 Now cast San Antonio for live streaming it. Guys, they will archive this and put it up on the internet so you can always go back to it and see my incredibly awkward dance with Manuel. You're welcome. It was okay. I was alright. I was worried. I was stumbling over my feet. I ain't a dancer. I'm a singer. I'm not really. I'm not either a singer. Thank you. I faked it. Alright. Good. Also, the law offices of George Salinas for being a sponsor, we want to thank them so much. Bald. Treat from the hot seat. Because it rhymes. Also, what we've asked the candidates to do is create a tweet. 140 characters or less for the vision for either their district or the city at large, right? If you're running for mayor. And tweet it out. Using the hashtag S-A-N-L-17 we're going to start backwards. So we've been starting with mayoral candidates. This time we're going to start with district 10. Yeah? So let's get it up for your district 10 candidates. John Alvarez and Ezra Johnson. Come on up. Come on up. Come on up. Excellent. Yeah? You've got your... You've got your phones. Here we go. We've got a tweet wall. John, can we start with you? For your tweet. You can tweet it. Can we hold that while you tweet it? No, I already tweeted it. You tweeted it already. Excellent. Will you read out your tweet to us then? It might have already gone up. Because technology is important. Right here. Hold on. I don't know if it's on. This is World Charmedia. Yeah? Yes? Let's try it. Do it. There you are. Here we go. Read your tweet to us. John. Let's reduce traffic and help the environment with transportation conuevels. Homelessness, civic engagement with better ethics and outreach because your voice matters. Nice. Nice. Vision for District 10 with the hashtag S-A-N-L-17 Ezra. Yeah, it's the Twitter thumbs. They get in my way too. I get it. You got Tuba. You got Twitter. You got drums. You play drum people. Drum people. Other candidates. Prepare your tweet. Type it in so you can just press send. They're the first round and they've done amazing. You want to read it? Yes. Do it Ezra. If I did it right. Tell us what it is. All right. Here's my tweet. I want to make SATX a modern. Modern meaning we need to improve our infrastructure and build an IT infrastructure including all kinds of modern IT technology and better transportation. Multigenerational. Multigenerational. What does that mean? It means we all want the same things whether it's you or your parents or your grandparents. We all want access to better transportation. You want better access to transportation to get around. Your parents and your grandparents are going to want transportation so when they stop driving they can continue to live in their homes. And then finally I want to provide a good quality of life and opportunity for all. Thank you. Awesome. Just real quick. You both have touched very specifically on transportation. Particularly I guess as it relates to district 10 which is far north but further towards the east. Far northeast. Do you find that I'm just going to make sure that we both know are there specific things from a transportation that you believe will ultimately impact district 10 the very very most come up here to me so I don't have to move with my thing. Real quick. What affects district 10 affects San Antonio. We're part of a bigger hub. We're going to need multimodal transportation. Sure. We need a light rail system. We've got the I-35 corridor running right through district 10. So what's good for district 10 is what's good for San Antonio transportation. Nice. All right. I get that. From a northeast side. Right. I mean y'all are far northeast. Far northeast. Why transportation? It seemed to be both of y'all like you were very serious about that. We are very serious. So far northeast means the urban core and downtown is very important to me and we need to be able to connect the far northeast side to the center of San Antonio because that is our cultural core. What I'd like to do is what all the candidates are talking about which is let's improve our transportation infrastructure. We're going to do that. How are we going to pay for it? Here's my plan. Wait! I'm so sorry. We're going to stay away from plans. I can't have a plan. I want to, if your plan is in a sentence. My plan is in a sentence. Do a sentence. The next five-year bond needs to be a transportation bond. All right. Nice. Perfect. You all heard the song earlier. I'm just a bond. Ladies and gentlemen all gender non-conforming. Shout out. Your district 10 candidates give it up for John and Ezra Macho. Keep them in your mind. Remember, what affects district 10 affects everybody. Transportation is important to the northeast side. District 9 candidates John Cudge and Matt Pinozzi, friends tweet. Do the tweeting. Now don't, you keep that on. You keep that on. John, you want to start this one? John, what's your tweet? Your vision for district 9. If I can find it. It's probably at the top of my list here. Hold it. I got to go to the top of my list. Where's my own tweet? You got yours, Matt? Yeah, I got mine here. Okay. For me, I want to see a city teaming with commerce and creativity where youth has an opportunity in old age security. Nice. That was a quick 140. Okay, I found mine. Hold the mic. I want to be, I want the better, I want to Oh, that's not me. Here it is. I want to better the quality of life of my neighbors in district 9 and for all San Antonio's San Antonioans by being an honest, hardworking council person. Nice. Alright. So, district 9 sort of in the center north center, correct? I'm very loud. Sort of in the north central because it's a lot of housing, right? Lot of houses. I want to know why you both decided to take off your clothes. You like when I turned it there? I went sideways on it. I was just going to say it's just something in the water in district 9. District 9. I was just hot. It's because of the, it's environmental, heat and water, y'all. District 9 candidates, you got them, John and much kind to each other. Who knew candidates could do it? But you can, apparently. You got your tweets up your dates, you also got your birds up. Yeah, because it's TTSA. You want to go first there, Tony? My tweet says, hello? Yeah, it's on it. My tweet says, be the absolute best. Get involved, make a difference. You can start by voting for Tony Valdivia on May 6th. Nice, yeah, perfect. Get involved. Yo, that's what you're here for, getting involved. Manny, are you tweeting? Yeah, yeah, hold on a second. Is it an elephant from Denmark? Is it? I don't know. All right, well, let's see. I want a city that wants to engage with you and a city with whom you want to engage with. By that I mean, I really want this city to start having a relationship with you. A city that talks to you, talks for you, but at the same time, will listen. Nice, that was enjoyable. Real quick, because I want you to do it too, because you sit also around getting involved, getting engaged. You both have said that both, from a district perspective, you want more people to engage and the city to listen to you why. Do you feel like that's not happening now? Well, I think when you have less than 13, 14% voter turnout, it's not happening. I talked about playing sports, and one thing I always try to think about doing was not competing against somebody else, but competing against myself and trying to be the best. I started doing that with the city. The version of San Antonio can be. So I started volunteering for District 8, working with Ron Erberg, our district manager, and making a difference where I can. I like that. You also talked about making the city the best, etc. I enjoy the fact that the two of you are both talking about getting involved, being the best you can be, etc. And I feel like that's a space for District 8, right? Yeah, you know, San Antonio's District 8 is the most diverse district. We've got more college educated people in District 8 than any other district. We've got more professionals in District 8 than any other district. We've got more religions, more ethnicities represented than in any other district. We've also got colleges, major employers, parks, right? Fantastic shopping and Alamo Cafe. And, you know, the change that we all want in San Antonio is going to come from District 8. Brilliant. Awesome. Y'all, Manny, Tony, your representatives for District 8 they are up for vote. Someone's getting in. Who is it? We've got our candidate from District 7 otherwise known as I just tweeted it. Is it coming up on the ANL? Let's see. Because technology give it up for take importance, so give it up for them. Of course. On the ballot, she is not there. It's a write-in candidate. Alright, here we go. Hashtag SA&L 17 stronger, safer, better. Our future begins with your vote, April 24th. Stand above for 7. April 24th is when early voting starts, which means you can go any with synced, is open to you to vote. From a District 7 perspective, you started with stronger. What does that word mean to you for District 7? That means we're going to have a voice at City Council. That's something I think we're missing right now and I don't think that's something you should suffer through. We're going to have a voice who's going to speak up so that we're not last on the bond package. Okay. So that when we have new development, you have a saying in what your neighborhood looks like. Nice. Alright, excellent. Yeah, go this way. Go that way. I don't want to get anybody hurt. Alright, your District 6 candidates. Let's bring up Rick. Melissa Menage. I like that. Hey, Melissa, since yours is up on screen, let's start with you, yeah? Okay, yes. That's good for me. Or there, yeah. District 6 deserves innovation, progress and inclusiveness. All eyes will be on our District so it's time for us to stand up and shine. Nice. Maya, nice. I'm going to come back to you. Let me have him read right here. Rick, can you read your tweet for me please? Let me find it. Here we go. That's what happens. It starts to scroll. It says, no one who works 40 hours a week should live in poverty. Also, we need to move to publicly funded elections. No more big money. Hashtag living wage, SA. Alright, it's interesting to both of you. Now, remember, District 6 does not have an incumbent, right? So that means brand new representation for District 6 at the table. And you both discussed inclusiveness, accessibility, it's important for your District. District 6, I can say this because I'm a middle child, but we're like the middle child of the city. Nobody's been paying attention to us. They'll be just fine. We need this over here, that over there. And so the District 6 voters are tired of it. We have a lot of opportunity out there. Also, they're not voting. Just like the rest of the city, our voter turnout is very low. It's because they don't think that it's time for us to people to pay attention. Awesome. Every time I knock on doors in District 6, people are having a hard time making it in the economy that they're living in. We talk about a lot of things in city politics, but we never talk about who's winning in this economy and who's losing. We need to demand that our politicians make the economy of San Antonio a priority and working families a priority because District 6, only 9.6% of the population is in District 6. If we vote at 40, 50, 60%, our roles will be fixed, our economy will be stronger, and we will not be ostracized from power. People power, people first. Let's get big money out of politics. Nice. Y'all, Rick and Melissa, you're candidates for District 6. Thank you so much. Y'all remember, decisions are made by people who show up. All right. We're bringing up. District 5. We got Shirley. Look at our microphone. This was my first ever tweet. What? First ever. I've never personally tweeted anything and so I was so happy to do it with you guys all today with your support. Some of the things that I was just tweeted, I have a motto pride in District 5. District 5 is a lot of things including the city with the highest dropout rates, the district with the highest poverty rates, the district with the lowest poverty rates, high obesity. We can go on and on and those things are all true and I work on them every day. But I'd like to highlight some of the great things we have and where you are sitting right now is District 5. We're a great arts community. We're a great community for entrepreneurs. We're a community that values alternative transportation hence my hashtag, I was just in Tulsa, Oklahoma at a conference for alternative transportation and a group called Strong Towns. One of the things that the millennials say they want in a city is to be progressive, walkable and affordable and we've got all that in District 5 and you're in it right now. So when you think of District 5, think of where we are right now. Thank you MoveSA for having us. Nice, thanks Shirley. For reference, because it was your first tweet it was too long. Here we go. Do it for me. Give me your tweet Richard. Sure. My tweet is broader conversations about progress in District 5, workforce development address multi-generational poverty dignified housing and empowering our youth. Nice. All right. So we've got both of you are talking a lot about your people and making sure that you're understanding with who the people are and building the people up, correct? I heard that, which I really enjoy. District 5 I hear keep hearing pride in District 5. So I just want to ask you, what do you love the most about District 5? Can you give me one thing that's like source? It's the culture and the identity of the people in District 5. I believe that it is set the standard for the liveliness and the identity of San Antonio in general, and that's come straight from our community. Nice. All right. Shirley, I love that. Yeah. What about you? Thing that rises to the top. So District 5 is the foundation of San Antonio. We sit in the original 36 square miles. We have everything that we need to be the model for cities all over the country. We're connected. We're friendly. We're affordable, and we've got the trails and the connectivity to really be a thriving city. This is what people say they want within one square mile schools, parks, churches, family, friends, and events like this one right here at Brick. Nice. Y'all, give it up for your District 5 candidates, huh? Yeah. D5, thank you so much. All right. We have District 3 coming up. District 3, I need to see Jessica. I need to see Nate Fige. The friendliest. We got Jessica. We got the cheerleader and the cheerleader because she was helping other people. Jessica, can you start for me? All right. Excellent. Jessica, give me your tweet. My tweet is that my vision for D3 equals vida digna para todos. That means quality education, healthy food, safe homes and streets, and respect for Mother Earth and our ancestors. Nice. That was nice. All right. Nate, what you got? Give me your tweet. So I want to be the voice of District 3 and San Antonio and establish a relationship that allows us to work together in order to refresh, refine, and repair our district and city. Nice. All right. Hang on to that. I'll say it. You know we've both been like such positive forces tonight, right? We had some cheerleading happening. You were like helping other candidates with their talents. What is it about where you grew up and District 3, etc., just in general that allows you from the south side to come out and be such a positive force? What came out of District 3 for that? Well, you know what? To be honest with you, one of the things that District 3 is not getting enough is respect. And so we have South Side, Southeast Side, District 3 is a backbone of San Antonio, I believe. Small business. You know, large families. So much culture down there. And I'm proud of where I came from. And I'm proud of my parents and my family here and everybody. So I just want to bring that on and support my community. That's nice. I enjoy that. Jessica, what about you? Thank you. The South Side is the soul of San Antonio. Everybody, most people that live in San Antonio now and have roots in San Antonio either from the west side or from the west side. And I think it's really important that we acknowledge that, respect that root and really work to ground ourselves in that history and make sure that we respect it as we continue to grow and welcome a larger community here. Nice, y'all. Your District 3 candidates give it up for Jessica and Nate. Keith had to leave. But he was with District 2, remember? You ever been to a Spurs game? That's where it was. District 1 is where we're going next. Where my home is. District 1 first. District 2 had to leave. District 1 is what we have. So let's bring up your District 1 candidates. Roberto, Michael and Robert. Make sure you got your tweets ready. I've never said that to anyone. Make sure you got your tweets ready. It always works. Don't tweet and walk. Don't fall. Alright, Robert. Yeah? You ready? Yeah, one sec. Okay. Nice. Give us your tweet for District 1. So here's my tweet. See if it comes up here. It might have already scrolled. I hope not. It'll come back. So my tweet says imagine San Antonio a city of, by, and for the people, all people, strong, vibrant communities, respectable work and wages and a bright future. Nice. Excellent. Michael. Thank you. Michael, you're up. District 1 the place the rest of the country looks to for inclusion, diversity, culture, civic innovation and real tacos. Nice. Roberto. Thanks, Molly. I tweeted continue to work to make D1 safe and inclusive with opportunity where all voices are heard. Hashtag innovation, hashtag infrastructure, hashtag public safety, hashtag access. Nice. Alright. Y'all all talked very specifically again about inclusion and an inclusive environment but you're also talking about like making District 1 sort of like the space for people to look at, right? And I'll say that as a person who's working in SA 2020, downtown development rose to the top in our original visioning process as the heart of downtown. It should be everyone's neighborhood and that comes with inclusion and access, as you all mentioned. Can you tell me a little bit about in a downtown space why is downtown important to the whole community at large? Okay. Well, downtown is really setting the example because we're doing so much. There's so much momentum happening and in fact somebody was asking me today why is so much happening? Well, so much is happening because there's confidence in our downtown. There's confidence in what we're doing. There's confidence in how we're doing it. A great example, as you pointed out is the way we took over and managed a very very great place at Centro de Artes. An inclusive process, a process that sets the example for the rest of the community and is also helping to begin the conversation with the Alameda Theater. So many things happening in District 1. We steer the ship for the city. It's a great, great place to be. Yeah. So District 1 steers the place. Steers it. It's inclusive. It's accessible. It's sort of laying the groundwork for the city as a whole wide. Sure. I'm glad you brought up the inclusion part of it. Certainly, downtown is hugely important. It is the literal center of the city. But we need to make sure that it's extremely well connected internally and has a coherent vision for what it's going to be. And I'm very proud to say that District 1 has the greatest population or concentration of members of the LGBTQ community. And I'm very happy to have received the endorsement of the Stonewall Democrats right here in San Antonio. And I intend to be an advocate for that community to make sure they continue to be a part of what makes this district vibrant and lively. Great. Robert? So I would say thank you. So I would say actually, and I'm going to say something that may be a little bit unpopular, that downtown has a lot of issues that we need to actually address. And that although it's the central business district, most of the people who work downtown are not making a living wage. That there are parts of downtown that are getting a lot of infrastructure and there are parts of District 1 that are not getting what they need. Working people's communities are not getting what they need. You'll get the bond. A lot of the bond is going to areas like on Broadway where condo developments are going up, people moving here because they're being priced out of Austin. And they look at San Antonio and they think that San Antonio is going to be the new Austin south. Now I don't know about you but I don't want San Antonio to be Austin south. I want San Antonio to be San Antonio. Right. Awesome. Yo. Your District 1 candidates please give it up for Robert, Michael and Roberto. Thank you gentlemen. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you. And one final candidates for tonight. And then we go to the vote. Please give it up for your main all candidates. Ron Mearnberg Manuel Medina, come on up. You are first on this one. Okay. Manuel give me your tweet. Bottom line is one, we need a new mayor and even Ron will agree to that. And preferably Manuel Medina. Two, we need a new city manager because Cheryl Scully needs to go. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. What's your tweet though? That's what I'm reading it. Your tweet is that long? Where is it? I don't know Mama, it's out there. You and Shirley. I can tweet it out again. There it is, go. New mayor, preferably Manuel Medina. Two, new city manager and three, new city priorities, people first because last year we had a presidential candidate insults every single one of us whether you were LGBTQ whether you were female whether you were a veteran, whether you were Muslim, whether you were Hispanic. This presidential candidate insulted every single one of you and what did the mayor say? Nothing. When Manuel Medina's mayor, he will stand up and fight back for the people of San Antonio. Alright. Your tweet please. So I will never confuse the volume of my voice for the strength of our leadership because I think it's important for us to recognize that it's not about the people on the stage that matter it's about all of you. Every 1.5 million persons that are in the city of San Antonio we are working for you and that's why accountability at the ballot box is so important. So I want to start my tweet with a group selfie. Alright. Nice. Alright. And then, what is the rest of your tweet, sir? Let's build the city you deserve. La ciudad que usted merece with ethical, responsive and visionary leadership. Nice. So here's what I'm going to go with for the two of you. I want the lovingness of the fact that you're clearly running for mayor for a reason and I want it to be because, right? You love San Antonio. I want you to tell me what do you love the most about San Antonio, Texas? Rises to the top. And here's what I want because I get it, man. When you're running for candidates and you're doing a campaign, you want to like do the thing. I get it. I'm asking you to lovingly stand up and talk about what you love about San Antonio in one or two sentences. But not like a lot of semicolons and commas. Like a sentence. Have Manuel go first because you did the singing first. Okay. We're the seventh largest city in America. We're the capital of South Texas and I love our city. But we're also the most economically segregated city in America. We're income inequality gaps at historic highs. We're at the end of the day we've got to come together to address these issues. I love my city. I love San Antonio. I love San Antonio. I love San Antonio because it is an inclusive and democratic city. I love San Antonio because it is an inclusive and diverse community a place where we can find a career, build a home, raise a family all in a place that we call and hold in our hearts. The same reason why Erika and I chose this place to live even though we could live anywhere else on earth, that's what I want you to feel about your city. And when people ask me what's different about San Antonio, I tell them that this is the only city in the entire country where we can have a spontaneous championship celebration break out in the middle of the interstate and it's a family friendly event. Nice, both of you ladies and gentlemen, two of your mayoral candidates here, you've got Ron you've got Manuel for the city of San Antonio mayor, your candidates thank you gentlemen so much bust out your phones thank you both take out your phones slido.com slido.com is the way to get on slido.com and vote for the person that spoke to you today the person that stands out in your brain the candidate that you enjoyed and the rock star apparently in the back we're going to find out who is actually going to take home best of the bunch again I want to remind you about a couple of things number one I hope you voted they're going to tally the things y'all because I know you can get loud because I've heard you particularly during the Selena thing guys give it up for brick for hosting us tonight tune they are going to be hosting an event for young millennials who want to run for office and they will tell you how to do that yeah please give it up for the law offices of George Salinas for helping make this possible give it up for now for broadcasting this live stream and the booth also for $1 tamales y'all lonely horse is going to be playing here in just a minute let's give them a big round of applause our DJ for this evening who has given random songs and like nailed it DJ Johnny D again my name is Molly Cox and I work for an organization called SA 2020 we have developed I Love San Antonio dot org in partnership with about 12 other organizations because in San Antonio there was no one stop resource for all things municipal election so if you want to know other candidates that are running in your district if you want to see what other mayoral candidates are out there or who is running it for school board go there and check it out but today is also lovingly can we please give a giant round of applause to move San Antonio and the history of San Antonio has there been something like this right so for y'all coming out give yourselves a round of applause if you show up and we've got to show up yeah get on the phone it's that thing that you tweet from text them get in touch with them ask them about your priorities put them on the hot seat make them tell you why right y'all have been amazing these candidates have been amazing and we want to announce the best of the bunch y'all this is Alyssa we are not related white girls short hair don't care y'all the best of the bunch tonight and getting the golden bananas give it up for Ron Nirenberg that is yours sir no I get it we're running for stuff I get it no don't eat those bananas however I'm going to say again can we give just a giant round of applause to every candidate who came up here the best of the bunch can you tell us why bananas are so important to your health potassium and if you freeze them they make excellent ingredients and milkshakes and they never go bad so Molly didn't get to say one important thing though which is give it up for Molly Cox and SA 22 thank you very much thank you Ron I have danced tonight I've done many things and all I can say to you is when I said yes to this I never thought I would do most of what I did tonight and I am very ready for an adult beverage and a nap y'all seriously I have been watching your faces some of you have like all over your face has been printed exactly my thoughts inside and I have been loving it y'all have been truly this has been such a fun night and I cannot stress to you enough I me I know this is personal I need you to vote I need to stop being one of the youngest people in a city room being the token millennial at almost 40 alright I don't know if we know what that means it's all I'm saying millennial she's 40 it's fine she wears converse she's a millennial y'all finally give it up for the move SA Board of Directors Boobs San Antonio staff the interns who killed it for move San Antonio thank you so much for coming out tonight I promise you I I hope I'm so excited I can't even speak right now it's such a pleasure to be with you here tonight we've been working on this event for almost over a month and to see the expressions on your faces and to see how you engage tonight is a pleasure for us thank you so much to all of our sponsors thank you to Brick for hosting us tonight thank you to Lonely Horse and DJ Donnie D for being here thank you to Molly Cox and the move SA Board of Directors but thank you to the staff the staff so I want to leave you with this because we've got a full night ahead of us as well but if you think about it tonight you did something special because we got you to come out and stand in line and stand with a group of people that you might not know everybody and talk come to a specific place and vote three times so guess what I need you to do on May 6th I need you to go to a specific place stand in line and just vote once thank you so much for joining us here tonight we'll see you again in 2019 for our next youth forum and please let us welcome Lonely Horse