MEET CHITO
Council Member Chito Vela is a dedicated public servant representing Austin's District 4. With a passion for community engagement and social justice, he works tirelessly to improve the lives of his constituents. Get to know Council Member Vela and his vision for a better Austin.
A long history of service
Early Days:
Jose “Chito” Vela III is from Laredo, Texas, where he has deep family roots. He was born in 1974 and lived in Laredo until his graduation from United High School in 1992. He first came to Austin in 1992 to attend the University of Texas, where he graduated with a BA in History and a minor in Mexican American Studies. He then enrolled at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas, graduating with a Masters in Public Affairs in 1999.
His father, the Laredo attorney Jose “Chito” Vela, Jr., passed away in May of 1999 and Chito returned to Laredo to arrange his father’s affairs. Chito was hired by the City of Laredo as their nonprofit management and volunteer center coordinator. In this position,he administered the money the City of Laredo provided local nonprofits and held events and trainings for those organizations. This was the second job he had in local government. In 1998, while still at the LBJ School, he was hired as the city manager for El Cenizo, Texas. At the City of El Cenizo, Chito collected the city’s first ever property tax and implemented policies and procedures to comply with Texas’ open records and open meetings acts.
He returned to Austin to attend the University of Texas School of Law in 2002. He married Elizabeth Clarke in 2002 and they had two children, Josue (2004) and Perla (2006). Chito and Elizabeth divorced in 2010 but maintain a good relationship to this day.
After graduating law school, Chito was hired as an assistant attorney general at the Open Records Division of the Texas Attorney Generals Office. He worked there for two years, learning a great deal about open records law in Texas. In 2007, he was hired by Texas State Rep. Solomon Ortiz, Jr. as general counsel. He worked at the Texas Capitol until 2011, when he started his own law practice. Chito handled a variety of different types of cases when he launched his firm, but the high number of immigration detentions and deportations steered him toward criminal defense and immigration law. He partnered with Jennifer Walker Gates to provide comprehensive immigration services to the Austin community, with Jackie Watson joining the firm shortly after.
Chito’s specialty was representing immigrants accused of a crime, guiding them through both the criminal justice system and through any possible immigration consequences. He has had criminal trials for both misdemeanors and felonies in multiple Central Texas counties and made hundreds of appearances in both criminal and civil matters in dozens of counties throughout Texas. In addition, he has represented hundreds of immigrants in deportation proceedings, appearing in US Immigration Courts throughout the country. Human rights and democracy are very important to Chito and he represented refugees from Latin America and all over the world in asylum cases.
In 2016, he married Fabiola Flores. Fabi is also originally from Laredo and is an attorney working for Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid. They had a son, Camilo Vela in 2017. Chito, Fabi and the family live in the Windsor Park neighborhood in Northeast Austin.
Building a better community
Political Career:
Chito grew up around politics and activism. He believes we all have a responsibility to give back to our community. In 2006, he organized against the border wall proposed by President Bush. His work led to various Texas border cities passing resolutions opposing plans to construct a wall along the Rio Grande in South Texas.
In 2011, he joined the Workers Defense Project board of directors, eventually becoming board chair. Being part of such an active, vibrant and effective organization was an honor and a great learning experience. During this time he was also a volunteer at his childrens’ school, Blanton Elementary, becoming president of the PTA from 2011 to 2013. Working with and getting to know the active and supportive community of parents, teachers and staff at Blanton Elementary was a pleasure.
In 2015, Austin Council Member Greg Casar appointed Chito to the City of Austin Planning Commission, where he served until 2017. Chito always had an interest in transit and urban planning, so this was an excellent opportunity and learning experience. He fought to allow housing in Central Austin when too many tried to keep it out. A highlight of his time on the planning commission was preventing the demolition of the historic Montopolis Negro School.
Chito first ran for public office in 2018 to represent Texas House District 46. The field of candidates included the incumbent, Dawnna Dukes, and five challengers. Chito finished first in the primary but narrowly lost to Sheryl Cole in the runoff. Although the final outcome was a disappointment, Chito was proud of the strong, progressive campaign he ran. Rep. Cole and he have since become good friends and colleagues.
In 2021, Greg Casar announced he would run for the US Congress, thereby triggering a special election to fill his District 4 city council seat. Chito ran for the city council seat with the endorsement of Greg Casar. He won the election with 59% of the vote in a field of 7 candidates, winning every precinct in District 4.
Chito’s parents were very involved in their community. His mother, Patricia Juarez, graduated from Our Lady of the Lake University and was a public school teacher. His father, Jose “Chito” Vela, Jr., graduated from Texas A & I University in Kingsville, Texas with dreams of becoming an attorney.
He remembers his father running for office when he was a young boy and serving as both a Webb County Commissioner and Justice of the Peace. In 1982, his father ran for judge of the 49th District Court in Laredo. He narrowly lost the race. That campaign was his father’s last run for elected office.