Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-New York) will address the Emerging Leaders Luncheon on Wednesday, April 10, during the 2024 Big “I" Legislative Conference, which will take place April 10-12 at the Westin Washington, D.C. Downtown Hotel.

The luncheon kicks off the conference and will recognize young, diverse and politically active agents and leaders. Torres will sit down with Nathan Riedel, Big “I" senior vice president of federal government affairs, for a fireside chat ranging from topical legislative issues to the unique role diverse lawmakers can play on Capitol Hill. The discussion will also focus on bringing civility and collaboration to politics.

Elected in 2020 to represent New York's 15th congressional district in the South Bronx, Rep. Torres is the first openly gay Afro-Latino member of Congress. Prior to coming to Congress, Rep. Torres was the youngest elected official in New York City when he won a seat on the New York City Council. Rep. Torres' rise in politics has garnered attention and has been recognized for his leadership and advocacy. He has also received various awards and honors for his work on housing and infrastructure issues.

Rep. Torres is a member of the House Committee on Financial Services, where he serves on the Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance and the Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Financial Technology and Inclusion. He also serves on the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, which works on a bipartisan basis to build consensus on the threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party.

This year's conference will also feature House Financial Services Committee Chairman Patrick McHenry (R-North Carolina), Sen. Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota) and Sen. John Thune (R-South Dakota).

As the event approaches, look out for more updates in the News & Views e-newsletter.

Corey Miller is Big “I" director of federal government affairs.