Reps. Merika Coleman and Danny Garrett Discuss the Proposed Alabama COnstitution of 2022

President Chuck Redden with Tyler Barnett and Rotarian Dennis Hinton

This week the Rotary Club of Birmingham welcomed Representatives Merika Coleman and Danny Garrett to discuss the proposed Alabama Constitution of 2022 with moderator Othni Lathram, Director of Legislative Services.

The three discussed the need for the country’s longest state constitution, which has been amended over 900 times, to be recompiled, a process made possible by a resolution passed in 2020. They explained the goals of the new document were to remove repealed legislation, remove racist language, group together local amendments by county, and consolidate provisions related to economic development.

The legislators explained the thorough bipartisan effort that resulted in a document that was unanimously approved in both chambers of the state legislature. They also discussed priorities including closing the education gap, expanding broadband access, economic incentives for companies supporting a knowledge-based economy and rebranding the state.

“It’s important that people understand this is part of an effort to change the image of Alabama, move us forward and reflect who we are today,” said Garrett.

The legislators applauded their fellow representatives for working together to improve the state’s constitution and collaborating to make progress on other important issues facing Alabamians.

“When there is no media present and people just have an opportunity to be people and talk about their similarities and not focus on the differences, we get real work done,” said Coleman.

About Merika Coleman
Merika Coleman represents District 57 in the Alabama House of Representatives. First elected as Alabama’s youngest state legislator, she has served in public office since 2002. In the House of Representatives, holding a number of leadership roles including Assistant Minority Leader, she has worked tirelessly to sponsor and support critical legislation that betters the lives of all Alabamians.

As a state representative, she was instrumental in creating a 10-member committee for the purpose of restructuring and removing racist language from the Alabama Constitution. Further, I have passed 3 anti-human trafficking bills in the 2019 legislative session, alone, and was recognized as “Legislator of the Year” by the Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence. On a national level, she has had the privilege of being recognized for my work on behalf of the entire state of Alabama by being named one of 10 individuals submitted by the Southern Crescent Regional Commission Coalition to President Biden as an immediate appointment as Federal Co-Chair for the Commission. Additionally, she served as the Alabama Co-chair for Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign and a spokesperson for his 2012 reelection campaign. She has served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention (DNC) 3 times, twice for President Obama and, most recently, for presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in 2016.

In addition to holding elected office, she has served in numerous professional development roles across the Birmingham-metro area. Prior to her current position at Miles College and establishing her law practice - the Law Offices of Merika Coleman - she served as Director of Community and Economic Development for Lawson State Community College and Director of Economic and Community Development for the City of Bessemer. Educationally, she is the byproduct of Birmingham schools, having received a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication and Masters in Public Administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a Juris Doctorate from the Birmingham School of Law. Additionally, she is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and the Links, Inc.

Coleman makes it her mission to remain rooted in community. On a local level, she serves as a Board Member of the Greater Birmingham Ministries and a founding member of the Midfield Voter’s League. Furthermore, she is a co-founder of the Derrick Richardson Foundation, a foundation honoring her late husband who passed in February, 2020.

Her life’s greatest accomplishment is being a mother. Her daughter Elexia earned her undergraduate degree at Vanderbilt University in 2019 and is studying to receive her Masters of Public Health at UAB. Her son Xaviar is a junior business major at Miles College. She is incredibly proud of the people they are, and thanks them for their constant support of her work as both their mother and a servant leader.

About Danny Garrett
Representative Danny Garrett was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 2014 and was reelected without opposition in 2018.  He serves as the State Representative for the House District 44, which includes the Trussville, Clay and Pinson communities in Jefferson County.  

Garrett is the House Majority Whip for the Republican Caucus and serves as Chair of the House Ways and Means Education Committee. He also serves as Chair of the Legislative Contract Review Committee and was appointed serve on the board of the Alabama Innovation Corporation. In 2020, he served as Chair of the Emergency Small Business Task Force that was formed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Emergency Small Business Task Force made recommendations to the Governor regarding reopening of the Alabama economy, with particular emphasis on reopening small businesses. 

Garrett was born in Memphis, Tennessee and raised in Center Point, Alabama.   He graduated in 1976 from E.B. Erwin High School and earned two degrees from the University of Alabama:  a bachelor’s in Accounting and a Master of Tax Accounting.

For most of his career he has served in senior and executive positions with international and national public companies with revenue ranging from $150 million to $1.5 billion.  He has served as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Executive Officer for public and private companies including Birmingham Steel Corporation, North American Bus Industries, Progress Rail Services and Vulcan Steel Products.  In June 2018, he retired as Chief Financial Officer of Signature Homes.

Garrett previously served as Vice President of the Trussville City Schools Board of Education and as a member of the University of Alabama Culverhouse College of Commerce Board of Visitors.  He also served on the Trussville City Schools Foundation board and was a founding Board member of Independence Place, an organization serving adults with special needs.  He was also appointed by the Governor of Alabama to a board member position with the Alabama Holocaust Commission.

Garrett has been married for 38 years to Carol, and they have three married adult sons.   He is an active member of First Baptist Church of Trussville, where he has served as a teacher, Trustee, deacon and on numerous committees. He and Carol have lived in Trussville for 30 years.