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In October 2002, the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners made history by electing Dr. Barbara Carey-Shuler as the first African-American woman to serve as its chairperson.
As chairperson, Commissioner Carey-Shuler is in charge of the legislative body of Miami-Dade County government. She is responsible for policy and legislative affairs. All legislative proposals must go through her legislative body to become law.
Dr. Barbara Carey-Shuler was re-elected to the District 3 seat of the Miami-Dade County Commission on September 5, 2000. Her district includes much of the City of Miami, including the communities of Liberty City, Little Haiti, Overtown, the Upper East Side, Allapattah and Wynwood, as well as Miami Shores.
She served previously as a County Commissioner from District 3, having first been appointed in 1979 and then elected on a countywide basis in 1982 and 1996.
Dr. Barbara Carey-Shuler has made major contributions as a County Commissioner. She introduced and led the effort to pass the set-aside law and the affirmative action policy which was argued all the way to the Supreme Court. The legislation has produced more jobs, generated more tax revenues and created more business opportunities for minorities and women, specifically African Americans, than any other economic development measure proposed and passed by Miami-Dade County government.
Commissioner Carey-Shuler also authored and secured passage of legislation obliging every motorist to observe the 15 mph zone while driving by schools. Another of her earliest victories ensured that African-American employees of the County’s Solid Waste Department were hired as full-time workers eligible for all benefits. Previously, they were hired as part-timers without benefits. Among her many triumphs, Commissioner Carey-Shuler created the infill housing ordinance to provide clean-title lots to non-profits for the construction of low-income housing; initiated the “No More Stray Bullets” campaign to educate revelers of the dangers of shooting weapons as a part of celebrating major holidays; and established the Youth Crime Task Force which provides funding for new prevention and intervention programs to benefit at-risk youth.
During her 30-year career of service to this community, Commissioner Carey-Shuler has been a teacher, counselor, administrator, university professor, assistant superintendent for Dade County Public Schools, and most importantly, "a leader of community leaders."
In 1961, Commissioner Carey-Shuler received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech from Florida A&M University. She holds masters degrees in Communications and Speech from Ohio State University, 1962, and in Guidance from the University of Miami, 1969. In 1978, Commissioner Carey-Shuler received a Doctorate in Education from the University of Florida.
Indeed, in her career, Chairwoman Dr. Barbara Carey-Shuler has been recognized for outstanding service to the community. She has received major appointments to prestigious boards, committees and task forces by U.S. presidents and state governors as well as hundreds of honors and recognition for her services and contributions.
Recently, she was honored for her work in promoting peace and non-violence by the International Committee of Artists for Peace, a coalition supporting the United Nations International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World, and the Dean of the Martin Luther King, Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College in Atlanta.
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