Tuckahoe NY Pride

Ritchie Torres is a Bronx-born politician who rose from a low-income, public-housing upbringing to national office. An Afro-Latino New Yorker, he built his early career in city government and the New York City Council, gaining notice for aggressive oversight of agencies and a strong focus on public housing conditions and basic services. Elected to the U.S. House in 2020, he has continued to center housing, accountability, and constituent needs. Openly gay, Torres has made LGBTQ visibility part of his public identity, becoming a prominent gay lawmaker and a symbol of representation for communities like the Bronx.

Quote: “Even in our moment of greatest darkness, there is light. And there is hope. And there is hope not only for our own lives, but we should be hopeful about our ability to change the world.”

Photo credit Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA/Reuters