L.A.'s Young & Powerful gathered on a festive night in Hollywood at Ritual to raise nearly $10,000 for the next president of the United States, Sen. Barack Obama. The night was filled with live music, exotic foods and more than 200 successful people with the appetite for change.

State Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas came to mix and mingle with L.A.'s young professional set - shaking hands, taking pictures as he worked the room. Even first term Assemblyman Mike Davis Hip Hop artist and actor Brandon Young from the final season of HBO's "The Wire" graciously hosted the Obama benefit with energy and deft.

Young set the right tone as keynote speaker Dominique DiPrima, a longtime radio personality known for hosting public affair programs "Street Science" and the "FrontPage" gave attendees the knowledge we all could relate to. Community Organizer extraordinaire, Akili gave broke down the Obama campaign operation throughout L.A.

We partied hard, but we're not done yet. Many of us will see Akili at the South LA office located at 5444 Crenshaw Blvd., some will Get On The Bus to Las Vegas to join our brothers and sisters for Obama working in the battleground state of Nevada.

With Hope,

Elliot Petty
L.A. Chair
Young & Powerful for Obama