#127 Eddy Morales

Eddy Morales has an amazing story to tell and he wants it to be your call to action. The last of 9 children and the first born in the United States to a single mother from Mexico, he has faced hardship first hand. He was influenced by his mother's fearlessness and compassion, values that guide him now. In college, he made the connection between his childhood and systemic injustices that oppress people of color. In his next chapter, he was recruited to Washington DC to lead the US Student Association, where he mobilized young people to exercise their collective power. And in successive roles at the Center for Community Change, Voto Latino and Democracy Alliance, Eddy honed his skills as a trainer, political organizer and adviser to foundations on investing in Latinx nonprofits. After the crushing election results of 2016, life took another turn when he returned to Gresham, Oregon. That is the chapter you will hear today. It is about the deliberative and rewarding process of building power, from a PAC to a slate of political candidates, from the ground up. Eddy is making change in real time. Bonus points for creating a template for us all.