The board president of the Gay and Lesbian Latino AIDS Education Initiative will be among the honorees at a ceremony next month for the region’s most influential Latino leaders.
David Torres is one of 40 people named Delaware Valley’s Most Influential Latinos by the Philadelphia Multicultural Congress and Impacto Latino Magazine.
Torres, 27, will be included in the “Top 10 Under 40” category in the magazine’s December publication and will be honored alongside the other leaders at a Dec. 1 reception.
Torres, a native Philadelphian, is the program coordinator for Global Philadelphia, the city’s language-access program.
In this capacity, Torres works with an array of city departments to ensure services are available and accessible to those without English expertise.
Torres said his work hits home for him, making the award even more meaningful.
“It’s great to be recognized for my work, especially because I’m really passionate about it,” he said. “My role is to ensure city services are made available to people who are limited-English proficient, whether they’re residents or visitors. My family is from Puerto Rico, and I have grandparents that don’t speak English well, so what I do resonates with me personally. This city and country were born of immigrants, and we need to remember that people have a right to service, regardless of their English-language ability.”
Torres began working for the city in 2008, first serving in the Mayor’s Office before moving to the Managing Director’s Office.
Before becoming a city employee, he worked as a special assistant to the executive director of Asociación Puertorriqueños en Marcha Inc., a position he attained after his 2006 graduation from Temple University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in adult and organizational development.
Torres joined the board of directors at GALAEI last year and was elected president earlier this year.
GALAEI executive director Elicia Gonzalez said she was “thrilled” at Torres’ award.
“He is a one-of-a-kind leader who leads by example and fosters leadership in others by recognizing their true potential,” she said. “He has an infectious laugh and makes every effort to have fun while giving 150 percent on any job. I look up to him and continue to be inspired by his determination, passion and dedication to the Latino community and his sense of humor.”
Torres said the award will serve to not only highlight his own accomplishments but also the efforts of GALAEI.
“I appreciate this recognition, not just because of the work I do in city government, but because of the work I’m doing with GALAEI,” he said. “I’m a son of Philadelphia and know I’m called to make this city a better place. The work that GALAEI does is extremely impactful, and it’s important to me to be a part of something that’s making Philadelphia better every day — in this case, with a focus on the LGBTQ Latino community.”
Jen Colletta can be reached at [email protected].
