I am so honored to serve as the president of the Downtown Neighborhood Association for 2020 to 2024. The DNA is the largest

and oldest neighborhood association in our city of good abode. As we continue to force our path through post-pandemic and uncharted territory, I am excited about downtown Memphis's future for its businesses, residents, visitors, and Memphians Alike. The growth is visible with new construction happening daily. From reactivating the Cossit Library, hotels that add to our skyline, budding opportunities for entrepreneurs, and without a doubt, the Grit and Grind from our beloved Grizzlies. With so much adding to the enrichment of downtown, we still have some areas for growth. During my tenure as president, I aspire, with my board's support, to continue building relationships with organizations that allow us to voice the concerns of our residents. Vandalism is an increasing issue to the point where it impacts how safe we feel in our backyard. We are all aware of the MPD efforts to monitor activities downtown with the challenge of being understaffed. Organizations like the DMC (Downtown Memphis Commission) host monthly safety meetings conducted by the Blue Suede brigade. To seep real change, we all must participate in cultivating the environments we seek to dwell in. We are so grateful for the leadership and guidance of our past president Jerred Price and the board he established to grow the organization to over 500+ members. This spring, we were excited to host our inaugural DNA Business Expo, highlighting more than 20 businesses in our beloved downtown. We plan to continue this type of effort by hosting two annually. Stay tuned for our Fall Business member expo. Over the next few months, we plan to cultivate more events outside of our monthly membership. An event that I'm genuinely excited about is the joint meeting that occurred in June 2022 with the South Main Association at Beale Street Landing. What I know for sure is that we all have the same common goal: to create an equitable environment downtown for all of our citizens. I plan to lead with the mantra that Together, We Are Better!