Alexie Torres

My name means “Defender of Humankind” and that has been my destiny path. I was raised in the South Bronx during one of the darkest times in NYC’s history, but I longed for others to see beyond that story to the beauty and sanctity of my community. In my early 20’s, I founded Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice where I labored with young people on issues from policing, to education and environmental justice. A cornerstone of my work was the reclamation of the Bronx River which was highly industrialized and inaccessible to my community. I co-founded the Bronx River Alliance, which today continues the work of protecting the river.

My journey has taken me to places I never imagined as a child of Borinquen, my ancestral homeland. I have spoken around the world about the sacred work of justice and protecting the most vulnerable among us. I have spent the last decade in philanthropy, most recently as Executive Director of Access Strategies Fund. I believe that the work of social justice is holy calling and have most recently launched the Soul of the Movement Fund to connect healers and wisdom keepers to social movements. I am a mother of two who strives to be rooted in love and iluminate what is sacred, wherever I go.