The East Wing Was Obliterated in Less Time Than it Takes to Hang the Ornaments in the White House.

When I first saw those ghastly images of the demolition of the East Wing, one of the first people I thought about was former White House secretary Deesha Dyer. Her work post was in the East Wing, near the suite of offices for First Lady Michelle Obama and her staff. I knew the destruction of that building would hit her hard, and I also knew that she would have a special insight into what was lost in all that rubble, so I invited her to join me for a conversation. We reflect on the emotional gut punch of losing such a historic space —the East Wing’s special role as a public-facing foyer that welcomed thousands of visitors —and what the demolition means for national identity and a democracy under threat. Dyer also shares memories, insights, and insider knowledge, noting the timing of the demolition is particularly galling. The White House would normally be revving up the engines for the Holiday season, a process Dyer describes in our conversation. And yes, the East Wing was obliterated in less time than it takes to hang the ornaments and decorate the White House. It took just four days to erase a structure meant to stand strong into the future both for the building’s residents and for the nation as a whole. It’s all gone, reduced to a tangled mass of brick, concrete and steel. But our memories remain, and so must our steely resolve to hold on to Democracy and the foundational principle that the White House belongs to no one person or one administration. It belongs to the people of this country. All the people of this country.In my conversation with Deesha, we also walked down memory lane and discussed our most cherished memories of our time in the East Wing. So many of us treasure photos from tours, holiday celebrations, work accomplished, and meetings held inside that wing. I raised my kids in DC. I used to cover the White House for ABC News. My Husband worked there in two administrations. Our kids visited the space first in strollers, and then in stride rights as toddlers and eventually as young adults. Our grandson, thankfully got to marvel at the magical, almost other worldly decorations. All those photos from all those visits to the White House, and the East Wing in particular, that sit in boxes, scrapbooks, and on our phones over the years are now historic relics that must be found and preserved for posterity.The East Wing is gone. Our memories are forever. I pray that the art and artifacts inside the building were saved. I hope that the demolition of the East Wing is a North Star of sorts that reminds us that democracy can also be obliterated if Americans don’t stand up and fight for it.It’s a big world. Lotta stories.MicheleDo you have an East Wing memory? If you do, we’d love to hear it or see it in the comments below.Say What? Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Thanks for reading! This post is public so feel free to share it.REFERNCES AND NOTES:Behind the Scenes in the East Wing: Social Secretaries to the First LadiesFrom the archives: Jacqueline Kennedy’s televised tour of the White House in 1962#InsideTheEastWing: Letters to the First LadyDeesha Dyer:Deesha Dyer is a philanthropist, award-winning strategist and author, on-the-ground community organizer, and executive operations expert. Working her way up from a 31-year old community college student who served as a White House intern for President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, Deesha ended her government career as the White House social secretary, a highly-coveted senior position. She is currently the founder and president of social impact agency, Hook & Fasten where she coordinates transformational partnerships by utilizing a company’s funds, skills, resources or product to ignite sustainable change in communities. Get full access to Say What? with Michele Norris at michelenorris.substack.com/subscribe