{{Short description|American politician (born 1973)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2011}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Merika Coleman | image = TerriSewellMerikaColeman.jpg | state_senate = Alabama | district = 19th | term_start = November 10, 2022 | term_end = | predecessor = Priscilla Dunn | successor = | state_house1 = Alabama | district1 = 57th | term_start1 = November 6, 2002 | term_end1 = November 10, 2022 | predecessor1 = Tommie Houston | successor1 = Patrick Sellers | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1973|9|6}} | birth_place = RAF Lakenheath, England | death_date = | death_place = | party = Democratic | education = University of Alabama, Birmingham (BA, MPA) }} '''Merika Coleman''' (born September 6, 1973) is an American politician who is a member of the Alabama Senate, representing the 19th district since 2022. She previously served in the Alabama House of Representatives, representing its 57th district from 2002 to 2022.
==Early life== Coleman was born at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, England, in 1973.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Alabama State Sen. Merika Coleman - Biography {{!}} LegiStorm |url=https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/190138/Merika_Coleman.html |access-date=2024-08-12 |website=www.legistorm.com |language=en}}</ref>
== Education and early career == Coleman received a B.A. in mass communication in 1995 and a Master of Public Administration in 1997, both from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/27693/merika-coleman-evans|title=Merika Coleman-Evans|website=Vote Smart|language=en-US|access-date=2017-06-03}}</ref>
Earlier in her career, Coleman worked as a public policy analyst and strategist in nonprofits. She became the Director of Community and Economic Development for Lawson State Community College, and later became Director of Economic and Community Development for the City of Bessemer, Alabama.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.legislature.state.al.us/aliswww/ISD/ALRepresentative.aspx?OID_SPONSOR=85971&OID_PERSON=4461|title=Merika Coleman District/Biography|website=Alabama State Legislator|access-date=2017-06-03}}</ref>
== Political career == In 2002, Coleman was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives. In 2004 she was a Fleming Fellow with the Center for Policy Alternatives.<ref name=":0" />
In 2009, Coleman ran for a State Senate seat in a special election. She placed second among the eight candidates in the primary, and advanced to the runoff election. She lost the runoff to Priscilla Dunn.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2009/06/priscilla_dunn_wins_democratic.html|title=Priscilla Dunn wins Democratic runoff for state Senate|last=Brooks|first=Staci B.|date=2009-06-30|work=AL.com|access-date=2017-06-03|language=en-US}}</ref> She won her 2010 House reelection campaign with 68% of the vote.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2010/06/merika_coleman_wins_house_dist.html|title=Merika Coleman wins House District 57 over Fred Plump, Carole Dobbs Marks|last=Singleton III|first=William C.|date=2010-06-01|work=AL.com|access-date=2017-06-03|language=en-US}}</ref>
As of 2017, she was Chair of the Boards and Commissions Committee, and served on the Judiciary, Ways and Means General Fund, and Banking Committees. In February 2017, she became Assistant Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.alreporter.com/2017/02/24/democrats-choose-rep-merika-coleman-house-assistant-minority-leader/|title=Democrats Rep. Merika Coleman is House Assistant Minority Leader|last=Brownlee|first=Chip|date=2017-02-24|website=Alabama Political Reporter|access-date=2017-06-03}}</ref> Coleman is also an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Miles College in Fairfield, Alabama.<ref name=":0" />
In 2022, Coleman announced that she would seek the open senate seat vacated by retiring senator Priscilla Dunn.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Times |first=Birmingham |date=2022-05-19 |title=Louise Alexander and Merika Coleman in hotly contested race for Senate District 19 seat |url=https://www.birminghamtimes.com/2022/05/louise-alexander-and-merika-coleman-in-hotly-contested-race-for-senate-district-19-seat/ |access-date=2024-10-11 |website=The Birmingham Times |language=en-US}}</ref> Coleman defeated fellow state representative Louise Alexander in the primary and was unopposed in the general election.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cason |first=Mike |date=2022-05-28 |title=Incumbents dominate in Alabama Senate races except for one that is too close to call |url=https://www.al.com/news/2022/05/incumbents-dominate-in-alabama-senate-races-except-for-one-that-is-too-close-to-call.html |access-date=2024-10-11 |website=al |language=en}}</ref>
=== Political positions === Coleman cosponsored a bill criminalizing human trafficking in Alabama, which became law in 2010. At the time, Alabama was one of six states to not have a human trafficking law.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2010-04-23 |title=Alabama Lawmakers Make History with State Law on Human Trafficking Sending a Message to Criminals: "Not in Our State" |url=https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/birmingham/press-releases/2010/bh042310.htm |access-date=2017-06-03 |work=U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Alabama |language=en-us}}</ref> Coleman has also sponsored bills on parole reform<ref>{{Cite news |last=Crews |first=Stephen |date=2017-05-16 |title=Rep. Merika Coleman: Alabama Needs Real Reform, Not More Prisons |url=http://www.dothanfirst.com/news/rep-merika-coleman-alabama-needs-real-reform-not-more-prisons/715066850 |access-date=2017-06-03 |work=Dothan First |language=en-US}}</ref> and adding restrictions to Alabama's Stand Your Ground law.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Edgemon |first=Erin |date=2015-04-13 |title=Lawmaker seeks to restrict Alabama's Stand Your Ground law with Trayvon Martin Act |url=http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2015/04/lawmaker_seeks_to_restrict_ala.html |access-date=2017-06-03 |work=AL.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
In response to Governor Kay Ivey signing a near-total abortion ban in 2019, Coleman said "These men need to stay out of our wombs". She also said that the law would lead to more unsafe abortions and "abortions in back alleys".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-05-16 |title=Alabama governor invokes God in banning nearly all abortions |url=https://apnews.com/article/7a47ddc761dc4b72a017b0836da3a87b |access-date=2024-08-12 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Alabama State Rep on abortion ban: These men need to stay out of our wombs |url=https://www.msnbc.com/hardball/watch/alabama-state-rep-on-abortion-ban-these-men-need-to-stay-out-of-our-wombs-59699781547 |access-date=2024-08-12 |website=MSNBC.com |language=en}}</ref>
Coleman supported Roe v. Wade. Following it being overturned in 2022, she and most of her democratic colleagues in the Alabama Senate, particularly senator Vivian Davis Figures, would sponsor bills designed to protect abortion, although none of them were passed.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Swetlik |first=Sarah |date=2023-03-21 |title=Sen. Figures on abortion bills: ‘Women are still crying out loudly’ |url=https://www.al.com/news/2023/03/sen-figures-on-abortion-bills-women-are-still-crying-out-loudly.html |access-date=2024-08-12 |website=al |language=en}}</ref>
== Congressional race == {{main|2024 United States House of Representatives elections in Alabama#District 2}} In November 2023, Coleman announced her candidacy to represent Alabama's 2nd congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-10 |title=Sen. Merika Coleman announces bid for Congress in new Alabama's district |url=https://whnt.com/news/alabama-news/sen-merika-coleman-announces-bid-for-congress-in-new-alabamas-district/ |access-date=2023-12-31 |website=WHNT.com |language=en-US}}</ref> During her campaign, she said if she were elected to congress, she would focus on reform around voting rights and health care.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chapoco |first=Ralph |date=2024-02-06 |title=2nd Congressional District: Merika Coleman aims to bring federal dollars to the area • Alabama Reflector |url=https://alabamareflector.com/2024/02/06/2nd-congressional-district-merika-coleman-aims-to-bring-federal-dollars-to-the-area/ |access-date=2024-08-12 |website=Alabama Reflector |language=en-US}}</ref> She lost the primary to Shomari Figures.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://www.figuresforcongress.com/ |access-date=2024-08-12 |website=Figures For Congress |language=en}}</ref> She received about 6% of the vote and got fourth place.<ref name=":1" />
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== *[http://www.legislature.state.al.us/aliswww/ISD/ALRepresentative.aspx?OID_SPONSOR=85971&OID_PERSON=4461 Alabama House of Representatives – Rep. Merika Coleman] '''official AL House site''' *[http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=27693 Project Vote Smart – Representative Merika Coleman (AL)] profile *''Follow the Money'' – Merika Coleman: [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=96608 2008] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=81825 2006] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=3979 2002] campaign contributions {{Alabama State Senate}}{{DEFAULTSORT:Coleman, Merika}} Category:1973 births Category:20th-century African-American women Category:21st-century African-American politicians Category:21st-century African-American women politicians Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:African-American state legislators in Alabama Category:Democratic Party members of the Alabama House of Representatives Category:Living people Category:People from Lakenheath Category:Politicians from Birmingham, Alabama Category:University of Alabama at Birmingham alumni Category:Women state legislators in Alabama Category:21st-century members of the Alabama Legislature Category:Candidates in the 2024 United States House of Representatives elections