HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania's newest Lieutenant Governor, Austin Davis, is a groundbreaker in many ways.
The son of a union bus driver and hairdresser, Davis is a proud native of a steel town and a first-generation college graduate.
Today, he became the first Black lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania, joining a growing group of leaders of color serving their states.
"Today we are sending a message to the next generation of leaders – young people across our state, and especially Black and brown young people – that Pennsylvania has and will always be a place where all are welcomed and where everyone has the opportunity to succeed,” said Davis, in his inaugural remarks.
At the age of 33, Davis is also the youngest lieutenant governor in the nation.
“I say to all the young people watching right now, who are worried and unsure about their future – that the American Dream is alive and well in Pennsylvania. That no matter how you grew up, no matter where you come from, or what you look like – this Commonwealth will always be a place where you can create your own destiny," he said.
The lieutenant governor got an early start in public service. When gun violence entered his neighborhood in McKeesport, he lobbied the mayor to create a youth advisory council.
Davis then went on to work for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald.
In 2018, Davis joined the legislative body where he worked just a couple of years before, winning a special election to the state House and becoming the first Black legislator to represent his majority-white district.
As lieutenant governor, Davis will also chair the state Board of Pardons, which hears requests for pardons and commutations, and will preside over the state Senate. He will also serve as a member of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Council, a member of the Military Base Community Enhancement Commission and chair of the Local Government Advisory Committee.
To watch or read Davis's full speech, click here.