I’ve been holding off on writing this blog for a while, despite the many ideas and thoughts that have been swirling in my head since CLA Graduation. Writing this means that my CLA summer is truly over — no more Google Classroom assignments, no more seeing the cohort every Monday and Friday, no more host office days — and that took me a while to come to terms with. So here I am, on a plane to Paris as I prepare to study abroad at The Paris Institute of Political Studies (a.k.a Sciences Po) for the fall semester, trying not to cry (again) as I reflect on my CLA summer.
I had the honor and privilege of being the CLA class speaker for both the CLA Graduation and the CAUSE Summer Soirée. I did my best to capture the growth I experienced this summer through the CLA programming, my host office placement, and my relationships with the cohort.
CLA Intern Angel Yuan gives her graduation speech.
As I had said in my Graduation speech, “Nine weeks ago, I flew down from Vancouver to LA, not knowing what would await me this summer.” Going into this summer, I truly did not foresee the profound impact that CLA would have had on me, but nine weeks later, I can confidently say that CLA has drastically improved my self-confidence, knowledge of API issues, and career orientation. Without CLA, I don’t think I ever would have considered a career path in politics. Critical investment in programs like CLA is what gives youth like us a chance to explore places that are traditionally inaccessible to us. I may end up in politics, or I may end up elsewhere, but the bottom line is, I can now imagine endless possibilities and futures for myself, and this programming has equipped me with the skills necessary to thrive in any field.
Whereas I used to be intimidated, shy, and hesitant to speak to these types of people — I usually took a “don’t speak unless spoken to” stance — throughout the summer, I saw myself going out of my way to introduce myself first, looking for opportunities wherever possible.
I have seen a visible shift in my self confidence in the way that I comport myself around other people, especially established figures and people in authority positions. This was especially the case at the Soirée, which was attended by leaders in various fields. During the evening I was able to connect (and reconnect) with new leaders and previous CLA guest speakers including Thai CDC Founder and Executive Director Chancee Martorell (who I first learned about when I was preparing the memo for Congressman Gomez’s AAPI roundtable discussion event), U.S. Attorney Susan Har, State Senator Dave Min, Deputy State Treasurer Stephanie Tom, PFGLAG SGV API Chapter Board Member Barney Cheng, and President of California’s Women’s List Marissa Roy. With all of my growth over the summer, I felt at ease discussing professional aspirations, summer reflections, and personal details.
But beyond just the professional networking opportunities presented to me at Soirée, it was also a time to reflect on my summer with the cohort and to spend one last bittersweet night together. Thinking back on this summer, every single person in the cohort brought something valuable to the table, and each person has left a lasting impression on me. I knew that Soirée was going to be bittersweet considering there were likely going to be a few people that I wouldn’t see again, but I didn’t realize how deep of an impact these people have had on me until the waterworks were flowing. This was evident in the fact that I cried four times during Soirée. Stephanie Tom had to console me at some point while I was crying over Phong’s hand-made friendship bracelet (#CLA-pour-toujours) and letter. And just when I thought I was done with the tears for the night, I had to say goodbye to Steve and Shanahan. (Full transparency, I sobbed like a baby. Thankfully, Stephanie wasn’t there to witness that for a second time, but looking in the mirror afterwards was a humbling experience).
CLA interns hang out during the Soirée.
Saying goodbye to the cohort was like saying goodbye to my siblings (not that I know what that’s like considering I’m an only child), and saying goodbye to Steve and Shanahan was like saying goodbye to my parents. But like Steve always says: “Remember…this is not the end of the conversation. This is just the beginning.” Being in this space this summer, surrounded by thirteen other incredible youth, I found myself not only encouraged, but also inspired to want more, do more, and be more. I learned so much from everyone in a professional capacity and, more importantly, formed long-lasting friendships and connections with them.
And as I like to say, don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened (except I most definitely did cry).
CLA interns graduate!