Graciela Sanchez San Antonio, TX
Fellow from 2007

Born and raised in San Antonio’s poor Westside, Graciela Sanchez returned after college to organize around voting rights, Central American solidarity, women’s issues and gay and lesbian rights. She is the founding director of the Esperanza Peace & Justice Center, which since 1986 has grown into a vital cultural arts and activist organization. Esperanza is based on the belief that to participate fully in civic life, individuals must be culturally grounded and confident of their own voices. Esperanza advocates for those wounded by domination and inequality — women, people of color, lesbians and gay men, the working class and poor. It addresses issues ranging from immigration to AIDS, US military aggression and sexual violence. In addition to her local work, Graciela has served on national boards including the Astraea Foundation and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.