By Erica Scalise
Torres, 29, was featured in the December 2016 issue of The New Yorker, where he addressed new hardships he expected to face under the Trump Administration. He represents the 15th council district in the Bronx, one of the poorest city council districts in New York.
Torres was elected in 2013 as the first openly gay politician in the Bronx to win the Democratic Party nomination and serve public office. He said his identity as part of the LGBTQ+ community stands at the forefront of his policies.
“There has been a culture of homophobia in the Bronx. We are the only community in New York that does not have a safe space. Since being elected, I have raised $20,000 to help convert the New York Public Library into a safe space with the hope that everyone has the opportunity to feel secure and included,” said Torres.
Torres grew up in a public-housing project in the East Bronx. He described the fear of privatization and gentrification he faced in his own community. He said these fears have manifested into policy-making during his time as council member.
“I am a supporter of development without displacement. I am concerned about my colleagues and the ‘New Bronx’ they often speak of. More and more of them are speaking out against homeless shelters. To this I urge them to remember, we are all human. Any one of us can fall victim to life’s difficulties,” said Torres.
At the meeting, Torres and members of College Democrats mentioned Mayor de Blasio’s “Mandatory Inclusionary Housing” program (MIH). MIH ensures a new approach to economic diversity through zoning action, according to the NYC Department of City Planning. The program increases the share of residential stories and requires landlords to place affordable units in the same building as market-rate units.
“Rent regulation is also one of the most powerful tools that we have,” said Torres, regarding additional methods to combat gentrification.
When asked about an issue he is currently passionate about, Torres discussed a legislative policy called “The Right to Know.” “The Right to Know” protects the human rights of New Yorkers in encounters with the NYPD. It establishes transparency and ensures that an officer does not conduct a search without a probable cause.
“These are constitutional principles and I’m making them known,” said Torres. “The NYPD is an agency in need of work. It’s under the impression that it’s a power military.”
Another issue pressing Torres is school segregation. The Council Member said that being able to identify systematic segregation is integral to his job. Torres urged members of College Democrats to focus on identifying the source when witnessing racism and segregation in their day-to-day lives.
“The problem with a thing like school choice is that it seems egalitarian; however, it only reinforces the deeper problem of segregation. It in fact breeds it. For this reason, I’m for controlled choice,” said Torres.
He said having controlled choice aids in balancing school diversity. Less emphasis needs to be placed on specialized schools as there are only eight of them and they are extremely exclusive when it comes to accepting students. With 80,000 students in the New York Public school system facing homelessness, the Council Member said that his concerns are less in school choice vouchers or specialized education, and more in segregation and resource inequity.
Treasurer of the College Democrats of Fordham University, Cameron DeChalus, FCRH ’20 asked Torres how Fordham University students can be involved in the Bronx community.
“Take an interest and pick an issue that you care about,” said Torres. “It should not feel like the Tale of Two Cities. There’s Fordham, the great university and Fordham, one of the poorest neighborhoods in New York. Acknowledging this disparity is the first step to enact change.”
