CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- History was made Wednesday afternoon in Bronzeville as a new state representative was sworn in.
Lamont Robinson, 36, is replacing Juliana Stratton, who will be lieutenant governor.
Robinson is the first openly gay, African American man to join the Illinois General Assembly.
He said it's a distinction that matters.
"It matters because we need someone to be able to ring the alarm on the issues that are facing the LGBT community, particularly the African American community, as we're talking about making sure we have quality health care in that community; that we have quality education; that we have quality housing; that if you are trans, you can get a job. That you can make sure you can get an apartment and don't have to be criminalized," Robinson said.
"There have been three trans women in the Chicagoland area that have been killed, and their murders have not been solved," Robinson said. "That's a big issue.
"And as the first openly black (gay man) elected, that's an issue that I can bring home and make sure I shine a light on that issue. No one else is really ringing that alarm, and we have to do something about that."