MELVIN SANCHEZ

Legislative Assistant

U.S. Representative Grace F. Napolitano

Melvin Sanchez was born and raised in Koreatown, a diverse neighborhood in the heart of Los Angeles. The son of Mexican immigrants, Melvin’s worldview was shaped by the sacrifices his parents made to provide better opportunities to him and his brother. Without the support of his parents, he would not be where he is today. Melvin attended the University of Richmond, where he found a passion for public service through an internship class that placed him in the Virginia General Assembly. 

Upon graduating, Melvin moved back to Los Angeles and developed a keen interest in transportation, housing, and infrastructure policy through his various legislative roles at the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), a regional planning agency covering six counties and 191 cities. At SCAG, Melvin advised on transportation and housing legislation to a 21-member legislative committee of city councilmembers and county supervisors. He also had the pleasure of serving as an appointed delegate to the California Democratic Party for two years. 

Eager to obtain direct experience in moving legislation through Congress, Melvin uprooted his life in 2020 and returned to the east coast to serve in the Office of Fmr. Rep. Karen Bass (CA), current Mayor of Los Angeles. As a staffer in the House of Representatives, he has worked on numerous exciting projects benefiting his home state, including working to expand local hire policies so communities benefit from the jobs created by projects receiving federal funding. Melvin currently serves as a Legislative Assistant for Rep. Grace F. Napolitano (CA).

Outside of work, you can catch Melvin playing soccer, dancing cumbia, and researching his next trip to Latin America.