Held at the East West Players Courtyard in downtown Los Angeles' Little Tokyo district, the 12th Annual APALS Intern Reception brought together elected officials, staffers, other community leaders and professionals, and of course the interns working at these respective offices on a sunny late afternoon. While the goodie bags that were handed out at the end of the event were a definite plus, the overall benefits reaped at the gathering meant much more to me.


East West Players

When I got to the event with a few fellow interns from my office, many others had already arrived. We quickly checked in, and were given a small sheet of paper upon which icebreaker questions were listed to give us a chance to network with the other interns. As I traveled among the sea of sharply-dressed individuals, I talked with people about their internship experiences and career objectives (and much less serious subject matter as well). Weaving through the crowd, I also found my fellow CAUSE interns and chatted for a few moments before the program soon began.


All the interns present

From the outset, Marissa Castro-Salvati, the Manager of Local Public Affairs at the Southern California Edison, lent much enthusiasm to her role as the mistress of ceremony. Representing different professional fields, the speakers were no less engaging.


Manager of Local Public Affairs at the Southern California Edison Marissa Castro-Salvati

David Chiu, the President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, came from the Bay Area and spoke to us about how he got his start in his political career, and declared that we had the same possibilities before us.


San Francisco Supervisor David Chiu

Emile Mack, the Chief Deputy of the Los Angeles Fire Department who is deeply invested in both the Korean and API communities, encouraged us to not hesitate in pursuing our interests as well.


Chief Deputy of LAFD Emile Mack

Paul—or "PK"—Kim, the founder and executive director of Kollaboration, and the current host of PG-18 Fridays at The Laugh Factory in Hollywood, ended the program on a good note with his comedic and encouraging tone (you got to dream, and work hard at it). Questions were also posed by the attendees to each speaker (one was whether we could get on PK's guest list for Friday nights at The Laugh Factory, which I also wanted the answer to). While the speakers all talked about their own experiences, a common theme of empowerment and purpose was communicated to us all.


Executive Director of Kollaboration Paul Kim

After the program, I had a chance to speak with Yvonne Hsu, the APALS Director of External Affairs. Now a staffer for Congressman Adam Schiff, she told me how several years ago, she had been in the exact spot that I am in today. She had come to the event as an intern from the TACL program, which had helped her to discover where her interests lie. Her advice and encouragement were insightful, and made me feel very glad that I was given the opportunity to explore my interests this summer.


APALS Director of External Affairs Yvonne Hsu


Surprise dance finale to the APALS Internship reception