Barbara Sanchez, President SIWPC Barbara was introduced to Staten Island Women's Political Caucus (SIWPC) via the Committee to Save Mount Manresa in 2013 as a Leadership Forum panelist discussing the environment. Focused on fighting over-development and improving her community, Barbara is active in several grassroots coalitions, such as Sustainable Staten Island, Staten Island Citizens Planning Committee, and the Coalition for Wetlands and Forests. She is a 2016 recipient of the Lathrope Voorspuy Memorial Scholarship and graduate of the Women's Campaign School at Yale. She designed SIWPC’s logo and signature T-shirts.
Barbara Sanchez, Committee to Save Mount Manresa Secretary Barbara Sanchez "the activist" was born on June 1, 2013 at the front gates of Mount Manresa. She attended a rally organized by rosary leader Joe Bilotti and joined a grassroots movement to save Manresa's 15 acres of sacred ground, its historic chapel and grotto and its glacial hillside and forest of ancient old growth trees from being sold and destroyed by developers.
Mount Manresa turned out to be a Pandora's box which exposed issues of corruption, improper zoning, environmental destruction and overdevelopment over the past five years. The Committee to Save Mount Manresa is known island-wide for their tenacity and determination in making sure the lessons learned at Mount Manresa are never forgotten.
Barbara's work as a secretary of the Committee to Save Mount Manresa has helped her to grow as an individual, and to become a confident advocate for Staten Island. She is also proudly involved in Sustainable Staten Island, Staten Island Citizens Planning Committee, the Staten Island Women's Political Caucus and The Protectors of Pine Oak Woods.