NASW Foundation National Programs

NASW Social Work Pioneers^®

Royal Morales

Royal Morales, also fondly known as "Uncle Roy" is the premier social worker of his community and has made inestimable contributions to the Pilipino community, the Asian Pacific Islander community, the greater Los Angeles and California community, and to social work nationally.

Though he was born in Los Angeles, he spent most of his childhood in his ancestral country, the Philippines. He received his master’s degree in social work from the University of Southern California.

Mr. Morales worked as a social worker, community organizer, and an activist on human and social services issues; youth, substance abuse, mental health and issues and concerns of Pacific Asians in general and Pilipino Americans in particular.

He was employed as Program Director of Pacific Asian Alcohol Program (PAAP), under the auspices of Special Service for Groups (SSG) of Los Angeles. He was also employed as Director of the Asian American Community Mental Health Training Center of Los Angeles.

He was well known for his lecturing on the Pilipino American experience, Philippine-US relations and history; alcohol-related problems, organizing communities, and program development on human services.

Among his other contributions to the community, he conducts workshops on kite making and flying.

Social Work Pioneer - 1997