FIVE THINGS I LEARNED IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
Though I have visited a number of times, Washington, D.C., always seems to impress me with something new. So there I was, on the steps of the U.S. Capitol with 22 new friends, eight months after the assault on Jan. 6, just beginning to comprehend the strength of our freedom, the frailty of our democracy and the promise of our future.
Last month, I participated in a whirlwind four-day weekend at the JACL/OCA Leadership Summit (Japanese American Citizens League/OCA Asian Pacific American Advocates) in Washington, D.C. It began on Sept. 11, the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks, and culminated with congressional visits where I got to lobby for the Japanese American Confinement Education Act. I was chosen to lead my discussion with my congressman, Rep. Mike Levin, D-San Juan Capistrano.
As the first high school student accepted into the program in over 30 years, I had to learn about and adapt to many things quickly. My cohort included a few college and graduate students, but mostly working professionals. Among others, I met a doctor of nursing student from Seattle,
a social activist from Orange County and a recent law school graduate who just happens to be the current Miss Hawaii!
Though I felt like a little kid at times, my cohort warmly welcomed me and treated me as a peer. My first lesson from the summit was we really do live in a small world, and if you talk deeply enough with someone, you begin to see the strings that connect you.
Our focus during the four days was understanding how advocacy and policymaking happen at the federal level. For me, this was a pivotal trip as I am still shaping the paths my life and career might take.
Should I work in the Foreign Service? Should I work in domestic policymaking? Should I go to college in Japan or in the U.S. — and what should I study?
Throughout the summit, we met and heard from senior Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) leaders, representing the White House, Congress, federal agencies, and even the media. My second lesson from the summit: The AANHPI community’s representation is growing in number and significance, both in elected officials and among their staff.
Another theme across the weekend was what I connect to Thomas Jefferson’s notion of active citizenship. Several speakers pointed to as a foundational key to our democracy. Thus my third lesson: Instead of sitting around and complaining about what society has become, people should be active and participate on city and county boards and commissions to help guide local policy and decisionmaking.
Another observation that could not escape me was the stark divide between parties at this point in our history. This tension could be heard throughout the panel discussions and speeches. We heard what it was like to be trapped in the Capitol on Jan. 6 directly from people who were there.
Standing captivated inside the Lincoln Memorial on a Saturday, I was reminded of the 16th president’s words that still ring true to this day, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”
As U.S. Capitol police were preparing for the “Justice for J6” protests expected the following weekend, we talked and concluded that the solution was not disparaging those who disagree with you. The solution may need to be a collaborative effort across business, media, social media and government, to look and act beyond profits and clicks in order to mend this rupture. My fourth lesson was more of a warning: Pull the walls far enough apart, and the whole house collapses.
The leadership summit started with quiet solemnity on 9/11 at the Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism. Throughout the summit, we reflected on the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol and the malignant hatred that exists in the country today.
Yet standing on the steps of the citadel of liberty, I was hit by my final lesson: I was surrounded by 22 new, hopefully lifelong friends who had come all the way to Washington, D.C., for four days, missing work and school and family. And beyond the poses and smiles and laughter at the photo shoot, ultimately our objective was to learn how to shape the future of our democracy.
These young, passionate American leaders who surrounded me, who cared enough to make the trek from places like New York, Minnesota, Utah and Hawaii, are the promise of this nation’s future.