| In November 2016, Central Florida voters elected Carlos to represent them in the Florida House of Representatives and re-elected him in 2018 and 2020 with overwhelming majorities. As a battle-tested community leader, Carlos has been a champion for EQUALITY who's proudly stood up for the FREEDOM of all Floridians - not just some.
A well-known public servant and proven voice for the people of Central Florida, Carlos has prioritized housing affordability, lowering healthcare costs, reducing gun violence, protecting our environment and raising teacher pay, while defending our fundamental rights and freedoms. While serving in the Florida House, brought back millions of dollars in state funding to our community for wounded combat veterans, first responders, the developmentally disabled, and those affected by the Pulse nightclub tragedy while leading a successful bipartisan effort in 2022 to 100% fully fund $46 million in Cultural and Museum grants statewide for the first time in a decade. He has passed his own legislation as a member of the minority party and held leaders from both parties accountable. Carlos is committed to bringing that same energy and passion to represent Orange County in the Florida Senate.
Orlando Magazine has repeatedly named Carlos as one of Orlando's 50 Most Powerful People. In 2020, Carlos was named Florida PTA's Legislator of the Year, and he has received numerous awards from the League of Women Voters of FL, the Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce, the Florida Alliance for Arts Education, the Florida Education Association, the Hispanic Federation, Mi Familia Vota, the Florida Council on American Islamic Relations, the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Metropolitan Business Association, Equality Florida, and the LGBTQ+ Center Orlando for his leadership.
With his election to the Florida House in 2016, Carlos made history as Florida's first openly-LGBTQ Latino lawmaker. He now serves as Equality Florida's Senior Policy Advisor and lives with his husband Jerick Mediavilla Negron, an educator from Corozal, Puerto Rico, in their East Orlando home in Union Park. |