This is the long story about the Mayor coming to my house.
Due to the fact that I really like my neighborhood, and maybe a little due to binge-watching Parks and Rec, I have gotten a lot more involved in my community lately. I have a little neighborhood blog, I'm the block captain, starting a service committee, etc.
The mayor here is very responsive to the public, has made good use of social media, and even has a blog that I follow to see what's going on in the city. One day he posted about a local breakfast place and also posted this: "I had a great breakfast with a group of busy but involved residents. We talked about getting more engaged in local politics, transportation, school board, and the City’s future."
I took a second look at the picture. Hmm. I jotted off a quick comment: "Were any women invited?" I was concerned that to the mayor, "busy but involved residents" only equated to "white males of a certain age." But I didn't want to be too quick to judge. Imagine my annoyance when I checked back and someone else's innocuous comment about how they needed to check out that breakfast place got approved and mine did not. We middle children do not like to be ignored. Plus, was the mayor hiding something? Was my town really run by the good ol' boys club? I decided to write the mayor.
I was very nice. I told him that his group didn't look like the Provo residents I know, and that no one was more concerned about the issues he mentioned than the women in our community. I told him that I was confused as to why my comment didn't get approved and encouraged him to include women when he discussed policies that affect the community.
I guess three women were invited, only one showed up after the picture was taken. He was not sure why his social media person didn't approve my comment but he would ask, invited me to host a women's meeting, and lastly do a guest post on the city blog afterwards.
I think the outcome was good. We can talk about it! At first I tried to find someone else to host the group. Surely someone in my neighborhood group has a really cool house? But I finally bit the bullet and just decided to have it at my house. I have been going crazy finishing all my renovation projects that got stalled over the winter. Floors! Baseboards! Hang curtains! Paint trim! All the things I have been dreading doing but now have a reason to do.
I'm a little nervous. I hope people show up and the evening goes well. The mayor is pretty much as big a celebrity as it gets in Provo. My parents are wavering between being proud that the mayor is coming to their daughters' house and a little embarrassed that their daughter is causing trouble again. I'll update you!
Update: The Ladies Night with the Mayor went down tonight, but I forgot to post this because I was having so much fun on our cousins' trip this past weekend.
