by the preamble of the Constitution of the United States of America by Clara Strasnick and the National Anthem, which will be performed by Young Musicians Unite. And to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. As you are being seated, we invite the Reverend Dr. Audrey Warren, Senior Pastor of First Church Miami, to the podium for the invocation. Good morning, everyone. My name is Audrey Warren, and I'm the pastor of First United Methodist Church of Miami, your downtown neighbor on 5th and Biscayne. We are one of Miami's oldest new churches, as we celebrate 130 years with the city in our new church in a high rise. Thank you so much for this invitation to be a part of the state of the arts, and thanks to each of you for your tireless and important work for the arts in our county. Let us pray and share in a moment of gratitude for our cultural arts. Great God of all, today we come together to give thanks for our cultural arts that have the power to shine light and bring unity in a season where people are searching for meaning. Families are trying to make sense of a rapidly changing world. Communities are asking hard questions about identity, belonging, justice, and the future. And in moments like these, we give thanks for the unique power the cultural arts provide for our community. They bring people together when everything else feels a part. They help us heal when words fall short. They help us interpret and understand the times in which we are living. They remind us of our shared humanity, even when we disagree. And if there is any place that understands this truth, it is your dear Miami-Dade County. We are not just a county. We are a beautiful crossroads of all of your big, wide world. We are a living mosaic of languages, histories, rhythms, traditions, and dreams. Here, culture isn't something we visit on the weekend. It's something we live daily. May our cultural arts continue to build bridges, preserve memory, inspire imagination, fuel innovation, strengthen neighborhoods, and create opportunity. May we continue to listen to your voice spoken through the arts that give voice to the voiceless, and visibility to those who are often overlooked. With you, let us continue to not simply build entertainment, but may the cultural arts be an infrastructure for the soul of our community. Bless our conversation and community as we gather and celebrate our cultural arts here in your most beautiful piece of the world, Miami-Dade County. Amen. You may applause. Well, thank you, Reverend Warren. Please join me in welcoming a steadfast champion of the arts to the podium. A powerhouse, a history maker, who strives for excellence every day in our Miami-Dade County. Put your hands together for the Honorable Mayor. That's right. Don't stand up yet. Daniela Levine-Cava. Good morning. Bonjour. Buenos dias. What a joy to be together again. And we'll soon hear from Chairman Brian May that the state of the arts are strong. Right? We are strong. And thank you, Al, for the warm introduction. You'll soon be hearing from Al Dotson, otherwise known today as the voice of God. That's quite an honor. And I see we're joined by some elected officials, so I want to pay special tribute to our Councilwoman, Linda Julian. Thank you so much for being with us. Yeah. And our property appraiser is here, Tomas Regalado. Thank you so much. Okay. Because he knows that arts increase property values. So thank you. And Wright is a driving force of our economy. And by the way, he's a real champion of historic preservation. So if you didn't know that, check it out. He's doing special tribute to our historical buildings and so on. We're joined as well by our Chief Operating Officer, Jimmy Morales, who has arts in his portfolio. And by Ashley Thomas, who is our Interim Director of the Department of Cultural Affairs. And I must say, she's knocking it out of the park. Right? Hitting it out of the park. So thank you so much, Ashley. And to Jean Hippolyte from the Marshall Davis Senior African Heritage Cultural Arts Center. And Clara from the Miami-Dade Youth Commission. And Young Musicians Unite for the opening program. And to our pastor, Reverend Dr. Audrey Warren, for inspiring words. So let's give it up to everyone already part of the program. And to our Cultural Affairs Council Chairman, Brian May, and all the members of the Miami-Dade Cultural Affairs Council and Art in Public Places Trust. We are so grateful. We just got the book about art in public places. Beautiful, beautiful. Really spectacular. I plan to study it carefully because wherever I go, I appreciate the great art that has been made possible because of this important program. So to our chair, to our council, could you please give a big round? Okay. And thank you to all you art lovers out there. You have a special place in my heart. And you are doing so much to uplift our community and make arts the focus of really what makes us so special. We have unique arts in this community. So diverse, so dynamic, so special. And that really is a critical, we know economically, but just emotionally. Emotionally, it's so important that we celebrate arts. I have been an arts supporter my whole life. I was sitting here reflecting upon being dragged off to concerts when I was five years old by my grandparents or going to museums. And my grandmother told me famously, it's not whether you like the art, it's whether you understand it. Okay, a little sobering message. And then as a high school student in New York City, we had something like Culture Shock. And I was able to go to performances for $2.50. And yes, indeed. And I went to Alvin Ailey. I went to City Ballet. I went to the concerts and the plays for $2.50. And I was out most nights of the week. So all of this left a lasting impression on me. So as mayor, I've done everything that I could to elevate arts. Of course, we have a great tradition. We're known nationwide, worldwide, for our tremendous heritage here in the county and our investment. And I have also launched the first Art in Residence program. And of course, the art of our current artist in residence, Edouard Duval-Carré, which is out there in the lobby. And it's so beautiful. And he's with us. Where are you? There. There he is. Please stand to be recognized. Please, please. Yes. Yes. Very, very good. And what you see out there is just a snippet of what actually has informed the multi-level, multi-story art that is now featured in the entryway, in the lobby of the new courthouse. And we opened that courthouse just a couple of short months ago. And that artwork is just, it's soaring. And it really uplifts everyone who walks there, which is exactly what we want for a courthouse. So we're so grateful that we could have your art there. And also, I see you were featured in the Winter Olympic Games because you produced Haiti's official uniform. That is very, very special. So we're very, very proud as you continue to represent us on the global stage. I want to mention a few things that we've also done that might be less known. You know that piano in the lobby? That's the people's piano. That was donated by a dear friend whose house was being sold and all the interior furniture that was not needed by the family. And she wanted to know where to donate it. And I said, let's donate it right here. And now let's put it to work. And I also put that out as a plea because we do hear hymns very frequently. We have a regular. But we are not using it as much as I would like. So if you are in the mood to play and you have the ability to play, please let Ashley know. And we'll sign you up to uplift people as they come into our building. And also, we have some beautiful musicians on strings playing there. So thank you very much for that today. We also have integrated our arts programming in our community services department. So that's children and seniors and all the different kinds of programming that we have where we've brought more of the arts into our county programming so we could uplift those that we are serving every day. So just a few of the things that we've done to uplift arts in our daily lives here. I also want to recognize what the elephant in the room, that we are facing some headwinds. Obviously, we went through a very bruising budget cycle last year. We're trying very hard to avoid that this year. But there are definitely some challenges ahead. I want you to know that we are fighting hard in Tallahassee and we need your voices as well. We know that there's relief that people need because the cost of living is high. But people also need services that they want and desire. And they need to understand that it costs money to provide the services that they want and need. So it's really critically important that we all let our legislators know and our community understand so they can speak up to not throw out the baby with the bathwater to keep our arts strong. So no matter what happens, we are going to always be proud of our cultural heritage here. We're going to fight for it. We have our Golden Ticket Arts Guide for Seniors, which has just recently come out in the newest edition. And we know that anyone over age 62 can benefit. And we want to fill up our venues. We want all of you that are providing important programming and arts programming to – we want to fill your audiences and your venues with young people through Culture Shock and older folks with the senior – with the Golden Ticket Guide. So we're very, very proud of those programs. We also have our Caleb Cultural Passport Program, and we partner with the public school system to provide students free access to live performances, which are often the students' first experiences with the arts. And let me just mention that our center, which we've already recognized here today, that the Marshall Davis Senior African Heritage Cultural Arts Center, so many have gotten their start, right? So many who've gone on to achieve great things have gotten their start, and we're still producing them. Am I right? We're still producing them. Yes. And a young man who's here with us today just approached me. He was part of the Carl Reef High, and he told me that we helped him when I was commissioner. And then he went on to RISD with support. And now he's back in this community contributing. I'm so, so proud. There he is. Stand up, please. Let's recognize you. Thank you. Thank you for coming home. We also have the Arts Energize 305 initiative that we just launched last year, and so we're going to continue to expand our access and reach diverse communities across the county, all age groups. Everybody benefits. So we know that art is an essential part of our human experience. It uplifts us. It helps us to reflect. It helps us get through troubling times. It helps us to connect and to ensure that we continue to thrive and flourish in Miami-Dade County. So we know that this year will bring challenges, but we're going to stay steady with our hands on the tiller. We're going to continue our dedication and partnership with all of you, so many in this room who reflect institutions or organizations that are helping to uplift our artists and our arts. And we want to make sure that everyone can experience the transformative power of the arts. So may I have an amen? All right. Thank you. Thank you. And now I get to introduce the voice of God. Is that correct? All right. Al, where are you? There he is in the wings. Al Dotson. Well, you know, I know Al many ways. I know that he's a great supporter of the arts. He's also a great supporter of mentoring young people. He's a great supporter of education. He's a hell of a lawyer. And with that, let's introduce Al. Give her another round of applause. Oh, yes, yes. And I have to go on to an event with the Knight Foundation. I apologize. I'm not going to get to be in person. But I'm here in spirit. And I cheer you on. Thank you so much, everyone. And before she leaves, have all the concerts come up for a photograph? Yes. Can you stand there? In the middle? All right. Look over here. Wait, wait, wait. Okay. Yes, I am, ma'am. So I had a chance to say some really nice things about Al. So I need to say some really nice things about Brian. So I've known Brian since he was a staffer in Mayor Alex Pinellas' office. And look at him now. Yes, yes, yes. Yes, yes. And I think it's so very special. It's so telling that when people really have worked hard in the public sector, that they also take good care of our community through the arts, which both of these gentlemen represent. And it's been a pleasure to have you at the helm. You've done a fantastic job. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. All right. Give me one moment. Yes. Uh-huh. Okay. Just a second. I just got a call. I understand that, I don't know how many of you heard the phones going off during the national anthem. That was God. He said that if he needs to reach you, he does not need a phone. So I'm going to ask those of you who have not yet turned your phone off to do so unless you have an emergency. But he'll get in touch with you directly if he needs you. So thank you. So thank you, Madam Mayor. My name is Al Dodson, Jr. I serve as the chief executive officer and managing partner of the law firm Bills and Sundberg. I'll be passing out business cards as you walk out, just so that you know how to reach me. But we, as a firm and I, really love the arts. I have the pleasure of being the father of a young lady, my oldest, who is all about the arts, and she chastises me regularly as I walk into museums and I comment on the art. I give her my impressions, and she tells me each and every day that one day you'll mature in art. So one of the reasons I'm on the council is to learn, and I'm learning from some very great people and watching them each and every day as they take great care of the arts and our community. Now, I have the pleasure of going through and acknowledging a number of people who the mayor has already acknowledged. So you're going to be acknowledged again, and I'm going to ask you to stand so that, and I call your name, people can see who you are as we acknowledge your contribution to the arts. So there are many dignitaries and counselors and elected officials across our 34 municipalities. Some of them are here with us today. Others are watching as this is being broadcast. If you're an elected official, a counselor, or a dignitary, or think you're a dignitary, please stand so we can recognize you and give them a round of applause. And because I know some of the people who stood, I know only in their mind. They are dignitaries. So the Department of Cultural Affairs maintains three public boards with amazing volunteers who tirelessly work in support of our county's outstanding cultural community. This includes the Cultural Affairs Council, the Tourist Development Council, and the Art and Public Places Trust. Members of each board, please rise again to be recognized. I would also like to thank our amazing partners for supporting today's event and underwriting today's reception, the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, led by the President and CEO, David Whitaker, and the Arts and Business Council of Miami, led by Executive Director, Renee Pesci. Please stand. I'm not sure how many of you saw that, but Renee stood. David paused and stood. And then someone in between the two of them who I did not acknowledge stood. So you want to stand up and tell us who you are and why you stood up? Right! The next person who stands is going to be escorted out, just so we're clear. Did I call on you? Oh, I don't think so. Please wait to be recognized, sir. Thank you. David, did you have something you wanted to say? Oh, I didn't think so. We also extend our gratitude to former council and trust members who are in attendance today. Thank you for your continued service to our community. I would like to thank our amazing partners, again, for all that they do. I also see that we have some of our generous philanthropic partners with us today, the Miami Foundation, the Knight Foundation, and the Children's Trust. If you represent any of those three organizations also, please rise. Did you see that? I said three organizations, and three people stood up. You see how that works? Yes. Okay. The diversity of our cultural community makes Miami-Dade County strong. As you enter the chamber, and you've already heard this from the mayor, and as you continue through this program, you will see our strength on display. In the lobby, you experienced the new Canaan Chamber Collective. You were greeted by artworks of Edouard Duval Collier and heard the wonderful sounds of young musicians unite. You may give them another round of applause. In custom and in honor of America 250, I'd like to give a distinct acknowledgement to Jean-Hé-Polite and Clara Strasnig, who recited the Pledge of Allegiance and did the preamble of the Constitution of the United States. Give them a round of applause. Now, for those of you who did not stand when I asked for dignitaries or those who thought they were dignitaries to stand, you are the VIPs here today. So I'm now going to ask all of the VIPs, those of you who have not stood yet or raised your hand yet or stood when you weren't called upon yet, please stand so we can recognize you and thank you for your attendance here today. Stand up and thank you for that commentary with Bravo. I really appreciate that too. Now, not here today because they are very, very busy preparing for an item this afternoon are 13 people who are very focused on the arts. I understand that they are watching today. They are the ones who approve the grants. They are the ones who appoint us on the council. And I want to at least give them their due honor here today so that each and every one of them feels equally appreciated. I'm going to say their district number, their name, and you will clap once. You guys got that? We did this before. Some of you didn't follow instructions. Let's try it out. Commission district number one. Commission. See, I said nobody's name. There was no name in all of that, was there? Commission district number one, Commissioner Gilbert. Commission district number two, Commissioner Bastian. Commission district number three, Commissioner Hardiman. Commission district number four, Commissioner Steinberg. Commission district number five, Commissioner Lopez. Commission district number six, Commissioner Orbis. Commission District No. 7, the daughter of the men who was just acknowledged, Commissioner Regalado. Commission District No. 8, Commissioner Cohen-Higgins. Commission... Ashley, keep up with us now. Commission District No. 9, Commissioner McGee. Commission District No. 10, Commissioner Rodriguez. Commission District No. 11, Commissioner Gonzalez. Commission District No. 12, Commissioner Bermudez. Commission District No. 13, Commissioner Garcia. And let's give another round of applause to our mayor, Daniela Levine-Cava. So I can report to them, as they heard themselves, that each of them received an applause from everyone in this room. And thank you for acknowledging their hard work, commitment, and dedication to the arts. I am now pleased to introduce someone who has already been introduced to provide a poem and remind us of the essential role creativity plays in shaping our shared civic life. Our Miami-Dade County Poet Laureate, Curidad Moro, Grand Laid. Good morning. It's an honor to be here with you today. I will say that I grew up in the Miami-Dade County school system, and I wouldn't be here today were it not for the arts. So remember, it makes a child's life brighter. Miami, Miami does not ask who you are. Miami does not ask who you are. The sun turns and the city opens. Come in, she says. There is room. On South Beach, light slips from glass to sand as music loosens from the surf, from the guitar that has yet to go to bed. You feel the pull even if you do not follow. Come in, she says. In Wynwood, walls watch all who walk by and recall what was once overlooked. A beat locates your body before it finds your voice. There is room. Brickle rises, reflective, counting itself in windows while at street level. Lives unfold into dreams disguised in work clothes. Ribbons of language braided through the air. The city practices being plural. No one is asked to be just one thing. Miami does not ask who you are. In Miami gardens, rooted generations gather and bloom in festival, in jazz, in joy. As music rises and fills the stands where art becomes gathering. A saxophone becomes momentum where together we grow. No, come in, she says. Calle Ocho clears its throat as dominoes strike and answer. Memory crosses the street on the back of a song. And Cafecito negotiates the balance between bitter and sweet as it waits at the window. You stand invited without being named. There is room. The grove listens for the sound of your arrival as the evening slows and loneliness grows amongst the trees. Collected heat at their core. People linger here. Not because they have nowhere to go, but because they are allowed to stay. Miami does not ask who you are. Southbound at the edge of the sprawl we call Kendall, the city fades into homestead where the land exhales at dust. Fruit stands glow as the fields hold the day a little longer. The Everglades listen nearby. Even here, nothing is demanded of you. Come in, she says. There is room for what we are still becoming. Room in the early light before the demands of the day. Room in the hands that build, that clean, that teach, that heal. Room in the belief that tomorrow can be better than yesterday. Miami does not ask who you are. Welcome, she says. Welcome home. Thank you. That was absolutely amazing. So now I have the honor of introducing the person everyone came to hear. And before I do that, the mayor whispered something in my ear, and she asked me to clarify something. Recall when she said that there's a piano downstairs in the lobby? She invited everyone to play, provided you can play. So she asked me to make sure Brian was aware of that last part of it, so he doesn't find himself at the keyboards trying to play a melody. So now I have the honor of introducing a gentleman who we've already heard is passionate about the arts, who began his career in public service, is now in the private sector protecting public assets. The chair of our council, Brian E. May. All rise. Well, good morning, everybody. I want to thank the mayor for the State of the County Address, and I thank you all for coming. It's over. Thank you. No, really. Anyway, I really want to first thank Al Dotson for his introduction. That was very kind. And I want to thank the mayor for being here this morning. I know that I speak for everyone in the arts community when I say that we appreciate her taking the time to be here with her very, very busy schedule. Again, I want to thank Al Dotson, my good friend and emcee, for always bringing wise counsel, a sense of humor and levity to events like this, and sometimes to our Cultural Affairs Council meetings every month. That's a little bit of an inside joke for the folks on the Cultural Affairs Council. I want everyone to know that the message this morning will be a little shorter than in previous years, simply because I'd like there to be no doubt about the challenges ahead and what we must do to collectively address them. I'd like to begin with a moment of gratitude. Gratitude, really, for all of you who are here today, the many who came before us, and the many who will follow. I thank you for the powerful imagery presented by Carrie Dodd. That was absolutely amazing. That was beautiful and so representative of our community. I'm absolutely blown away. So thank you. Please give her another round of applause. When I think of Miami-Dade County, it evokes the essence of another poetic phrase. Out of many, we are one. And so eloquently stated by Mayor Levine Cava on a previous occasion, we are a county of dreamers and doers, of immigrants and entrepreneurs, of families who have been here for generations, and families who arrive with little more than hope and determination. In essence, Miami-Dade County is the epitome of the American dream. We are an amalgamation of, really, people from all over the world, speaking all different languages, representing their cultures, their ways, their lives. And that is something that we should all be incredibly grateful for. And as we celebrate the nation's semi-quincentennial anniversary, I'm inspired to reflect on the many successes of the arts community that have shaped Miami-Dade County. Four decades ago, the Cultural Affairs Council had a simple yet bold vision to make Miami-Dade County a major international cultural capital. And through undying commitments, strategic partnerships, many of which were witnessed, mentioned here earlier, smart development, wise governance, and the leadership of one Michael Spring, and the efforts of so many throughout this community and in this very room, our cultural ecosystem is now lauded on the global stage, rivaling some of the most respected cities across our nation and the world. And I'd also like, in that regard, to thank our current Cultural Affairs Councilors for their service. Rosa Sogranas, some are here today, some are not. Mitchell Bierman, Councilwoman Linda Julian, Kareem Brantley, Sandra Curbelo, Janae Sogard-Malinas, Commissioner Daniela Jean, of course, Al Dotson, Adolfo Enriquez, and my good friend, Monty Traynor. And I'd like to take a point of personal privilege to double down on my gratitude for Monty Traynor. A longstanding member of the Cultural Affairs Council, Monty has been a steward of the arts economy, representing Miami-Dade County and Tallahassee during day-days at the Capitol for decades. He has sat on many founding boards to ensure arts education was pivotal and a part of our ecosystem. He's amplified artistic excellence through his work with the Coconut Grove Arts Festival, which will be held this weekend, by the way. I hope you all attend. And even at the youthful age of 90, Monty continues to show up and contribute to the vision of this county. Monty, your passion for the arts and consistent effort have set a standard to those of us who follow in your footsteps. And we appreciate you, my friend, and I'd like to take a moment to honor my good friend and our arts ambassador, Monty Traynor. Before I continue, I want to recognize the chairman of our county commission, Anthony Rodriguez, who has joined us despite a very busy schedule. And I want to recognize the chairman for his work last year as really being a first mover on the county commission to restore our competitive arts grants funding. So please give the chairman a round of applause. Thank you. Thank you. Now back to Monty Traynor. No. Seriously, Monty's longtime service is an important example of the many significant threads in the tapestry of our development as an arts community. Our cultural pioneers came together, identified the problems, and got busy solving them. It's no wonder that so many of our iconic signature programs and places are celebrating milestones at the same time this year. 42 years of the Miami Book Fair. 43 years of the Miami Film Festival. 50 years of the Marshall L. Davis African Heritage Center, or as I like to refer to it, as the Davis. And I believe Marshall is here this morning. Where's Marshall? Is Marshall Davis here this morning? He was. Yes. Please give him a round of applause. Marshall has done so much for so many throughout the years, and he deserves every bit of the round of applause we just gave him. Trust me. Many other programs, like our Miami Emerging Arts Leaders and All Kids Included programs, are making their 20-year debut also this year. And I'd be remiss if I did not express our gratitude for our incredible team at the Cultural Affairs Department. Led by Interim Director Ashley Thomas and Assistant Director Graham Winnick, Chief Gilda Mooney, Chief Patricia Romeo, and so many others in our department who work tirelessly each and every day to be a valuable resource to our arts and cultural community. So please give them also a round of applause. While I'm at it, I also want to recognize Vice Chairman Keone McGee, who is also here this morning. I just realized. Commissioner, thank you. Chairman, Vice Chairman. The Vice Chairman was also very helpful last year in restoring funding, and we thank you for that, Vice Chairman. Thank you. So 2025 was pivotal and historic in Miami-Dade County, and we all know it. Five newly formed constitutional offices forced a restructuring of our county government, and that restructuring placed tremendous pressure on the county's general fund resources and required the mayor and county commissioners to deal with many unknowns and, as we all know, make some very difficult decisions. The summer and early fall of 25 was a grueling and emotional time for many of you in this room. Over 600 art stakeholders attended the virtual arts and cultural budget hearing conducted by the mayor, and hundreds more attended a town hall conducted by Commissioner Renee Garcia, and we're thankful for those venues. Op-eds were written, countless hours of public comment were given, emails and text messages were delivered, and group chats were conducted, all for the purpose of being heard. And we are thankful the mayor and the commission invited community input and worked tirelessly with our constitutional offices to balance competing demands for county resources. The end result was that our competitive cultural grants program, which is a model for the country, was almost fully restored to its previous year's level, and the Department of Cultural Affairs remained independent. Independent. So the long and short of it is we survived. And we are thankful to all of you who made your voices heard, because that is what made the difference. So please take a round moment to give all of you in this room a round of applause. Thank you. So now that we got through that, it's now 2026, and we face many of the same challenges, but with new unknowns. We will witness another tumultuous budget season, as the mayor alluded to. I liken the process to that of a budget orchestra of sorts. Many distinct voices sitting in different chairs with varying roles and contributions, all playing a part in the attempt to harmonize competing financial priorities. And if that isn't enough to deal with, there's a state legislation and proposed property tax reforms being considered in the legislative session this year that are like a disruptive voice yelling from the balcony seats. Unfortunately, the mere consideration of such reforms in and of itself has a significant negative impact on the ability of our county leaders to appropriately balance competing budget demands. That is just a fact. But through all that, my desire and ask of the Mayor and County Commission is a simple one, and that is that the arts continue to be contemplated as a critical service in Miami-Dade County. And my ask to all of you is that you continue to make your voices heard to ensure that that happens. Make no mistake, we are grateful that the Mayor and County Commission approved a budget last year that kept our arts funding in place and the department independently intact. And we are hopeful they will be able to do the same this coming year. Though we face many uncertainties, it's worth noting that on the federal level, legislation has proposed $207 million for the National Endowment of the Arts, another $207 million for the National Endowment for the Humanities, and $295 million for the Institute of Museum and Library Services. That is actually good news. On the state level, while the Division of Arts and Culture recommended $72 million in statewide funding, the governor has recommended a mere fraction of that, which is not unusual. Last year, we are thankful the legislature passed and the governor signed a budget with $21 million appropriated for the arts. And I would encourage all of you to reach out to your state House members and senators and ask that they continue to fund the arts at an even greater level this coming year. No doubt we are living in unprecedented times in so many ways. And this moment demands innovation and a community that comes together to answer the call. When you are called into the conversation, make sure the arts have a seat at the table. When discussing the future of infrastructure in our community, remember that 50 years ago, legislative visionaries passed an ordinance to ensure art would be an integral part of county development. Through our Art in Public Places program, affordable housing and county facility projects span across our county with integrated artworks enhancing the development experience for residents and neighbors. At Port Miami, for instance, MSC Cruises made history when it opened operations in Miami and now sits as the largest cruise terminal in the world with an iconic video installation artwork on display for the world to see. Hundreds of thousands of residents and tourists that crossed the MacArthur Causeway experienced a real-time view of our oceanic life with images and weather patterns artistically strewn across the screen each day. That is because of our Art in Public Places program. These types of artistic moments are integrated into our county by land and by sea and it was made possible only because of Miami-Dade County's intentional investment in the arts. Why? Because the arts give Miami-Dade identity, character, and a rich sense of who we are as a diverse and innovative community. What is most important now is that we don't allow that identity to be lost or watered down. While we navigate our way through this transformational time, we must remain committed to the arts and all the benefits they bring to our community. Whether in the way of tens of thousands of jobs, the after-school and camp programs that support our kids, the millions of dollars in positive economic impact from cultural tourism, supported by the GMCBB, by the way, and for the diverse richness of identity witnessed across Miami-Dade County every single day. So I say to you, this is not a time to give in to budgetary pressures, but rather a time to double down on our commitment to support the arts in Miami-Dade County. The Cultural Affairs Council is committed to working with the mayor and the commission to find long-term solutions for local arts funding. But we must realize the solutions being explored won't happen overnight. As we work towards finding sustainable revenue streams, we ask our cultural community to do the following. Stay knowledgeable as you do. Americans for the Arts, the Florida Cultural Alliance, the Arts Action Alliance of Miami-Dade County, provide current updates on the status of the arts federally, locally, and across the state. So stay involved. Know your district commissioner and understand their priorities. Share your program and never forget this is an ecosystem. If your programming and activities can support district priorities, keep their staffs informed. Innovate. Constraints provide perfect opportunities to explore innovation. Consider integrating new technologies to support your organizational needs. Collaborate. This current economy lends itself to a shared services approach. Reach across venues, districts, and programs to support one another. For instance, consider the complementary synergy between a park venue that needs programming and an organization that needs space to perform. Mission-critical focus. Examine all projects and programs and partnerships and hone in on available resources to ensure that you maintain your mission-critical programs. And above all else, make your voices heard. Get prepared now. Rally your organizations and constituents to make a seat at the table. Attend budget hearings and town halls like you did last year because we're going to have to do it again. It was the key ingredient and will be even more important this year. But I ask you to make your voices heard with decency, respect, and civility. We should always be mindful that our elected leaders do not make recommendations that impact us with malintent. They do so because they are faced with limited resources, competing demands, and difficult decision. To support our efforts, the Cultural Affairs Council will embark on public polling of the broader community to explore the viability of new sources of dedicated revenue for arts and culture. Our department staff has surveyed what is being done elsewhere across the country and overseas, and we have a menu of ideas, some of which will hopefully be acceptable to the public at large. At this point, our challenge is to shortlist some of those ideas and understand which can be supported by the public and our elected officials. In the meantime, we will work to provide access and direct pathways to prospective and philanthropic funders. We will provide succession planning resources to help organizations plan for their legacy in the future. And through the Cultural Affairs Department, we will continue to maintain state-of-the-art cultural facilities and advocate that we find creative and innovative ways to leverage public land and resources for the arts. Unfortunately, it's a struggle. There are no easy answers to any of the issues confronting us. But this past year taught us that our success will be dependent on our capacity to work together to solve them. And it is important to always remember that our actions today will chart the path for the future. In the words of Theodore Roosevelt, we plant trees so that our fruit can enjoy the fruit. Our future can enjoy the fruit. There's no fruit enjoying fruit that I'm aware of. Our arts community is savoring the fruits of 40-plus years of intentional commitment to developing an arts-conscious county. I challenge us to chart this next chapter with the same creativity, grit, and determination of our predecessors. Each decision we make today will plant the next seed, open the next door, and determine the outcome for the next generation. In Miami-Dade County, we have a beautiful history of the arts. And there's so much more of a story left to tell. So let's remain relentlessly committed to our cause and write this next chapter together. Thank you. And thank you for coming. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Is this where I wave? Do I wave like this? Thank you. Well, as Brian makes his way back to his seat, I want to thank him for his visionary statements, letting us know where we are and where we need to be, for the imagery he created of fruit enjoying fruit. It was absolutely amazing. Oh, I loved it. Absolutely loved it. So we're going to have a reception on the third floor terrace. Everyone is welcome to join us. I want to thank all of our elected officials who have become a part of today's program, those who are representing offices, those who are representing organizations and supporters, and each and every one of you for taking the time to show your support for the arts by your presence. Now, decency, civility, and respect is what will follow after today. Enjoy the reception. And thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.