[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.

                          ____________________