Medicine, public health, ethnic studies—and now, this summer I embarked on a journey to understand civic engagement and politics.
Walking into the CAUSE office—in a full suit and tie, mind you—was daunting. My whole life, I have engaged with STEM curriculum for the sake of becoming a physician. I grew up believing politics to be a taboo subject—a space where AAPIs were not welcomed nor deserved their voices to be heard—and I knew close to nothing about the political landscape of our country
However, I knew that I wanted to serve the communities that I came from. I knew I wanted to better the lives of those who looked like me. I knew that if I wanted to be rooted in community, I would need to overcome my fears and uncertainties. Through engaging with my cohort peers and the CAUSE staff in our orientation week activities, I felt supported in my journey to understanding how we must actively pursue politics to create systemic change and serve AAPI communities.
Intern Ryan Horio describing what community means to him
Coming out of orientation week, I learned about a variety of topics that would enhance my familiarity with the field, including redistricting’s effects on voter dilution, media literacy and engagement, and the intricacies of running a political campaign. All the while, I had the opportunity to strengthen my critical thinking and public speaking skills when recognizing and articulating how AAPIs are excluded from conversations at the political table. I firmly believe that this week has granted me the tools to succeed at my host office, where I will be conducting policy research to address health and housing insecurities within AAPI communities.
Interns Ryan Horio and Malia Ferrer engage in a meaningful discussion
As I head into the rest of these eight weeks, I am now confident in my ability to communicate the issues of AAPI communities both effectively and efficiently. While I am still new to this space, I believe that CAUSE has aided me enormously in this journey and has grounded my foundation in political activism, community engagement, and the importance of representation of AAPIs within the political landscape. With my cohort, I look forward to seeing how far we will go and what impacts we will have made by the end of these eight weeks together!
CLA interns and CAUSE staff commemorate the last day of their orientation week retreat at CSULB
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 Ryan Horio, 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.