First posted on Open Salon here.
Millions of Americans will be heading to Washington, DC, next week to celebrate President Elect Obama’s inauguration. The wealthy, the politically connected, and the famous will be rubbing elbows and downing Appletinis with politicians at various invitation-only luxury Inaugural Balls.
Two grassroots volunteers took it upon themselves to take what they learned working within Obama’s campaign on the ground to attempt to create a Grassroots Ball for “regular” Obama supporters. “I launched an email the Friday after the election and the first person to respond is now my co-organizer, Mary Ritter,” said organizer, Jacqueline de Floris. “By the end of the weekend, we had a committee.”
The original idea spread through the MYBO Groups (lists of Obama supporters within groups signed up at my.barackobama.com) and lead to hundreds of respondents expressing interest. The idea ebbed and flowed, up and down, and this is Jackie’s story:
It has been a roller coaster ride, days and nights of work, moments of excitement and disappointment, but always that Hope that first found a little spark when Obama spoke at the DNC in 2004.
Over the weeks, we considered a hotel ballroom, and a former NYT journalist who had heard about the event from friends and loved the idea, put us in touch with Barbara Boggs at Washington Link. It looked like we were all set to go at the Ronald Reagan Building, but that’s when things started to complicate for us, like they did, we learned, for just about everyone else. Right around Thanksgiving.
Our major sponsor — a prominent African-American lawyer from Mississippi and member of the Obama National Finance Committee — on the brink of making a wire transfer — sent an email that carried a whiff of menance, “On conference call now. PIC said to be looking to hold free events for the people.” By the end of a couple more days, he was talking about bringing us on to the planning of a major stadium event, if our sponsors would come with us. We had raised some $20,000 from our contact list. I wasn’t convinced. It wasn’t what we had intended to do, and it didn’t suit our mission.
But looking back, we now see that moment as our turning point. It likely was for the many who cancelled events, including BTE due to layoffs in their company right at that time, and MTV for the Reagan Building, too, we just learned. They lost a hefty deposit, having held the building for two days. We preferred not to commit, but The Ritz-Carlton called to offer their grand ballroom and worked with us to create a menu that allowed prices in line with The Peace Ball, the closest to our own in philosophical and political identity.
Nonetheless, time had passed. A lot of time. The euphoria of the post-Election days had passed, the reality of the economic situation was dampening even the greatest enthusiasm, not to mention concern for the crowds and the sheer impossibility of getting around in Washington for those courageous to make the trip. We were up to $25,000 in individual sponsorships from our own group, but the union that was considering sponsoring us wasn’t giving an answer. They wanted to, but there were budget constraints, and a decision languished while we approached our deadline to sign a contract.
A major beverage company that had contacted us wishing to sponsor the event caved when asked for a definite reply.
Then we were able to talk directly with someone on the PIC. It confirmed everything we imagined. They acknowledged they couldn’t do the event we are, couldn’t help us in any way, and were terribly challenged just raising the money to pay for the inauguration with the restrictions President-elect Obama had placed on inaugural fundraising. We knew they wanted to offer events for ordinary people and the volunteers, what neither they nor we could know was if they would succeed. If they did — which we could only hope they would do — then it could very well broadside us and take the wind out of our sails.
The Ritz-Carlton’s patience and consideration of our needs alone were enough to indicate that the market was soft. We decided to return our sponsors’ money and make the announcement: the Grassroots Inaugural Ball 2009 for MYBO members would not happen. It was a terribly decision to make, and a harder announcement to send out.
Still, as so often is the case, our disappointment and the many emails of support and appreciation that we received motivated us to try again. We weren’t against radically changing the nature of the event. Simplifying. Cutting to the essentials. The Universalist National Memorial Church offered its parlor and community hall again, and we thought, “Why not?”
“Why not?” Why ever not?” So, here we are, and here we go. If you will be in Washington for the inauguration and should find yourself near Dupont Circle, in the neighborhood of Universalist National, it would be a great delight to offer you a glass of wine, or champagne, should we have some on hand and say hello.
We will also be at Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library with DC for Obama in association with Mayor Fenty’s office’s Day of Service, distributing food to those needier than we. Ann Crittenden, my biggest source of encouragement and support throughout the organization, cannot be with us that evening, but she might also stop by the library and join us in our response to Obama’s call to service.