Senator Squadron Honors Aixa Torres as "Woman of Distinction"

Squadron: Torres' Contributions to Lower East Side Continue to Have Huge Impact

ALBANY – State Senator Daniel Squadron selected Aixa Torres as one of New York’s “Women of Distinction,” honoring her Tuesday at the annual Senate celebration that recognizes outstanding women throughout the state.

Senator Squadron with Aixa Torres and her family at the State Senate on Tuesday

Senator Squadron said, “Aixa has proven time and time again -- as President of Smith Houses, the DOE's Lower East Side Family Advocate, and a dedicated mother and grandmother -- that she is a woman of distinction in our community. Her passion and resolve inspire others every day, and her contributions to the Lower East Side continue to have a big impact on the community."

Aixa’s leadership has been put to the test by multiple natural disasters. Her efforts as President of the Alfred E. Smith Resident Association resulted in the successful evacuation of hundreds of Smith residents ahead of Hurricane Irene, and her advocacy during Hurricane Sandy demonstrated that an organized community can overcome difficulty in times of adversity.

As detailed in her Woman of Distinction biography, Aixa Torres was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, to Domingo Arturo Torres and America Figueras. Aixa moved with her parents and sisters to New York City in 1955. She attended public schools, and graduated from the City University of New York and Lincoln University. Aixa married the late George Carmona, Jr. in 1971, and had two children, George 3rd and Liza Noemi.

Ms. Torres became President of the Alfred E. Smith Resident Association, on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, in 2010. Among her many achievements, Aixa was instrumental in working with Senator Squadron and his colleagues to push the New York City Housing Authority to fully repair the old, faulty gas pipes at Smith Houses that sometimes forced residents to go without cooking gas for weeks or months at a time. Thanks to this leadership and partnership, Smith Houses residents should be able to reliably use their ovens and stoves without having to worry about looming gas outages.

After decades of community work, serving on advisory councils, parent associations for public schools, and advocating for children and families, Aixa retired in 2014 from the Department of Education as the Lower East Side’s Family Advocate. For more than 50 years, Aixa has lived on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, where she still lives with her daughter and grandchildren, Mia N. Daniel and Elijah M. Daniel.