GOVERNMENT // Campaign
Darlene Goldi Gaines
Running to Heal the Lands
by Dianna Donahue - Oct.15.2022
“I love Arkansas and want a fairer, safer, healthier, and brighter future for my children and yours.”

Who is Goldi Gaines?
Darlene “Goldi” Gaines is a mother, a “Gigi,” and an Arkansas native. She was born in Pulaski County and raised in North Little Rock. She has a rich ancestry of farmers and entrepreneurs, which she lovingly and proudly refers to as “a lineage of innovators and lovers of the Land.” She is the daughter of Gregory Gaines - an artist, a small business owner, and a retiree of North Little Rock Parks and Recreations after forty-two years of service. She is also the daughter of Nina Sue Gaines, a frontline healthcare worker who was active in the community and church.
Gaines grew up in an underserved community in North Little Rock, where she witnessed poverty and the adverse effects of exclusion. Significantly impacted by her experiences, she learned the importance of serving others at a young age. Her parents taught her values designed to enrich her family and community and how to be a servant leader. A part of her service effort includes working with the community to establish community gardens. Not only can she service and give back by doing this, but she can also teach others – another passion of hers. Her many community efforts led her to establish her own non-profit organization called Ar Anti Poverty Group. It focuses on environmental sustainability and community unity.
Another extension of Gaines’ community service efforts has been with the AME 12th District Conference as a minister under the leadership of Dr. Hezekiah Stewart – former pastor of Moody Chapel AME and Executive Director of The Watershed, “the World’s First Social Hospital.” She also worked alongside Dr. Stewart as Moody Chapel AME Social Action Commission’s co-chair and hosted the WMCIH 102.5 Praise FM. She accredits these experiences as helping her develop a solid connection to our lands and communities that she still values.
Gaines has acquired twenty-three years of experience in bureaucracy while working in leadership roles with the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs. Her leadership roles there armed her with internal and external quality customer care knowledge. Her responsibilities included providing communications that resulted in retention-based workflow processes that promoted accountability and increased the quality of care for the veterans. In addition, she also served as an Adjunct Business Faculty at Philander Smith College.
Along with her resume of leadership experiences, she is also the first black woman to run for the constitutional seat of Arkansas Commissioner of State Land.
What is a Land Commissioner of the State Land?
For Arkansas, the Land Commissioner of the State Land is responsible for collecting delinquent taxes on real estate through public auction whenever parcels are certified. The proceeds from each sale of tax-delinquent property are dedicated to public schools throughout the state. This position also serves as the leasing agent for oil, natural gas, sand, and gravel deposits on state lands, administers the beds of navigable rivers and streams, and is the custodian of the state’s original land records.
Why is Gaines running for this position?
Darlene “Goldi” Gaines is a mother, a “Gigi,” and an Arkansas native. She was born in Pulaski County and raised in North Little Rock. She has a rich ancestry of farmers and entrepreneurs, which she lovingly and proudly refers to as “a lineage of innovators and lovers of the Land.” She is the daughter of Gregory Gaines - an artist, a small business owner, and a retiree of North Little Rock Parks and Recreations after forty-two years of service. She is also the daughter of Nina Sue Gaines, a frontline healthcare worker who was active in the community and church.
Gaines grew up in an underserved community in North Little Rock, where she witnessed poverty and the adverse effects of exclusion. Significantly impacted by her experiences, she learned the importance of serving others at a young age. Her parents taught her values designed to enrich her family and community and how to be a servant leader. A part of her service effort includes working with the community to establish community gardens. Not only can she service and give back by doing this, but she can also teach others – another passion of hers. Her many community efforts led her to establish her own non-profit organization called Ar Anti Poverty Group. It focuses on environmental sustainability and community unity.
Another extension of Gaines’ community service efforts has been with the AME 12th District Conference as a minister under the leadership of Dr. Hezekiah Stewart – former pastor of Moody Chapel AME and Executive Director of The Watershed, “the World’s First Social Hospital.” She also worked alongside Dr. Stewart as Moody Chapel AME Social Action Commission’s co-chair and hosted the WMCIH 102.5 Praise FM. She accredits these experiences as helping her develop a solid connection to our lands and communities that she still values.
Gaines has acquired twenty-three years of experience in bureaucracy while working in leadership roles with the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs. Her leadership roles there armed her with internal and external quality customer care knowledge. Her responsibilities included providing communications that resulted in retention-based workflow processes that promoted accountability and increased the quality of care for the veterans. In addition, she also served as an Adjunct Business Faculty at Philander Smith College.
Along with her resume of leadership experiences, she is also the first black woman to run for the constitutional seat of Arkansas Commissioner of State Land.
What is a Land Commissioner of the State Land?
For Arkansas, the Land Commissioner of the State Land is responsible for collecting delinquent taxes on real estate through public auction whenever parcels are certified. The proceeds from each sale of tax-delinquent property are dedicated to public schools throughout the state. This position also serves as the leasing agent for oil, natural gas, sand, and gravel deposits on state lands, administers the beds of navigable rivers and streams, and is the custodian of the state’s original land records.
Why is Gaines running for this position?

“Most Arkansans have never heard of the Commissioner of State Lands, and even fewer know very little about the COSL or its services. I will make transparent the operation of the COSL and its services. Changing the way the office currently communicates with the general public. Launching a land legacy retention campaign to keep Arkansans informed regardless of their socioeconomic status, thus, nurturing a fairer, healthier, and brighter Arkansas.”
Gaines believes that Arkansas’ biggest challenge is land education and innovation. She seeks the office of the Arkansas Land Commissioner to focus on education as it pertains to the vital information from the State Lands office and innovation regarding green spaces and renewable energy. She believes this position is one of the answers to Arkansas’ poverty and underserved communities. She vows to keep an eye on stewardship and preserving Arkansas’ lands while ensuring they are healthy and productive for today and future generations. When asked why she is running for the position, she stated:
Gaines believes that Arkansas’ biggest challenge is land education and innovation. She seeks the office of the Arkansas Land Commissioner to focus on education as it pertains to the vital information from the State Lands office and innovation regarding green spaces and renewable energy. She believes this position is one of the answers to Arkansas’ poverty and underserved communities. She vows to keep an eye on stewardship and preserving Arkansas’ lands while ensuring they are healthy and productive for today and future generations. When asked why she is running for the position, she stated:
“Arkansas can be the most prosperous state in the world, but unfortunately, it is one of the most impoverished. It is time for new leadership to take us into future success for all. My name is Darlene Goldi Gaines, and I am here to advocate for all Arkansans!
I am grateful for my parents, who taught me the importance of servant leadership despite injustices. I have dedicated much of my life to our communities, education, and sustainability efforts. I have worked behind the scenes in supporting leaders whom I believe will add quality to the lives of others. I have dedicated more than 20 years to working with organizations whose mission is to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and visit the sick in hospitals and asylums. I have championed efforts to establish sustainable and environmentally friendly food sources. As a student and faculty, I have invested my skills and abilities in the classroom. I have 23 years of serving my veterans, widows, and children. I am prepared to lead our state on the first day. We will educate all Arkansans on pre and post-land ownership. We will support efforts to create green spaces and eliminate food deserts. We will champion land legacy retention for all Arkansans. I am not leading for myself yet; I am leading to ensure a fairer, healthier, and brighter Arkansas for all. And this is why I am running for Commissioner of state lands.”
Gaines’ campaign has taken her from county to county, connecting with Arkansans across the state. It is grounded in the idea that dismantling land legacy for our families is the most significant issue here in Arkansas. She states that the “land loss” trend has swept Arkansas for decades due to a lack of landownership knowledge. According to Gaines, “Pre-landowners suffer significantly due to a lack of understanding of easements, rights-of-way, and their effects on property value. People often purchase land only to find that they cannot build or place structures on it.”
She is committed to meeting the needs of Arkansans while protecting the health of our land. Her “Heal-the-land” movement has allowed her team to gather with small business owners, farmers, and concerned citizens across Arkansas. Her team is sharing their message about:
How can people support you and your campaign?
You can support Darlene “Goldi” Gaines by casting your vote for her at the polls on Election Day on November 4. You can also donate to her campaign at www.DonateToGoldi.com.
If you would like more information on how to support the Goldi Gaines Campaign, contact her campaign team at [email protected], Goldi4statelands.com, PO BOX 164204 / Little Rock, Arkansas 72216, or at 501-272-5319.
She is committed to meeting the needs of Arkansans while protecting the health of our land. Her “Heal-the-land” movement has allowed her team to gather with small business owners, farmers, and concerned citizens across Arkansas. Her team is sharing their message about:
- Education - how she can better serve the state’s youth’s educational facilities as the Land Commissioner
- Innovation - as it relates to technology and green spaces
- Accountability - always keeping an eye on stewardship and preserving the land for generations
How can people support you and your campaign?
You can support Darlene “Goldi” Gaines by casting your vote for her at the polls on Election Day on November 4. You can also donate to her campaign at www.DonateToGoldi.com.
If you would like more information on how to support the Goldi Gaines Campaign, contact her campaign team at [email protected], Goldi4statelands.com, PO BOX 164204 / Little Rock, Arkansas 72216, or at 501-272-5319.
Unless otherwise stated, photos are courtesy of Darlene Goldi Gaines and/or her staff.