East Austin Activist Lewis Conway Jr., 1970-2022

photo by Jana Birchum

Lewis Conway Jr., the East Austin native who inspired left-wing activists across the city through his advocacy for the rights of formerly incarcerated people, died last week. Conway served an eight-year prison sentence and 12 years of parole after fatally stabbing a man in 1991. Following his release from prison, Conway devoted his career to criminal justice reform. In 2018, he pushed the boundaries of Texas law by running for the District 1 Austin City Council seat; before that, he helped pass Austin's Fair Chance Hiring ordinance. After the 2018 City Council campaign, Conway went on to work as a national campaign strategist for the American Civil Liberties Union in New York. He was also an ordained minister, published author, and motivational speaker.