Yes, that is a point-five selfie of me with Love, Victor and Never Have I Ever star Michael Cimino, and yes, I’m still very much fangirling over that moment. Believe it or not, that encounter happened through my host office internship, which is at the District Office of Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), during a fundraiser event at the Arts District Brewery on Wednesday, June 28th.
But meeting Michael Cimino wasn’t the only highlight of my first week working in Congressman Gomez’s office. Upon stepping foot into the cozy office suite on Bixel Street, I was welcomed into an amazing team of passionate, hard-working individuals. Having entered the Congressman’s office with next to no knowledge of American politics, I was nervous to say the least. I barely knew what the Congressman’s jurisdictions, duties, and services were, and I was initially wary of the bureaucracy and tensions often associated with politics. But the staff warmly welcomed me into their space, which I found was often filled with chatter, laughter, and an abundance of emotional support, and they made sure to include me in any cool opportunities, especially in the field. I was also pleasantly surprised by the diversity present in the office, and the team was younger than I expected (mostly in their mid to late 20s), which helped foster a refreshing sense of camaraderie, not to mention the other interns are also delightful to spend time with.
CLA Intern Angel Yuan at a coffee shop with some of the District Office staff (definitely not photoshopped in any way).
My first day of work at the office, I learned how to make congressional certificates, which I sadly found out are not actually hand-signed by the Congressman himself. I learned that our office can help constituents seeking help from federal agencies, such as the IRS, Passport Agency, Immigration and Citizenship, and USPS. I assisted with drafting tweets and Instagram captions for the Congressman’s social media pages. I also researched some of his recent funding projects to draft talking points at upcoming press conferences. Fortunately, I was also able to meet and chat with the Congressman himself, as he had just returned from D.C. for a district work period. He struck me as a down-to-earth man who values community, and the fact that he was willing to get to know me as I was simply passing by made me more excited to be working for his office.
Angel's office desk space as she worked on certificates and funding research.
My second day of work, I had the opportunity to attend a press conference at AltaMed, which recently received $255,000 in federal funding for new healthcare equipment for the elderly. I helped with the set-up process—which included writing the giant check—and watched the field team overcome a few mishaps to execute the event.
Congressman Jimmy Gomez presents a giant check of $255,000 to the AltaMed PACE Program.
To my surprise, Congressman Gomez brought his son, Hodge, to the conference as well, which provided much delight to all attendees. Back in January, Congressman Gomez had gone viral for bringing Hodge to the House of Representatives while they were electing a new House Speaker, which then led to him founding the Congressional Dads Caucus, so it was awesome to see him reinforcing his values beyond just his legislative policies.
Congressman Jimmy Gomez speaks at a press conference announcing new federal funding for the AltaMed PACE Program.
My third and last day at the office this week was quieter, with most of my day spent on helping constituents, drafting talking points on the Weingart Towers, and preparing closing letters for closed cases. Congressman Gomez passed by to say hello to all the staff before he left, which once again put a smile on my face.
However, despite it being my last day in the Congressman’s office for the week, to my surprise, I found myself still involved in politics throughout the weekend. I would be remiss not to mention the impact of CLA during my first week, especially in terms of giving me the confidence and skills for networking, as I had the opportunity to attend Congressman Adam Schiff’s fundraiser for his Senate run. It was through that fundraiser that I learned of the 2024 California Senate race, and coincidentally, at the Chinese American Citizens Alliance (LA Lodge) Annual Picnic, I had the fortune of meeting Congresswoman Barbara Lee, who is also running for Senate, as well as Assemblymember Mike Fong.
CLA Intern Angel Yuan with Congresswoman Barbara Lee, who is running for Senate.
And thus concludes my first week at the Office of Congressman Jimmy Gomez, which was filled with new connections, learning, and insight. I entered the office with barely any knowledge of California politics, and now after only one week, I have been informed on key issues and policies pertaining to the constituents of CA-34, services provided at different levels of government, the upcoming Senate race, and the inner workings of congressional offices, among other things. Having entered the political arena wary of the inefficiencies and bureaucracy associated with these congressional offices, which definitely exist, especially with federal agencies, I have realized that there may be a future yet for me in this arena. I’m excited to explore during the upcoming weeks what this field has to offer and where I could fit in the picture.
CLA Intern Angel Yuan signing off from her first week at the District Office of Congressman Jimmy Gomez!
The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not reflect the views or positions of CAUSE or the CAUSE network.
Written by Angel Yuan, Leadership Academy 2023 Intern.
The CAUSE Leadership Academy (CLA) for students is a nine-week, paid, internship program that prepares college undergraduates to lead and advocate for the Asian Pacific Islander community on their campuses and beyond.