David Vela

Trustee David Vela serves as the first open LGBTQ+ Trustee for the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD), the largest in the country representing 300,000 students where up to 20 percent of them identify as LGBTQIA+. David has been at the forefront in advocating for students as Chair of the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on LGBTQ Affairs. In this capacity, David has championed a second year of college promise, student housing, job training, job creation, an LGBTQ Bill of Rights and completion of student certificates, transferring and A.A. degrees. He also expanded and built on the District-Wide Lavender District graduation. Furthermore, Trustee Vela led the charge in sponsoring a permanent budget request of over $30 million dollars so that California Community Colleges can open LGBTQIA+ centers at each campus. He also advocated for laws that look at affordability, streamlining the application process, and financial aid expansion. Mr. Vela recently ensured that workforce dollars were kept in place and colleges continued to educate students amid the current pandemic. Mr. David Vela has more than 20 years of experience in the public sector. In 2002, David served as Senior Legislative Assistant to former Assemblymember Jackie Goldberg, handling Labor, Transportation and Economic Development. David also served as Senior Advisor to the Employment Development Department under former Governor Gray Davis’s administration. After his time in Sacramento, David spent 10 years as a Senior Deputy to Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina. In 2012, David served as the Chief of Staff to the Chair of the Assembly Committee on Labor. David is a founder of HONOR PAC, a Political Action Committee that supports Latino LGBTQ political candidates. From 2007-2015, David served on the Montebello Unified School District (MUSD) Board of Education as the first openly LGBTQ School Board Member. David Vela received his Bachelors of Science Degree from the University of California, Los Angeles and holds a Master’s Degree in Public Policy with Concentrations in Economics and International Relations. He owns his own Public Affairs company and lives in Montebello, CA.