By Joyce Li, 2025 CLA Intern
Time has flown by for me these past two weeks as I began working at my host office –The Office of Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Hilda Solis – and spent time bonding with my cohort through activities like karaoke and thrifting. Additionally, I attended multiple community events throughout Los Angeles and here the most notable ones:
1. Campaign Event for Mark Pulido
As I walked into the event, I was very confused. Everyone and everything was much more normal than I expected. This was my first time attending a campaign event, so the only frame of reference I had was what I saw in movies. Rather than a formal event in an upscale venue, it was more like a gathering of friends and family in someone’s home. The environment was incredibly welcoming with all of the attendees being very kind and open to talking. There were mayors, city council members, and community members in attendance – with the most prominent being Warren Furutani. Throughout the event, multiple people showed respect and gratitude to him for the mentorship he has provided and paving the way for Asian representation in local politics.
Unbeknownst to me, Mark Pulido actually was running to be the Assemblymember for my district, making the event even more worthwhile. Most constituents are unaware of who their Assemblymember is, let alone speak with them, so this was a great opportunity for me to learn more about him and his policy platform.
From this event, I learned more about the campaign process and how difficult it is, especially when it comes to raising money. However, I also witnessed how important having a strong network is. All the attendees have known each other and Mark for years, if not decades. There were individuals who drove all the way up from San Diego to support. It was inspirational to see generations of leaders and community members rally together for one of their own.
2. Andrea Getting Sworn In
Witnessing Andrea getting sworn in was another momentous occasion. This event demonstrated to me how fast local government moves in comparison to the state or federal level. Within the span of 3 weeks, we went from attending the LA City Charter Reform Commission meeting to advocate for API representation in the remaining 5 open slots to being at City Hall for Andrea’s swearing in ceremony.
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.
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.