Angel Sanchez was born 25 July 1969 and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As a young
boy he was involved in Boy Scouts, the Vica-Vocational Industrial Club of America,
and played soccer where he won several championships for South Division High School.
Sanchez also worked for the Kuntowski Meat Market. He graduated from the University
of Wisconsin–Milwaukee with a bachelor’s degree in Communications in 1996. After
graduation, he founded Sanchez Construction, Inc., and worked as a substitute
teacher for Milwaukee Public Schools. He also founded Milwaukee’s Graffiti Removal
program and acted as an auxiliary police officer for the Milwaukee Police
Department’s 2nd district. Sanchez continued with sports by playing
semi-professional football for both the Milwaukee Express and the Racine
Raiders.
Angel Sanchez was elected 12th District Alderman in 2000 and served one term through
2004. His election was called “a clear upset” by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel due his narrowly won election and he became
“the first Latino elected to Milwaukee's Common Council.” The race was so close that
a recount was held, but Sanchez still came out the winner by only 22 votes (5 less
than on election night). During his time in office, Alderman Sanchez served as a
member of the Utilities & Licenses Committee and Government Communications
Committee, as well as serving as the vice-chair of the Community Development
Committee and Anti-Graffiti Committee. Sanchez was a leading voice in calling for
Mayor John Norquist’s resignation following scandal in 2002, though the resolution
did not go anywhere at the time. Sanchez was defeated by James Witkowiak in both
2004 and 2008 in his bid to retain the 12th district seat, the same man he defeated
in 2000.
