By Kaitlan Sakuma, 2026 CLA Intern
Reflecting over Orientation Week and especially the Capitol Summit, I was reminded of the time we all sat together in the State Assembly Chamber, moved by the diverse weight of everyone gathered in that room. From politicians championing critical bills across the state to waving at the honorable Victor Glover on the assembly floor, being physically present in Sacramento – where change is actively being made – gave me genuine hope. Although it has only been a week at CLA, the knowledge, experience, and bonds I have already gained have been transformative. I am so grateful to be part of an amazing cohort and community of inspiring leaders.
Coming into the Academy, I knew I wanted to deepen my understanding and contribution to an organization that does incredible work to enact change in our communities. Though I thought I understood what CLA was about, actually being part of the program reshaped that understanding into something I couldn’t have fully grasped beforehand. It is to connect with people, to be community-oriented, and to—ultimately—be present. While spending time at the Capitol during our Summit, I saw the importance of not only working for your community but also connecting with your community.
I felt especially inspired by Assemblymember Fong and his way of balancing his work on the Assembly Floor with his drive to continue to connect with his community. Despite the demands of his role at the Capitol, he remains a member of the communities he represents – and he shows up for them. When he stopped by our dinner for a few minutes and answered our questions, it reminded me of how powerful humility is – his physical presence, even briefly, spoke louder than words. I think that this was one of the most significant takeaways from the past week; I strive to be a leader who enacts change within the community and is also one with the community.
Furthermore, in discussing CAUSE and its commitment to Asian Pacific American (APA) empowerment, I was amazed to see how expansive the API and AANHPI networks are in the political atmosphere. In Sacramento, listening and talking to other motivated API leaders in the field was empowering. In particular, having conversations with past CLA Interns and other CAUSE alumni allowed me to visualize myself in this line of work as an individual part of the APA community. Because there still exists a lack of representation in the political space, seeing a growing APA community at the Capitol—a space where change and policy is being made—and how that representation is being celebrated, gives me genuine hope for future AANHPI leaders to continue to emerge and grow in the political field.