As part of Earthjustice’s virtual staff, Luis A. Nasvytis Torres, MA.T. is the deputy director for Advocacy Partnerships at Earthjustice. Luis has almost two decades of combined advocacy, teaching, and organizing experience. He is passionate about building relationships and advocacy collaborations with frontline, underserved, and communities of color to advance social and environmental justice.
As part of the Earthjustice Litigation and Advocacy Partnerships team (LAP), Luis works to broaden and deepen Earthjustice’s ability to partner with frontline community organizations; identify, build, and maintain meaningful relationships with key frontline communities; and assist Earthjustice staff members in their partnership work by providing strategic leadership and ongoing support. While at Earthjustice, Luis has held multiple positions including those of clean energy advocate, and senior legislative representative in the Policy and Legislative department.
Prior to Earthjustice, Luis developed a career in public policy and advocacy working for both non-profit advocacy organizations and on Capitol Hill. He previously served as the director of Policy and Legislation for a national civil rights organization in Washington, D.C., where he worked to strengthen the organization’s advocacy and policy efforts at the local, state, and federal level — championing policies that advanced the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, housing, health, and civil rights of Latinxs in the United States. For his community advocacy, Luis was honored with the Member of the Year award from LULAC Lambda in Washington, D.C.
Luis also worked in the United States Congress in Washington, D.C., where he served as legislative director to U.S. Representative Silvestre Reyes, the former chairman of the House of Representatives Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He helped draft legislation, testimony for congressional hearings, and managed a policy portfolio on a variety of issues including appropriations, homeland security, immigration, border affairs, trade, civil rights, and education. He also served as a liaison to various House and Senate committees, executive agencies, and the White House. During his time working in Congress, Luis was one of only ten Latinx legislative directors in the U.S. House of Representatives. For his service in a congressional office, Luis received the Lideres award from the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association in 2012.
Luis started his career as a high school teacher. He served as part of the Teach for America program in partnership with AmeriCorps, a network of national service programs committed to addressing critical community needs across the country such as increasing academic achievement, mentoring youth, fighting poverty, sustaining national parks, and preparing for disasters. Luis taught Economics, World History, and AP Government in both Los Angeles, California, and Washington, D.C. In addition, Luis also served as educational programs manager for the Latino Student Fund, a non-profit tutoring and scholarship organization providing opportunities for underserved Latinx students in the nation’s capital. In 2016, Luis was honored with the United ISD Alumni Legend award by his hometown school district in Laredo, Texas.
A first generation Mexican American, Luis is a native of Laredo, Texas. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Government and Sociology from Georgetown University, and a Master of Arts in Teaching from American University. In his spare time, Luis serves as the co-chair of the Earthjustice Latinx Affinity Group and enjoys traveling, spending time with his family, and taking his dogs to the park.
