Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk was elected as the next Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates during a special session Tuesday, making history as the first Afro-Latina and first immigrant to oversee the lower chamber of the state’s legislature. “This moment belongs not just to me, but to every child catching rain in a pot, every family struggling to make ends meet, every immigrant daring to believe that tomorrow can be better than today,” Peña-Melnyk said in her first remarks as House Speaker. A Democrat who has represented Prince George’s and Anne Arundel counties for the past 10 years, Peña-Melnyk also pledged to work across the political aisle. “To all my colleagues, this is for you; Democrats and Republicans, yes,” she said. “Please hear me: I see you, I see each and every one of you. I respect you, I respect each and every one of you.” House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk gives her first remarks after being elected to lead the Maryland House of Delegates on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025. Screenshot via Maryland General Assembly’s YouTube account. After being sworn in Tuesday and thanking her colleagues, mentors, and other supporters, Peña-Melnyk honored her predecessor, former House Speaker Adrienne Jones, who stepped down from House leadership earlier this month. In 2019, Jones became the first Black person and first woman to serve as Maryland’s speaker. “There’s a saying that says ‘You can’t be what you can’t see.’ I want you to think about that,” Peña-Melnyk said. “She opened those doors for someone like me to be here today, and I am humbled and honored.” Peña-Melnyk’s journey to the speaker’s lectern began in the Dominican Republic, where her family lived in a small wooden house. She explained how they would place pots and pans around their home to catch rain that fell through holes in the tin roof. They had no indoor plumbing, and they used dry corn husk and old newspapers for toilet paper. “That’s how we grew up,” Peña-Melnyk said, pausing as emotions welled up. “There were many days when there was no food…. Those memories are not shared for sympathy, but for truth. They are reminders of where I come from and the resilience that hardship can forge. That we are all capable of becoming the best person that we can if people invest in us.” Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk, a Democrat representing Prince George’s and Anne Arundel counties, has been elected the next Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates. Photo courtesy Joseline Peña-Melnyk’s campaign website. When she was 8 years old, her family immigrated to the United States. Like many immigrants, she said she arrived “carrying little more than hope and determination of a family that believed in a better future.” Her single mother worked tirelessly — even clocking in with a fever — to provide for her and her sister. “We relied on social services to survive,” Peña-Melnyk said. “You see, those programs were not handouts; they were lifelines that allowed us to stand, to learn, and to dream. She was the first in her family to go to college, then the first to go to law school — the latter perhaps manifested by her mother, who called her “la abogadita” (“the little lawyer”). “I tell people all the time: ‘Be careful with the power of your words around children.’ Because this little island girl believed she could become a little lawyer.” She added that she was bolstered by “the belief that opportunity should not be limited by the circumstance of one’s birth; everybody deserves a chance.” Peña-Melnyk pledged to “fight for everyone — I don’t care where you come from — especially those that feel unseen and unheard.” “From Baltimore City to the Eastern Shore, from our rural counties to our suburban and urban communities, every county matters. Every voice matters” she said. “Our policies must reflect the lived realities of families across Maryland, regardless of your ZIP code.” After being sworn in as the next leader of the Maryland House of Delegates on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk signs a document. Screenshot via Maryland General Assembly’s YouTube account. Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson congratualted his new House counterpart, calling her election “a testament to her inclusive leadership, deep institutional knowledge, and lifelong commitment to public service.” “At a time when Marylanders expect effective, principled leadership, Speaker Peña Melnyk’s integrity, compassion, and focus on governing with compassion will serve the House and the people of Maryland well. I wish her every success as she assumes this historic and vital role,” Ferguson said in a statement. Gov. Wes Moore also praised Peña-Melnyk, describing her as “a fighter—someone who doesn’t just believe in the dignity of all Marylanders, but who actively channels that belief into action.” “I’ve had the privilege of calling Chair Peña-Melnyk an ally and a friend for years,” Moore said in a statement. “We’ve stood shoulder-to-shoulder on issues that touch all Marylanders, from protecting reproductive freedom to fighting back against a White House that wants to make health care more expensive. I look forward to our continued partnership as she assumes this new role.” Moore also acknowledged the impact Jones had as speaker for the past six years. “Former Speaker Adrienne Jones leaves big shoes to fill,” he said. “But I have complete confidence that Joseline Peña-Melnyk will carry forward—and build on—Speaker Jones’ profound legacy of leadership, while also building a legacy of her own.” ...read more read less