Featured, Morning Magazine

The People’s Inaugural Ball

“I think that shock is starting to wear off, but I think as the reality of inauguration comes up, I think that energy in people are rising again, so I’m thinking it’s important for us all to have some outlets, some ways of connecting, and a way of caring for each other.” — Charlie Klein, co-organizer of the People’s Inaugural Ball.

January 20th will be day of heavy emotion with the inauguration of Donald Trump. While there will be some people in the country celebrating, many others will not be in the mood. However, if you’re looking for something to do that evening, there will be an event happening at the Boulder Theater that aims to connect people to non profits that are working for the good of the community, and in particular it will showcase non profits working with communities that are more vulnerable since the election. It’s the brainchild of Charlie Stein who told KGNU’s Maeve Conran that the idea came to him to hold a People’s Inaugural Ball after going through a series of negative emotions in the wake of the election.

“I realized I couldn’t do what sometimes I do, which is to try to keep all those things inside, and I realized the value of reaching out to my community…so that was kind of the genesis of it, and then it became an idea of bringing non-profits involved because I think the other thing that people were feeling, along with all the emotions, was a desire to be a little more active, I think that energy arose in a lot of us. What can I do? How can I help? And the ball was a way of…coming together to celebrate, not be home on inauguration night…you know watching reruns of Friends with wine and a box of tissues. But being out and celebrating with our community and the volunteer organizations are going to have ways for people to get involved in our local community.”

The ball serves as an opportunity for participants to connect with several local non-profits (including KGNU) that are currently in need of volunteer and monetary support. “(We have) Boulder County Care Connect. We have Food Rescue. We have Out Boulder County, Mental Health Partners, The AIDS Project. There is also going to be The Voices for Children, Safe House Progressive Alliance of Non-Violence, Bridge House, Intercambio, and Wild Lands Restoration…what I was looking for was a diverse group, but also a group of volunteer organizations that rely heavily on volunteers…and then also, just around diversity, social justice, and things that are in immediate need in our community.”

Entertainment will be provided by Hazel Miller, Boulder High grad and N.Y.C. dj Matt Vorzimer – The Ecussionist, and comedian Nancy Norton.

There will be a couple of interactive opportunities at the ball, including a hugging booth operated by the Safe House and an opportunity to participate in a Facebook campaign called Calling In For Racial Justice. “They’ll have a photo booth there, and you’ll have the opportunity to write on a white board, it will say: “I am anti-oppression, and I am pro…” and then you just say whatever you hearts desire, whatever you are pro for. And you’ll get your picture taken, and it will come up on Facebook as this larger campaign called Calling in For Racial Justice, which is just trying to bring consciousness and awareness about racial justice issues.”