Voto Latino Congratulates Delegate Joseline Peña-Melnyk on Making History as Maryland’s First Immigrant and First Afro-Latina House Speaker

Washington, D.C. — Today, Voto Latino congratulates Maryland House Delegate Joseline Peña-Melnyk on making history as the first immigrant to serve as Maryland House Speaker and the first Dominican American Speaker in the nation.

In response to this historic milestone, Voto Latino issued the following statement:

“Voto Latino congratulates Delegate Joseline Peña-Melnyk on her historic election as Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates. Delegate Peña-Melnyk’s leadership reflects the strength and resilience of immigrant communities across the country.

Throughout her tenure in the Maryland General Assembly, Delegate Peña-Melnyk has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to advancing equity and racial justice. Her leadership includes spearheading the creation of the nation’s first statewide Maryland Lynching Truth and Reconciliation Commission and championing the Shirley Nathan-Pulliam Health Equity Act, which established the Maryland Commission on Health Equity to address longstanding systemic disparities.

As Speaker, Peña-Melnyk brings a deep commitment to equity, access, and the well-being of Maryland’s diverse communities. She exemplifies Latino excellence, and we are confident that she will work to advance a legislative agenda that reflects the lived experiences of all Maryland residents. Voto Latino looks forward to her continued leadership and to working alongside her to advance policies that uplift immigrant families, expand civic participation, and strengthen our democracy.”

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Voto Latino is a civic advocacy organization dedicated to educating and empowering the next generation of Latino voters while working to build a more inclusive and representative democracy. Since its founding, Voto Latino has registered nearly two million voters. In 2024, the organization took legal action to protect voting rights, filing multiple lawsuits in Texas, Arizona, and North Carolina to safeguard access to the ballot ahead of the elections.