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CA Education Policy Advocate | 🇹🇴
Founder @pacificislandersforprogress
Gov Chair @oaklandlgbtqcenter
@goldmanschool @ucr_spp alum | views my own

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🌴🗳️ Pāsifika Vote Mini Workshop with EPIC! 🌊✨

Mālō e lelei PISA family! 💛 This Thursday, EPIC (Empowering Pacific Islander Communities) will be hosting a virtual workshop with their Pasifika Vote Canvassers! Come learn about the upcoming Midterm Elections on November 3rd, the importance of voting, and how election outcomes can impact our Pasifika communities! 🌺

📅 Thursday, October 22nd
⏰ 5:30–6:30 PM
💻 Zoom — scan the QR code on the flyer!

All are welcome, and we encourage you all to show up and learn! And most importantly... Go out and vote! 🤗🌴✨ #PISA #PISAUCR #EPIC

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Next week! 🌊 Join us at the @edtrustwest Education Equity Forum for “Moving the Needle for Pacific Islanders: A Talanoa with Pasifika Leaders”

Excited to have coalition partners Roy Tongilava, Karel Lokeni, and Francine Blacksher talanoa about what it will take to meaningfully improve educational opportunities and outcomes for Pacific Islander students across California.

They’ll talanoa about the work already happening in our communities, the challenges our students continue to face, and how we can build stronger, more coordinated systems of support from TK-12 through higher education.

If you’ll be at the Forum, come join us for this important conversation. We’d love to see you there!

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📊 Making communities visible starts with elevating their unique experiences.

Join MOSAIC, @pacificislandersforprogress, and community leaders for “Advancing Pacific Islander Educational Equity in California.” Learn how data disaggregation and community advocacy can elevate Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) voices and inform more equitable policy.

🎓 We’ll explore the state of NHPI education, the advocacy behind NHPI data-disaggregation amendments in AB 2374, and Assemblymember Patel’s broader legislative efforts, including AB 1186 and AB 1878.

📚 Hear findings from the 2026 State of Higher Education for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Californians report, developed by the Campaign for College Opportunity in partnership with CAPIAA. We’ll also hear research from @empoweredpi on NHPI student outcomes.

🎤 Featured speakers:

* Assemblymember Darshana Patel (AD-76) (@asmdarshana )
* Sina Uipi, EPIC’s Director of National Policy and Advocacy
* Roy Tongilava, Founder of Pacific Islanders for Progress
* Kare’l Lokeni, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Educators Collective
* Ele Fifita, EPIC PILOT Alumna
* Frances Palu, CSU AANHPI Student Achievement Program

💬 Together, we’ll connect research with lived experience and explore how students, educators, organizations, and community partners can support continued advocacy for NHPI educational equity.

📅 Friday, September 18
🕛 Noon PDT
💻 Via Zoom
🔗 RSVP: mosaic-ca.org/september2026

📣 Let’s show up for our NHPI community! RSVP and share this invitation with your colleagues, students, and networks.

#MOSAICCA #MovementSolidarity #UnifyConnectMobilize #AANHPI #AAPI

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At Bolder Futures, we’re inspired by people who dare to dream bigger and bring their communities together to make those dreams possible.

We’re excited to introduce @pacificislandersforprogress (PIP) and its founder, @roytongi. PIP brings together Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) leaders, advocates, educators, and community organizations to strengthen collective advocacy for educational equity and economic mobility for Pasifika communities across California.

By creating space for communities to connect, organize, and shape shared priorities, PIP embodies the spirit of Bolder Futures: turning collective imagination into action and building opportunities for generations to come.

Hear more from Roy at @mosaicaapi ‘s upcoming community briefing, “Advancing Pacific Islander Educational Equity in California.” Join community leaders, educators, and advocates to explore NHPI student experiences and how data, policy, and community leadership can help shape a more equitable future.

📅 Friday, September 18, 2026
🕛 Noon–1 p.m. PDT
💻 Via Zoom

RSVP: https://mosaic-ca.org/september2026

#BolderFutures #CollectiveImagination #BolderTogether #CommunityPoweredChange #PasifikaFutures

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📊 Making communities visible starts with elevating their unique experiences.

Data disaggregation helps reveal the needs and disparities that broad categories can overlook. Join MOSAIC, @pacificislandersforprogress, and community leaders for a conversation on elevating Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) communities, through better data and community advocacy.

🎤 Featured speakers:

• Assemblymember Darshana Patel (@asmdarshana )

• Sina Uipi, EPIC’s Director of National Policy and Advocacy (@empoweredpi )

• Roy Tongilava, Founder of Pacific Islanders for Progress

🎓 Our briefing, “Advancing Pacific Islander Educational Equity in California,” will explore the state of NHPI education and the community advocacy behind NHPI data-disaggregation amendments in AB 2374. Assemblymember Patel will also discuss her broader data disaggregation efforts, including AB 1878.

💬 Together, we’ll examine how community voices can shape the data and policies that affect their lives.

📅 Friday, September 18

🕛 Noon–1 p.m. PDT

💻 Via Zoom

🔗 RSVP: https://mosaic-ca.org/september2026

📣 Join the conversation and share this invitation with your community!

#MOSAICCA #MovementSolidarity #UnifyConnectMobilize #AANHPI #AAPI

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Join us for the Bayview Hunters Point/Southeast San Francisco’s Open House for the Draft Community Emission Reduction Plan (CERP) on Tuesday, September 22, 2026 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at Southeast Community Center, 1550 Evans Street, San Francisco, CA 94124 in the Alex Pitcher Pavilion. We want to hear from you because your voices matter! Document will be translated into Tongan and Samoan languages. #bayviewhunterspointsf #sanfrancisco #bvhpsf #communityemissionreductionprogram

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“E le sili le ta’i i lo le tapua’i.”

The one who leads is no greater than the one who supports.

Still taking in everything from this past Saturday.

Our Samoan Solutions team and village had the incredible opportunity to partner with Stanford Football after Head Coach Tavita Pritchard invited us to help organize their season-opening Fan Festival and halftime performance against the University of Hawaiʻi. With Coach Pritchard also being family, we accepted with open arms.

But this moment really began in 2008 with the vision of our co-founders, my amazing Aunties Faga & Epi. Seeing how far their vision has come and what Samoan Solutions continues to make possible for our community fills me with so much pride.

I had the honor of serving as Co-Lead and Co-Creative Director for Samoa alongside my amazing partner, Vonnie. A huge fa’afetai to her, all of our island leads and creative directors, our dancers, drummers, singers, musicians, and Uncles Zeke & Ben and the Top Shelf Brass Band. To our seamstresses who took on the enormous task of sewing all of Samoa’s ʻofu—fa’afetai tele lava. And a special thank you to my Uncle Vince for holding it down as our emcee for the Fan Festival!

For many, if not all of us, this was the largest crowd we had ever performed in front of. To step onto the field at Stanford Stadium—the same stadium that has hosted Coldplay and BTS—and represent our cultures, families, and Pacific communities was surreal.

And somehow, with our Aumavae family traveling from Washington, Tennessee, Georgia, and throughout California, it also became a little family reunion.

After all the meetings, practices, stress, laughter, and a few appearances from “Staff Sergeant Aumavae” 😂, seeing it all come together was worth every second.

This was bigger than a halftime show. It was family, culture, service, community, and village.

Our Aunties planted the seed in 2008. Our village continued to water it. And this weekend, we got to see just how beautifully it has grown.

Fa’afetai tele lava to everyone who made this possible. I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat.

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Excited to launch Be The Wave, a new podcast from @pacificislandersforprogress hosted by Roy Tongilava.

Be The Wave highlights leaders, educators, advocates, and community partners creating change across education, policy, civic engagement, and beyond in California.

Through short and meaningful talanoa, we’ll share stories, learn from leaders’ work, and explore how we can build a stronger future for Pacific Islander communities.

Every wave begins somewhere. This is ours.

🎧 Listen to our first two episodes now available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and our website.

#BeTheWave #PIP #PacificIslander #PacificIslanderVoices #PacificIslandersForProgress

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🏔️➡️🏜️➡️🏖️

What a journey this weekend has been. I definitely logged some serious airline miles, and I’m deeply honored to have been sponsored to attend both of these gatherings.

Whenever I’m in Indigenous spaces, I remind myself that I am a settler. I live and take up space on Dena’ina Etnena in Anchorage, while my ancestral homeland is in Tutuila, American Samoa. I ground myself in the reality that my island is facing the growing threat of deep-sea mining, and I find strength in listening to fellow water protectors who have fought-and continue to fight-for water sovereignty in their own communities.

These gatherings remind me that our struggles are deeply connected. There is so much wisdom in coming together, sharing stories, and learning from one another across oceans and generations.

I also cherish the opportunity to wear my traditional Samoan regalia in these spaces. It fills me with confidence, reminds me of where I come from, and allows me to carry my ancestors with me. Many of the pieces I wear are custom-made, hand-painted, and purchased from Samoan-owned businesses, making it even more meaningful to represent my culture with pride.

It is a privilege to have the opportunity, the strength, and the community to gather in these spaces. I leave this weekend with a full heart, renewed purpose, and deep gratitude for everyone working to protect our lands, waters, and future.

#leadership #community #resilience

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Thank you @aapi_lead for a weekend of reflection, meaningful discussions and renewed purpose.

Our Pasefika 🌴 representation nourished my spirit as always. We are still growing in these spaces and I was humbled and honored to be surrounded by my people who are exceptional leaders who serve with excellence, brilliance, respect, inclusion, compassion and with their whole hearts!!!

Each of you filled the room with your MANA and brought wisdom and wealth to the stages your voices contributed to 🔥🌊🙌🏽!!! #PasefikaProud

As we continue to learn, teach and evolve around the AA + PI umbrella what I left with is hope and empowerment to stay open to reimagining the future and to keep fighting the good fight ✊🏽!

Thank you for your words Hon. Vice President @kamalaharris Archived “If you feel powerless than you are powerless! If you feel powerful than your are powerful!” YES, we ARE powerful!

Malo Fa’afetai ~ Thank you 🙏🏽 to all who were and continue to be involved in uplifting our communities! Together we are building a stronger future for those who come after us 💙.

Until 2027 it’s been great L.A. ~ leaving with a grateful 💜 ☺️!

Thank you @bykylani Seiuli Malia Mua Efferding for my dress 💙🌺 love you 💋!

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Pacific Islander Community Partnership (PICP) was honored to join another impactful year of California API Advocacy Day at our State Capitol.

We extend our deepest appreciation and congratulations to our Executive Director, Papali’i Manufou Liaiga Anoa’i @manufouanoai who served as this year’s Chair, helping guide this important statewide effort. We also offer our heartfelt aloha to the phenomenal Isa Whalen and the entire team at API Advocates @api.advocates for their leadership, vision, and dedication in organizing a meaningful day of advocacy and collective action.

Alongside more than 200 Asian American and Pacific Islander organizations from across California, PICP gathered at the Capitol to advocate for key legislative priorities centered on language access, data disaggregation, and support for AANHPI-Serving Institutions. These policy conversations are vital to ensuring our communities are seen, heard, and resourced equitably.

As we entered these spaces, we carried with us the cultural values of tauhi vā and teu le vā, the sacred responsibility of nurturing and honoring relationships. Guided by these values, we shared the stories, aspirations, and lived experiences of the communities we serve, grounding our advocacy in the voices of our people.

We remain hopeful that these conversations will continue beyond Advocacy Day and evolve into lasting partnerships that advance equity, inclusion, and opportunity for Pacific Islanders and all AANHPI communities throughout California.

Mahalo to every advocate, organizer, leader, and community member who helped make this day possible. We look forward to returning to the Capitol together next year.

Soifua ma ia manuia!

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