06/17/2026
On Wednesdays in June, we are featuring some Wisconsin Pride History. Today, our focus is our own history-making legend:
Joseph Ray Torres (April 16, 1965-June 6, 2026). β€
Joe Torres was given a memoriam by the Governor's office last week. You can read the memoriam in it's entirety below.
We are so happy to see our friend, former Pride Center Intern, First Nations Education Intern and UW-Green Bay Graduate - Class of 2023 honored in this way. What a wonderful tribute to a wonderful human being that made a meaningful impact in the lives of those he met. We hold the family, friends and loved ones of Joe in our hearts - as we all miss him.
We miss his laughter, light and presence here at UW-Green Bay -where after he graduated Joe worked as the Oneida Bird Monitoring Outreach Specialist. The halls of UWGB don't feel the same without him.
The Memoriam Reads:
THE STATE OF WISCONSIN
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
IN MEMORIAM
HONORING
Joseph Torres.
WHEREAS; Joseph Torres, beloves son, brother, advocate, educator, mentor, community leader, and friend to many, passed away on June 6, 2026 at the age of 61; and
WHEREAS; a proud citizen of the Oneida Nation, Joeph dedicated his life to advocating for the visibility, dignity, and belonging of Indigenous and LGBTQ people, especially those who identify as Two-Spirit; and
WHEREAS; a proud first-generation college graduate, Joseph graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay in 2023, and during his time there, he served as a Pride Center intern and First Nation Education intern, supporting and mentoring students while continuing to develop educational programming around Two-Spirit identity and Indigenous q***r history; and
WHEREAS; throughout his life, Joseph worked hard to reclaim Tribal language, culture, and traditions that colonialism has attempted to erase, showing incredible courage and strength in the face of bigotry and proudly living as his most authentic self; and
WHEREAS; a fearless advocate and champion of justice, Joseph created spaces for countless individuals to better understand themselves and each other, and in 2025, was names as a Beacon of the Bay honoree by the Wisconsin LGBTQ History Project, and honor that recognizes LGBTQ elders who have made significant lifetime contributions to uplifting Wisconsinβs LGBTQ community; and
WHEREAS; Josephβs passing leaves behind a void in the hearts of all who had the pleasure of knowing, loving, and working alongside him over the years, and his legacy will continue to impact the lives of Tribal, LGBTQ, and Two-Spirit Wisconsinites across the state;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Tony Evers, Governor of the State of Wisconsin, do hereby send my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Jospeh Torres.
He will not be forgotten, and he will be missed.
DONE OF THIS 10TH DAY OF JUNE 2026
TONY EVERS
GOVERNOR
