Dispatches from the Hill
-- by Jessie Gabriel
What do you get when you cross ten CEOs, two elected officials, and four key staffers? A day of heated discussion and passionate entreaties, moments of joy and despair, and proposed solutions to major problems. My personal takeaway? We have more opportunities to influence the future of this country than we think, and I’ll tell you how to do it.
Last month, All Places was invited to bring a group of CEOs disrupting major industries to Washington, DC, to share our approaches to solving significant, long-term problems. While government is critical in so many ways, the private sector in this country has been responsible (in whole or in part) for many of the most meaningful breakthroughs. At its best, government can work alongside the private sector to find solutions. And that’s why we were invited by Minority Whip Katherine Clark, the most senior woman in Congress, to come to the Hill.
The assembled group was incredibly diverse: from industries, to stage, to background, to geography (thank you, Adero, for flying in from Kenya!). These women are running companies in tech, healthcare, media, finance, (and law!). Their perspectives were broad and unique, even within the same industry. There is no way to encapsulate all the magic of this day, but here is a quick rundown along with actionable items for those who want to build greater connections with our lawmakers.
Who did we meet with first?
Our first meeting was with Veronica Duron, Chief of Staff to Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ). She shared with us how it was on the ground trying to make laws right now. We talked specifically about the Small Business Administration and the way cuts had impacted day-to-day functioning. She listened to each of us as we shared specific policy issues that were important to our industry or made running our businesses more difficult. She was open, pragmatic, feeling, and brilliant. The meeting took place in the Senator’s office—all of us in a circle of chairs and sofas. Sitting in a senator’s office is both humbling and grounding. Senators loom large in this country, yet, just like most of the rest of us, they come to work each day and sit in an office that is not the biggest, not the most modern, and not the most impressive.
Who did you meet with next?
Our second meeting was with Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA) and her Deputy Chief of Staff, Xenia Ruiz. I learned from Leah, the intern who walked us over to see the Whip, that the leaderships offices are in the Capitol building. The rest of our senators and representatives are housed in slightly less grand, rotunda-free buildings around the perimeter of the Mall. This is all to say that we met Whip Clark in the actual Capitol building, in a large room with a huge table in need of some TLC, dark blue carpeting, a fresco on the ceiling, and a view down the steps and across the Mall. Wow. She listened intently, commenting and asking questions, as we went around and explained what each one of us did. But much of our time with her was a call to action. It was an urgent invitation to get involved and drive the change we want to see. Like it or not, she said, we’re just the people to do it. Sigh. Add it to the to-do list.
How did the day end?
After lunch in the basement cafeteria, which reminded me of my college cafeteria from the late 90s (when was the last time you saw fat free raspberry vinaigrette at the salad bar?), we headed to the National Democratic Club to meet with Rep. Mark Veasey (D-TX). He was preceded by his Chief of Staff, Ahmed Elsayed, and Health Policy Advisor, Sequoia Ragland. Sitting with staffers, you realize they are the true engines. They are the ones that delve deeply into the issues, regularly talk to constituents, and handle the nuts and bolts of these offices. Unfortunately, the main job of an elected official in this country is fundraising, which leaves less time for the good stuff. But our discussion remained highly substantive even after Rep. Veasey arrived. We talked quite a bit about small businesses, the food system, and what it’s like to do your own makeup for TV (we’re still waiting for that TikTok, Congressman!).
Who didn’t we see?
Any Republicans. This was a nonpartisan trip. We came as a group of female CEOs, not as a group of Democrats. I couldn’t tell you for certain what everyone’s political affiliation was, but given they are our clients and we are very candid about our policy views, we can probably guess. Regardless, we came in with a nonpartisan agenda: to support small businesses in our sectors. Christina Carrica Haley, who set up all the meetings, did reach out to a number of Republicans. But none of them were available to meet with us. Your loss.
Give us the practical tips already!
One of the things I learned that day was that we all have the opportunity to directly access and impact lawmaking a lot more than we think. Congressional offices are small (physically, but also in terms of staff—they have strict budget caps). There is no way for them to stay on top of every issue. If a subject really matters to you, or you have a pain point and proposed solution, you should tell them! Don’t assume (as I always did) that they already know everything and are making conscious choices not to pursue certain legislation. You can literally reach out to your representative’s or senator’s office with ideas. It will be much easier to schedule time with a staffer than with a politician, and that meeting is also likely to be a lot more productive. If there is something on your mind, something that you want to make sure our federal lawmakers are thinking about, reach out. Go talk to them. Offer yourself up as a resource.
Moment of delight!
Did you know there is an underground rail system that connects the congressional buildings? Seriously. We got to ride two of the trams—one pretty modern (think the AirTrain to JFK) and one a little less so (think Haunted Mansion at Disneyland). The woman driving the Disney tram was cracking up at all the selfies we were taking. No harm in having fun even when you’re conducting serious business.
