Amanda Abigail Torres

August 19, 1996 - January 26, 2025

With profound grief and immense love, we share the heartbreaking loss of Amanda Abigail Torres, whose life was taken from us far too soon. Mandi- affectionately known as “Dandy Mandie”-was a force of nature, a chingona in every sense of the word. She was an activist, an educator, a raver, a daughter, a sister, a friend, and above all, an unwavering source of inspiration.

In her own words, “Me gustan los raves, viajar, y la justicia social.” And that was Mandi- fearlessly devoted to music, adventure, and the fight for justice. She moved through life with passion and purpose, always standing up for the causes she believed in. Whether she was leading a protest, uplifting her students, or dancing under the neon lights of a festival, she did it all with an unmatched fire in her soul.

Mandi had a gift—she made you feel seen, truly heard. Conversations with her were never surface-level; she carried people’s stories, their joys and struggles, as if they were her own. Her presence was magnetic, her laughter contagious, and her energy boundless. She had a way of lighting up a room, especially when she danced.

Whether at a rave, a backyard party, or just in the middle of the street when the mood struck, Mandi moved like she was made of music. She was electric, unafraid, lost in the rhythm. Her free-spirited dancing wasn’t just about music- it was a reflection of her soul, a celebration of life, movement, and joy.

Mandi’s voice will never be silenced. Her poetry- raw, powerful, and deeply personal- became a beacon of self-love and resilience for so many. She had a fearlessness to shout what we feared to whisper, to speak unapologetically, to take pain and transform it into power. She reminded people that they were worthy, that they were powerful, that they were Chingonas.

“Darling, no matter how this world may treat you, no matter how many times these oceans try to drown you, these fires try to scorch you, these violent winds try to suffocate you or these tierras try to bury you ima need you to grab this world by the...horns and take your power back.”

Her friends, her family, and her community will forever carry her legacy. In the wake of this unimaginable tragedy, we hold onto the countless memories of her kindness, her generosity, her movement, her rhythm, and her joy. Though she is no longer physically with us, her spirit remains in every life she touched, in every protest she marched, and in every act of love and resistance she championed.

Rest in power, Mandi. Your light will never fade.

In Spanish:

Amanda Abigail Torres

19 de agosto de 1996 – 26 de enero de 2025

Con un dolor inmenso y un amor profundo, compartimos la devastadora pérdida de Amanda Abigail Torres, quien nos fue arrebatada demasiado pronto. Mandi-conocida con cariño como “Dandy Mandie”-era una fuerza de la naturaleza, una chingona en toda la extensión de la palabra. Activista, maestra, raver, hija, hermana, amiga y, sobre todo, una fuente inagotable de inspiración.

En sus propias palabras: “Me gustan los raves, viajar y la justicia social.” Y así era Mandi-entregada sin miedo a la música, la aventura y la lucha por un mundo más justo. Vivía con pasión y propósito, siempre defendiendo lo que creía. Ya fuera organizando una protesta, apoyando a sus estudiantes o bailando bajo las luces neón de un festival, lo hacía todo con un fuego inigualable en el alma.

Mandi tenía un don: te hacía sentir visto, realmente escuchado. Platicar con ella nunca era solo por compromiso; cargaba con las historias de la gente, sus alegrías y sus luchas, como si fueran suyas. Su presencia era magnética, su risa contagiosa y su energía, interminable. Tenía una manera única de iluminar cualquier lugar, sobre todo cuando bailaba.

Fuera en un rave, en una fiesta, o hasta en plena calle cuando le nacía el impulso, Mandi se movía como si estuviera hecha de música. Era eléctrica, valiente, perdida en el ritmo. Bailar no era solo por la música-era su esencia, una celebración de la vida, el movimiento y la felicidad.

La voz de Mandi nunca será silenciada. Su poesía-cruda, poderosa y profundamente personal-se convirtió en un faro de amor propio y resistencia para muchos. Tenía la valentía de gritar lo que otros temían susurrar, de hablar sin filtros, de transformar el dolor en poder. Nos recordaba que valíamos, que éramos poderosos, que éramos Chingonas.

“Cariño, sin importar cómo te trate este mundo, sin importar cuántas veces estos océanos intenten ahogarte, estos fuegos intenten quemarte, estos vientos violentos intenten sofocarte o estas tierras intenten enterrarte, voy a necesitar que tomes este mundo por los...cuernos y recuperes tu poder.”

Sus amigos, su familia y su comunidad llevarán por siempre su legado. En medio de esta tragedia inimaginable, nos aferramos a los incontables recuerdos de su bondad, su generosidad, su movimiento, su ritmo, su alegría. Aunque físicamente ya no esté aquí, su espíritu sigue vivo en cada vida que tocó, en cada protesta que marchó, en cada acto de amor y resistencia que impulsó.

Descansa en poder, Mandi. Tu luz nunca se apagará.