It was just like any day in the office. I sat in my chair, inputting data into row after row of cells, eyes glazing over. All of a sudden, the phone rang.
“Senator Allen’s office, how may I help you?” I answered.
Little did I know, this phone call would change my entire perspective. It was a short call, a minute, maybe two, yet it reminded me why I wanted to work in policy in the first place.
Going into my first few weeks at my host office, with State Senator Ben Allen’s District Office, I had no idea what it would look like. I had always known I liked the work that district offices did, being the central hub for the community to communicate with elected officials, and doing a lot of programming. What I didn’t expect, however, was for my first assignment to be compiling a list of all the non-profits in a district with a population of just under a million.
Intern Samantha Leong representing State Senator Allen at the Santa Monica Fourth of July parade
I started my task with determination, wanting to make the best of it even if it wasn’t what I envisioned. To my surprise, I found myself enjoying it, discovering new gems in each city that I went through. Even when my energy flagged from long hours of staring at a screen, I would find something new that caught my interest or realize something about how the district operated.
A cat adoption poster that intern Samantha Leong found in her research
This became a recurring theme of my time in the office. Every new task I began showed me the importance of the work that the office did, no matter how menial. Even the certificates of recognition, which often felt like required far more work than needed, could bring so much joy to someone’s special day, whether it be a birthday or a grand opening. No matter how mundane a task, everything that we did in the office was done with the intention of improving the community and providing services to the constituents.
There was only one task left to master: the phone call. Phone calls in the office felt daunting, the thought of a real person on the other end of the line waiting for my response, the expectation that I could help them present and pressing. But with that single phone call, my worries vanished. Her gratitude in the midst of a difficult situation reminded me that to most people, government felt distant and impassive, and it was our job as a district office to make it accessible to everyone.
This last month in the State Senator’s office has taught me so much. Even in the midst of mundanity, there is so much meaning to be found. Though I may not always find the work interesting, I can never forget that what truly matters is serving the community in any way I can.
State Senator Allen’s office celebrating law school admittance, birthdays, and births
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.