Moving the Agenda: A 2007 CPL New Leader, Teresa Bravo is paving her own path in Washington, D.C. including recently being elected President of the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association in Washington, D.C.

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As a New Leaders Intern, Teresa Bravo was exposed to a few of the opportunities living and working in DC had to offer. She was given the opportunity to meet the Chief of Staff to Congressman Raúl Grijalva, whose district includes her hometown of Tucson, Arizona.  Teresa’s ability to establish relationships began as a New Leaders Intern and she has taken these skills with her all the way to Capitol Hill.

Following the New Leaders Internship, Teresa completed a BA in Mexican American Studies at the University of Arizona and interned with Congressman Grijalva’s Tucson office. When she completed her internship, she was hired as a Staff Assistant in Grijalva’s Washington, DC office. In February 2009, Teresa was elected President of the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association (CHSA) and is the first woman to serve in this role.

Prior to becoming a New Leaders Intern, Teresa had received her Associate’s Degree from Pima College in Social Services and had worked with several non-profit organizations in Tucson. As a CPL New Leaders Intern, Teresa learned the importance of building relationships and solidifying her own role as a young leader.

What have you been up to since the New Leaders Internship?

After completing the New Leaders Internship, I went back home and applied for an internship in Congressman Grijalva’s Tucson district office. When I graduated in December 2007, I stayed on as an intern in the District Office. During the holidays our Chief of Staff, Gloria [Montano], was in Tucson and scheduled a meeting with me about a job opening [for a Staff Assistant]. At first, I thought the job was based in Tucson. At our meeting, Gloria told me that the job was actually based in the Congressman’s DC office. I called her after the holidays and told her I was moving to DC to take the job.

I have been in Congressman Grijalva’s DC office for a little over a year now. I didn’t know very many people when I first moved here. Gloria suggested that I become a member of the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association as a way to meet other people on Capitol Hill. A few months later, they had a call for candidates to serve on the Executive Board and I became Treasurer. In 2009, I decided to run for President of the CHSA. I was elected in February, and became the first female president of the organization.

How did CPL help you prepare for your leadership roles in the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association and also for your current position with Congressman Grijalva?

The New Leaders Internship gave me the opportunity to be in DC the whole summer, get to know the city, and get a feel for what it would be like to live and work in DC permanently. Seeing other young people in leadership was really inspirational. During the internship, we had an opportunity to network with leaders of progressive organizations, and realized that there were plenty of young people in leadership positions. Back home in Tucson, the Executive Directors of non-profits are usually much older, which always intimidated me. I thought I couldn’t run a non-profit because I was too young and wouldn’t be respected. During the New Leaders Internship, I realized I could become a leader at any age, and I didn’t have to wait until I was older.

During the program, I had a chance to meet Gloria, the Chief of Staff in Grijalva’s office. I let her know that I wanted to work for the Congressman in the Tucson office. Being in DC for the New Leaders Internship opened my eyes to young people in leadership and helped me establish relationships with Congressman Grijalva’s office.

What are some of your goals as President of the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association?
As President, I am responsible for our external communications.   We wanted to communicate better with our members. We are working on developing a better website. Our more tech-savvy members have been volunteering to put the website together. We send an email every other week with upcoming events and job announcements, so our website would put all the organization’s news and updates in one place.

We also want to create membership benefits. In the past there was very little communication with Senate Ethics Committee, but we recently found out that only Congressional members can become members and pay dues. It’s been a challenge to make sure that we follow the rules and communicate with the Senate Ethics Committee about our events and our membership.

You’re fairly new to working on Capitol Hill and to living in DC. What are some of the lessons you’ve learned so far? What are some of the challenges you’ve faced?

Leaving my family and my community behind was a big challenge for me. Establishing relationships in DC was a big step, so I’m glad that Gloria introduced me to the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association. The people I’ve met are good friends now, and many of us are from the west coast. Having relationships with people who share similar experiences helps a lot when it comes to leaving home.

On Capitol Hill, it is all about the network. As a Staff Assistant, you learn about all the basics of how the Hill works and where to get answers. You may not know everything but you can definitely learn how to find the answers. While working on the Hill, I’ve learned how to find tools, resources, and people.

What kind of advice would you give to young people who are just starting out in their political career?
I think it really boils down to connections and establishing relationships. I didn’t really know anyone when I moved to DC for my current job, but I got involved. I would encourage young people not to be intimidated by someone’s title or accomplishments. Contact people, meet with them, have coffee with them, and make sure people don’t forget that you’re looking for a job and who you are. In the long run, it will help personally and professionally. That is the way to start and the way to continue. Everything we do in the world is related to politics, so you’ve got to play the game.

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Teresa Bravo was a CPL New Leaders Intern in 2007, where she worked in the Center for Progressive Leadership’s National Office.