Characterized as a "legendary Chicano activist" and a "political trailblazer" by Austin newspapers,[1][2] he led the way for Latinos to follow him into public office.
When the family moved close to Metz elementary, the school for white children, Bertha Moya confronted the segregation of Mexican-American students.
When their paper was banned they published off campus with the help of the director of the Comal Recreation Center and continued distributing it at a store close to the high school.
With limited college opportunities after graduating from Austin High, Moya became a delivery boy for a print shop.
Knowing Moya had connections in the community, Justice of the Peace Jerry Dellana encouraged him to apply for the non-lawyer chief investigator position.
[3] His community contacts and his Spanish speaking ability gave him the edge over several veteran law enforcement applicants.
I wanted to change that.” Virgil Limón, a retiree of the county's district clerk's office, said “He also opened the doors for minorities to get hired in all parts of the county.” [5] He helped establish a rural transportation program called CARTS, and he supported the development of a program that became known as StarFlight which provided emergency services.
He pushed for a child abuse unit in the district attorney's office and greatly improved the county's mental health services.
[3] Although he served on a commissioners court of strong personalities such as Mike Renfro, Jimmy Snell, Bob Honts and Ann Richards, he was the driving force, because "he had the ability to persuade others to follow his lead", Barrientos remembered.
[10] After leaving the commissioners court Moya worked for Jim Hightower at the Texas Department of Agriculture as the Director of Field Operations.
He was a trouble shooter for problem agencies and he used his experience to help Richards bring diversity to state boards and commissions.
[2] Together they had a son who died at age 19[5] and a daughter, Lori Moya, who followed her father into politics, serving on the Austin school board from 2006 to 2014.
[2] His political legacy lives on in the changes he brought to Travis County government, having opened the door for the hiring and election of minorities.