We are proud to host a Capitol Pathways intern for the 2025 Legislative Session, Daisy Vang!
Daisy (she/her) is a Hmong, first-generation college student, and Junior at the University of Minnesota studying Sociology of Law, Criminology, and Justice, with a double minor in Political Science and Family Social Science. Currently, she serves on the Secretary of the Saint Paul Children’s Collaborative (SPCC), helping distribute grants for nonprofits and convene decision-making for children in Saint Paul. In May 2024, Daisy ended her position as Youth on Boards representative after participating for two consecutive years. Following that, she started her summer internship for Councilmember Noecker through Right Track, a youth employment and mentorship program in Saint Paul.
She is highly passionate about working back in the City of Saint Paul as a future council member to advocate equitable opportunities and policies for marginalized communities. Daisy is now interning with the Citizens League through Capitol Pathways, eager to learn more about policymaking and advocacy.
Daisy took a moment to tell us a little bit about herself and why she was interested in Capitol Pathways.
Why were you interested in this internship?
I was interested in this program because of the intense satisfaction from previous alumni of Capitol Pathways and how tightly connected it is with my long-term career goals in policy making and civic engagement.
What are you hoping to learn/most excited for?
I’m excited to learn more about Minnesotan issues, how policy governs constituents, and how policy is created.
Is there anything else you’d like to share about your current experience, studies, or future goals?
I am currently pursuing a Sociology of Law, Criminology, and Justice, with a double minor in Political Science and Family Social Science, which tightly connect with my diverse field of experiences from community engagement, analytical research of constituent issues, and working with city government. In the future, I hope to become a political representative or do organizing work.
Capitol Pathways opens access to policymaking and public service to the next generation of leaders who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). It is a paid spring internship program for BIPOC students who are currently enrolled in a 2 or 4 year college or university in Minnesota. With the long-term goal of making Minnesota state government and policymaking more representative of our diverse communities, our program provides students legislative and career readiness training alongside an immersive hands-on internship experience during the legislative session.