Charleta Tavares facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Charleta B. Tavares
Member of the Ohio Senate from the 15th district
In office January 1, 2011 – December 31, 2018
Preceded by	Ray Miller
Succeeded by	Hearcel Craig
Member of the Ohio House of Representatives from the 22nd district
In office July 1, 1993 – December 31, 1998
Preceded by	Ray Miller
Succeeded by	Ray Miller
Personal details
Political party	Democratic
Residence	Columbus, Ohio
Alma mater	Eastmoor High School Spelman College Ohio State University
Profession	Legislator and non-profit President/CEO

Charleta B. Tavares is a former politician from Ohio. She served in the Ohio Senate, representing the 15th District from 2011 to 2018. This district covers a large part of central Franklin County. It includes cities like Bexley and Grandview Heights. Most of the district is made up of historic neighborhoods in Columbus, Ohio. Before joining the Senate, Tavares was also a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from 1993 to 1998.

Charleta Tavares's Early Career

Charleta Tavares has had a long career helping people through public service. She started as an assistant to Ray Miller in the Ohio House of Representatives. Later, she worked for the Ohio Attorney General, Lee Fisher. Her job was to protect children.

In 1993, Tavares became a state Representative. She was the first African-American and Democratic woman from Franklin County to serve in the Ohio Legislature. She was elected in 1994 and served until 1998. In 1996, her fellow lawmakers chose her to be the Minority Whip. This made her the first African-American woman to hold a leadership role in the Ohio Legislature.

After leaving the House, Tavares was appointed to the Columbus City Council in 1999. She won re-election to the City Council that same year. She continued to serve on the City Council, winning re-election again in 2003 and 2007.

Serving in the Ohio Senate

In 2010, Senator Ray Miller could not run for the Ohio Senate again. This was because of term limits, which mean a person can only serve a certain number of terms. Charleta Tavares decided to run for his seat. She won the Democratic primary election. Then, she won the general election with a large number of votes.

On January 3, 2011, Tavares officially became a state Senator. She made history again. She was the first Democratic and African-American woman to serve in the Ohio Senate from Central Ohio. She is also the first woman Democrat to hold a leadership position in both the Ohio House of Representatives and the Ohio Senate.

In 2014, Tavares was chosen as the Assistant Senate Democratic Leader. She was re-elected to her Senate seat and her leadership role that same year.

What Charleta Tavares Worked On

As a Senator, Charleta Tavares focused on many important issues. She worked to make sure domestic workers had good benefits and protections. She also wanted to reduce health differences among people. Tavares worked to fix problems caused by school expulsions and suspensions. She believed in investing in Ohio's roads, bridges, and other important structures. She also pushed for fairness and equality for everyone in the justice system.

Tavares was a strong supporter of raising the minimum wage. This is the lowest amount of money an employer can pay workers. She also supported a refundable earned income tax credit. This is a special tax benefit for low- and moderate-income working people.