MENTOR & MENTEES

On Friday, September 24, 2010 in Carson, California was our first meeting with our mentors. We started the day with eating lunch and then came introductions. After the mentees finished with talking about what they had done during PIPELINE's internship during the summer; the mentors introduced themselves next. We have a very diverse group of mentors ranging from Community Activitists to Executive Directors of a Non-profit organization. Even though I knew pretty much everyone there I get the chance to finally work with some of the mentors that I chose and I'm really excited because I get to network with them in a more professional level. It's a great opportunity for me and I know that I will enjoy working with them.

OCAPICA DINNER

Thursday evening started a little rocky because Kuuipo, Sani, and I went to the wrong location for the dinner but we found our way to the right place. As we arrived to OCAPICA's annual dinner, we saw many familiar and new faces gathering at an event dedicated to OCAPICA and their work for the community. We met the board members of OCAPICA and learned about the many things that OCAPICA has offered to Asian-American and Pacific Islanders community. It felt real good to meet other people from different projects within OCAPICA. The dinner ended with a Tongan number done by Caroline Sina Fifita with many of her supporters along her side. It was a remarkable event.

First day of work!

Tuesday, Aug.3rd marks the first day working with Dr. Krochalk.
It went pretty well. I wished me and Sani stayed longer but next time. Anyways, it was really good to see my researcher again. I met her at the Carson hearing and it was really nice to touch basis with her face-to-face. I got the chance to talk to her about the things me and Sani already learned about during the workshops we had at OCAPICA. Dr. Krochalk took Sani and I out to a Japanese restaurant so that we can try something new rather than what we usually eat which was ISLAND food. The treat was on Dr.Krochalk and I really appreciated the hospitality she shown us. I look forward to work with her next Tuesday and I'm already excited on the project that Sani and I will be working on in a few days.

PI Hearing in Carson

It was a Friday on a sunny day in the city of Carson. Most of the interns showed up to a community hearing for the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Community. We had representatives behalf of the the Pacific Islander community talking about the issues that we face today and they were urging changes to be done by the legislative in Sacramento. It was really interesting to hear about the many issues we had in our community and I could relate to it because some of the many concerns the representatives had, was the very things that I grew up to or struggled through as well. I loved the way everyone from community activists to the people from the people in Sacramento actually showed up and how we came together in one room to try to gain a understanding on both sides. I was really grateful to have experienced this. We, the interns, as they said, are the products of change in the effort they are showing to the commissioners that we are doing our part in the community and that we want them to do the same.

It was good to hear the many voices of my people voicing their opinions. I hope that I can live to see changes being done i our community as we voiced our concerns and a cry for help to the people in the legislative system. It reminds me of what our rep. Tana Lepule said about how our ancestors were the ones who paved my peoples' way to get where we are. I know that anything is POSSIBLE when we have faith.

2nd Day of Workshop

The 2nd day of workshop was really good. We learned more in details about the different kinds of research we will work on with our researchers we will be assigned to work with this year. I learned the difference between quantitative and qualitative research and how and when we will use these kinds of methods during our research. I also learned so much from I guest speaker,Dr. SoraPark Tanjansir, who spoke behalf what she was currently working on. I really enjoyed the way she taught and like the way she showed us the resources to help us with a research article that we will possibly have to learn to summarize. We completed a worksheet that she gave us and it really helped us how a one-page article summary will have to look like if we were asked to fulfill this task. I can't wait to work with my researcher.

PELE at SNNA

First day of Workshops

Friday, July 16 was the day everyone had to go to OCAPICA for our first workshop. I learned a lot from this workshop. I learned that I can start from the bottom and make your way on top. For instance, today we talked about how we can work as a nursing assistant and still have time to work our way to the top to become an RN nurse or even a Physician. I even learned that we can get benefits from working in the medical field rather than being a cashier, waitress, etc. I know that Pacific Islanders are what the Medical Field needs because who knows more about our Pacific Islanders better than us? We do. We can advocate for our Pacific Islander communities and what we need. I know that we can be more than security guards, cashiers, truck drivers, etc. I also know that we can go to school and still be able to work if we just manage the time that we have. I am very optimistic of what the group of girls that I am part of this year can do.