New DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis hugs a supporter during his inaugural reception. (Click on photo for more inaugural reception photos).

Barack Obama is not the only political figure who gets sworn in with inaugural festivities this month. Newly elected politicians from around the country are putting their hands on bibles and hosting fetes afterward to celebrate their new or renewed day jobs.

One of them was Burrell Ellis, the new CEO of DeKalb county in Georgia.   His inaugural ceremony was a free interfaith morning event.  In the evening, anyone who wanted to come party with him, attended his inaugural reception at the downtown Holiday Inn in Decatur Ga. Forget about full length gowns and tuxes. The attire required: business suits or after five cocktail dresses.

State representative Pam Stephenson (left), and Menika Fowler (right) smile for cameras during the reception.

CEO Ellis led the partygoers in a round of the electric slide and like a wedding groom made sure he made the rounds hugging, shaking hands and taking pictures with attendees.  Politicians like former DeKalb CEO Liane Levetan and State rep Pam Stephenson mixed with regular partygoers. Also seen former anchor and now pr mogul Collins Spencer.

Brandy sings her heart out at V103 and WAOK Soul Sessions (Photo by Evelyn Quinones). Click on photo to view slideshow

These days Brandy sells a high profile line of weaves and wigs and appears as a judge on talent reality shows. It’s easy to forget her day job is singing. She reminded a select few of us who attended the Soul Sessions, a private showcase produced by Atlanta sister stations V103 and WAOK. She was there to promote her newest album in several years, “Human” which features the strong pop ballad “Long Distance.” (The song’s extravagant instrumentation and slight melodrama, illustrates that Brandy has kept up with the times and studied the Rihanna “Umbrella” and Beyonce “If I Were a Boy” school of pop balladry).

At the informal session, Brandy did not forget where she came from. She spit out several hits that made her famous like “I Wanna be Down” and “surprised” the crowd by bringing duet pal and fellow singer Monica onstage. (The crowd was unfortunately tipped off by another onstage personality before she got to tell us.) Note to singers: Here’s where you want to be careful. It’s one thing to bring a pal onstage to come on and sing with you for a few tunes or two to make “YOU” look good. It’s another thing to relinquish the spotlight to your singer pal to allow him or her to look great.

Monica steals the show at the Soul Sessions (Photo by Evelyn Quinones).

In this case, Monica did that. Looking like a slight veteran with her signature cropped doo that had a sprinkle of hot red and neon green highlights in it. Monica sang her old hits for a good five to 10 minutes. When Brandy returned so that the two of them could sing their signature duet “The Boys is Mine,” I was trying to remember who’s soul session was this?

Also on the bill but in an official capacity – Slim, one of the voices of the R&B group 112, there to shill his new single “Love’s Crazy”. I didn’t pay too much attention to him and I don’t think many others did either. I think we were all reeling from the antics and the stunning beauty of cross-dressing V103 radio personality Ms. Sophia. Wearing a polished flipped wig, make-up that would make Tyra Banks and her next top model judges proud and a svelte dress, Ms. Sophia was a force of nature.

Warren Ballentine and R'Jae share blue and white family signs at the Masquerade Ball.

Party with a purpose is an overused phrase coined to describe recreation with a more meaningful intent than just pure pleasure. I’ll gladly apply the term to the purposeful partying I did earlier this month at The Truth Fighters Masquerade Ball at the Artistry in Atlanta earlier this month. Lawyer/talk radio personality and number one TruthFighter Warren Ballentine hosted and organized the soiree. Proceeds from the $20.00 I forked over for my ticket went to the Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless foundation.

Knowing my money would help the homeless made the dancing and wine-swilling feel less decadent in this economy. The other reason I had a good time is because of the host. Though he’s heard by millions of listeners across the country and has the ear of congressman and civil rights icons, Warren Ballentine made himself very accessible. He walked through the crowd, taking pictures, signing autographs, and chatting it up with anyone who felt like chewing his ear off.

That included me who seized the night to reactivate my blue and white family status for an excuse to start a conversation and have an iPhone photo moment. (I’m a member of Zeta Phi Beta sorority (an inactive one) while Warren is a member of Phi Beta Sigma, the brother organization to my sorority. )

Other notables seen and heard throughout the party – Ronnie DeVoe from New Edition, in full masquerade ball mask, CNN’s Don Lemon, and Elizabeth Omilami from the Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless Foundation.

In addition to urging us to feed the hungry, Warren encouraged us to get out the vote for Obama. Clearly we heard him and did.

Battlestar Galactica group member. Click on image to view photo slideshow

As I overheard a leader from one of the Battlestar Galactica dress up groups say, they’re not just fans who like to dress up, they’re family. I could see the familial bonds as the groups lined up, dusted each other off and goofed around with each other. I saw the diversity of attendees too. While on line deciding whether to get a ticket, I saw two Muslim women in full head scarves with Dragon-con badges pouring over the convention guide map. I overheard one parent telling his probably five year old child he paid $100 dollars for the kid’s Star Wars outfit.

In addition to spending money on costumes, literature and the not so cheap at the door Dragon-con tickets (I decided not to buy one), the convention goers are socially minded. They gave to the Red Cross blood drive in record numbers.