“The One Where People Won’t Quiet the F Down” aka Reconnection: A 2022 Summer Soirée

“The One Where People Won’t Quiet the F Down” aka Reconnection: A 2022 Summer Soirée

INT. HOTEL BALLROOM - NIGHT

Cavernous room is filled with ASIAN PEOPLE, many of whom are wearing colored leis. Vibe is “Party like you haven’t left the house in 2.5 years.”

NANCY YAP, Executive Director of CAUSE, stands at the podium.  She taps on the mic. 

NANCY

If everyone could take their seats, we’re going to get started…

People form chatty groups clustering at the buffet line, bar line, and photo booth.

WOMAN (Offscreen)

Oh my gosh, you’re so much taller than I thought you’d be!

MAN (O.S.)

Have you seen any other folks from our cohort?

WOMAN (O.S.)

Tell me everything!

Impressive DIGNITARIES take turns speaking on the stage.

NANCY

Seriously, folks. We need everyone to quiet down so we all can hear the great program we have for you tonight.

Group of 2021 CAUSE LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE ALUMNI approach a table in the front, wearing matching purple and white leis.

YOUNG(ISH) WOMAN 1

Are you sure we’re allowed to sit here? 

YOUNG(ISH) WOMAN 2

Marlena is! And check it out-- there’s Champagne at this table! 

Woman 2 lifts up her KN94 and takes a sip.

Group sits down, filling the table, and accidentally(?) stealing CA Senator Dave Min’s seat as he’s speaking at the podium.

NANCY

If everyone could stop their conversations and bring your attention to the front, our last speaker is Marlena Truong: 2021 CLI fellow, President of the National Women's Political Caucus of Orange County, district representative at the California State Senate, and pinned as Most Likely to be the First to Win Elected Office by her cohort.

2021 CLI alumni table goes crazy.

ALUMNI

You go, girl! Woooo woooo! Represent!

Hush falls over the room as all the heads turn to see what the commotion is all about. Marlena, with her signature dark-rimmed glasses and red lip, approaches the podium.

MARLENA

Who needs liquid courage when you’ve got friends?

FADE TO BLACK.

---

Although I’ve been part of the CAUSE community since March 2021, I had never met anyone in person before the Soirée. After my cohort’s graduation, some folks had a smaller, unofficial gathering, but my COVID anxiety and not-yet-vaccinated kids kept me home. I only knew folks from their 2D Zoom personas and YouTube intros. 

We were so excited to be invited to CAUSE’s first big event since the pandemic. There’s 4 folks in my cohort who are on a text chain labeled “Frantic Text Crew”. The name is a reference to something a guest speaker said during the CLI session “Creating our Path: Women in Power”. Fellow frantic texter Janet McIntyre recalled “Their pro tip was to have a crew of women friends you can rely on for trusted advice, friends you can frantically text in the middle of the night when you have a crisis.” All of us came out that night for the Soirée.

Some moments that popped from the blur of excitement:

• Discovering the secret talents of my fellow alumni: I saw pics of the incredible, human sized, paper mache Daruma doll Angie Chang made for Burning Man. 

• #WeAreIrvine represents: Dave Min, elected official for my district, told me about the amazing giant H-Mart that just opened in our neighborhood.

• A Thank You hug: I got to meet Andrew Murphy in-person whose enthusiastic nudge got me to apply for CAUSE in the first place. He was CLI 2018, but this year he repped a blue lei as part of the CAUSE “Portrait of Power” -- the elected officials and political heavy hitters in the front.

• Meeting a real life Pokemon trainer: At least, that’s what I told my kids when I got home, after meeting 2020 CLI fellow Charles Chen, who works at the Pokémon Company (as corporate counsel).

• Learning about other CAUSE Programs: Like how the CLA college fellows get to go to Sacramento!*

But the biggest highlight of all was getting human time. After 2.5 years on Zoom, my relationships had become so disembodied. At the Soirée, I got to shake the hand of (the very tall) Ben Wong, the CAUSE Board member who gave us the real deal behind what it’s like to run for and be a City Councilmember; I saw that 2021’er Doug Yang is a buttoned-up lawyer by day and a goofball dad by night, with a killer Asian flush; and that CAUSE Program Director Steve Lin is just as patient and kind in person, and has an amazing arm tattoo. 

The rallying cry of the night could have been Representation or Unity or Something Explicitly Political. But for me it was Friendship. The Friday after the Soirée, my cohort buddy Jessica Chang, showed up for me at the live screening of the East West Players production that I was a part of. 

I left the Soiree feeling buzzed with the friendship of our community--- the kind of friendship that extends beyond a computer screen; the kind where when you hang out, you can’t shut up because you have so much to talk about; the kind that shows up for you, which is exactly the kind you need when you are running for office one day. (#Marlena2026)

#2021CLI: How it Started

(You can tell that’s Doug on the left.)

How It’s Going

*Nancy and Steve-- Just to be clear I actually was one of the people listening. :)

Joining the Community

Picture Caption: Thank you to my host site supervisor, Erick, as well as my parents for helping me through this program. I couldn’t have been able to do this without your help.

The chilly conditioned air nipped my skin as it swept through my grandpa’s blue barong adorned with a red and white lei around my neck, sharing conversations with family, other interns, mentors, non-profit chairs, and elected officials dressed equally sharp while trying to tell myself that I am not cold. Although it was a wholly foreign environment to me, I felt strangely comfortable among the festivities. I understood that through my participation in the Leadership Academy, I found my place with like-minded people. Through the blur of camera flashes, business cards, and conversations on Asian representation, I found myself enamored with the collective atmosphere of the CAUSE Summer Soiree. Where I was comfortable to be myself despite the presence of elected officials and donors. I was eager to speak with them about my experiences and how they helped me understand the nature of power and community. 

I think this excited unease feels like an apt comparison to the CAUSE Leadership Academy as a whole. I was continually pulled out of my comfort zone to experience things I never imagined myself doing. From going on a plane to Sacramento and sitting in a committee member chair, to running a store for children in a dress shirt and tie, to serving downtown Los Angeles in the District Office of Congressman Gomez; I was able to experience new things every day. These experiences opened my eyes to new possibilities of how to help other people and that I am capable of achieving great things. With applying my Sociology skills to analyze demographics, and feeling at ease in local non-profits and museums where I first experienced serving my community, I found comfort within the familiar, finding stable ground in the city I call home. Through these moments of familiarity, I learned that my experiences and services in the past were just as significant as holding elected office. Although they are different, their dedication to the community is the same. 

Although CLA taught me that I was capable of serving the community in countless ways, the Summer Soiree taught me that no person is alone on an island. Where I have been finding my own way through community service, there are many more people than I thought that are interested in the same things I am. By their mere presence at the event they are saying, “Our representation is something I care about, and it is something I fully support.” I found a lot in common with the people I spoke to at the Soiree, despite being in different stages of life and career. However, we all agreed that issues that face the AAPI community matter. 

In all, being a part of the CAUSE Leadership Academy is like joining a community of people who want to see you succeed. Some mentor you ensuring you are being the best version of yourself, some are the peaks of what being a leader and community activist is, and some work alongside you to push the boundary of what is possible. Before joining CAUSE I was working on my own, but now I feel connected to a larger family working toward the same goal: making sure our voices are heard. But I think it is important to drop the introspection that comes with writing these blogs and just plainly say:Thank you to everyone that I have met! The same goes to those who have helped me find this wonderful community. It has told me we are certainly grounded in making all of our voices heard. Thank you to CAUSE for teaching me that despite the arduous task of forging a path for all of us, that we can still find time to pull others up to join. Thank you to my host office for being kind to me even if I was still learning the ropes. Thank you to my family for giving me the confidence to wake everyday ready for a new challenge, and also letting me borrow your clothes. Last but not least, thank you to the CLA Cohort of 2022 for joining me in this journey, and allowing me the space to explore how my arts background can fit amongst you future lawyers, academics, and hopefully future politicians!

With all of your help I can say that I have grown in my own self confidence with new ideas on how I can serve my community and re-ignited my passions for making our world a better place for everyone. 

Photo Caption: This is what power looks like: thirteen young leaders making antiquated spaces our own by our very presence.

Reflections on the CLA Graduation and Summer Soirée

During the last week of my CLA experience, I spent the majority of my time helping volunteer for Graduation Day which took place on August 13, 2022. The volunteer that I did mostly consisted of preparing name tags, making little gift bags, and other fun stuff. Because of this, I got to spend a lot of time with the CAUSE staff members and some of my fellow CLA cohort members. I had a great time helping out and exploring Little Tokyo. 

Finally, the day came and it was time for Graduation. I remembered feeling nervous because I had to give a mini-speech to my CLA cohort and the audience in the background. However, I was able to overcome this through the constant encouragement from my CLA cohort and CAUSE staff members. Because of this, I was able to give my mini-speech without any issues and it went well. 

Later, my cohort members and I took a big picture along with other interns from different organizations. I look forward to seeing this picture because it represents youth and power. On the other hand, the Graduation ended with a Soirée. During this Soirée, many elected officials came forward and gave speeches to the audience. It was very inspirational listening to their speeches. In fact, my colleague, Arali Seneviratne, also gave a mini-speech. 

As Arali walked up to the stage, my cohort and I gathered in the front to applaud, as well as encourage her. Her speech was amazing and powerful. It made some of my cohort members cry as we all huddled together. Although this was our last time together, we all know that we will be reunited one day. We joked around and laughed a lot that night. Definitely something that I will always reminisce about. 

Ultimately, Graduation went well and I won’t ever forget my time at CAUSE. I will always be grateful to the organization and all the people I met in California. On my flight back home to Minnesota, I made a list of things to share with my family and friends on what I did in California. Some of the takeaways that I plan to share with them is the mock campaign project that my cohort and I did. This project really helped me understand how to work as a team and run for office. 

To illustrate, as one of the finance directors, it has forced me to think outside of the box and comprehend how much funding is needed for a campaign. Likewise, some other takeaways that I plan to share are the informative guest panels which included previous CLA alumni, CAUSE Board, Chiefs of Staff, and many more. All of these guest panels taught me various things such as one’s career route not being a straight line and to not be afraid of trying out new areas. 

Although my time was cut short this summer, I hope to come back to California at some point either to visit, work, or stay. I definitely plan to catch up with the CAUSE staff members and CLA cohort. Given all of this, I would like to end my last blog here and I hope that everyone had fun reading the blogs that my cohort wrote. 

Soirée Reflections from a CLA Host Supervisor: Barbara Lin from KCAL

This year I was given the opportunity of supervising an enthusiastic and hardworking CLA intern. At the end of the program, I had the honor of attending the 2022 CAUSE Annual Soirée Event. At the Soirée, I was able to meet various people with different backgrounds and understand where they came from and how they became who they are today. There were lots of inspirational people who loved what they do and at the same time, it was motivating to see those continue to work towards their goals. I found it interesting to hear the unique perspectives and backgrounds from those of the older generation versus that of the younger generation. Those who lie in the older generation shared their life experiences of trial and error and the many pathways they had to experiment with before they got to where they are today. I was surprised to learn how a few of the older generation didn’t graduate with or pursue their current careers in the beginning. It was only through months (and even years) of experimentation were they able to find their passion. On the other hand, the majority of the younger generation were already clear on what their carrier goals were and were already working towards it. These generational differences in perspectives and experiences really opened my eyes and taught me to not be afraid of trying new things – there’s always a way and it’s not the end if your initial plans don’t go as expected. I was also pleased and reassured to meet other individuals who shared similar experiences as mine while growing up. There were a few who were also the older sibling and had high expectations placed onto them, which motivated them to strive higher and work harder. I really appreciated the fact how people were not too heavily focused on networking for business purposes, but were focusing on enjoying the event. It was also very easy to talk to and connect with all the guests at the soirée. Everyone there (including the staff) was really friendly and accommodating. The Soirée had the perfect ambience for guests to feel comfortable enough to get to know each other and the food there was also delicious. There was a food section where you could customize your own pasta and the chef would make it there on the spot. Besides the food and services we were provided with, I’m very grateful CAUSE gave us the opportunity to connect with new people as well as reconnect with familiar faces (even for those whom you’ve only met once or have only heard of their names). I would like to thank CAUSE again for making it possible for these new connections and reconnections to be made, especially with how the pandemic has limited and made it difficult to create and maintain relationships with others. 

From Left to Right: Steve Lin, Angela Chang (2021 CLI Alumni, KCAL), Lucy Pan, Barbara Lin

Soirée Reflections from CLI Alumni, Ada Tsui

What a beautiful event at the Westin Bonaventure hosted by CAUSE for a summer soiree! Stepping into the gorgeous architecture, I was then greeted warmly by CAUSE staff, then a quick safety procedure of Covid testing, I walked into an elegant black backdrop with twinkling crystal chandeliers hanging from above. Guests draped in dresses and suits, some with decorative lei’s to celebrate the honorees, alumni, and newly graduated, I conversed happily with to the background music with food and drinks. I caught up with co-workers from SCE I haven’t seen in 3 years since the pandemic, met with my cohorts/co-hosts Ben, Sirapia, Howie, Steve, Nancy, Jackie with a warm embraced after finally meeting in person from months of online collaboration, like we’ve have been friends for decades. I got to meet with mayors like Henry Lo and Jeffrey Maloney, as well as Chinese Chamber of Commerce of LA Chester Chong, and Chinese American Elected Official Albert Chang to potentially have a collaboration. hope these projects will help better the community. These opportunities to meet leaders and other civic engagement activists feeds my soul and gives hope to a brighter future for APIs here in Los Angeles. I appreciate CAUSE for an opportunity to network, make new friends, work together, accomplish goals, grow together and to be able to give back.  Thank you CAUSE for putting together such a wonderful event! Can’t wait for the next event to celebrate and make a difference in the community!

One Year Reunion from a CLA 2021 Alumni

Over the summer of 2021, I, along with about a dozen other interns, collaborated on multiple projects and  talked to well-known community leaders who had so much to offer and share with us. A year after graduating from the CAUSE Leadership Academy, it is crazy to think that I had formed strong connections and bonds with people I had never even met in-person. Although CAUSE provided me with a unique and enriching experience, it never felt fully complete as my entire internship was experienced through a dusty screen accompanied by the loud whirring of my overheating laptop. When I heard that CAUSE was hosting their Summer Soiree in person, I knew I had to be there. 

I wasn’t sure what to expect, but when I got there I realized the true extent of the CAUSE network. After testing negative on-site for COVID-19, I walked into the cavernous ballroom where hundreds of elected officials, community leaders, and CAUSE alumni mingled among each other. It was overwhelming, but definitely exciting to finally stand in a room with so many of the bright individuals whom I had met during my internship. I was also finally able to meet my cohort in person. It was a warming experience to be able to greet my fellow interns and friends in-person. Talking with the CLA 2021 cohort face-to-face brought back old memories while creating new ones. The night was spent catching up and meeting others involved with our internship including  all the amazing CAUSE staff that worked so hard to put together the entire event. 

It was even more interesting to talk to some of the CLA alumni that preceded us and those followed us in this year’s program. Although our cohorts were built with different people and we worked on different projects, we were still able to relate in our experiences such as hearing a bit about the remote work previous CLA interns conducted before us. Moreover, it was heartwarming to see the most recent CLA class be able to have their Capitol Summit and continue the CLA legacy.  

It was rejuvenating to be able to be a part of a CAUSE event once again, especially one as grand as the Summer Soiree. CAUSE’s wide network of accomplished and  friendly people reassured me that this is unlikely to be the last time that I cross paths with CAUSE.