Aaron Vega (born August 15, 1970) is an American state legislator who previously represented the 5th Hampden district of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, co-owner of a yoga business, and a former film editor. He has been nominated for the

Argentine Film Critics Association The Argentine Film Critics Association ( es, Asociación de Cronistas Cinematográficos de la Argentina) is an organization of Argentine-based journalists and correspondents. The association presents the ''Silver Condor Awards'' (''Premios Cóndor ...

Silver Condor Award for Best Film The Silver Condor Award for Best Film ( es, Premio Cóndor de Plata a la mejor película), given by the Argentine Film Critics Association The Argentine Film Critics Association ( es, Asociación de Cronistas Cinematográficos de la Argentina) is a ...

for directing jazz documentary ''Van Van - Empezó la fiesta!'', and has worked on several PBS documentaries including American Experience and Ken Burns' '' Jazz''. A member of the

Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

, Vega began his political career in 2009 when he successfully ran as a city councilor in

Holyoke Holyoke is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, that lies between the western bank of the Connecticut River and the Mount Tom Range. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 38,238. Located north of Springfield ...

, and subsequently ran successfully for

state representative A state legislature is a legislative branch or body of a political subdivision in a federal system. Two federations literally use the term "state legislature": * The legislative branches of each of the fifty state governments of the United Sta ...

for the 5th Hampden district in 2012.Aaron Vega
Massachusetts General Court. In 2020, then-Mayor Alex Morse appointed Vega as Director of the City of Holyoke's Office of Planning and Economic Development, replacing outgoing director Marcos Marrero; Vega assumed the office on January 21, 2021, and would subsequently lead Mayor Josh Garcia's transition team.

Personal life

The son of local Ecuadorian activist and cofounder of

Nueva Esperanza Nueva Esperanza is a municipality and village in Santiago del Estero Province in Argentina.Ministerio del Interior

, Carlos Vega, Aaron Vega was born in Holyoke on August 15, 1970 and grew up in

South Holyoke South Holyoke is a neighborhood in Holyoke, Massachusetts, located approximately south of the city center. Today the neighborhood contains many historical brick tenements and of mixed residential, commercial, and industrial zoning including many ...

, attending Morgan Elementary School, before moving with his mother to New Hampshire. He would graduate from Mascenic Regional High School in 1988, and soon after attended

Holyoke Community College Holyoke Community College (HCC) is a public community college in Holyoke, Massachusetts. It offers associate degrees and certificate programs, as well as a transfer program for students to earn credits for transfer to other colleges. It was the ...

and subsequently Keene State College where he received dual bachelor's degrees in psychology and film studies. Over the next several years he would do work on a number of PBS documentaries as an editor, including several directed by

Ken Burns Kenneth Lauren Burns (born July 29, 1953) is an American filmmaker known for his documentary film, documentary films and television series, many of which chronicle United States, American History of the United States, history and Culture of the ...

, working out of New York City before returning to Holyoke in 2002. In 2008, Vega opened a yoga studio with his wife in the converted Lyman Mills, now known as Open Square, becoming a mobile yoga service in 2017. Today Vega resides in Holyoke with his wife Debra, who teaches dance at

Mount Holyoke College Mount Holyoke College is a private liberal arts women's college in South Hadley, Massachusetts. It is the oldest member of the historic Seven Sisters colleges, a group of elite historically women's colleges in the Northeastern United States. ...

, his three daughters, and son. He is a member of the board of the Carlos Vega Fund for Social Justice.

Selected filmography

Vega has worked as an editor for a number of films, primarily

human interest stories In journalism, a human-interest story is a feature story that discusses people or pets in an emotional way. It presents people and their problems, concerns, or achievements in a way that brings about interest, sympathy or motivation in the reader ...

told through documentaries. He is credited as the film editor of the following works, unless otherwise noted * Refugee Kids: One Small School Takes on the World, 2014, short * Héroes, 2011, TV movie (Puerto Rico), director * Sosúa: Make a Better World, 2009, documentary * American Experience :* A Class Apart, 2009 :* Race to the Moon, 2005 * Artists of the Bahamas, 2008, documentary edited with Scott Hancock * Through Deaf Eyes, 2007, documentary * Clock Paint Eyeball, 2006, short, edited with

Chris Ohlson Chris Ohlson (born August 24, 1975) is an American video artist and director based in Brooklyn, New York. Ohlson's thoughtfully provocative work often explores and dissects our memory of time—how we perceive, formulate, edit and curate our own ...

* My Electric Bill, 2006, short * Addison's Wall, 2005, drama * Front Wards, Back Wards, 2005, documentary * The Spin Cycle, 2004, short * Blue Vinyl, 2002, post-production coordinator * The New Sideshow, 2002, TV movie * Ram Dass, Fierce Grace, 2001, documentary * Jazz (TV series), 2001, 3 episodes :* The True Welcome: 1929-1934 :* The Gift: 1917-1924 :* Gumbo: Beginnings to 1917 * Van Van - Empezó la fiesta!, 2001, director with Liliana Mazure, documentary, nominated for 2002

* Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery, 1997, assistant editor

Massachusetts House of Representatives (2013–2021)

Vega ran for the Massachusetts House of Representative's 5th Hampden District legislative seat, which was made vacant upon the resignation of incumbent State Representative

Michael F. Kane Michael F. Kane (born June 10, 1967, in Holyoke, Massachusetts) is an American politician who represented the 5th Hampden District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives and was a Holyoke City Councilor from 1996 to 2000. Kane resigned h ...

who accepted a position with

Columbia Gas of Massachusetts Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, the assumed name of Bay State Gas Company, is a supplier of retail natural gas to over 300,000 customers in parts of Massachusetts surrounding Springfield, Brockton, and Lawrence. It is a subsidiary of NiSource. The ...

. He defeated the Republican nominee Ward 5 City Councilor Linda M. Vacon and Green-Rainbow nominee Jerome T. Hobert and was sworn-in on January 2, 2013. He is a member of the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus.

Committee assignments

* Committee on Personnel and Administration * Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies * Joint Committee on Higher Education

Electoral history

Massachusetts House of Representatives, 5th Hampden District, 2018:PD:43+, Massachusetts Election Results
Elections Division, Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. * Aaron Vega (D) – 10,199 (99.6%) * All Others – 38 (0.4%) * Blank Votes – 2,214 Massachusetts House of Representatives, 5th Hampden District, 2016: * Aaron Vega (D) – 13,687 (99.7%) * All Others – 40 (0.3%) * Blank Votes – 3,312 Massachusetts House of Representatives, 5th Hampden District, 2012: * Aaron Vega (D) – 9,545 (60.8%) * Linda Vacon (R) – 3,211 (20.5%) * Jermone Hobert (Green-Rainbow) – 2,939 (18.7%) Democratic primary for the Massachusetts House of Representatives, 5th Hampden District, 2012: * Aaron Vega – 1,947 (65.4%) * Michael F. Kane (inc.) – 999 (33.6%) Holyoke City Council, At-large, 2011: * Kevin Jourdain (inc.) – 5,029 * Peter Tallman – 4,834 * Aaron Vega (inc.) – 4,697 * Joseph McGiverin (inc.) – 4,675 * Brenna Murphy (inc.) – 4,528 * Daniel Bresnahan – 4,264 * James Leahy (inc.) – 4,252 * Rebecca Lisi – 4,213 * Patricia Devine (inc.) – 3,886 * John Whelihan – 3,675 * Yasser Menwer – 1,706

References

External links

Vega for Holyoke City Councilor-at-Large
2011 municipal campaign website from the Internet Archive
VegaClips
former film editing portfolio site {{DEFAULTSORT:Vega, Aaron American people of Ecuadorian descent American politicians of Ecuadorian descent Living people Democratic Party members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives 1970 births 21st-century American politicians Politicians from Holyoke, Massachusetts Holyoke Community College alumni Hispanic and Latino American state legislators in Massachusetts