“A warrior of life who has known how to make her way through her condition to teach the world that the only limitations that paralyze human beings are those of the mind and spirit.”
Know our CEO
Yesenia Torres
Yesenia Torres was born in New York to Colombian parents. At the age of 21, she suffered a car accident that left her with an incomplete C4-C5 spinal cord injury, paralyzing her from the chest down.
Despite her condition, Yesenia is a warrior of life who has managed to overcome her condition to show the world that the only limitations that paralyze a human being are those of the mind and spirit. Along these lines, she has dedicated the last four years to serving as a tireless activist for the rights of people with disabilities or reduced mobility in New York City. She currently participates in several organizations and activist groups, where she fights for their rights to be respected and for them not to be denied what is due to us as individuals and citizens. Her efforts are focused on achieving significant changes in state legislation and empowering those with some degree of disability.
La labor de la Fundación Yesenia Torres se erige como un poderoso faro de esperanza en un mundo que, con demasiada frecuencia, ignora a los más necesitados. Gracias a su compasión, visión y compromiso inquebrantable, esta fundación ha demostrado que un cambio verdadero y duradero no solo es posible, sino que está al alcance. En comunidades que han permanecido silenciadas durante demasiado tiempo por la pobreza, la violencia y el abandono, la Fundación aporta más que ayuda; brinda dignidad, oportunidades y la promesa de un nuevo comienzo.
Esto no es caridad, es empoderamiento. Es el despertar del potencial humano, enterrado durante mucho tiempo bajo las dificultades. Es la reconstrucción de sueños destrozados y la siembra de semillas que un día se convertirán en bosques de esperanza, equidad y prosperidad. Cada proyecto, cada sonrisa, cada vida tocada es un testimonio de lo que se puede lograr cuando el amor es el centro de la acción.
Que esta inspiradora misión nos recuerde a todos que cada acto de bondad, por pequeño que sea, tiene un impacto mucho mayor de lo que podemos ver. Que al elegir cuidar, dar y actuar, participamos en una transformación colectiva: un corazón, un paso, un futuro a la vez. La Fundación Yesenia Torres nos llama a creer en el poder de la unidad, a defender la justicia y a unirnos para construir un mundo donde nadie quede atrás.
Her work has been recognized with two awards:
1st Women Make Movies Emerging Documentary Filmmaker Award for Achievement in Documentary
2nd was awarded by the department for Best Documentary Director. Her documentary, titled “Broken College,” is about the challenges she faced at the college due to its inaccessibility and how her condition caused discomfort to other students.
At the beginning of 2020, the Colombian Consul in New York, Susana Berenguer, presented Yesenia with the Certificate of Appreciation from the President of the Society of Foreign Consuls in New York, Consul General of the Republic of Bulgaria, Maya Hristova, for her outstanding achievements and contribution to community empowerment. Although the official ceremony was canceled in March due to COVID-19, it wasn’t until December 23rd of that year that she was able to meet with the Colombian Consul and officially receive the recognition.
"When the Heart Rises, There Are No Barriers"
Yesenia Torres’s story is not only a testament to her personal struggle, but a beacon of inspiration for all those who face obstacles in their path. From the pain of an accident that transformed her life, Yesenia has been reborn as a strong, courageous, and luminous voice, reminding us that the true barriers are not in the body, but in the mind. Her commitment to justice and the dignity of people with disabilities is a call to empathy, action, and hope. Because when the heart rises, no fall can stop us.
A 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization to support people.