CAUSE’s 30th Anniversary, our CLA graduation, and the Summer Soirée: the final finale for this summer and where we were properly able to present the culmination of our work on the mock campaign. This graduation felt more personal, where our family and friends finally had an idea of what we were doing our entire summer, and it was something for us to be proud of. It was also an exciting opportunity for our host office supervisors to see what we worked on and how we viewed our solutions with an AAPI lens. In our presentation, Kenny, Phong, Olivia, and Naya articulately and beautifully talked about our field research about the community and explained our policy solutions on issues like housing, healthcare, and public safety. Afterwards, Angel gave an excellent speech on each of our distinct personalities with plenty of inside jokes – which obviously confused most of the attendees. Steve and Shanahan were like proud parents presenting us certificates, reminiscent of birds leaving the roost and venturing into the brave new world. Shanahan’s tearful and heartfelt goodbye left many eyes moist and hearts moved.
The Soirée was exciting and it felt like a crossover episode where I could introduce my cohort to my host office, and I learned more about the host offices of Attorney General of California Rob Bonta, and other AAPI staffers that worked in other legislative offices. I don’t often see Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the public sphere, and this event had representatives from all across LA County, and even Orange county. We got to learn more about the history of CAUSE, and how the organization’s founding started with a collaboration with Congresswoman Judy Chu, and the real effect they had in successfully influencing congressional maps. The event showed the importance of having diverse voices, and how representation can actually help solve issues. CLA Intern Angel Yuan, as our cohort speaker, gave another fantastic speech in front of all of the elected officials and represented us well. We also heard a speech from another CAUSE Leadership Institute Alumni, The Honorable Jasmeet Bains, who is the Assemblymember for AD-35. It motivated me personally hearing her talk about her background as a doctor and the passion that led her to pursue elected office, even though she never expected it.
Afterwards, we could finally get food, where our venue, the Blossom Market Hall in San Gabriel, served an excellent assortment of delicacies, including sushi, oysters, and Korean beef bowls. I was eager for my UCLA friend to meet the entire cohort, trying to cram their entire personalities into a single introduction. We also managed to put our networking skills to the test and caught up with previous guest speakers.
As we laughed, drank and ate, there was a feeling of accomplishment. But as we reminisced over the past summer, there was a bittersweet tinge. It was a touching moment for all of us, as most of us wouldn’t see each other soon. We had all gotten used to the routine of showing up at the CAUSE Office on Mondays and Fridays, accompanied by our complimentary coffees and teas. As we sat outside in the waning hours of the day, sitting on the parking lot floor, holding on to those last few hours we had as a group, I think we all shared a similar thought: “I’m glad that we met.”
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 William Chao, 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.