The political community in Florida was rocked with grief this week as news broke of the death of Coral Springs Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer Bowen. The 38-year-old trailblazing public servant and environmental scientist was found dead inside her home after police conducted a welfare check. Her death was ruled a domestic violence incident, and her husband, Stephen Bowen, was taken into custody. Bowen was charged with premeditated murder and tampering with fabricated evidence, according to jail records.
Metayer Bowen made history in 2020 as the first Black and Haitian American female commissioner elected in Coral Springs. She was re-elected unopposed in 2024, a testament to the deep trust her community placed in her. She was appointed by the commission last November to serve a second one-year term as vice mayor.
A graduate of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health with a master’s degree in environmental health sciences, Metayer Bowen’s rise was nothing short of extraordinary. She worked as an environmental scientist before her political career took flight.
In office, she served on the city’s Affordable Housing Advisory Committee, the Charter School Advisory Board, the Broward County Climate Change Task Force, and the Florida League of Cities’ Legislative Committee. She championed environmental sustainability, affordable housing, and the empowerment of Haitian Americans across South Florida.
Her future held even more promise as Rep. Jared Moskowitz revealed that she was about to announce a run for Congress. The outpouring of grief from colleagues and the community has been immense. Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried called her “a brilliant barrier-breaker” and said, “the world is less bright without her in it.”
The city of Coral Springs posted a tribute to the late politician, saying, “Her leadership was grounded in compassion, strength, and an unwavering commitment to others. Her impact on Coral Springs is immeasurable, and her loss leaves a void in our hearts.”
Her family described her as “a sister, a daughter, and a friend whose warmth and laughter filled every room.”
Nancy Metayer Bowen deserved to live, to run for Congress, to keep fighting for her people, and to grow old in the community she loved. Her death is a devastating reminder of the domestic violence epidemic that continues to claim the lives of brilliant, beautiful Black women.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.