AL AUSTIN
Councilmember
City of Long Beach
Milestones
My road in life took a while to figure out.
Campaigning at age 6 for a family member.
Getting elected to a union office as a young union aerospace worker in 1993.
Co-founding a Young Democrats Chapter in 1997.
I graduated from the University of La Verne in 1999 with my B.S. in Public Admin / Org Mgmt.
Going to work as a District Aide to a State Senator in 2000.
I was appointed to serve on Long Beach's Citizen's Police Complaint Commission in 2003.
Accepted a position with AFSCME, AFL-CIO as a professional advocate for public sector employees.
I worked on many high profile campaigns at local, state and national levels from 2007 to 2011.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Career
Councilmember
I am an elected local government official.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Government
Politics
Problem Solving
Day to Day
I begin my day reading newspapers and staff reports so that I stay current on all issues. I usually have several meetings scheduled with constituents, CBOs, and various interest groups. I have breifings with City staff and my district staff. We usually have Council meetings and Committee meetings once a week. My evenings usually consist of attending neighborhood meetings, community events, and fundraisers (Charity and Political).
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for college students
Volunteer!
Recommended Education
My career is not related to what I studied. I'd recommend this path instead:
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Society in General:
"You should wait until you retire. you should run for office in a low income community. My union background would be bad for business in the city."
Challenges I Overcame
Financial
