Page 22 - 2021 UHLC Annual Report

Fuel the Future Donor: Tony Bonilla

Tony Bonilla '60 generosity and trailblazing legacy

honored in new building naming

education where no one looked at you any differently and
embraced you, had a significant impact on me."

Bonilla and his family recently provided funding to name
the Tony Bonilla, Sr. '60 Seminar Room in recognition of
BoniIla's commitment and legacy to civil rights and the
law. Because all building funds have been raised, his gift
will be able to support scholarships and the Dean's Society
for the Fuel the Future Initiative.

"Attending the University of Houston Law Center was
the best decision I ever made," Bonilla said. "I'm humbled
to have been the first Hispanic to graduate from the Law
Center. It's very meaningful to me."

"The dean, Newell Blakely, embraced me as did all the
professors. My classmates embraced me and I've had
wonderful lifelong friendships come out of that experience."

Success has taken multiple forms throughout Bonilla's
career. A longtime proponent of public education, Bonilla
played a role in the creation of the LULAC Education
Service Centers and served as National Chairman of the
Board. He is past National President of LULAC, past
State Chair of LULAC and has served LULAC and other
Hispanic organizations in leadership roles.

Tony Bonilla, the first person of Hispanic descent and Bonilla is the president of Bonilla & Chapa, P.C., a personal
the first person of a racailly/ethnically underrepresented injury firm with five offices across Texas. He was the first
group to graduate from the University of Houston Law Hispanic elected state representative of Nueces County. He
Center, frequently recalls the sacrifices his immigrant was also appointed to serve on the Governor's Commission
parents made and his roots growing up in Calvert, Texas. of Public Education. He previously served as a member of
the Texas Coordinating Board of Higher Education, The
The 1960 alumnus of the Law Center was one of eight siblings. Governor's Select Committee on Public Education and as a
His family's income came from a Texaco service station that member of the Texas Constitutional Revision Commission.
employed his father and, at times, him and his brothers.
"By pursuing law, I was hoping I could bring some
"My parents stressed education," Bonilla said. "My balance to our society where Hispanics weren't looked
hometown had a railroad track that runs right through the upon as second-class citizens and so that we could have
middle of town. All of the African Americans and Latinos an equal opportunity to get jobs and promotions and to
lived on one side of the track and all of the Anglos on the get elected," Bonilla said.
other. My parents wanted us to never have to endure some
of the discrimination or segregation they experienced." "I thank the University of Houston and the great
education provided by my professors. I thank the
"There were eight of us and we all went to college. Four of Law Center for opening many doors, not only to
us were in college at the same time. To this day I don't know law but opening the doors to the possibilities that
how they managed it financially. The experience of living in existed. I thank them for the opportunities to excel
that environment and then coming to an institution of higher and become successful."

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