The power of advocacy | Xiomara Torres | TEDxPortland

Advocacy and Possibility

Xiomara Torres argues that advocacy can help people imagine and reach futures they may not believe are possible—and that everyone can advocate for someone else.

Throughout her life, Torres was told, explicitly or indirectly, that certain paths were not for her. After three unsuccessful applications to become a judge, she nearly gave up. A judge encouraged her to see the role as a calling, and Torres applied again. In 2017, Oregon Governor Kate Brown appointed her to the bench.

Torres is an immigrant and one of the few minority judges in Oregon. She also points to the limited representation of Hispanic people in the state’s legal profession.

A Path Shaped by Advocates

Torres’s journey included leaving college because of financial hardship and a lack of family support. When a counselor discouraged her from applying to UC Berkeley, Torres remembered that the university had invited her to apply. She was admitted and graduated.

As a child, Torres entered foster care after testifying in a criminal trial. At the hearing, Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Jan Bryce held her hand and became a lasting source of support. Bryce attended important milestones in Torres’s life, from her high school graduation to her judicial swearing-in. Teresa Guerrero also helped Torres return to college.

Torres contrasts the counselor who discouraged her with advocates like Bryce and Guerrero, who helped her move forward.

A Call to Advocate

Torres urges people to reflect on where they feel they do not belong, recognize who supports them, and become advocates for others—especially those facing barriers and low expectations.

Presenter: Xiomara Torres Advocates: Jan Bryce and Teresa Guerrero Appointed Torres to the bench: Governor Kate Brown