You grew up watching The Rock on WWE. Your partner finds Jason Momoa attractive. You just learned how to pronounce Taika Waititi. Despite the rise in visibility of AAPI communities in recent years, PI communities continue to go unseen, unheard, and underrepresented. As a result, deep structural inequities persist that manifest as economic injustice, disproportionate health risks, lack of political representation, barriers to educational access, and more. As we navigate PI narratives and identities together, participants will (1) increase their awareness around NH/PI communities and (2) gain an understanding of cultural values.
About Our Presenter
Estella Owoimaha-Church, M.A. is the first-generation of her family born on Tongva Land (for now known as Los Angeles). While identifying as an Angeleno, deeply connected to the lands that raised her, Estella’s roots burrow deep beyond the asphalt of South Central L.A.. Her maternal grandparents are from the villages of Satufia of Savai’i and Saleilua of Upolu, Samoa; her paternal grandparents are from Calabar, Cross River, Nigeria. She transitions into the role of Executive Director at Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC) post nearly two decades of service as an educator. Estella was the first Samoan to be named a finalist for the Global Teacher Prize in 2018 and awarded California Theatre Teacher of 2020. As a Black-Pacific Islander (PI), mother to a Black-PI child, and eldest sister of two Black-PI young men, she holds dear her responsibility to serve generations of past, present, and future. So long as she is capable, Estella will advocate for all those who look like her, step up as co-conspirator for others in the margins, and forge clear paths for young people where there once were none.
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#AAPIHeritageMonth #PacificIslander #CulturalAwareness #CommunityVisibility #InclusionMatters #RepresentationMatters #PIIdentity #CulturalValues #SocialJustice
