Reflecting back on the very first day of this internship, I remember hesitantly stepping off the bus in Little Tokyo. I had minimal expectations for myself and for what would lie ahead with CAUSE; I was oblivious to the fact that the best summer I could have asked for was just getting started.
Over the following eight weeks, the bonds I formed with my cohort and through the CAUSE network blossomed into lasting relationships. Any feelings of intimidation or estrangement quickly dissipated, and I was thrown into an experience that surpassed anything I could have imagined. Lessons in communication, teamwork, and trust were put to work in our mock campaigns, and we learned to demonstrate professionalism and intentionality while working with our host offices. We learned about our community’s needs and the issues that are most important to us, but, most importantly, we witnessed the importance of camaraderie and the necessity of connection.
At first, I thought that it was our AANHPI heritage/backgrounds that brought us all together, but in reality, it was much more than just that. From our passions for the community we thrive in, to our aspirations for the next generation and our desire for visibility in political spaces—we all share goals for a better and more equitable future. We yearn for our voices to be uplifted, heard, and understood.
Ultimately, this is not a one-man show, and the fight for a brighter future is not a single person’s endeavor. People must be present and willing to better their communities, and I was fortunate to observe how so many of those around me wholly embody just that. Watching how each of my fellow interns has grown through this program has been nothing short of inspiring, and it has solidified to me the notion that we truly cannot do this work alone. I cannot express how grateful I am to have cultivated such amazing connections through CAUSE this summer, so here’s to CLA 2024!
