| 词条 | Blanca Vela |
| 释义 |
| name = Blanca Sanchez Vela | image = | caption = | office = Mayor of Brownsville, Texas | term_start = 1999 | term_end = June 10, 2003 | predecessor = Henry Gonzalez | successor = Eddie Treviño | birth_date ={{Birth date|1936|05|27}} | birth_place = Harlingen, Texas, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|2014|02|19|1936|05|27}} | death_place = Brownsville, Texas, U.S. | party = Democratic | spouse = Filemon Vela, Sr. (1962-2004) }}Blanca Sanchez Vela (May 27, 1936 – February 19, 2014) was an American politician and matriarch of one of the most prominent families in Brownsville, Texas.[1] Vela, who served as the Mayor of Brownsville from 1999 until 2003, was the city's first female mayor.[1][2] She remains the only woman to hold the mayoral office to date.[1][3] Vela was married to the late United States federal judge Filemon Vela, Sr., while her three children include U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela, Jr. (D-Texas).[1] Early life and educationVela was born Blanca Sanchez in Harlingen, Texas, on May 27, 1936.[4] Her parents, Luis M. Sanchez and Maria R. "Cuca" Sanchez, were Mexican immigrants who moved to the United States from Linares, Nuevo León, and Zacatecas, respectively, when both were teenagers.[4] They first met each other in Harlingen.[4] Her father worked for the Missouri Pacific Railroad while her mother worked as a homemaker.[4] Blanca Sanchez, who was the eldest of her parents' nine children, was raised in Harlingen.[4] She married her husband, Filemon Vela, Sr., in 1962.[4] He was later appointed a U.S. federal judge on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. The couple had three children: Filemon Vela, Jr., Rafael (Ralph), and Sylvia.[4] Vela began her college career by taking the bus from Harlingen to Brownsville to attend Texas Southmost College, a community college. She later earned both her bachelor's degree and a master's degree.[4][15] CareerPublic servicePrior to her election as mayor in 1999, Vela served on the Brownsville Public Utilities Board (PUB), including a stint as the board's chairperson from 1995 until July 1998.[3][4][18] She and Betty Dodd co-founded of the Brownsville Public Library Foundation in 1994.[3][4][18] Blanca Vela also became the first woman to hold a seat on the Brownsville National Bank's board of directors.[4] Mayor of BrownsvilleVela announced her candidacy for Mayor on August 28, 1998, as a challenger to incumbent Mayor Henry Gonzalez, who was seeking re-election for a third term.[5] She defeated Gonzalez in the city's mayoral election on May 1, 1999.[6][25] Vela garnered 3,003 votes (56%), while Gonzalez placed second with 2,379 votes (44%).[7] On January 7, 2003, Mayor Blanca Vela announced that she would not seek re-election for a second term in a speech in front of the Market Square fountain.[8][9] Her departure set off a competitive 2003 mayoral campaign between city commissioner Eddie Treviño and former Mayor Henry Gonzalez.[8] Treviño and Gonzalez placed first and second (out of four candidates) in the election held on May 3, 2003, which qualified them for the runoff.[10] In the runoff election held on June 7, 2003, Treviño won 4,377 votes (64.13%), defeating Gonzalez, who earned 2,448 votes (35.86%) to succeed Vela as mayor.[11] Vela left office on June 10, 2003.[12] Vela issued as statement thanking her family and the citizens of the city as her last act in office.[12] In a speech following his oath of office on the same day, her successor, Mayor Eddie Treviño Jr., thanked Vela for her service as his first act as mayor.[12] Vela's official portrait, which was hung in commission chambers, was also unveiled on June 10.[12] Vela died of natural causes at her home in Brownsville on February 16, 2014, at the age of 78.[1][2] She was survived by her three children, Sylvia, Ralph, and U.S. Congressman Filemon Vela, Jr.[3] Her husband, Judge Filemon Vela, Sr., died on April 13, 2004.[13] References1. ^1 2 3 4 {{cite news|first=Ty|last=Johnson|title=Former Brownsville mayor, feminist 'trailblazer' Blanca Vela dies at 78 |url=http://www.themonitor.com/news/local/article_93ce870a-99d3-11e3-8d61-001a4bcf6878.html |work=The Monitor (Texas) |publisher= |date=2014-02-18 |accessdate=2014-03-13}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Vela, Blanca}}2. ^1 {{cite news|first=Laura B.|last=Martinez |title=Former Brownsville Mayor Blanca Vela dies |url=http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/local/article_38e979d2-9986-11e3-9d50-0017a43b2370.html|work=Brownsville Herald |publisher= |date=2014-02-19 |accessdate=2014-03-13}} 3. ^1 2 3 {{cite news|first=|last=|title=Brownsville's former and only female mayor, Blanca Vela, passes away |url=http://www.kveo.com/news/brownsvilles-former-and-only-female-mayor-blanca-vela-passes-away |work=KVEO |publisher= |date=2014-02-19 |accessdate=2014-03-13}} 4. ^1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 {{cite news|first=|last=|title=Interview with Blanca Vela |url=http://library.uta.edu/tejanovoices/interview.php?cmasno=025 |work=University of Texas at Arlington Center for Mexican American Studies |publisher= |date=1999-11-24 |accessdate=2014-03-13}} 5. ^1 2 {{cite news|first=Marcial|last=Guajardo |title=Blanca Vela announces interest in mayor's job |url=http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/local/article_dc34b993-4e93-5830-94d6-cba3573825e4.html|work=Brownsville Herald |publisher= |date=1998-08-28 |accessdate=2014-03-13}} 6. ^1 {{cite news|first=Brittany|last=Booth |title=Vela makes mark in four years as mayor |url=http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/local/article_5bc04157-413b-5b43-8273-f99a25f7f61e.html|work=Brownsville Herald |publisher= |date=2003-04-20 |accessdate=2014-03-13}} 7. ^1 {{cite news|first=|last=|title=Dallas, San Antonio Mayors Reelected |url=http://articles.latimes.com/1999/may/02/news/mn-33314 |work=Los Angeles Times |publisher= |date=1999-05-02 |accessdate=2014-03-13}} 8. ^1 {{cite news|first=Brittany|last=Booth |title=City Commission produces two mayoral candidates Election: Hernandez, Trevio to seek post. |url=http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/local/article_ba889a2f-e24d-5203-af30-fc6711e31eca.html |work=Brownsville Herald |publisher= |date=2003-01-18 |accessdate=2014-03-13}} 9. ^{{cite news|first=Brittany|last=Booth |title=Mayor wont seek re-election Wide open: Several officials consider running for citys highest office. |url=http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/local/article_17342862-88d0-58c3-9ce6-ee9c6fb8199e.html |work=Brownsville Herald |publisher= |date=2003-01-08 |accessdate=2014-03-13}} 10. ^{{cite news|first=Brittany|last=Booth |title=Gonzalez ready to regain mayors seat |url=http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/local/article_838ef8d8-4fee-53a5-889e-fcb1aede0db2.html |work=Brownsville Herald |publisher= |date=2003-06-01 |accessdate=2014-03-13}} 11. ^{{cite news|first=Brittany|last=Booth |title=Trevio elected mayor |url=http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/local/article_589b8462-180d-559d-9a4b-0c15937dbef9.html |work=Brownsville Herald |publisher= |date=2003-06-08 |accessdate=2014-03-13}} 12. ^1 2 3 {{cite news|first=Brittany|last=Booth |title=Trevio, new commissioners take oaths of office |url=http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/local/article_ef0f6d14-9243-5874-9270-08769dbecb2b.html |work=Brownsville Herald |publisher= |date=2003-06-11 |accessdate=2014-03-13}} 13. ^{{cite news|first=Laura B. |last=Martinez |title=Judge Filemon Vela loses battle with stomach cancer |url=http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/local/article_b95307ac-7be7-53bd-a263-1ea9b785f4d7.html |work=Brownsville Herald |publisher= |date=2004-02-08 |accessdate=2014-03-13}} 9 : 1936 births|2014 deaths|American politicians of Mexican descent|Mayors of Brownsville, Texas|Hispanic and Latino American mayors|Hispanic and Latino American women in politics|Women mayors of places in Texas|Texas Democrats|People from Harlingen, Texas |
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