Good

morning, everyone.

My name is Elliot Payne.

I'm the president of Minneapolis City Council.

And before we convene our meeting, we have presentations of honorary resolutions.

I will begin the first presentation related to National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

Good morning.

We are acknowledging October 2026 as National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

Whereas October 26th marks the 81st anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Awareness Month with the theme of celebrating value and talent, and whereas National Disability Employment Awareness Month seeks to highlight the purpose, importance of the purpose and importance of educating the community about disability employment issues and celebrating the many and varied contributions of America's workers with disabilities.

And whereas workplaces welcoming the talents of all people, including those with disabilities, are critical part of our efforts to build an inclusive community and strong economy.

Job seekers with disabilities must have equal opportunity and be treated the same as non-disabled applicants during the application, interview, and hiring processes.

And whereas individuals who have disabilities can produce the same or greater job skills as their peers, given that there are appropriate accommodations in place.

And whereas the Minneapolis Advisory Committee on People with Disabilities encourages the City of Minneapolis to commit itself to a more diverse workforce, including workers with disabilities and tracking efforts to achieve this.

Now, therefore, be it resolved that the mayor and city council do hereby recognize October 26th as National Disability Employment Awareness Month in the City of Minneapolis to commemorate the many contributions of people living with disabilities, both invisible, apparently to the United States workplaces and economy.

Thank you.

Would you like to say a few words?

No?

I can do it.

Yes.

Thank you so very much.

Thank you, Council President, members of the council.

I appreciate the opportunity to share a little bit about what we we've been doing in the past year.

Um that culminates into into this occasion.

So over the past year, the town acquisition team has continued strengthening the accessibility of our hiring systems.

All job postings are now fully screener screen ready, uh, or screen reader-friendly, and our staff, including hiring managers, have completed digital accessibility training to ensure we are reducing barriers for applicants at every stage of the process.

RISE is one of those organizations that we've developed a huge relationship with, and we host monthly office hours with uh their team and remain a vital partner in us for the Twin Cities residents.

We've also expanded our digital support resources, including the development of a how to apply instructional video intended to help candidates navigate our online application process.

So these and other tools are definitely supportive of what we are doing today and to this resolution, and we're going to continue our efforts and grow even more in the town acquisition function to make our jobs and our communication accessible to all residents.

Thank you.

Hello, everyone, and I would like to first of all, my name is Afra Navdo.

Um I would like to thank the City Council and the mayor for this awesome recognition for October.

Um, I am a member of the committee that recommend this, recommended this, and I would love to um say a little bit more about um people with disabilities in the employment.

We are lawyers, cooks, parents, politicians, everything in between, and I would like to commend those out there doing the work.

And I would like to I hope the city continues to strengthen the application process and making in making it accessible to us, and hopefully modifies some of the requirements, such as the do you have a driver's license to are you able to make it to the draw to the jobs because we can take other ways instead of driving to the job.

Um so here's to hoping for a brighter future.

Thank you.

Thank you, Doctor.

Next, we will recognize a hundred and forty years of Mexican music, art, and culture in Minneapolis with Councilmember Chavez.

All right, everyone.

Good morning.

Today we're recognizing one hundred and forty years of Mexican music, art, and culture in Minneapolis, and then I'm gonna pass it to Aaron after I read the resolution, and we'll go from there.

But it's a big day.

Whereas in 1886, 140 years ago, the city of Minneapolis formally petitioned the president of Mexico to send a national military band from Mexico to lead musical performances at the inaugural Minneapolis Industrial Exposition that year.

And we're asked 56 of the most talented and respected musicians of Mexico composed this band, and they performed twice daily for 41 days at the Minneapolis Industrial Exposition Building from August 23rd, 1886 to October 2nd of that year, and additionally performed at other locations around Minnesota, and whereas they were with they were the military band of the 9th Infantry Battalion in the Mexican Army, and they became known as through the Minnesota press as a Mexican band and the National Mexican band or the Mexican military band, and whereas the total audience size of the musical performances exceeded 300,000 people, making it one of the largest live music events in the history of the state of Minnesota.

And whereas the Minnesota press widely celebrated this band, and they were written about as the best musical artists from Marcista Republic, the finest musical organization in America and the greatest musical military organization in the world.

And whereas on September 3rd, 1886, Minneapolis declared Mexican Day at the Industrial Exposition, making it the first known day celebrating Mexican identity in Minnesota history.

And on September 16, 1886, Miapas held an outdoor parade on Mexican Independence Day, attended by 50,000 people, and a special celebration day for Mexico and Minneapolis Industrial Exposition attended by 10,000 people, making it the first known public celebration of Mexican independence in Minnesota history.

And the 1886 Minneapolis Industrial Exposition was a foundational moment in the history of the city of Minneapolis.

As that year the city became known nationally and internationally as the industrial powerhouse and Mexican music was intertwined with this foundational historical moment for the city, and whereas Gabriel Garzon, celebrated soloist of the Mexican band composed the Fair Minneapolitan, and the band director Juan composed Minneapolis and Flowers, which are the first two known original works of art by Mexican artists in Minnesota.

Big deal.

And two band yes.

And two band members are buried in Minneapolis.

Band director Juan, who died on October 10th, 1886, and who is buried at St.

Mary's Cemetery, and Luis Garzon, Gabriel Garçol's younger brother, who stayed in Minnesota and lived here until his death on October 4th, 1954, and who was buried at Lakewood Cemetery.

And today the Hennepin History Museum and the Minnesota Latino Museum are jointly presenting the exhibits, the Mexican band of 1886 in celebration of this amazing history in collaboration with Border Crossing and the Mexican Consulate in St.

Paul.

Now, therefore, be it resolved that the mayor and city council do hereby recognize that Mexican music was a foundational cultural component of the city of Minneapolis from its earliest years.

Further, that in 2026, we celebrate 140 years of Mexican music, art, and culture in Minneapolis.

Woo.

I play Mariachi music, I play Son Harocha music, and it's always important, right, to know your history, and it's great to have this resolution.