West spoke to an audience of more than 800 guests at the State of the City Address. He said, “To truly understand the state of our city today, we must understand the history that has brought us to this time and place.” West alluded to the Broadway musical “Hamilton” to describe the influential role Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, and General Cornwallis played in the Battle of Great Bridge more than 200 years ago. “It took energy, commitment, and vision to make that happen. Our story is one of people determined to make things better and never throw away their shot.”