As CAUSE interns toured the State Capitol, endless portraits of governor after governor greeted them. All of the California governors, with the subjective inclusion or exclusion of George Deukmejian depending on whom you ask, were heterosexual Christian white men which seemed to contrast the tour group of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) from different backgrounds, religious beliefs, national origins, and gender orientations and sexualities. All of our governors have been duly elected to serve the state and the executive, but it analogizes the question: How do AAPIs pursue change and empowerment in systems that were never intended for us?
Our hosts in Sacramento had some answers for us.
CAUSE Interns below portraits of former California Governors Gray Davis and Arnold Schwarzenegger
Sophia Kwong Kim is Chief of Staff for Assemblymember Mike Fong and works in Sacramento to make sure that Assemblymember Fong can be an effective legislator at the Capitol. When she started in Sacramento, there were only a handful of AAPI staffers. Yet, this allowed for a tight-knit network to form around AAPI staffers uplifting each other in Sacramento despite the fact that AAPI issues and priorities were not as visible as they are now. This experience compounded with grueling hours and commitments that Sacramento legislative jobs often entail with late nights, busy weekends, and uncredited behind-the-scenes work. These insights helped me comprehend that while AAPIs have made much progress since Kim first started. Yet, these realities also illustrate distinct restrictions on what advocacy is possible in Sacramento to benefit our diverse communities.
CAUSE Interns with Chief of Staff Sophia Kwong Kim
Former Political Consultant Bill Wong was also a powerfully insightful speaker who addressed the realities that young AAPI professionals experience today. He first encouraged all of the interns to limit the impact of external approval and opinions when operating in professional spaces. He explained that people often take things personally because of their own insecurities and passions and that we, as advocates, need to minimize the impact of these opinions when pushing the boundaries of existing systems for our communities and loved ones. In addition, he asserted that advocacy must be strategic and patient, waiting for the right moment for change, picking and choosing one’s battles, and reserving concern for issues and situations that cannot be changed. Lastly, Wong spoke about how much of our American education and socialization has built the idea that power is in titles when it is actually in people. For AAPIs who have been historically and contemporaneously excluded from the conventional norms of power a realignment of our understanding of power and influence is necessary, with the goal to be rooted in our connections and ability to motivate power-holders rather than just hold it ourselves as individuals.
CAUSE Interns posing with Formal Political Consultant Bill Wong
Ultimately, one response to the question of AAPI advocacy in systems never designed for us is to, as one CAUSE staff put it, play all of our cards. We need staunch AAPI advocates at every level of society, politics, business, industry, and community organizing who are steadfast and resilient in their commitment to the people and our communities and relentlessly advocate for the unheard.
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 Robinson Lee, 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.