Member Highlight: Vanesa Morales
Community is more than a group of people—it’s a sense of belonging and a network of support. It’s the shared bonds, trust, and reciprocity that create social capital. Union Capital Boston (UCB) works to showcase how these connections can transform lives and build networks of mutual support that empower and uplift communities.
For some people, UCB has provided resources and connections that allow jobs, friends, and an outlet to further themselves. Vanesa Morales, a Boston native, has been involved with UCB since 2019. Vanesa’s story with UCB started with a financial literacy class that she and her family took part in together. Since then, she has become a profound member of UCB and an upstanding leadership coach, all while being a PhD student in Strategic Leadership at Liberty University.
“I’m always interested in what’s going on in our community. I think it’s important to learn what's going on in the community, what's going on around the community. I’m one of those people who, when I was in college, looked at every flyer that was put up, every time I passed through one of those halls, because you never know what you’re going to find.”
Morales has a hard time recalling the true beginning of her journey with UCB, “I’ve done so much, so many things, within them [UCB] but it was good because it was learning about different things that were happening in my community, and getting connected with different resources.”
Among many of Morales’ skills, like becoming a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) member, she is also a Parent Instructor. This entails consulting with organizations, and doing workshops and training. A lot of the work Morales does involves advocacy. She accredits UCB with how engaged she has become with leadership, and her newfound ability to put herself and her opinions out in her community and the world.
Because of connections Morales found and built at UCB, she was able to create new links and find new partnerships, “I got connected with people and because of those connections I was able to get different consulting jobs, and different things like that.”
However, her journey has not been easy. Morales’ is able to “upscale” her skills because she is no longer afraid to confront her fears. “I’m one of those people, I work on my fears. I’m afraid, I don’t like talking in front of people. I’m trying to get over that fear.” Fast forward to this past year, Morales took part in Union Capital (UC) Talk, speaking in front of a crowd in a segment titled, “Children Need Loving Homes.”
In her UC Talk, posted to YouTube on December 18, 2024, Morales said, “Drawing on the collective strength of these networks, social capital is not just about the individual relationships, but about the broader support.” You can access her full UC Talk at the bottom of the page.
Morales will be graduating with her Doctorate in Strategic Leadership from Liberty University this upcoming May 2025, which makes it abundantly clear she is deserving of congratulations for her hard work and dedication, “I am a lifelong learner.”
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