NPIEN Celebrates Asian & Pacific Islander Heritage Month

The National Pacific Islander Educator Network (NPIEN), in recognition of the Asian & Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and NPIEN's 10th Anniversary, embarked on a most ambitious tour of schools, featuring a variety of Guest Speakers and Mentors from the Pacific Islander Community. Due to underrepresentation of Pacific Islanders in many professional fields, the speakers often represented one of the only individuals in their respective fields of choice. The speakers included Brittany Noelani Valdez, USC Graduate student, Falanai Ala, Project Manager and Architect, Long Beach Unified School District,
Dr. Tagaloa-Tulifau, Podiatrist, Diana Faatai, Dean of Students, Carson High School, Meghan Blanco, Attorney, Renay Laguana, Counselor, Cypress College, Dr. Michael Perez, Professor, Cal State University, Fullerton, Mahonri Sapiga, Professor of Social Work, Cal State Dominguez Hills, Dr. Kalani Beyer, Dean, Pacific Oaks College, Pua Palei, Researcher, Long Beach Memorial Hospital, Maleine Manumaleuga, Hitachi Corporation, and Dr. Keith Camacho, Professor, UCLA. NPIEN Executive Director Dr. Victor Thompson and Board Member Falanai Ala also provided ukulele instruction. The schools served were Will Rogers Middle School, Lawndale, Lakewood High School, Davis Middle School, Roosevelt Middle School, and Dominguez High School, Compton, Stanford Middle School, Long Beach, California Academy of Math and Science, Carson, Paramount High School, Artesia High School, Prarie Vista Middle School, Hawthorne, Jordan High School, Long Beach, and Costa Mesa High School, Orange County, California, and Riley Elementary School, Lakewood. NPIEN thanks all of the mentors and schools for their participation.