Velma Veloria (b. 1950) was the first Filipina American elected to a state legislature in the continental United States when she was elected to the Washington Legislature's 11th District in 1992. Veloria served for 12 years, from 1992 to 2004.

Born in the Philippines, Veloria grew up in the Bay Area and became an activist through her participation in the anti-war and Asian American student movements in the 1960s. In the 1970s and 1980s, Veloria was a labor activist, organizing with several unions. She was also an active member of the Katipunan ng Demokratikong Pilipino (KDP), or Union of Democratic Filipinos, agitating against the Marcos dictatorship and organizing cannery workers in Seattle.

As a member of the State Legislature, Veloria advocated for affordable housing, workers’ rights, and racial justice; took special interest in the impact of international trade and globalization on communities; and co-authored legislation to combat human trafficking and require oversight of international trade agreements.

This photo shows Velma Veloria being sworn in to the House of Representatives at the opening ceremonies at the state Capitol in Olympia in January 1993.

Caption information source: "Velma Veloria," University of Washington Seattle Civil Rights and Labor History Project website, retrieved at https://depts.washington.edu/civilr/veloria.htm
Caption information also derived from captions written by Post-Intelligencer staff and attached to the back of the photo.