NEW ORLEANS – This week, longtime Democratic grassroots activist and strategist Lynda Woolard presented podcast listeners with a new season of Louisiana Lefty, a podcast for progressives about politics and community in Louisiana. Interest in its content has spiked in light of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and the heightened significance of the 2022 Midterm Elections.
Louisiana Lefty was created to fill a void in the state’s media ecosystem. Lynda said, “We want people to know that there is a space online where we’re having conversations about growing the progressive movement for the health of the state, the South, and the country.” She continued, “While the topics we discuss are common inside community organizations and political campaigns, there’s been no public space to share this information or to connect the average voter with groups doing the work in Louisiana.” The stated goal at the start of each episode is “to democratize information, demystify party politics, and empower you to join the mission.”
Previous guests include progressive elected officials like Rep. Mandie Landry and Rep. Royce Duplessis, experienced campaign operatives like Stephen Handwerk and Kirstin Alvanitakis, and accomplished community leaders like VOTE’s Norris Henderson and the Power Coalition’s Ashley Shelton. Some recurring issues of focus are how to improve fundraising and communications skills, how to counter disinformation, how to engage young voters, and how to build the movement. The podcast puts a heavy emphasis on the noble work of organizing, and even has a monthly collaborative effort with the Bayou Brief celebrating a regular Louisiana Organizer of the Month.
Louisiana Lefty can be heard on major podcast apps, including Apple, Google, and Spotify. New this season, episodes will be available on YouTube, where the podcast’s first live audience advocacy event was also recently posted. The vibrant LouisianaLefty.Rocks website contains an archive of both audio recordings and transcripts of past episodes, as well as additional resources recommended by the host and guests. Further content is available through the podcast’s Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook accounts, with the latter boasting a Lefty Lagniappe album of special video mini-interviews with each guest.
As the forces against democracy and progress remain strong, Lynda suggests that, “We create our own hope through organizing.” Followers of the podcast can tune in every other week for a dose of positivism and pragmatism, while taking away concrete lessons on how to organize more effectively and how to strategize to win.
The 9 minute trailer for Season Four is available here: The Next Phase with Lynda Woolard
