On January 26th, 2016, I had stormed the capital as a member of the Asian Pacific Islander Collation’s Leadership Delegation representing the Southeast Asian American Attainment in Education Coalition and the Southeast Asian Advisory Committee at the University of Washington, along with other organizations, especially the University of Washington's Asian Coalition for Equality. Throughout the entire day, starting from 9:00 am till 5:00 pm, I had shook hands, discussed, laughed, and made a strong impression with many legislatures and the Governor. This experience really gave me a sense of who the leaders for the API community is in Washington State, but also gave me the chance to working with the dynamics of the group. Before each meeting we had planned out what issues to talk about to who and which of the leaders are adequate to speak on the issue. Each meeting was strategically planned, which was my first exposure to this kind of lobbying. Furthermore, the experience allowed me to open dialogue with key figures in our state, which was absolutely nerve wrecking at first, but as the day progressed I felt at home with the setting. From that day on, I had gained the confidence to speak on behalf of the communities I represent and the confidence to really speak my concerns and wishes.
Left: Discoursing with Governor Jay Inslee on issues affecting the API Communities.
I had the honor to share a table of discourse with the Leaders of the Asian Pacific American communities and our very own Governor Inslee disucssing issues in the scope of education, policies, and health care.
Right: Exciting day lobbying at Washington State's Capital with many many other API leaders.
I had the honor to share a table of discourse with the Leaders of the Asian Pacific American communities and our very own Governor Inslee disucssing issues in the scope of education, policies, and health care.
Leadership Competencies
Social Justice:
Every issue brought up to the legislatures, and ultimately the Governor, was for the benefit of the entire state of Washington, even though those most affect were the members of the Asian Pacific Islander communities, such as my own Vietnamese community. Before this experience, I had only grasped the issues in education. Throughout the entire day, I gained the knowledge and a sense of how vast and diverse the issues are, ranging from health care to transportation discrepancies. Each member of the Leadership Delegation, including myself weren't to be representing our own groups, but the entirety of the API community. With this, I vowed to understand the gestalt of the social injustices we face, as a society in whole.
Mission:
Before the Leadership Delegation stormed the state capital, there were many discussions about what the mission was for the group. We had to conceptualize not only what we were going to do, but also why. I on my end had to also understand the mission I had for the day. This experience really allowed me to hear the suggestions of leaders who have done this for long periods of times, but also allowed me to receive feedback for what I proposed. The mission was developed, and I can attest that we are very satisfied with the results, and will continue to strive for the mission.
Verbal Communication:
The thought, wish, and dream of being a speaker who could motivate, inspire, and influence has always been a goal for me. Every position I have taken on, they have always included the opportunity to achieve my goal. Being a part of the Leadership Delegation really propelled me into the position to see whether I could effectively speak in such a manner. Just as stated before, the first meetings were nerve wrecking, but at the end of the day, I can say that my ability to speak in such a manner developed at a rate it never has before.
Receiving Feedback:
All the development I gained from this experience would have not been possible without any of the feedback I had received. After each meeting, the group had debriefed and ensured that each of us were improving the delivery of our message to the respective legislatures, especially the Governor. I had positive feedback and critical responses, all of which allowed me to continue developing the way I delivered my message across. Each meeting's feedback really gave me the confidence to move on and strive for successful meetings.
Confidence:
The most important development in my leadership from this experience is my confidence. Being asked to be a part of the Leadership Delegation to speaking on the issues I'm most passionate about to creating a bond with the group was all factors in developing my confidence as a leader. Confidence from this experience has translated well into the other experiences I have had and continue to have.