“Don’t be afraid to say: ‘I don’t know!’”
This statement set the expectations for the week as I learned more about APA advocacy, civic engagement, and how to be a better leader and learner. Oftentimes, the AAPI community is viewed as a monolith or simply disregarded, making political discussions more tense or one-sided. However, with a mindset of recognizing ignorance and working towards shared knowledge, I felt more at ease to simply learn and not know all the answers. More importantly, it helped allow for disagreement as we can look at our peers as people with shared interests versus people with different political beliefs.
The first day was exemplary as I got to meet some CLA alumni, who explained the breadth and depth of what they learned from their internship experience. Specifically, how it has positively impacted not only their careers but also their personal lives. From the moment I stepped in the door, I realized that the CAUSE Network is quite expansive and a worthy investment as it gives me a base for growing with people who are committed to positive change and more resources to do it on a larger scale through college and upon graduating. As such, it became clear in the beginning that I would get as much out of the internship as I put into it. In other words, the opportunities were limitless.
In the beginning, we did a workshop to learn more about each other and discuss some ways of thinking about politics and policy involvement. A question that stuck with me is: “To what extent is the AAPI identity a useless political identity?” I was unsure at the time as I think representation matters. However, since the community is not a monolith, not everyone who looks like you will represent you. As such, I had grappled with this question all week in search of clarity.
The rest of the retreat did not fall short. Fast-forwarding to visiting Long Beach City Hall, I got to see the mayoral office and civic chambers and meet City Councilwoman Suely Saro. From here, I got my answer. Councilwoman Saro spoke about her experience as an immigrant and growing up in a working-class family and how that shaped her access to opportunities and outlook on shaping the Long Beach community. In addition, she explained her campaigning and how her identity and past volunteer experience with KGA influenced how she could represent the large Cambodian population in the area. At the same time, she did explain that while she is pushing for progressive policies in regard to housing, her approaches may differ from other people. She also touched upon how her AAPI identity shapes her perspective and then influences her decision-making and how representation is important in the office. As such, it was evident that diversity of thought may be more important than diversity of background, but it is still important in empowering yourself so you can then empower others. Overall, I am excited to see what the rest of the internship and CAUSE has to offer, and can not wait for the journey to continue!
The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not reflect the views or positions of CAUSE or the CAUSE network.
Written by Naya Dukkipati, Leadership Academy 2023 Intern.
The CAUSE Leadership Academy (CLA) for students is a nine-week, paid, internship program that prepares college undergraduates to lead and advocate for the Asian Pacific Islander community on their campuses and beyond.