Carrie Meek
Former member, U.S. House of Representatives

Elected as a Florida State Representative in 1979, Carrie Meek was the first African-American female elected to serve in the Florida State Senate in 1982. As a State Senator, Meek served on the Education Appropriations Subcommittee. Her efforts in the State Legislature also led to the construction of thousands of affordable rental housing units.

In 1992, Meek was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 17th Congressional District. This made her the first black lawmaker elected to represent Florida in Congress since Reconstruction. Upon taking office, Meek faced the task of helping her district recover from Hurricane Andrew's devastation. Her efforts helped to provide $100 million in federal assistance to rebuild Dade County.

Successfully focusing her attention on issues such as economic development, health care, education and housing, Meek led legislation through Congress to improve Dade County's transit system, airport, and seaport; construct a new family and childcare center in North Dade County; and fund advanced aviation training programs at Miami Dade Community College. Meek has also emerged as a strong advocate for senior citizens and Haitian immigrants. Meek has now retired, although she continues to live in Florida.

Meek received her B.A. from Florida A&M University and her M.S. from the University of Michigan. Meek has received numerous awards and honors. She is the recipient of honorary Doctor of Laws degrees from the University of Miami, Florida A&M University, Barry University, Florida Atlantic University and Rollins University. Presently, Meek is a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, in addition to serving on the Subcommittee on Treasury, Postal Service and General Government and the Subcommittee on VA, HUD, and Independent Agencies.