Miriam Torres Sanchez
MIRIAM TORRES SANCHEZ (she/her/hers) is a graduate student in the Master’s of Urban and Regional Planning program at UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs. As a returning Policy Fellow in the UCLA LPPI Research Department, Miriam is passionate about the intersection of public policy and urban planning. During her time at LPPI, she supported the Economic Recovery and Entrepreneurship Project (TEREP) by contributing to policy-informed research aimed at advancing support for minority-owned businesses.
Born and raised in Northeast Los Angeles, Miriam grew up witnessing her community grapple with gentrification, housing affordability, a lack of green spaces, and the under-provision of city services. These experiences drew her to urban planning and policy to improve quality of life while expanding opportunities for underserved communities. While serving on the Los Angeles City Youth Council and the Historic Highland Park Neighborhood Council, she was able to influence policies that promote the economic and sustainable development of her neighborhood while also preserving its history and culture. For her academic achievement and leadership, Miriam was awarded the HOPE Latina Future History Make Award, the California Latino Legislative Caucus Scholarship, and was selected as a 2023 Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Program fellow at UC Berkeley. She was also awarded the Monica Salinas Field Fellowship, and was placed with the Instituto de Educación Popular del Sur de California (IDEPSCA) to support wildfire recovery efforts for domestic workers and day laborers.
Miriam is a first-generation Latina, a social justice advocate, a mother, and a proud daughter of Mexican immigrants.
