Meet Our Staff: Victor Rivera Labiosa

Victor Rivera Labiosa

Bilingual Counsel, Bolder Advocacy
Based in Houston, TX

Building Power, One Community at a Time: How Victor Fuels Advocacy and Hope in Houston

When asked how he maintains hope in this political landscape, and how he reminds others to remain hopeful, Victor refers to his degree in history and his understanding that throughout history, there are ups and downs, ebbs and flows, progress and regress. But always, arguably the most important work, and the change that most impacts people’s day-to-day life happens at the community level. Neighbors help neighbors build community and positive change. Holding that awareness of history, and the mindset that helping each other is how to make change, allows him to keep hopeful and inspire hope in others.

Victor joined AFJ in January 2022 as part of our Texas Bolder Advocacy team. Previously, he lived and worked in Puerto Rico, for a law firm specializing in real estate and corporate affairs as an associate whilst waiting for his bar admission.  He moved to Texas after the pandemic hit, to be with his then-girlfriend, now spouse and with the recognition that he wanted to change his work environment.  Throughout law school he’d worked in the law school practicum clinic supporting immigrants’ rights organizations and individual immigrants, with their visa applications and other processes.

He was drawn to AFJ, and this position on the Bolder Advocacy team, because there was an appeal of “working with an organization that worked on so many issues, immigration – health equity and more.” He also was excited by the idea of helping Spanish speakers, the Spanish speaking community, and community leaders and organizations in Houston to have a bigger voice.  He says, “Bolder Advocacy is focused on helping other nonprofit organizations understand what they can and cannot do per their tax-exempt status and providing other tools and resources and a helping hand – helping them understand that they can do so much more with their own voices and as nonprofits and if they join forces with other nonprofit organizations towards their goals.”

Victor lives in Houston with his wife, a veterinarian, and their four rescue mutts: Duke, Leo, Benny and Santi. As a metaphor for this time we’re living through, we must keep moving. To that end, Victor is an avid runner and marathoner. He’s run the Houston marathon twice, the Chicago marathon once, and will run the Berlin marathon later this year. Through running, he keeps moving, giving him the power to keep moving professionally in his work in Houston and with AFJ.

How long have you been at AFJ? 

Been with AFJ since January 0f 2022, three years. Previously in PR, working for a law firm, working as a corporate and real estate associate pending Bar admission. Pandemic hit, and moved to Houston to be with girlfriend now spouse, and wanted to change work environments – was not liking the law firm environment. Had been familiar with immigration organizations and immigrants etc. In law school via a law school clinic (Immigrants Rights Practicum clinic) on applications and visa processes.

What drew you to this work? 

Familiar with AFJ from law school with resources. Liked the appeal of working with an organization that worked on so many issues, immigration – health equity etc. – helping other nonprofits to maximize advocacy and understand what they can and cannot do. Drew to AFJ and to Bolder Advocacy.  Hired as Bilingual Counsel in Texas via support from the Houston Endowment – help Spanish speaking community, community leaders and organizations, need others to have a bigger voice.  To give them a louder microphone – a larger platform.

What is the best part of your job? 

Best part, internally, is working with the staff and being with staff of AFJ – reminded of the type of work that AFJ does, working to improve communities and externally, working with communities, nonprofits, individuals who may not have resources to hire lobbyists or file litigation, doing the important advocacy work themselves to get an ordinance past, or get involved in the process to gather signatures toward a ballot measure passed. Working with those organizations/folks is the best part of the job. Example, work with Houston in Action coalition has been very impactful – Victor has helped them navigate election cycles and legislative sessions and understand how they can hold elected officials accountable – important at all levels of gov’t.

How would you describe BA to someone that doesn’t know anything about AFJ and our BA program? 

We are a program within a nonprofit organization that focuses on helping other nonprofit organizations understand what they can and cannot do per their tax exempt status and provide other tools and resources and a helping hand to other nonprofits to figure out how they can advance their mission and create impact and change at the community level.  Helping them understand that they can do so much more with their own voices and as nonprofits and if they join forces with other nonprofit organizations.

Living in Texas and working in this field/space must be hard. How do you keep hopeful? And how do you inspire hope in others? 

History major, cycles, ups and downs, we need to stay strong in the rollercoaster motion and ebbs and flows. Important work and change is made at the community level to help our neighbors and help each other – holding that mindset of helping each other helping others in need to make change, make things better.

What do you do for fun? 

Running to compartmentalize everything in the world – to keep moving – metaphor to try to improve the world anyway you can.  Ran Houston Marathon in 2024, Chicago in Houston, and Houston in 2025 (in January). Will run Berlin this year, and hopefully New York. Some day, Tokyo! And being with four dogs Duke, Leo, Benny and Santi – all four mutts and wife who is a vet.