Lynda Woolard’s political life started with Barack Obama, in a campaign and advocacy relationship that lasted from his 2007 announcement to his 2013 inauguration. She was then recruited by the Louisiana Democratic Party to create and run their grassroots mobilization effort, Team Blue Dat, until Gov.John Bel Edwards’ election in 2015. In 2016, Hillary Clinton’s Presidential campaign selected her to serve as State Director, as well as Whip Captain to Louisiana’s delegation to the Democratic National Convention. In 2017, she organized against Republican attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act. In 2018, she led statewide field efforts for the Unanimous Jury Coalition to pass Constitutional Amendment 2, ending Louisiana's discriminatory practice that allowed a defendant to be convicted of a felony with a non-unanimous jury. She also received the Organizer of the Decade award from the Louisiana Democratic Party. In 2019, she received the inaugural Felicia Kahn Citizenship Award from the New Orleans Coalition and spent the year dedicated to re-electing Gov. John Bel Edwards. In the 2021 election cycle, she managed PAC for Justice’s efforts to help elect the first Black woman sheriff in Louisiana, Susan Hutson of Orleans Parish. In January of 2021, she launched the Louisiana Lefty podcast, which focuses on progressive issues, successful campaigns, and the folks who organize on both in the state. Louisiana Lefty and Bayou Brief co-host a project which celebrates organizers through the Louisiana Organizer of the Month awards. In her free time, Lynda raises Monarch butterflies, cares for her many rescue pets, takes way too many photographs, and works on perfecting the art of the nap.
