Since 1999, Rep. Dan Frankel has served Pennsylvania’s 23rd district, which includes the neighborhoods of Squirrel Hill, Oakland, Point Breeze, Regent Square, Greenfield, and Shadyside. At the statehouse, Dan is a leading voice for social justice, women’s health, environmental protection and gun regulation. He grew up in the district, watching Pittsburgh begin the transition away from its industrial roots and seeing how those changes affected the lives around him.

Dan’s parents set an example for Dan and his sister early on. Robert and Rebecca Frankel weren’t politicians, but they were engaged with their community, and when local leaders in their neighborhood and their faith community went looking for volunteers, they were not afraid to raise their hands.

Dan, too, raised his hand. When Dan was only 12, he made his first political speech – in support of Hubert Humphrey’s presidential campaign. This was the summer of 1968, when the country was reeling from the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy. In those turbulent times, Dan saw an opportunity to make people’s lives better, and he thought the political system was the way to do it. He started working on political campaigns as a teenager, and he was selected as a delegate to the 1976 Democratic convention at just 20 years old.

When he returned to Pittsburgh to work for the family insurance company after college, Dan invested himself in his community. He served as chairman of the Pennsylvania Jewish Coalition and president of the Jewish Family and Children’s Services board. As a member the Urban Redevelopment Board, he joined efforts to revitalize the city after the collapse of the steel industry.

Dan remained interested in politics, too, campaigning hard in local races and learning from victories and losses.