Monroe Dispatch - No Struggle, No Progress

Why do I want my old seat back?

Four years ago, I had 91 reasons to leave the Ouachita Parish Police Jury. At 91 years of age, my Mom was finally in need of my personal care. I could not serve her and my constituents at the same time. I pride myself as a "fully in or fully out" type of person. I was not willing to half-serve my constituents. They deserved better. And I definitely wasn't going to neglect my Momma. So, for the next four years, Olee (my Momma) and I were a "thing". I thought she would live to be 100. I really did. Sure, she was suffering from cognitive decline, but she was here. I watched as she slowed down until finally, on January 9, 2023, around 3:00 PM, at nearly 95 years young, while in her own bed, Momma left me. I was beside her until the very end. She left me in peace, and I am really ok. 8 months later, I realize I have 25,533 reasons to resume my position as a Police Juror. 25,533 people living in my District and are all in need of an advocate. Someone who will listen to their concerns and fight for them. Someone who is dedicated to serving. Without a doubt, I am that person. What finally made me decide to return was the youth. There is such a need for advocacy for our youth ...our future. A crisis is happening right before our faces as debilitating as gun violence. Vaping! The schools are loaded with addicted youth full of good-tasting vapes. In the same way that I fought for JS Clark Cemetery to come out of disarray into a much better resting place, in the same way that I fought to give Richwood High School $500,000 to invest in their vocational program, in the same way that I fought not to have Swanson build a new and improved detention center behind neighborhood homes in south Monroe, in the same way that we fought to have Graphic Packaging, one of the largest processing plant in Louisiana built right in District D, in the same way that I fought to have impossible roads covered and ditches cleared plus all the other roles I willingly performed during my tenure...I will fight for our youth. I will fight for our neighborhoods because I am and will always be DEDICATED TO SERVE!