At Mayor Daley’s Open House
By Jian Ping
Chicagoans wait in line in City Hall to attend Mayor Daley's Open House
I went Mayor Delay’s open house at City Hall this morning. Reportedly 3,000 people received invitations to attend the morning session from 9 a.m. to noon. I must say I felt honored to receive an inviation for working with the Mayor’s Office one way or another over the years. In the afternoon, from 1 to 4, the open house is open to the public. As was the custom after each of his six inaugurations, Mayor Daley is ending his administration by hosting an open house to thank his supporters.
Today’s event is different—his supporters are taking this opportunity to bid him farewell and thank him for his contribution to the city over his 22-year reign.
I was touched to see the long line in the lobby of City Hall when I arrived shortly after 10 a.m. Hundreds of people waited patiently, from the elevators all the way to Washington St. But the event was well-organized and the line, constantly expanding as more people arriving, was moving reasonably fast.
A thank-you note to Mayor Daley written and signed by five children
I talked to a few people waiting in line around me. Tonya Wren from Von Humboldt Elementary School said she was excited to be able to see and thank the Mayor in person. “Mayor Daley has been very supportive to our school programs,” she said. “He even donated his own money to our school.”
She showed me a thank-you note signed by her five children, aged 5 to 15. The handwriting was childish and the message simple, but the action was quite moving. Wren holds the note in her hand and wants to deliver it to Mayor Daley on their behalf.
Marsha Serlin, founder and CEO of United Scrap Metal, is also standing in line.
“Mayor Delay is an urban developer. I think he understands cities better than any other mayor in the U.S.,” Serlin said. “Most people respect him for his outlook for the city. He is not perfect, but he’s done more things right than wrong. I’m proud to know him and be part of the city.”
Members of a Pipe Band wait to march into the Mayor Office to perform
We got our turn to ride the elevator to the fifth floor soon. After passing a security check, we walked into the Mayor’s Office. Mayor Daley stood in front of desk, greeting everyone coming through the door—shaking hands and taking a picture with each person. Imagining standing there for 6 hours in one day, greeting one person after another…. Thinking about ordinary people in China would never have the chance to see their Mayor in person, I must say I was quite impressed.
“Hi Marsha,” Mayor Delay called when he saw Marsha Serlin walk toward him. I was amazed, both by Marsha making the time and efforts to see him in this setting, and Mayor Daley talking to her as if they were friends.
Jian Ping, author of Mulberry Child: A Memoir of China. Visit www.mulberrychild.com, www.moraquest.com for more information. Mulberry Child is being developed into a feature-length documentary film by award-winning director Susan Morgan Cooper and will be released in 2011.
Tags: Chicago, Chicago City Hall, Mayor Daley, open house, Richard M. Daley, thank you
