Barry Lawton started a recent Tuesday morning at McKenna’s Cafe in Savin Hill with his regular order: a plate of scrambled eggs, home fries, bacon, sausage, and wheat toast.

The District 3 candidate then made his rounds around the restaurant, handing out campaign brochures and introducing himself to customers, asking them what issues matter most to them and about changes they want to see in their community.

“If there’s one thing you could fix if you were in charge of this city, what would it be?” he says.

Lawton, who has lived in the district for 41 years, is running for the City Council for the first time, after previous campaigns for a seat in the Legislature. “I feel very good in this election because I feel that we’re in a better position to change,” he said. “Not because we want it but because we need it.”

His introduction into politics was as a legislative intern at the State House in 1978. He has also worked in Boston City Hall and taught history in Boston Public Schools for 24 years.

After breakfast, Lawton and his son Asberry set out to place campaign signs around the district. Both his son and his daughter Sarah Anne are very involved with his campaign. Being a father has been the “best job,” he said. “It’s kept me grounded, even being in the bowels of politics.”

As they walked around the neighborhood, the candidate went by the homes of many of his former students. One student called out to him from his car as he drove by, eagerly pulling over to get a chance to speak with his former teacher.

Lawton taught at the Jeremiah E. Burke High School, East Boston High School, Madison Park High School, and Dorchester High School. “One of the things that I did in my classroom for years was to teach my children to have the skills to be change agents,” said Lawton.

Barry Lawton makes his pitch to a young patron at McKenna’s Cafe.

He said he emphasized “emotional tools and social skills” in the classroom by creating a “word wall” composed of 120 words, which gave his students “options of expression.”

“There is a better alternative for shooting bullets,” he said. “Your ammo is your language.”

If elected, Lawton said he would call for an elected school committee. His campaign website says he would “ensure that state funds directly serve student needs” and “support education policies that prioritize parental involvement and make educating all students a shared responsibility.”

Lawton grew up in a military family, typically moving every three years to a new home and school. He said he witnessed racial tensions when he first moved to Boston in 1974. He founded the NAACP chapter at Boston University and ran track and field. “Once I was here, I felt that I needed to be a part of the community,” he said. “I saw that there needed to be change because it was very racially tense at that time.”

Lawton later joined the Daniel Marr Boys Club — now known as the Boys and Girls Clubs of Dorchester — as one of two members of color. He also became a member of the Dorchester Day Celebrations Committee, where he helped diversify the group and plan celebrations and events. “I’m that bridge to that generation which is why I think I’m an ideal candidate to bring this community together,” he said.

In his free time, Lawton said, he enjoys performing songs from the Great American Songbook. Currently, his favorite to perform is “On the Road to Mandalay.” He noted that he also sings “The Star-Spangled Banner” for Boston Public Schools.

“Music is the one unifying force,” he said. “It’s been a tool to communicate with other cultures, other ages, and other generations.”

He said his experience in government and in the classroom differentiates him from the other candidates in the race. “I have decades of consistent work on behalf of the community,” he noted.

Lawton added that he is “not for sale” and unafraid to voice his opinions. “Although I’m a lifelong Democrat, my belief is defined by pragmatism,” he said. “I go by what’s right.”