Cynthia Johnston Torres (27 July 1911 – 6 March 2001) was a

Guam Guam ( ; ) is an island that is an Territories of the United States, organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. Guam's capital is Hagåtña, Guam, Hagåtña, and the most ...

anian businesswoman, politician and educator. She served as a member of the

Legislature of Guam The Legislature of Guam () is the law-making body for the United States territory of Guam. The unicameral legislative branch consists of fifteen senators, each serving for a two-year term. All members of the legislature are elected at-large with ...

from 1954 to 1956.

Biography

Torres was born in Hagåtña in July 1911, the daughter of Agueda Iglesias and William Johnston, both well-known teachers.Recognition of Women's History Month, and a tribute to Senator Cynthia Johnston Torres
Congressional RecordCynthia Johnston Torres
Guampedia She began attending a private school in

Coronado Coronado may refer to: People * Coronado (surname) Coronado is a Spanish surname derived from the village of Cornado, near A Coruña, Galicia. People with the name * Francisco Vásquez de Coronado (1510–1554), Spanish explorer often referred t ...

in the United States in 1925. After leaving school, she married businessman Joseph Torres in 1932, with whom she had a daughter Elaine. When Joseph died in 1946, she took over his soft drink and beer company, which she diversified into other areas ranging from ice cream to ceramics. In the

1954 elections The following elections occurred in the year 1954. Africa * French legislative by-election, 1954 (Guinea) * 1954 Southern Rhodesian general election * 1954 Gambian legislative election * 1954 Gold Coast legislative election Asia * 1954 Iranian le ...

for the Guamanian Legislature she ran on an independent ticket alongside

Lagrimas Untalan Lagrimas Leon Guerrero Untalan (1911–1997) was a Guamanian educator and politician. She served as a member of the Legislature of Guam between 1954 and 1956. Biography Untalan was born Lagrimas Pereira Leon Guerrero in Hagåtña in 1911, the y ...

and

Carlos Taitano Carlos may refer to: Places ;Canada * Carlos, Alberta, a locality ;United States * Carlos, Indiana, an unincorporated community * Carlos, Maryland, a place in Allegany County * Carlos, Minnesota, a small city * Carlos, West Virginia ;Elsewh ...

. Their campaign meetings saw female attendees pelted with eggs and accused of prostitution. However, all three were elected, with Untalan finishing seventh and Torres fifteenth.Election Comparative Analysis Report
Guam Election Commission After being elected, she became a member of the Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources. Torres moved to California in 1958 after selling her businesses. She enrolled at

San Diego State University San Diego State University (SDSU) is a Public university, public research university in San Diego, California, United States. Founded in 1897, it is the third-oldest university and southernmost in the 23-member California State University (CS ...

and gained a bachelor's degree in education from the

University of California, San Diego The University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego in communications material, formerly and colloquially UCSD) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in San Diego, California, United States. Es ...

. She subsequently earned a master's degree in special education, before returning to Guam in 1962. She joined the local school for the disabled as a consultant, later becoming its headteacher. She subsequently helped establish the New Brodie Memorial School for Handicapped Children and became a member of the Board of Trustees of

Guam Memorial Hospital Guam Memorial Hospital is a rural general hospital located in Tamuning, Guam and is the only public hospital serving the island of Guam. The hospital has 161 licensed acute care beds, plus 40 beds at its off-site, long-term care Skilled Nursing F ...

. She died on 6 March 2001.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Torres, Cynthia Guamanian businesspeople Guamanian women in politics Guamanian educators Members of the Legislature of Guam San Diego State University alumni University of California, San Diego alumni 1911 births 2001 deaths People from Hagåtña, Guam 20th-century American legislators 20th-century American women politicians