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'''Joshua Joy Dara, Sr.''', usually known as '''Joy Dara''' (born March 1959),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Home/Home?uid=3698818|title=Joshua Dara, March 1959|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=September 10, 2015}}</ref> is an [[African-American]] [[lawyer]], [[Christianity|Christian]] pastor, and musician/recording artist in his adopted city of [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]], [[Louisiana]]. His congregation is the 3,000-member Zion Hill Church, one of the largest in Central Louisiana.

'''Joshua Joy Dara, Sr.''', usually known as '''Joy Dara''' (born March 1959),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Home/Home?uid=3698818|title=Joshua Dara, March 1959|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=September 10, 2015}}</ref> is an [[African-American]] [[lawyer]], [[Christianity|Christian]] pastor, and musician/recording artist in his adopted city of [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]], [[Louisiana]]. His congregation is the 3,000-member Zion Hill Church, one of the largest in Central Louisiana.

A native of [[Nigeria]], Dara migrated to the United States in 1980, the same year in which he was called to the ministry. He became a U.S. citizen in 1998. He holds an Associate of Arts degree from the Kwara State College of Technology and Basic Studies in Nigeria. He earned a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree from the California Baptist University at [[Riverside]], [[California]]. He received [[Juris Doctor]]ate from the historically black Southern University College of Law in [[Baton Rouge]], Louisiana. He obtained the Masters of Law degree from the [[University of Arkansas]] School of Law in Fayetteville in northwestern Arkansas.<ref name=jdara/> He is licensed to practice law in Louisiana, [[Arkansas]], and [[Oklahoma]] and before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in [[New Orleans]] and the Eighth Circuit in [[St. Louis]], [[Missouri]].<ref name=jdara/>

A native of [[Nigeria]], Dara migrated to the United States in 1980, the same year in which he was called to the ministry. He became a U.S. citizen in 1998. He holds an Associate of Arts degree from the Kwara State College of Technology and Basic Studies in Nigeria. He earned a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree from the California Baptist University at [[Riverside]], [[California]]. He received [[Juris Doctor]]ate from the historically black Southern University College of Law in [[Baton Rouge]], Louisiana. He obtained the Masters of Law degree from the [[University of Arkansas]] School of Law in Fayetteville in northwestern Arkansas.<ref name=jdara/> He is licensed to practice law in Louisiana, [[Arkansas]], and [[Oklahoma]] and before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in [[New Orleans]] and the Eighth Circuit in [[St. Louis]], [[Missouri]].<ref name=jdara/>

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fulfill the assignment given by [[Jesus Christ]] to His followers to go into the world and make disciples of all nations. ... We promote religious, educational, and charitable purposes. We seek to change the world for the glory of [[God]] by changing people's mindsets towards God and changing people’s lives for the better. Our mission is simply to fulfill the assignment given by Jesus Christ to His followers to go into the world and make disciples of all nations. In addition, Joy Dara Ministries was founded to promote religious, educational and charitable purposes. We seek to change the world for the glory of God by changing people’s mindset towards God and changing people’s lives for the better. Our goal is to reach the lost for Jesus Christ and to equip and mature believers to live a victorious life....<ref name=jdara>{{cite web|url=http://www.joydara.org/about/|title=About Joy Dara Ministries|publisher=joydara.org|accessdate=October 28, 2015}}</ref></blockquote>

fulfill the assignment given by [[Jesus Christ]] to His followers to go into the world and make disciples of all nations. ... We promote religious, educational, and charitable purposes. We seek to change the world for the glory of [[God]] by changing people's mindsets towards God and changing people’s lives for the better. Our mission is simply to fulfill the assignment given by Jesus Christ to His followers to go into the world and make disciples of all nations. In addition, Joy Dara Ministries was founded to promote religious, educational and charitable purposes. We seek to change the world for the glory of God by changing people’s mindset towards God and changing people’s lives for the better. Our goal is to reach the lost for Jesus Christ and to equip and mature believers to live a victorious life....<ref name=jdara>{{cite web|url=http://www.joydara.org/about/|title=About Joy Dara Ministries|publisher=joydara.org|accessdate=October 28, 2015}}</ref></blockquote>

In the [[primary election]] held on October 24, 2015, Dara was the [[Republican Party]] candidate for the District 29 seat in the  Louisiana State Senate. The district encompasses the African-American portions of seven parishes: Bienville, Grant, Jackson, Lincoln, Natchitoches, Rapides, and Winn. Dara was defeated by a white [[Democrat Party|Democrat]], W. Jay Luneau, an attorney from [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]] and a [[Baptist]] layman. Luneau polled 13,462 votes (59.3 percent) to Dara's 9,225 (40.7 percent). Dara carried only Grant Parish, 919 votes to Luneau's 847.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/10242015/10242015_Legislative.html|title=Results for Election Date: 10/24/2015|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=October 27, 2015}}</ref> The position opened when the African-American Democrat lawyer Rick Gallot of [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]], who also previously served in the Louisiana House of Representatives, did not seek a second term in the state Senate.

In the [[primary election]] held on October 24, 2015, Dara was the [[Republican Party]] candidate for the District 29 seat in the  Louisiana State Senate. The district encompasses the African-American portions of seven parishes: Bienville, Grant, Jackson, Lincoln, Natchitoches, Rapides, and Winn. Dara was defeated by a white [[Democrat Party|Democrat]], W. Jay Luneau, an attorney from [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]] and a [[Baptist]] layman. Luneau polled 13,462 votes (59.3 percent) to Dara's 9,225 (40.7 percent). Dara carried only Grant Parish, 919 votes to Luneau's 847.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/10242015/10242015_Legislative.html|title=Results for Election Date: 10/24/2015|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=October 27, 2015}}</ref> The position opened when the African-American Democrat lawyer Rick Gallot of [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]], who also previously served in the Louisiana House of Representatives, did not seek a second term in the state Senate.