If you had told me – even a year ago – that I would be running for office, I would have laughed because it was never on radar, in a real way. But life had other plans.
A voice in my head grew confident enough to ask, “Why not you?” I am the first openly queer, Black woman to ever hold public office in Florida and it’s always a reminder that there are still so many “firsts” for us.
Someone once told me that you either run for office because of your ego or because you’re called upon. To me, this was less about my ego but the call from the community and the drive to do the most good wherever I am placed.
It is time out for elected officials to be serving their own needs, feeding their own egos but when faced with injustice or making actual change, they take the path of least resistance. I do the work because of my community, not only those for whom my identity represents but for everyone. I am continuously overwhelmed by my community’s support and know that with each step I take, they are rallying behind me.
So when I initially ran, it wasn’t just my community that stood with me but more than 30 organizations and individuals who endorsed me. I am an attorney by day and I always knew I wanted to be a public defender. There is always a need to stand in the gap for people and that is why I ran.
I see elected public service as an extension of my life’s work. So, during the race and after I got elected, I made sure I was grounded in meditation, therapy and being very intentional about who I surrounded myself with – as I knew this journey was not going to be all roses and ice cream.
These lines of support and defense were equally as important as I headed into my first legislative session. I was appointed as a deputy Democratic Whip and filed bills to bring about police reform, uplift our working class families, and programs to revitalize our communities. Every day on the House floor quickly became a battle for the soul of democracy itself and the future of our state.
During the debate on the bill aiming to ban trans children from playing in sports, I was distraught – and my words seemed to fall short of the gravity of the situation before me. I watched my colleagues coldly advocate for policies that would hurt Floridians including my friends and neighbors. I watched constituent after constituent come to Tallahassee to speak against voter suppression and ultimately be ignored. And I watched while partisanship won over the people we serve.
I found solace as I passed two of my bills; a workforce program to implement apprenticeships for future CNA’s and a bill to create the Florida Urban Agriculture Act so our communities have less obstacles growing gardens in the urban areas they live in. I was also proud to see a bi-partisan police reform bill introduced. If one life can be saved because of it, then we did our jobs. I look forward to the day when more comprehensive police reform can take place throughout our state and nation. It is still important to recognize the victories we walk away with because the needle has moved in the right direction.
When President Biden addressed Congress flanked by two women, the Vice President and the Speaker of the House, I had to remind myself that progress may be slow, but it is happening right before our eyes. President Biden addressed the trans community to say, “Your President has your back.” The stark difference between what was happening at the highest level of Florida’s leadership and our nation was on full display. It was, however, an incredibly motivating moment to witness.
In 2018, Florida voted overwhelmingly to give returning citizens the right to vote. In 2020, a $15 minimum wage got 67% of the vote. I know that we want better transportation, infrastructure, equitable economic development and a healthier environment for all of us, but especially for our future generations. We can only get there united and determined.
Every day I wake up, I am aware of the weight of my candidacy and representation. It’s about fulfilling that promise I made to my community and showing them that there is someone fighting for them and getting results.
Michele Rayner is a civil rights attorney and social justice advocate. She has served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives since 2020, representing District 70 in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, and Sarasota counties. She is the first Black, openly LGBTQ woman elected to the Florida Legislature. Learn more at MicheleForFlorida.com.
