Representative Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz

Party: Democratic

District: Pennsylvania House District 129

Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz was born on August 31, 1973, in New York City. She spent her formative years between New York and the Dominican Republic, attending school in the Dominican Republic from ages 9 to 14 before graduating from Mother Cabrini High School.

In 2007, Cepeda-Freytiz relocated to Reading, Pennsylvania, where she established herself as an entrepreneur. She founded Mi Casa Su Casa Café in downtown Reading and completed the business program at Kutztown University Small Business Development Center and Latino Business Resource Center in 2009. That same year, she received the James Hyson Entrepreneur Award from Community First Fund, and in January 2011, she was named Businessperson of the Year by the Latino Chamber of Commerce.

Education

Cepeda-Freytiz holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in French from the State University of New York at New Paltz, where she minored in Spanish. She earned a Master of Science in Education degree from Long Island University and became a bilingual Guidance Counselor. Prior to her entrepreneurial ventures, she worked for over 10 years with Grand Street Settlement in New York City, serving as Program Director for the Beacon Center and as a College Counselor for Marta Valle Secondary School.

Political Experience

Cepeda-Freytiz was appointed Councilwoman for District 6 in Reading in February 2019. In June 2022, she made history by becoming the first woman to serve as President of the Reading City Council, a position she held until January 2023 when she took office in the state Capitol.

She was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives on November 8, 2022, representing the 129th Legislative District. Her committee assignments include Agriculture & Rural Affairs, Commerce, Finance, Gaming Oversight, and Tourism & Economic & Recreational Development, among others. Her stated priorities include protecting women's health rights and reproductive freedoms, increasing the minimum wage, and addressing gun violence.