[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 10 (Thursday, January 17, 2019)]
[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.

                          ____________________