Rosalind Peychaud facts for kids

Rosalind Peychaud speaks about how communities can work together to students in 2009.

Rosalind Magee Peychaud, born in 1948, is an American politician and a leader in her community. She worked as a state representative for Louisiana from 2002 to 2004. In 2009, she became a top assistant for U.S. Representative Joseph Cao in New Orleans.

Early Life and Education

Rosalind Magee was born in 1948 in Monticello, Mississippi. Her father, James H. Magee Sr., was a church leader. Her mother was Marion Magee. Rosalind has two sisters, Catherine and Regina, and a brother, James Jr.

Rosalind Peychaud studied at Jackson State University, where she earned a degree in Educational Psychology. She later received a Master of Social Work from Tulane University.

Community Work and Leadership

Rosalind Peychaud is the executive director of the New Orleans Neighborhood Development Foundation (NDF). This group helps improve neighborhoods. She also advises the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas on affordable housing.

Peychaud is a member of several important city groups. These include the New Orleans City Planning Commission and the Neighborhood Conservation District Committee. The NDF was started in 1986. It has focused on helping an area in New Orleans called the Hoffman Triangle.

The Hoffman Triangle Project

Signs in the Hoffman Triangle announce community improvement meetings and activities.

Rosalind Peychaud created the name "Hoffman Triangle." She named it after the John W. Hoffman Elementary School in that area. When she was a state representative, she described the Hoffman Triangle as a place with many problems.

These problems became even worse after Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005. Peychaud continued to work on improving the area. She spoke about these challenges at a national meeting in 2008.

Political Career and Challenges

Rosalind Peychaud was part of a group that wanted to reform the Democratic Party in New Orleans. She often disagreed with another politician, William J. Jefferson. In 2002, Peychaud won a special election to become a state representative. She defeated Jalila Jefferson-Bullock, who is William Jefferson's daughter.

However, in the next general election in 2003, Jefferson-Bullock won the seat back from Peychaud. In later elections, Peychaud supported other candidates against William Jefferson. For example, in 2008, she supported Joseph Cao, who then won against Jefferson.

Rosalind Peychaud and the Jefferson family have had a long history of political disagreements. This has often led her to work with other political figures like Karen Carter Peterson and Helena Moreno.

Personal Life

Rosalind Magee Peychaud is married to Joseph Ernest Peychaud. He is related to Antoine Amédée Peychaud, who created a famous drink ingredient called Peychaud's Bitters. Rosalind Peychaud is a Baptist.