1. Darryl Ervin Rouson was born on July 20,1955 and is a Democratic member of the Florida Senate who has represented the 16th district, which includes parts of Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties from downtown St Petersburg to downtown Tampa, since 2016.
Darryl Rouson previously served four terms in the Florida House of Representatives from 2008 to 2016.
Darryl Rouson's father was a guidance counselor at Gibbs Junior College and an administrator at St Petersburg Junior College.
Darryl Rouson was vice president of student affairs Palm Beach Junior College in Lake Worth, Florida.
Darryl Rouson's mother taught French and English at Sixteenth Street Junior High and Lakewood Senior High.
Darryl Rouson was a pioneer of integration in Pinellas County.
Darryl Rouson lived for a time in Minnesota where her leadership extended to many arenas: she was the first African American elected to the School Board for the Burnsville-Egan School District, she co-founded the Dakota County Society of Black Women, and she served as interim director at Normandale Community College's women's center.
Darryl Rouson attended a Bishop Barry High School which later became St Petersburg Catholic High School.
Darryl Rouson returned to New Orleans to attend college at Xavier University and graduated in 1977.
Darryl Rouson received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Florida Spessard Holland Law Center in 1979.
Darryl Rouson developed an addiction to cocaine that grew at the expense of his practice, his standing in the community, and his marriage.
Darryl Rouson became the recovery revival coordinator for One Church-One Addict, a program that taught churches how to help recovering addicts.
Shortly after arriving in St Petersburg Darryl Rouson experienced a brief period of homelessness.
Darryl Rouson went on to become active as a leader in the community.
Darryl Rouson became chairman of the St Petersburg Area Black Chamber of Commerce, and he served on St Petersburg's Charter Review Commission.
Darryl Rouson supported a substance abuse ministry at Mount Zion Progressive Missionary Baptist Church.
Darryl Rouson became the president of St Petersburg branch of the NAACP in 2000.
Darryl Rouson has said that this experience has helped him to understand the plight of the homeless and to endorse making homelessness a protected category under the Florida hate crime statute.
In January 2000, Darryl Rouson was appointed to the St Petersburg Charter Review Commission.
Darryl Rouson became the president of the Chamber later in the month.
Darryl Rouson's predecessor had co-mingled personal funds with that of the Chamber's in order to maintain solvency, and Rouson sought to establish the financial integrity of the Chamber.
Darryl Rouson saw the Chamber as the NAACP's economic arm and as a partner with the St Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce.
Darryl Rouson set the chamber's goals at bringing more minority-owned businesses to St Petersburg and attracting the convention of a national company.
In July 2000, as head of the Chamber, Darryl Rouson protested the treatment of African-American teenagers at a local mall.
Darryl Rouson received criticism during the campaign as a member of the Uhuru Movement.
Darryl Rouson denied the assertion, dismissing it as a scare tactic.
Darryl Rouson did say that the NAACP should work more closely with the Uhurus and other civic organizations on such matters as economic development.
Omali Yeshitela, the group's leader, denied that Darryl Rouson was a member.
Darryl Rouson did welcome what he perceived as needed change in the NAACP.
Darryl Rouson said he saw the suit as an opportunity to continue his fight against drug abuse in the area.
Darryl Rouson declared bankruptcy to erase debts incurred before his return to St Petersburg.
Darryl Rouson received a reprimand from the state bar in early 2001.
Darryl Rouson readily admitted he had made a mistake and apologized.
In October 2003, Darryl Rouson condemned the message sent by the Monopoly parody Ghettopoly and joined the president of the Hillsborough NAACP in demanding that the Urban Outfitters in Ybor City remove the game from its shelves.
In January 2004, Darryl Rouson said he would not seek re-election as president of the St Petersburg NAACP, citing the time the unpaid position took from his law practice and family.
Darryl Rouson challenged the community to build on the progress made in civil rights in the private sector and in government.
Darryl Rouson had earlier advocated for the secession of Midtown from St Petersburg in an effort to emphasize shortcomings in the status of African Americans in Pinellas County.
In court, the manager of the shop said anyone who talks about illegal drugs is asked to leave, and that Darryl Rouson had refused to do so.
Darryl Rouson claimed that he tried to leave, but his way was blocked by two pit bulls.
At trial, Darryl Rouson claimed he had gone to the store as an act of protest against the sale of what he called "death utensils".
Darryl Rouson was found guilty, but the judge withheld adjudication.
Darryl Rouson again became a Democrat in 2007 to run in District 55 against two Democrats, City Council member Earnest Williams and activist Charles McKenzie, in the special primary leading up to the special election to replace Frank Peterman.
Darryl Rouson denied this, saying residents of Newtown and Sarasota had the same problems as people living in Midtown and St Petersburg.
Darryl Rouson was endorsed by Peterman, but some Democratic leaders had qualms.
Darryl Rouson filed a complaint against Rouson, alleging that he had charged her an excessive fee.
Darryl Rouson was supported in the primary election by pro-school voucher group, All Children Matter.
Darryl Rouson criticized Rouson's support of a proposed amendment to the State Constitution which he said would hurt public education.
Darryl Rouson said he wanted to reduce taxes and felt the proposed amendment should go to referendum to let the voters decide.
Darryl Rouson emphasized the need for reducing property taxes, the need to create more affordable housing and the need to bring more jobs to the district.
Darryl Rouson was one of three Pinellas candidates for the State House endorsed by Associated Industries of Florida, along with Bill Heller and Peter Nehr.
Darryl Rouson was recommended in the 2008 general election by the Sarasota Herald Tribune, again against write-in candidate Calvester Benjamin-Anderson.
Darryl Rouson defeated fellow state representative Ed Narain by 75 votes in the Democratic primary, and won the general election by more than 70 percent of the vote.