Time traveling back a few years ago, looking at myself, a high schooler in Cambodia, would never imagine that I would be coming to the US and meeting legislators in the California capitol while studying the essential elements of its political system. I always think of life as an adventure, an unforeseen future that is filled with shifts and turns. Going to Sacramento helped me substantiate this concept as speakers echoed their life stories and career paths which consisted of multiple turning points, rising and falling before arriving at a desired position or a fulfilling place. In many cases, personal values were often the key drivers that orchestrated those shifts, which could be as small as building friendships within a like-minded community to a bigger ambition like claiming seats at the table that influences national structures. The panels of chiefs of staff and assembly fellows mentioned how they switched roles, received phone calls with different offers, changed positions and offices, taking years before arriving at their current position.
Likewise, I was fascinated by the talk with Stephanie Tom, a former executive of Oracle, who quit the tech giant to pursue community service, a major life decision that was tremendously difficult to execute. Not only did she need to consider the betterment of herself, but she also had to think about her family's future, especially for her children. Stephanie mentioned how working at Oracle is a lucrative opportunity but helping others through her communal work is a more fulfilling experience. The tech giant is a moving rocket where changes happen in seconds while community service takes days or months to see its impacts. While a conservative thinking process would see staying as a tech executive as sensible and more rewarding, Stephanie’s heart was no longer with the company, and it preferred otherwise. Eventually, the heart won and personal values surpassed all other money-making motivation. The most crucial takeaway I received from her talk is the courage to make bold decisions in life, that no matter how insensible it might seem, one should invest in a lifework that aligns with their values. Interestingly, Stephanie also concluded by noting that if she went back in time, she wouldn’t do anything differently. That is, because of those experiences she had within the corporate world, she is now shaped and qualified in a way that makes her public service effective and more fruitful.
The second day with Bill Wong opened my eyes to the transparency aspect of the political arena, that one has to be a fighter filled with confidence and bravery along the journey of advocacy for one’s people and visions. Bill is more straightforward with real world situations, including his perspective of how a community can thrive and succeed on the ground and at a higher level. He echoed how crucial it is to have enough representations in 3 sectors- business, government and media- which are the main drivers of national applications and implementations.
Overall, hearing from these amazing speakers about their adventures, I am more ready for my journey and looking forward to seeing what the future holds.