Meet Angel Ponce | Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Angel Ponce and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Angel, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
My favorite quote is “Nothing about us without us.” It is a phrase that has been popular throughout disability rights activists since the 1990s but has origins dating to the 1500s. Regardless of its origins to me the phrase has a profound meaning. It means that no decisions will be made without the input of people that are represented on a given subject. As a person with a disability that uses a custom wheelchair to move throughout the environment, I quickly learned that the best way to make significant change in communities of people with disabilities was to serve as a representative and as a voice of people with disabilities. For example, as Director for the City of Houston Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities I have the pleasure to not only represent the community but to also serve as an advocate for the rights and needs of Houstonians with disabilities.

Through community engagement strategies and efforts, like liaising on the Houston Commission on Disabilities I learn about community needs and relate that same information to the mayor, city council members, city department directors and other public and private representatives. At the end of the day, I am pleased to say that the administration and our partners value my input on matters pertaining to disability and value the recommendations put forth as a professional with a disability.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a bilingual government professional with a disability who has 14 years of experience in Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) policy, accessible infrastructure, disability advocacy, project management, interfacing with elected officials and non-profit networks. I also have experience in supporting boards and commissions and serving the disability and functional needs communities.

In my 2019 Voyage Houston article I talked a bit on my career and what sets me apart from others. Nonetheless, as you may imagine much has changed since then, and I am excited to share with you all that I am now the Director for the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities. I have served in this role through the end of Mayor Sylvester Turner’s administration and now serving under Mayor John Whitmire. There are two things I am most proud of since we last connected. First, since I became director, I have doubled the people power in my office, and we are now serving 200% more people than we did 2 years ago. The second thing I am most proud of is my effort in passing through City Council the City’s Americans with Disabilities (ADA) Self-Evaluation and Transition Plan. An endeavor that will guide our city in rendering all city facilities, programs, and services to be ADA compliant and beyond.

The biggest lesson I have learned is that results don’t happen without a team. Therefore, collaboration has been an instrumental part of my success thus far. One of the ways I have accomplish this is by hosting weekly all-staff meetings with my team. It sounds simple but it has been effective. This strategy fosters open dialogue and allows every person on my team to contribute ideas and decisions collectively. Applying this lesson over my tenure as director has allowed me to think critically and strategically. In other words, I can’t think of every possible outcome and as a collaborative leader I can be more effective. Nonetheless, I never take credit for everything. I purposely surround myself with intelligent and creative people of all backgrounds. I give credit where credit is due.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I have the perfect little itinerary. To get the day started we would take a trip to Cielito Café early in the morning. Cielito is in the Montrose area between Midtown and River Oaks. It is a hidden gem of authentic Mexican flavors. The chilaquiles and or the divorciados are among my favorites. Later, to burn off some of those added calories I would take my friend to Eleanor Tinsley Park for a walk or roll. Not only does the park provide an interesting opportunity to connect with mother nature but it’s a great place to relax.

In the evening, after all that exercise, we would have built up an appetite. I have two choices to offer, State of Grace or Mala Sichuan Bistro. These two are among my favorites but State of Grace is more on the expensive side, so we will go with Mala. I immediately would start with Dan Dan Noodles, order the Spicy and Crispy Chicken, and because we want more protein an order of Dry Pot Beef. Remember, we are sharing!

Finally, The Waterway in the Woodlands would be my closing choice. Often there may be a concert going on at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion and if not, then a pub crawl is super fun.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
We all have heard of the quote, “behind every great man is a greater woman.” For me this makes perfect sense. When I first thought about applying to be Director for the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, I told myself that I wasn’t qualified. When I told my wife (girlfriend at the time) she immediately reinforced my ability to be successful at this job. I think if it wasn’t for her, I would have let this wonderful opportunity pass me by. My wife’s name is Alexa Ponce Aragonez. She is Deputy Director for the Mayor’s Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. From the first moment we interacted I knew she was a person I could count on and bounce ideas with. Often when I am depleted and have no energy, she finds a way to encourage me and champion my aspirations. I’ve interacted with a lot of great people, but Alexa encourages me to be my best self.

Website: https://www.houstontx.gov/disabilities/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatsponcedoing/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angel-ponce-trevizo/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/supermanponce/