The Asia Pacific Public Affairs Alliance Greater Fremont Chapter (APAPA-Greater Fremont Chapter) held its summer intern graduation ceremony in Fremont on the evening of August 29th. Nearly 80 people attended, including California Senator Aisha Wahab and Fremont Mayor Raj Salwan.
This year, a total of 23 students participated in the internship program, working in offices of county and city officials and community leaders. A new addition this year was debate activities discussing the impact of tariffs on the United States. Some students were assigned internships in Sacramento or Washington, D.C, with the highest service hours reaching 204. Parents praised the sense of responsibility and professionalism their children gained, acknowledging APAPA’s role in providing an important platform for youth to integrate into mainstream society.
The ceremony was presided over by Dr. Shaoyang, a city council member. After the interns shared their experiences on stage, awards and recognition were presented. President Peizi Qiu expressed in her speech that the night belonged to the interns, highlighting their hard work, growth, and a new beginning, encouraging them to continue serving the community and demonstrating leadership.
California Senator Aisha Wahab delivered a keynote speech during the ceremony, emphasizing the need for youth to uphold Fremont’s diversity and unity. She specifically mentioned the SB 84 bill, which balances the rights of the disabled with the needs of small businesses. In media interviews, she urged young people to stay curious, work hard, be willing to try new things, speak up, and engage in community service, as these qualities will be assets for life.
Mayor Salwan reminded the youth that leadership is not just a title but a commitment to serving and giving back, encouraging them to accept criticism, embrace change, and maintain balance.
Representing students from Anhui, China, Luke Wu shared his family’s struggle running a bubble tea shop that faced litigation over lack of accessibility facilities, giving him insight into the challenges of small businesses. He voiced his support for the SB 84 bill, hoping to advocate for fair opportunities for small businesses and increase youth participation in public affairs.
Parent Min Wang mentioned that her child learned responsibility and confidence through the internship, realizing that “service is not short-term but a lifelong mentality.” She believed that this spirit of service and leadership would shape her child’s life and contribute to the positive development of the community. She also hoped that more parents would lead by example, instilling a sense of responsibility and community belonging in their children from a young age.
Notable guests at the ceremony included Fremont Vice Mayor Elaine Huang, council members Raymon Liu, Kathy Kimblin, and Yajing Zhang, Newark council member Matthew Jorgens, California Economic Development Commission member Henry Yin, as well as overseas Chinese community leaders such as Yunglin Li.
Since 2004, APAPA has been promoting summer internship programs for students, aiming to cultivate the next generation of leaders and foster Asian Pacific community development through education, leadership development, and civic engagement. For more information, please visit www.apapa.org. ◇