From the moment we stepped foot in the California state capitol building, we were enveloped in an atmosphere of political fervor.
From listening to leaders sharing their stories we gained invaluable insights into the challenges and opportunities present in each of our respective communities, providing a powerful reminder of the immense responsibility that comes with public service and the importance of effective leadership in shaping policy outcomes. One of our speakers said, “to whom much is given, much is expected”, driving home the idea that we will ultimately be asked to take what we are learning to make a difference. Thus, we dove in with curiosity, an earnest desire to seek out more than the superficial, and a commitment to stretching ourselves to think spectrally about topics that might be hard to understand.
In Sacramento our class met with an array of leaders: elected officials from both major political parties, staffers, advocacy groups, directors of public agencies, stakeholders and CALP alums who are making an impact locally. It was clear, end to end, that a few common ideas can really help elevate the work and impact of leaders. Foremost among those ideas is the notion that relationships count. Without a doubt, this was the one key thing we heard over and over; and not just relationships for the purpose of transactions- relationships that are meaningful and transformative.
Senator Brian Dahle (CA-SD1) graciously spent nearly an hour with the class and articulated again and again that we can exercise our values with great integrity and do so in a way that fosters clarity in relationships. That clarity yields dividends, allowing a leader to act as a thermostat and move the needle for those they serve. Namely, we learned we can work alongside people who think differently and cultivate wins in unfamiliar, surprising places when we seek to understand someone else’s perspective. Because agriculture has a smaller voice within the ranks of elected leaders in Sacramento, we as leaders in the industry must continue to be more creative in the halls of power with how we accomplish our goals. We were tasked to know our values and what we stand for, and figure out how to make meaningful, material progress through exercising those values in our relationship-building.
We also had the good fortune to meet with Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (AD-29) as well as Agriculture Committee Chairwoman (AD-27) Esmeralda Soria and Vice Chair Juan Alanis (AD-22). It was amazing to be in the room with all three of these powerful leaders at the same time. In particular, it was interesting to see leaders from both parties interact and engage with one another to address tough topics and still be warm and gracious even though they may not see eye to eye. This observation surprised many of us because we are used to seeing so much political opposition on the news and perhaps that’s not reflective of how work gets done on the ground with leaders who are actually committed to public service.
We’d like to also thank Assemblymembers Hoover (AD-7) and Wallis (AD-47) for joining us and bringing their perspectives and expertise. Again, the collegiality and generosity of our state’s leaders in how they interacted with us and with one another was astounding, and we are so thankful to have had firsthand experience with people who have much to teach us.
We also had the good fortune to hear from people on the ground implementing policy and from people seeking to influence policy; there’s no question relationships and integrity were again highlighted by people who represent these facets of leadership as well. Director of the state’s Department of Water Resources, Karla Nemeth, spoke about the need for leaders to communicate thoughtfully and with attention to organizational priorities. Our time with Director Nemeth brought us context and a reminder of the complexities of leadership- that we have to make tough decisions and that people should expect much of those who lead them. Secretary of Agriculture Karen Ross reminded us that agriculture will rely on us to help bridge the gap with the the non-farm public to move our industry forward.
Overall, our time in Sacramento gave us tremendous insights into leadership through the lens of civic engagement and public service. We are incredibly thankful for everyone who invested their time in our growth!
With our minds buzzing with newfound knowledge and inspiration, we boarded our flight to Minnesota, eager to continue our journey to discovery. As we soared through the clouds, we reflected on the lessons learned in Sacramento and anticipated the adventures that awaited us in the Twin Cities. The frigid weather of the Great Plains turned our breath into clouds of mist in the air.
Our first class meeting was graciously hosted by Carrie Isaacson (51), VP Account Director for broadhead, a marketing firm focused on how we eat, drink, and live our daily lives. Broadhead generously lets us use their facilities and we feel so well-hosted in Minneapolis thanks to Carrie and her colleagues.
With recognition that we aren’t in fact back home in California (the air temperature didn’t let us forget it!), we dove into understanding the many historical context that inform the present issues we will be learning about during our time in this city. Our first lesson was an experiential, chapter-by-chapter deep dive into the tale of the Twin Cities. We discovered, through a hands-on group activity, that our perceptions of this area may not have been accurate and there is much more to the story of this place than we could’ve imagined. From the role of row crops in building rural economies and the two eras of immigration that are now defining the present realities of Minnesota (including the Scandinavians to developed the idea of “Minnesota Nice” based on their cultural values), our lesson focused on the unique story of Minneapolis created over centuries by a number of populations. Our history has shaped our present culture and lives through successes, cultural growing pains, and the assimilation of cultures that we are privileged to be exposed to. We gained insights into these unique understandings, and ultimately realized our story has just begun! We have the ability to positively impact chapters that have yet to be written.
It was said to us in Sacramento, “you can’t fix what you don’t understand”, and our mission over the course of the next several days is to do just that: understand what is unfamiliar and zoom out to best see examples of leadership and transformational action so that ultimately we can use that new understanding to make an influence in our homes, communities, state and nation.
Looking forward to more thinking and learning- stay tuned!
Gratefully,
Taj Samran, Miguel Gomez, Joe Sequenzia and the members of Class 53
