Casaundra Garcia: Blogs

CHCI-Walmart Shadow Day

The day I spent at Walmart shadowing my mentor was a valuable experience. I got the chance to see what it was like in a day in the life of an industry professional. I was able to see first hand the types of things and meetings executives take part in on a daily basis. My mentor provided me with guidance regarding the business climate and how to deal with certain situations that arise. I also found out how he got started in his career and how he advanced. In my future career, I will always be sure to represent the company I work for in a positive light. I will also keep the values of the company in mind as a key determinate of the decisions I make for that company. A valuable lesson I learned was that even if a person has the best ideas it doesn't matter unless that person knows someone in charge to share those ides with. Ideas are useless without a way to actually implement them. These are a few of the key takeaways I got from participating in the CHCI-Walmart Shadow Day and from my mentor. This was an experience that I will never forget and I am very appreciative that the people at Walmart took the time to mentor me.

"re-energize,” “re-charge” and “explore new experiences” to get away from your daily work life here in the Washington, DC area.

A few of the things I find myself doing to re-energize and re-charge myself from daily work life are meditation and exercising. I try to stay grounded in my spirituality and meditating helps with this. During meditation I let go of all thoughts about myself, my responsibilities in life, opinions of myself, my desires, and the fear. It allows me to let go of what I know and accept that the invisible power, the force of life that moves through me, will provide everything I need. For me the act of meditating is a way of stilling the physical/conscious mind to all external stimuli. I know that any obstacle put in my path whether it is in everyday life or in my daily work aren’t anything I can’t handle and this is what I do to get away and re-charge from my daily work life.

Why do you think this country is so divided on this controversial health care bill?

It is my belief that people are afraid of change and will resist it at any cost, even if that change is for the better. I think the country is so divided on the health care bill because of the division of 'have's' and 'have not’s' in this country. The people that currently have health care aren't too concerned with the fact that there are so many other people out there that do not have it. Most of the concerns I’ve heard from people are illegitimate. I don't think people are as informed as they should be before they state their opinion on the controversial health care bill. I think it is the difference in the people that 'have' and the people that 'don't have' that cause so many of the problems in this country. Disparities within our education system causes the inequalities in the ability to make higher wages which, in turn, affects the kind of benefits people receive from their jobs.  So, until we as a country fix our problems from the source, we need the government to step in and help those that aren't able to help themselves. It is too hard to get ahead when you start from behind. I felt proud to be here and to be a small part of something so historic.

Census participation

If I were the Director of the Census, a few things I would do to encourage more participation would be to go to the elementary, junior high, and high schools and teach the younger generations the importance of the Census. In doing this I believe the children would then talk to their parents about it and encourage their families to participate. Also, in terms of the funds that are given out, I think all data should be broken down into charts or graphs showing the difference in amounts given to schools, hospitals, and other important entities within the communities with participation versus without.  People don’t always have time to read information but more often than not people will take the time to look at a picture that conveys the same facts, “a picture is worth a thousand words." I would create more campaigns that target specific fears within our communities and address the issue of governmental distrust when it comes to completing the Census. For example, I would get the message out about how information on the Census form is not allowed to be shared with any other government agencies.  I would also educate the public on the fact that anyone who does share any of this information will be punished by law. I would talk to the Latino community about how powerful we could be because of the size of the Hispanic population and also about the things we would lose out on if our presence isn’t known. People should know the $400 billion dollars distributed by the Federal government is broken down to $10,000 per person for 10 years. I truly believe if people within our communities knew the importance of the Census they would take the 10 minutes to answer the 10 questions. I believe getting more celebrities and entertainers involved in delivering the message on the importance of filling out the Census would be beneficial in getting more people to participate.

What has been the most challenging moment in your internship experience? Waht has been the most exciting moment in your internship experience?

Being able to emotionally detach from issues that are close to my heart, such as immigration reform, when I am at my office taking calls from constituents and hearing others opiniions on the subject has been one of the most challenging moments in my internship experience. The most exciting moment was when I went and saw the Supreme Court.

What you think the role of grassroots organizing is in the political process of this country?

Grassroots organizing is a way for people to get together to ensure that their voices and opinions are heard in order to help shape good public policy.   Grassroots organizing is a group of people working together to accomplish a common goal.  Grassroots organization is the beginning of movements and it is driven by the politics of a community.  It is individuals taking responsibilty to help shape good public policy.

What did you learn about leadership and team work in your ropes course?

The line between failure and success is so fine that often a single extra effort is all that is needed to bring victory out of defeat. One of the things I learned from the ropes course about leadership was that at times a leader must make the hard decisions that no one else is willing to make. Emotions are very powerful and sometimes it is in the best interest of the team to step back from emotions in order to be able to make the wisest choices. I learned that excellence is not an act but a habit. A coach of mine once told me to “practice like you play every time” and the ropes course reiterated this point. I learned every individual has there own unique set of skills and success comes when we apply our individual skills towards a common goal. A good leader should put the needs of others before there own individual desires and a good leader inspires others with confidence.

What was your first week like working on Capitol Hill?

My first week working on Capitol Hill is an experience I enjoyed tremendously. The other individuals working in the office of Congressman Ben Ray Lujan were very welcoming and friendly. The work environment on the Hill is fast paced and there is always work to be done. Being able to utilize the skills I have already acquired to accomplish the tasks given to me was rewarding. During the first week, I started to gain a better understanding of the political culture on Capitol Hill. Learning about the political process in books is one thing but actually being able to experience it brings about a whole different type of learning. One of the highlights of my first week on Capitol Hill was the opportunity to meet a wide variety of people from all over the world with diverse backgrounds and credentials. This was very valuable and inspiring to me. After the first week, I’m looking forward to the rest of my time working on Capitol Hill. There is so much to learn and I am like a sponge soaking it all up. I’m constantly looking for new skills, insights, and ideas and it seems like the Hill is the right place for that.

What new perspectives have you gained about Latinos in the United States

We, as Latinos, have a diverse culture but no matter how diverse our backgrounds are we have a similar cultural value rooted in the importance of family.  There are a lot of Latinos in the United States that are striving to help young Latinos rise to their full potential and improve opportunities.  We need to become more politically active in order for our voices to be heard and to have our people properly represented.

What are some new ideas that you have heard this week in terms of leadership?

Leadership is a quality that can be developed and brought out of a person.  A leader is constantly thinking about the welfare of others.  A leader must hold themselves accountable for their own actions and always give 110% of their ability.  Leaders are risk takers and must not be afraid to try new things. A leader must strive to change things for the greater good of society and recognize the needs of others.