When asked what he sees himself doing in the future, Luis Morales ’20 answered quickly: “Running for office. Becoming a state senator or U.S. senator at one point, or both. Working my way through all levels of government and leading change.”
To fulfill that dream, Morales is wasting no time as he begins his first job in government as a legislative aide for Massachusetts State Senator Brendan Crighton.
Major: Government
Hometown: Boston
High School: New Mission High School
“My main duty right now, due to the pandemic, is constituent services. When people call with issues such as unemployment or pandemic assistance, we are the main liaison between the constituent and the agency they are trying to reach,” Morales explained. As the Senate session winds down, he also will be researching pertinent policy and community issues while helping the senator obtain bill sponsors.
Morales is no stranger to the world of politics, however. Since high school he has been working with Boston community-based non-profits and government organizations. By the time he arrived at Hamilton — as both a Posse Foundation and a Gates Millennium scholar — he was prepared to further his passions as a government major.
On campus Morales served as a representative and class president of Student Assembly, which reaffirmed his interests in politics and helping people. He also attended Hamilton’s Program in Washington, D.C., and secured a legislative internship with U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, for whom he had interned previously while in Boston and worked for again as a political organizer.
In fact, it was through the Senator Warren alumni network that Morales discovered the opening with Senator Crighton. He credits his time working as a peer advisor at the Career Center for teaching him about the importance of networking.
Morales also recognizes his network within the Hamilton Government Department and the influence of Kira Jumet, assistant professor of government, and Professor Todd Franklin, Christian A. Johnson Excellence in Teaching Professor of Philosophy and Africana Studies. “They were the ones who assisted me during my career exploration process and have been a source of support on and off the Hill,” Morales said.
But what inspired all this passion for government? “My hope for change and my desire to be a part of change. … Right now, there’s not enough people of color in government because people feel disenfranchised — especially [those in the] Black and Latinx communities.” It is through a career in government that Morales hopes to inspire a shift in society, working directly for and with those communities.
As he continues to make strides in his own political pursuits, Morales reminds those with similar interests: “Know that you are not the only one. Know that there is an abundance of good people who are doing the work on the ground, and there are many ways to get involved. … Take advantage of all the opportunities you have on campus to learn and grow in your own skill set so you can make a great impact.”
