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Florida State House Representative
Michele is an attorney and the State Representative for House District 70. She was born and raised in Pinellas County with generational roots in the area.
Her mother was one of the first Black social workers in St. Petersburg, Florida, and Michele’s uncles served the City of St. Petersburg, District 55 (now District 70), and the State of Florida as the first Black Secretary for the Department of Corrections. Following in her family’s footsteps of service, Michele achieved her goal of being a public defender and came back to the community that raised her.
She earned her B.S. in Political Science and International Affairs from Florida State University, her M.S. in International Affairs, and her J.D. from Florida Coastal School of Law.
Michele served as an Assistant Public Defender for Hillsborough and Pinellas/Pasco Counties and Legislative Aide to Former State Senator Arthenia Joyner. She ran her own law firm, Civil Liberty Law, before joining Denmon Pearlman Law.
She made national headlines for her stellar work focusing on criminal defense and civil rights cases including that of Markeis McGlockton, Yasmine James, and most recently, Barbara Pinkney.
Her successes have led her to be named a Rising Star by Super Lawyers four (4) years in a row and Fred G. Minnis Bar Association Community Award. Prior to her election to the state house, Michele served as Local Counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the Fred G. Minnis Bar Association, on the board of I Support Youth.
In 2020, she won a competitive primary in Florida’s House District 70 beating 3 other candidates to take the seat unopposed in the general election. She became the first openly queer Black woman to be elected to the Florida House. As a freshman legislator - she was appointed to the House Democratic Caucus 2021 Legislative Team as a Deputy Whip and championed equity in policy while advocating for vulnerable communities and Florida’s working-class families.
In this special episode, Rep. Michele K. Rayner-Goolsby (Florida) and Former Rep. Brenda Lopez Romero (Georgia) talk about the political climate in their respective states and how it is impacting legislation. --- This episode...