HOPE CEO Helen Iris Torres wins 2025 James Irvine Foundation award

Helen Iris Torres, CEO of Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE), has won the 2025 James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award. 

Torres was one of seven honorees. The other recipients are Shantay R. Davies-Balch from BLACK Wellness & Prosperity Center, Nayamin Martinez from the Central California Environmental Justice Network, Skye Patrick from the L.A. County Library, Cutcha Risling Baldy & Kaitlin Reed from Rou Dalagurr: Food Sovereignty Lab & Traditional Ecological Knowledges Institute and Stacy L. Smith from the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative.

According to The James Irvine Foundation website, this award recognizes “leaders whose innovative solutions to critical state challenges improve people’s lives, create opportunity, and contribute to a better California.”

A statement from HOPE stated Torres has been the organization’s leader for over two decades and “has been instrumental in advancing policies and programs that strengthen democracy and empower Latinas through leadership development, civic engagement, and economic mobility. Under her guidance, HOPE has trained more than 2,000 Latinas who have gone on to serve in over 1,800 leadership positions, bolstering Latina representation in government, business, and nonprofit sectors.”

The James Irvine Foundation will provide HOPE with a $350,000 grant to further its mission of fostering Latina leadership and advocacy.  

“I am deeply honored to receive the James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award,” said Torres. “This recognition underscores the importance of HOPE’s mission and the impact of our work to advance Latina leadership. With this support, we will continue to champion policies and programs that uplift our community and create lasting change.”