In the same West Dallas neighborhood activist Raul Reyes grew up in and advocated for, a street topper went up Monday morning to honor his legacy.
Nearly a year after his death, community and city leaders, family and friends gathered for the unveiling of one of the street toppers that now stands on top of the intersection of Morris Street and Obenchain. It’s next to the Los Altos house where Reyes and his siblings grew up.
“When they go through this road and Google him, because he loved to be Googled,” his daughter Dahlia Reyes said to the crowd, “they can see ... the importance of doing community work.”
The Dallas City Council in October approved the street topper honoring Reyes, who was known for his advocacy in various areas including housing, food insecurity, education and environmental issues.
Some of the attendees at Monday’s ceremony — which coincidentally took place on Día de los Reyes, a holiday popular in the Hispanic community — wore t-shirts with artwork showing Reyes’ likeness with the hashtag “West Dallas Strong,” a quote the late leader and former president of the West Dallas 1 organization used often.
Omar Narvaez, city council member for District 6, described Reyes as a champion for West Dallas and for the city.
“He was a bridge builder and he wasn't only West Dallas,” Narvaez said. “He would take his knowledge and take it into other parts of the city.”
Raul Reyes III said he was thankful the city recognized his father for his advocacy.
“He poured a lot into this community, he poured a lot into the city,” Reyes said. “And sometimes he put it before himself.”
The number of people who showed up to the ceremony despite the cold weather was a testament to the impact that Reyes’ work had in the community, said Rey De Los Santos, director of the League of United Latin American Citizens’ National Educational Center in Dallas.
He said he knew Reyes through the late advocate’s work at Pinkston High School, where he would attend school meetings, scholarship fundraisers and anything related to education.
“He was someone that we knew to count on when we had an idea of something that might work in West Dallas,” De Los Santos said. “We would check it out with him because he knew the people and he knew how people would respond.”
Reyes’ youngest daughter, Reagan Reyes, said having one of the sign toppers next door to the family home is fitting.
“It feels like the right thing to happen because of how much he gave to the West Dallas community,” Reyes said. “And preserving our culture and the homes he worked so hard for, it feels right, to say the least.”
Priscilla Rice is KERA’s communities reporter. Got a tip? Email her at price@kera.org.
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