This brother has been popping up on the scene for the past two weeks. Pictured with Obama, winning political races in Florida and starting a buzz in the black community. Before the hype reaches a full pitch, we need to know who Mr. Kendrick Meek really is. The Color Curve does some investigation, and answers those questions you really want to know.
Kendrick Brett Meek (born September 6, 1966) has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 2003, representing Florida’s 17th congressional district. He is a member of the New Democrat Coalition. He is the Democratic nominee in the 2010 Senate elections for the Senate seat vacated by Mel Martinez.
5. He is a bonafide family man (and his wife is black)
Don’t act like you weren’t wondering… I’m just speaking what you’re thinking. Two kids, nice wife, exactly the type of family you’d expect to see from the Obama booklet.
4. He went to FAMU and is a member of Omega Psi Phi
Playing on a football scholarship, Meek made the most of his situation, being involved in political groups and staying in the books. He had a particularly black experience, joining in on a frat as well.
3. Interesting Sit-in situation
As a member of the Florida Senate, Meek along with fellow member Rep. Tony Hill, staged a sit-in protest in Governor Jeb Bush‘s office in January, 2000. The sit-in lasted for 25 hours, with the central issue being a newly-implemented “One Florida” plan to end official race/gender preferences in state government. Meek said he and Hill staged the sit-in after they tried, but were unable to get “a meeting with the governor — two members of the Florida legislature. Then the governor came in and was barking at us as though we were children, saying that if we expect for him to rescind his executive order, then we might as well order some blankets and get comfortable, which we did.” According to Tom Bearden, Hill and Meek tried to meet with the Governor, “tempers flared.”
In February 2000, Meek said lawsuits might be filed to challenge university regents’ authority to use the One Florida Initiative. “I thank God for using you to bring us to this point.”
(Source)
2. Political Baby
He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives on November 5, 2002, succeeding his mother, Congresswoman Carrie Meek, who retired from the seat.
1. His Policies are Pretty Solid
In 2002, Meek launched an initiative to reduce class sizes in Florida’s public schools. The amendment would set the maximum class sizes of pre-kindergarten through 3rd grade classes to 18, 4th through 8th grade classes to 22, and high school classes to 25. It would also require schools to reduce class sizes by two students in 2003 and to reach full compliance by the beginning of the 2010 school year.
Supporters of the amendment, including People for the American Way, Florida Education Association, and Florida NAACP, focused on large classes in many urban areas of Florida which had as many as 40 students: Meek said, “[for] the first time parents will have a chance to vote on something they’ve always wanted and that is smaller class sizes.” Then-Florida governor Jeb Bush and state legislature Republicans opposed the bill because it was unclear how much the amendment would cost: “While this may be a worthy goal, we still have to ask the question, where will the money come from?” said Liz Hirst, press secretary to Governor Bush.
Meek does not support the Federal Marriage Amendment. He opposes the Hyde Amendment, which restricts federal funding of elective abortion. He also opposes bans on late-term abortions and notification laws for minors who seek an abortion.
Meek supports an increase in the minimum wage.
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