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Not everyone is taking the resignation of White House Social Secretary Desiree Rogers so seriously. Two days after the news of Rogers's pending departure broke Feb. 26 and began circulating the Web, Marla Singer tweeted, "First Van Jones and now Desiree Rogers? The White House just got a little less sexy." I was glad for the laugh because I've seen other comments about Rogers's decision with an undeniable sky-is-falling take on the story.
Come on, people! Not to disparage the work of the position, but is a social secretary's resignation anything like what happened to Van Jones? Neither is a social secretary quitting any reflection on the health of the Obama administration. Social secretaries don't make policy. (Jones has rebounded quite well, by the way, after being McCarthyed out of his White House position.)
Rogers, the first black White House social secretary, has been replaced by the very blonde Julianna Smoot, who I'm sure will do a fine job. She was co-chair of the inaugural committee and served as chief of staff of the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and unlike Rogers, Smoot does not seem to be a former Republican.
Rogers is my age and grew up in New Orleans as did I, and so I hesitate to say I don't know her. My memory is horrible, and sometimes I consciously forget parts of my past. Therefore, I've been trying to reach a friend all morning to ask her, "Hey, do I know Desiree?"
Desiree's maiden name is Glapion, and she is the daughter of a former city councilman, the late Roy Glapion, and his wife Joyce, who used to run a daycare center. She graduated from high school the same year I did, 1977, but she went to a private school, Academy of the Sacred Heart.
I, on the other hand, was so through with private school after attending an out-of-state boarding school that was "integrating," that I transferred in my junior year to New Orleans's first African-American public high school, the same one my mother and aunt had attended, McDonogh #35. Go Roneagles!
Rogers apparently is far more focused, ambitious, and driven than I've ever been, however, not to mention she has better fashion sense. She attended Wellesley and later earned her MBA from Harvard Business School. I was accepted to Mount Holyoke, but let my dad talk me out of it. (He bribed me with a car.)
Yes, Rogers was a Zulu Queen twice, 1988 and 2000.
I was the queen of something down here a few times, but nothing as high up the social ladder as the Zulus. I've read that Rogers's father, Roy Glapion, elevated the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club into the sphere of influence it claims today. It's a black organization that started in 1909 and has faced criticism over the years for not being more dedicated to presenting politically correct, positive black images, meaning on Mardi Gras Day, the krewe goes out in black face.
Rogers's father, in some ways, helped the Zulus overcome criticism and helped brand the club with the quirky authenticity that is New Orleans. He had a vision that has evolved into more glitz, glamor, and some serious pomp and circumstance.
Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler
I went to the Zulu Ball this Mardi Gras, 2010, an adventure, and I saw our city's lame duck mayor, Ray Nagin, step to the podium during the ball. However, Mayor-elect Mitch Landrieu did not show. I suspect he'll make a point to show up in the future.
Also while at the the ball, I ran into another former city councilman who used to visit my grandmother's house often, a genuinely nice man from my parents' generation. That was the highlight of my evening and the extent of my social aspirations.
But keeping score here, me vs. Rogers, I was a queen three times, debutante reign included; so, I beat Ms. Rogers in numbers of times on a NOLA throne. However, my royal runs were not as siddity as hers. Furthermore, she likes the social circuit, having far better socialization skills than I do, it seems, no matter what April Ryan implied about Rogers vs. Michelle Obama.
And so, New Orleans queendoms are where Rogers and I part ways.
Rogers waited until after graduate school to marry and then she moved to
