PPMW's Gala to Engage the Next Generation
- Dec 2, 2015
- 3 min read
On October 23rd, pro-choice advocates from around the DC area gathered at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel to celebrate the work of Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington (PPMW) at the organization’s annual gala. As a twenty-something just starting to feel financially secure enough to support the causes that are important to me, this was my first gala. Before I could hop out of my Uber, a uniformed bellhop opened my door for me, and upon entering the hotel lobby I was greeted by helpful PPMW staff directing me to the event. I have to say, if attending galas like this becomes a regular feature of my social scene, I have absolutely no problem with that.
The program began with a cocktail hour in one of the hotel’s many ballrooms. As I chatted with a group of PPMW Developing Leaders Program (DLP) members, we met individuals ranging from a candidate running for US Senate, the evening’s guest speaker Sonya Renee Taylor, and even the charming family members of PPMW staffers.
We moved into the main event space for dinner, which was delicious. As the conversation flowed, event staff subtly refilled our wine glasses and brought out a fish dish with sweet potatoes and asparagus (vegetarians were served a very colorful ratatouille). While we ate, a slideshow ran on large screens to either side of the event stage featuring photos of PPMW staff and volunteers at work in the community as well as statistics about PPMW’s accomplishments.
The program of speakers began after dinner. It was a delight to hear from Laura Meyers, CEO of PPMW, and her daughter Bethany as well. This mother-daughter pairing underscored the theme of the event: engaging the next generation. Laura shared that she had often heard from donors and volunteers that they were worried about the future of the pro-choice movement. Would young women who had never lived in a world before Roe v. Wade take up the fight with the same commitment and enthusiasm of the past decades? Who would ensure that all the ground they had gained was not lost? This concern is foundational to the existence of the DLP. Though I have always considered myself a feminist and advocate for choice, this program brings us into the world of PPMW, allowing us to meet their staff, learn from their educators and medical professionals, speak with their strategists, and become better representatives of the pro-choice movement. Bethany represented the first cohort of the DLP, and other members and alumni who were present at the gala were recognized in her presentation.
A parallel effort to engage youth with PPMW is the SIHLE program (Sisters Informing, Healing, Living, and Empowering) which works to educate high school girls about safe sex, healthy relationships, and empowers young women to be confident and assertive. A SIHLE student and her mother spoke about the young woman’s positive experience with the SIHLE program, demonstrating to benefactors another way that PPMW has firm roots in youth communities in the DC area.
The real star of the show, though, was the incredible poet Sonya Renee Taylor. My description of her and her work will never do justice to her huge personality and the eloquence with which she captures the righteous anger many pro-choice advocates feel. Ms. Taylor shared the inspiration for her signature poem (embedded below): one day while she was riding a DC bus, she saw an ad that said “women deserve better.” She was intrigued, “until I read the unlikely small print at the bottom of the ad: Sponsored by the US Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities and the Knights of Columbus.” This powerful poem speaks to the hypocrisy Ms. Taylor has observed in the policies advocated by such organizations. They claim that women deserve “better,” but they work to deny them access to birth control and programs to support mothers and children. Ms. Taylor presented two of her poems to the crowd, and many were in tears after her powerful performance.
After Ms. Taylor’s performance, a silent auction was held to raise further funds for PPMW. The gala’s attendees donated over $62,000 to support PPMW’s ongoing programs and services.
The evening concluded with desserts and dancing to a live jazz quartet. Members of the DLP were prominent on the dance floor, and Ms. Taylor herself was spotted having fun with gala attendees. DLP members gathered for a photo with Ms. Taylor and Ms. Laura Meyers.
Events like this gala bring together a diverse community of pro-choice activists, reminding us all that even when the political outlook may look bleak, we aren’t alone. The generations of women and men who have worked to bring the feminist movement so far have done amazing work, and they have also cultivated a community of like-minded counterparts in the younger generations. I, for one, left the night with a great sense of hope for what so many driven advocates can accomplish when we come together.
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