Pacific Islanders have few public representatives. This youth program aims to change that

Ethen Folau ran for president on the message that “Today’s children is tomorrow’s future, so don’t let no one tell you you can’t do anything.” The 12-year-old devised his campaign and outreach strategy and passed out food prior to the election.

He lost to 5-year-old Fusimalohi Kefu, who ran with the slogan “Let’s go places.”

It was just a mock election, but leaders of the Pacific Islander community group To’utupu ‘oe ‘Otu Felenite Association (or TOFA, translating to “Friendly Islands Youth”) hope the activity, and others in its youth ambassador program, will one day put a Pacific Islander in office.

“In this country that’s supposed to have so many opportunities,” Pacific Islanders – immigrants from Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, the Marshall Islands and other islands, who make up 1.8% of Sacramento’s population – rarely see their background represented in leadership, said program Chairman Luisa Lavulo. Not a single voting member of the Sacramento City Council, California Legislature or U.S. Congress identifies as ethnically Pacific Islander.

Classes, which parents teach every other week to dozens of K-12 kids, have topics ranging from financial literacy to visits to the state Capitol. Youth ambassadors have helped fundraise for TOFA and advocated in front of the City Council, and one alum of TOFA’s scholarship program interned for the Elk Grove mayor’s office.

Pacific Islanders: An unrepresented AAPI subgroup

Spurred by the rise of anti-Asian hate, advocates and lawmakers have worked to build Asian American and Pacific Islander, or AAPI, political power in the past few years. In 2021, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a historic $156.5 million “API Equity” package into the state budget, while the California Legislature and U.S. Congress both have prominent AAPI caucuses.

Though Pacific Islanders are bundled into the label, community leaders note that they have very different histories and challenges. For example, a 2015 Sacramento State study found that 22.3% of Asian American Sacramentans held a bachelor’s degree, while that number was 7.6% for Pacific Islander residents.

“Sure we can say that (Asian American allies) have our best interests at heart, but of course everyone is going to first and foremost represent themselves,” Lavulo said. “We’re trying to put leadership on the hearts of the Pacific Islander community specifically because we do not see too many people who look like us, that represent us.”

Originally modeled after the national 4-H youth civic engagement program, TOFA started its ambassador program in 2018 with weekly classes taught by the program chair and supported by parents. Classes were an hour or two long and were taught to 20-30 kids at a time. After the COVID pandemic — when classes were virtual — the class schedule changed to be once every two weeks.

Starting with the basics: Financial literacy and cultural pride

Ambassador training starts with the basics, such as a month dedicated to financial literacy.

“As first and second generation coming here from third world countries like Tonga, (understanding) credit score is not obvious,” Lavulo said. “In order for us to teach our people how to get ahead, we have to teach them the simple things.”

Classes progress to topics such as public speaking skills and understanding of Pacific Islander culture. Aside from the mock presidential election, activities this year included a debate on whether Disneyland or Six Flags was better and support for starting small businesses.

At a community fair at Parkway Elementary School on June 9, 10-year-old ambassador Ian Folau sold candy wrapped in custom “Krazy Kandy” bags. Supported by TOFA, he started the business earlier that year, making more than $500 selling online and at football games.

His dream is to be an NFL player one day, but first he wants to run for secretary for his school’s student council, he said. He attributes his confidence to the ambassador program.

“My favorite thing I’ve learned (from the program) is, be yourself and don’t be scared to express yourself,” he said.

Many ambassadors also participate in TOFA’s dance and cultural activities outside of the program, for which they perform at events like the California State Fair.

“Performing on stage at the state fair built my confidence,” Tolau said. “(TOFA) made me not afraid to share my culture. I’m really glad that I’m a Pacific Islander. It’s made me strong. I learned about the food, religious beliefs, stuff like that.”

The program even changes parents’ minds about what their kids can do, pushing them to “believe…that your children can also attain success through leadership,” Lavulo said.

Luisa Kefu, the mother of Fusimalohi and two more kids in the ambassador program, said she was grateful for the program “showing [kids] that you have a voice and that you can be yourself.”

As part of his campaign, Fusimalohi wrote letters to local Polynesian business owners, friends and family asking for sponsorships for his football, rugby, baseball and jiu-jitsu pursuits.

“He literally went around like he campaigned, things that we wouldn’t have done,” his mother Luisa Kefu said. “His sports have been actually paid through the sponsorships that he got through campaigning … otherwise we would be trying to figure out how to pay for those things.”

‘Actually be in the community’: Ambassadors fundraise, advocate about local issues

Ambassadors also represent TOFA at community events, Lavulo said.

In May, five ambassadors represented TOFA at national organization OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates’ Dragon Boat Festival Celebration, speaking with State Assemblymember Kevin McCarty, Asian Resources Inc. Executive Director Rejie Baloyos and other public officials and community leaders. The ambassadors introduced TOFA and asked attendees to come to the organization’s fundraiser in the fall.

“We try to take ambassadors to every event that we go to,” Lavulo said. “You’re not gonna learn how to do anything if you’re not actually doing it.”

In April, a group of ambassadors went to a Sacramento City Council meeting to advocate for the SacPAL Amazons, a championship-winning Pacific Islander girls’ high school rugby team, to have access to all-weather playing fields so they can practice through the rainy winter.

“If you play rugby in here, stand up,” Lavulo said when giving public comment at the meeting. Dozens of team members, including TOFA ambassadors, rose in the audience behind her.

Following the meeting, “we were able to get a hold of the director for the community centers (with playing fields) and make sure that it’s on their radar that this is something that we need as equitable playing fields,” Lavulo said. “This is all part of helping our ambassadors tell other kids and show our community where we go to use our voice.”

Ultimately, the program is about giving kids examples of what presence and leadership look like, Lavulo said.

“We’re first and second generation here in America. The thought or the pathway to leadership wasn’t a visible or obvious path,” Lavulo said. “What we’re trying to do with ambassadors is make that an obvious path.”

Nine-year-old Tehani Malupo had no problem seeing the vision. Asked what she wants to do when she grows up, she said, “I still want to be an ambassador.”