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AL AUSTIN

AL AUSTIN

City of Long Beach

Career Roadmap

AL's work combines: Government, Politics, and Problem Solving

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Day In The Life

Councilmember

I am an elected local government official.

Skills & Education

Here's the path I took:

  • High School

  • Bachelor's Degree

    Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management

    University of La Verne

Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Legislators:

Graduate Degree: Public Policy Analysis, General

Learn more about different paths to this career

Life & Career Milestones

My path in life took a while to figure out

  • 1.

    Campaigning at age 6 for a family member.

  • 2.

    Getting elected to a union office as a young union aerospace worker in 1993.

  • 3.

    Co-founding a Young Democrats Chapter in 1997.

  • 4.

    I graduated from the University of La Verne in 1999 with my B.S. in Public Admin/Org Mgmt.

  • 5.

    Going to work as a District Aide to a State Senator in 2000.

  • 6.

    I was appointed to serve on Long Beach's Citizen's Police Complaint Commission in 2003.

  • 7.

    Accepted a position with AFSCME, AFL-CIO as a professional advocate for public sector employees.

  • 8.

    I worked on many high profile campaigns at local, state and national levels from 2007 to 2011.

Defining Moments

How I responded to discouragement

  • THE NOISE

    Messages 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.

  • How I responded:

    My boss actually tried to forbid me from pursuing elected office because he wanted me to work harder for the organization for several more years. Pursuing my goal to work for, and represent, my community acually cost me a great job. I didn't listen to my boss because I knew what was best for ME! I am the master of my fate.

Experiences and challenges that shaped me

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  • My income was reduced by over 50 percent. I had to restructure my finances by consolidating and reducing debt, and focusing more on household budgeting.