First Week in Washington DC
One week down and my heart is full! Last Sunday June 5th, I was getting adjusted to our new home for the summer in Arlington, VA, getting to know my amazing roommates and fellow interns, as well as awaiting for CHCI Orientation. This Sunday June 12th, I find myself buying full groceries for the first time, restlessly wandering about the Metro and D.C. streets with my 30 brothers and sisters, mourning the end of orientation where we shared space altogether, and anxiously preparing for my first day working on Capitol Hill. My first week in DC has been truly incredible, and flying by way too quickly! Orientation week was filled with advice about working on Capitol Hill. Network. Develop and maintain a willing attitude. Listen. Ask questions. Learn and respond positively from failure. Follow your heart. Remember and honor the struggles of those who came before you. Trust yourself and build trust in others. Be early. Stay late. Network. I am so grateful for having the opportunity to meet and hear from former CHCI interns and staff members. Orientation week was also filled with advice and intense discussion on leadership. What does it mean to be a leader? In particular, what does it mean to be a leader and identify as Latino? While there are too many moments that stood out for me, there is one quote by our incredible first Keynote Speaker, Sara Mazano-Diaz, Director of Women’s Bureau Department of Labor that reassures me: “life’s journey is a series of opportunities and how you react to them.” I am becoming more and more cognizant of the extent of opportunities afforded to me as a CHCI leader.Tomorrow I begin my first day as a CHCI Hill intern. I will be fearless and proactive.
