KAMIA BROWN TO LEAD FLORIDA LEGISLATIVE BLACK CAUCUS
The Florida Legislative Black Caucus, the state’s oldest minority group, gave the chairman’s seat to Democratic Rep. Kamia Brown. She will be in the leadership term from now on to 2024.
Brown considers her appointment as an opportunity to become the voice of the Black community and hopes to bring forward the issues that her community faces.
“I am honored to have been elected to serve as the chair to the Florida Legislative Black Caucus. I look forward to the work that my colleagues and I will accomplish in our pursuit of uplifting and amplifying Black voices and issues during our time in leadership.”
Democratic Sen. Darryl Rouson of St. Petersburg will work along her side as the vice-chairman.
The Caucus has opened its arms widely for the women by appointing them to important positions. Jacksonville Democratic Rep. Tracie Davis grabs the secretary’s seat, Hollywood Democratic Rep. Marie Woodson will be the treasurer, and Miami Gardens Democratic Rep. Felicia Robinson has now been named the new parliamentarian.
The history of the Caucus dates back to 1968 when Joe Lang Kershaw paved the path for the Black community by grabbing the seat as the first African-American in the Florida Legislature since Reconstruction. Back then, African-Americans still faced extreme racial segregation. The official launch of the Caucus was only made possible after the election of 12 African-Americans to the Florida Legislature in the year 1982.
Now, the Caucus has a strong voice in the parliament as it has five senators and 20 House members, making its membership 17% in the House and 13% in the Senate.
Brown, an Orlando native, is a resident of Ocoee and has dedicated a fair amount of her career years to Florida’s public health and education system.
For the first time, Brown became the representative of House District 45 in the year 2016, serving parts of west Orange County, Pine Hills, Apopka, and Ocoee.
Brown was also appointed as the House Democratic Leader Pro Tempore, and now, she is taking over as the chairwoman for the Caucus for a term of two years, making it her last due to term restrictions.
