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UTOPIA Blog (page 2)

The Virtuous Mother: Coping with grief and the loss of a mother during the COVID-19 pandemic

Posted on: January 5, 2022 Last updated on: January 5, 2022 Written by: Jaron Goto Categorized in: Fofola lē fala
COVID-19 Message from our resident Fofola le Fala blog author:  The COVID-19 Pandemic has had devastating effects on the Pasifika / Pacific Islander community. I will never forget the overwhelming waves of…
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Forever Young: Revisiting the Life & Death of Shalimar Seiuli

Posted on: December 17, 2021 Last updated on: December 17, 2021 Written by: Jaron Goto Categorized in: Fofola lē fala
The first time I saw Shalimar, I was in our living room watching the live broadcast of the 1994 Miss American Samoa pageant. The spotlight gleamed and the cameras zoomed in as…
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Remembering Alana Kela…nearly 30 years later her murder remains a mystery

Posted on: November 30, 2021 Last updated on: December 17, 2021 Written by: Jaron Goto Categorized in: Fofola lē fala
As the spotlight beams on her face, her eyes light up! The glistening of her sun-kissed brown skin glows, as delicate tropical flowers dangle from her hair. As Loyal Garner’s “E Ku’u Morning…
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Victor Rodger: Storyteller of our stories on stage and screen

Posted on: November 9, 2021 Last updated on: December 17, 2021 Written by: Jaron Goto Categorized in: Fofola lē fala
In 2014, Victor Rodger was writing a play based on the life of Shalimar Seiuli. Shalimar is perhaps one of Samoa’s most well-known, albeit tragic, Fa’afafine stories. Her untimely death, shrouded in…
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On my own: Memoirs of a Leitī

Posted on: October 12, 2021 Last updated on: December 17, 2021 Written by: Jaron Goto Categorized in: Fofola lē fala
The first time I met Sedrick Vanisi was in 2010, I was enthralled by his exquisite sense of humor all wrapped up in his graveled voice, warm persona, and an all-around pleasant…
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Fa’afafine Pioneer: the story of Dr. Vena Sele

Posted on: September 28, 2021 Last updated on: September 28, 2021 Written by: Jaron Goto Categorized in: Fofola lē fala
Dr. Talitigā Vena Sele Her name itself has come to represent a symbol of excellence and unparalleled success, breaking boundaries for the Fa’afafine community. Vena was the first open Fa’afafine woman to…
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I’m still here: trials, lessons and triumphs of a lifelong champion.

Posted on: August 31, 2021 Last updated on: September 1, 2021 Written by: Jaron Goto Categorized in: Fofola lē fala
The city of San Francisco is beloved for its steep rolling hills, cable cars and the Golden Gate Bridge. It is a Historic place deeply rooted with liberal attitudes and the rise…
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My father calls me Tiare. My mother calls me Benjamin.

Posted on: August 3, 2021 Last updated on: August 3, 2021 Written by: Jaron Goto Categorized in: Fofola lē fala
Tiare has been interviewed by many publications and magazines through the years but always on some exploited story on fa’afafine life that took her views out of context. This is the first…
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Miss Sina Sison

Posted on: July 20, 2021 Last updated on: July 20, 2021 Written by: Jaron Goto Categorized in: Fofola lē fala
The life of an activist and advocate from Hotel Street on Oahu, to Hollywood, CA & New York City.  Without a doubt, she is a woman who has persevered through many struggles and is alive…
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Sepia toned photo of Tanya with quaffed hair, gold hoops and a pink shimmer lip.

Showgirl to Pioneer: The story of Samoa’s Legendary Fa’afafine Trailblazer.

Posted on: July 6, 2021 Last updated on: July 9, 2021 Written by: Jaron Goto Categorized in: Fofola lē fala
The Islands of Samoa in its majestic beauty, ancient past and charming Polynesian smiles has enchanted people for over a century. The capital of Apia is the center of numerous historical events,…
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Cultivating Pathways Together Since 2009

We at UTOPIA Washington acknowledge that we live and work on the traditional lands of the First Nations People, and that our offices are located on the unceded ancestral lands of the Duwamish people. A people that are still here, continuing to honor and bring to light their ancient heritage.


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