Shreveport Activist 'Doesn't Just Talk The Talk, She Walks The Walk'

Shreveport, LA — Without community leaders, Shreveport wouldn’t hum along nearly as smoothly as it does. We’d miss their contributions in big and small ways.

Patch has partnered with T-Mobile to recognize these often unsung community leaders and celebrate their contributions.

This submission comes from Debra, a Shreveport reader who nominated Dr. Greshun De Bouse.

How do you know this community leader?

Read great things about her in the library and on the internet, and [we] met at an event.

What does this community leader do?

American Global activist.

Why do you believe the community leader should be recognized or honored?

Dr. Greshun De Bouse is a strong leader and activist who takes action and wants the best for all people. She has started equality and awareness movements that are now international, where she helps kids, homeless, elderly, disabled, police, hungry, displaced — just everybody. She doesn't just talk the talk, she walks the walk. She is global, but she always takes care of Louisiana first. She started the first active fuel stimulus for people in Louisiana to get fuel for to go to work and daycare in 2022. She trains kids on how to act with police officers. She partners with restaurants to provide food to the hungry throughout the year.

In 2020, Dr. De Bouse was honored when the Black McDonald's Operators Association used her hashtag for #urbaneducatorday to give out supplies to students for Urban Educator Day, which Dr. De Bouse created. She has offered assistance to relocate and reinstate police officers elsewhere who were displaced from their jobs during the height of COVID.

She is so strong, but she has a gentle caring soul. I met her and her father at an event where Dr. De Bouse and her dad were feeding, clothing, and providing free bus tickets for stranded people trying to get home to their families for the holidays. I was in the local library one day and read about Dr. De Bouse and one of her many causes for kids in the reference section. She is always doing research to help improve Louisiana Police Departments and Louisiana as a whole, and she just put out her interview and research with National Analyst Hernandez on Louisiana police for Louisiana Law Enforcement Day.

She advocates for the rights of the disabled, and ensures facility ADA compliance. She does so much good. A statue of her famous relative Leadbelly is in downtown Shreveport, and she founded the holiday to educate everyone about his contributions to the world. Dr. De Bouse is always working on projects to help everyone. I am amazed by her.

What's one thing you want everyone to know about the community hero?

Dr. De Bouse has a kind heart that enables her to really stand for equality for everyone.

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