Michael joined the Alliance for Housing Justice as the Digital Communications Manager in October 2021. Michael cut his teeth in the renters’ rights movement when he and his neighbors collectively fought a new landlord’s “no cause” eviction attempt with the aid of the Autonomous Tenants Union in Chicago. Since that transformative personal experience, he has worked tirelessly with ATU to organize mainly low-income, disabled and/or undocumented tenants to resist displacement. Michael elevated ATU’s use of digital communication as a strategy to shape the public narrative on housing justice and to disrupt efforts to stave off reforms.

Michael most recently worked with the Metropolitan Tenants Organization as a social media specialist designing their digital and visual identity and expanding their digital outreach to underserved communities. He looks forward to helping AHJ cultivate the renters’ movement across the country and increase its grassroots capacity.