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Nadeem
Akbar
University of Arkansas
Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)
Before
my internship through the Washington Leadership Program, I was
disillusioned by the idea of a representative democracy, which seemed
to represent those with the power to buy their representation. I had
become just as apathetic about the political process as any other
20-year-old in America. My background is in physics, the polar opposite
of politics. However, before I completely discounted the political
system, I decided to see how it worked from the inside. It would be the
same entity that would some day control grant money to fund my physics
experiments.
Through
IACPA I was placed in the office of Senator Blanche Lincoln
(D-AR).
My initial duties involved tasks associated with any internship, which
includedng and sorting mail, cutting newspaper clippings, and
answering phones. After many paper cuts, it was these very tasks that
started tomy eyes to what happens in a Congressional office. I
appreciated the genuine concern that went into responding to each
constituent letter, email, phone call, and fax. This did not guarantee
a change in the Senator's vote or her stance on an issue, but the
concerns were listened to. I came to the surprising conclusion that the
politicians did care about their constituents.
I
learned that one of the main focuses of any political office was the
exchange of information. This could be as simple as the daily newspaper
packets I helped prepare, or as involved as the hearings in which
committees invite experts to testify on various topics. One of my
responsibilities was to attend these hearings and report back with a
summary. These hearings often began or ended with a reception. I
quickly learned that before the exchange of information came the
exchange of names and phone numbers over cubed cheese, sliced fruit,
and crackers. It became apparent that the glue that held together the
entire process was the necessary web of networks created in the off-
camera world of receptions.
People
are the base of any political system, and the more people you know that
trust you, the more effective you are as a person, specifically in the
context of a politician. I learned this through the other 15 interns in
the program and the various mentors and speakers that I met. Perhaps,
the most lasting impressions of the summer will be of the discussions,
exchanges, and networking. While I may never venture into the realm of
politics professionally, (I prefer to stick to quantum mechanics and
Newton) I will make sure to vote for future politicians coming out of
the WLP class of 2000.
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Marian Antony
University of Maryland
IACPA
My civil rights internship at IACPA was an eyeng experience. Unlike my colleagues in the Washington Leadership
Program (WLP2000), I was placed at the Center, rather than in a
Congressional office. This experience served to strengthen my career
path, as well as provide me an in-depth look at the issues facing
Indian Americans. Upon starting my internship, I was a bit anxious
about what to expect. However, after my first day, my apprehension was
dissolved, and I was certain this would be a life altering summer.
Working with Prem Shunmugavelu and Anita Banerji
was amazing. I learned from both of their distinct leadership styles,
and witnessed, firsthand, the dynamics of the Center. I was immediately
given responsibilities, which were, I admit, a bit overwhelming and
unexpected, but they guided me, helping me to learn rapidly during
those six weeks at the Center.
I feel privileged to have been involved in a wide
variety of experiences throughout my time at the Center. I was never
confined to one issue on any given day. I would attend hate crimes
meetings or venture to Capitol Hill for hearings. I found everyday
exciting and brimming with possibility. Throughout the summer, I was
immersed in issues that I am passionate about. I began working on H-1B
legislation and then on hate crimes work. I began to learn as much as I
could about hate crimes incidents, legislation and statistics. Yet, it
was not until I met Sangita Patel and other victims of hate crimes that
I realized the importance of the work I was doing. I did not realize
the impact that I could make; I thought I was “just an intern.”
I quickly realized that knowledge is essential to
change. I also realized that I have a responsibility now, to pass onto
others what I have learned. Now, with the knowledge, skills, and
experience that this internship has provided me, I feel I can be an
effective leader to help our community reach its potential.
This summer has also proven to introduce me to
inspirational South Asians who have made their highest aspirations come
alive and broken barriers, cultural and political, to get where they
are. They took a road less traveled and are reaping the benefits from
their courageous steps. These passionate men and women have been a
driving force for me to realize my goals and what I want for my future.
Looking back, I can say that these have been the most memorable and
inspiring eight weeks of my life.
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Atishay Chopra
University of Michigan
Rep. Connie Morella (R-MD)
I was fortunate to intern for
Representative Connie Morella (R-MD) this past summer through the
Washington Leadership Program (WLP) hosted by IACPA. This
internship enabled me to learn the inner workings of a Congressional
office and gain greater insights into the American political process.
As an intern I was assigned to research aspects of the 2000 census. I
helped the Congresswoman's staff attain more information on key
concerns, such as how the census handled racial questions. I
was also asked to investigate issues related to the length of the
questionnaire and its potential personal intrusiveness.
During my first week on the Capitol Hill, I had the opportunity to
accompany the Congresswoman to an Indian American organization's
reception at the Capitol, where she spoke and introduced me as one
of her summer interns to a large audience. As the week continued, I was
invited to help out at another event for the Congresswoman, where I had
the chance to walk with and personally meet Senator John McCain (R-AZ).
In a couple of days, I had been involved in many facets of our
political system.
Through all my legislative experiences and the events
that I attended as an intern, the greatest benefit from this WLP
internship, I feel, was the opportunity to bond with the 15 other
students in the program.
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Barnali
Dasverma
Stanford University
Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA)
“Good to meet you, Mr. President!” I exclaimed
as Bill Clinton clasped his hand in a greeting—he smiled in reply.
This unique opportunity to visit the White House—as a guest of
Representative Brad Sherman (D-CA)—was one of the many inspirational
and eye-ng experiences I had as an intern in IACPA’s Washington
Leadership Program (WLP). I grew tremendously this past summer in
DC—intellectually, culturally and socially—and I have this
exceptional program to thank.
I discovered this summer that Washington, DC is an
ideal city in which to live, learn, work and play—IACPA’s
internship program made all this a reality for me. Whether it was
during a typical work day at Congressman Sherman’s office, or an
evening of hearing Kumar Barve, one of the two Indian American elected
officials in our nation, speak, I was constantly challenged to think
critically, question deeply and learn intently.
The opportunities to witness the political process
up close was exciting. Seeing U.S. House Committees in action was also
eyeng. I concurrently observed the great significance of campaign
finance, as I had the privilege to attend many a Washington fundraiser.
During my lunches on Capitol Hill, I found myself inspired again and
again, as I heard lecturers such as Ralph Nader, Jack Kemp, and Ted
Kennedy. Even though I sometimes disagreed vehemently with them, I was
moved by their encouraging words.
While I discovered how things work on the Hill, I
also realized how much farther Indian Americans must go in the
political realm. As I heard repetitively, that ours is merely a
photo-op community, I saw the potential for so much more. The knowledge
that Indian American involvement in politics has been steadily growing
was uplifting, and meeting the likes of Kapil Sharma, Kris Kolluri, and
Priya Dayananda, all senior staffers in Congress, gave me inspiration
and hope.
After a summer of engaging conversations,
thought-provoking debate and good-natured camaraderie with my 15 fellow
IACPA interns, I left Washington more motivated and enthusiastic than
ever. Indeed, our diverse group was representative of the cultural
pastiche our ancestral India is. But most significantly, as we learned
about each other’s vastly different interests, backgrounds, and
faiths, we found comfort and strength in our common heritage. Today, I
realize that not only is there a need for greater political involvement
among our community, but that the desire exists among us youth, and
most importantly, the door has been cracked
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Diya
Gullapalli
University of Virginia
Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA)
“We are now standing in the exact center of the
Capitol,” I announced loudly to the 30 Boy Scouts peering up at me,
hoping to mask my uncertainty about this fact by saying it in a booming
voice.
“No, we aren’t,” complained a chubby little
Scout with glasses. “This is the rotunda. The center is in that other
room. Haven’t you ever given a tour of this place before?”
As a matter of fact, no.
Thus, began my 6-week internship on Capitol Hill.
I thought it could not get much worse than being berated by a cranky
ten-year-old. I soon learned it could not get much better that these
funny, memorable experiences. Like other interns, Id mail,
answered phones, and ran errands, but these were not the highlights of
my internship. The highlights were the adventures I embarked on by
myself. I attended a news conference sponsored by the Congressional
Black Caucus as well as a closed Senate hearing about American Indians.
I heard Cokie Roberts speak, met Richard Gephardt, the House Minority
Leader, as well as Dennis Hastert, the House Majority Leader.
The Hill is about the little things. It is about
sitting at your Congressman’s desk, reading the newspaper and
realizing that the very bill you are reading about is sitting there
next to you, engraved in glass because he sponsored it. It is about
standing on the steps of the Capitol in the inky night, the building
lit up and shimmering like you have seen on postcards. It is about
getting lost in the underground tunnels for a week straight before you
know where to go.
The legislative assignments and presswork I had
the opportunity to do was substantial and interesting. I wrote two
speeches for Congressman Tom Davis (R-VA), for whom I interned. I wrote
press releases, attended interviews and wrote briefs for staffers about
hearings they could not attend.
My summer was constantly shaped by the other 15
bright, motivated and diverse students, who offered a different
personality to the program. I tried to write down everything I did and
attend every event I heard about. While these are impossible tasks in
Washington, DC, the most important thing I will take away is an
overwhelming sense of exposure and inspiration to make a difference.
I also learned that the crypt is the exact center of
the Capitol.
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Bharath
Parthasarathy
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY)
The India Abroad Center
for Political Awareness has created a wonderful summer internship
program that I was lucky enough to participate in this past summer.
After eight weeks of learning the specifics of Congress, meeting
national and world leaders, and networking with other interns and
staffers, I left the city confident that I had a greater understanding
of the issues that affect both the legislative branch of the federal
government and the Indian American community.
I interned for
Representative Gary Ackerman (D-NY), who chaired the Congressional
Caucus on India and Indian Americans. From conducting research on HMOs
and Social Security taxes, to writing a floor speech on the 26th
Anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, to creating my own
projects, I was given a tremendous amount of substantial
responsibility and trust. The Office treated me as though I was an
official staffer.
Through this internship
I realized how busy members of Congress are and the exact process by
which a bill becomes a law—from the initial writing of a bill to the
backroom politicking to the final votes needed for passage. I have a
better understanding now of just how many different distinct interests
are vying for a small piece of the Member's attention.
I thoroughly enjoyed the
program that the Center put together. Meeting national and
international figures, such as former Congressman Steve Solarz (D-NY)
and Assistant Secretary of State Karl Inderfurth, were amazing events
that allowed fordiscussions on Indo-U.S. relations and the future
of the Indian American community. Similarly, having the opportunity to
become acquainted with several of the Indian American staffers on
Capitol Hill like Kapil Sharma, as well as other prominent Indian
Americans like Neil Dhillon, helped to put a human face to many of the
interests that I currently have.
Finally, the discussions
among the 16 participants in this year's class were, perhaps, the
greatest features of this program. From trying to determine a
cohesive Indian American agenda, to working through questions of
identity, all of us worked together to try and determine the direction
our community should be heading.
Hearing the various
viewpoints was both enlightening and constructive and also helped to
show what other youths thought on major issues that face our community.
This summer in Washington, D.C. was spectacular and one that I will
definitely remember for a long time.
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Vidhya
Prabhakaran
Yale University
Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA)
The Washington Leadership Program (WLP) was to be
a "summer of empowerment" for the sixteen of us interns. This
lofty goal set before us was at once overwhelming. Within the
first week, I had met some of the brightest Indian American students,
who came from an interesting assortment of upbringings. Within the
first week, I had met some of the top minds in political thought
ranging from former Congressman Steve Solarz (D-NY) to current
Representative Gregory Meeks (D-NY). And within that first week,
I was shuttling across a city that expresses what it is to be American,
leaving aside any hyphenation. This very discussion of our role
as hyphenated citizens progressed throughout the summer during both
formal and informal settings. This sort of discussion was commonplace,
but not to give the wrong impression, so, too, was the daily discussion
on why our particular school had the best football team and the worst
dining hall.
Just as these interactions with my friends in the
program would aid my own perspectives, the actual Congressional
Internship brought a greater understanding of politics and the public's
role and ability. I watched, learned, and took part in the roles
of different constituencies on Capitol Hill. I was a Southern
Californian one day, watching Bob Filner (D-CA), the Congressman I
interned for, tackle issues of immigration, coastal environment, and
public education, so important to the district that he serves. I
was an Indian-American the next day, watching my Congressman track the
visit of President Clinton to India. Similarly, jumping from role
to role throughout the internship, I was again bombarded with ideas,
even as I provided my labor to grease the wheels of the political
process. Only until well after the summer has concluded have I begun to
parse and incorporate these ideas into my own life. So far, the
perspectives of the summer have been fruitful.
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Shanti
Raju
University of Illinois-Chicago
Rep. Peter King (R-NY)
As the oldest participant of the Washington
Leadership Program (WLP) this summer, I initially regretted not having
applied earlier in my college years. Looking back, however, I believe
that I could not have participated at a more opportune time. Under the
new dual leadership of the Center and the staggering diversity of the
interns in the program, WLP acquired an amazing dynamic from which I
was able to profit both politically and culturally.
As a political science major, one year away from
medical school, I looked to the summer as a last minute opportunity to
make some sense of both my passions. Though I did not succeed in my
original task, I left Washington, DC with an enhanced understanding of
the Indian American community and myself.
Hailing from an area of New York with a large
Indian American community, I assumed that most peers of my generation
had similar experiences. As an Asian American activist on my university
campus, however, I always envisioned myself isolated. What I heard
during our first week group discussions was awakening. To my surprise,
I discovered that two other interns were fighting for Asian American
studies, experiencing similar struggles. Even more surprising was that
some of us had been raised in communities with few Indian Americans;
the typical childhood experience I had stereotyped for our community
was crushed in a moment.
My six weeks on Capitol Hill, interning for
Congressman Peter King (R-NY), were spent learning the importance of
civic responsibility. Whether I was giving a tour,ng mail, or
researching an issue, there was dignity and worth in every task I
performed. I was placed in my own Congressman’s office, and thus, was
able to understand the issues facing my community at home. I had the
opportunity to accompany Congressman King to NBC studios for “Meet
the Press” and meet world leader Gerry Adams.
WLP is an amazing tool to discover the issues
facing the Indian American community and to discover your role within
the process. For eight memorable weeks, I loved and breathed politics,
not only on Capitol Hill, but debating with my housemates at the
kitchen table, and watching the DNC and RNC on television. It is an
experience that everyone should engage in, and one that continues today
for me on campus.
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Arun
Ramachandra
Brown University
Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA)
Ronald Reagan once said, “Politics is supposed
to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it
bears a very close resemblance to the first.” I have always agreed
with him on this. When the Washington Leadership Program (WLP) of 2000
began in June, I was the world’s biggest cynic when it came to the
American political process. I refused to afford the system its merits,
repudiated any and all allegiances to the U.S. government and swore
never to put my trust in the greasy hands of a politician. These were
caustic views for someone about to invest eight weeks of his life to
the political process. Yet, I came to Washington, hoping to see the
larger picture and perhaps gain a sense of faith in our community’s
role in American government. In many ways, the WLP fulfilled those
hopes.
In the office of Representative Ed Royce (R-CA), I
dove headfirst into the workings of a Congressional Office, answering
phones, sorting mail, researching legislation for staff members,
writing responses to constituent letters, and though, not the most
exciting of tasks, standing at the copying machine for hours at end. I
was encouraged to attend lectures, hearings and addresses. In fact, I
was fortunate enough to attend a hearing on the future of Napster, and
watch as band members of “Metallica” passionately demanded an end
to free online distribution of digital music.
Yet for me, the beauty of WLP does not lie in the
Congressional internship, as stimulating as it was. It was found in the
people who make the program possible, everyone from the participants
(with whom I have made lasting friendships and connections), to the
coordinators, to the amazing guest lecturers from the Indian community
to the Indian American staffers on Capitol Hill. These people are the
soul of the Indian political movement in America, the inspiration and
the drive. They are the ones who are changing Washington from within,
making enthusiasts out of cynics, like myself. Can I put my faith in
the U.S. government yet? No. But what matters is that because of WLP, I
now have faith in the political future of this community and am ready
to contribute to it for the rest of my life.
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Vikrant
Reddy
University of Texas-Austin
Rep. Tom Petri (R-WI)
I will never forget this summer --- the city, my
office, the people I met, or the things I learned. I hope that I
can take all of these elements and strive to improve the world for me,
the Indian Community, and for all people.
Every day that I walked through the streets of the
District I casually passed by the most powerful people in America.
In what other city could one have seen Richard Gephardt
and Edward Kennedy in the same morning?
My internship was one of the most exciting
opportunities I have ever been afforded. I
was consistently given stimulating tasks as an intern. My office
allowed me to tackle casework, attend briefings, and draft letters in
order to teach me about the workings of American Government. I
was given the chance to attend a lecture series, where I met people
from all facets of American politics who never failed to challenge my
thinking and change my perspectives.
I am still in shock from meeting such influential people in Washington,
DC. Sitting in the State Department and discussing India policy with
Assistant Secretary of State Karl Inderfurth was a phenomenal
experience. Arguing political philosophy with the Deputy Head of the
Republican National Committee was thrilling. Dinner at the home of the
Deputy Chief Minister from India was a night that I cannot even begin
to put into words.
My fellow interns have become some of my very dearest friends. I
took so much from all the diversity that they brought toWLP and took
even more from the sense of unification that we all shared.
I have a renewed pride in my Indian identity that
even people who have known me my entire life are astonished by my
newfound zeal. My interests stretch beyond a fascination with Bhangra
and Hindi Films and into a realm that I had never explored. I
spend time thinking about India and Indian American issues now.
Indian political history has become one of my newest interests. I
have a great concern for my community and a desire to help them think
about political activism.
After working in a Congressional office, I also
have knowledge of how to work in the system to realize my visions for
the Indian American community. Most vitally, I have a group of
friends from Washington who are willing to help me achieve these goals,
and who I am willing to help in return.
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Uma Seshamani
Princeton University
Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ)
Take 16 Indian American students all with diverse
backgrounds, studying at acclaimed universities from almost all areas
of the country. Then give these students the opportunity to intern in a
Congressional Office, explore the DC area, and network with some of the
most influential people in the nation’s capital. These students,
eager with enthusiasm will soon dissect and analyze politics together,
absorb the traditions of our government, immerse in the excitement of
meeting new people in interesting fields, and leave with a feeling of
empowerment. This is the glory of the Washington Leadership Program (WLP).
This summer I had the privilege to intern for
Congressman Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ). Through my internship, I was
given the opportunity to research various topics from Medicare policies
to environmental issues, such as ocean dumping. I also handled issues
that directly pertain to my family and friends. I researched the
situation of high gas prices in New Jersey and analyzed the
Governor’s actions to amend this problem. At the same time, I was
able to attend Congressional hearings and briefings on topics ranging
from global terrorism to AIDS.
However, these amazing experiences that I had on
Capitol Hill, such as becoming acquainted with the Congressman, staff
and other interns in my office, were only a part of what made my summer
so exceptional. Getting to know the other interns in the program and
hearing them share their life experiences has challenged my opinions,
thought processes, and ideas about my academic and professional future.
The energy DC exudes has enticed me to pursue a greater interest in
serving my community and appreciating my academic endeavors. In
addition, meeting other Indian Americans in the city and attending
various lectures has complemented my experience by giving me role
models and mentors.
Words do not do justice to describe the power of
the WLP. This program gave 16 of us the resources, connections, and
knowledge that we will need to serve as future leaders in whatever
profession we choose and make powerful changes in the future.
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Jaideep Singh
Brown University
Rep. Robert Weygand (D-RI)
The Washington Leadership Program (WLP) not only
improved my political education and provided experience it contributed
to my personal growth. The program was perfectly suited to maximizing
my time in Washington, with a Congressional internship sandwiched
between two intense weeks at the India Abroad Center, meeting leaders,
pioneers and role models that provided inspiration and were excellent
resources of knowledge and experience. A speaker series exposed us to a
variety of issues, allowing us to interact with leaders and experts in
fields, such as journalism and foreign policy. The directors of the
program were outstanding. As professionals and as people, they were the
heart and soul of the program.
The weeks on Capitol Hill were personally
satisfying as I worked for Congressman Bob Weygand (D-RI). Since I go
to school in Rhode Island, I felt a connection to the work he does and
the people he represents. Filled with excitement for his bid for the
Senate this year, the office was dynamic. One memorable issue that
arose was the protection of graves of a Native American tribe in Rhode
Island. This tribe has been fighting for years to protect an ancestral
burial site consisting of nearly one hundred graves, which was found on
a construction site. Though I arrived at a dead end with the federal
agencies, I learned a great deal in my research and work on the issue.
I left WLP with a profound confidence that I did
not have before the program. In essence, I have learned the ways of
Washington. I know better than before how things work, what it takes,
and who is important. My passion for politics has never been greater.
WLP has armed me with resources and knowledge necessary for me to
embark on a journey of political activism, regardless of the profession
I choose. The knowledge I attained through the WLP is something I feel
every young Indian American should have. So, now I wish to reach out
and spread the fundamental message of substantive political action. I
leave also with friendships with my fellow interns who contributed to
my personal growth, and who I miss sorely. I feel very fortunate to
have experienced WLP 2000. It is certainly something I will never
forget.
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Sunit Singh
University of Chicago
Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
"Ma,
I can picture it now-a crowded room of inarticulate and
self-aggrandizing desis,
seated in a circle, holding hands and sharing their 'feelings' about
being South Asian in America."
India evokes a myriad of images: women wrapped in
brightly colored saris, exotic deities, pungent curries, and Gandhi's
Satyagraha, civil disobedience movement against the British Raj. For
generations of Indian Americans, born in the U.S. or too young to
remember pre-independence India, these visions of South Asia are
punctuated with a melange of scenes that borrow their landscape,
actors, and vocabulary from the East and West—questioning identity
and the location of culture.
As
an India Abroad intern in the Center’s Washington Leadership Program
(WLP), I had the opportunity to engage the legislative process as a
congressional aide, for Congressman Sherrod Brown (D-OH), while
affiliating myself with an organization (IACPA) dedicated to
articulating the concerns of the Indian American community. And despite
my initial apprehensions about the structure of the program and the
other participants, WLP avoided the pitfalls of becoming a forum for
detailing individual grievances and advancing a predetermined agenda
for South Asian Americans.
Specifically,
my summer experiences in Washington DC helped me to locate the South
Asian community under the broad nom
Asian and Pacific Islander and define its purpose as a tertiary
exercise—an exercise related to engaging civil society outside the
margins of a pan-Asian or a bland American identity. Clearly stated,
the challenge then for young South Asian American leaders is to create
a third space—a space within the realm of American-ness and
Asian-ness that permit the transmission and translation of India’s
cultural, intellectual, and spiritual heritage across boundaries and
time.
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Maunica Sthanki
Louisiana State University
Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY)
Spending the summer as an IACPA intern was one of
the most enriching experiences that I have had as an undergraduate
student. Interning for a Congressman allowed me to gain a better
understanding of the intricacies of the political process and revealed
the mysteries of Capitol Hill.
The IACPA program is unique in that our activities
inherently had an Indian American focus. Our first week in DC was spent
in intense discussion sessions where all of the interns were able to
share experiences and discuss our future as Indian Americans. We were
able to really examine our dual cultural/ethnic identity. This week was
an essential prelude to our Congressional internship because we were
able to discern whether the government that we would be working for was
indeed our own.
I realized the dual nature of being Indian
American placed us in a category that many government officials do not
recognize as real Americans. Therefore, if we are not recognized as
real Americans, how are we to play a role in the American governmental
process?
The IACPA program helped us to confront this
question by introducing us to pioneer Indian Americans involved in
politics. Kapil Sharma, a staffer for Senator Robert Torricelli (D-NJ),
spoke to us about the harsh realities of politics from an Indian
American perspective. Neil Dhillon, an Indian American who ran for
Congress in 1994, explained how he changed his name to make it easier
to pronounce so it was less of a political hindrance.
I interned for Representative Anthony Weiner
(D-NY) during my six-week Capitol Hill experience. Unfortunately, my
office was overstaffed, and we had six interns cramped into a small
office.
The first week of discussions motivated me to take
action as an Indian American in the political process. I wanted to make
a difference. IACPA put me in touch with the National Breast Cancer
Coalition (NBCC), a non-profit organization that focuses on grassroots
advocacy work for breast cancer causes. I spent three days a week in
Rep. Weiner’s office and the other two days working for the NBCC.
NBCC is partially a lobbying group; working there enabled me to
understand the full picture of the political process.
IACPA held a summer speakers series that featured
prominent Indian Americans and reminded us of the issues we discussed
during our first week. My Congressional office became less crowded, and
I was able to write constituent letters, as a well as a statement for
the Congressman. Although I had a rough beginning on Capitol Hill, I
ended on a positive note.
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Michael Thakur
Harvard University
Rep. Alcee Hastings
An event or experience’s impact on a person can
seldom be accurately assessed until far into the future. But I have a
hunch that this past summer might become a watershed one in my life’s
history. I am still not certain what my life’s calling will be. But
in whatever I do, I can apply the lessons I learned this summer about
politics, my culture, and human nature. Watching the political process
up close is fascinating. Especially since this was an presidential
election year, DC seemed even more alive and vibrant.
What was most impressive about the Washington
Leadership Program sponsored by the India Abroad Center for Political
Awareness (IACPA) was the access it provided. Meeting the likes of
Shamina Singh, Richard Gephardt, Norman Mineta, John Podesta, Kris
Kolluri, Kapil Sharma, Kumar Barve, and President Clinton, would not
have been possible without the direct or indirect connection to IACPA.
I vowed before the summer to keep anmind and
ask a lot of questions—I was there to learn. To have a great
experience, I think that was integral.
It was a great experience interning for
Congressman Alcee Hastings (D-FL). I wrote two speeches for the
Congressman, conducted much foreign policy research, and wrote an issue
briefing on retirement pensions. I was never bogged down with work I
did not want to do, and I felt I made a meaningful contribution to the
office and to the Congressman. When we began, Congress was not in
session, which was not an auspicious start. When we ended, we were also
in recess. However, I was fortunate that I spent most of time during
the last few weeks working on a major speech for the Congressman.
Overall, it was a great summer.
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Sonja Thomas
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Rep. James Oberstar (D-MN)
Growing up in Montana, I was rarely, if ever,
exposed to Indian Americans or Indian American issues. I was a
Malayalee, Catholic, isolated from diversity, doing all that I could to
fit in. I recall applying for the Washington Leadership Program (WLP),
not only to have the opportunity to intern on Capitol Hill, but also to
be immersed in an Indian American community that I had always
considered foreign.
So, I stepped off the plane, drove to the house
that I would be staying at for the next three months, found myself
locked out for a night, and, thus, began my summer in DC. Within the
first week, we interns connected comfortably enough for us to speak our
minds freely. All of us were of different backgrounds, which, I must
admit, made for interesting discussions. Our political ideologies were
in constant battle. I eagerly drank in the others’ views of being
Indian American, the uphill battle we face as being children of
immigrants.
Before I knew it, I was attentively listening to
the Mahabharata being told aloud, visiting a Hindu temple, while at the
same time, giving others an outline of the life of Jesus Christ and
taking some interns to the National Cathedral. Giving and taking, the
more I explored our diversity, the more I understood our similarities.
This new understanding of others and myself was a
vital key to my internship. In the office of Congressman James Oberstar
(D-MN), I found that working together despite differences was
imperative. At first, I felt a little slighted; while some interns were
working on Indian American-related issues, I was writing about railroad
retirement benefits and airline mergers. However, I slowly began to see
how important a piece of legislation was to the Congressional puzzle.
Towards the end of my internship, I began writing with a sense of pride
that I lacked at the start of the summer.
Versatility became necessary as one hour could be
devoted to stem cell research legislation, while the next I would learn
about penalties associated with teen drug use—interspersed, of
course, with the occasional mail-ng or phone answering. Life in a
Congressional office is hectic, fast, and above all, demands
flexibility.
I have pulled so much out of this program, and I
encourage others to apply in the future. It could seriously change the
way you look at things.
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