Robbyn Lewis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robbyn Lewis
|
|
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg)
Lewis in 2025
|
|
| Member of the Maryland House of Delegates from the 46th district |
|
| Assumed office January 10, 2017 Serving with Mark Edelson, Luke Clippinger
|
|
| Appointed by | Larry Hogan |
| Preceded by | Peter A. Hammen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 18, 1963 Gary, Indiana, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Alma mater | |
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.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Lewis was born in Gary, Indiana, on July 18, 1963. Her family has a long history in America. Her ancestors escaped slavery through the Underground Railroad. After the Civil War, they returned.
Her parents were able to move from Gary to Chicago because of the Fair Housing Act of 1968. This law helped people choose where to live more freely. Lewis went to the Latin School of Chicago. She later studied at the University of Chicago, earning a degree in anthropology in 1990. In 1998, she earned a Master of Public Health from Columbia University.
Robbyn Lewis's Career Journey
Early Work Experience
After high school, Lewis worked as a teacher in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. She also 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 health programs. She also worked for other health organizations. Since 2019, she has been a civic data fellow at the University of Baltimore.
Getting Involved in Politics
Lewis started in politics in 2002. She was a secretary for Friends of Patterson Park. She also helped the Patterson Park Neighborhood Association. There, she worked on projects like planting trees.
From 2011 to 2012, she created her own group to support the Red Line transit project. She also served on committees for transportation in Baltimore. Lewis has also worked with environmental groups. She is currently on the boards of 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 with Emerge Maryland. This group helps women prepare to run for public office.
Serving in the Maryland House of Delegates
In December 2016, a state delegate named Peter A. Hammen resigned. Robbyn Lewis applied to take his place. She had support from other politicians. 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. She was first on the Environment and Transportation Committee. Later, she joined the Health and Government Operations Committee.
Lewis ran for a full four-year term in 2018. She won the Democratic primary election. She then won the general election.
In 2019, Lewis spoke out against some comments made by another politician. She later stepped down from a leadership role in the Legislative Black Caucus. She felt disconnected from the group.
In 2024, Lewis applied to be a delegate for the 2024 Democratic National Convention. She wanted to support Joe Biden. However, the Maryland Democratic Party did not choose her.
Robbyn Lewis's Political Views
Business and Economy
In 2018, Lewis disagreed with Governor Larry Hogan's plan to offer money to Amazon. Amazon was looking for a place for its second headquarters. Lewis believed the money should be used to restart the Red Line transit project instead.
In 2022, Lewis supported a law. This law would require businesses on The Block in Baltimore to close by 10 p.m.
Safety and Policing
In July 2017, Lewis and other lawmakers shared a plan to reduce violence. They asked for more money for social programs. They also wanted stronger gun laws.
In 2019, Lewis voted against a bill. This bill would have allowed Johns Hopkins University to have its own private police force. She said it would "set Baltimore back." In 2020, she was neutral on a bill to expand the police powers at Morgan State University.
Protecting the 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 near 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 law requires the Maryland Department of the Environment to investigate lead hazards. The bill passed and became law.
Health Care Access
In 2020, Lewis introduced a bill to help hospital patients with medical debt. It would expand protections like financial aid.
In 2021, Lewis introduced bills about health training. One bill would require state government leaders to be trained in trauma-informed care. Another would require health professionals to get implicit bias training.
In 2023, Lewis introduced a bill to help small businesses. It would create a program to help them enroll employees in health care plans.
Gun Laws
In March 2018, Lewis voted against a bill. This bill would have allowed Baltimore school resource officers to carry guns in schools.
Social Issues
In January 2019, Lewis was one of many lawmakers who signed a statement. They wanted to protect women's health choices.
In 2023, Lewis introduced a bill to give Walters Art Museum employees collective bargaining rights. This means they could form a union. The bill was withdrawn after the museum and employees reached an agreement.
Transportation Improvements
Lewis supports the Red Line transit project. She criticized Governor Larry Hogan for canceling it. 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. She wanted a compromise solution.
In 2018, Lewis introduced a bill to install traffic cameras. These cameras would keep drivers out of bus lanes.
In April 2019, Lewis criticized a plan by Elon Musk for a Hyperloop between Washington, D.C., and Baltimore. She called it "nonsense." She argued that Maryland should improve its existing 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 transit system. 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.
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 sessions. As of 2020, she is the only lawmaker in the Maryland General Assembly who does not own a car.
