Ismail Smith-Wade-El
Ismail Smith-Wade-El | |
|---|---|
Smith-Wade-El in 2021 | |
| Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the 49th district | |
| Assumed office December 1, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Bud Cook |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1989 or 1990 (age 35–36) Lancaster, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
| Parent | Rita Smith-Wade-El |
| Education | Carnegie Mellon University (BA) |
Ismail "Izzy" Smith-Wade-El (born 1989 or 1990)[1] is an American politician serving as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 49th district. Elected in November 2022, he assumed office on December 1, 2022.
Early life and education
Smith-Wade-El was born and raised in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He is the son of Dr. Rita Smith-Wade-El (1948-2018), a professor of psychology and African-American studies at Millersville University.[2][3] He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in theatre and anthropology from Carnegie Mellon University in 2014.[1]
Career
Smith-Wade-El served as a member of the Lancaster City Council from 2017 until his resignation in 2022 following his election to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He also worked as a program specialist at the Lancaster County Homeless Coalition.[3] Smith-Wade-El was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in November 2022, becoming the first black and first LGBTQ representative for the 49th district.[4][5]
Personal life
Smith-Wade-El is Catholic,[3] nonbinary,[6] and identifies as queer.[1]
References
- ^ a b c Andrelczyk, Mike (November 9, 2022). "Meet Izzy Smith-Wade-El, Lancaster's first Black, queer Pa. state representative". LancasterOnline. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
- ^ Kacskos, Janet (December 29, 2018). "Dr. Rita Smith-Wade-El: 1948-2018". Millersville News. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
- ^ a b c "Rep. Ismail Smith-Wade-El | Biography". www.pahouse.com. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
- ^ "Ismail Smith-Wade-El". Ballotpedia. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
- ^ "Honoring Black History: Ismail Smith-Wade-El". ABC27. February 6, 2023. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
- ^ Moreau, Julie (August 19, 2022). "Number of LGBTQ elected officials in U.S. doubled since 2017". NBC News. Retrieved September 9, 2025.