Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Please call this being in order and call the roll.

Thank you, Mayor.

Councilmember Kaplan.

Councilmember Dickinson.

Vice Mayor Talamantes.

Councilmember Pluckybaugh.

Councilmember Maple is not in attendance yet.

Mayor Pro Tem Gera.

Presente.

Councilmember Vang.

And Mayor McCarty.

You have a quorum.

Thank you.

We're going to allow our Vice Mayor Talamantes and Mayor Pro Tem Guerra to lead us in the land acknowledgement and Pledge of Allegiance.

Please rise for the opening acknowledgments in honor of Sacramento's Indigenous people and tribal lands.

To the original people of this land, the Nissanau people, the Southern Maidu, Valley and Plains Meanwhile, Patwam Winton peoples, and the people of the Wilton Rancheria, Sacramento's only federally recognized tribe.

May we acknowledge and honor the Native people who came before us and still walk beside us today on these ancestral lands by choosing to gather together today in the active practice of acknowledgment and appreciation for Sacramento's indigenous people's history, contributions, and lives.

Thank you.

Join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Salute Pledge.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

So you can just read the first item and we'll start.

So, Mayor, the first item on our agenda tonight this afternoon is establishing a sister city relationship with the city of Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico.

Thank you, Adam City Clerk.

It's with great uh pleasure and distinction that we um uh hear this item at a special council meeting in front of this glorious uh crowd here today in our capital city of Sacramento.

Uh, we'd like to begin uh today's proceeding by inviting up the Presidente Alcalde de la Ciudad de Morelia Michoacan, Jesus Martinez Alcazan aquí, thank you, Ramich.

Okay, I'm good.

Thank you, Spring.

I'll do English first, okay.

Yes.

Good afternoon.

Welcome, uh President.

Um, I'll start in English and I'll unos paladas in español.

Uh today's a meaningful day for the city of Sacramento and the city of Morelia Michoacan as we officially signed a sister city agreement uh with our two cities beginning a new era of collaboration.

We had a chance to start this process several months ago in your host city in February with the Vice Mayor and the Mayor Pro Tem and 20 Sacramentans had the opportunity uh to visit and see Morelia Mitchwakan uh firsthand.

And again, we want to sincerely welcome you, Presidente Martinez, for your uh warm welcome back then and welcome your delegation uh here today.

Uh, you know, this uh ratification is more than just a piece of paper, it's an opportunity to further strengths uh going back decades if not centuries between the people of California and the people of Mexico.

Uh, this uh sister city arrangement uh will focus on building bridges, not divisions, especially at a time in our country where we have unfortunate divisions between our two countries.

We're certainly going in the opposite direction.

Uh this effort will focus on key areas of education, tourism, arts, culture, and economic development.

For the last 15 years, we've had a sister city in Mehicali, but today we're gonna announce we have two sisters, a baby sister.

And uh as a father of twins, I will tell you that I'm not gonna pick my favorite sister my favorite daughter, and um we're not gonna pick our favorite sister, but just to say you're here today, so um we are we're certainly excited about this.

I want to thank our mayor uh pro tem uh guera and our vice Mayor Talamantes, but especially our mayor uh Pro Tem uh guera, a son of Michael Khan, proud roots, Raises de esta ciudad.

This was an idea of council members the first day I became mayor.

So now you want to fix potholes and do all other great stuff in our city, but uh don't forget about an opportunity to further relationships with Mexico, especially in this strained era in our country.

So we're we are excited, we are very excited to begin this era, and know that it's gonna pay dividends for people in our city.

This is a city where over one third of our population are immigrants, and by far the majority of that population are individuals in Mexico.

And by far the majority of the people of Mexico are from three states, uh Michoacan, Jalisco, Zacatecas.

And we have so many people who are proud of Michoacanos aqui.

We saw a few come up today to join us.

We're those two young ladies who just showed up today, and they wanted to meet the president.

They heard about it, they decided to just show up today, and show their proud roots of Morelia and Michoacan.

In this unfortunately, I am much.

We also didn't have the opportunity.

People of the market that we can support one another.

Los que la voz de que Mexico need too, some países hermanos, some países que nos necesitamos.

We want to say los Mexicanos, and our country to work.

And to enrich our country too.

Michoacan tiene la mitad de Sudadanos, half of the cities vivendo in Michoacan living in Michigan.

But in the things that united, Michoacanosaka in the economy de Stato Unidos, that contribute to the contribution in the economy, in the economy of Mexico.

I want to share with you a Morelia.

And people from Michoacan that live there.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

First, I want to thank all of those involved in this.

I am one of those.

But when I brought this issue to the mayor, I also found and recognized that of those three hundred thousand, many of our city employees also are of Michoacan descent and who have been involved in this, and many of those also who are from neighboring areas that have history with Michoacan, and I want to recognize all of our city employees that have participated in this, and let's give them a big round of applause.

And as soon as we began discussing the beneficial issues and this idea of a sister city, we also quickly found how many community members, business leaders, lawyers, engineers, doctors, family members had history of Michoacan design of those 300,000 within our region.

And that's why you see this packed chamber room because there are so many people that have roots from that that date well before the Brasero program, well before you know the the history uh here of our uh of this effort.

And so um I want to start by saying that this effort here, the the city of Morelia, Michoacan, uh many know it uh because of uh the start of uh independence, the ending and abolition of slavery, uh the the efforts to eliminate the caste system, the beauty of all of the North American monarchs that come from Canada, the US that go to one place in the entire continent to the state of Michoacan and its capital, uh, which is Morelia.

And so the truly what came out of this discussion is this resolution that we will be voting on today, and I will read the resolution um here, I'll paraphrase, um, and uh that uh and then I'll also um uh translate and read the uh the MOU that's executed by the resolution.

So here, um, the mission of the sister city council of Sacramento is to develop mutual beneficial cultural, educational, social, and economic relationships between the city of Sacramento and its sisters.

The city of Sacramento has benefited from having 12 sister cities from countries around the world, but has not yet established a sister city relationship within the state of Michoaca in Mexico, where many Sacramentans share family ties.

On September 16, 2025, the Sacramento City Council adopted an intention to establish a sister city relationship with Morelia, and on February 2026, the mayor McCarty, Mayor Pro Tem Guerra, and Vice Mayor Talemantes led a delegation to Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico to formalize the signing of Morelia, Sacramento Sister City Agreement to establish a directly coordinated framework for implementing the agreement.

A formal sister city relationship will further enhance the ties already existing between Morelia and Sacramento.

The Sacramento City Council gives its endorsement to formalize a sister city relationship with the sister city of Morelia Michoacan, as outlined in exhibit A.

And the mayor is authorized to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the mayor of the city Morelia Michoacan.

The city clerk shall send this copy to the res and resolution to the city of Morelia Michoacan.

And to say that I want to, you know, also recognize all of the community partners that have been part of this from uh everything from the Crocker Art Museum, the Hispanic Chamber, uh Greater Sacramento Economic Council, Sacramento State, UC Davis, a number of our educational partners, uh, Latino Center for Culture.

The list goes on, but that is to execute this MOU.

So uh I want to close by saying that uh what I agree with with what the uh the uh mayor our President Alfonso Martinez said that uh it is not just about Michoacanos and us getting to know and enhance Morelia, but all of us, specifically those without a tie to uh understand what ties we have, the many Sacramentans have there, and also for them to come here and in participate in the growth of that.

And then finally, um I will read in Spanyol uh for the MOU here for uh again I'll paraphrase the MOU for the mayor.

Crescimento economic social.

Impulsar el economico bilateral, el tourism, el dialogo directo So I want to share a couple of those in English briefly.

That the partnership establishes a formal sister city for the promotion of bilateral trade tourism, direct dialogue between our cities, institutions, the encouragement of cultural, artistic and academic exchange, as well as the transfer of technology technical knowledge of public policy and sustainability.

But I think most importantly, shared commitment, work together as a symbol of peace, stability, and regional prosperity.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Thank you.

Thanks, Mayor Talamantes.

Thank you so much, Mayor.

First of all, I just want a big big thank you to all the Sacramentans that came out today to support the Sister City partnership with Morelia Michoca and give ourselves a round of applause.

Like President Alfonso said, you know, we live in an era of a lot of divisiveness of hate, where people can't reach across the aisle to shake hands, to have tough conversations to be able to have progress in this country.

And so seeing all the people here and supporting this partnership is so important in strengthening not just our country but Mexico too and the work that we have ahead of us to continue to strengthen this.

I also just want to give a big thank you to the delegation of Morelia.

Um I have never in my time at City Hall in the last eight years, not almost nine years, ever traveled to a sister city partnership.

And Morelia was my first trip.

It was beautiful, the hospitality was amazing, people we were just greeted with kindness, and it really showed me what's possible when people put effort into building relationships, into building partnerships.

And for that, to the Morelia delegation, thank you for showing me what's possible in our sister city partnerships.

And I will say that, you know, this is just the beginning of promoting tourism and cultural exchange with the direct flight from volatis, allowing people to also visit their loved ones.

A lot of times it's time it's hard to take time off the work, it's hard to you know go have a layover to go see loved ones, and these direct fights will truly help with strengthening our families.

I think that what we're seeing right now in the World Cup is people celebrating each other's culture, traditions, language, and it's opportunities like this that are going to continue to strengthen that.

And I'm really looking forward to the years to come and to having uh my family go visit uh Morelia because I loved it, and to have you guys come visit us here in Sacramento.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We have a number of uh individuals and representatives that uh would like to address us.

Uh before that, I wanted to first acknowledge our official representative from the country of Mexico, who's our general consul of Mexico, uh Mr.

Cristan Tonatua Gonzalez, bienvenido aquí.

First up, Kathy Rodriguez with the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Sorry, I just did my glasses.

Take your time.

Good.

So all right.

Um good afternoon, buenas tardes to everyone.

My name is Kathy Roger Isaaceri.

I'm the president and CEO for the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

And it is an honor to be here as we celebrate the official sister city partnership between Sacramento and Morelia.

Today is more than just the signing of an agreement.

It marks the beginning of a friendship, rooted in mutual respect, shared values, and a commitment to creating lasting opportunities for both of our communities.

At the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, we believe people are the foundation of economic growth.

When businesses collaborate, communities engage, and cultures are embraced, prosperity follows.

That is why we are proud to support this partnership.

Rooted in our shared history and culture, sister city alliances also create pathways for business growth, educational exchanges, tourism, entrepreneurship, innovation, and investment.

They encourage us to learn from one another while opening doors between our residents, businesses, educational institutions, and civic leaders.

From the chamber's perspective, this partnership is a natural fit.

Our mission is to strengthen our economy by bringing people, businesses, and communities together.

The sister city initiative reflects those same values.

Our region continues to grow as an international gateway for businesses and innovation.

Morelia is a vibrant city with a rich cultural heritage, a strong entrepreneurial spirit, and growing industries.

Sacramento is California's capital city and an economic hub for Northern California.

Together, we can strengthen economic ties while creating new opportunities for collaboration and investment.

For our business community, efforts like this can lead to new markets, workforce partnerships, and greater cultural understanding, all of which would continue to long-term economic prosperity.

When people know one another, they are more willing to invest in one another.

That is as businesses grow, communities thrive, and trust is built across generations.

Many families throughout the Sacramento region have deep roots in Michoacan.

The sister city relationship honors those connections while inspiring future generations to learn from one another, collaborate, and build friendships that extend across borders.

Over the past several months, I've participated in conversations surrounding the Sister City effort.

And what stood out to me the most is the genuine care and excitement so many people have for helping bring this vision to life.

Community leaders, volunteers, and representatives from both cities have invested their time, energy, and passion because they believe when this partnership can become.

Their dedication has brought us to the special day, and they deserve our sincere appreciation.

I want to take a moment here to give a special shout out to Domingo Ramirez, who has been the one who's been herding all of us together to get us to this special day.

And with today's signing, this is not the finish line.

It is the beginning of what we'll accomplish together.

The true success of the Sister City initiative will be measured by the people and businesses we connect, the students who participate in exchanges, the cultural experiences we share, and the impact we create together.

We look forward to supporting these efforts however we can because we know that when communities work together, everyone benefits.

Congratulations to the City of Sacramento, the City of Morelia, the Sister City Committee, and everyone whose commitment made today possible.

At our chamber, we often say that our community is our region's economic strength.

Today we celebrate that our community has grown just a little larger.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Next, we'd like to welcome Augustine Ramirez, the CEO.

Thank you, Merciento, Agustin.

He's the CEO director of our Crocker Art Museum at Hio de Mexico.

I want to directly to try to be brief.

Our connection is rooted into something that far deeper than geography.

It reaches back to the ancient heritage of our original peoples, whose artistic expressions through craft, music, storytelling, and symbolism continue to live within us today.

That legacy reminds us that culture is not only what we inherit, but we what we actively cultivate together.

Both Morelia and Sacramento are cities where the arts are not a luxury, but a vital force of identity and community.

We are fortunate to be home to Braybran Museums, dynamic university, inspiring artistic communities, and generations of artisans whose works carries forward both tradition and innovation.

The sister city relationship opens a new charter of exchange and possibility.

It allows our institutions to collaborate, our artists to inspire one another, and our community to discover the richness of our shared and distinct voices.

Through these connections, we strengthen not only our cultural ecosystems, but also the bonds of understanding between our people.

I hope that this partnership will be a living stage where creativity flourish, travels freely, where talented is nurtured, and where the arts bring Sacramento and Morelia even closer together.

Thank you.

We know this relationship isn't just about culture and community, but also about economic development and tourism.

With that, we'd like to bring up Mike Testa from the Sacramento Convention.

Visitor, visit Sacramento.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Good afternoon.

Visit Sacramento was honored to be a part of the original delegation to Morelia.

We were further honored to meet with our tourism counterparts this morning at the Visit Sacramento offices.

Tourism is a connector, and this sister city relationship can help us foster that connection between residents and visitors of both of our cities.

Sacramento and Morelia are becoming family today.

We're making the official bond that our peoples have shared for generations.

Tourism is one of the pillars of this agreement, and it's where the relationship becomes real.

Visitors, food, festivals, and friendships moving in both directions.

Visit Sacramento is proud to be that bridge.

A sister city is more than a ceremony.

It's an open invitation.

Sacramento welcomes Morelia and Michio Khan, and we can't wait to be welcomed there.

And remember, they are just one nonstop flight away.

That goes both ways.

They're welcome to come here as well.

Through Benvianudos of Sacramento, we welcome our Mexican community and visitors in Spanish with experiences made for them.

The hospitality isn't a promise, it's ready and waiting and ongoing.

We're looking forward to more of our tourism leaders visiting Morelia and in turn involving Morelia in events like Terra Madre America's next year and in the years beyond.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Do we have comments from council members?

Councilmember Dickinson.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor.

Buenos tardes.

A todos.

You know, as I think about this very significant occasion, I can't help but think of growing up as a child in California and taught at an early age about and exposed to the customs, food, heritage, and influence of Mexico on the history of California.

It is no overstatement to say that California and Mexico are tied inextricably together in so many ways, and and so we'll be uh on into the future.

The history of California is infused with the spirit and the history of Mexico.

And we uh are the beneficiaries of that uh in so many in so many ways.

It was no accident that the first international flight that landed here in Sacramento, Sacramento International Airport, was from Mexico, and uh I was proud as a county supervisor at the time to be among those welcoming the arrivals from Mexico on that flight.

It is it is no his it is no accident that we uh develop these kinds of very close relationships with uh our uh fellow uh travelers from uh Mexico across across the country.

The uh governor of Aguas Calientes was here just last week to be welcomed here to Sacramento and to share what is going on in her part of the country and in her state.

But when you when you establish a sister city relationship, it is a special uh different and elevated status and position, and that is what we are doing today.

The relationship that we will have with Morelia will be something that elevates us and hopefully also Morelia in the process, just as the speakers we've heard have outlined, but as importantly as anything else from my perspective, it is the building of bridges with those around the world, especially in places as important as Marelia, that mark uh our commitment to a better world, not just a better city or a better state or a better country, but a better world.

And I am very appreciative of all those who have traveled here for this occasion to share in what I think are some very special aspects of Sacramento.

I know this evening, for example, you're going to be able to experience a special part of the district I represent when you get to dance and do a little singing, and a little singing as well.

So I hope that is uh what caps off your visit uh here.

So thank you.

Thank you for being willing to enter into this.

Thank you to uh the mayor and to the vice mayor and to the mayor pro tem all for leading this effort, and thanks to all who have been engaged in bringing this sister city relationship to reality.

It is a proud addition for the city of Sacramento.

Thanks, Mayor.

Councilmember Kaplan.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, buenos tardes.

Um this is truly a wonderful opportunity.

I growing up, I was a rotary exchange student while I went to Sweden.

Uh the can you practis fans, again, can speak Swedish.

I'm still working on my Spanish skills.

Um I know the importance of cultural exchange.

I know the importance of student exchange.

And so I want to say congratulations.

I think this is a wonderful opportunity, but what I look forward to are the uh next steps that um are going to come, especially knowing that we can expose the next generation to Mexico and to a different culture and a different language, because when we talk about um this world cup, this world cup is bringing nations and people together.

Sister cities bring nations and people together, and that's how we can um make a better world for everyone.

So excuse my poor Spanish, but whenvenidos a Sacramento Sumer a Marelia, como suad hermana, espero visitar pronto.

Uh grace for esta opportunidad.

Thanks, mayor.

I will keep this short because I know the signing is next.

Um I just also want to take this moment just to uh welcome the delegation uh for being here today, and really excited about the establishment of the sister partnership, um, and also want to take a moment to uh center our uh Latino elected officials um here uh holding it down, Vice Mayor Talamantes and Mayor Potem Eriguera, thank you so much for your leadership on ensuring that this happens.

Uh I am not Mexican, uh but I am the proud wife of a son of Mexican immigrants uh from Guadalajara, which is uh which is about three hours away from the city of Morena.

And so I know that um Mayor Pro Tem Guerra has talked about over 300,000 families from Michoquan, and I know that um as a proud council member of district A, Latinos actually make up the largest racial ethnic population in my district.

And so uh this partnership is so important because we know that sharing knowledge and expertise and experiences uh is only gonna make both of our cities even stronger, inspiring new friendships, meaningful exchange, and really uh the mayor talked about this exciting economic opportunities.

Um I also want to take this moment to thank um my district director, Jaima Cervantes.

I don't know if he's down here, but he was also part of the delegation.

That's right.

Um that attended um uh uh with Mayor Pro Tem Gera and Vice Mayor Talamantes, and I want to thank um our staff from from all three offices, and also I I want to take this moment to thank the city clerk as well for all the great work that she did to get us to this moment, and again, really excited about this partnership and uh we can't wait uh for the sighting.

Thank you so much.

We do have one or two public comments.

Yes, Mayor I have one speaker for public comment, Dave Tamayo.

Uh, verte or this, uh, younger.

And I own uh lugar in my correspond.

There's a place in my heart for Memorial.

Forever.

Your city is wonderful and grateful.

So a president of the president of the electoral company here in Sacramento.

Name of my organization.

Uh, my organization we want to say that this is very important.

It is very important to be this relationship.

Uh part of me, especially uh Mexicanos.

I have a lot of Mexican people, my neighborhood is as important, and it's very important.

Uh um, life for citizens.

For your citizens, too.

And I'm gonna switch to English right now.

We're very happy and proud that we're entering this relationship of friendship and sisterhood with the city of Morelia, and by extension with the state of Michoacon, because there's so many connections between our communities, both historic and contemporary.

And it I'm just really excited for all the opportunities that that's going to open up, and I'm looking forward to seeing what's mud, which is how people here know our our district, looking for all the opportunities that we have to help strengthen those relationships.

Okay, thank you.

Now we're looking for a motion to ratify this with a formal vote.

Mr.

Mayor, I move the item that we formally uh approve the resolution adopting Sacramento and the City of Morelia as a official sister city.

I'll do that in quickly in Spanish too.

Great.

We have a motion by uh Mayor Pro Tem Gera, second by Vice.

Talamantes.

I knew that was coming, so.

With that, we have a motion and second.

All those in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Any noes or abstentions?

Uh hearing none, item passes.

Before we officially sign the um the agreement before us, uh we wanted again welcome your delegation.

Of course, you're here as the president and the mayor of the city of Morelia Michoacan.

We have two of your members of your government, your council here today, Susanna Melissa Vasquez.

Welcome.

And Galberto Morelos.

And why not everybody stand up that's in favor of this?

Here we go.

Okay, we can hear you.

This is the moment.

Uh Presidente.

It's with great pleasure uh that that we're at this uh moment here.

Uh just in summary, we unfortunately have too much division.

Uh while some are focusing on building walls, including the leaders of our country, today in Sacramento, we are building bridges with Sacramento.

Okay, viva and I done.

Okay.

Okay, council and council members.

We're gonna go down here.

See, still Cindy, Syndicate, uh regidor wouldn't participate in front of our conciliocross.

Yes, and with that, this meeting is adjourned.