Rashad Taylor
Encyclopedia
Rashad Taylor is a politician from Atlanta, Georgia
. A Democrat
, he serves in the Georgia House of Representatives
, representing the 55th district in Fulton County
. He was first elected in November 2008, taking office the following January. He serves as vice chairman of the House Democratic Caucus.
, where he attended D.C. Public Schools, graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School. He moved to Atlanta to attend Morehouse College
, where he led a living wage
campaign for the school's janitors. Taylor was the first high school student ever selected for an internship via the Congressional Black Caucus
College Internship Program; he interned in the office of Rep. John Lewis (D–Georgia).
He subsequently worked as a political consultant and campaign manager, managing the successful campaigns of Alisha Thomas Morgan
, elected to the Georgia House in 2002, and Khaatim S. El, elected to the Atlanta Board of Education in 2003. In June 2007, he was appointed political director of the Democratic Party of Georgia
, a position he held until joining the legislature in January 2009.
decided against seeking re-election, choosing instead to mount an unsuccessful primary challenge to John Lewis in the 5th congressional district
. Her decision created an open seat in the Georgia House, which attracted two candidates, both Democrats, one of whom was Taylor. In the primary election held on July 15, 2008, Taylor earned 62.8% of the vote and won the Democratic nomination. He faced no opposition in the general election and took office on January 12, 2009.
He ran for re-election in 2010, facing a primary challenge from Mable Thomas, his predecessor in office. In the Democratic primary election held on July 20, 2010, Taylor won 56.1%, winning by a margin of 349 votes. Once again, he won the general election unopposed. His current term expires in January 2013; he will have to run in 2012 to hold onto the seat.
neighborhood of Atlanta and is an active member of Destiny World Church in Austell
.
On May 27, 2011, Taylor came out
as a gay
man following the circulation of an e-mail which accused Taylor of being gay and of using his official position to solicit sexual relationships. He became one of three openly LGBT members of the Georgia General Assembly
, alongside Reps. Karla Drenner
(D–Avondale Estates
) and Simone Bell
(D–Atlanta).
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. A Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, he serves in the Georgia House of Representatives
Georgia House of Representatives
The Georgia House of Representatives is the lower house of the Georgia General Assembly of the U.S. state of Georgia.-Composition:...
, representing the 55th district in Fulton County
Fulton County, Georgia
Fulton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. Its county seat is Atlanta, the state capital since 1868 and the principal county of the Atlanta metropolitan area...
. He was first elected in November 2008, taking office the following January. He serves as vice chairman of the House Democratic Caucus.
Early life and career
Taylor was born and raised in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, where he attended D.C. Public Schools, graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School. He moved to Atlanta to attend Morehouse College
Morehouse College
Morehouse College is a private, all-male, liberal arts, historically black college located in Atlanta, Georgia. Along with Hampden-Sydney College and Wabash College, Morehouse is one of three remaining traditional men's colleges in the United States....
, where he led a living wage
Living wage
In public policy, a living wage is the minimum hourly income necessary for a worker to meet basic needs . These needs include shelter and other incidentals such as clothing and nutrition...
campaign for the school's janitors. Taylor was the first high school student ever selected for an internship via the Congressional Black Caucus
Congressional Black Caucus
The Congressional Black Caucus is an organization representing the black members of the United States Congress. Membership is exclusive to blacks, and its chair in the 112th Congress is Representative Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri.-Aims:...
College Internship Program; he interned in the office of Rep. John Lewis (D–Georgia).
He subsequently worked as a political consultant and campaign manager, managing the successful campaigns of Alisha Thomas Morgan
Alisha Thomas Morgan
Alisha Thomas Morgan is a member of the House of Representatives in the U.S. state of Georgia. Morgan is a Democrat representing District 39, which encompasses parts of southern Cobb County.-Sources:* Attends destiny world church...
, elected to the Georgia House in 2002, and Khaatim S. El, elected to the Atlanta Board of Education in 2003. In June 2007, he was appointed political director of the Democratic Party of Georgia
Democratic Party of Georgia
The Democratic Party of Georgia is one of the two major political parties in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is affiliated with the United States Democratic Party.-Leadership:...
, a position he held until joining the legislature in January 2009.
In politics
In 2008, state representative Mable ThomasMable Thomas
"Able" Mable Thomas was a member of the Georgia House of Representatives representing Georgia House district 55, areas immediately west and southwest of Downtown Atlanta and areas west and northwest of Midtown Atlanta.-Political career:...
decided against seeking re-election, choosing instead to mount an unsuccessful primary challenge to John Lewis in the 5th congressional district
Georgia's 5th congressional district
Georgia's 5th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Georgia. Based in central Fulton and parts of Dekalb and Clayton counties, the heavily African American district includes the state capital and largest city of Atlanta as well as many of the surrounding suburbs...
. Her decision created an open seat in the Georgia House, which attracted two candidates, both Democrats, one of whom was Taylor. In the primary election held on July 15, 2008, Taylor earned 62.8% of the vote and won the Democratic nomination. He faced no opposition in the general election and took office on January 12, 2009.
He ran for re-election in 2010, facing a primary challenge from Mable Thomas, his predecessor in office. In the Democratic primary election held on July 20, 2010, Taylor won 56.1%, winning by a margin of 349 votes. Once again, he won the general election unopposed. His current term expires in January 2013; he will have to run in 2012 to hold onto the seat.
Personal
An African American, Taylor lives in the Washington ParkWashington Park
Washington Park was the name given to three major league baseball parks on two different sites in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, located at 3rd St. and 4th Ave. The first two sites were diagonally opposite each other at that intersection...
neighborhood of Atlanta and is an active member of Destiny World Church in Austell
Austell, Georgia
Austell is a city in Cobb County in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 6,581.-History:Austell used to be known as Salt Springs, and was frequented by hunters who would trap and hunt game on their way to the salt licks. Some enterprising hunters claimed...
.
On May 27, 2011, Taylor came out
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
as a gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
man following the circulation of an e-mail which accused Taylor of being gay and of using his official position to solicit sexual relationships. He became one of three openly LGBT members of the Georgia General Assembly
Georgia General Assembly
The Georgia General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is bicameral, being composed of the Georgia House of Representatives and the Georgia Senate....
, alongside Reps. Karla Drenner
Karla Drenner
Dr Karla Lea Drenner is an American academic and politician from Georgia. A Democrat, she is a member of the Georgia House of Representatives representing the state's 86th district in DeKalb County....
(D–Avondale Estates
Avondale Estates, Georgia
Avondale Estates is a city in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,960 at the 2010 census.Avondale Estates was founded in 1924 by George Francis Willis, who purchased the entire village of Ingleside to create a planned community. The city was named after Stratford-upon-Avon,...
) and Simone Bell
Simone Bell
Simone Bell is a community organizer and politician from Atlanta, Georgia. A Democrat, she was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in December 2009 from the state's 58th district in DeKalb and Fulton counties....
(D–Atlanta).