Aaron Michlewitz Follows the Three A's

When Aaron Michlewitz began college in 1996, he intended to become a reporter.

In fact, his major at Northeastern University was journalism and he wrote for the school newspaper -- concentrating on sports.

Sadly, the Huskies didn't make it to the Big Dance or thrill their fans at the Bean Pot during Michlewitz's five years at the university so he didn't have the opportunity to write much breaking news insofar as championships and titles.

After completing co-op internships at the Patriot Ledger and in the State House, Michlewitz made the decision to pursue politics as a career.

And, while he's still an avid sports fan, Michlewitz has never looked back.

To augment his bachelor of arts degree, Michlewitz earned an MBA in non-profit/public/organizational management at Suffolk University's Sawyer School of Management.

He began working in the mayor's office of Special Events and Tourism in October 2001, when he was just 26 years old, and remained in that position for a little over three years. In 2004, Michlewitz worked for the former Speaker of the House Sal DiMasi as his Constituent Services  Director until DiMasi's resignation in January 2009.

Following the resignation, Michlewitz was elected in a special election as a Democratic member of the House of Representatives from the 3rd Suffolk District. On May 19, 2009, he won the Democratic primary for the seat and the general election on June 16.

"I ran on what I call the three A's," Michlewitz said. "Accessibility, accountability and attention to issues."

That's how he describes his work motto: Being in touch with all the people he represents, getting out to the neighborhoods as often as possible and just a phone call away as well as paying close attention to a wide variety of issues. 

Decifering the needs of different neighborhoods

A native of the North End (he grew up on Fleet Street), Michlewitz has to juggle the needs of all his constituents in the Boston neighborhoods including this area of the city, the Waterfront, Chinatown, the South End, the Financial District, the Leather District and parts of Beacon Hill, Back Bay and upper Roxbury.

Keeping in touch with his constituents

To that end, Michlewitz attends events and holds coffees in all the neighborhoods he represents. Even though he will not have an opponent for the next election, Michlewitz is working on a schedule for the fall when he will go back to the sections of the city included in the 3rd Suffolk District to ask people what areas they want him to focus on for the session that begins in January.

Throughout the year, however, Michlewitz is in informal session about three times a week. There are no roll calls, he said, but work definitely gets accomplished on less controversial bills.

The times he is not in informal sessions, Michlewitz campaigns for other people including Elizabeth Warren.

Looking forward, Michlewitz will definitely be drafting some bills if re-elected Elections Law Chairman.

As for the North End, he feels the challeges come under one heading.

"Eveyone wants to be proud of where they live," he said. "So I focus on quality of life issues that are important to all the residents of the North End."

State Rep. Aaron Michlewitz can be reached at 617-722-2400 or via email at aaron.m.michlewitz@mahouse.gov