When I received my bachelor's degree from UCLA in June, the only thing I knew was that I would be joining CAUSE for the next nine weeks. I didn’t know what to expect, however what I gained was a new sense of confidence, a community of amazing individuals, and a greater understanding of our AANHPI community and my place within it.
I often reflect on the “butterfly effect" moments that have occurred in my life; the seemingly small choices or coincidences that have led to profound changes. This internship is a prime example.
As each of the nine weeks of our internship passed, I felt myself developing skills and knowledge through my placement office at LA County First District Supervisor Hilda Solis’ Office and through CAUSE’s cohort sessions.
I often face difficulties coming up with answers for this icebreaker because my facial expressions always reveal my true feelings. So when I released the waterworks in front of the CAUSE board members during graduation, it was clear that I was not ready to say goodbye and close this chapter in my life.
As my time at CAUSE comes to a close, I reflect on the lessons I've learned about family, trust, and the collective power of API communities. CAUSE has not only deepened my understanding of civic engagement but also has reinforced the importance of prioritizing being rooted in community and centering our hearts in the work we do.
Los Angeles, CA – On Wednesday, October 19, 2016, CAUSE hosted a multilingual Voter Education and Registration Workshop at the Grand Plaza Senior Apartments in Chinatown, Los Angeles. CAUSE Board Chair Charlie Woo and Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles Project Coordinator Maxine Hu, conducted the workshop and presentation with simultaneous translation in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin Chinese.
It is with mixed emotions that we share with our friends and supporters that CAUSE Director of Programs, Aki Leung, will be relocating to Hong Kong next week for family reasons. We realize that her decision to transition is an important step for her. Nevertheless, we will miss the leadership, passion, and energy that Aki brought not only to our organization, but also to each of our programs.
This is it. This is the last week of the CAUSE Leadership Academy and I’m sad for it all to end. This week’s civic leadership session was on “Understanding the Korean American Community.” Monday morning started off strong with a meeting with City of Los Angeles Councilmember David Ryu at the Los Angeles City Hall.
As my final week has come to an end, I have taken some time to reflect on exactly how far I have come over the last nine weeks. When I began the CAUSE Leadership Academy, I could not have imagined the sheer number of incredible events that I have experienced and the amount of amazing people that I have encountered.
On June 27 and June 28, 2016, the CAUSE Leadership Academy – Los Angeles interns traveled to the California State Capitol to participate in the annual Asian Pacific Islander Internship Conference to gain a deeper understanding of politics. The Leadership Academy interns engaged with top-notch speakers from all branches of government. The interns met with legislators, political staffers, think tank staff, commissioners, and lobbyists.
If I could use one word to describe the last few weeks with CAUSE it would be “grateful.” I am grateful for the opportunity to learn about the different facets of the Asian American experience, for the chance to improve myself as a leader, for all the amazing people I have met and have yet to meet, and most importantly for being constantly empowered and inspired as an Asian American to create change in areas I am most passionate about. Without the program, this whole week of opportunities and exposure would be nearly impossible.
