I have served as a State Representative in the Illinois General Assembly since January 2013. On January 13, 2021, I had the honor of being elected Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, becoming the first Black lawmaker to hold this position.
As State Representative, I’ve focused on improving classroom education, creating opportunity for all, and making government more efficient and responsive. I was the chief sponsor of the historic Illinois Trust Act, the law making Illinois a welcoming state and improving relationships between law enforcement and immigrant communities. I fought to defend critical senior services that help older adults stay in their own homes and expand access to affordable child care.
I’ve also prioritized greater diversity and opportunity in corporate America, fighting for new opportunities for Black and Latinx representation on the boards of publicly held corporations.
As Speaker, I’ve worked to strengthen accountability and restore trust in government. I imposed the state's first term limits on legislative leaders, created tougher financial interest disclosures for all lawmakers, and strengthened regulations on insider lobbyists.
The fiscally and socially responsible budget I enacted took critical steps toward financial stability by paying down debt, saving for the future, and improving Illinois' credit rating -- while also making smart investments in public school classrooms, affordable health care, and job training.
Before joining the General Assembly, I served 12 years on the Proviso Township High School Board of Education, including ten years as board chair. I led the Proviso School Board in the creation of the Proviso Math and Science Academy, a school that today is recognized by Chicago Magazine and U.S. News and World Report.
I’m a graduate of Proviso West High School (‘89), Northwestern University (‘93), and The John Marshall Law School (‘97). In 2016, I was honored to be inducted into the JMLS Wall of Fame.
I live in Hillside with my wife ShawnTe and our two children, Tyler and Marley.
