Over the summer of 2021, I, along with about a dozen other interns, collaborated on multiple projects and talked to well-known community leaders who had so much to offer and share with us. A year after graduating from the CAUSE Leadership Academy, it is crazy to think that I had formed strong connections and bonds with people I had never even met in-person. Although CAUSE provided me with a unique and enriching experience, it never felt fully complete as my entire internship was experienced through a dusty screen accompanied by the loud whirring of my overheating laptop. When I heard that CAUSE was hosting their Summer Soiree in person, I knew I had to be there.
I wasn’t sure what to expect, but when I got there I realized the true extent of the CAUSE network. After testing negative on-site for COVID-19, I walked into the cavernous ballroom where hundreds of elected officials, community leaders, and CAUSE alumni mingled among each other. It was overwhelming, but definitely exciting to finally stand in a room with so many of the bright individuals whom I had met during my internship. I was also finally able to meet my cohort in person. It was a warming experience to be able to greet my fellow interns and friends in-person. Talking with the CLA 2021 cohort face-to-face brought back old memories while creating new ones. The night was spent catching up and meeting others involved with our internship including all the amazing CAUSE staff that worked so hard to put together the entire event.
It was even more interesting to talk to some of the CLA alumni that preceded us and those followed us in this year’s program. Although our cohorts were built with different people and we worked on different projects, we were still able to relate in our experiences such as hearing a bit about the remote work previous CLA interns conducted before us. Moreover, it was heartwarming to see the most recent CLA class be able to have their Capitol Summit and continue the CLA legacy.
It was rejuvenating to be able to be a part of a CAUSE event once again, especially one as grand as the Summer Soiree. CAUSE’s wide network of accomplished and friendly people reassured me that this is unlikely to be the last time that I cross paths with CAUSE.
