Hope & Action - Let's Gather Inauguration Eve!

Clara Jung, Interior Designer - Banner Day.

It’s been a turbulent election season, and we now find ourselves with an incoming administration that appears likely to turn back the clock on civil rights, reproductive rights, accessible healthcare, immigration policy and environmental policy. And while there has always been room for debate on how much progress has been made in those areas, or whether that progress has been achieved in the proper way, now seems like a good time for us to rally around the central principle that these are the human values that matter to us as people and as a nation.

Auction Item: Serving/Cutting Board by Jacob May

We’re a group of people from diverse occupations: furniture makers, small business owners, lawyers, builders, designers, event planners. We’re also human beings, which means we’ll each be impacted in some way by this administration’s plans. In discussing our reaction to the election results, we realized two things: first, that we wanted to take action together; and second, that there are organizations out there that have been leading the way on these critical issues long before November 9th, 2016.

On the first realization, with so many different backgrounds and skill sets, it wasn’t clear what action we could all take together in addition to our own individual efforts. We came up with the idea of holding an event and raising funds through ticket sales and a silent and live auction. Everyone is contributing something – cooking, event planning, furniture making, art pieces – and we’ve been overwhelmed by the response we’ve already gotten from folks throughout our extended networks looking to chip in.

Auction Item: Walnut & Oak Table With Copper Legs by Ryan Nier

We’re planning the event for January 19th, Inauguration Eve, in the San Francisco Mission District at the Glama-Rama Salon. The event, Hope & Action, sums up what we believe is needed in this current climate. Join us and designers, artists and lawyers for an evening of fundraising, organizing and advocacy on the eve of Donald Trump’s inauguration. Featuring: a silent and live auction of handmade art and furniture pieces, plus design services, wine, and more; music, dancing, good vibes, and lots of nice people who can help you figure out how to channel your post-election rage into helping those most affected by the new administration. Tickets are only $20 and the event is from 6pm – 8:30pm.

Auction Item: Interior Design Services by Banner Day Consulting

On the second realization, we wanted to find a single, local organization whose work touches on multiple areas, so that the funds raised through this event could have impact across those areas. We struggled with this decision, because there are so many causes in need. In the end, we chose Impact Fund. For over 20 years, Impact Fund has been providing direct services, training, and funding focusing on economic, environmental and social justice. 

We’re hoping that this event will not only serve to generate contributions to the Impact Fund, but that it will create connections that extend beyond January 19th and spawn other creative ideas for how to get involved and keep the gears of progress turning in the right direction.

Postscript: The event took place on Inauguration Eve and was a smashing success with over 150 tickets sold and over $14,000 raised