Lynn C. French has devoted her adult life to developing healthy communities for families and especially children.  She lived in Chicago 1966-1973, where she was a student at Roosevelt University and active in the Black Power Movement – ultimately joining the Black Panther Party’s Illinois Chapter in 1968. These years were spent developing and administering programs such as the Free Breakfast Program, child care centers and food and clothing giveaways. 

She was assigned to the Berkeley, California Branch 1971-1972, where she served as Officer of the Day, founded a child care center and participated in serving free breakfast to neighborhood school children. 

French lived and worked in Cambridge, Massachusetts, from 1973 until 1976, where she co-founded and co-administered the International Day Care Center.  During these years she also was employed as the Cambridge-Somerville Community Representative for the Massachusetts Office for Children. 

She has spent the last 42 years working in community development and housing policy in Washington, DC.  Her work in these areas began in 1980 at the Council of the District of Columbia, where she worked until 1987, drafting legislation and supporting the work of two Councilmembers in a variety of bills affecting rent control, the Comprehensive Plan, parks and most notably drafting the Homestead Housing Preservation Act of 1987. 

French joined the DC Department of Housing and Community Development in 1987 as Homestead Program Administrator.  She served in that capacity until 2001, thereby returning to the market and city tax rolls at least 2,000 formerly substandard and dilapidated housing units in both single family houses and apartment buildings, by facilitating their sale to first time homebuyers and supporting their efforts to renovate their new homes. 

From 2001 until her retirement from city government in 2006, French served as the Senior Policy Advisor for Homeless and Special Needs Housing in the Executive Office of the Mayor.  She led the team that drafted Homeless No More: A Strategy for Ending Homelessness in Washington, DC, by 2014.  During these years French also coordinated implementation of sweeping improvements in shelter conditions and facilitated the development of supportive housing. 

After retirement from the District Government, French began her service as Executive Director of Hope and a Home, Inc., a transitional housing program for low-income, homeless families in the City – including administering a fund that sends youth to college. 

Her volunteer work has included serving on the DC Housing Production Trust Fund Board, decades of work in the Ward One Democrats, as well as over a decade as an elected Ward One representative on the DC Democratic Party State Committee. 

French, a District native, completed her elementary and high school education in Washington, DC.  She graduated with honors from Wellesley College and earned her Juris Doctorate at the University of Virginia School of Law, where she was an Earl Warren Scholar.  Throughout her career she has received numerous honors and recognition from the government and a broad range of nonprofit development corporations and community groups. 

Michael D. McCarty joined the Illinois Chapter of the Black Panther Party in 1968 shortly after the chapter opened at 2350 West Madison on Chicago’s Westside. The Chapter Chairman, Fred Hampton, was a dynamic leader, visionary and motivator. Michaelwas a member of the Education Cadre whose job was to conduct the Political Education classes. All party members sold the Black Panther Newspaper, worked in the Breakfast for Children program and/or the Spurgeon Jake Winters Free Medical Clinic. 

As a professional storyteller for twenty-five years, Michael is a latter day Griot, specializing in African and Afro-American history and culture. Just like many former BPP members Michael is still active in the community and works with others in Chicago, Los Angeles and the world. 

THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES!!! 

Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. Athletic scholarship to Loras College Dubuque Iowa. Left school first time to join Milwaukee NAACP Youth Commandos in Fair Housing marches and struggle. Returned to college in 1968 to Howard University. Left school again to join Black Panther Party. Functioned as Section Chief on Southside. Traveled to Cuba in 1972 and lived there for 11 years. Became fluent in Spanish.  Returned to US, apprehended in 1983. Served 7 years of prison. Released 1990. Have been a licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor in State of Texas since 2008.