Robbyn Lewis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Robbyn Lewis
Lewis in 2025
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates from the 46th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 10, 2017 Serving with Mark Edelson, Luke Clippinger
Appointed by	Larry Hogan
Preceded by	Peter A. Hammen
Personal details
Born	(1963-07-18) July 18, 1963 (age 61) Gary, Indiana, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Alma mater	University of Chicago (BA) Columbia University MPH)

Robbyn T. Lewis (born July 18, 1963) is an American politician. She has been a member of the Maryland House of Delegates since 2017. She represents the 46th district.

Early Life and Education

Robbyn Lewis was born in Gary, Indiana, on July 18, 1963. Her family has a long history in America, with ancestors who bravely escaped slavery through the Underground Railroad. Her parents were among the first to benefit from the Fair Housing Act of 1968. This law helped them move from Gary to Chicago.

She went to the Latin School of Chicago. Later, she studied at the University of Chicago, earning a degree in anthropology in 1990. She also earned a Master of Public Health degree from Columbia University in 1998.

Career Journey

Starting Her Career

After high school, Lewis worked as a teacher at the YMCA International Language School in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. She then worked as a courier for Frontier Nursing Service. From 1990 to 1991, she volunteered for the Peace Corps in Niger.

After college, Lewis worked in public health. She was a research coordinator at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She also worked as a consultant in Haiti. In 1999, she moved to Baltimore. She worked at Jhpiego until 2006, helping with a program to prevent cervical cancer. Later, she worked for Family Health International and the Center for Immunization Research. From 2012 to 2014, she was a regional manager in Africa. Since 2019, she has been a civic data fellow at the University of Baltimore.

Getting Involved in Politics

Lewis first got involved in politics in 2002. She became the secretary of Friends of Patterson Park. She was also the vice president for the Patterson Park Neighborhood Association. There, she helped plant trees along sidewalks.

From 2011 to 2012, she started her own political action committee. This group supported the Red Line transit project. She also served on committees for transportation projects in Baltimore. She worked with the Maryland Transit Administration. Lewis also joined committees for environmental groups. Today, she is on the boards of several transit groups in east Baltimore, like Bikemore.

From 2014 to 2017, Lewis worked for the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange. In 2016, she completed a training course from Emerge Maryland. This group helps prepare women to run for public office.

Serving in the Maryland House of Delegates

Maryland House Speaker Michael E. Busch swearing in Delegate-designate Robbyn Lewis

In December 2016, a state delegate named Peter A. Hammen resigned. Robbyn Lewis applied to take his place. State Senator Bill Ferguson and Delegates Brooke Lierman and Luke Clippinger supported her. The Baltimore City Democratic Central Committee chose her. Governor Larry Hogan officially appointed her on December 30.

Lewis was sworn in on January 10, 2017. She made history as the first African-American woman to represent her district. From 2017 to 2018, she was part of the Environment and Transportation Committee. Since then, she has served on the Health and Government Operations Committee.

Lewis ran for a full four-year term in 2018. She ran with Ferguson, Lierman, and Clippinger. She won the Democratic primary election on June 26, 2018.

In April 2019, Lewis spoke out about comments made by a leader in the Legislative Black Caucus. She felt disconnected from the group. After the election for a new Speaker, she stepped down as the caucus's secretary.

In 2024, Lewis wanted to be a delegate for the 2024 Democratic National Convention. She supported Joe Biden, but the Maryland Democratic Party did not choose her.

Personal Life

Lewis lives in the Patterson Park neighborhood in Baltimore. She has not owned a car since October 2014. She uses a Lyft taxi to get to legislative meetings. As of 2020, she is the only lawmaker in the Maryland General Assembly who does not own a car.

Political Views

Business

In 2018, Lewis disagreed with Governor Larry Hogan's plan to offer $5 billion to Amazon. This money was meant to encourage Amazon to build its second headquarters in Montgomery County. Lewis believed the money should be used to restart the Red Line transit project instead.

In 2022, Lewis supported a law that would require businesses on The Block in Baltimore to close by 10 p.m. each night.

Environment

In April 2017, Lewis supported building a wind farm off the coast of Ocean City, Maryland. She thought it would help Maryland reach its clean energy goals.

In 2018, Lewis introduced a bill to check air pollution around large chicken farms. In March 2018, she protested against the Potomac Pipeline. This was a planned natural gas pipeline under the Potomac River.

In 2019, Lewis introduced the Maryland Healthy Children Act. This bill aimed to make sure lead hazards were investigated and reported. After some changes, the bill passed and became law.

Health Care

In 2020, Lewis introduced a law to help hospital patients with medical debt. This included more financial help from hospitals.

In 2021, Lewis introduced bills to require training for state government leaders and health professionals. This training would be about trauma-informed care and implicit bias.

In 2023, Lewis introduced a bill to help small businesses. It would create a program to help them get health care plans for their employees.

Gun Policy

In March 2018, Lewis voted against a bill. This bill would have allowed Baltimore school resource officers to carry guns inside schools.

Social Issues

In 2023, Lewis introduced a bill to give Walters Art Museum employees collective bargaining rights. This bill was later withdrawn after the museum and its employees agreed to a union election.

Transportation

Lewis supports the Red Line and was against Governor Larry Hogan canceling the project. She also supports building bike lanes and wheelchair-friendly areas in Baltimore. In May 2019, she asked Mayor Jack Young to delay removing bike lanes in east Baltimore. She wanted a solution that worked for everyone.

In 2018, Lewis introduced a bill to install traffic cameras. These cameras would help keep drivers out of bus lanes.

In April 2019, Lewis criticized a plan by Elon Musk to build a 35-mile Hyperloop between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. She called it "utter nonsense." She argued that Maryland should improve its MARC and light rail lines instead.

In June 2019, Lewis started a "#TransitChallenge" on social media. She encouraged Marylanders to use public transit for a week. This was to show problems with Baltimore's public transit. In September, her Twitter account was briefly suspended for using too many hashtags.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Lewis suggested closing some Baltimore streets to traffic. This would encourage outdoor exercise and social distancing.

Electoral History