Senator Carlos Smith Contact information

Carlos Guillermo Smith, born on December 31, 1980, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is a prominent American community activist, lobbyist, and Democratic politician. He has been serving as a member of the Florida Senate from the 17th district since November 5, 2024. This district covers much of Orange County east of I-4. Smith was elected without opposition upon the qualifying deadline on June 14th. Before his tenure in the Senate, he served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives from District 49, situated in northeastern Orange County, from November 8, 2016, through November 8, 2022. This district covered the University of Central Florida area, Alafaya, Goldenrod, Union Park, Rio Pinar, and Waterford Lakes.

Smith is the first openly LGBT Latino elected to the Florida Legislature. His parents immigrated to South Florida from Canada in 1979, making him the first member of his family to be born in the United States. He attended Spanish River High School in Boca Raton, FL, graduating in 1999. In 2003, he earned a degree in business administration from the University of Central Florida. Following graduation, he worked for eight years and became the manager of Men’s Wearhouse stores in Florida and Georgia.

In 2011, Smith began his political career as a legislative aide for Florida House Representative Scott Randolph. He then served as communications director and senior advisor to Joe Saunders during his successful 2012 bid for the Florida House of Representatives in the 49th district. From 2012 to 2014, Smith served as Saunders’ policy chief and ran his legislative office. In 2013, he was elected chairman of the Orange County Democratic Party. He resigned his chairmanship in the summer of 2015 to focus on his bid for the seat previously held by Randolph and Saunders.

Smith was employed by the political advocacy group Equality Florida as its governmental affairs manager from January 2015 to November 2016. During his tenure, he worked on behalf of Equality Florida at the Florida Capitol to compromise with Republican lawmakers on the issue of the controversial HB 43, also known as the Pastor Protection Act. This act reinforces that churches and religious clergy can legally refuse to participate in same-sex marriages. Smith secured a success for Equality Florida by reaching an agreement with Republican lawmakers that the law would not be expanded to allow private businesses to refuse service to members of the LGBT community, essentially neutralizing the bill. He also advocated for the passage of a non-discrimination bill in Florida to protect LGBT individuals in areas of housing, employment, and public accommodations.

As a member of the Florida House of Representatives, Smith brought back millions of dollars in state funding to his community for wounded combat veterans, first responders, the developmentally disabled, and those affected by the Pulse nightclub tragedy. He led a successful bipartisan effort in 2022 to fully fund $46 million in Cultural and Museum grants statewide for the first time in a decade. Smith has passed his own legislation as a member of the minority party and held leaders from both parties accountable.

Smith has received numerous awards for his leadership, including being named Florida PTA’s Legislator of the Year in 2020. He has also been recognized by 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.

Smith 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.