The New America Foundation and the Millennial Trains Project hosted the Millennial Ideas Forum on Saturday. It featured a "series of panel discussions and interactive workshops, as well as a service component wherein participants will co-create a large community mural," according to MCentral's website.
The Presidential Inaugural Committee drastically cut down the number of balls this year since President Barack Obama’s last inauguration, and one of the ones to go was the Youth Ball. So entrepreneur and Millennial Trains Project Founder Patrick Dowd decided to create a solution.
The Millennial Trains Project, No Kings Collective and the New America Foundation hosted a weekend-long event, encompassing panelist lectures, the exchanging ideas and a ball celebrating the president’s second term. Greeted by over 1,000 attendees, the events were a “success,” according to Dowd.
“More than just a youth ball, we figured we should create the opportunity to exchange ideas and art, so we found a space,” Dowd said.
Day Events
The New America Foundation and the Millennial Trains Project hosted the Millennial Ideas Forum on Saturday. It featured a “series of panel discussions and interactive workshops, as well as a service component wherein participants will co-create a large community mural,” according to MCentral’s website.
The event was held in the basement of the gallery pop-up space. (MNS)
Drew Morrison, Student Leader of Roosevelt Campus Network, was a panelist speaking about “How Millennials are Making the Government Better.” He said, “Young people need to continue to realize that we’re not going to get anything unless we continue to ask for it. We were very involved, but we didn’t continue to push. Some young people weren’t satisfied with Obama’s in his first term, but we didn’t coalesce and organize or fight for the issues that we cared about.” (MNS)
The event was hosted in a pop-up gallery space along DC’s H Street. (MNS)
Audience members were given five-minute breaks between each speaker event. (MNS)
A sign language interpreter signed during every panel or speaker event. (MNS)
One of the youngest attendees was 6-month-old Amelia. Her parents, Earl and Sarah Crane, said they came to the event just to hear new ideas and see
“what is going on in the development world in DC.” (MNS)
Patrick Dowd, Millennial Trains Project CEO, said the event really showcased “how talented our genration is and how people that you’ve never heard of are doing amazing things.” (MNS)
Burstein said, “One of the things I’ve found most striking is the idea that in the 1960s, people were able to imagine what the future would look like…Today, we can’t look that far in the future. It’s almost futile to think anything further than five years (because of how quick technology is changing).” (MNS)
Audience members were encouraged to participate and ask questions to the various panelists. (MNS)
Aronowitz said, “The ability to live cheaply so that we can be politically active and fulfilled is really important, so the new American Dream for us is to try to claw our way out of this quandary of rising costs on the one hand and lowering wages and opportunity on the other hand,, so that we can live cheaply and be able to make our decisions about having a fulfilling career and fulfilling live.” (MNS)
Moderated by Ronnie Cho, three panelists spoke on the “New American Dream”: David Burstein, author of Fast Future: How the Millennial Generation is Shaping out world, Nona Willis Aronowitz, Roosevelt Institute fellow and Tomorrow Magazine cofounder, and Jason Peuquet Research Director, Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. (MNS)
Peuquet said, “The Millennials, especially in the past four years, have been really frustrated. You think you can just come out and change the world when you realize how slowly the world actually changes. I think we just really need to have the political will.” (MNS)
Justin Vitarello, founder of Fojol Brothers Food Truck, shared his story about how he created his business and effectively used social media. (MNS)
Juan Martinez, National Geographic Explorer, shared how he overcame a tough, unstable upbringing and discovered his passion for the outdoors.
“For the Millennial generation, the dream has not been written for us.” (MNS)
“There are a lot of entrepreneurial opportunities out there that are not only connected to the natural world but to sustainability and living a more conscientious lifestyle,” Martinez said. (MNS)
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Steven Feldstein, director of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Office of Policy, said global funding methods, such a microfinance, are not necessarily effective, because entrepreneurs do not typically receive enough money to really grow a company.
“It’s a matter of just throwing money at something, which doesn’t necessarily create jobs.” (MNS)
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J. Skyler Fernandes, venture capitalist and leader of The Missing Middle Initiative, said people “can’t really do as well from abroad” when looking for venture capital funding. Investors always like to be close in proximity to the entrepreneurs, so they can watch how the startups are doing, Fernandes said. “The goal is to bring these startups to the United States.” (MNS)
Classical Pianist Berenika performed for the audience prior to lunch. (MNS)
Millennial Inaugural Ball
The Millennial Inaugural Ball housed over 1,000 attendees. (MNS)
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The Millennial Inaugural Ball attendees admired the artwork in the pop-up gallery. (MNS)
Attendees signed in at a booth manned by three organizers. (MNS)
Patrick Dowd, CEO of the Millennial Trains Project, poses with a fellow entrepreneur. (MNS)
Entrepreneur Christina Wallace, 29, said she bought the ticket because it was affordable and allowed her to be among “my people.”
Goal for Obama: “I need to see gay marriage advance in some way. I love the advance of health care, but it needs to be addressed to make it more affordable.”
Thoughts on entrepreneurship: “It’s easier than ever for young people to start a business. Instead of people going out and being underemployed, people are actually taking a risk. This is a low-cost time in your life in your 20’s to actually take that risk.” (MNS)
Consultant Melissa Harward, 23, said she came for the music and the young crowd.
Goal for Obama: “If he can be a mediator for the two parties, that’s going to be a big win.”
Thoughts on entrepreneurship: “Definitely think that we’re moving away from the big corporations into more niche specialization startups. It’s going to be really important for the economy.” (MNS)
26-year-old Emily Williams (left) and 29-year-old Umber Baig (right). Both said they attended the ball because it was one of the only events specifically for the youth and because they love pop-up art galleries. (MNS)
Emily Williams
Goal for Obama: “I would love to see the recent gun control issue be tightened up.”
Thoughts on Entrepreneurship: “A lot of my friends are starting businesses and it’s really great.”
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Umber Baig
Goal for Obama: “There’s a lot of things that need to be fixed, but the most relevant one right now is gun control. It’s not just the policies, but the enforcement of them.”
Thoughts on Entrepreneurship: “Entrepreneurship is the solution to so many different problems. It’s all about personal risk and not everyone’s that brave.” (MNS)
Visual artist Drew Graham, 27, said he came to the event to support his friends.
Goal for Obama: “Hopefully more jobs are created and people are willing to spend more money on art.”
Thoughts on entrepreneurship: “With the little guys coming up and showing that we can mold and still maintain a presence in the worst of times, I am hopeful.” (MNS)
27-year-old Daniel Flannery, left, and 27-year-old Jacob Yunis (right).
Both want more effective political dialogue between the two sides. (MNS)
Over 1,000 young millennials attended the ball. (MNS)
Attendees danced in the basement, where panel discussions were held earlier that day. (MNS)
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Musicians Oddisee, Mayer Hawthorne (DJ set), Brass Connection, and The Funk Ark performed for over 1,000 Millennials. (MNS)
Lorenzo Johnson, 25 (left), and Dakeisha Granderson, 24 (right).
Both believe there needs to be more work done in equalizing healthcare and creating more effective education systems. (MNS)
