Ruth Williams Opera House

📢 ROLL CALL! Introducing the Freshman Class of our Art is Resistance Cohort!

First up: Teu le Vā Artist Collective (TLV), a vibrant group of Pasifiken artists, organizers, and cultural workers from across the Bay Area. TLV creates spaces for connection, collaboration, and cultural expression that honor Pasifiken identity and values.

Their month-long exhibition at the Ruth Williams Bayview Opera House, “It’s Giving Hella Pasifika,” celebrated Pasifika Joy: A Collective Homecoming.

Teu le vā means nurturing the space between us—caring for the relationships that connect us. Through art and community, TLV honors ancestral journeys, Indigenous wisdom, and the resilience that reminds us why Art is Resistance.

🎨 MEET THE ARTISTS (in order of appearance):

✨ Spulu Nism — Creative mover, storyteller, dance maker, body historian, fashion designer, and interdisciplinary artist working on Chochenyo Ohlone land. @spulunism

✨ Epi Aumave — Community leader, co-founder, and President/Director of Operations of Samoan Solutions, supporting Sāmoan and Pasifika communities throughout the Bay Area through cultural advocacy and civic engagement. @faamaludesigns

✨ Sophia Tupuola — First-generation Sāmoan-American raised in Bayview Hunters Point on unceded Ramaytush Ohlone land. Her liberation work centers Black and Brown communities through grassroots organizing, collective decision-making, and creative empowerment. A proud Mama, Warrior, and World Maker.

✨ Oshún — Afro-Pasifika youth and emerging Bay Area artist practicing personal liberation through emotional awareness, regulation, and problem-solving. A warrior and world-maker, Oshún’s journey is featured in the Liberated Kid short story series, celebrating culture keeping and self-determination.

🌺 Homecoming matters. Reconnecting with our roots honors our ancestors, celebrates our resilience, and challenges conventional Western value systems. Together, we redefine art and artistry while creating space for Pasifika voices to thrive.

Made possible with support from the San Francisco Arts Commission, San Francisco Human Rights Commission, Community Challenge Grant, Black Citizen and our generous donors.🙏🏾