NEW ORLEANS — Today, the SPLC Action Fund endorsed Kimberly Bainguel in her race to represent District 1 on the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board.
A licensed clinical social worker, who also teaches graduate-level social work as an adjunct professor at Walden University, Bainguel works directly with children, couples and families to navigate mental health challenges and relationship conflict. Through the Rise Foundation, she is developing the CALM Program (Cultivating Awareness, Life Skills & Mindfulness) to bring practical mental-health and life-skills support into K–12 schools.
Her platform centers around restoring trust and transparency in how decisions are made and how money is spent within the school system, ensuring teachers have competitive pay and manageable workloads, and providing families with a seat at the table in discussions about closing, merging or repurposing neighborhood schools. Bainguel has committed to putting student well-being at the center of academic achievement by expanding school-based mental health supports, restorative practices and social-emotional learning.
“Kimberly Bainguel recognizes that academic growth needs a foundation to stand on. Children who are anxious, grieving, hungry or unsafe are not in the state of mind to focus and learn,” said Madison Hollon, senior program manager of political campaigns, SPLC Action Fund. “With a proven advocate for and mentor to young people on the school board, families in East Baton Rouge Parish can trust that their voices will be heard and that their schools will have clear standards and policies that ensure every student has the best possible opportunity to receive the quality education they deserve.”
Elections will be held on Nov. 3, 2026. Learn more about how to vote in Louisiana.
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About the SPLC Action Fund
SPLC Action Fund is a catalyst for racial justice in the South and beyond, working in partnership with communities to dismantle white supremacy, strengthen intersectional movements and advance the human rights of all people. For more information, visit www.splcactionfund.org.