Eva Bonilla is a dedicated community advocate who has volunteered to support her neighborhood and underserved community members for over fifty years. Having lived and worked in Fort Worth all her life, she has witnessed both the best and worst in people, the community, and city leadership. Even during her retirement, she remains committed to public service and community engagement. The numerous awards she has received over the years reflect her ongoing readiness to lead and educate others on community and city initiatives.
Most notably, Eva enthusiastically embraced Fort Worth's ambition to become the largest city certified by the Blue Zones Project in 2018, supporting then-Mayor Betsy Price's vision for a healthier city. As one of the first community leaders to volunteer, she educated neighbors citywide on stress management, plant-based diets, and the importance of social connections and family during a time when others were unsure of the validity of this new movement.
Eva's life philosophy centers on the joy of giving and assisting others. "I have a very happy life, and I think it's because I am fulfilled by giving and helping others," she affirms, attributing this to her family's early teachings on community contribution during her childhood.
A Legacy of Community Activism and Advocacy
As a child, Eva was especially close to her father, and her journey into community activism was profoundly influenced by his dedication to helping others.
She shared: "When I was a child, all the poor Hispanics who didn't speak English didn't know they could go to City Hall and fight for the things they needed. It was terrible… and so, when he returned home from World War II, my grandmother told my father he needed to do something to help them... and he did for almost fifteen years!"
Her father, despite holding an hourly job, would often forgo a day's pay to serve on various boards and commissions during the workday.
"He became a community activist who worked to abolish the poll tax, register voters, and advocate for bilingual education. He was also Tarrant County’s first Hispanic precinct chair and actively encouraged the city to form the Human Relations Commission."
Her commitment to community service began early, deeply influenced by the Civil Rights Movement and her involvement with the La Raza Unida Party during her college years. "I graduated from high school in 1967 during the Civil Rights Movement. In college, I was involved with the La Raza Unida Party. I was trying to understand my people and where we came from or find where I belonged," she shared.
Her activism and dedication to justice led her to run for state representative of the party and helped establish her reputation as a negotiator and effective advocate for her community.
Collaborative Efforts and Diverse Ideas: The Secret to Successful Community Building
Eva is a staunch proponent of volunteering and neighborhood involvement. She believes that volunteering offers invaluable experiences that cannot be found elsewhere. "By volunteering, you'll learn so many skills that you're not going to learn anywhere else. You're not going to find it in a classroom or at work. And you benefit from what you learn just by getting engaged and serving."
She stresses the need for open communication and building a sense of belonging within communities.
"If you don't talk about community and engagement and belonging and sustainability and the history that we have gone through together, history will repeat itself."
She encourages people to engage with their neighbors, learn, and get to know each other, highlighting events like National Night Out (NNO) as key opportunities for fostering these connections.
For her, community engagement is about building relationships, one person at a time. "It's when you have two or three people who feel they have a common basis or knowledge of something that needs to be done," she explains. Whether it's a small project, a neighborhood party, or a Fourth of July celebration, the essence of community engagement lies in coming together.
She also emphasizes the importance of diverse ideas and collaborative efforts.
"I believe not just in the diversity of ideas, but also that more than one person is better, and two or three is even greater. When they all get together, there's no telling what will happen!"
From Mentor to Mentee: How Eva's Work with HWNT Inspired Her Education
One of her core beliefs is the power of educating women. "I believe that if you educate a woman, she is not only able to feed her family but also to contribute to the community," she affirms. She also holds anthropologist Margaret Mead’s sentiment close to her heart:
"Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For indeed, that is all who ever have."
One of Eva's proudest accomplishments is co-authoring the Latinas in Progress Educational Program while serving as the president of the Hispanic Women's Network of Texas (HWNT) in 2006. The program provides scholarships and mentoring connections to encourage Hispanic women to strive for and accomplish their dreams. While serving as a mentor, several girls inspired her to go back to college and complete her degree at the age of 57. For almost twenty years, she has continued to mentor young Latinas, helping them achieve their own educational goals.
Since retiring, she has also joined the James L. West Dementia Center Board to start a bilingual program for underserved Hispanics with dementia. After helping establish the Age-Friendly and Dementia-Friendly City program and volunteering to lead educational sessions for the community, she has continued to volunteer with the American Association of Retired Persons AARP to improve the lives of senior adults and their families who provide care for them.
Make Time to Build Strong Connections
Eva Bonilla's life serves as a shining example of the transformative power of community engagement, volunteering, and the joy of giving. Her insights act as a guiding light, inspiring others to build connections, foster relationships, and actively contribute to their communities. She recognizes the vital need for interpersonal communication and adds,
"We need to talk to each other more often because people are lonely, depressed, and having a hard time making connections or even speaking to others."
Her journey highlights the importance of understanding and learning from history to avoid repeating past mistakes. Her dedication to community service resonates deeply, emphasizing the enduring value of collective participation and shared responsibility in shaping a brighter future for the next generation.
Additional Resources
Click on these programs and organizations that Eva suggested for more information:
American Association of Retired Persons AARP is a nonprofit organization that empowers people aged 50 and older to live their best lives. It provides resources on health, finances, retirement planning, and community engagement while advocating for seniors' rights at the national level.
National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to create safer and more connected communities. Events often include block parties, cookouts, and other local activities.
The Blue Zones Project Fort Worth is a community-led well-being initiative inspired by regions around the world where people live the longest. It focuses on improving public health through healthy eating, active living, and fostering community connections.
James L. West Dementia Center (Fort Worth, Texas) specializes in providing compassionate care, support, and education for individuals living with dementia and their caregivers. The center offers residential care, adult day services, and resources for families.
The City of Fort Worth Human Relations Commission works to promote equality and fair treatment for all residents by addressing discrimination, fostering inclusion, and ensuring compliance with civil rights laws. It serves as an advocate for human rights within the city.
Hispanic Women's Network of Texas is a nonprofit organization that empowers Latinas through education, leadership, and personal and professional development. It hosts networking events, mentorship programs, and community initiatives.
MANA de North Texas is a chapter of a national Latina organization focused on leadership development, advocacy, and community service. It provides mentoring, educational programs, and support for Latinas across various sectors.
Fort Worth Sister Cities fosters cultural exchange and global partnerships by building relationships with Fort Worth's sister cities worldwide. The organization promotes diplomacy through educational, cultural, and business initiatives.