'd like to say is i now run that organization. the mayor knows that for many, many years now, i have implored this city to provide the opportunities that our young people deserve, and the very sad reality is that over the years, we've had to turn away thousands of deserving young people for the opportunities that could change their lives. so i just want to say thank you. we're looking forward to working with everybody in this room, everybody up here to make this happen, and we want to make sure that all the young people who need and want and deserve opportunities get them. thank you very much, mayor. [applause] >> well, first off, i'm definitely honored and blessed to be up here with the mayor and with sheryl davis, one of my mentors, just to tell you a little bit about myself, i was born and raised in the western addition, in public how's. just having access to opportunities all my life and take them has helped me get to where i am right now, and i'm proud and honored to say that the mayor had put me on her team in august of thi