Najuna Kiggundu. Clio Wachtel, Lucy Still, and Najayah McNeil

A diverse group of talented students from Berkeley City College, Berkeley High School, Albany High school, and Emery High were warmly welcomed to the 2025 Helene Lecar Civic Engagement Program (HLCP) – a service-learning initiative in which students collaboratively steer their internship experiences – during the final weeks of January.

Tasya Xiao

Student political interests ranged from criminal justice system reform to closing the achievement or opportunity gap in public education. They all asked questions and listened intently, as Kandea Mosley Gandhi and Linda Carothers, two League of Women Voters of Berkeley, Albany, Emeryville (LWVBAE) leaders, gave an overview of the organization’s mission, structure, history, commitment to nonpartisanship, values and political priorities.

Among other items discussed with the incoming Gen Z student leaders after icebreakers were the organization’s and program’s respective cultures. Kandea explained that LWVBAE seeks to create an inclusive culture where members and interns can seek to learn about the LWVBAE issues for emphasis that interest them

Winta Clark

most. Issues for emphasis are just the political priorities that the membership agrees to advance. For the last several years, members have voted to focus on climate change, the criminal justice system, and healthcare system reform.

Kandea said the HCLP program creates a culture of flexibility in which emerging student leaders co-create their internship experiences with LWVBAE leaders. Kandea explained that academic achievement and overall wellness should always come first, so during difficult weeks, all interns have to do is communicate how they’re doing. If one of their projects needs to be put on hold for a brief period so they can take good care of themselves and do well on exams, Kandea said they will always be supported in doing so.

Muqadas Akram

During her one-on-one orientation with Kandea, after viewing the national League’s website, Muqadas Akram said she was amazed there was so much to learn. Muquadas will be serving as an intern over the summer covering a range of local League priorities.

Stay tuned! The 2025 program is just taking off. Members can look forward to interns continuing to serve as local government observers and the continued participation of 2024 interns, such as Rhetta Lavender-Hill. Lavender-Hill authored several articles about Berkeley‘s Police Accountability Board and what was formerly the Albany Policing Commission. This week, see Tasya Xiao’s first article about the future of the Racial Inclusivity and Social Equity (RISE) Commission. Check out more local government observations to come as published articles featured weekly on our website, in our newsletter and promoted on the social media platform Bluesky.