Alexia Vue is a third-year student at the California State University, Fresno, actively pursuing a major in the Department of Political Science with a minor in criminology. As a Hmong-American woman, she is deeply connected to her Hmong roots because they have shaped her into who she is today. She has spent most of her undergraduate career serving her fellow Hmong community within the Central Valley through Fresno State’s on-campus student organization known as the Hmong Student Association of Fresno State (HmSA). Previously, she served as the 2020-2021 Public Relations Chair for HmSA and developed technological, content creation, and management skills. Today, she is fortunate to serve as HmSA’s 2021-2022 Vice President. As her officer term is coming to an end, she hopes to pursue further opportunities for herself to develop the ability to empower those within and beyond her fellow Hmong community. CAPAL is another step to initiating that goal. Being granted this opportunity to be a part of the CAPAL team allows her to take part in a diverse cohort while pursuing higher education. She is incredibly excited to join the CAPAL team this summer as it will be her first ever internship program! During her free time, she enjoys watching movies, listening to music, attending concerts, and trying out new foods with her loved ones.
What are your main responsibilities at your position? What are some of your big projects? (this can include projects at your internship, your specific CAP project, etc)
As an intern for the U.S. Forest Service, one of my responsibilities is to serve as the primary inventory taker for the USDA’s Real Property Inventory Project. I am positioned within the Supervisor’s Office located in San Bernardino’s U.S. Forest Service Headquarters. I intern for the Forest Service Recreation Program and will be working closely with the forest recreation team. The main lines of duty are to ensure that all recreation inventory is accessible to the general public to ensure safety and enjoyment. I am grateful to be apart of the 2022 CAPAL S&I Cohort and look forward to working on the CAP – Act To Change, to help develop and initiate the Youth Ambassador Program (YAP) for the upcoming September 2022 cohort.
How does this internship fit with your professional and career goals?
Being granted this opportunity to intern with CAPAL helps further my knowledge on systematic barriers to careers in public service, in specific, to the AANHPI community. Throughout my college career, I have primarily focused on making an impact on those within my fellow Hmong community. The CAPAL internship program allows me to cast stones within and outside of the AANHPI community. If I were to contribute to the construction of a stronger AANHPI public service pipeline, it would not only empower AANHPI representation within the public service scene. Moreover, it would contribute to my efforts of increasing Hmong representation in the political scene. I strive to inspire other Hmong individuals by conveying that anything is achievable, regardless of identity. As AANHPI representation increases, so do the chances of future Hmong empowerment and representation.
What do you hope to achieve this summer as a part of CAPAL’s 2022 cohort?
I am looking forward to creating meaningful connections with CAPAL’s 2022 cohort. Much of the S&I cohort come from diverse backgrounds. CAPAL has offered us all a space to network with one another and create those meaningful connections. I’d love to take advantage of this opportunity to connect with individuals from around the nation. Sustaining these relationships throughout our educational, professional, and lifelong journeys would be a wonderful experience. Additionally, I am excited to work with the non-profit organization: Act To Change through my CAP. I hope to achieve a sense of self- empowerment through the #ActToChange movement along with the ability to empower others within the community.
What does public service mean to you? What sparked your interest or desire to get involved with public service?
Public service is the ability to enable people safe and reliable services to all members of a community. Overall, I believe the main goal of public service is to help the people and contribute to the public good. The phrase, “help people” may sound cliche. However, I feel like this goal is a commonality between many individuals within our communities. Likewise, I myself want to help others as a result of both my personal and professional lifestyles. I believe that serving in the field of public services can offer that. More importantly, Hmong people are underrepresented in governmental positions and for many communities, representation in government is crucial to developing trust and empowerment. The lack of emphasis on underrepresented communities throughout my life sparked my interest in public service.
What are some hobbies or interests you like to do outside of work?
Outside of work, I enjoy attending concerts and relaxing to music. I see music as an outlet for me to enter my own world and be in unison with myself. My music taste ranges from a variety of genres such as R’n’B, hip-hop, pop, and EDM. Two of my favorite artists are Thuy and Illenium. Additionally, I love spontaneous adventures with friends and family because they become special moments that’ll be remembered for years to come. On my free time, I like watching a lot of drama-thriller crime shows such as Law & Order: SVU, NCIS, or Chicago P.D.
If you could eat only one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
If I could only eat one food for the rest of my life, it would be the food that my mother cooks. Her cooking varies, however, I think that a homemade meal is always the right answer.