The WIELD

07/16/2023

WIELD is proud to be selected as a Supporting Champion and partner with the National Partnership for Student Success (NPSS)! NPSS is a diverse coalition that connects nonprofits, school districts, state and local education agencies, federal agencies, philanthropy, and national and community organizations to support increased access to and implementation of student support programs, provides technical assistance and research to enhance program effectiveness, and helps to recruit AmeriCorps members and volunteers to the effort.

All students deserve the opportunities and support they need to succeed. Despite the heroic efforts of schools, educators, and families, the pandemic exacerbated educational and mental health challenges and widened long-standing inequities and opportunity gaps.

To address these challenges, the President has called for Americans to become tutors, mentors, success coaches, post-secondary transition coaches, and wraparound/integrated support providers. In pursuit of this goal, the NPSS focuses on these five key, evidence-based areas to support the needs of students both in and out of school.

Read more about our work and how you can get involved by clicking here: partnershipstudentsuccess.org

06/18/2023

Happy Father’s Day from WIELD!

05/19/2023

WIELD is extremely proud to serve as a Ready Louisiana Coalition member and partner in advocacy to urge the Louisiana State Legislature to appropriate $315 million to maintain child care access for 16,000 children birth through four years of age as a result of expiring one-time federal funds and expand access to high-quality early care and education for over 9,000 children in need. For more information about Ready Louisiana and to take action, click the link below. LEAD...SERVE...THRIVE!

The Ready Louisiana Coalition is bipartisan, statewide coalition of businesses, advocacy organizations, early care and education professionals, parents and citizens seeking sufficient investment in quality, affordable early care and education in Louisiana.

05/15/2023

Happy Mother’s Day from WIELD! 💐

04/01/2023

WIELD is celebrating Women's History Month by highlighting the history makers and trailblazers of the past, present, and future. These remarkable women have WIELDed their power and influence to positively impact disadvantaged communities and people of color within the Greater New Orleans Metropolitan area and beyond. WIELD salutes pioneering Physician, Dr. Thelma Coffey-Boutte!

Dr. Thelma Coffey-Boutte was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on February 9, 1911. She graduated from Xavier Preparatory School in 1927. Coffey-Boutte later moved to Chicago, Illinois to live with relatives. While in Chicago, she earned a college degree from Crane College in 1930.

In 1934, she earned her medical degree from Meharry Medical College. Coffey-Boutte returned to New Orleans briefly to complete her internship at Flint-Goodridge Hospital. Around the same time, Dr. Albert W. Dent convinced Flint-Goodridge’s board to offer maternity care. As a result, a steady stream of Black mothers were seen by Coffey-Boutte while she interned at Flint-Goodridge Hospital.

She went on to complete her residency at Provident Hospital in Chicago. In 1937, Dr. Coffey-Boutte returned to New Orleans where she opened a private practice; she became the first black woman to practice medicine in New Orleans. Dr. Coffey-Bouttee also joined the staff of Flint-Goodridge Hospital. She was member of Alpha Kappa Sorority, Inc.; during the 1930s, she and other members of the sorority who were doctors or nurses spent several summers volunteering at the 16 clinics set up by the sorority in the Mississippi Delta. The group served over 1500 families.

After she retired from her medical practice, Dr. Coffey-Boutte continued to work as an instructor at Xavier University in the Health and Science department. In 1973, she also represented her branch of the American Medical Women’s Association at the Medical Women’s International Association Meeting in Paris. Dr. Coffey-Boutte was honored by the National Council of Negro Women with its Mary McLeod Award in 1983. Dr. Coffey-Boutte retired in 1985. She died on June 21, 1991.

03/31/2023

WIELD is celebrating Women's History Month by highlighting the history makers and trailblazers of the past, present, and future. These remarkable women have WIELDed their power and influence to positively impact disadvantaged communities and people of color within the Greater New Orleans Metropolitan area and beyond. WIELD salutes Leader in Law Enforcement, Yvonne Bechet!

Yvonne Bechet was born in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1934. She graduated from Joseph S. Clark High School in 1951. In 1961, she began working at NASA and became one of the first women to install advanced electronics on the Apollo rockets. In 1968, Bechet graduated from the New Orleans Police Academy. She was one of only seven women to enter the program and the first Black woman to successfully complete the Police Academy. Bechet served as a Police Officer for 22 years and broke barriers.

Bechet received the NOPD Merit Award for her service. She was promoted to Commander of the Community Relations Division after only two years on the job where she oversaw the federally funded Officer Friendly program. Bechet's crowning achievement with the Community Relations Division were the summer talent shows held each week in one of the city's 11 housing projects.

As a Sergeant, Bechet was assigned to the Police Academy as an instructor. She was a champion for justice; as President of the Black Organization of Police, she sued NOPD to ensure Black officers had a fair chance at being accepted into the Police Academy. Her highest rank came during the Ernest "Dutch" Morial administration in which she was appointed Deputy Superintendent of Technical Services. She retired as a Lieutenant in 1990. Bechet passed away in 2020.

03/30/2023

WIELD is celebrating Women's History Month by highlighting the history makers and trailblazers of the past, present, and future. These remarkable women have WIELDed their power and influence to positively impact disadvantaged communities and people of color within the Greater New Orleans Metropolitan area and beyond. WIELD salutes Educator and Civic Leader, Mary D. Coghill!

Mary D. Coghill was likely born in Alabama in the early 1870s. Her family moved to New Orleans, Louisiana when she was a young girl. She was a bright student and won a Spelling Bee in 1887. Coghill attended Straight University to become a teacher. In 1902, she was appointed vice principal of Thomy Lafon School; she served in that role for five years. In 1908, the New Orleans School Board, in an effort to further segregate the educational system, replaced the all white staff of the Bayou Road School with an all black staff. Coghill was appointed as the principal; Fannie C. Williams and Agnes Lewis Bauduit served as the school’s teachers. A.P. Tureaud was a student at the Bayou Road School.

Coghill guided the Bayou Road School through many issues. In the early 1920s, the school board decided to build a brand new building a few blocks away. In 1923, the school’s name was changed to Joseph A. Craig; the new school site opened in 1927. Coghill continued to serve as principal of Craig until her retirement in 1941.

Coghill was a civic leader and an advocate for children in need. She worked tirelessly to fight hunger among orphaned children. In 1909, she became an officer of the Colored Juvenile Court Auxiliary. In 1919, she served as chairman of the New Orleans Colored Teachers’ Association. Later, she was a leader in the Negro School Principals Association. She was also active with the Hume Community Center, Colored Vocational Guidance Association, NAACP, YWCA, and the American Red Cross. During World War II, after her retirement from education, she served as co-chair of the Orleans Parish Negro War Savings Committee.

She was a founding member of the Colored Educational Alliance, which formed in 1913 to improve conditions in negro schools, expand educational offerings for black adults, and to open a high school for black children. The group worked to raise awareness, raise funds, and ultimately, to convince the Orleans Parish School Board to open McDonogh No. 35 High School in 1917. She continued to work with the Colored Educational Alliance for many years after.

Coghill continued to be a servant leader until her death. She passed away in 1957. In 1960, a primary school was built in New Orleans, Louisiana and named in her honor.

03/29/2023

WIELD is celebrating Women's History Month by highlighting the history makers and trailblazers of the past, present, and future. These remarkable women have WIELDed their power and influence to positively impact disadvantaged communities and people of color within the Greater New Orleans Metropolitan area and beyond. WIELD salutes School Board Leader and Civic Activist, Elizabeth Rack!

Elizabeth Rack was born in Rock Island, Illinois on October 8, 1921. She grew up in Houston, Texas and graduated from the Houston Public School District. In 1943, Rack earned a Bachelor's degree from Rice University. She moved to New Orleans, Louisiana in 1946 with her family.

Rack thrived in New Orleans as an advocate for public school education and as an activist for women's rights. She was elected to the Orleans Parish School Board and served as President in 1984. She was President of the founding board and very instrumental in the development of the New Orleans Center for Creative Art (NOCAA). Rack was also a founding member and the first President of the Committee of 21 and a member of the Board of Directors of Planned Parenthood.

Rack was recognized and honored with numerous awards for her activism and public service. She received the Hannah G. Solomon Award in 1988 from the Louisiana Branch of the National Council of Jewish Women. She also received the Key to the City from Mayor Mitch Landrieu in 2011. Rack passed away in 2017.

03/28/2023

WIELD is celebrating Women's History Month by highlighting the history makers and trailblazers of the past, present, and future. These remarkable women have WIELDed their power and influence to positively impact disadvantaged communities and people of color within the Greater New Orleans Metropolitan area and beyond. WIELD salutes School Board Leader, Rose Mary Loving!

Rose Mary Loving was born in Kenner, Louisiana. She was awarded an honorary Doctor of Education degree from Xavier University of New Orleans. Loving was involved with the public schools for two decades as a parent and was active in Chapter 1, a federal program providing remedial education to schools in low-income areas. She was the first black woman elected to the Orleans Parish School Board and served on it from 1977 to 1989. She was elected board president in 1982, 1983, and 1985. In addition, Loving was the first black woman appointed to the Louisiana School Boards Association's Board of Directors and was the first president of the Metropolitan School Boards Association.

A longtime volunteer and community activist, Loving was known for her work with older people and low-income families. She served in several leadership roles throughout her adult life. Loving was the Director of the Algiers-Fischer Community Center. She was a two-term member of the New Orleans Human Relations Committee. She was also a co-founder of the Emergency Fund for United Churches of Algiers. In 1982, Loving received the Torch of Liberty Award from the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith. She passed away in 2009.

03/27/2023

WIELD is celebrating Women's History Month by highlighting the history makers and trailblazers of the past, present, and future. These remarkable women have WIELDed their power and influence to positively impact disadvantaged communities and people of color within the Greater New Orleans Metropolitan area and beyond. WIELD salutes Singer and the Soul Queen of New Orleans, Irma Thomas!

Irma Thomas was born on February 18, 1941 in Ponchatoula, Louisiana. She was raised in New Orleans and attended McDonogh 41 High School. She honed her gift for singing by performing at the Home Mission Baptist Church. At the age of eleven, Thomas won The Ritz Theater’s talent night; two years later, she auditioned for Specialty Records. Her first single, "Don't Mess with My Man", was released in late 1959; it reached number 22 on the US Billboard R&B chart.

Thomas later began recording on the Minit label, working with songwriter and producer Allen Toussaint on songs including "It's Raining" and "Ruler of My Heart". Imperial Records acquired Minit in 1963. Her first four Imperial singles all charted on Billboard's pop chart. She recorded for Chess Records in from 1967to 1968. She then relocated to California, releasing records on various small labels, before returning to Louisiana. Thomas opened the Lion's Den Club in New Orleans in the 1980s.

In 1991, Thomas earned her first Grammy Award nomination for Live! Simply the Best. The album Sing It! was also nominated for a Grammy in 1999. In 2007, Thomas was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. The same year she won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album. She was the subject of the 2008 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival poster; she consistently performs at the festival. Thomas won the Blues Music Award in 2013 and 2014. In 2018, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award for Performance at the Americana Music Honors & Awards.

03/26/2023

WIELD is celebrating Women's History Month by highlighting the history makers and trailblazers of the past, present, and future. These remarkable women have WIELDed their power and influence to positively impact disadvantaged communities and people of color within the Greater New Orleans Metropolitan area and beyond. WIELD salutes Actress and Culture Bearer, Adella Gautier!

Adella Gautier was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on January 15, 1948. She graduated from McDonogh #35 High School in 1965. Gautier earned a Bachelor's degree in 1969 from Dillard University. After completing her undergraduate studies, she moved to Boston to study law; however, pursued a career in acting instead.

She returned to New Orleans in the 1970s, where worked as a city planner and immersed herself in the Black theater movement. In the 1980s, Gautier took a position as a visiting artist in the New Orleans Public School System. She engaged students in the art of storytelling and became known as Adella Adella the Storyteller.

For more then fifty years, Gautier captivated audiences of all ages with her animated and highly energetic performances. From the Aegean Institute in Greece to the Zuni Pueblo in New Mexico, she toured extensively sharing her gift of storytelling. As Adella Adella the Storyteller, she was a New Orleans culture bearer who mesmerized her audiences with stories drawn from personal, African, African/American, Caribbean and European folklore and oral traditions. She passed away in 2021.