What’s in the PIPELINE for Pacific Islanders?
By NAFANUA
April 28, 2009
LONG BEACH, CA. - Organizers of the Pacific Islander Health Careers Pipeline Program (PIHCPP) faced a
community of Pacific Islander educators, business people, community leaders, clergy, parents and students on
Saturday April 25, 2009 on the campus of Cal State Long Beach. The Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander
Community Alliance (OCAPICA) which manages the program under a grant from the California Endowment,
held the community forum to report their key findings.
“For minority populations, education is a central source of empowerment, says Mary Ann Foo, Executive
Director OCAPICA in an elaborate report designed by Samoan American Jason Pereira of JP South Pacific. “This
report covered an in-depth qualitative assessment about health and educational issues among Chamorro,
Marshallese, Native Hawaiian, Samoan and Tongan youth in Southern California.” Foo reported.
Forum speaker, Natasha Saelua, UCLA, presented data indicative of the Pacific Islander population’s deficit in
socio-economics compared to the rest of the U.S. The poverty rate alone for PI in the US in 1999 was a
staggering 17.7% compared to only 12.4% in the general population. About 1 in 5 Samoans (20.2%) and
Tongans (19.5%) lived below the poverty level at that time.
According to the 2005-2007 American Community Survey, the poverty rate for PI improved to 16.7% in the US
and 12.8% in California. In Los Angeles county, over 1 in 4 Samoans (26.8%) and Tongans (28.5%) lived below
the poverty level. The disparity in per capita income for Pacific Islanders across the nation is 16.5% higher
than the national average. In Los Angeles county alone, the per capita income for Samoans is a paltry $12,701
and $5,883 for Tongans.
“Considering these factors, are we surprised that our children are hurting? Our people are hurting, they’re
dying of poverty and stripped of equal opportunity and access to education and quality healthcare if we do not
intervene,” said PIPELINE coordinator Joseph Fa’avae, a Samoan American, and graduate of the University of
Colorado.
The Pacific Islander College Bound, a tutorial and mentoring component of the PIPELINE is in Magnolia High
School, Anaheim every Monday and Wednesday afternoon. This area has seen the highest concentration of
Pacific Islanders identified by OCAPICA and their research partners.
Fa’avae told Pacifika Voice that working directly with Magnolia High School has helped the PIPELINE in
partnering with counselors and school officials on building a more culturally relevant curriculum. Fa’avae
believes that this is critical for the success of PI students.
“We’re attracting other college PI peers to interact and mentor our youth and purposely taking young people,
their families and our community partners through a ‘pipeline’ of intentional support” said Fa’avae.
The PIPELINE is building yet another component, the Summer Institute, to push PI interns into the allied
healthcare careers. “The Summer Institute will focus on matching our interns with medical professionals in
order for these students to gain hands-on experience in CBOs(community based organizations) and learn
culturally relevant education from leading community and academia partners” Fa’avae told the community
forum.
And how does one get involved?
By NAFANUA
April 28, 2009
LONG BEACH, CA. - Organizers of the Pacific Islander Health Careers Pipeline Program (PIHCPP) faced a
community of Pacific Islander educators, business people, community leaders, clergy, parents and students on
Saturday April 25, 2009 on the campus of Cal State Long Beach. The Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander
Community Alliance (OCAPICA) which manages the program under a grant from the California Endowment,
held the community forum to report their key findings.
“For minority populations, education is a central source of empowerment, says Mary Ann Foo, Executive
Director OCAPICA in an elaborate report designed by Samoan American Jason Pereira of JP South Pacific. “This
report covered an in-depth qualitative assessment about health and educational issues among Chamorro,
Marshallese, Native Hawaiian, Samoan and Tongan youth in Southern California.” Foo reported.
Forum speaker, Natasha Saelua, UCLA, presented data indicative of the Pacific Islander population’s deficit in
socio-economics compared to the rest of the U.S. The poverty rate alone for PI in the US in 1999 was a
staggering 17.7% compared to only 12.4% in the general population. About 1 in 5 Samoans (20.2%) and
Tongans (19.5%) lived below the poverty level at that time.
According to the 2005-2007 American Community Survey, the poverty rate for PI improved to 16.7% in the US
and 12.8% in California. In Los Angeles county, over 1 in 4 Samoans (26.8%) and Tongans (28.5%) lived below
the poverty level. The disparity in per capita income for Pacific Islanders across the nation is 16.5% higher
than the national average. In Los Angeles county alone, the per capita income for Samoans is a paltry $12,701
and $5,883 for Tongans.
“Considering these factors, are we surprised that our children are hurting? Our people are hurting, they’re
dying of poverty and stripped of equal opportunity and access to education and quality healthcare if we do not
intervene,” said PIPELINE coordinator Joseph Fa’avae, a Samoan American, and graduate of the University of
Colorado.
The Pacific Islander College Bound, a tutorial and mentoring component of the PIPELINE is in Magnolia High
School, Anaheim every Monday and Wednesday afternoon. This area has seen the highest concentration of
Pacific Islanders identified by OCAPICA and their research partners.
Fa’avae told Pacifika Voice that working directly with Magnolia High School has helped the PIPELINE in
partnering with counselors and school officials on building a more culturally relevant curriculum. Fa’avae
believes that this is critical for the success of PI students.
“We’re attracting other college PI peers to interact and mentor our youth and purposely taking young people,
their families and our community partners through a ‘pipeline’ of intentional support” said Fa’avae.
The PIPELINE is building yet another component, the Summer Institute, to push PI interns into the allied
healthcare careers. “The Summer Institute will focus on matching our interns with medical professionals in
order for these students to gain hands-on experience in CBOs(community based organizations) and learn
culturally relevant education from leading community and academia partners” Fa’avae told the community
forum.
And how does one get involved?
Community Event: What's in the PIPELINE for Pacific Islanders?
by Nafanua, Staff Writer
by Nafanua, Staff Writer
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