Attorney Johanna Sanchez is the daughter of immigrants from Ecuador and Peru. Though born in the United States, she grew up witnessing the challenges faced by her family and community. Raised in Westchester, New York, by her father — an undocumented immigrant and former professor in Ecuador — she saw what it means to work tirelessly for a better life.

Her father drove a taxi from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., a man who once stood at the front of a classroom giving lectures — a reminder that while talent and determination can open many doors, the laws in place too often decide who gets to walk through them.

From a young age, Attorney Johanna Sanchez became her father’s voice. She translated documents, made phone calls to schools and doctors, and filled out forms — long before she knew the word “advocacy.”

Her father dreamed of her becoming a lawyer, a professor, or a doctor — someone who would one day help others and surpass even what he had imagined possible for himself — the living embodiment of his dreams and hopes for her. Yet she also witnessed his frustration, seeing the look in his eyes — confusion and feeling lost — after meetings with individuals who most of the time could not speak Spanish or take the time to explain the immigration process and answer his questions, even though he was an educated and accomplished man.

These experiences ignited Attorney Johanna Sanchez' passion to provide compassionate, bilingual legal representation for immigrants in need.

While working as a paralegal, Attorney Johanna Sanchez helped a young boy from Ecuador obtain Special Immigrant Juvenile Status after being abandoned by his father. Helping him secure a green card so he could attend college and pursue his dreams revealed the transformative power of immigration law.‍This inspired her to attend law school and dedicate her career to humanitarian immigration work, ensuring that Spanish-speaking immigrants could receive legal guidance from someone who truly understands their struggles.