My Experience as an Inaugural Ball Volunteer

That’s a motto I try to live by; however, after a crazy weekend, I was so exhausted I almost considered skipping this one—I am so, so glad I didn’t.

 

Over winter break, my roommate found a website where you could sign up to volunteer at any of the Inaugural events, and enter your name in the raffle to get a chance to purchase tickets. Seeing as how we go to school in DC, and this would be the only opportunity to be a “college kid” and go to the inauguration, we decided to fill out both forms. A couple of weeks went by, and we hadn’t heard anything back from them. Then one day we both got an email saying we were selected to be volunteers at the Inaugural Ball and had to confirm that we would actually attend. Within seconds we were both on our computers (well, cell phones, but the Internet is the Internet) filling out the form that guaranteed us a spot. We got emails the next day that gave us more information on what our positions would be, and luckily enough mine said “Interior – Press.” I could not believe it. See, I am a broadcast journalism student, with an undying passion for anything Hollywood, fashion, and entertainment, so knowing I was going to be at a ball where not only the President would be but also so many members of the press and so many celebrities… Well, I was in awe. I was incredibly excited. Immediately, I started thinking about the dress. I thought about how I wanted to buy one while I was at home so that I could get it altered if need be (most ball gowns are not made for girls who are 4’11”). To my disappointment though, we were told that all volunteers had to dress in all black business attire.

 

When I first got back to school, I had to attend a training session, where I was taken out of the main room to be spoken to in a smaller, much more private, group. We were told that out of the 15,000 volunteers, they carefully selected 30 press ones and that we had to guarantee we would be on top of our games – that meant no taking pictures with famous members of the press, celebrities, or anyone else. I sighed, but I was still excited that I would be able to speak to them and be in the same room as they were.

 

Monday rolled around, and I was exhausted. I was busy all weekend, barely got any sleep, and felt like I was getting sick. For a second I thought about not going. I tried to convince myself that it wasn’t going to be that great and that I would be better off for my 8:55 class if I stayed in. But as I walked to the shower, I thought to myself how I make the promise to seize every moment my freshman year and decided to go through with it.

 

I had to be there at one in the afternoon, but members of the press would not be let in until around four. For the three hours of not doing anything, we were told what the rules were and were given a tour of the press risers and the various routes we could take to walk them around the ballroom.

 

I was incredibly excited. I was first stationed at the bottom of the stairs after the security check. Twenty minutes into me standing there, I saw Usher and Jamie Foxx walk in. My heart stopped instantly. I remembered what we were told and how they were people too, so I just smiled. My team leader then asked me to escort them

down the hall. WHAT?! I was frozen. I nodded my head, smiled the most ridiculous smile, and asked them to follow me. Halfway there I decided to turn to them and say, “Hi, my name is Laila Alsabah, and I’m a press volunteer.” Usher replied with a huge smile and a “Hi Laila” whereas Jamie decided to go with a “Hey.” My life was made.

 

Quickly after that, I was asked to stand at the bottom of the elevator to help direct members of the press who were coming in with equipment to their risers. After walking back and forth for three hours, and meeting countless members of the press (including people from CNN!) I was finally reassigned to be an escort. Helping at the elevator was awesome though, because I got to hear FUN, Jamie Foxx, Usher, and Alicia Keys warm up. Being who I am, on my way back to the elevator I made a quick stop to the front of the stage as FUN was warming up and waved at them – they said “hi” back!

 

Being an Inaugural Ball escort was amazing. What that meant was that in order for any member of the media to get and interview or take pictures they had to be followed around by a volunteer—me. I got to help out six or seven different members of the press as the walked around the ballroom interviewing people and taking pictures. It was the eighth person I helped that I really owe a lot to. He started taking pictures just minutes before all of the performances started. And as a photographer, he knew how to weave himself (and I) in between different people to get to the front and center. A few rows back, I got to work and watch Alicia Keys, Mana, Brad Paisley, FUN, Jennifer Hudson, and the President and his wife dance from upfront. I was in awe as to how close I was. I couldn’t believe it. I knew right then and there that this was an opportunity that I would look back on and never, ever forget.

 

Once President Obama and the First Lady finished dancing and exited, I had to escort him back to the press section – which was a difficult task when you were standing in front of almost 30,000 people. Once he was back and people diffused, a lot of people started to leave, including various members of the press. As I escorted them out, Stevie Wonder came out to perform followed by Vice President Biden and his wife. The two of them danced to a beautiful song by Usher and Jamie Foxx and I got to look out and see them smiling, and laughing—it was such a beautiful sight. Once they left, most members of the press along with guests had started to flood out. So as a volunteer, we were allowed to leave when there were barely any members of the press left. As I started to leave, I looked around and took it all in, feeling so appreciative of my roommate who I would not have been able to have this opportunity if it wasn’t for her telling me about the volunteer form. John Legend’s performance of “Tonight (The Best You Ever Had)” was what I walked out to.

 

Overall, it was an amazing experience. It was worth every ache in my foot and the exhaustion I felt the next day. There honestly is not a thing in the world I would have changed about the weekend before, or that night. We really are so blessed to be at American University and to be in Washington, D.C.