Javier's mother raised Javier and his brother Thomas on her own in south Denver, and her only source of income was her social security disability check. Javier and his family know what it means to struggle, to rely on food banks, and eventually face homelessness.

Javier dropped out of high school after his family dealt with housing instability and homelessness. He went back to school to become an advocate for families like his. He worked his way through community college washing dishes and delivering pizzas before going to Berkeley Law School to pursue a career representing tenants facing eviction. After law school, Javier helped found a non-profit focused on keeping Coloradans in their homes. Since 2020, Javier's organization has represented thousands of Coloradans facing eviction and successfully advocated for significant policy changes to help renters in Colorado. He now works as an eviction defense attorney and community organizer.

Rep. Mabrey has continued his work to address Colorado's housing crisis by carrying legislation that increases habitability requirements for rental properties to protect tenants from living in a housing unit that may cause negative impacts to their health. He has also successfully passed policy to address gun violence and the rising cost of health care by passing legislation that caps the price of a 2-pack of EpiPens at $60 and allows gun violence victims to seek accountability in court.