Raul Reyes Jr., community leader in West Dallas, dies at 50

Raul Reyes Jr., a community leader in West Dallas and an advocate for fair housing, died on Tuesday. He was 50. Reyes’ family declined to comment to The News, citing the need to process their loss. “Raul Reyes represents the heart of West Dallas. His advocacy, his ability to advocate in a way that brought attention and solutions to the needs of the residents of West Dallas, was unmatched,” said James Armstrong III, 37, president of Builders of Hope.

Armstrong said his relationship with Reyes goes back 15 years and that they were like brothers, always joking, but that he also got encouragement and support from Reyes Jr. Reyes was born and raised in the Los Altos neighborhood of West Dallas. His father, Raul Reyes, and his mother, Juanita, immigrated to Dallas from Mexico in the 1960s. Over the years, Reyes became a respected active voice and a leader in the community, joining organizations such as the Los Altos Neighborhood Association, La Bajada and later becoming president of West Dallas 1, a coalition of neighbors and neighborhood associations working to ensure equitable and safe neighborhoods and provide opportunities for residents. Reyes was appointed to several boards and commissions in the City of Dallas over the years. In 2023, he was appointed by Council Member Omar Narvaez to represent District 6 on the Dallas Public Facility Corporation. Housing rights, gentrification, environmental racism, food insecurity, education and drug abuse prevention were some of the issues Reyes was passionate about.