By Paul Anger
Jefferson Parish Democratic Executive Committee
The Jefferson Parish Democrats held their annual Blue Horizon Dinner Monday night at The Four Columns in Harvey – recognizing the Honorable Cedric L. Richmond with the Blue Horizon Award and honoring seven community members with Champions of Service Awards. The keynote speech was given by new Louisiana Democratic Party Chair Randal Gaines.
A crowd of almost 200 saluted Richmond for his impact on Louisiana and the country as a state legislator, U.S. Representative from the 2nd Congressional District, senior advisor to President Joe Biden, director of the national Office of Public Engagement and now senior advisor to the Democratic National Committee.
Richmond told the crowd that the 2024 presidential election will be a watershed moment for American democracy. He said that if Donald Trump is elected, America will move toward autocratic rule, economic policy will benefit the wealthiest, and a potential ultra-conservative majority on the Supreme Court will eviscerate our rights and freedoms.
“Republicans are not on your side,” Richmond said. “They cut education funding -- to make you smarter? They cut health care -- to make you healthier?”
By contrast, he said, “Under Joe Biden, child poverty has been reduced by 50%. More Americans have health care than at any point in our history. In the last four years, we’ve created 15 million jobs. We’re in the longest streak of job growth in American history.
“A lie that they tell over and over,” he said, “is that Republicans are better for the economy.”
Gaines vowed to reinvigorate Democrats in Louisiana. “Not just as a political agenda,” he said, “but as a moral imperative. We’re going to rebuild this party – we’ve done it before. We’ve got a great number of talented, powerful individuals.”
Jefferson Parish Democratic Executive Committee Chair Raven Lyons said Democrats across Louisiana “look forward to his leadership” in a “critically important position.”
Gaines, a lawyer and former three-term state legislator and military officer, vowed that Democrats would “step up for Louisiana” and that the far-right administration of Gov. Jeff Landry will increasingly turn off many voters.
A highlight of the evening was the salute to seven Champions of Service:
Lydia Bolden of Avondale, Gisele Gougisha of Gretna, Stewart (Redd) Hartman of Gretna, Candice Huber of Kenner, Maria Pabon of Jefferson, Danisha Shaw of Kenner and Brenda Brent Williams of Harvey.
Their impact takes many forms -- feeding the hungry, coaching and inspiring children, fighting for rights of the underserved, expanding access to books, empowering people to tell their stories, and much more. To learn more about these honorees, visit https://Facebook.com/JPDemocrats.
Bolden, Gougisha and Williams are members of St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church in Marrero. St. Joseph Pastor Sydney Speaks praised them with words that apply to all seven champions:
“If you want to make change, you have to have feet on the ground ... their leadership has been tremendous.”