Taylorsville 6th Ward Young Womens Photoshoot!!

 I am very grateful for the opportunity I was given to photograph these young women. I hope these photos have captured their individual beauty and personalities. I tried to relay their unique characters through their photographs. It was windy and very cold outside but these girls pulled it off with winning smiles!!! You girls are all beautiful and I hope you always remember that. 

These photos are a reminder of your inner and outer beauty!!

I am a novice photographer so bare with me. This is just a sneak peak of what I've worked on so far.

 Thanks to Shenna Frost for the editing help.

 Thank you to my cousin Julia for trusting me too! Hope you like it!!!

Old age is creeping up on me fast!!!

Our Future.

Today I watched my nephews speak at their Primary Program. I was so proud of my babies for they are so intelligent and charming. These young boys will grow up to be teenagers, missionaries, college students, and than fathers. So, I thought about their future roles in life. I thought about what values we as a family could plant and nurture within our future generation.

Confidence- As they grow they will try various activities and find their niche. They will be confident and know that just like anyone else they can achieve their dreams.

Equality- May they never feel inadequate and let feelings of inferiority hold them back from success. They will tear down stereotypes one by one. They will know their roots, be proud Samoan - Americans who know that deserve to be equally treated for America is their home.

Charity-  Through service and examples of sharing I hope they will be charitable. Service for others above self will always keep them grounded and feed them spiritually.

Excellence-  As they journey through school and church they'll be held accountable and expected to always do their best. They will realize that quality is better than quantity. Putting out their best is second to none.

These are just a few dreams of a loving Aunt. The beauty of the Samoan culture is that we are family oriented. We take the village approach in which everyone in the village (aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc.) plays the role as a parent. The parents have a huge supporting cast and we all take pride in nurturing our children.

We will enjoy the journey and throughout this journey they will never doubt our love for them!!!

Pacific Islanders on the Move!! PHA has been approved!!

I have been working with the Pacific Heritage Schools organization since August of this year. It was back in April when I was invited to a Education Summit(by Anapesi Kaili) where I first learned about this effort. Pacific Heritage Schools is a dream of a couple of concerned Pacific Islander mothers that decided to take action about 4 years ago. They wanted to create a charter school that would intertwine the Polynesian culture with our American culture. About 2 years ago Ofa Kinikini Moeai and Lia Whitman(and their spouses) began the long and arduous task of putting together a 200+ page application. They were helped along the way by like minded volunteers who shared the same desires. Well, today those long hours of research, meetings, long drives, and rigorous writing and rewriting have been rewarded. Today the Utah State Charter Board unanimously approved our charter, Pacific Heritage Academy. The board gave the recommendation to the Utah State Office of Education for ratification. We were all in tears and words can't express the realization of what we had achieved.

This is a historical event. We will be the first school on the mainland that caters to the Pacific Islander population. I joined this group because I know how it felt to be raised in the United States as an immigrant child. I remember not feeling socially, economically, and physically accepted by mainstream America. Instead of embracing my beautiful culture and roots I hid it and tried very hard to assimilate without it. I knew not what my roots were or meant. I couldn't excel in life without that understanding. My journey was a long and flawed experience. But, what brought me back to my current state was the knowledge deep within me that I am a product of a rich heritage and proud people. 

My wish for this school is that it provides our youth with the roots they need to excel in any culture. Our future students will learn the best elements of our culture. They will also be academically and socially equipped to succeed in the modern world. Our kids will realize there are no limitations in their achievements and the sky is the limit!!! 

I am so proud of our Pacific Island people and the movement that is happening. As a dear friend told me today, "We may not be rich and be able to leave our children trustfunds and estates but we will leave them is our legacy!!". Our culture and love for family is our legacy. We truly are a blessed people that have so much to offer the world. We are on the rise and we must keep on moving!!!