Obama Inauguration Marks a Special Moment for Lasell Villager
Barak Obama pictured above with Myril Bennett, her daughter Joan Axelrod and son David Axelrod.
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It’s a memorable moment to attend a Presidential inauguration and Myril Bennett has had a few of them.
Bennett, a resident at Lasell Village on campus, has seen Presidents Johnson and Clinton sworn into office and danced at their inaugural celebrations. But this year is something special.
Witnessing the inauguration for President Barak Obama on January 20th has unique significance for Bennett because her son helped get him there. |
Myril Bennett is the mother of David Axelrod, the chief campaign strategist for Obama and soon-to-be Senior Advisor to the President at the White House.
“How many people can say that they achieved their dream? David’s was to sell a candidate for his positive attributes and he did that with Obama,” said Bennett. “How fortunate for any parent when their child achieves that.
Bennett, who moved to Lasell Village – an independent living community on Lasell's campus - two years ago, watched Obama’s historic campaign unfold with a unique viewpoint – part attentive and involved mother and part insider.
Through regular phone calls from her son, the involvement of her daughter Joan and a grandson in Obama’s campaign, and the participation of her grandsons in the Democratic National Convention in Denver this summer, Bennett kept tabs on the inner machinations of the campaign and observed the star quality of President Obama first-hand.
Bennett recalls the inspiration she felt when hearing Obama speak in Boston following the candidate’s N.H. primary loss. Her son had arranged for her to attend the event, but the mood of the participants was somber after the loss – until Obama lifted them up.
“He was so welcoming and inspiring. What he said, it picked us up. He always seems so calm,” Bennett said.
Bennett added that her son’s deep involvement in the campaign sometimes left her awestruck.
“I can’t believe that David was making all these decisions that would impact all these people [once Obama was elected],” Bennett said.
So, it is with a full and proud heart that Bennett sets off to Washington D.C. next weekend with her daughter Joan to celebrate Obama’s election and her son David’s contributions.
And she’s doing it in style.
With the urging of her daughter, she visited Yolanda’s salon in Waltham to select a gown for the occasion. It was there she met designer David Josef – well known for dressing several Boston-area celebrities including TV anchorwoman Natalie Jacobson, TV personality Liz Walker and former Massachusetts first lady Kitty Dukakis, among others.
“The designer was so excited because he was an Obama person,” Bennett said.
Josef walked Bennett through the process to pinpoint a design for the occasion.
“For Myril – when she came in – I showed her a dress that I had designed that looked like a party dress, but with color,” said Josef, who now runs the David Josef salon from Yolanda’s.
“It’s a look I have in the current collection. I like the whimsicality of it; it’s not just another black dress.” |
Myril Bennett is pictured
above with designer David Josef
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Josef custom-designed the dress Bennett will wear by combining aspects of two different gowns in that collection.
“The most important thing is to look at a gals’ body, see her age – there isn’t a woman alive who doesn’t want to look good. They want to look appropriate and sensual – no matter their age,” he said.
Designer David Josef's sketch of the dress he designed for the Obama inauguration. |
Bennett, although demure about all the fuss, is thrilled about being a part of the festivities.
She plans to attend the inauguration itself as well as one of the balls, but most of all, she and her family will celebrate the contributions they have made to this moment in history.
Bennett recently recalled that nine year-old David was with her at President Johnson’s inauguration – watching the festivities from a grandstand seat with the press corps. This time he’ll be closer to front-and-center.
“I know Obama really wants David to be there in DC with him [in the White House],” she said.
By Michelle Gaseau, Director of Communications
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