Meet Misael
Misael Ramos is a community leader and coalition-builder with over 20 years of experience standing up for working people in Austin across local progressive policy issues, from housing and transit, to labor and public safety.
Misael is a neighborhood leader, union member, community organizer, expert in affordable community development, and a fighter for real housing solutions.
The son of a Black American father and Afro-Latin immigrant mother, Misael was raised in Dallas, Texas, where his family lived in non-profit owned affordable housing that provided stability amidst challenges familiar to everyday Texans. While working in the service industry at night, Misael attended Austin Community College before becoming the first college graduate in his family with a degree from Texas State University.
Misael knows firsthand what it means to stretch a paycheck, to worry about rising rent, and to hustle just to stay afloat. That's why after earning his degree, Misael worked during the Great Recession, helping families avoid foreclosure. At a time when banks were pushing people out of their homes, Misael stood with working families trying to stay in theirs. Since that time, Misael has spent two decades fighting to make this city work for working people.
Misael is prepared to bring affordability solutions to City Hall. Misael is an experienced community public servant and has a proven track-record:
Misael is President of the Rogers Washington-Holy Cross neighborhood, designated a historic district for its significance as a community founded by African American leaders in East Austin, and has experience building and preserving truly affordable housing while serving as Board President of the Blackland Community Development Corporation. Misael led efforts that secured Austin’s Anti-Displacement Community Acquisition Program. At City Hall, Misael will continue to fight alongside longtime residents to help them stay in their homes, protect and develop truly affordable homes and apartments, and stabilize housing costs for all Austinites in our diverse neighborhoods.
Misael’s experience goes far beyond housing and development, as a former state employee who led union fights for increased wages and workplace safety, Board Member for Rethink35 who opposed highway expansion and continues to advocate for safe, accessible transit, and a leading voice on many local policy issues impacting East Austin communities.
Misael has been an outspoken advocate for police oversight and directing spending to solutions which have been consistently shown to improve safety. Misael was an active leader in the Advocates for Social Justice Reform coalition to win CAFA (“Counsel at First Appearance”) in Travis County, ensuring that Austinites would access their right to legal representation after arrest, a resource proven to significantly reduce the likelihood of rearrest and improve outcomes for employment, housing, and health. In this critical time for our City to show leadership in the face of escalating attacks on our neighbors’ livelihoods and rights, Misael will ensure the City uses its power to defend Austin residents—to safeguard and support our neighbors, our right to protest, and our dignity.
Misael is a proven progressive who believes that government should work for the people - not billionaires and private interests.
