The Governor’s Office is home to various different programs, including California Volunteers. Cal Volunteers is a state office that was created by the Governor to engage the residents of California in service, volunteering, and civic action to address our state’s issues. Cal Volunteers has two different programs, College Corps and American Corps. College Corps is a new program and it partners with many different colleges and universities across California to create a new generation of leaders involved in civic engagement and to financially help low income students graduate on time. Ameri Corps aims to better the communities that they serve and to to increase civic engagement by engaging their members in service and volunteering. They also provide some of its members with a stipend and living allowance.
Before my internship with Governor Newsom I had no idea that this was an initiative fostered by the Governor’s office. I had the pleasure to attend a press conference to celebrate South Los Angeles receiving funding for their Ameri Corps programs. I had the pleasure to meet Micheal Tubbs, the special advisor to Governor Newsom, the Speaker of the Assembly, Anthony Rendon, the Mayor of South Gate, Al Rios, the Mayor of Maywood Heber Marquez and State Senator Gonzalez. This was the first in-person event that I attended for my internship and I finally had the pleasure to meet my now former supervisor. I have also never attended a press release so I thought it was quite interesting to actually be there in person. It was also amazing to have the opportunity to meet such important people in the community.
This event also showed me how important it is for a community to show up and support one another. It also revealed to me how many different dedicated people it takes to get a program up and running. The ideas of Cal Volunteers had to be created, receive funding, and implemented, and that explains why some policies and programs may take such a long time before actually being distributed and implemented into communities.
My time at the Governor’s office has been nothing but amazing. I’ve had the amazing opportunity to meet people all over the state that contribute to further developing their communities and that advocate for their people. Through my host office I have also had the pleasure of not having one astounding supervisor but two, so I am incredibly grateful for that. This office has allowed me to develop my professionalism and taught me new skills that I will carry onto my future areas of work. I also recognize the privilege that I have had working for an office that shares my political ideologies and ideas. They have provided me with a safe space that I felt comfortable sharing my personal beliefs and judgment with and I will forever be grateful for that. I also recognize and appreciate my host office for uplifting voices that have been historically silenced and for having such a diverse staff. I am more than proud and honored to be able to say that I had the pleasure of interning for Governor Newsom.