Deacon Larry Torres
In 2019, Larry Torres retired after a 43-year career in education, holding the position of Associate Professor of foreign languages and cultures at the University of New Mexico – Taos.
His remarkable career includes recognition from Walt Disney as the national Foreign Language teacher of the year in 1993. He is an accomplished speaker in cultural sensitivity, teacher training, and global education, as well as a published author, columnist, radio host, actor, and poet specializing in language code switching.
Internationally recognized in the field of global education and foreign language teaching, Mr. Torres is also known for his roles as historical figures like Jean-Baptiste Lamy, Don Francisco Vásquez de Coronado, and Reyes Lopez Tijerina.
As a writer, he has shared his insights into New Mexico Hispanic culture through essays in Spanish and English, and his works have been compiled into books like “Yo Seigo De Taosi,” “Los Cocos Y La Coconas,” “Los Matachines Desenmascarados,” and others, with a collection recently published by the University of New Mexico Press.
Larry Torres has received numerous accolades, including the Walt Disney Outstanding Foreign Language Teacher of the Year Award and the National Educator Award from the Milken Family Foundation. He’s been featured in various magazines and has garnered commendations from the State Department of Education, the 41st Legislature of New Mexico, and Ambassadors Bogosian and Pierce.
A recipient of New Mexico’s first Golden Apple Award and a member of the Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society for Excellence in teaching, Larry Torres continues to make a significant impact through his work in education and the media.
In 2003, he received a grant from the USDA to work on cultural sensitivity training for first-generation Hispanic students in collaboration with New Mexico State University.