Richard Bell
Rev. Richard Bell joined ACORN as a member around 2007 in New Orleans, and became a leader in the Lower 9th Ward. In this interview, he talks about his calling from a young age to help people. He shares early experiences of leadership in high school and then in the National Guard — where he stood up against racial discrimination. He served for many years in the National Guard’s administrative section and eventually worked for the Avondale Shipyard in Avondale, LA in the Personnel department. He discusses his involvement in many groups, in addition to ACORN/ACORN International, including the Louisiana American Legion, and his drive to always take action in order to make change in his community. He shares about organizing with ACORN after Hurricane Katrina, and still today with ACORN International and A Community Change. He says many times that these groups were/are “a voice for the people” and mentions that without ACORN, people wouldn’t have known who to turn to for help. He also discusses going to Canada to represent the U.S. at an ACORN International event, where he spoke in front of 400 people. This interview may be of interest to people who want to hear from an ACORN member/leader organizing his community in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and who is still active in New Orleans with ACORN International and A Community Voice.