By Natalie Bray, 2026 CLA Intern
It was my first day at Congressman Ted Lieu’s District Office and I was beyond nervous. I had never worked in any sort of congressional office before, and did not know what to expect. Tentatively, I found myself staring at the seal on the door in front of me reading “Congressman Lieu’s District Office,” before knocking to be let in. The door was opened by my supervisor, who greeted me with a warm smile and a greeting before saying to me “cute outfit!” Based on that quick introduction I had to my amazing supervisor and the environment within the office, I knew I would enjoy my time spent in Westwood, and I was 100% correct.
Aside from the obvious highlights of my days working in the office talking to my coworkers about food recommendations along Sawtelle, how their weekends were, and what TV shows they had been binging recently, I have learned so much already in my time at the District Office. Listening to constituent’s concerns and figuring out how best to help them has been a very rewarding part of my experience thus far at the District Office, and it is empowering to see that everyone in the office is truly passionate about helping individuals within the district as best as they can. I also really enjoy writing both the office’s Daily Digest briefings consisting of the top international, national, state, and local news stories of the day, as well as the office’s White House Briefings, watching what media the White House has produced for the day and keeping the office informed as to what our Congressman will ultimately be responding to throughout the day based on that media.
I have also been given my own individual assignments that I am extremely passionate about. As a CAUSE intern, I have had the fortune to be introduced to much more nuance in the spaces regarding AANHPI legislation and what people within the AANHPI communities are particularly passionate about in the realm of politics. I have been able to carry over this knowledge to the District Office where I am researching current and ongoing AANHPI legislation that Congressman Lieu has particularly taken interest in. This has not only made me feel more empowered on a political basis, but also a personal one, knowing that our AAPI community gets representation of people like ourselves through Congressman Lieu advocating on our behalf for our values, beliefs, and ongoing issues.
Joined at the DO by four other collegiate female interns, I feel like I won the jackpot in terms of the best working environment ever (aside from my CAUSE supervisors and cohort; nothing can truly ever come close to rivaling that Sacramento trip). Being surrounded by so many young, bright, and impassioned individuals both at CAUSE and at the District Office makes me feel incredibly blessed to be able to be a part of these groups, and even getting to call them my friends.