By Imani Lee, 2025 CLA Intern
On Thursday, August 7th, 2025, CAUSE held its annual Summer Soireé at the LA River Center and Gardens. This event had hundreds of guests, including numerous government elected officials, as a night of relaxation and socialization…for most attendees. As one of the two candidates, I spent my entire night campaigning for myself as this event also had live voting for the CAUSE Leadership Academy’s mock campaign. Anyone in attendance had a 3-hour window to cast a vote for either Esther Lian (LinkWithLian), or I, Imani Lee (MoveWithMani). Once the sun set, both of us candidates presented a speech in front of all the attendees, then shortly after, continued urging everyone to vote.
Going into this event, I was extremely stressed and anxious. Across the duration of this internship, the interns have been working on our two separate campaigns non-stop, and all our hard work led to this one night. Reflecting on my experience with my team, we dedicated hours to research our policy platform, speak to constituents by attending countless community events, and to hone into certain marketing tactics to create a visually appealing campaign. As our team polished up our platform including our Instagram account, website, and even merchandise, the pressure of the Soiree began to weigh down on me as I anxiously awaited hours of authentic networking and a 2-minute speech. Upon delivering the speech, I had never been more nervous in my entire life. Unfortunately, my nerves took over and I could not deliver the result that I intended to, but I was very proud of myself for following through and doing the darn thing. Ultimately, I lost the campaign, but in so many ways I still consider this experience a huge win.
Reflecting on this experience, I first want to recognize how incredible all the interns were at this event. Despite the looming stress and pressure, my friends constantly checked up on me, kept me informed, and supported me throughout the entire night. Secondly, as much as I am highlighting the pressure from this evening, I did thoroughly enjoy every conversation I had. My supervisor from my host office, my parents, and so many other inspiring individuals were in attendance, and it was a valuable opportunity to hold genuine conversations. Lastly, I undoubtedly walked away from this event as a winner. Before this event, I had such a hard time speaking to strangers—my parents can attest to this. I learned so much about public speaking, small talk, and the reality of running as a candidate, and have immensely grown in my confidence, courage, and passion for this field of work. This simulation was hands down one of the most challenging positions I have ever been in, and I am very, very proud of the product of our campaign and believe that everything happened according to a bigger plan.
Being a candidate for a Mock Campaign was not on my 2025 Bingo Card, but I am so grateful for this experience, nonetheless. CAUSE has provided me with a safe space to grow and challenge myself by stepping out of my comfort zone, and I am eager to take the knowledge that I’ve gained from being a candidate and utilize it out in the real world.