Executive Director, Power California
Over the last 25 years, Luis Antonio Sánchez has dedicated himself to building a movement for social and economic justice in Los Angeles and throughout California. Mr. Sanchez currently serves as Executive Director of Power California (formerly known as Mobilize the Immigrant Vote/YVote), a network of 20 organizations building an intergeneration movement of young people and families of color to transform California into a state where the power truly rests with the people. Mr. Sanchez founded YVote, a statewide youth organizing network transforming young voters of color into an influential voting bloc. He previously served as a Senior Fellow for the Movement Strategy Center where he led statewide efforts to improve outcomes for Boys and Men of Color.
Mr. Sánchez is firmly grounded in the belief that education is the great equalizer in our society and that every child deserves a quality education and the resources to succeed. As former Chief-of-Staff for LAUSD School Board President Mónica García, Mr. Sánchez successfully championed school reform models that offer students smaller, more personalized settings, and give school sites the autonomy they need to prepare all students for college and careers. As the founder and former Executive Director of InnerCity Struggle, an organization that works to improve education and the quality of life in East Los Angeles, he organized youth, parents, and community leaders to lead campaigns for safe and healthy neighborhoods, construction of new schools, securing better support systems for students, ensuring college access for all students, and increasing voter participation among low-income, immigrant, young and Latino voters in East Los Angeles.
As the former Vice President of the Los Angeles Recreation and Park Commission, Mr. Sánchez worked with the Mayor’s office to launch the Summer Night Lights (SNL). SNL is a violence prevention initiative that keeps parks open after dark by offering recreational activities, mentoring and counseling programs, meals and other services at parks and public housing complexes.
Mr. Sanchez has led many electoral campaigns in Southern California. Mr. Sanchez convened the Orange County Civic Participation Initiative, an innovative partnership of foundations committed to increasing the quality, scale and effectiveness of civic participation in communities of color and among low-income populations in Orange County. He has served as a campaign manager, field consultant, or senior advisor for over 20 campaigns including school board and city council races, school parcel taxes/bond measure, and InnerCity Struggle electoral programs as an anchor of California Calls.
Mr. Sánchez is a graduate of UC Berkeley with a degree in English and holds a Masters in Public Administration from Cal State Northridge. He resides on the Eastside of Los Angeles with his spouse and two children.