This week, my cohort and I flew up to Sacramento for Capitol Summit. The days were long but packed with informative panels and inspiring speakers, and I would do it all again if I could. Some takeaways:
The possibility of working at the level of state government: For most of my time in college, I was sure I’d wind up working in the federal government, as a member of Congress, on a congressional committee, or in the White House. I viewed change as most impactful and far-reaching at the federal level, excited by the thought of working on legislation and advocacy efforts that would impact the well-being of people across the country. Hearing from people working on impactful policies in a state as influential as California opened my eyes to envision a future in Sacramento. From being in the state capitol to having to re-direct constituents that call Congressman Lieu’s office because their issues are issues dealt with by the state government to participate in public comment and local advocacy efforts with CAUSE, I’m realizing that I could see myself at any one of these spheres of change.
Charmaine and Erika talked about their roles as legislative directors to their respective Assemblymembers. I learn that legislation-related positions in government often require legislative aides and directors to be knowledgeable about a wide variety of issues; a staffer could be assigned to issues as broad and deep as housing, public safety, health, and budget. Sophia Kwong Kim shared about her time as a committee consultant and the opportunities she had then to know the issues of her committee — education — really well. Hearing from Sophia reaffirmed my interest in working for specific committees that focus on issues I care about.
Picturing myself in their shoes: At the Capitol, we met with Asian-American staffers like Byron, Arali, and Amy, who are in places in life not too far away from my fellow interns and me. Their experiences felt relatable and familiar as they shared internal conflicts, thought processes, and motivations for their work. It was exciting to hear from people close to me in experiences; it made it possible for me to imagine myself in their positions in just a few short years. And hearing from veterans of this work like Sophia and Alison reassured me that there are Asian-American women who have paved the pathway for this field of work for aspiring students like me.
I love tours! Cindy was a great tour guide, letting us in on tidbits and fun facts about the Capitol. It was particularly inspiring to see the wall of pictures of all of the Speakers of the Assembly, where I saw now-Mayor Karen Bass’s picture. While she was Speaker at a time when I was too young to be aware or involved, as someone who supported her campaign, I was excited to get a glimpse into her time in the state legislature.
Mentorship: Bill Wong and Annie Pham talked to our cohort about mentorship. I left the session feeling especially grateful for the Asian American leaders, particularly Asian-American women leaders, who have kindly let me into their circles and are always looking out for me. Bill shared that mentorship should be continuous; mentees should go on to mentor others in order to continue the sharing of knowledge and experience. Just as my mentors have looked out for me, I hope to be able to guide and support others in their work as I move through my career and future.
CLA Interns Emma Chen, Erika Au, and Coby Nguyen at the Capitol Building.
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 Emma Chen, 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.