Richard Walker, Hollywood’s Iconic Coach/Aspiring Commissioner
By Nunnie Robinson, The Westside Gazette writer
The name Richard Walker may not resonate immediately in some areas of the county, but in Hollywood and in other south Broward locals, he is a renaissance man, having left an indelible imprint on the lives of generations of youth as a highly successful basketball coach and community servant. He led the Lady Bulldogs of South Broward High School to 6 state championships while positively influencing and inspiring his players and mentees to be the best versions of themselves, not only athletically but academically as well.
Professionally, he has worked for over 30 years with the City of Hollywood as Program Director in the Parks Department at both Washington Park and the Dr. Martin Luther King Centers. His stellar, innovative leadership and management style has given him iconic, generational stature among the youth and citizens of Hollywood and surrounding areas. As a community servant, he is a respected member of the Liberia Civic Association, a minister with the New Jerusalem Baptist Church and the founder of the Hollywood Eagles Development Program.
He has received several endorsements from local officials, none more impactful than that of Tamara James, a Walker protege as well as former Dania Beach mayor who presently serves as a Dania Beach commissioner. Her voice can be heard in an introductory video about Coach Walker’s life, career and political aspirations. (Video can be viewed on campaign’s official website: www.WalkerForHollywood.com; the Westside Gazette website, www.thewestsidegazette.com, and all social media platforms. Other endorsements have come from city commissioner Vice Mayor Linda Anderson, Broward County Vice Mayor Beam Furr, former Hollywood District 2 Commissioner, former Hollywood Mayor Peter Bober, and former city commissioner Dick Blattner.
The Westside Gazette posed several questions to Coach Walker, endeavoring to gain greater insight into his vision for the city of Hollywood and his political aspirations. The following question/answer dialogue will provide erudition for citizens in the City of Hollywood’s District 2 voting community.
WG: Please give details regarding your background – birthplace, parents, siblings.
Coach Walker: I was born at Providence Hospital in Fort Lauderdale to parents the late Mercy Lee Walker & Rosa Dell Walker. I have 6 siblings, 3 sisters and 3 brothers: Beverly Coachman, Catherine Mitchell, and Patricia Sampson; the late Andrew Walker, Percy Walker, and Leonard Mitchell.
WG: What is your educational
background?
Coach Walker: I attended Tennessee Tech, but I had to drop out following the death of my father to help with the family business.
WG: Have you held public office before – please elaborate?
Coach Walker: NO!
WG: What office are you seeking and in what district/area?
Coach Walker: I’m seeking to serve as Hollywood City Commissioner – District 2.
WG: What are your goals if successful in your race?
Coach Walker: My Game Plan is built around 4 main points:
- LEADERSHIP THAT LISTENS
Real solutions don’t come from the top down; they come from listening to the people. Our residents deserve to have a voice in the decisions that impact their lives.
- FOCUS ON THE FUNDAMENTALS
Just like in basketball, success for Hollywood starts with the basics. Flood protection, better roads, sidewalks, quality parks, and public services that make everyday life better.
- PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE
A successful team is always thinking ahead.
Addressing housing affordability, creating new economic opportunities, planning for growth, expanding programs for our youth, and supporting our city employees are critical to preparing our city to win in the future.
RICHARD WALKER
District 2
- INTEGRITY THAT INSPIRES
I believe leadership means leading by example. My decisions will be guided by transparency, honesty, and doing what’s right for the people of Hollywood.
WG: What motivated you to get into politics?
Coach Walker: I can’t say that I am motivated to get into politics. I’m motivated to serve my community, and politics is how I can best serve at this time in my life.
Seeing Hollywood Vice Mayor Linda Anderson become the first black elected official in the history of Hollywood showed all of us that it can be done.
WG: Do you have political aspirations beyond the local level?
Coach Walker: No, I have had many opportunities to leave and do other things over the years, but my heart is in Hollywood.
WG: Any political mentors that help to shape your ideology?
Coach Walker: My father, Mercy Lee Walker, as well as community leaders including Pastor Michael Anderson, Commissioner Tamara James and Vice Mayor Linda Anderson, among others.
WG: The republicans have dominated state politics recently, since the election of President Bush, i.e., hanging chads. What can Dems do to change the trajectory?
Coach Walker: Get back to the fundamentals. I think the average person just wants to know that you hear them, understand their concerns and you’re trying to help and do the right thing. As Democrats we can sometimes try to be too smart for our own good.
WG: Which is more important to you – voter registration, voter education or voter turnout?
Coach Walker: As a community, all of them are important at different times. Voter registration and education are more important in between elections, but now it’s game time so the focus must be on turnout.
WG: If you could capture succinctly your political philosophy, how would it be phrased?
Coach Walker: It’s never about me; it’s about what’s best for the community we serve.
