Michael Long watched in horror from the kitchen window as his father slipped off the roof of the family home during a do-it-yourself pressure cleaning and hit the cement head first. This devastating, near-fatal accident left his father unable to work and his family of five dependent upon his mother, whose school teacher’s salary would be stretched to the limit to make ends meet.
Making do – managing the day-to-day expense of family life – didn’t leave anything left over for higher education. And although Michael’s parents were always committed to getting their children through college, financial support from his family simply wasn’t an option.
If you met Michael Long, the confident Lighthouse Point city commissioner and Broward County nonprofit guru, you’d never know he grew up in a home fraught with financial instability and burdened with economic stress.
“I still remember my dad’s cracked skull like it was yesterday, the blood and water, the noise of the pressure cleaner,” said Michael. “It was touch and go for a few days, but after a lengthy stay in ICU, he gradually improved. After a long recovery, he was left with memory and speech disabilities, so he couldn’t return to work.”
While life was difficult, the family thrived because of the strength, love and resolve of his parents. “We really didn’t know we were poor,” Michael said. “We had each other, and as a family, we were very close. As a family we made do.”
Options – and opportunity – opened up when Michael graduated from Pompano Beach High School and discovered the affordability and accessibility of Broward College. “It allowed me to get a quality education and have the flexibility to work 60 hours a week at three jobs while living at home to save money,” Michael said.
While attending Broward College, Michael had an experience that would alter the course of his life. As part of a speech class, he had to participate in a panel discussion on the disconnect in communication between the young and old. When he realized his peers weren’t speaking, he stepped up to the microphone and prompted a lively dialogue among the age-diverse attendees.
“That single experience, in that one day, in that one class, changed my life,” said Michael. “Because of Broward College, I found that I had a direction, I had opinions to share, and I had the ability to convene others to bring thoughts and ideas together for the betterment of all.”
After graduating from Broward College in 1982 with an Associate Degree in General Studies, Michael earned a Bachelor of Science in Marketing Education from Florida Atlantic University and headed into the work force. He is the current Chief Development Officer for Broward Partnership, serving the homeless population in South Florida, and formerly served as the President and CEO of the Broward Education Foundation and President and CEO of the Broward Health Foundation. Each position gave him the opportunity to impact the Broward County community in a positive way.
“Making a difference in our community and ‘doing the right thing’ were values instilled in me since childhood,” Michael said. “My dad always said, ‘If you see a problem that you can fix, then do something about it, don’t talk about it. Actions speak louder than words.’”
Michael lives out his father’s advice in his family life as he raises two young boys with his wife Linda-Jean, and in the community by offering his time and talent to myriad organizations.
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Among his many civic and volunteer activities, Michael has served as the Winterfest Boat Parade Chair, on the Leadership Broward board of directors, the FAU President’s Broward Community Council, the Broward County Planning Council and the Broward County Housing Authority. His crowning achievement, however, is having served as a City of Lighthouse Point city commissioner for the past 19 years, including as commission president for six years and vice president for three years.
For all his efforts, Michael was recognized by Broward College as an outstanding alumni in 2016, inducting him into the Broward College Hall of Distinction.
“Because of Broward College, I love public speaking, and as an elected official and a leader serving on a number of community and governmental boards, I use that talent every day,” said Michael. “Because of Broward College, I was given the opportunity to find out who I am and what I wanted in life.”
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