Minneapolis, MN (November 18, 2022): ORAM – the Organization for Refuge, Asylum & Migration, is thrilled to announce the appointment of a new member to its Board of Directors, and its first member in Mexico, Enrique Torre Molina.
Enrique Torre Molina is an activist, consultant, and speaker on LGBTIQ community issues, working with Mexican and international companies, civil society organizations, and media. He cofounded Colmena 41, an organization that connects and inspires the LGBTIQ community and allies through events and research projects and facilitates collaboration between sectors. He is also a cohost of the Mafia Gay podcast and writes for The Washington Post opinion section. Enrique lives in Mexico City.
He will bring a wealth of knowledge and a unique set of skills to ORAM’s Board of Directors. His expertise in LGBTIQ advocacy in Mexico and his relationships there will help ORAM better serve the LGBTIQ refugee community throughout Mexico and beyond.
“We are so excited to have Enrique join the Board of Directors at ORAM,” said Steve Roth, ORAM’s Executive Director. “Enrique brings a deep commitment to visibility and inclusion for LGBTIQ people and strong corporate, media, and non-profit connections in Mexico, one of ORAM’s programmatic focus areas. We look forward to working with Enrique and are grateful he will offer his expertise in Mexico and LGBTIQ community issues to advance ORAM’s mission.”
Earlier this year, on behalf of ORAM, Enrique provided trainings to refugee shelter staff and paralegals across Mexico. The main goal of the training was to reduce the isolation felt by LGBTIQ refugees in shelters and provide staff with tools and knowledge to meet the challenges of this vulnerable population. Read more about Enrique’s involvement with these trainings here.
When asked what it means to serve on ORAM’s Board of Directors, Enrique said, “I have learned about ORAM over the past couple of years and have been inspired by the very important work the organization is doing in different regions. That, along with opportunities to know stories of LGBTQ+ asylum seekers and refugees in countries like Canada, the U.S., Mexico, and Argentina, led me to apply for the Board. I feel proud of joining a group of people committed to protecting our community around the world, and excited to support ORAM's mission.”
Enrique will join existing members: Board Chair Rajiv Desai, Board Vice Chair Selisse Berry, Board Secretary Jody Cole, Board Treasurer Perry Witkin, and Krishna Omkar, Ari Bilici, Elodie Sampere, and Arjun Nagarkatti.
Interviews are available on request. Please email KyleK@ORAMRefugee.org.
About ORAM
ORAM protects and empowers LGBTIQ asylum seekers and refugees globally, creating sustainability and systematic change. Founded in 2008, ORAM is one of the first international nongovernmental organizations to advocate for and assist people fleeing persecution based on their sexual orientation and/or gender identity and expression (SOGIE) and has since become a thought leader in LGBTIQ migration. To learn more about ORAM’s other work, visit www.oramrefugee.org and Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.