Following his father's death in the Wisconsin Sikh temple shooting in 2012, Kaleka became involved in politics, supporting gun control, progressive economic reform, and the peace agenda.

During the summer of 2014, he ran unsuccessfully in the Democratic primary for the United States House of Representatives in Wisconsin's 1st congressional district, losing to Rob Zerban.

[2] In 1982, as dangerous tension began to mount in the area over the Khalistan movement, Amar's father, Satwant Singh Kaleka, decided to leave the country with his wife, Satpal, and their two young sons, Pardeep and Amardeep.

When the family realised their ability to survive in America was largely dictated by two people working, mother and father, they made a plan.

Satpal, the mother, who was a simple farmer like her husband Satwant, was asked to learn English quickly despite her eighth grade education.

Amar grew up very poor, having to accept food from "free lunch programs" while his parents rented apartments from government subsidized housing.

While he attended Bay View, he became the student government class president of 1996, as well as ranking ninth in chess in the state, founding the World Culture's Club, and playing varsity basketball, soccer, and baseball.

During this time, he was also licensed as a private security person by the state of Wisconsin, and worked as a second shift supervisor of the then newly constructed Midwest Express Center.

[citation needed] Kaleka graduated from the College of Arts and Sciences at Marquette University in 2001 with majors in Philosophy, Psychology, and Spanish Literature.

[citation needed] From 1998 through 2001, he worked as a peer counselor for the Marquette University TRIO program, helping first generation incoming freshmen deal with the transition from high school to college.

[citation needed] Before graduation, Kaleka was published by his professor Anees Sheikh in the book entitled, Handbook of Therapeutic Imagery Techniques under the Hypnobehavioral Approaches.

[23] In the aftermath of the shooting, Kaleka became interested in politics, supporting gun control[24] and promoting new legislation to reduce hate crimes.

[26] As a member of the Democratic Party, Kaleka ran for the United States House of Representatives in Wisconsin's 1st congressional district in the 2014 election, challenging incumbent Paul Ryan.