Jason Miyares Makes History As Virginia's Attorney General

Jason Miyares was sworn-in attorney general of Virginia on Jan. 15, to become the first Latino to hold a statewide office in the history of Virginia.

Also, Miyares became the first son of an immigrant to be elected to the office of attorney general in Virginia in 225 years.

Born in Greensboro, N.C. on Feb. 11, 1976, Miyares is the son of an immigrant who escaped Fidel Castro’s Cuba in 1965. His mother, Miriam Maria Miyares, left everything she owned to flee to America.

Arriving in America with only her clothes, she eventually settled down in Virginia Beach where Jason attended school. He was elected on Nov. 3, 2015, to the Virginia House of Delegates from the 82nd District that includes part of Virginia Beach.

Jason is the first graduate from James Madison University to become the attorney general of Virginia, and the office he now holds is the highest office any JMU alumni has ever held.

Jason earned his Bachelor’s in Business Administration degree from JMU in 1998.

He is a member of the Virginia Bar Association, and he earned a Juris Doctor from the College of William and Mary’s Law School.