2019 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 70
BY SENATOR BOUDREAUX
A RESOLUTION
To commend and congratulate Lena Fontenot Charles upon her induction into the St. Landry
Parish Democratic Party Hall of Fame.
WHEREAS, Lena F. Charles is a graduate of Holy Ghost Catholic High School and
a native of Opelousas, Louisiana; and
WHEREAS, her passion, work, and service in the community involves helping
people and working toward raising the quality of lives, while addressing changing systems
and structures, that creates a critical option for the poor and marginalized; and
WHEREAS, as a project manager, in 2009, Ms. Charles retired from BellSouth after
thirty-seven and a half years in which she was responsible for all new projects and managed
all network system enhancements and other subordinate managers; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Charles graduated from TH Harris Technical College in Business
Administration, and as a Certificated Facilitator of Effective Black Parenting, she held
classes for ten years; and
WHEREAS, for fifteen years, Ms. Charles served as president of the Southern
Development Foundation (SDF), a local nonprofit organization that focuses on improving
the lives and economic development in the community, having worked on such projects as:
the Original Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival, the Haitian Projects Orphanage,
Primary and Secondary School, University and Small Micro-Loan Services in Haiti, in
community financial services providing local micro-loans to the marginalized, and as
national chairperson of BUST (Black Unity and Spiritual Togetherness); and
WHEREAS, for an additional ten years she served as a board member of SDF and
as director of cultural affairs; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Charles served as an organizer and activist with the City of
Opelousas Economic Development Community; and
WHEREAS, she served as President of "Re-Building Together with Christmas in
April", an elderly housing program in St. Landry Parish; and
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WHEREAS, she served as chairperson of the Diocese of Lafayette Campaign
Against Poverty, working on such projects as the Diocese of Lafayette Advisory Board of
Justice and Peace, co-hosted a local TV show on AOC Lafayette, and as a Holy Ghost
Pastoral Council member and workshop facilitator on Evangelization and Social Justice
Doctrine; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Charles served as the City of Lafayette Goodwill Ambassador
being appointed by Mayors Comeau and Dural and on several other boards such as the Child
and Youth Services Board, St. Landry Parish Economic Development Board, and as chair
of the Opelousas Downtown Development District; and
WHEREAS, the St. Landry Democratic Parish Executive Committee annually names
persons of high ethical and moral character who have promoted the principles of
constitutional equality, personal liberty, economic opportunity, and government and fiscal
responsibility whose impact has positively influenced the entire parish and the state; and
WHEREAS, the Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, who is then considered to
be a member of the St. Landry Democratic Party Hall of Fame, is also a person who
recognizes and respects the diversity of all Americans and promotes the common unity of
all, leading the political party and displaying strong leadership throughout their career; and
WHEREAS, Lena F. Charles has demonstrated a devotion to all of these principles
of the St. Landry Democratic Party with a lifetime of efforts championing these principles
that are so essential to the ideas of American democracy; and
WHEREAS, during the Lifetime Achievement Banquet, held on March 26, 2019,
Lena F. Charles was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby commend and congratulate Lena Fontenot Charles upon her induction into the
St. Landry Parish Democratic Party Hall of Fame.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
Lena Fontenot Charles.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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