Angie Zhang is a rising senior at the University of Michigan, studying public policy at the Ford School with a minor in moral and political philosophy. This summer, she will be interning at USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
What are your main responsibilities at your position? What are some of your big projects?
My main responsibilities as a USDA-APHIS intern are data entry and helping with property management. For my CAP project at CAPAL, I am working with the Center for Asian Pacific American Women and creating a collective of 20+ interviews to highlight the narratives of the Asian Pacific American Women’s Institute.
How does this internship/scholarship fit with your professional and career goals?
I have always been passionate about racial equity and advocating for the Asian community, and as a public policy major I wanted to find an internship that would allow me to work in public service and gain more experience in that field. CAPAL fits my professional goals by allowing me the opportunity to work with a federal government agency while also being a part of an organization that uplifts AANHPI voices and increases representation in the public sector.
What do you hope to achieve this summer as a part of CAPAL’s 2020 cohort?
I want to work on my professional development and meet people who are experienced workers and leaders in the public policy/political field and learn from them. I also hope to become a better public speaker through presenting my CAP project at the closing ceremony.
What does public service mean to you?
Public service means giving back to your community and giving a voice to those who have been marginalized and unable to participate as much in the political and public daily sphere. To me, public service means representing your people in a positive way and listening to concerns the people have, and doing everything you can to help out and take concrete action in policymaking.
Did you pick up any new hobbies during quarantine, and if so, what are they?
I’ve been longboarding since the end of August 2020, and also I’ve gotten back into reading books (actually about the Asian American experience, or books that have Asian representation).
What’s your favorite book?
Currently, my favorite book is Minor Feelings: An Asian-American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong.
If you could eat only one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Either sushi, or New York style pizza.
What is one country/place you hope to travel to one day?
Russia
What’s one interesting/surprising fact that a lot of people may not know about you?
I love listening to Shania Twain
