Michael has previously served as the chair of the Central California Coalition for Equitable Realignment (CCCFER), which monitors the redistricting process of legislative bodies in the Central Valley. He was a board member of Leadership for Jobs and a New Economy (LJANE), the Central Valley Partnership (CVP) and the Central Valley Progressive PAC. Moreover, he was on the Editorial Board of the Community Alliance newspaper. He has been a part of community groups advocating for immigration rights, women’s rights, the homeless and civility in media.

Michael has considerable experience with the Democratic Party in three states, most recently serving as precinct coordinator for the Kittitas County Democratic Party in Washington state. He was a county Democratic chair and state committee member in Fresno County (California) and Mecklenburg County (North Carolina).

For the 2020 election, Michael was an area director for the Central Valley with the California Democratic Party’s Coordinated Campaign. He previously was chair of the Fresno County Democratic Party (FCDP) for 10 years also serving as a delegate to the Democratic State Central Committee and a representative to the California Democratic Party E-Board.

He served two terms as chair of the statewide Federation of Democratic County Central Committee Members. Michael was involved in most of the Democratic clubs in Fresno County and previously served as president, secretary and parliamentarian of the Kennedy Club of the San Joaquin Valley; communications chair of the San Joaquin Valley Democratic Club; and Central Committee liaison with the Fresno County Democratic Women’s Club (FCDWC).

As chair of the FCDP, Michael served as spokesperson for the county Democratic Party to the media. He worked to build coalitions with progressive and community groups countywide and got the party engaged in local issues. His work with the FCDWC led to the FCDP and the FCDWC jointly opening the Democratic Party Headquarters in downtown Fresno. He is also a representative to the Fresno-Madera-Tulare-Kings Central Labor Council’s political directors’ group.

Michael has made numerous presentations to local organizations on a variety of topics related to greater involvement in the political process and progressive activism.

Michael was named the 2017 Democrat of the Year for Fresno County and has received the Kennedy Club’s Courage Award, the Fresno County Young Democrats’ Legacy of Leadership Award and the California Democratic National Committee Delegation’s Fighting Democratic Donkey Award. In 2015, he received the National Women’s Political Caucus’s “Good Guy” award and was roasted at a Democratic Party event featuring State Controller Betty Yee. In 2012, he was named Volunteer of the Year for California Democratic Party Region 8.