Over these last two weeks at CAUSE, as I settled into a regular routine of learning with my cohort coupled with hands-on experience at my host office, I was humbled by how much I still had to learn. In all transparency, I had entered CLA without an attitude of being open to learning. I had met CAUSE at the AAPILC Leadership Summit in Sacramento in August and had been lucky to get to know them over the course of my first year at UCLA.
With the help of CAUSE, I started working on an Assembly campaign in early October, starting as a volunteer and quickly gaining an internship position. These experiences gave me a heightened sense of confidence as I walked into the CAUSE office on the first day, thinking that I had already witnessed all that CAUSE had to offer. In such a short period of time, I was humbled. When meeting the other interns, I quickly witnessed their great talent, knowledge, and passion for their communities. With all of their different backgrounds, some history majors, some ethnic studies, some political science, there was so much to learn from them.
Intern Samantha Leong poses at Monterey Park Service Clubhouse
As I went into our regular Monday and Friday sessions, I found myself falling into a routine of taking notes, asking mundane questions, rinse and repeat. I became a passive member of the cohort rather than an active participant. With amazing speakers like South Asian Network, Monterey Park Mayor Thomas Wong, and so many others incredibly passionate about their communities, I was thrilled to be able to learn so much from them. However, I would not go out of my way to truly meet them, too scared of the concept of “networking” to tell them how much their words had impacted me.
My one-on-one with Executive Director Nancy Yap came at a perfect time. We discussed the meaning of networking, that building a network doesn’t necessarily mean a web of transactional relationships where everyone is focused on what others can do for them, but a concerted effort to maintain friendships. However, that doesn’t mean standing on the sidelines and staying in my comfort zone. Oftentimes, finding people I connect with means making myself uncomfortable.
2024 CLA interns take a picture with Monterey Park Mayor Thomas Wong
As these two weeks come to a close, I have come to appreciate the endless opportunities that CAUSE has to offer, whether that be through the resources they provide during workshops, the guest speakers who visit, or the wisdom of the staff. I now know that I can’t sit idly by as these opportunities come, expecting them to fall right into my lap as they have in the past. Rather, I should be taking advantage of them, seizing every chance to learn and grow to equip myself with the tools I need to make change in my community. I now eagerly anticipate CAUSE days, ready for whatever new nugget of information I might receive.
Intern Samantha Leong shares her experiences with microaggressions
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 Samantha Leong, Leadership Academy 2024 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.