About Hanncel
I’m Hanncel Sánchez, a Venezuelan artist, founder, and consultant who has spent the last decade building things that weren’t there before, a nonprofit, a housing project, training programs, and creative work rooted in justice, culture, and community.
My work lives at the intersection of domestic and sexual violence advocacy, immigrant rights, and art. I care deeply about creating spaces where BIPOC, Latine, and immigrant communities not only survive systems of harm, but reclaim power, tell their stories, and shape what comes next.
Rooted in Community Leadership
I am the Founder of MiA – Mujeres in Action, the first nonprofit in Spokane, WA dedicated to serving Latine survivors of domestic and sexual violence. I helped grow MiA from a grassroots idea into a trusted, community-rooted organization.
At MiA, some of the work I led includes:
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Securing nearly $4 million in funding for Casa MiA, a permanent supportive housing project for survivors and their families, still under progress.
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Leading policy and systems-change efforts focused on language access, immigrant survivors, and more culturally responsive services.
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Providing numerous trainings and presentations on domestic/sexual violence, systemic change, and culturally responsive advocacy for nonprofits, government agencies, and community partners.
My leadership has been recognized locally and regionally. I received the 2022 Carl Maxey Racial & Social Justice Award – Woman of Achievement from YWCA Spokane, and under my leadership MiA received a City of Spokane proclamation honoring the organization’s contributions to the community. My work and story have also been featured in various local media and articles.
Storytelling, Systems Change & Creative Projects
Beyond direct services and organizational leadership, I’ve led projects that weave together advocacy, storytelling, and community education.
Some of the initiatives I’ve been proud to lead include:
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El Poder de Contarlo – a documentary I executive produced to uplift the stories, resilience, and power of Latine immigrant survivors.
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La Guía Latina de Recursos de Spokane – a Spanish-language resource guide designed to help Latine community members navigate services and support in Spokane. I got the honor of designing the latest edition (4th).
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Multiple cultural education and DV/SA trainings, helping organizations move beyond check-the-box approaches toward deeper, systemic change.
These projects reflect how I like to work: centering lived experience, building tools that communities can actually use, and creating change that’s both practical and deeply human.
Art as Resistance, Healing & Visibility
Through Hanncel Studio, I bring these threads into my art practice. My work features feminist, faith-rooted, and social justice themes—often centering Black, Brown, and immigrant women, and the complexities of migration, healing, and resistance.
I create:
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Art prints, stickers, and apparel that honor our stories and spark conversation
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Visuals that challenge harmful narratives about immigrants, survivors, and women
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Imagery that holds both rage and tenderness, grief and joy, resistance and rest
My studio is now based in México, a shift that reflects my own journey of migration, rest, and re-rooting. From here, I continue to collaborate with organizations and communities across the U.S. and Latin America.