Her Story
About Yolanda
Yolanda Torres serves as a housing compliance specialist in Brooklyn, New York, where she has worked in affordable housing compliance since 2013. In this role, she screens applicants, verifies income eligibility, and connects individuals and families to various subsidy programs, including Housing Connect through HPD, ensuring compliance with specific guidelines for shelter housing, voucher housing, and other affordable options across New York City. Torres holds a bachelor's degree in human services from Boricua College in Brooklyn, having started her studies at Brooklyn Technical College before pausing for family reasons and returning for continuing education. She is affiliated with PSAB, also known as the People's Institute for Survival and Beyond, and has volunteered with organizations such as Bridging Access to Care, Women in Need, and the Puerto Rican Family Institute. Torres attributes her success to her dedication, analytical skills, and focus on details, noting that her Aries traits provide the bravery needed to advocate for clients' rights amid program changes and budget challenges. She values equity, integrity, respect, and love in her work, advising others to pursue purposeful careers driven by passion rather than just employment.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Yolanda
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my dedication and analytical skills. In this profession, you need to be very focused on details because it can't just be care alone. It has to be logic and analytical reasoning to understand how to put things together. Being an Aries helps as they are analytical and fighters, which gives me the bravery to push through fights for clients' rights to programs.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I received is to make your work count. Have passion with your work, make what you do purposeful and fulfilling. Unless you're going to be a multi-billionaire, you need some type of connection to keep showing up, so make your work your passion and your joy.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I advise young women to have a full understanding of the work they're getting into, not just finding a job. Really focus on what's behind the work, the actual services being provided, so it's more than just being employed. Connect with the work so it drives you and pushes you through.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge is that programs change due to budget cuts and regime changes. In the social work field, some regimes may not consider these programs necessary, so there's constant validation required, which can be exhausting.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Equity is most important, along with integrity, respect, and love. When working in social services, you're there to provide assistance to anyone taking steps to change, remembering you're just steps off the path yourself.
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