Good morning everyone.

My name is Elliot Payne.

I'm the president of Minneapolis City Council.

Before we convene our meeting, we have presentations of honorary resolutions.

We are pleased to welcome guests to this space to share in these presentations before taking up our agenda.

First up is a resolution recognizing Latino Heritage Month presented by Councilmember Chavez.

Alright.

Does this work?

We're good?

Okay, we're gonna get started.

Uh incredible way to start our full council meeting.

Today we're passing a resolution celebrating Latino Heritage in Hispanic Month.

Whereas the Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated in the United States from September 15th to October 15th, and the city of Minneapolis celebrates as celebrates it as Latino Heritage Month, and whereas the term Hispanic, Latino, Latina, Latinex, Latina are used for a diverse ethnic group recognized during Latino Heritage Month, and whereas during Latino Heritage Month celebration, the anniversary of the independence of several Latino countries in the American continent are recognized, including September 15th for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

September 16th for Mexico, and September 18th for Chile, and whereas according to the 2020 census, there are 16,000 people of Latino and Heritage living in Minneapolis, composing almost 9% of the city's population.

Statewide, there is about 345,000 people identified as Hispanic or Latino in Minnesota.

That means 6% of the state's population, and nationwide there are 62 million Latina folks in the US or almost 19% of its population.

And whereas many in the Minneapolis Latino community include individuals born in the United States, naturalized citizens, immigrants, refugees, and mixed status families who contribute to the city's culture, economy, and neighborhoods, and deserve to feel safe, valued, and welcomed.

And whereas, despite challenges such as heightened immigration enforcement at the federal level, the Latino, Latina Latina community in Minneapolis continue to demonstrate its resilience, creativity, and leadership that strengthens the city.

And whereas this month is also a time to affirm the city of Minneapolis' commitment to being a welcoming city for all residents, regardless of immigration status, and to uplift the hope and sense of belonging of our communities.

Whereas many Latinos and Latinas have made significant contributions to the world, including the United States of America, and taking opportunities this month to highlight those who have done so is an inspiration for all of us.

Whereas our leaders, including immigrant and refugee advocates in Minneapolis, work every day to defend the dignity and rights of their community.

Artists, educators, and culture leaders from our community, many of whom are immigrants and children of immigrants share their traditions, stories, and creativity, building bridges of understanding and belonging across Minneapolis.

And whereas under the Trump administration, our community has continued to suffer across the country due to harmful policies targeting our communities.

Yet we will continue to remain resilient and fierce in uplifting our communities and holding strong to our core values of hope, vision, and love for future generations.

As a community proudly affirms, aquí estamos inonosamos.

And whereas this month is a time to not only celebrate history and culture, but also to look forward to the inclusion, strength, and opportunity for all of our residents, including our immigrant and refugee families who enrich the fabric of Minneapolis.

Now, therefore, be it resolved that the mayor and city council do hereby celebrate Latino Heritage Month to protect and uplift the voices, visions, and strength that exists within our community in Minneapolis, the United States, and the world, and encourage our Minneapolis community to participate in events held in recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month and Latina Heritage Month this year.

Before I oh before I say a few words, we literally just had a great ceremony this morning in the City Hall Retunda.

And it was really inspirational, and we had a lot of good food.

Um for not only our city but this country.

Thank you so much, Councilmember Chavez.

Thank you, Council members, for advancing this resolution.

And it is incredibly powerful to see all of these people here on the dais, many of whom I know as individuals who are impacted by the federal immigration landscape at this moment, and who have worked tirelessly for years, if not generations, to advance the rights and the opportunities and the power of the Latino community here in Minneapolis in the state of Minnesota and beyond.

So I'm very, very grateful to be able to recognize Latino Heritage Month, Latinx Heritage Month, Latin Heritage Month with all of you.

Um the words this morning that were delivered by Angelica in Espanol and Muimmi Podero.

So it's very powerful words this morning from um a very gifted poet.

And so it was a privilege to be able to hear those words and to hear the power expressed in those words.

So thank you to everyone who's here.

Thank you to the entire Latinx community, Latini community, Latino community, and people who are connected to that community who are similarly impacted by the challenges of the moment.

Okay, good morning, everyone.

Thank you so much for joining us today.

Today we are recognizing September 2025 as a workforce development month in the city of Minneapolis.

Whereas the city of Minneapolis is working to build a strong, fairer, and more sustainable community for everyone.

A big part of this is making sure all residents have access to good jobs.

We do this by supporting a job training programs throughout local partners who serve people that are often left out.

And whereas helping Minneapolis residents get the education, training, and support they need for a good career is the key to keep our local economy strong, making sure everyone has a fairer chance to succeed, and whereas as a our population change, it's more important than ever to make sure everyone feels welcome, included in the workforce.

This means giving people from all backgrounds, regardless of race, gender, age, disability, or past involvement with the justice system a real opportunity to work and grow.

And whereas through the work of the Minneapolis Workforce Development Board and the City of Minneapolis Employment and Training, uh, it's as its administrative entity, we focus on jobs that pay enough to support a family.

No matter where someone lives in the city, we help job seekers explore their interests, build their skills, develop job search plans, and connect with employers and whereas Minneapolis businesses, especially in industries like healthcare and manufacturing need workers with the right skills to serve our communities and comp and compete around the world to meet this need uh yeah, to meet this need, schools, businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies must work together to prepare and support a workforce that reflects us all.

Now, therefore, be it resolved that the mayor and city council do hereby recognize and honor workforce development professionals across the city of Minneapolis for the significant for the significant contributions they make and commend them for their many accomplishments.

The mayor and city council offer sincere gratitude for all their efforts to advance the economic health and inclusion of all residents and businesses in our community.

Thank you all.

We have uh amazing leaders here.

We have a director of uh employment and training services and also doctor Eric Hansen.

Please come on in if you would like to make comments.

Anyone?

Hi, I pass the microphone to Dr.

Watson, Chair of the Workforce Development Board.

Thank you, good morning.

So good morning, honorable council members and community partners.