Pasifika Voice: Taking Culture To The Streets
The Pacific Islander Association (PIA) at Cal State Long Beach hosted their annual PASIFIKA VOICE (PV) event; a platform to elevate Pacific Islanders voices in speech, spoken word, and song. One of the lead-organizers for the 2015 event was PILOT alumnus, Grace Porotesano. The event also featured performances by PILOT alumni: Justin Kalolo, Celina Yandall, and Tonga Fakalata.
The Pacific Islander Association (PIA) at Cal State Long Beach hosted their annual PASIFIKA VOICE (PV) event; a platform to elevate Pacific Islanders voices in speech, spoken word, and song. One of the lead-organizers for the 2015 event was PILOT alumnus, Grace Porotesano. The event also featured performances by PILOT alumni: Justin Kalolo, Celina Yandall, and Tonga Fakalata. Scroll to read what our students had to say about their PV experience.
“This was the first big event I had ever coordinated. I was nervous when I agreed to help Jasmine with the event because I had no idea what the process was like. I got a little taste of it last year when I was just following Fa’aputu Va’afuti around. She was one of the coordinators for last year’s PV. I was amazed at all of the paperwork she had to complete for certain things to happen. Luckily, Jasmine knew what she was doing so it made the planning a lot easier. We both agreed that a small intimate event would be better, instead of having 8-10 performances like we did last year.
We started planning early, which made things better, we booked the rooms, found performers, and catering; we came up with the theme, and even advertised. We didn’t wait till the last minute to do anything. When the event finally happened, everything ran smoothly. I guess you can say we operated on palagi time instead of Poly time. The one low I had was that I didn’t get to enjoy everyone’s performance. I was too busy running around to truly enjoy the event. But I guess Periscope makes up for that so I’m good. If anything, I am truly thankful and grateful for the wolfpack’s support. I couldn’t believe how many PILOT alumni showed up and supported the event. I can only imagine how many people will show up next year. To see everyone made my night, and I thank God that He has brought this family into my life.”
“I was nervous because I have never spoken in this type of setting. I have only spoken in a classroom, and I hadn’t anticipated such a difference until I saw the venue. I am grateful for the ‘Talk Behind Your Back’ exercise, because it supported the efforts of my inner voice. While listening to a recording of my talk, I realized that I was too worried about other things, and that what I cared about most was giving a message. Understanding what I really wanted to do helped ground the thoughts that were flying through my mind. I felt centered. As I was speaking, I tripped-out over the size of the crowd. I felt like I was in a fight, scrapping to calm down and be still. The lights were hella bright, so I could only see a few faces. The faces I saw were mixed between young and old. I expected it to be a young audience. I became more comfortable as I went on. I had to coach myself; I knew what I was talking about. I wasn’t trying to flex on anybody. I was thankful for the teaching of fakatapu and potopoto ‘a niu mui. When I finished, my inner critic came rushing in. I had to take a walk, get some air, and do my Self-Talk. I felt that I could have done better and thought of the other things that I had planned on saying but didn’t. After telling myself to nut up and get back to the event, I bumped into my older brother who only backed what everyone else would tell me, and what my inner voice was trying to say. There is nothing like having your big brother validate you. I wildly chased that as a youngin’, but now it is something I’ve learned to let come on it’s own. Watching my sisters go up and bring life with their voice was amazing. The storytelling was on point and their vibrations, lively. I thought of how cool it was to have shared a stage with them. The greatest part of the night was when the Pack took over the space in front of the ballrooms. It was like the moment at a family function where the young generation are all in one spot and vibing. I thank God for allowing us to cross paths and journey together. E ui ina tetele pesega, ae mapu lava ile o’o. I am proud to be a collection of who these people are.”
Three young Pacific Islanders stand smiling. There is one young man in the middle with his arms around each of the young women at his side.
“I love the idea of Pacific Islanders openly expressing their deepest emotions through their favorite form of art. As Pacific Islanders we are notorious for wearing a mask of intimidation. We often keep our feelings to ourselves because of our pride. As a result we are afraid to be vulnerable.
To participate in such an event is an absolute honor. I have been in love with music for as long as I can remember. And after losing my grandma, I decided I could no longer hide my passion. PIA was my very first public performance, it is where I chose to step out of my ‘music closet’. I am forever grateful to have been a part and plan to continue to represent my community.”
Five young Pacific Islander women stand together smiling.
“As a rookie to public speaking, why do we feel so much anxiety before going up on stage? In retrospect, I realize that it’s not so much the exposure that gives me anxiety, but the fear of being vulnerable in front of an audience. There is no real solution to overcoming the angst right before a performance, only tips and helpful strategies. What pulled me through during Pasifika Voice was the motivational mantra that each performer carried. Whether it was praying before a set, sharing motivational scripture, or even cheering loudly backstage. There was a communal sense that acknowledged the strong power that we carried within our character and love for our Pasifika culture. I believe this came from the prayers and mana of the collective.
The biggest takeaway I had was that public performance is terrifying, but with time and practice it will get better. There was an enlightening truth that came out of the chaos, which was that this is not the last time we may have to speak on behalf of our community, so we should appreciate our God-given craft now.”
Four Pacific Islanders stand together smiling. A young women second to the left has a stack of leis around her neck, and a money leis crown on her head.
“I was so proud of all the performers. I was so enlightened and empowered by all the performances including the dances the PIA girls did. Just to see some members from the pack go on stage sharing their light and knowledge made me so emotional. It’s always great seeing young minds come together to share their talent. Everyone from the pack that performed did an amazing job. The mana in that room radiated from them.
Jay Niko’s spoken word piece: Culture, moved me to tears. In only five minutes Jay was able articulate the many layers colonization has on our culture; and how hard it can be for us as Samoans, or as Pacific Islanders to find who we really are because of it. The way she spoke to my frustrations without really knowing me was in a way liberating. If there is ever a time I am unable to use my voice to raise awareness about: who I am, where I come from, and what I am capable of, I can now turn to Jay’s piece to do that for me. You had to be there to experience it for yourself.
A special shout out to Gracie and Jasmine for planning such a smooth and successful event. Before PILOT, I knew I needed a strong support system outside my family. The pack is what I’ve always needed and I would do anything to ensure that every single person receives the love and support they have given me. Congratulations to the performers of Pasifika Voice 2015, CSULB’s PIA, Gracie, and Jasmine. Thank you so much for an empowering night!”
Six young Pacific Islander students are standing and smiling.
“Each performance was unique and touched your mind, body, and soul to a point where you either wanted to stand and say ‘that’s right!’; get up and dance; or cry because you know what it felt like. I applaud Justin, Celina, Tonga, and Grace for sharing their talents and words with us. Reminding us that we are as big as the ocean we come from.
Justin’s performance was like a lecture and a life lesson all in one. I enjoyed listening to the intellect that Justin spits because it just makes sense, and is so heartfelt and real. Celina’s song choice made me feel right at home; from the first song to the last. It reminded me of high school, when I used to be a student trainer. Before every football game the Pacific Islanders would get together, pray and sing that song. It brought back a lot of good memories. Tonga’s words I could relate to big time. All the activities that she was doing in college, I did almost the exact same in high school. I tried to join every group possible to figure out who I was but there was always a missing piece. It wasn’t until after joining PILOT that I finally felt like I found a group of people who I feel whole with.
Grace was my favorite performance of the night because she is from my favorite cohort. Grace’s name speaks for the way she dances. So graceful and beautiful with every movement. Proud of all the hard work she put in to make an amazing event because it was more than I expected. If there was one word to describe that night, it would be mana-full. I can’t wait until the next event.”
Four young Pacific Islander student sit at the base of the UCLA Golden Bear statue, while a young Pacific Islander man sits on top of the Bear statue.
UCLA Islanders Maintaining Unity & Access Conference
UCLA’s Pacific Islander Student Association (PISA) recently hosted their annual Islanders Maintaining Unity and Access (IMUA) conference for Pacific Islander high school and community college students in the greater Los Angeles area. PILOT is invited each year to run a workshop. This year, our students came together to create, develop, and execute the workshop for their Forward Movement Project (FMP).
UCLA’s Pacific Islander Student Association (PISA) recently hosted their annual Islanders Maintaining Unity and Access (IMUA) conference for Pacific Islander high school and community college students in the greater Los Angeles area. PILOT is invited each year to run a workshop. This year, our students came together to create, develop, and execute the workshop for their Forward Movement Project (FMP). The workshop which focused on Perceptions and Critical Thinking, was well-received. Quotes have been lightly edited and condensed for accessibility.
A young Pacific Islander women smiling.
“Being in the presence of the students and watching them piece together the workshop that we brought forward to them felt like the satisfaction you get after solving a long math equation. I fall in love all over again with community work every time I get this feeling. The conference was a success and I look forward to next year’s program, and our next Forward Movement Project.”
A young Pacific Islander man crouched down holding up his badge.
“There were learning moments, breakthroughs, and opportunities that can only come with adversity. Even though some of us were unable to be a part of the planning and facilitating, the fact that there was 13 of us there provided a presence that fostered one another’s Mana. Seeing Forward Movement happen across cohorts was definitely one of the biggest takeaways from this event. It was a reminder that we can do anything, with the necessary work, and guidance. I feel that the space we provide one another is unique in such powerful ways. The cross-cohort presence makes me think of what FMP will look like moving forward. I have such high hopes for what we will produce and hope to continue this success.”
A young Pacific Islander women crouched down smiling.
“Being a part of a team that actually runs workshops was a whole new experience for me. I am so used to being on the other end–the student receiving all this knowledge. It felt strange to actually help run these workshops, but the reactions from the students were priceless. It made me realize just how big of an impact we made. When my profile was revealed, I will never forget the reactions on those student’s faces. To have them realize that they can be more than what was told of them, that there was a Pacific Islander woman who is doing all those great things and getting all of these academic achievements. I know we made an impact on the lives of those students. Even if it was just one or two kids who were impacted by our workshop, then we did what we set out to do.”
A young Pacific Islander man sits on a concrete bench. There is a large body of water and cruise ship in the background.
“My first IMUA conference at UCLA as a primary facilitator was a perceptive experience. It was a real pleasure fostering critical awareness within, and alongside fellow Pacific Islander students.
Often times, Pacific Islanders singularly define success through athleticism. Success within academia tends to be pushed to the peripheral with most Pacific Islanders because they feel the curriculum doesn’t recognize or count them as important. I felt the workshop did a great job to deconstruct the students perceived individual realities and remind them that they too are appreciated and important, especially in the academic realm.
One of the hardest parts for me was swiftly making adjustments to better fit the attendees. Even after initial planning, things arise and change where facilitators have to reformat plans for the sake of the impact.
It’s not easy tossing out a studied agenda and adopting a new one. I got nervous and it skewed my communication, and I started talking in jargon. It wasn’t until D-Boy pulled me aside and checked my error, that I was able to refocus. Communication is key to all things. It isn’t about using fancy words to demonstrate individual intellect. Communication is about clearly and comprehensibly delivering a message to an audience that’s equally apart from you—and that’s the greatest lesson I learned form my first IMUA as a facilitator.”
A young Pacific Islander women in a puletasi standing next to a large poster that reads ‘A Community of Contrast 2014’.
“Public speaking is not my strong suit so I felt that this project would give me a chance to strengthen that. However when I was in front of the students, I had a huge challenge gathering my thoughts. While I was facilitating there was a long pause, all I could hear in my head was my dad’s voice saying, ‘No man stands alone.’ I said the code word and Justin came to the rescue. At the time, I was frustrated and disappointed in myself. I felt that because I wasn’t fully prepared I failed the students. I stepped aside to gather myself. I received thumbs up from team members, and some even came to check on me. My mentors also gave me a pep talk, so that all I could do was finish off strong. Four weeks later, even though I choked, I am okay with how it went down. When you have people who believe in you, love and support you, you can’t help but feel uplifted. I walked away more content with my mistakes than I’ve ever been in my life. This is the kind of work I wouldn’t mind doing over and over because if there’s anything that I believe, it’s that the work we do is what our community needs.”
A young Pacific Islander women with a yellow and pink flower in her hair; side portrait.
“[What went well]
I loved how we all came together and brought what we had to the table. We all learned from each other and always took something new home at the end of each meeting. The differences we brought to each meeting just to come to one understanding. Time management. Even though we all have weird crazy schedules we all came together and figured it out as a team.
[Needs improvement]
The frustration that was built during the process. Back to the drawing board concept. We did that a few times and it was difficult. Just scratching out what we had and realizing that it was not good enough. The questions that I wanted to ask but I felt like no one really knew the answers.”