Lynda Woolard

ORLEANS PARISH DEMOCRATIC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (OPDEC) DISTRICT A CANDIDATE #308

Lynda Woolard

Community Organizer

Charitable Foundation Manager

Lynda has been a Volunteer Leader with Obama For America in Louisiana since April 2008. As President of the Woolard Family Foundation, she has been privileged to partner with many local non-profits involved in the recovery of New Orleans. Lynda served on Mayor Landrieu's Transition Task Force for Sustainable Energy and the Environment. She is current Ad Hoc Program Committee Chair of the Independent Women's Organization and serves on both the New Orleans Committee for Global Green and Advisory Council of the Louisiana SPCA. Lynda is a dedicated grassroots progressive and passionate supporter of our New Orleans Saints.

 WHY AM I RUNNING?

Democratic Parish Executive Committees (DPECs) are the local representatives of the Louisiana Democratic Party. They are meant to connect the party to the community. There is still much work to do in New Orleans and I believe the Orleans Parish Democratic Executive Committee (OPDEC) should play an active role in that through registering voters, protecting voter rights, finding and supporting worthy candidates, and advancing a progressive agenda of basic fairness. 

•  I am running because I want to be a part of rebuilding the Democratic Party in our state.

•  I am running because I believe our system needs more input from and representation by women.

•  I am running because I'd like to be a voice for the vulnerable and for those who cannot speak for themselves.

•  I am running because I believe the people who are privileged to serve our community have a responsibility to work hard to improve it.

•  I am running because I am interested in listening to the wants and needs of the people in our community and finding ways to make things happen for them.

•  I am running because I see much reason for hope in our city and our state and I would like to share that vision with those who may yet feel helpless.

•  I am running, quite simply, because I believe in New Orleans.

VOTE MARCH 24, 2012

SUPPORT OUR SLATE OF OPDEC REFORM CANDIDATES

Click on above image for a larger view.

See our Facebook page for more information on the candidates!

OPDEC District "A" Reform Ticket

Follow Lynda on Twitter

@LyndaWoolard

WHAT'S MY STORY?

I was born in North Carolina and spent my childhood with my family moving to a new state every couple of years.  I graduated from the University of Delaware in 1985 and eventually ran my own graphic design/photography business, Alternative Productions, in Wilmington.  I first came to New Orleans during a cross-country pilgrimmage in 1987.  After that visit, I declared I wanted to move here and be an artist.  In 1997, I finally realized my dream, bought a house in Carrollton, and packed my three dogs in a van to make the trek.  15 years later, I remain in my Carrollton home with 3 (new) dogs and a colony of cats.  This is the longest I have lived anywhere in my entire life and it is without question where my heart is. 

Prior to my evacuation for Katrina, I had a small art gallery on Oak Street dedicated to local arts and activism called The Craftivist.  It no longer exists and my focus has shifted more to my community activist side.  I still take photographs and create folk art, including purses for the Krewe of Nyx, which I joined in its inaugural year.  However, like many New Orleanians, my connection and dedication to my city grew exponentially.  I returned to New Orleans in October 2005 with an absolute determination to participate in the rebirth of the greatest city in the world.  I have been involved in many different aspects of the recovery from hands-on volunteer work to fundraising and coordinating efforts with local non-profits, social entrepreneurs, city government and activist groups.

In 2007, I also held the firm belief that a young man I had been blogging about for the previous 3 years, Barack Obama, would be a strong ally in the White House for New Orleans.  So for the first time in my life, I became involved in a political campaign.  I was all in, volunteering virtually full time for his efforts for 2 years.  I remain a supporter of President Obama and his campaign to this day. In the process of working for the President's election and to advance his agenda, I came to know many of the dedicated Democratic activists throughout the state.  Traditionally, I had shied away from party politics, believing that it was a lot of insider business.  But the Progressive Leaders of Louisiana that I have met and worked with are not like that.  They are a new breed of grassroots leaders who realize that a strong Democratic Party is vital to the interests of the working men and women of our state.  We all have a strong desire to work hard to restore confidence in Democrats and to bring balance to the political process of Louisiana.

So it is a natural outgrowth of my desire to rebuild my community to want to help rebuild the Democratic party. Running for OPDEC is the next step on a road I began to travel early one August morning in 2005 as I crossed the Louisiana border into Mississippi to escape the monster that appeared to swallow the whole Gulf of Mexico... and announced outloud to no one, "I'll be back... I'll come back home."

Thank you for taking the time to learn a bit more about me.  I am asking for your support so that I may be in a better position to serve our community.

                                    WhoDat!

                                             Lynda