Ben Torres

Ben Torres is an experienced attorney who is recognized as an authority within his community and key contributor in multiple initiatives. He has served on various boards and headed numerous projects and seminars over time as well as belonging to multiple affinities.

His early works consisted of plaster casts of common containers such as Styrofoam hamburger boxes and cleaning product cans – juxtaposed against an empty gallery space, these objects offered not just an examination but an investigation of fetishism as a form of subversive expression.

Early Life and Education

Benjamin Fong-Torres grew up in Oakland’s Chinatown neighborhood, raised by parents who immigrated from Mexico. These immigrants instilled values such as education and hard work into him from an early age; he graduated from St Ann Elementary School before going on to Quigley Prep Seminary South for secondary education.

Early in his career, he started freelancing for newspapers before eventually becoming a staff writer for Rolling Stone magazine. There he covered topics related to counterculture such as protests and rock music.

He has been engaged in community development initiatives in South Central LA for 21 years, with an emphasis on social justice and economic empowerment. Currently he serves on key boards including CD Tech. Furthermore, he cofounded MultiCultural Collaborative as well as being on board at Los Angeles Trade-Tech College Foundation.

Professional Career

Ben is an Associate Litigation Attorney in King & Spalding’s Trial & Global Disputes division, where he practices antitrust, regulation, litigation and mergers & acquisitions law. Additionally, he serves on their Latinx and LGBTQ+ Affinity Groups committees.

He specializes in representing national medical device and agrochemical companies involved in mass tort product liability litigation, often for claims such as design defect, manufacturing defect, strict liability, negligence and violation of consumer protection laws.

CDTech’s Working Democracy Division has been an essential player in placing democracy directly into the hands of South Central LA residents through community organizing and power building strategies that include public, private, nonprofit and resident partnerships. These efforts have resulted in several community benefits agreements worth millions that have been reinvested back into housing services, healthcare delivery systems and workforce development efforts.

Achievement and Honors

He has dedicated decades to supporting South Central Los Angeles communities with community development research and training as well as cultivating grassroots leadership among youth. Additionally, he is recognized as an authority on social justice both locally and nationally.

Ben Fong-Torres has written several works, such as Hickory Wind: the Life and Times of Gram Parsons; The Rice Room: his memoir; and Radio Waves for San Francisco Chronicle’s Sunday Datebook. In addition, Ben has conducted interviews with many legendary artists like Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, Linda Ronstadt and the Rolling Stones; also producing the documentary film Almost Famous and managing Community Development Technologies Center’s Community Planning program at Los Angeles Trade Technical College.

Personal Life

He served the station almost since its inception as both writer and senior editor, conducting numerous interviews with notable personalities like Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones and Sly and the Family Stone as well as writing for GQ, Playboy and MOJO magazines.

As President and CEO of Community Development Technologies Center (CDTech), an educational nonprofit dedicated to equipping marginalized residents with democratic tools through education, training, engagement, and multi-cultural community building since 2002, he currently holds that position.

Torres has also embarked on plans to establish the Instituto Albizu Campos, which will serve as both a library and archives to provide information and documentation about Albizu’s thoughts and actions as well as promote research of Puerto Rican cultural values, thus cultivating national consciousness essential in fighting colonial dominance.

Net Worth

Ben has an estimated net worth between $1 and $3 Million dollars. His main source of income comes from being a DJ.

He is an avid basketball supporter, preferring the Clippers over the Lakers. He even has a basketball tattoo on his arm! Additionally, he loves foodie adventures and exploring different restaurants.

Ben and Devi made a deal in sixth grade to not join academic clubs that compete with each other. When Devi shows up at Model UN representing Equatorial Guinea instead, Ben gets angry that she two timed him with Paxton and decides to break their agreement. Later that day when they see each other again on the bus he confronts Devi about it.