“We went downstairs and got in line. I waited for a half an hour before I got to go in. When I walked through the doors of the room, a lady in uniform announced ‘Sam Alavi, GSA Network.’ I walked toward him, barely able to let all the emotions sink in. I walked up to him and shook his hand. He looked just as I had pictured him, but a lot taller and [with] much whiter hair. He congratulated me on my work and said that he was impressed by my age. After my moment with him, I moved on to Michelle, who was standing next to him. I tried not to seem too jealous and in awe of her elegance, but she’s so amazing that it was impossible. It was a surreal but elegant experience,” says GSA president and junior Sam Alavi as she recalls her meeting with President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.
Every year, the White House opens its doors for holiday parties to different civil rights groups, the media, and members of Congress. Last December, Alavi was invited to attend the Bo-themed Christmas party for civil rights activists and community volunteers. She says, “I am on of the board of directors of GSA network and they chose me to represent the group. This is the first time GSA was invited. They are a youth oriented group, so they want to represent that.”
Regarding the selection process, Alavi was one of the four people across California who expressed interest. She says, “I think they like the fact that I was straight and that I could bring a different perspective.”
With much experience and desire for improvement, she was excited to bring her plans to the White House. Before the party, the guests were given a chance to voice their concerns and suggestions at a meeting. She says, “We are hoping that Obama will do a ‘Make It Better’ video for safer schools. Obama made an ‘It Gets Better’ video, but we do not want to wait until it gets better. We want to make it better now. Jon Carson, Director of the Office of Public Engagement, and Gautum Raghavan, LGBT liaison in the White House Office of Public Engagement, said they would keep it in mind.”
Alavi adds, “They explained what Obama and his administration had done to help different causes and what he planned to do in the future. Being the only youth there, most of the talk about small businesses and taxes went over my head. However, I did find myself able to contribute to the conversation about ways for the Obama Administration to reach out to young people through social media.”
Regarding President Obama’s actions about the LGBT community, Alavi acknowledges his progress. She says, “Obama has done a lot despite the criticisms. At least he is not actually against [gay rights]. He has made speeches at human rights campaign and made an ‘It Gets Better’ video, but there is still room for improvement.”
During the White House party, Alavi also got a chance to mingle with some people who can help broaden GSA’s influence. She says, “Raghavan talked to me about holding an event for national GSA day—an event for youth. He asked me for advice. I also met A.J. Bockelman, who was the Executive Director of an organization in Missouri that is equivalent to Equality California, and Rebecca Isaacs, who is a prominent feminist and Executive Director of the Equality Federation. It was great to meet these people since if I ever need their assistance or expertise, I have their contact info.”
At the end of the party, Voice of America, a broadcast institution of the federal government, interviewed Alavi about her work in LGBT community. She shares, “I had done a lot of interviews that week, so I had all my answers down really solid. It was interesting. They are going to translate my interview to a bunch of different languages.”
At the end of the event, which lasted for about four hours, Alavi returned to her hotel room to reflect. She says, “This whole party at the White House… reminded [me] that I could make a difference. Sometimes, it is really frustrating when I do not see any changes. But they emphasized that what I do has an impact.”
Concerning her future plans, she says, “I hope to continue doing this for the rest of my life. This will always be a really big issue that I want to fight for.”
