'We always rise': Turner discusses unity, resiliency in State of the City Address

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner delivered his State of the City address on Oct. 13.

Turner said that his objective for this year was to give the city a sense of resiliency as they move forward into the future.

"This year’s theme, 'We Always Rise,' will highlight our city’s resilient strength and lay out a vision that will embody our spirit of dreaming big so our future shines brighter than before,” Turner said.

Turner added that the city council had balanced two budgets without having to resort to layoffs and thanked the city’s congressional leaders for fighting for crucial funding.

The city is an up-and-coming innovative and technology hub, with Turner highlighting projects such as the Houston Spaceport and The Ion during his speech to prove his point.

Other topics that Turner discussed were updates on city programs and services, the impact of the global pandemic, infrastructure improvements, health and public-private partnerships and more.

Turner had cancelled the annual address earlier this year because he was frustrated at Greater Houston Partnership’s silence on the proposed state voting legislation during the regular session of the 87th state Legislature.

"Whatever we have faced in the past, that is the past. And now, today, the sun is shining, Houstonians are finding their mojo, and we have decided that we do not seek to be second. We seek to be first. We do not want to be a city of two in one. We want to be one city that, no matter where you come from, or your language, religion, faith, age, or sexual orientation, in this city, we stand and rise as one. Welcome to the new dawn of our future," Turner said.