By Sophia Pu, 2026 CLA Intern
The party was in full swing when I finally paused to appreciate the 2026 CAUSE Summer Soiree. Terasaki Budokan’s courtyard was alive with conversation as old friends reunited, colleagues reconnected, and young leaders met those who paved the way before them. As I watched people hug and laugh, I imagined the day my cohort would do the same – get together each year at a CAUSE event, catch up on our careers, and reminisce about CLA 2026.
We would talk about rallying to see the capitol at night in Sacramento after a long day of meeting legislators and the staff who make their work possible. Someone would pull up the photos of Gabe attempting (failing) to make AJ fly and finally succeeding with Jada. We’d stumble across the selfies of us in the balcony above the Assembly floor, feeling like one day we might be sitting in the wooden chairs below us. And maybe one of us would be an assemblymember or state senator by then, welcoming the latest CLA cohort to the state capitol.
We’d discuss how inspiring it was when our guest speakers’ journeys reflected our own battles and aspirations. Whether it was Ivory and Soukprida Phetmisy, Kara and Jason Song, or Jayden and Stacia Kato, their stories showed that we belong in every space. We’d realize how much of our careers and belief in ourselves we owed to those before us.
Then we’d laugh about Matthew’s car breaking down, the cherry on top to his hour-long commute to Little Tokyo. But also how Matthew, AJ, and Kayla made that commute everyday and still brought the energy to make everyone laugh and get work done. Looking back on this summer, we’d realize it proved that the price of community is inconvenience, but the reward is a lifetime of joy and togetherness.
We’d think back to the blood, sweat, and tears that shaped some of our most formative CLA memories – from the 12 hours of mock election, to the odyssey of trying to swim at Big Bear Lake. We’d appreciate how Jada’s serenity and Kaitlan and Natalie’s drive got us through the chaos. Those experiences pushed us to be a better team and showed us what we’re capable of when we’re challenged past our comfort zone.
We’d thank Jayden for taking all the photos of our cohort, from goofy candids to glowing portraits. Then we’d turn around to see Nancy, Andrea, and Rachel, who taught us what it means to have quiet confidence, and celebrate the next graduating class of CLA interns.