    [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 31 (Friday, February 14, 2025)]
    [Extensions of Remarks]
    [Page E130]
    From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

                            HONORING PHILLIP AUSTIN

                                     ______

                               HON. GREG STANTON

                                   of arizona

                        in the house of representatives

                           Friday, February 14, 2025

      Mr. STANTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the life and legacy of
    Phillip Austin, who passed away on December 20, 2024, at the age of 73
    years old. An Arizona trailblazer and a champion for the Latino
    community, Phil will continue to live on through the countless lives he
    positively impacted.
      A fourth-generation Arizonan, Phil was born in Mesa, Arizona, on
    February 17, 1951, to Albert ``Beto'' & Margaret ``Maggie'' Austin, who
    devoted their lives to operating Albert's Market. From a young age,
    Beto and Maggie instilled in him and his six siblings the value of
    service and hard work.
      After graduating from Brophy College Preparatory in 1969, Phil
    continued his studies at Santa Clara University and the University of
    California, Berkeley School of Law, where his passion for civil rights
    was ignited. Phil often reminisced about his days as a student
    activist, specifically recalling his arrest for joining a ``sit-in''
    protest over the firing of Latino faculty.
      His lifelong pursuit of justice continued back in Arizona where Phil
    served as Assistant Attorney General and Chief Counsel for the Arizona
    Attorney General Civil Rights Division for sixteen years. His service
    at the Attorney General's office was instrumental in the passage of
    Arizona's first fair housing legislation, anti-discrimination laws for
    the elderly and disabled, and initiatives fostering the development of
    dispute resolution and mediation programs throughout the state of
    Arizona.
      Known by then as ``Mr. Mesa,'' his passionate advocacy for the Latino
    community prompted him to establish the East Valley Hispanic Chamber of
    Commerce, equipping innovative Hispanic entrepreneurs with the
    confidence and resources to achieve their highest aspirations.
      In 1994, he opened his own legal practice in downtown Mesa, where he
    practiced transactional, employment, civil rights, and fair housing
    law. Phil was a dedicated public servant and a beacon of hope for
    immigrants. He would donate space in his law firm to strategize and
    combat harsh and damaging anti-immigrant policies like SB1070--a law
    that devastated many Latino families in Arizona. Phil also played a key
    role in establishing the Alston House Center for Peace and Justice, a
    community hub for services and social justice initiatives. These
    efforts led him to also establish the Latino PAC del Rio Salado, giving
    a platform to bright and aspiring Latino elected officials.
      Phil devoted his life to forging a stronger path forward for our
    state, earning him countless awards and recognitions, including the
    Phoenix Jaycee's Three Outstanding Young Men Award, Valle de Sol's
    Exemplary Leadership Award, and the NAACP's Roy Wilkens Award. Phil
    donated his time often, sitting on several state and local advisory
    boards. He founded the Mesa Association of Hispanic Citizens, the
    Albert D. Austin, Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund, the Albert D. Austin
    Mariachi Academy to empower young people through music education and
    cultural enrichment, and the EVHCC's STEAM Scholars program. Arizona
    owes a debt of gratitude to Phil.
      Phil will be remembered for his tender-hearted nature and being a
    loving friend, brother, father, husband, and Tata. He is survived by
    his beloved wife, Christy, and his beloved children Lela, Lt. Colonel
    Phillip A. Austin, Angelo Austin, State Representative Lorena Austin,
    and his beautiful grandchildren. I thank him. Godspeed.

                              ____________________