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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E61]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRIBUTE TO LYNDA DeLaFORGUE
______
HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY
of illinois
in the house of representatives
Thursday, January 17, 2019
Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of an
outstanding progressive warrior: Lynda DeLaForgue. Co-director of
Citizen Action/Illinois, the largest progressive public interest
organization in the state, Lynda has left an indelible mark on laws and
policies that directly impact our families and institutions. A
skillful, smart and strategic leader, she has had an outsized impact--
one that has made untold thousands of people's lives better. While her
death last weekend is a tremendous loss for all of us who worked with
her, admired her and loved her, her legacy will remain strong for
decades to come.
Lynda liked to quote Eleanor Roosevelt, and one of her favorite
quotes was this one: ``A woman is like a tea bag; you never know how
strong it is until it's in hot water.'' Lynda took those words to
heart. In fighting against payday loans or for affordable health care,
Lynda was ``Eleanor Roosevelt''. She was the epitome of
``persistence''--fighting for financial protections, green energy
solutions, or democracy reforms. Whether you served in local, state or
federal government, when Lynda reached out you knew she would have
facts, solutions and people behind her. And you knew that she would not
give up until she had succeeded .
I first met Lynda when she worked for the Illinois Public Action
Council as a door-to-door canvasser, office manager and voter
registration organizer. She expanded her role to work on consumer
issues--health policy, financial protections, marriage equality, and
energy--always being sure to link policy to the real people and to
organizing. In 1997, she became associate director--and three years
later co-director--of Citizen Action/Illinois. While there, she and co-
director William McNary made Citizen Action/Illinois an innovative and
effective organization, recognized throughout Illinois and the country.
Throughout her career, Lynda focused on an underlying idea: that we
can empower people to demand and organize on their own behalf to win a
more just, fair and opportunity-filled society. It is an idea easier to
state than to achieve, but Lynda knew the keys to success: to have
convictions, persistence, and to work hard. She also knew the power of
organizing and building coalitions. Lynda led by example, and she
always took time to mentor and train her staff and provide solid
counsel to her allies and aspiring young organizers and leaders. There
is no one who combined all these attributes more than Lynda.
Even as she struggled with colon cancer, Lynda kept her eyes on the
task at hand. She was actively engaged in leading the progressive
political coalition that she built. She used her own experiences with
the health care system to promote reform and access. She was on the
phone with my office talking about the possibilities before us in the
116th Congress even as she was getting her chemo-therapy treatments.
Lynda brought the same joy and passion to her private life as to her
justice work. Everyone enjoyed being with Lynda. She was interested in
others and interesting to be around. She was excited to travel, whether
exploring her French roots or discovering new avant-garde artists.
Above all, she was devoted to her family: her sister Laura, her
children Katy and Jordan, and her life partner Brian Reizfeld. To them,
I extend my sincere sympathy and my hope that they will take some
comfort in knowing how many people loved and are inspired by Lynda.
As Eleanor Roosevelt told us, ``One's philosophy is not best
expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes . . . and
the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility.'' Lynda
DeLaForgue chose to live a life of conviction and action. I will miss
her very much.
____________________
