Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet elected to Florida House of Representatives

Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet, a Brazilian-born immigrant, has been elected to the Florida House of Representatives. A member of the Democratic Party, he is the first Brazilian to win a seat in the Florida legislature.

Born in Duque de Caxias, Brazil, Sousa-Lazaballet moved to Miami alone at age 14 without English proficiency or legal documentation. His political activism began in 2007, focusing on immigrant rights. He participated in the 2010 Trail of Dreams march to advocate for the DREAM Act and later received legal status through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

Sousa-Lazaballet defeated Republican Bonnie Jackson in the recent midterm elections. He resides in Florida with his husband, Luis Sousa-Lazaballet.