Meet the Capitol Hill Intern Who Lives in Guam!

by: Shruti Nayak

Al Edrich Labang, a rising senior at the University of Guam, has spent the summer interning virtually with the U.S. House of Representatives. Though virtual internships are not abnormal thanks to COVID-19, Al’s experience is a bit more unique because he interns all the way from Guam! Despite the 14 hour time difference, he manages to maintain a stable 12 AM — 7 AM sleep schedule while making the most of his Congressional internship experience.

Originally from the Philippines, Al spent most of his childhood there and later moved to Guam when he was 11. He now attends the University of Guam with majors in secondary education and mathematics. Al’s love of teaching led him to pursue a degree in secondary education — he enjoys tutoring his relatives and friends in his free time. He also chose to study mathematics to sharpen his critical thinking skills for law school.

Al interns in Congress through the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS), a nonprofit which strives to promote AAPI representation at all levels of the political process. In addition to interning in the office of Rep. Stephanie Murphy [D, FL], Al also interns with the American Petroleum Institute (API). Al’s STEM background presented a unique opportunity to intern both in Congress and with API. He enjoys conducting policy research for his Congressional internship while learning more about data analysis with API. His favorite project that he’s worked on this summer hits close to home — researching gas prices! In Guam, the gas prices are high (currently around $4.30) due to the island’s distance from major pipelines. Al appreciates working with the data surrounding gas prices and analyzing the economic impacts.

The decision to intern in Congress stems from Al’s desire to eventually move to DC. His future aspirations include teaching, attending law school in DC (Guam doesn’t have a law school!), and working in Congress. Interning in Congress has provided Al with valuable insight into the inner workings of policy making and what it’s like to work on influential policies, including those related to gun control and the child tax credit. For future interns, Al has two major pieces of advice. The first is to plan out your desires. It’s crucial to plan out what you want to do, what your goal is, and what you want to learn, both in your internship and beyond. The second is to communicate with your intern coordinators! They want to help and support you, so don’t be afraid to ask for specific projects or policy areas that excite you.

During his time with Rep. Murphy’s office, Al has been able to reconnect with Guam and engage with policies that impact the island most. In case he doesn’t already sound busy enough, Al also currently serves as a Representative for Guam Youth Congress! In the long term, Al would like to bring more opportunities to Guam, specifically in areas such as college education and healthcare. He hopes to run for senator in Guam’s Legislature one day. In the meantime, he plans to finish up his studies at the University of Guam and reside in Guam for a few more years to teach prior to attending law school.

Shruti Nayek interviews Al Edrich Labang, who is a student interning for Rep. Murphy [D, FL] from his home in Guam.