The Planned Parenthood 35th annual Garden Party in Little Rock last night had everything: complimentary beer and wine, unpretentious yet tasty hors d’oeuvres (my favorite was a tiny skewer of tomato, basil and burrata), a wine pull, a silent auction and inspiring speeches. The only thing missing was a garden.
Jokes aside, the possible threat of rain resulted in a last-minute venue shift from the historic Rogers House to Next Level Events below Union Station, and the organizers handled the transition gracefully. If I hadn’t known about the change, I would have assumed that Union Station was the plan from the jump, what with all the soft pink light spilling into the space. It’s almost as if the folks at Planned Parenthood are pretty adept at persisting amid things not going their way.
The new location also meant that the objectors who usually congregate a short distance away from the fundraiser were nowhere to be found. I suspect that was a relief for most of the attendees, unless you’re the type of person who’s fueled by the righteous cause of pissing off misguided people. We don’t blame you if that’s you.
Despite the absence of protestors and plant life, many partygoers wore outfits that would have fit the original setting. It seemed like every third person was sporting a flowing, floral-print dress. Another trend I couldn’t help but notice: Planned Parenthood has a lot of older fans. Several faces were already familiar to me, thanks to a January feature from Arkansas Times contributor Debra Hale-Shelton about five women who’ve been tangled up in the fight for abortion access for decades. Anyone who thinks the struggle for reproductive rights is new (or merely a young person’s game) is just plain wrong. Hopefully, that intergenerational solidarity is something you can cling to in these dark times.
Coincidentally, Lori Williams — Planned Parenthood’s associate medical director and one of the women highlighted in Hale-Shelton’s story — was honored at the event with the Brownie Ledbetter Award. And Sarah Thompson — the vice chair of Grandparents for Reproductive Rights — received the Christina Mullinax Persistent Spirit Award. Sidenote: Read the story of Thompson’s pre-Roe abortion in 1971 here.
And check out Arkansas Times photographer Brian Chilson’s photos (Max Brantley makes an appearance!) from the event below: