Torres, Arnold Louis

Arnold Torres is a political activist especially concerned with issues important to Hispanics. Torres learned practical politics as an intern with California Congressman, Fortney "Pete" Stark (1975) and as an aide to Senator John Tunney (1975-1977). In September 1979 the League of United Latin American Citizens appointed Torres their Congressional liaison. In this phase of his work with LULAC, Torres researched legislation, wrote LULAC position papers and press releases, testified at Congressional hearings and discussed LULAC positions with Congressmen and representatives of other political action committees. In 1981 LULAC President Tony Bonilla made Arnold Torres National Executive Director and Chief Lobbyist of the organization. In this role he appeared as LULAC spokesman in public debates, at conferences and on various national television programs. Issues of particular concern to LULAC were immigration, affirmative action, civil rights, police/community relations and U.S. involvement in Central America. Torres resigned from when Tony Bonilla was replaced as President of LULAC by the more conservative Mario Obledo (1985).

From the description of Arnold Torres papers, 1979- (University of the Pacific). WorldCat record id: 35449489