Maricela P. Morales - Biography

Grateful to her immigrant parents from Mexico, Maricela was raised in Fillmore, Ventura County where she graduated as class Salutatorian before earning her BA in Human Biology from Stanford University. She is presently completing her MA thesis on social oppression, power and liberation. As Associate Executive Director, Maricela oversees CAUSE’s Health Access and Equity and Women SEE Justice projects.

In response to the public need for diversity amongst elected public decision makers and a stronger voice for economic, environmental and social justice, Maricela is both the youngest and first Latina elected to the Port Hueneme City Council. As Mayor and Council Member, she has prioritized the issues of living wage, violence prevention, family self-sufficiency and civic engagement. Mayor Morales actively opposed the world’s largest mining company’s proposal to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal that would have increased our dependence on fossil fuels, damaged the local environment and disproportionately impacted people of color and working poor families.

Maricela serves on the Women’s Public Vision for Politics, Religion and Civil Society of the D.C. based Institute for Women’s Policy Research, the statewide Stewardship Council of the California Roots of Change Fund and is immediate Past-President of the Ventura County Leadership Academy. Her commitment to work collaboratively on issues of local, state and national concern has been recognized by the American Red Cross of Ventura County, California Association of Leadership Programs, Ventura County Leadership Academy, Pacific Coast Business Times, Mexican Cultural Committee, Soroptomist International of Oxnard and National Women’s Political Caucus of Ventura County.

On a more personal note, Maricela continues her life-long fascination and independent study into the development and practice of individual and collective consciousness involving science, psychology, spirituality, politics, social history and the world’s wisdom traditions. In her words, “In short, I want to better live with all to realize a deeper, freer, more loving and joyous world.”