Leadership
Jaqcueline Jones

A Woman of Color, Class with the Courage to Create Change  

      
Jacqueline Carroll-Jones, affectionately called “Jackie” has served as the Executive Director/Lead Organizer of the Jeremiah Group, the oldest community organization in the New Orleans metropolitan area for 27 years. She has played an integral role in changing policies and processes that have opened doors of opportunity for individuals from all walks of life. Her values, love of people and tenacity to fight in troubling times can be credited to her late parents, Dr. Joseph and Mrs. Constance Carroll. She honors their legacy through her continued public service and passing those attributes of public servitude to her children, Tenaj and Che Jones.

Being one of the first African American students to integrate Worley Jr. High School in Jefferson Parish and then denied access to bowling activities with her class due to segregation, were the precedent events that would shape the curse of Jackie’s life. It was not until Jackie’s parents advocated for inclusion, was she able to attend with a school administrator.

Understanding that education is the key to a productive and viable life for African Americans was the foundation and motivation that led to Jackie’s 23 years in the Jefferson Public School System as both a regular and Special Education Teacher. Her tenure with the system also included serving as the first Intervention Coordinator for John Martyn Alternative High School. The highlight of Jones’ teaching career was presenting at the Special Education Super Conference and then having her program adopted in Jefferson Parish School System. Jones accomplishments as an educator was a catapult of many distinguished honors:  1st African American Key Club Advisor in the state of Louisiana and 1st Female Honorary Kiwanis Member in Jefferson Parish.


The highlight of Jones’ teaching career was presenting at the Special Education Super Conference and then having her program adopted in the Jefferson Parish School System.

Her ability to produce special events and projects within her school and community, led to the launching of Class Act Productions. One of the most accomplished and historical events produced under Jackie's reign was the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “Peace of the Past” Celebration for the City of Westwego. On March 15, 1994, through the organizing efforts of Alderman Glenn Green, the City of Westwego passed Ordinance No.1017 which amended Westwego Code of ordinance 2:124 (a) and (c) establishing the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as a city holiday. Following the passing of the ordinance, Mayor Robert Billiot and Alderman Glenn Green commissioned Jones to produce a celebration to commemorate the King Holiday. The first celebration included a banquet, a community musical and one of the biggest parades in the metropolitan area, which made the national news.

For almost three decades, Jackie has organized, collaborated and coordinated strategies, policies and initiatives to make Jefferson and surrounding parishes, our state and a nation a better place to prosper and succeed. What keeps her on the battlefield amidst the challenges, is her early encounter of sadness and anger, when because of the color of her skin, she faced so many injustices as an innocent student. Embedded in her passion for community, is the hopes that no one else will ever share her experiences of prejudice and pain.
 
In her never-ending fight for justice in both Louisiana and Texas, she has collaborated with former Presidents Barrack Obama, Bill Clinton, George Bush, Governor Kathleen Blanco, Mayors Morial, Nagin and Landrieu to diminish the disparities in vulnerable communities that lead to an empowered constituency.

The highlights of Jackie’s most notable accomplishments as the Lead Organizer of The Jeremiah Group include the following: 

• Secured $75 million for a first-time affordable homebuyers’ program for families below 80% of the AMI to combat a dyer housing crisis post Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Mayor Landrieu declared this as the largest wealth building strategy in the City of New Orleans’ history.

• Organizing efforts were instrumental in the passing of legislation that permitted polling sites outside of the City of New Orleans to modify the criteria for absentee mail-in voting and in person voting post Hurricane Katrina.

• Organizing efforts led to reforming the Advanced Academies admission process resulting to a more transparent and equitable process with a new set of procedures, policies, and an oversite committee due to minority students who wrongfully denied admissions and testing opportunities.

• Coordinated the first Jefferson Parish Wide Voter Registration Day along with an annual high school student registrations drive.

• Organized the first Student led Candidate Accountability Forum in Jefferson Parish.

• Collaborated with demographer and community to create the second majority-minority African American District on the Jefferson Parish School Board.

Jackie is the recipient of the following prestigious awards:

• 50 Women of the Year awarded by New Orleans City Business Magazine

• Trailblazer Award by Data News and Cox Communication

• LORA Award by Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation (LDRF) Given to Organizers in recognition for leadership and organizing in the recovery and rebuilding of metro New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina

• Citizen of the Year awarded by POSE

• Community Advocacy Icon Award by SIGMA GAMMA RHO.

• Community Advocacy Award by OMEGA PSI PHI FRATERNITY, INC.

• Community Service Award by Jefferson Parish Democratic Executive Committee

Jacqueline C. Jones truly exemplifies the essence of a community servant and an agent of change.