On this episode, host Lynda Woolard talks with Kaitlyn Joshua, Louisiana organizer, wife and mom, and – over the last year – a central figure in the presidential campaign’s Reproductive Freedom Tour. Learn more about Kaitlyn’s miscarriage story. Learn more about Abortion America. Follow Kaitlyn on Instagram and TikTok (for now). Thanks to Ben Collinsworth for producing Louisiana Lefty, Jennifer

On this episode, host Lynda Woolard talks with New Orleans immigration lawyer Kathleen Gasparian as the nation prepares for a second Trump presidency.  You can connect with Gasparian Spivey Immigration through their website, Instagram, and Facebook. Listed are several of the immigration groups that need your support now: ISLA Home is Here New Orleans Project Ishmael Hagar’s House Catholic Charities

On this episode, Nick Laborde, Democratic candidate for Louisiana Public Service Commissioner, talks to host Lynda Woolard about the most important regulatory body Louisianans don’t know about and the historic opportunity on Louisiana ballots this year. Find out more about Nick at nickforla.com. Follow Nick on Instagram and TikTok. Help talk to voters about Nick’s campaign by visiting the Louisiana

On this episode, it’s GO TIME! We give you a break down on the state of the presidential race and how to get engaged now to help turn out our voters. Our Dem professor, Stephen Handwerk, joins host Lynda Woolard to talk about this year’s elections and future opportunities for Democrats in Louisiana. Find ways to engage through our Krewe

On this episode, host Lynda Woolard shares info about her move to Delaware and the future of Louisiana Lefty. Follow Lynda on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Thanks to Ben Collinsworth for producing Louisiana Lefty, Jennifer Pack of Black Cat Studios for our Super-Lefty artwork, and Thousand $ Car for allowing us to use their swamp pop classic, Security Guard, as

On this episode, our progressive professor, Stephen Handwerk, returns to help us debrief the Louisiana Democratic Party DSCC and Party Chair elections. Here we come full circle from our January 2023 conversation on “Demystifying Party Chair Elections.”  Read The Illuminator’s Piper Hutchinson’s first hand report of the chair election: ​​Gaines takes over as La. Democratic Party chair after Bernhardt ousted

On this episode, the new chair of the Louisiana Democratic Party Randal Gaines talks to host Lynda Woolard about his initial plans for rebuilding and rehabbing the organization. Sign up for email updates from the Louisiana Democratic Party: louisianademocrats.org Follow the Louisiana Democratic Party on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Thanks to Ben Collinsworth for producing Louisiana Lefty, Jennifer Pack of

On this episode, political professional Westley Bayas and host Lynda Woolard give a sneak peak of the Intro to Campaign Finance Disclosure Webinar available on Louisiana Lefty’s YouTube. Watch the full webinar: Intro to Campaign Finance Disclosure Research Louisiana campaign finance reports: ethics.la.gov Research federal campaign finance reports: fec.gov Louisiana Democratic Party phone number: 225-336-4155 Follow Westley Bayas on Twitter.

On this episode, host Lynda Woolard shares a Zoom event she recorded with our Democratic Party professor Stephen Handwerk and current Democratic Parish Executive Committee candidates.  Louisiana State Law on Political Parties, Parish Executive Committees RS 18:444 – RS 18:448: Start Reading Here  See what’s on your March 23, 2024 ballot: Secretary of State Voter Portal Geaux Vote App Get

On this episode, host Lynda Woolard previews the year for Louisiana Lefty and introduces the origins of the Blue Reboot movement to reform the Louisiana Democratic Party. Get more information on Blue Reboot: bluerebootla.org Find Blue Reboot on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. See what’s on your March 23, 2024 ballot: Secretary of State Voter Portal Geaux Vote App Thanks to

On this episode, Robert Mann, LSU professor, political historian, and former comms for Russell Long, John Breaux, and Kathleen Blanco, speaks with host Lynda Woolard about the changes needed at the Louisiana Democratic Party and the concerns he has for the state as a new administration begins. Connect with Bob on Twitter. Get Bob’s book Kingfish U: Huey Long and

On this episode, host Lynda Woolard celebrates her father, Ed Woolard, who recently passed away. This week she shares a previous interview on bipartisanship she did with him via Zoom when they were still separated by covid. The fun part for the listener is that Ed was a bit of a legend with quite a storied life, which very much

On this episode, Andrew Tuozzolo, Chief of Staff to New Orleans City Council Vice President Helena Moreno, as well as lawyer and politico, joins host Lynda Woolard for an insiders’ walk through the recent past, the present, and the future of state Democratic Party politics in Louisiana. Connect with Andrew on Twitter. Read Lynda’s piece in the Bayou Brief on

Host Lynda Woolard sits down with the co-founders of SBP, Liz McCartney and Zack Rosenburg. This wife and husband team started their organization as the St. Bernard Project to help rebuild after Hurricane Katrina and the Federal Flood of 2005 destroyed so much of the New Orleans region of the Gulf Coast. Today, SBP works throughout the United States, with

Creating a functioning Louisiana Democratic Party is an existential issue for the survival of our state. (No hyperbole.) We are in a moment where we should be having friendly but clarifying conversations with each other, current DSCC members, and potential chair and executive committee candidates about the future of the party. Check out our DSCC FAQ ONE SHEET: https://bit.ly/DSCCFAQ Read

This week we’re sharing a short bonus episode with some inspiring words from Friend of Lefty, Public Service Commissioner Davante Lewis. After the disastrous results of our October 14, 2023 Louisiana primary elections, we held a couple of live Zooms with Democrats interested in change at the state party. We’ll be distilling that content for release in our next episode.

Heading into the 2023 statewide gubernatorial primary elections, Representative Mandie Landry returns to the podcast to address host Lynda Woolard's top issues for Louisiana: Climate, Insurance, and the state of the Democratic Party. Read The Gambit's “Busted and Blue: Recent Elections have voters wondering where the Louisiana Democratic Party has gone” Learn more about the fortified roof program: https://ldi.la.gov/fortifyhomes Learn

On this episode, Democratic candidate for governor, Shawn Wilson, speaks with host Lynda Woolard about his lifetime of leadership preparing him for this moment. As Dr. Wilson tells it, public service is his ministry, and he’s framed his campaign from Day One as a Bridge Builder, who can not only accomplish the literal work of government administration, but can also

On this episode, sole 2023 Democratic candidate for state treasurer, Dustin Granger, speaks with host Lynda Woolard about long term lessons learned from his personal journey and his campaign. He’s particularly devoted to making the case that Democrats need to highlight the party’s superior record on the economy and push the progressive issues that poll so well, even in Louisiana.

This episode drops on the 18th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and the Federal Flood that destroyed so much of New Orleans. Nakita Shavers, of the Dinerral Shavers Education Fund, Girls NOLA, and Boys NOLA, joins host Lynda Woolard to talk about how that historic tragedy impacted her personally and launched her journey into political activism. She goes on to share

Welcome to Season 6 of Louisiana Lefty! Host Lynda Woolard highlights key themes from Season 5, and gives a preview of our final full season. See all archives on Demystifying the Democratic Party here: louisianalefty.rocks/demystifying/ See all Louisiana Lefty archives here: louisianalefty.rocks/archives/ Please follow Louisiana Lefty on your favorite podcast platform and all our social media channels: Facebook Twitter Instagram

As we complete our summer series of bonus episodes focused on “Demystifying the Democratic Party” with our progressive professor, Stephen Handwerk, we break down what coordinated campaigns between state parties and candidates are and why they are important. Find all our episodes in this ongoing series on our special Louisiana Lefty archives page: Demystifying the Democratic Party Find more Louisiana

As we continue our ongoing series on “Demystifying the Democratic Party” with Professor Stephen Handwerk, we explore what successful state Democratic parties are doing, and what the Louisiana Democratic Party could and should be doing. Check out the Louisiana Democratic Party Constitution and Bylaws. Find more information on how the Democratic Party operates in our “Demystifying” episodes: • Demystifying the

While Louisiana Lefty is on summer break, “Professor” Stephen Handwerk, former executive director of the Louisiana Democratic Party and current DSCC member, as well as political consultant and strategist to the Association of State Democratic Committees on behalf of state parties, joins host Lynda Woolard for a bonus episode to break down the roles and responsibilities of the Democratic State

On this episode, Corinne Green, policy and legislative strategist for Equality Federation joins host Lynda Woolard to talk about the legislative attacks on LGBTQ+ communities, and the Transgender community specifically, in Louisiana and red states across the country. Connect with LGBTQ+ support groups through the links below: Louisiana Trans Advocates: https://www.latransadvocates.org  LocALL: https://www.latransadvocates.org/locall  Equality Federation: https://www.equalityfederation.org Parents and Friends of

On this episode, Shreveport native D’Seanté Parks joins host Lynda Woolard to talk about her civic engagement app: 1000 More. Check out 1000 More at 1000more.org. 1000 More on Social Media: Twitter Facebook Instagram TikTok Sign Up for 1000 More’s Weekly Newsletter. Learn more about the roots of propaganda in the United States through LSU’s books on Ray Stannard Baker.

On this episode, Joel Emerson, former statewide organizing director for Mary Landrieu’s coordinated campaign in 2014, joins host Lynda Woolard to talk about the lessons for Louisiana Democrats from that election. Joel also talks about the work he’s doing today with the Universe app for local progressive candidates, and the new Louisiana 501(c)(4): People, Power, and Light. Find Joel on

On this episode, newly elected Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Davante Lewis speaks with Lynda Woolard about his 2022 campaign, his runoff victory, and his first 100 days in office. Listen to Davante’s first appearance on the podcast from Season One of Louisiana Lefty: Run Before You Walk. Connect with Davante on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Sign up to get emails

On this episode, Brian Hansbury, co-founder of the Media and Democracy Project, joins host Lynda Woolard to talk about his group’s work to watchdog the media and push back against misinformation, false equivalencies, and bad framing that shrouds the truth from the public. As the Media and Democracy Project is a completely volunteer run organization, they are always looking for

On this episode, Nathaniel Stinnett, founder of the Environmental Voter Project, speaks with host Lynda Woolard to share the exciting news that the nonpartisan, nonprofit EVP is expanding their work into Louisiana! Their mission is simple, but effective: to identify inactive environmentalists and transform them into consistent voters to build the power of the environmental movement.  Learn more about the

On this episode, host Lynda Woolard speaks with Ciara Hart, chair of the Young Democrats of Louisiana (YDL), organizing chair of the Environmental Caucus for the Young Democrats of America (YDA), Democratic State Central Committee member, Lift Louisiana Advisory Board member, and former candidate for the Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE). Their conversation focuses on the

On this episode, host Lynda Woolard continues her efforts to demystify state Democratic Party politics by speaking with Kirk Green, a long-time party official, a current DSCC member for District 69 in Baton Rouge, and an educator who wears many hats in his teachers’ union. We discuss the 2020 party leadership elections, the previous and current state party administrations, and

Welcome to Season 5 of Louisiana Lefty! Host Lynda Woolard highlights key themes from Season 4, and gives a preview of a very big year for Louisiana. Revisit Lynda’s Bayou Brief piece, which she penned when the Alito draft on the Dobbs decision leaked: A Fight Worth Having Please follow Louisiana Lefty on your favorite podcast platform and all our

Louisiana Lefty has been on winter break, but recent events with the Louisiana Democratic Party prompted us to quickly put out an episode to address some of the questions about how we get state party leadership. On this episode, host Lynda Woolard and “Professor” Stephen Handwerk break down how we get – or change – a Louisiana Democratic Party chair.

Louisiana Lefty is on winter break, but still releasing mini-pods. On this episode, host Lynda Woolard acknowledges the pitfalls that exist for digital organizing on Twitter now that the platform has been purchased by a so-called free speech absolutist and conspiracy theorist, and suggests some common sense security measures users can take to protect themselves. Find more Louisiana Lefty content

Louisiana Lefty is on winter break this month, but we’re still releasing Action Lefty mini-pods. This week, host Lynda Woolard goes over some of the simple ways – besides phone banking and text banking – you can use your smartphone to help your favorite candidate. Make sure you are following Louisiana Lefty on your favorite podcast platform, and help us

Louisiana Lefty is on winter break, but still releasing mini-pods. On this episode, host Lynda Woolard speaks with Maria Harmon and Laramie Griffin of Decarcerate Louisiana, as they recount what went wrong with the November 8th vote on Constitutional Amendment 7, which sought to remove slavery from our state constitution. Little was known in Louisiana about the fact that we

On this episode, Omari Ho-Sang, North Louisiana organizer with Black Voters Matter, talks to host Lynda Woolard about the 365-day-a-year work of movement building, the possibilities for big progress in the state, and the fact that there is a role for every person to play in moving us forward. Email Omari to find out more about partnering with Black Voters

On this episode, Louisiana author Sam Spitale joins host Lynda Woolard to talk about his brand new book, How to Win the War on Truth. This illustrated guide blends together politics, history, and psychology, as well as insights on the forces of power and media literacy, to create a roadmap for Americans to become better informed voters and better purveyors

Chris Pourciau is a Criminal Justice Reform advocate and political operative who led efforts to pass Constitutional Amendment 2 in 2018 for the Unanimous Jury Coalition as Deputy Campaign Manager. On this episode, he talks to host Lynda Woolard, who joined his team in the final months of that campaign to manage their statewide field efforts. Continuing Louisiana Lefty’s study

Madison Smither, a young advocate and Democrat from Louisiana who’s currently attending the Harvard Kennedy School with a focus on climate and new energy, joins host Lynda Woolard to share her experience at the inaugural Global Clean Energy Action Forum and her research on the Inflation Reduction Act’s provisions that address climate change. Connect with Madison on Twitter, Facebook, and

Michael Hobbs, born and raised in the Deep South, is a Marine Veteran who served in the Iraq War and a political operative currently working to combat partisan and racial gerrymandering in Ohio. Between those two plot points in his life story, he’s been involved in Democratic campaigns in both Ohio and the great state of Louisiana as everything from

Angelle Bradford, activist and executive committee at-large member of Louisiana’s Delta Chapter of the Sierra Club, joins host Lynda Woolard to discuss her work on Climate Justice and Transit Equity. We address the intersectionality of this issue, particularly in our Gulf state, with the environment, wildlife, pollution, healthcare, workers’ rights, economic justice, and quality of life. Follow the Delta Chapter

Andy Berke, senior Biden administration official and U.S. special representative for broadband with a mission of internet access and equity, joins host Lynda Woolard to discuss his recent trip to Louisiana. While here, he attended the inaugural Louisiana Internet for All Summit where he announced big digital infrastructure investments for our state and spoke with Louisianans in rural as well

Sara Tabatabaie, chief political officer and communications director for VOTEPROCHOICE, joins host Lynda Woolard in a conversation about the importance of building a Pro-Choice Democratic bench at the local level and the work their organization is doing to elect Pro-Choice candidates up and down the ballot. Sign up for Action Alerts and get your local Pro-Choice Voter Guide at voteprochoice.us.

Drew Prestridge, president at Prestridge Political, joins host Lynda Woolard to talk about creating fundraising plans for candidates, beginning a career as a finance director, and developing a range of skill sets to increase your value on political campaigns. Connect with Drew on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Find more Louisiana Lefty content on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and at LouisianaLefty.Rocks. Thanks

Welcome to Season 4 of Louisiana Lefty! Host Lynda Woolard highlights key themes from Season 3, and gives a preview of the next phase. Please follow Louisiana Lefty on your favorite podcast platform and all our social media channels: Facebook Twitter Instagram Check out all the great Louisiana organizers we’ve celebrated on Bayou Brief’s Organizer of the Month Gallery. If

Louisiana Lefty is on summer break, but we’re releasing mini-pods. This week, we’ve got clips from an advocacy event we did last week, based on a piece host Lynda Woolard wrote for the Bayou Brief in response to the overturn of Roe by the Supreme Court. We had Deon Haywood, Executive Director of Women with a Vision, speak about what’s

Louisiana Lefty is on summer break, but we’re still releasing mini-pods. This week, Westley Bayas returns to the podcast to speak with host Lynda Woolard about GOTV or Get Out The Vote: what it is and what it is not. Find GOTV and other campaign trainings at the National Democratic Training Committee’s website: traindemocrats.org. Connect with Westley Bayas III on

Louisiana Lefty is on summer break for the next three episodes, but we’re still releasing mini-pods. This week, Stephen “Professor” Handwerk returns to the podcast to speak with host Lynda Woolard about the difference between the civic engagement of voter registration and the electoral work of Get Out The Vote. Visit IWillVote.com to check that your own voter registration is

On the final episode of season three, Liz Leger from Avoyelles Sleeves Up joins host Lynda Woolard to talk about organizing in rural parishes and small towns, whether for electoral politics or community engagement. Her team’s organizing work in Central Louisiana is a great blueprint for how to put progress above partisan ends, how to build relationships in more conservative

Ben Zucker, co-founder and co-director of Step Up Louisiana, joins host Lynda Woolard for the second in a two-part series focusing on this relatively young statewide community group, and their mission of good jobs and good schools for Louisiana. Ben and his partner Maria Harmon, who was on our previous episode, are classic organizers. Ben is leading Step Up’s efforts

Maria Harmon, co-founder and co-director of Step Up Louisiana, joins host Lynda Woolard for the first in a two-part series focusing on this relatively young statewide community group, and their mission of good jobs and good schools for Louisiana. Maria and her partner Ben Zucker, who will be on the next episode, are classic organizers. Maria is leading Step Up’s

Executive Director of the Alliance for Affordable Energy Logan Atkinson Burke joins host Lynda Woolard for the second of a two part interview during Earth Month. If you missed our previous episode, Greater Powers than You Know No. 1 with Logan Burke, please give it a listen, and then come back to this episode, as we pick up where we

Executive Director of the Alliance for Affordable Energy Logan Atkinson Burke joins host Lynda Woolard for the first of a two part interview during Earth Month. While the episode features some nerd outs over topics like the governor’s Climate Initiative Task Force, the bipartisan infrastructure plan, Build Back Better, and the Green New Deal, the reality is, energy issues affect

Norris Henderson, best known as founder and executive director of Voice of the Experienced (VOTE) and Voters Organized to Educate, joins host Lynda Woolard for the second of a two part interview to talk about his decades of organizing for Criminal Justice Reform, the patience and persistence required for progressive change, and the formula being used by his organizations to

Norris Henderson, best known as founder and executive director of Voice of the Experienced (VOTE) and Voters Organized to Educate, joins host Lynda Woolard for the first of a two-part interview to talk about his decades of organizing for Criminal Justice Reform, the patience and persistence required for progressive change, and the formula being used by his organizations to win

Justin Hartley, President of the College Democrats of Louisiana, joins host Lynda Woolard to talk about CDLA’s bold stances on issues impacting the state, the importance for Democrats to coalition build with local community groups, and the need for the party to pass the torch to the next generation. Connect with CDLA on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, or through their

Sade Dumas, executive director of the Orleans Parish Prison Reform Coalition and chair of PAC for Justice, joins host Lynda Woolard to talk about the foundational work that goes into successful progressive change, the tug of war between Criminal Justice Reform and rising crime rates, and how to best welcome people into the movement. Connect with OPPRC on Twitter, Facebook,

Welcome to Season 3 of Louisiana Lefty! Host Lynda Woolard shares some highlights from Season 2, and zeroes in on key themes we’ll continue to explore. Please follow Louisiana Lefty on your favorite podcast platform and all our social media channels: Facebook Twitter Instagram Check out all the great Louisiana organizers we’ve celebrated on the Bayou Brief’s Organizer of the

Louisiana Lefty is on winter break this month, but we’re still releasing Action Lefty mini-pods. This week, host Lynda Woolard highlights suggested materials from the Recommended Resources page of our website: LouisianaLefty.Rocks With Voting Rights legislation hanging in the balance, All In: The Fight for Democracy, a documentary framed by Stacey Abrams’ first run for governor of Georgia, is essential

Louisiana Lefty is on winter break this month, but we’re still releasing Action Lefty mini-pods. This week, host Lynda Woolard goes over the resources available on our website: LouisianaLefty.Rocks Any missed podcast episodes can be found on our Archives page. We continue to add to the Watch, Read, and Listen Lists on our Recommended Resources page. As we hit the first anniversary of the January

Self-described “Steminist” Alsie Dunbar joins host Lynda Woolard for a conversation on her journey to a career as a chemical engineer, as well as her STEM Gems program mentoring girls in Ascension Parish, encouraging them to explore the world of STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math]. We also talk about lessons learned on her 2017 campaign for a Louisiana legislative

Representative Aimee Adatto Freeman from Louisiana House District 98 joins host Lynda Woolard on this episode to recount how she passed the Pink Tax Exemption on feminine hygiene products and diapers, share insight on how to build needed majorities to pass bills, and explain the important role our progressive advocacy groups play in informing legislation. Connect with Rep. Freeman on Twitter, Facebook,

Epidemiologist Dr. Catherine Desmarais talks to host Lynda Woolard about her work in public health to address the coronavirus pandemic. We discuss how the virus has been purposely politicized. Then Catherine offers facts to help listeners make good health decisions for themselves, to debunk myths that have circulated out of misunderstanding and fear, and to counter disinformation that’s being spread

Mercedes Montagnes of the Promise of Justice Initiative and PAC for Justice talks to host Lynda Woolard about the success of the Unanimous Jury Coalition’s efforts to change the Louisiana Constitution, and explores other opportunities for Criminal Justice Reform in our state. Connect with the Promise of Justice Initiative on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Connect with PAC for Justice on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Find more

In Part 2 of the conversation between Bayou Brief publisher Lamar White, Jr. and host Lynda Woolard, they continue their conversation about Huey P. Long in the context of modern politics, explore some of the accusations made against Long by his contemporaries and scholars, and touch on some of the other topics of Lamar’s writing. If you missed Champion of

Lamar White, Jr. is publisher of and writer for Louisiana’s first and only reader-supported digital publication, the Bayou Brief. In this episode, he joins host Lynda Woolard for the first in a two-part conversation on the need for a left-wing media ecosystem, his new 3-part piece on the death of Huey P. Long, and how Long’s progressive populism compares to

Tyronne Walker, political consultant and Chief Administrative Officer for Orleans District Attorney Jason Williams, joins host Lynda Woolard for a conversation on building teams to win elections and making progress in Louisiana’s justice system. Connect with the work of @orleansparishda on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, as well as through their website: orleansda.com Note: Louisiana Lefty missed a few weeks of

Host Lynda Woolard is joined by Amelie LeBreton, former finance director for the DCCC and Planned Parenthood, as well as current development director for the Louisiana SPCA, for the second of a two-part conversation on fundraising for political campaigns. Learn more about creating a finance plan at the Complete Political Fundraising Guide for 2021 from Numero. Find information on donors

Host Lynda Woolard is joined by Amelie LeBreton, former finance director for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and Planned Parenthood, as well as current development director for the Louisiana SPCA, for the first of a two-part conversation on fundraising for political campaigns. Read more about the Basics of Fundraising for a Political Campaign from NGP-VAN. Thanks to Ben Collinsworth for

Lynda Woolard hosts Stephen Handwerk, consultant, strategist, and former executive director of the Louisiana Democratic Party, for the second in a series of episodes on how the Democratic party operates. This week, we go through the alphabet soup of organizations in Washington, D.C. that work on Democratic party politics throughout the United States. Follow Stephen Handwerk on Twitter. Read about

Host Lynda Woolard speaks to Louisiana District 93 Representative Royce Duplessis about his call to public service, his winning state house campaign, and successes worth celebrating from the legislative session. Connect with Royce Duplessis on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Click here to subscribe to Rep. Duplessis’ email newsletter Thanks to Ben Collinsworth for producing Louisiana Lefty, Jennifer Pack of Black

Welcome to Season 2 of Louisiana Lefty! Host Lynda Woolard shares some highlights from the first season, and sets up the next steps for the podcast. Please follow Louisiana Lefty on your favorite podcast platform. Thanks to all our wonderful guests and contributors, with special acknowledgments to Ben Collinsworth for producing Louisiana Lefty, Jennifer Pack of Black Cat Studios for

Louisiana Lefty is on summer break this month, but we’re still releasing Action Lefty mini-pods. This week, Lamar White, publisher of the Bayou Brief, joins host Lynda Woolard to discuss the Organizer of the Month Awards. View our previous awardees and nominate your favorite organizer for future recognition at the links below. Bayou Brief: Louisiana Organizer of the Month Gallery

Louisiana Lefty is on summer break this month, but we’re still dishing out tips and tricks! This week, host Lynda Woolard gives a quick overview of how to set up your own Letter To the Editor writing team, with best practices for getting your letters published. For more information on how to write letters and why they work, check out

Louisiana Lefty is on summer break this month, but we’re still dishing out tips and tricks! Follow Louisiana Lefty on Twitter! Louisiana Political Hashtags: #lalege #lagov #lasen How to Organize a Twitter Storm Thanks to Ben Collinsworth for producing Louisiana Lefty, Jennifer Pack of Black Cat Studios for creating our Super-Lefty artwork, and Thousand Dollar Car for allowing us to

Louisiana Lefty is on summer break this month, but we’re still dishing out tips and tricks! Follow us on Twitter! Thanks to Ben Collinsworth for producing Louisiana Lefty, Jennifer Pack of Black Cat Studios for creating our Super-Lefty artwork, and Thousand Dollar Car for allowing us to use their swamp pop classic, Security Guard, as the Louisiana Lefty theme song.

Host Lynda Woolard is joined by Davante Lewis, Director of Public Affairs and Outreach at the Louisiana Budget Project, for a conversation on the intersection of policy and organizing. Connect with Davante on Twitter. Check out the Louisiana Budget Project’s work at labudget.org, as well as on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. More ways to connect to Davante’s work: Foundation for

Lynda Woolard hosts Stephen Handwerk, consultant, strategist, and former executive director of the Louisiana Democratic Party, for the first in a series of episodes on how the Democratic party operates. This week, we go through what candidates need to know about getting an endorsement from the party. Find Stephen Handwerk on Twitter. Read the DNC bylaws. Read the Louisiana Democratic

Lynda Woolard hosts Gaby Goldstein, co-founder and Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Sister District, to discuss the importance of state legislatures in advancing progressive policies and protecting democracy. The conversation includes a deep dive into the work Sister District is doing across the country to share data, support organizers, and build coalitions, as part of a complete strategy

Lynda Woolard hosts Peyton Rose Michelle, activist with Louisiana Trans Advocates and elected member to the Democratic State Central Committee, for a discussion on anti-trans legislation, organizing at the state Capitol, and getting pronouns right. Follow Peyton on Twitter and Facebook. Connect to Louisiana Trans Advocates: latransadvocates.org Find more information about the Louisiana Legislature: legis.la.gov Watch Blair Imani’s Smarter in Seconds TikTok on Pronouns. Peyton used

Lynda Woolard hosts Brooks Fordham, student at Louisiana Tech in Ruston, LA, and outgoing Vice President of College Democrats of Louisiana, for the podcast’s continuing series of conversations with young Democratic leaders on the best ways to engage voters in their peer group. Connect with Louisiana Lefty on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Thanks to Ben Collinsworth for producing Louisiana Lefty,

Tamara Agins, Executive Director for Emerge Louisiana, joins host Lynda Woolard for a discussion on the crucial role their organization’s work to recruit and train Democratic women candidates plays in our state. Also, check out Women in Politics, the Bayou Brief’s very first podcast, which was recorded at the November 2017 launch of Emerge Louisiana. It features Lynda Woolard’s interview

Lynda Woolard hosts Cameron English, outgoing Chair of College Democrats of Louisiana, and plaintiff in the lawsuit filed by the National Democratic Redistricting Committee challenging Louisiana’s congressional district map. Following release of the 2020 census data, petitioners asked the Court to declare Louisiana’s current congressional district map unconstitutional and implement a new map that adheres to the constitutional requirement of

Lynda Woolard hosts Jean-Paul “J.P.” Morrell, self-described “former legislator, current lawyer, comic nerd and dad,” for a discussion on his role in ending the discriminatory practice of non-unanimous juries in Louisiana. J.P. walks us through the legislative efforts and messaging discipline that were required to get Constitutional Amendment 2 on the ballot in 2018. This, in turn, launched the Unanimous

Lynda Woolard hosts Frederick Bell, founder of Louisiana High School Democrats, organizer for multiple campaigns, and current campaign associate for the Democracy program at the Hub Project. You can connect to Frederick’s work, past and present, at the following links: Louisiana High School Democrats Bayou Brief Interview with James Carville Louisiana Youth Platform The Hub Project Thanks to Ben Collinsworth

Lynda Woolard hosts Robin Parrott, Democratic party leader, Emerge Louisiana alum, and former candidate for House District 95, to start a conversation on the difficulties of being a Democrat in solidly red parts of Louisiana. Robin shares her experiences running for office in Livingston Parish, and offers ideas of how Louisianans in Democratic strongholds can assist those who are trying

Host Lynda Woolard speaks with Hyma Moore, who has a wide range of experience in campaign communications, from press secretary to advance man for presidential candidates. The discussion includes advice to campaigns on crafting a strong communications strategy, explains how communications staff needs organizers to succeed, and shows the importance of early investment in young people who are interested in

Louisiana State Representative, Mandie Landry, talks to host, Lynda Woolard, about the extra hurdles women candidates face, the importance of having progressive representation in Baton Rouge, and the long game strategy Democrats must maintain to make progress in Louisiana. You can connect to Rep. Landry’s work by following @votelandry on Twitter and Instagram. To watch the Louisiana legislature during session,

Political strategist and media consultant, Westley Bayas III, and host, Lynda Woolard, discuss paid media for campaigns, give advice for progressives considering a run for office, and underscore the importance of utilizing modern campaign techniques to level the playing field in Louisiana. You can connect to Westley’s work at https://berlinrosen.com/campaigns/ and https://bit.ly/3aw0Te9 As promised, here is the photo of his

Democratic strategist, Ryan Berni, joins host, Lynda Woolard, for a discussion on how Louisiana Democrats and Progressives can “Win The Day.” Ryan is best known for his work with James Carville and Mitch Landrieu. You can connect to Ryan’s nonprofit, nonpartisan work with former mayor of New Orleans, Mitch Landrieu, through E Pluribus Unum at: unumfund.org and dividedbydesign.org Thanks to

Louisiana Pollster Jennifer Johnson joins host, Lynda Woolard, for a discussion on how to think about polls, how to use data to inform campaign work, and what the numbers can tell us about the possibilities for progressives. You can connect to Jennifer’s work at: ljrcustomstrategies.com Thanks to Ben Collinsworth for producing Louisiana Lefty, Jennifer Pack of Black Cat Studios for

Versha Sharma, Alexandria native and journalist with Now This!, joins host Lynda Woolard for a conversation about the role media plays in powering our organizing, combating disinformation, and saving democracy. You can connect to Versha’s work with Now This! at nowthisnews.com and all social media platforms. Follow @LouisianaLefty on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Thanks to Ben Collinsworth for producing Louisiana

Naima Savage, our inaugural Louisiana Organizer of the Month, joins host Lynda Woolard for a conversation highlighting the importance of the organizing craft, celebrating the ingenuity and thoughtfulness that have allowed organizers to continue the work during a pandemic, and rightfully elevating them to superhero status. You can connect to Naima’s work at stepuplouisiana.org Nominate your favorite Louisiana organizer for

Kirstin Alvanitakis, former Communications Director of the Louisiana Democratic Party, joins host Lynda Woolard for a conversation on messaging for Democratic candidates and Progressive community organizers. Thanks to Ben Collinsworth for producing Louisiana Lefty, Jennifer Pack of Black Cat Studios for creating our Super-Lefty artwork, and Thousand Dollar Car for allowing us to use their swamp pop classic, Security Guard,

As a follow up to our first episode, Ashley Shelton of the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice joins host Lynda Woolard for a conversation on organizing in Louisiana, framed by recent Democratic gains in Georgia. Connect to the Power Coalition at powercoalition.org. Follow @LouisianaLefty on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Thanks to Ben Collinsworth for producing Louisiana Lefty, Jennifer Pack

Candice Battiste of the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice joins host Lynda Woolard for a conversation on organizing in Louisiana, framed by recent Democratic gains in Georgia. Connect to the Power Coalition at powercoalition.org. Follow @LouisianaLefty on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Thanks to Ben Collinsworth for producing Louisiana Lefty, Jennifer Pack of Black Cat Studios for creating our Super-Lefty