Reina Kapiolani Pahulu, Producer of The Mo’unga Project and Manava Circle | “I’m a First-Gen American, Queer, Tongan, Brown Diaspora Kid Learning to Navigate Those Identities”
Poet and Pasifika community advocate, Reina Kapiolani Pahulu, shares why she created The Manava Circle and The Mo’unga Project — community projects that empower Pasifika communities.
Oakland-Raised Tongan PhD Candidate, Marlena Wolfgramm, Researches Pacific Islander Retention and Persistence in STEM
Learn about Marlena Wolfgramm’s journey to researching Persistence and Retention of Pacific Islanders in STEM.
Asena Tolungamaka, Director at Navigators of Success | “We need more Māori and Pacific people in leadership and policy roles”
TupuToa alum and 2018 winner of the Prime Minister’s Leadership and Inspiration Award, Asena Tolungamaka shares the reason for helping to lead Navigators of Success and why we need more Pacific representation in policy.
Founder of Tonga Youth Leaders, Elizabeth V Kite, launches Oceanic Leaders Alliance and Pacific Lead
Elizabeth V. Kite shares her educational path and journey to founding Tonga’s only youth-led NGO, Tonga Youth Leaders. She is now embarking on two new initiatives: Oceanic Leaders Alliance and Pacific Lead.
Tongan healer, writer and entrepreneur, Elizabeth Kaloumaira : “If you’re following your passion, it will never feel like work”
Tongan healer, writer, and entrepreneur, Elizabeth Kaloumaira, talks about dropping out of university to follow her passion. She believes that university is not the only pathway for Pacific youth and that it's okay to forge your own path.
Founding Director of Pasifika Film Fest, Kalolaine Uechtritz Fainu “We have a new generation of storytellers, and their voices need to be heard”
Kalolaine “Kalo” Uechtritz Fainu, an avid advocate for Pacific representation in film, shares her motivations for creating the Pasifika Film Fest and offers tips for aspiring Pacific filmmakers. Born and raised in Australia, Kalo has family roots in Tonga, Papua New Guinea, and Samoa. She received a BVA Photography with a Photojournalist major from Griffith University and a Masters of Media Arts & Production from the University of Technology Sydney. She recently started a Masters in Asian and Pacific Studies from The Australian National University to learn more about Pacific cultures and communities.
Tongan scientist, Dr. Afa K. Palu, PhD | “Modern science illuminates the intelligence of our ancestors”
Dr. Afa Palu shares some highlights of his educational and scientific work: his leading research on Pacific Islander U.S. high school dropouts, the creation of an education radio talk show and his extensive research on the health benefits of the noni (Morinda citrifolia L.), a plant native to the Pacific and elsewhere. He hopes to see more Pacific Islander students embracing the academic challenge of pursuing college and recognizing the multitude of pathways to higher education.
Director of Mana at College of San Mateo, Finausina T. Tovo | Validating Oceania Student Voices in Higher Education
Finausina Tovo talks about her transition from student-athlete to scholar, the importance of giving Pacific Islanders a voice in higher education and the Mana program’s effect on Pacific scholars. Using her research in California Community Colleges, she hopes to empower more students to pursue all their educational options and demand community at their school.
Tongan PhD in Developmental Studies, Faka'iloatonga Taumoefolau | “Remember that college isn’t the only means to a fulfilling life”
Tongan PhD candidate, Faka’iloatonga Taumoefolau, shares his academic path throughout the South Pacific, motivations for pursuing graduate degrees and advice for students pursuing higher education.