Pacific Islanders Support Family Unification. by Manufou Liaiga-Anoa'i

The Arizona law, SB1070 is unacceptable. I am pleased with the courts decision to block provisions of the law and urge our communities to consider the integrity and dignity of families in the immigration debate.

As a native San Franciscan Pacific Islander and member of the Asian Pacific Islander (API) community, I stand in solidarity with those who are firmly opposed to SB 1070.

The law which went into effect on July 29, is temporarily blocked by a federal court judge. Provisions of the law which the courts found unconstitutional included Section II which requires police officers to question anyone who they “reasonably suspect” is undocumented by asking for their papers. This section of the law essentially criminalizes anybody that “looks” undocumented and relegating all minorities to a second-class status.

SB 1070 essentially tells immigrants and minorities that law enforcement cannot be trusted. My father, an immigrant veteran who served in the U.S. Armed Forces knows well what the responsibility of earned trust means, particularly public trust.

Equally important is how public trust is carried out and enforced by public servants who have that authority. Displaced authority, such as misleading the public in fear tactics and scapegoating others, pits neighbor against neighbor. It only results in increased animosity, resentment and hate towards a targeted group.

It is this kind of attitude that history has repeatedly judged as wrong. The kind of attitude that led the people to allow the annihilation and ethnic cleansing of an entire community. The kind of attitude that kept one racial group at the front of a bus and another at it's rear. The kind of attitude that imprisoned, punished and took many innocent lives in its wake.

The new Arizona law essentially repeats elements of world history. It repeats these horrific crime against humanity. It repeats the dismissal and disregard of human dignity.

SB1070 as originally proposed and passed into law by the state of Arizona gives officers unobstructed power to engage in racial profiling, where characteristics like language fluency, accent, style of dress, and the company that someone keeps are major factors in how the police decide if a person is suspected of being undocumented.

Albeit law enforcement are highly trained professionals, members of the API community continue to be victimized through racial profiling in today’s post-9/11 world. This section of SB 1070, barring the court injunction, would have undoubtedly exacerbate the problem and further marginalize all of us.

I feel a profound sense of duty to act on behalf of the Pacific Islander community to continue the fight against SB1070 as it is challenged in court. With over 260,000 Pacific Islanders in California and 12,000 in Arizona, we are a community at risk of being victimized.

We are raised with a strong cultural concept of community, belongingness, and keeping families together.

It is this attitude of acceptance that seeks to build bridges among our neighbors rather than destroy the communities we work hard to build. I am urging our Pasefika community, organizations and churches to join me and speak out against SB1070.


Manufou is a social services entrepreneur and long time community activist in the Pacific Islander community.

Helen Thomas: The witchhunt on Journalists

Modern Censorship: the subtle yet constant and sophisticated manipulation of reality in our mass media outlets.

A sad day for women in media with today's retirement announcement of the legendary Helen Thomas over controversial remarks she made on Israel. Helen, a trailblazer for women's rights and media freedom is pushing 90. In spite of her apology, Helen's carreer has been destroyed with brutal public humiliation from the White House rebuking her statement. This bio that I am posting from Google's cache was pulled by the speakers bureau who cancelled her engagement and pulled all association with her from their website. Whether a slip of a journo's tongue or a desire to tell the truth, the power elite can destroy any one. We ♥♥ Helen!

The following is the full text of the Google Cache file that we dug up. It was featured on May 13,2010 by the American Entertainment International Speakers Bureau and deleted.

When we attempted to post the same cache file on Facebook, it was flagged as 'offensive' and therefore not eligible for posting. So, we are posting it here.

Helen Thomas bio, the full text from aeispeakers.com posted and deleted below:

Commonly referred to as "The First Lady of the Press," former White House Bureau Chief Helen Thomas is a trailblazer, breaking through barriers for women reporters while covering every President since John F. Kennedy. For 57 years, Helen Thomas also served as White House correspondent for United Press International. She recently left this post and joined Hearst Newspapers as a syndicated columnist.

Born in Winchester, Kentucky, Helen Thomas was raised in Detroit, Michigan where she attended public schools and later graduated from Wayne State University. Upon leaving college, Helen served as a copy girl on the old, now defunct Washington Daily News. In 1943, Ms. Helen Thomas joined United Press International and the Washington Press Corps.

For 12 years, Helen Thomas wrote radio news for UPI, her work day beginning at 5:30 a.m. Eventually she covered the news of the Federal government, including the FBI and Capitol Hill.

In November, 1960, Helen Thomas began covering then President elect John F. Kennedy, following him to the White House in January, 1961 as a member of the UPI team. It was during this first White House assignment that Thomas began closing presidential press conferences with "Thank you, Mr. President."

In September, 1971, Pat Nixon scooped Helen Thomas by announcing her engagement to Associated Press' retiring White House correspondent, Douglas B. Cornell at a White house party hosted by then President Nixon in honor of Cornell.

Helen Thomas was the only woman print journalist traveling with then President Nixon to China during his breakthrough trip in January, 1972. She has the distinction of having traveled around the world several times with Presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, and Clinton, during the course of which she covered every Economic Summit. The World Almanac has cited her as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in America.

Helen Thomas has written four books, including Thanks for the Memories Mr. President: Wit and Wisdom from the Front Row at the White House, Front Row at the White House: My Life and Times, and her most recent, Watchdogs of Democracy (2006).

Oceania Rise Up: We go to Arizona on May 29th

This is a call on all people of the Pacific diaspora, people of conscience across the country to join our brothers and sisters and converge on Arizona on May 29th.

Together we will march to Stop the Hate and demand that Obama issue an executive order nullifying SB1070. STOP THE HATE!!!

Let Us Show The World That We Won’t Stand For Hateful Laws And Attacks On Immigrants And People Of Color.

Background: The passage of SB 1070 by Governor Brewer sparked national outrage catalyzing a movement for immigrant rights and lending a sense of urgency to stop the hate and terrorizing of immigrants and people of color in Arizona and across the nation.

The Oceania contingent is partnering with ANSWERLA (a Los Angeles social justice organization); Puente (a human rights movement anchored in Phoenix) and NDLON (National Day Laborers Organizing Network) in calling for all people of conscience to converge on Arizona to Stop the hate on May 29th and demand President Obama take action to nullify this hateful law.

Demands:

We urge President Obama to:

1. Reassert the federal government's exclusive control over immigration law by making clear that state and local police do not have the inherent authority to enforce immigration law.
2. Immediately suspend and terminate all police-ICE partnerships, including 287(g) agreements and the so-called 'Secure Communities Initiative."
3. Direct the Department of Homeland Security to refuse to take custody of anyone charged with violating provisions of SB 1070.

Schedule of Events:

Friday, May 28th, Human Rights Festival at 8pm: music and art making for march.

Saturday, May 29th, Human Rights March, 8am gathering time: 5 mile long march converging at State Capitol. There will be live music at the beginning and end of march. Delegations from throughout the country and tens of thousands expected from the state. Local and national faith, human, civil, and labor leader speakers.
Background websites and articles:

Arizona Enacts Stringent Law on Immigration http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/24/us/politics/24immig.html?scp=1&sq=SB1070&st=cse

Arizona: The Wrong Answer
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/desmond-tutu/arizona----the-wrong-answ_b_557955.html

On the Eve of SB-1070’s Enactment: What Can President Obama Do? http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2010/04/24/arizona-sb1070-solutions/

Arizona tourism loses more business in wake of immigration law vote
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/12/AR2010051203317.html?hpid=topnews

Arizona immigration bill protesters arrested http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/azelections/articles/2010/04/20/20100420arizona-immigration-bill-protest20-ON.html

Sarah Palin calls women "Momma Grizzlies"

In an address to the Susan B Anthony List, last Friday, Sarah Palin said that the earliest leaders of the Women's Suffrage movement and feminist "foremothers" were pro-life advocates. A statement strongly disputed in a recent Washington Post op-ed by Ann Gordon and Lynn Sherr.

"For nearly 30 years, both of us have been immersed in Susan B. Anthony's words - Ann as the editor of Anthony's papers, Lynn as the author of a biography. We have read every single word that this very voluble - and endlessly political - woman left behind. Our conclusion: Anthony spent no time on the politics of abortion. It was of no interest to her, despite living in a society (and a family) where women aborted unwanted pregnancies."

Gordon and Sherr say that Sarah Palin is no Susan B. Anthony; claiming that the interpretations of Susan B. Anthony by the far right agenda is an "...erosion of accuracy in history and journalism."

What's scary about Sarah Palin is her latex appeal that's shiny, dramatic and skin-tight to self-help groups such as this and the friendly Tea baggers. Her tendency to 'Go Rouge' and sound the alarm for all mothers to hind-up like momma grizzly bears and protect their cubs and their homes feeds on everything but security.

Who in their 'Right' winged mind wouldn't believe Sarah anyway? Sarah with her fulltime mommy status and her fulltime advocacy plate. Of course she's the model American woman who can do it all. NOT!

Sarah's logic on liberty is for women to have as many babies as we want anytime we want. And if we cant handle it, give them to someone else. These are the 'common-sense' solutions she wants us to believe in. The simplification of the complex and rich diversity of our make-up and obligation as women.

Unless we speak out and against these fundamental crimes against women, Christian fundamentalists will continue to espouse their religious beliefs. This is the new face of oppression with its hues of scarlett blush. Do you not see the letter 'A' in this?

While motherhood is a beautiful thing that I highly recommend, arguably what nature intended for women; we were also given free will to choose that which is right or wrong for us as women. That is our RIGHT under the constitution of the United States. We cannot allow the Sarah's of this world to sell this message without consequences against all women.

I argue for protecting the process of choice and the right to decide. These are the civil rights that Susan B. Anthony and pioneers of the suffrage movement were persecuted for. This is the pathway that she envisioned for women to enter into consciousness and unbiased truth-telling, free of guilt-laden rhetoric and God-fearing gimmicks.

We do not have to overthrow a woman's right to self in these phony movements full of hype, superficial rouge and maternal callings. A woman's first obligation is to love and appreciate herself in order to fully love and appreciate others. The making of a young girl into a woman is a delicate and complex process that is not as simple as Sarah would want us to believe. Society does not allow for this process without persecuting the female psyche.

Nature intended for us to be girls before we become women. It is that process of coming of age and becoming women that is heavily suppressed in the game of politics. The Susan B Anthony that I studied, read about and admire is certainly not the anti-woman, anti-choice heroine that Palin wants me to believe.

History tends to repeat itself if we don't fact-check; if we believe the 'anything Sarah says goes' hype, if we're not actively listening for falsehoods, purposely engaged in critical analysis. At the very least, we must speak out against the obstruction of one's right to choose. Whether that choice is for life, marriage, education, immigration, healthcare; that's a Constitutional right.... We have the right to CHOOSE! And its worth calling out all these anti-agents against us.

The offering of a TAUTAI

Here they are, gracing my blog this morning are the 7 Tautai of Pele: the sorority of Oceania. Reflecting on the journey of these remarkable young ladies and particularly of this Mana-fied image taken the evening of May 14th, 2010, on the Hinas cross-over.

We are at the foot of the Pacific ocean, asking permission of Tagaloa the God of our forefathers. Tagaloa accepts the offering of the Tautai and bless their lifelong 'faiva' commitment to serve. The daughters of Oceania feel the weight of the sand between their toes and know that each grain represents the sacrifice that lies ahead for them. They listen to the soft purr of the wind and are reminded of their aerodynamic strength when in unison. They are ignited by the flame of love and intensity as daughters of PELE, the Goddess of Fire.

The birth of PELE's first line of Tautai, masters of the sea and guardians of our people takes its mark in the history of Oceania.

May the blessings, love and hope of our Ancestors be upon you always Tautai of Pele.

In this picture from L-R are Tautai Joycelyn Faasee, Tautai Lemasani Vaafuti, Tautai Evelyn Suai, Tautai Nikki Matautia, (me) Pele Mentor: Val LiHang Jacobo, Tautai Melerelini Letuli-Ioane, Tautai Angel Fa'amausili, Tautai Faaputu Vaafuti. Photo taken by Pele Mentor, 'Amelia Niumeitolu.

Strike while the C17 iron's still hot!

In an unprecedented sentiment to these tough economic times, 1700 Boeing employees walked off the plant on May 10th. The largest employer in Long Beach takes its place among corporate America Goliaths under severe public scrutiny.

"We will stay as long as we need to out on the streets, said Adrian Roddie of Gardena California. This is our first strike in over 24 years; as long as I've been here, we have never had to walk out of our job."

Boeing and UAW Local 138 negotiators failed to reach a concensus on health benefit premium increases, the apparent reason for the strike. This has forced many off the job and seeking financial assistance from the UAW Strike fund.

"It isn't much, added Roddie, but it's something to get my family by while I fight for their heathcare."

Strike orders have been released to 1700 employees to meet today on the picket line. On the website, instructions to employees to file for Unemployment insurance has also begun.

"We just want fair wages and benefits," said Lakewood resident Anthony Valentino who joins fellow union members to picket on the corner of Wardlow and Cherry Ave in Long Beach. We will be here around the clock.

The Long Beach community is encouraged to come out and talk to the union workers. Listen to their stories, learn how this strike affect families and what this means for our city. We welcome any report backs to local media. As always your views and opinions are welcomed here.

ΡΣΓΣ: The Sorority of Oceania, a sustainable and hopeful future.

Six months ago, a few college students approached us for help. The ask was to create a space that would embrace their heritage, expand their college experience and transform their lives.

The result was the formation of a sisterhood/sorority, a first of its kind for Pacific Island students. We facilitated a series of meetings to discuss process and direction; allowed for the students to contribute, craft and steer the direction of their organization. These series of meetings birthed the organization of PELE: The sorority of Oceania. (ΡΣΓΣ: Rho Sigma Gamma Sigma)

Over the course of a 7 week pledge process, 7 young women (Hinas) competed in the following criteria:

1. Pacific Studies education: Immersion in a crash course of reading material which include top Pacific scholars, artists and progressive thinkers such as Epeli Hau'ofa, Teresia Teaiwa, Albert Wendt, Sia Figiel, TuiAtua Tupua Tamasese. Hinas presented papers and have had rigorous discourse on historical and current issues affecting the Pacific region and its people on island and in the diaspora.

2. Launched a climate change campaign to promote recycling. Carried oversized bags/decorated purses across their respective campus for the entire pledge season and talk to other students about the campaign. Hinas were responsible for taking recyclables weekly and banking receipts for their recyclables. Fundraiser Goal: $200.00/person

3. Planned and executed a print-media campaign to raise awareness of Pacific Islands issues such as climate change and its affect on sinking islands. Pele made frontpage news in the CSULB Daily 49er newspaper on Earth Day, April 22, 2010.

4. Spearheaded a global reach to Pacific regional partners and built a network of support for education with new partners such as YPCN: The Young People's Concerned Network a pro-democracy grassroots network.

5. With the help of brother organization TOA: Tau Omega Alpha, the fraternity of Oceania, PELE Raised US $1100.00 for Fiji students displaced by Cyclone Thomas which devasted several islands and damaged schools. The money raised will go towards the purchase of stationary and textbooks for 5000 students.

6. Hina's presented papers at a panel on climate change and global warming awareness for Earth Day 2010.

7. Created new media presentations (photoessays, film, etc) and expand social-media marketing (Facebook, twitter) to present individual and collective ideas.

8. PELE participated in community solidarity rallies/protests: Anti-Nazi Rally 4/27/10, and May Day Immigration rally 5/1/10,

9. Each member continuing to build on a geneological family tree that dates back a minimum of 4 generations.

We are very proud and pleased to present to the community PELE's first seven TAUTAI/Sea Empress:
Angel Fa'amausili (CSULB); Monique Mata'utia (CSULB); Melerelini Letuli-Ioane (LBCC); Lemasani Va'afuti (LBCC); Faaputu Va'afuti (CSULB); Evelyn Suai (LBCC); Jocelyn Faasee (CSULB).

You can expect any PELE member who has earned the title of TAUTAI/Sea Empress to be ready to serve our community from the knowledge gained from this enhanced college experience along with the power they inherited from the Oceanian ancestory.

Our Tautai/Sea Empresses, the guardians of Oceania will be crowned today with the PELE arsenal of: fire, water, wind, and earth.

We could not have done this without the love and support of our community.

In Mana and Gratitude.

A mother's day is every day.

It never ceases to amaze me how we enjoy our holidays as Americans. Take Mothers Day for example, it's celebrated with so much pomp and circumstance, flowers on every street corner and chocolates in--your-face galore. I'm at the point where I'm tempted to call it 'Buy a red rose for five bucks from the freeway street vendor, then surprise the woman who nurtured or gave life to you, because you cant think of anything else to get her' Day.

That would probably be more appropriate with such emphasis on commercialization; and such absent-minded nonchalant ways 'grown-ups' seem to acknowledge their mothers.

The exploitation of a consumer-frenzy society has caused so much damage on our family-life. This unsympathetic, unapologetic approach to what is supposed to be a special day is bereft of compassion. It's become a rat race for 'whatever' and burdensome for others. And on the day of, some even go as far as waiting for the drive to their mom's to pick something up along the way. So why even bother?

Mothers Day should be every day, in thought, in spirit... in small acts of kindness. We represent our mothers every day in every thing we do. I know I do, and my mama wouldn't have me 'acting up' any other way. Childrens Day is every day to a mother; something that I am very conscious of as a daughter.

I feel my mother's embrace when I want comfort. I hear her voice when I need counsel. I see her smile, when I seek validation. I taste her cooking when I am hungry. I often get 'mom-sick' and off I go to see her at her home in Long Beach. And often, it's every day of the week.

I celebrate my mother, Masele To'omalatai LiHang with every breath I take, 365 days a year. If I can be half the mom that she was and continues to be for me, I'd be a sweet ass mutha.

Gracing my blog today are my mom shown here with her beautiful sisters who I also acknowledge as shaping my womanhood. From left to right: Aunty Elisa To'omalatai Atuatasi, my mother Masele To'omalatai LiHang and Aunty Luisa To'omalatai Iereneo.

Ia manuia le Aso o Tina. Happy Mothers Day.

Feliz Cinco De Mayo

Today in downtown Los Angeles, the historic Olvera district will be filled with hundreds grubbing on mole and getting their mariachi-on. As much as we enjoy these festivities, so should we celebrate the spirit of the underdog. Some say the Mexicans were outnumbered by the French imperialists by some 4000 soliders centuries ago on this day. That battle on the banks of Pueblo reclaimed Mexico's resistance to colonialism and set the path for its independence. This is the Cinco de Mayo Los Angeles should be celebrating and this is the resistence that we took part in over the weekend on May Day.

On Saturday, May 1st, the potholes of Broadway from Olympic to Temple, a 4 mile stretch was covered with a sea of red, white and blue. Waving banners and flags from nations across the globe came 350,000 people who marched to the federal immigration building in downtown.

Oceangeles proudly waived its brown, black and gold tapa-immitation flag adorned by Easther Mulipola, Linnie Mulipola, Amelia Niumeitolu and yours truly. We rallied with our friends from the Bus Riders Union. Chanted the ta-tolu mai war chant and choo-soo-soo'ed our way down Broadway as part of the resistance.

Today, I am reminded of the Arizona SB1070 draconian law. I celebrate the resistance against the racial apartheid that divides and conquers immigrants. Oceangeles stands in solidarity with the Revolucion. We own Los Angeles. This is our America!

Resist Racism! Resist Apartheid. Fight back!

Racists Go Home!

Racists Go Home! from Val LiHang Jacobo on Vimeo.

Aint it great to be able to produce a film using a single Olympic 10 megapixel digital camera. That's the spirit of the solidarity movement: Being present and using any means possible to show love and support.

What's significant about this film isn't so much the 18 neo Nazi's who showed up in LA on the weekend of their convention, but the audacity of hate groups to spew their racism in the cloak of the first Amendment.

Since the election of Barack Obama in the White House, there has been a massive explosion of extremist groups all across America; revitalizing anti-government militia groups.

The most dangerous of them all, with supporters such as Sarah Palin and her outlandish and disgusting statements is the Tea-Party movement. Such misguided and misleading propaganda plays on the emotional vulnerabilities of Americans who may truly care about their country. But with the majority of this movement being white Americans, you cant ignore deep seeded racism that fuels their restoration dogma.

The America that the Tea Party wants back is the America pre-Obama. So the Tea-Baggers can say it aint about race all day long, but we'll call a spade a spade and we'll be damned if we let history repeat itself.

We will not go down without a fight! We will stand up for Americans of all color and background. We will stand in solidarity against HATE!

Nazis: Get out of Los Angeles!

Too often, the struggle against racism is presented as an abstract undertaking, a matter of blatant attack rather than a furtive system of discrimination.

But in Miguel Fuentes’ world, on April 17, 2010, racism was as real as the tree lined park that shaded the arrival of the barefaced National Socialist Movement (NSM), the longest running white supremists neo-Nazi group in U.S. history.

As obvious as the swastika that bejeweled the metal shields of the militant force of about 50 or so white supremists was, Miguel remained bewildered by a city permit process which allowed the NSM to not only march and amplify their hate sermons, but also expend hundreds and thousands of tax payer dollars to protect them. Like many other protestors, that didn't make much sense to Miguel.

As Miguel biked around a crowd of hundreds of Los Angeles counter protestors, attempting to catch a glimpse of the neo-Nazis, he stopped to talk to us and give an urgent message to youth of America to wake up to racism and fight back.

“We’re all people, the human race… you know the Nazi scum, they’re ignorant, like, why do you they want to come, come to LA.”

To youth, 18 year old Miguel says, “You gotta educate yourself. Don’t be ignorant. We have to live in harmony… Without harmony there is no peace.”

Over 200 Los Angeles Police Department officers in full riot-gear faced off with Miguel and a crowd of angry protesters armed with the occasional egg and rock and setting off a cheer from the crowd at each release.

There was a smorgasbord of signs that read “No Nazi scum in L.A.” “United Against Racism” and “END RACISM, this is OUR City” and many more that created a human chain of written word and an assembly line of community activists.

The white supremists, oblivious to the mob of protestors while spewing their hate were drowned out by the sea of demonstrators, shouting through blow-horns and to the top of their lungs.

Chant: “Up up up with the people. Down, down, down with the Nazis”
Chant: “The people united, will never be defeated.”

One by one, NSM speakers took to the podium. Poised by unwavering “Sieg Heils” the speakers amplified their racist promotion of anti-immigrant, anti-Semitic and misogynistic epithets

Barring ignorance or perhaps the most misguided and erroneous source of information, one speaker turned on immigrants for stealing jobs and committing crimes.

While free speech continues to be exploited by certain groups to exercise hatred and racism, we believe in Miguel's message to focus our energy on building our political capital.

The NSM was granted a permit by the City of Los Angeles to use the south lawn of city hall for its demonstration. By strengthening and sustaining political capital, the community coalition against the neo-Nazi’s can push for reforming the permit approval process. Sounds like something quite doable in detering the rise of hate groups and as such, reduce the rise of existing hate crimes against our communities.

The Samoan vote in Long Beach.

What's clear and present for the future of Long Beach, CA is bold leadership that is inclusive of the diverse voice of community.

What better opportunity for the community to be heard than on election day, any election day for that matter. Sad is the case for over 4 million residents of Long Beach, who continue to allow less than 10% of its electoral to determine this city's future.

The Samoan engagement

In a study conducted by Long Beach ICO in conjunction with Tafesilafa'i Inc, of Samoans living in Long Beach, only a third of them (95) were registered to vote. Of the registered voters, only 9 of them were frequent voters and 38 infrequent voters. The study found that 51% of the registered voters never bothered to vote and 5% voted absentee ballot in at least one of these elections. This meant that of the 7,200 Samoans living in the city of Long Beach only 0.0013% of Samoans meaningfully participate in the electoral process.

In 2009, Reverand Dr. Misi Tagaloa upon the insistence of a community coalition threw his hat in a special election to replace outgoing long standing council-member Bonnie Lowenthal in the first district. Running on the premise of simply defying the odds stacked against him, Misi boldly went where no other Samoan has gone. His campaign slogan, "Voice of the Voiceless" whom most of the organized labor unions were oblivious to and politics as usual were not ready for. Funded and operated entirely by community volunteers, and PacBiz: The Association of Pacific Islander businesses and Professional pro-bono services; the community launched a landmark campaign.

The 'Go Misi' campaign, had the least name-recognition but outweighed other campaigns by over 500,000 lbs of food. Yielding zero-sum contributions from any organized labor or corporation, Go-Misi banked over 500 trained volunteers and organizations of Samoan, Tongan, Chamorro descent to phone-bank, read district maps, follow scripts, table debates, hold rallies, fundraise, canvass odds/even, stay on target and learn the ropes of running a campaign office.

The Go-Misi camp had its own celebrities. Flying in from American Samoa, was Governor Togiola and from Washington DC, Congressman Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin to one of several community fundraisers, which raised thousands at a time.

While then Senator Obama was campaigning on the streets of Alabama, the Go-Misi camp, were canvassing Long Beach, Compton, Carson and Lynwood putting up Go-Misi lawn signs and talking up Long Beach.

Today, Long Beach is set to elect or reelect it's mayor. Five of nine districts seats are up for grabs, including the city attorney, prosecutor and auditor slots.

The polls are open today from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. for Long Beach voters who have not already cast mail-in ballots in the city's primary election.

Of course in this great city of ours, elections are usually quite predictable. It's never the little-guy, who toils away on a small street corner nourishing the souls of hundreds. It's never the one whose name is known only to those who come three times daily for a warm meal.

Reaffirming that democracy is never a spectator sport, the Go-Misi camp leveraged the battle for a seat to engage in protest and dissent.

As strategic as we were as advisors to the candidate, Misi often argued for the will of the community. To my daily chagrin, his vision wasn't to takeover a council seat, but to take on the war against families: the poverty-stricken, pink-slip looming, children-left behind kind. The one's who continue to hide in the shadows of this self-boasting "International city"

Go Misi was about illuminating the immigrant experience, protecting the integrity of cultural values, expanding the realm of social justice beyond the pulpit and often fighting against our own complacency. Managing a campaign with over 500,000 bosses to answer to was not an easy feat. I would not wish those 8 months on anyone (kidding Misi).

Go Misi, had we won, would have thrived on building a symbolic table large enough for everyone to break bread.

Today, we rest our laurels on Robert Garcia this go around in the city. We trust our friend and comrade will continue to listen to the people of the first district as he has proven this past year.

Polls are still open for us Long Beach. Get out the Vote!

Strumming to the "Fast talking PI"

Sounding the pulse of the new cool and hip comes the so-2010 stirring provocations of Selena Tusitala Marsh. This Samoan college professor turned lyricist debunks the boring history and lecturn-style literature as she ignites us with the awakening of Pacific greats in lyrics as refreshing as ice cold lemonade in a Palm Desert heat-wave.

"The Nafanua, stiloetted, faafafine, girl in the moon circle, no shoe fits the foot of an earth-mama, you and you deported, breaking water, loose knot, wild-dog under my skirt, native daughter... PI" kinda provocation that makes you wanna bust open a fire hydrant and do the cha-cha on the streets of L.A.

In an unprecedented style, Marsh reclaims the voice of Samoan warfare in poetry so captivating through this bold contemporary feminist beat of what feels like an exclusive undercurrent rush in the bluest hightide Pacific coral reef.

Samoana "Market baskets"

Short of sending back your Census form comes another pecker on American households called the Consumer Expenditure Survey (CE). But for the small business owner, the survey is a welcomed exchange.

So agrees Lemusu, owner of the Samoana Market in Long Beach. One of 3 Samoan food stores in the Los Angeles region.

"It'll be helpful for our management team to know spending habits of our customers" says Lemusu.

This month (April, 2010), U.S. Census Bureau field representatives will collect information about how much Americans spend for groceries, clothing, transportation, housing, health care and other items from a sample of households across the country.

The CE program consists of two parts:
The Interview Survey — During the year, about 15,000 households will be interviewed each quarter to obtain data on relatively large expenditures and also those expenditures that occur on a regular basis (such as rent and utilities). The Diary Survey — During the year, another 12,500 households will be asked to keep two consecutive one-week diaries of smaller, more frequent purchases that may be difficult for respondents to recall later (such as a fast-food purchase at a drive-through window, a soda or candy bar from a vending machine, or a carton of eggs from the supermarket).

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics then calculates and publishes integrated data from the two surveys — providing a snapshot of our nation’s economy and spending habits. Government economists use the survey results to update a “market basket” of goods and services for the Consumer Price Index, our nation’s most widely used measure of inflation.

“Findings from the Consumer Expenditure Survey permit policymakers to assess the impact of governmental policy changes on spending patterns of different socioeconomic groups,” said George Grandy Jr., director of the Census Bureau’s Atlanta Regional Office. “These data also help business owners track consumer spending trends, so they can better respond to the needs of their customers.”

Before the CE interviews begin, households will receive a letter from the Census Bureau director informing them of their selection to participate in the survey. Census Bureau field representatives will visit these households to conduct the interview. The field representative conducting the CE interviews must display an official photo identification before proceeding with the interview. Federal law ensures survey respondents’ personal information and answers are kept confidential.

Until the survey results come out, I along with my kalo and palusami finger licking good friends, will be getting our fill at the Samoana market, heck, any market for that matter...as long as it's the 'lololo' good old fashioned Samoan kind.

Now that I'm back on Atkins, I'm putting a call out to all turkey tails and pork sausages.. Yo! You COUNT in my market basket!

Another big one for Samoa: Albert Wendt up for Award

Chatting with Albert
By Tupuola Terry Tavita

Talking to Albert Wendt is like indulging in fine tequila. Heavy on the lime, easy on the salt.

The man is a national treasure.

“Quite frankly, I find politics now quite boring,” he cuts in abruptly as I try to engage him in political yarn.

Afterall, he was a very outspoken political commentator back in the 1970s, while editing and writing for the Samoa Times.

“At my age, the only thing that holds any real importance, is family. I try to come back to Samoa as often as I can.”

So what started off as an interview played out as a Sunday morning conversation with undoubtedly Samoa’s most celebrated poet-novelist. Interviews are demeaning for a person the intelligence and stature of Albert. Not only because he is not a question-and-answer person but that he prefers to engage his, well, companion.

Even calling this unpretentious man ‘professor’ has a pretentious ring to it. I just called him Albert.

So I put down my reporter’s pen and put away my notepad – and set of questions – to engage in a strolling conversation with this scholarly hero of many.

Inevitably, our chat ambled to his latest novel – The Adventures of Vela is a verse novel that reads like an Illiad - that deals with that touchy issue of religion.

“Samoan history starts when the missionaries arrived. There is this hesitancy to speak of our pre-Christian history. Especially our pre-Christian gods and worship. We cannot deny our children the right to know about that history. Young Samoans oversees are thirsting for that historical knowledge.”

To dismiss Albert as a heretic is way too simple. Though he did not say it - and I did not push his personal convictions – he comes across as more of a critic of organised church as an institution. In particular - the cultural paternalism and exclusiveness of the historicism inherent in its teaching.

“We were a godly people before Christianity arrived. We’ve always had priests. The missionaries did not teach us to love. We’ve always had love long before the missionaries arrived.”
So what are you advocating? I asked.

“I’m not advocating anything. And I’m certainly not advocating any mass conversion. I’m simply pointing out that we should not be ashamed nor afraid to talk about our ancient past. And there’s lots of lessons we can learn from the ancient past. Because religion then was not something you can separate. It formed people’s belief systems, how, when and where they travelled, their economic activity, how they interacted as a society and especially, their relationship with the environment.”

Vela has already scooped the Commonwealth Asia-Pacific top award. It is now up for Commonwealth Best Book to be decided by an international panel this week in New Delhi.

FASCINATION
Growing up in Samoa, Albert muses, much of his early fascination with history was incited by his story-teller grandmother Mele.

“I was lucky I was taken under the wing of my 90-year-old grandmother. In front of people she would never indulge in that sort of ancient speak. But once everyone leaves, boy can she spin a yarn. She was happy to impart those stories because she knows I held a particular interest. So are many of our old people. But mind you, every year their numbers are diminishing and we need to carry forward that precious knowledge.”

Albert is not a person who likes to talk about himself.
Instead he’s mastered that Samoan art of deflecting attention, and praise, to others. God or in this case, the Head of State.

He describes his old friend as a man of “great intellectual curiosity”.
“He’s a true scholar of Samoan culture and history and brings a whole new dimension to the Head of State’s office. He knows his literature because he lives it.”
At 72 and ‘retired’, Albert has weathered well.
Bar the shock of grey hair, he looks fit with the twinkle of the well-traveled and the thinking man’s pensive poise.

He’s been away for over thirty years – teaching at the USP Suva, at Auckland University culminating with a stint as chair of at the University of Hawaii.

So is there a chance of taking up a post at the National University? That institution could surely do with someone of Albert’s stature to lift its profile. He respectfully takes a sidestep.

“I live in Ponsonby now with my partner Reina. We write and we paint. That’s where everything is happening…where Samoans are achieving in sports, in politics, in the arts and recently, in business.”

And what is his next offering?

“I’m working with some people in Hollywood. I cannot divulge any more than that as there are contractual agreements being arranged.”

And he’s also finding inspiration away from his work. Rugby and Albert make for an odd couple.
“I’ve been following the success of our Manu Samoa sevens team very closely. It’s good for the country, a good morale boost.”

And as he seems to be taking it easy late in his writing career, another Wendt meanwhile is quickly making a name for herself in Pacific literature circles. Writer Lani Wendt-Young is a niece of Albert’s.

“I’m certainly looking forward to reading her work on the tsunami.”

Ms Wendt-Young is compiling personal accounts of those affected by the September tsunami. Winner of the National University of Samoa short story competition she’s also published in collections out of New Zealand and Australia.


Oceangeles is proud to present the writing of Tupuola Terry Tavita. He is the editor in chief of the 'Savali' the official Government of Samoa publication. Find him on Facebook.

Albert Wendt up for Commonwealth best book award.

Nafanua dead in Vela’s verse
By Tupuola Terry Tavita

What do you get when you run a salami western through the print machine?

A novel that has its moments.

Albert Wendt’s latest offering – the Adventures of Vela- has its moments. A precious few.

In all honesty, I didn’t like it.

It’s too dark and brooding for my taste. Too heavy on obscenities – palagi obscenities that is – the graphically obscene, the perversely sadistic and the profane.

Reading, well flipping through the pages of this verse novel, I was trying to figure out what sort of people would enjoy this sort of writing. Probably frustrated palagis struggling with their inner demons. The sort of people who hand out book awards.
In the back cover, Vela is described as a “Pacific epic…stretching from hundreds of years before the arrival of the Papalagi to the present day and fuses the great indigenous oral traditions of storytelling and Western poetry.”

I don’t know about Pacific epic, but Vela is certainly no Samoan epic. At least not the Samoa that I know of. And I can’t imagine your grandma telling you such stories. Vela more appropriately, is an Albert epic.

When the synopsis for Vela first came out, I was particularly interested in Wendt’s portrayal of the war princess Nafanua - a high point in Samoan ancient history.

My illusions were destroyed.

Wendt’s Nafanua is a seductive, scheming power-hungry wretch seething with penis-envy. From what I know, the ‘Tamaita’i’ (our Lady) only raised war to free the enslaved and only went to war when beseeched by paramount chiefs. She never kept any of the titles she won in battle.
The war at Lea’ea-i-Sisifo – which her chronicler Vela surprisingly fails to mention – best illustrates Nafanua’s quality.

“A pa’ia le pa i Fualaga sua le tuli aua le Alii-o-Aiga,” her mother Tilafaiga told the Lady before she set off for war. When you reach the pa at Fualaga, stop the killing in respect to my brother the Alii-o-Aiga who resides at Faiaai. The reference, not a title, to Sialiitu as the Alii-o-Aiga – which transliterates to ‘Prince of Families’ – is an indication of Sialiitu’s station in Nafanua’s family and the va tapuia between brother and sister.

Sure enough, Nafanua’s clubs were not wielded beyond Fualaga. But those of her companions Matuna and Matuna, with blood on their nostrils, did. So Nafanua turned her clubs on them.
“Ua ola i fale le laau a le Tamaitai.”

That even in the thick of battle, Nafanua stuck to her principles – in this case, respect for family.
I also seriously doubt seductress. Going by her heroics, she probably looked more Alafoti Faosiliva (no pun intended) than the reigning Miss Samoa. We all want our heroines to look like Xena Warrior Princess, but war – the bloody and brutal hand-to-hand face-to-club kind under the scorching sun Samoans engaged in in the distant past - is simply not good for the complexion.

And our Lady fought many wars.

Kidding aside. To be fair, Vela is a novel not a historical account. And I’m probably not the sort of person to comment on it. Though we all respect and appreciate his many achievements, admittedly, I am not a fan of much of Albert’s novels. And what you’re reading is not a book review. I lost interest and didn’t finish reading Vela’s verse. My feeble Christianized mind has developed an aversion - well, an abhorrence - for palagi, and Samoan, gutter language. Especially when used with such abandon. And from my Samoan perspective, I really don’t see the point in trying to intellectualize nor wax lyrical on Vela’s obscenity-laden vent, er, verse. I didn’t enjoy it. If anything, it’s very unSamoan.

Motivation and inspiration we all seek, is painfully lacking in Vela’s tortured soul eccentricity.

HOMER
I, like many, want to be entertained in my reading.

I love Homer’s Iliad. The prose, the heroics, the romance, the gallantry and the valor. Nothing wrong with that. Samoan ancient history, mind you, is peppered with the makings of classic epics. But I guess we’ll just have to wait for that next Samoan writer to write that Samoan epic we all been waiting for.

But back to Vela, I just don’t read to wallow in the mire of miserable characters and equally miserable plots. And all the characters in Vela – both human and non-human – are just plain miserable. Page after page they become predictably one-dimensionally miserable.
I like my poison to be heavy on the assumed and light on the narrative. Why I prefer Chinese cinema over diet Hollywood.

And if Samoan story-telling and oratory is anything to go by – a true novel in the Samoan vernacular is yet to be published – it would be along the same lines.

Rich in metaphor and allegory than the descriptive narrative. The colloquial less-is-more.
Ironically, the thrust of Vela’s verse perhaps best answers Albert’s riddle-in-the-cap (see interview on page 2). Of why so many quickly converted to Christianity when it arrived. Perhaps they were just fed up with wars, of incest, rape, animalism and all manners fetish Wendt so vividly describes.

Or perhaps they realized the futility of bowing down and paying homage to trees , rocks, insects, squiggly fish and the elements.

But most possibly, they’d come to identify more with the unassuming Jewish carpenter who championed the poor and the weak, healed the sick, raised the dead, turned the other cheek to his enemies and died on the cross for Vela and Auvaa’s sins.

Albert is correct in that you don’t have to be a Christian to know and practice love. But you also don’t have to be an edified ‘pagan’ to respect the environment. Those are universal values.
But Tagaloa and Nafanua still live. Not so much in Vela’s verse but in the traditions and culture of Samoa we practice every day. Every time you tip the ava cup, orate on the malae armed with staff and fue or a tufuga takes the au to virgin skin – they live.

Because they weren’t just deities we worshipped. They are part of our gafa, our aiga, our heritage. That part Wendt is spot-on right.

One of those few precious moments in Vela’s verse.

Oceangeles is proud to present the voice of Tupuola Terry Tavita. He is the editor in chief of the 'Savali' the official Government of Samoa publication. Find him on Facebook.

More of the " big f@#*ing" deal.

With approval ratings holding steady at 53% over the last few months, Obama continues to prevail with the people.

Even with a nation divided by his signature domestic accomplishment, the health care law, and Biden's "big f@#*ing deal" at-a-boy; this blog echoes the sentiment and thinks that putting Americans in control of their health care, is a big effing deal.

At Oceangeles, we believe that the fun has just begun. It is a big deal when $1 trillion dollars of federal funds will expand health coverage to 32 million Americans; cut the deficit by $143 billion over the next ten years; provide subsidies for families within 100-400% the Federal Poverty Level, and ensure seniors on Medi Care can afford prescription drugs.

Addressing a cheering crowd chanting "Yes we Can" at Maine on Thursday April 1st, 2010 (no joke here) President Obama in his opening remarks said "...after a century of trying and a year and a half of debate, heath insurance reform, last week, became the law of the land.

Yes we Can, and Yes we Did!

This blog believes that the will of the people will continue to prevail as we confront the realities of health care in America, and dispell the delegitimizing myths and propaganda around the new law. We look forward to following the President's campaign to the people during this massive health care overhaul.

According to the White House, small business with 25 or fewer employees with average annual wages of less than $50,000 will receive tax credits this year if they provide health care coverage to their workers. These credits are said to increase by 2014, with 4 million small businesses benefiting. By the way, there is no employer mandate, another big deal.

So what's in the horizon?

We look forward to participating in the debate for mandates that will expand coverage for the undocumented and a woman's reproductive rights. We see these two issues as the next big deal to watch for.


Photo Credit: CBS/AP

Scholastic helps Teach Census in Schools.

For the 7th Graders of Will Rogers Middle School, Lawndale, California who taught me a lesson.

Last week, I hauled my 'road-tour' technological media gig (that's code for slideshow) to Rogers Middle School to participate in their annual career day.

What I thought would be a ripe day to brainwash kids to consider entrepreneurship, turned out to be something quite the opposite.

In fact, all of the 120-7th graders when asked about Census, had no idea what it was let alone what it meant. All but two students that is, a bright African American boy and an astute Middle Eastern girl. The two knew it had something to do with counting people. I found myself dropping Val's propaganda (I'm joking) and opting for a civic lesson.

A promise to the kids that I would find a better tool for them to learn about Census began this hunt. I'm proud to announce that I found it kids, (one week later). I soon discovered that the tools were there all along on the Census.gov website. The same site that I frequent at least weekly. Shame on you Val...

Since Scholastic did a better job outreaching to me about their tools (credit Census.gov), I thought I'd feature Scholastic as the one-stop shop for teachers to teach Census to kids. All the tools comes courtesy of the It's About Us program, provided free by the U.S. Census Bureau. It customizes the reach to schools in the continental United States as well as territories such as American Samoa and Guam.

These lesson plans and classroom ideas are short and fun. They are sure to make students talk about getting counted in the 2010 Census. Find these cool resources on the Scholastic teaching page by clicking here:

SCHOLASTIC CENSUS TOOLS FOR TEACHERS

GO LETALIA GO!

Meet Letalia. A beautiful Samoan child from Laie, Hawaii and contestant for the new face of NEXT DIRECT.

I do not know her or her family but she looks like me and I'd love to see her gorgeous face on a mag any day.

Over then next 24 hours, you have a chance to help LETALIA win this contest.

A public vote (through FACEBOOK) will decide who gets to go to HOLLYWOOD in April.

Hurry, today's the only day. Voting closes 7am (ET) on March 18. Let viral this out.

Click or copy and past this link to vote for LETALIA!!

http://apps.facebook.com/next_direct/gallery/show_entry/44003

The magnitude of Census during an Earthquake

Abruptly stopped by a hard jolt this morning while online, I dropped a conversation and took cover. Immediately after the shake, I turned on the tv for the news. ABC eyewitness came on, reporting an earthquake in Pico Rivera, about 10 miles from me. Said it was a 4.4 magnitude at 4:04a.m. Rude awakening the 4.4 at 4:04 or merely a coincidence?

Ironically, I recalled posting an Earthquake Preparedness checklist on our Census Facebook Page earlier. It was a strategy for stressing the importance of sending back the forms. I ponder on whether fate timed the Census form in our hands with a shaker or whether its just all a coincidence?

Thoughts of heading out to a designated shelter, which I had not mapped out yet set off another alarm. What if the ceiling fan fell on my head and knocked me out? What if I got buried by the unsecured wall cabinet behind me? How would anyone know to find me and my family? How would search and rescue teams know how many of us were in this home? Was I really as ready as I thought I was.

Unfortunately for me, it was an embarassing No, Nope, Nada...not even close!

I live in Long Beach, a city that sits on an active fault, the San Andreas Fault (SAF). Out of sheer panic, I decided to redirect my work this morning towards a more deliberate preparedness plan. I suppose its the typical reaction of an under/unprepared Angelino in panic, but in my mind, I've been given another chance, so better late than never.

As reported on the SanAndreasfault.org website, the anatomy of the earthquake industry goes something like this. Geology and geophysics are the mechanics of it, done by those formally trained in these fields. Research and education is conducted by academic institutions while research and applied geology is done by government organizations.

The SAF, coincidentally, is a whole body of knowledge devoted to just the science and study of the fault. I found the US Geological Survey's website and spent a few hours navigating and reading. I found it to be quite impressive. It was interactive with cool learning and interactive tools for and about everything earthquake country.

I signed up for live earthquake alerts and found out that 442 of the 795 earthquakes recorded by the live seismic map in the US occurred in and around the San Andreas fault. That's 795 earthquakes this past week alone and 61% happening under my feet. An OMG moment and definitely a reality check for checking the checklist again.

And getting back to the magnitude of Census when it comes to earthquake country. If the big one does hit our communities, federal dollars to rebuild schools, roadways, hospitals and restore our lives back to normal would be allocated based on our numbers and need. This means our Census count has a significant impact on these emergency disasters. Translation: More People = more $$$$

So, as you muster over finding that darn form that came in the mail yesterday, lets do our community service duty today and spend 10 minutes answering those 10 questions. Then drop it in the mail, postage paid.


EARTHQUAKE CHECKLIST

battery-powered flashlights and lanterns battery-powered AM/FM radio or television spare batteries extra change of clothes sturdy shoes with thick soles extra prescription medicines complete first-aid kit matches (stored in waterproof container) fresh drinking water (three to five gallons per person per day) canned foods (up to five days' worth) dry or dehydrated foods (up to five days' worth) manual can opener paper plates plastic utensils, cups

moist towelettes extra pet food pet leashes blankets and bedding toothbrushes, toothpaste stove or charcoal grill (with extra charcoal) toilet paper, sanitary napkins antibacterial soap extra glasses or contact lenses work gloves earthquake survival guide list of important phone numbers small amount of cash prepaid telephone calling card tent sleeping bags fire extinguisher rain gear

Women lead the way

In his first ever exclusive address to the nation on healthcare reform, President Obama broke from Washington politcs as usual to speak directly to the people, from Arcadia University in Glenside, PA.

It comes as no surprise to women activists that the highly anticipated speech was delivered on a college campus on International Women's Day. What can I say, Grrrl Power, revived?

Exit polls from the 2008 Presidential elections indicate 56% of women voted for Barack Obama compared with 49% of men. Nationally, this equates to close to 40 million women. Women, who believed that then Senator Obama would fight for critical issues confronting women in the United States. Issues that resonate nervous and anxious reactions of women in our day to day.

In this era of global economic turbulence, where the changing landscape and demographics of women's age and ethnicity have not made a dent to gender inequities, women continue to strive for more inclusive policies and legislation that have far reaching effect and influence.

According to the Institute for Women's Policy Research, women need stronger protection for their reproductive rights and greater access to health care to improve their overall status. In their 2004 report on the status of women, research indicates that in all states, disparities in health status based on race and ethnicity are far and wide. African American women are much more likely to die of heart disease and breast cancer than white women. Racial and ethnic disparities in incidence rates of AIDS among women are also large, with African American, Hispanic, and Native American women facing much higher rates than white or Asian American women.

Although it was disheartening that reproductive health eluded the President's 3-point appeal to the American people. It was a bittersweet moment to see engaged young 20-something college girls cheer valiantly for the President as he delivered perhaps the best speech in a while... A speech with all the bells and whistles, but nothing concrete for women's health.

So what exactly were the main appeals of the President's speech this morning? As re-told in the American fashion of mass appeal in a blogshell are:

1. Accountability for insurance companies. Elimination of denied benefits because of past medical history and ending some of the worst practices of insurance companies. Abolishing arbitrary premium hikes. The plan will also require free preventive care.

2. Affordable coverage and real choices for families. Americans should be able to have the same health care plan as our Congressional leaders. Those without health insurance coverage can join a pool to negotiate and leverage better deals... Oooh than reminds me, I need to make a Costco run.

3. Reducing cost. The president's plan will cost tax payers $100 billion/year. Where do we get this you ask... why from the 2.5 trillion/year that the federal government already spends on heath care, of course. Duh!!!

So ladies, we know we tilt elections- that's our God-given right... And, more importantly we have never denied ourselves of adoring charismatic speakers who sing to our souls. However, we, the matured and disillusioned 30-40ish give and take, somethings, actually listen more than we ooh and ahh.

In the back of minds is the pressing question of time... Is this healthreform worth my after nine energy and is it going to make any difference at all? Reforming our broken health care system should not be at the expense of our critical health issues, I agree, but it is broken nonetheless. So, as I ponder on today's International Day for Women, and this month of March celebration of Women's history, I am reminded of all the great ones who paved the way for many of us. Women who fought the status quo, angered many in the process, suffered alienation, humiliation, and subjugation but in the end made it possible for many of us to continue that legacy.

So to the question of whether its worth our time...What can one person do to influence Goliath, the Anthem Blue Crosses of America from hiking their fees up another 40%?

In a woman's language, that 40% translates to 40% less wholesome meals, it means 40% less teachers in classrooms, 40% less quality time for families, 40% less reading with a child to salvage electricity, 40% more drop outs as families juggle another part-time job to pay the 40% unexpected hike in rent. This is exactly what insurance companies have the right to do under existing federal law unless we change it.

We cant afford to be at the mercy of these 40%ers. We have the power to control and change that, actually, we women lead the way to stopping that nonsense completely... Stand with us and urge our congressional leaders to vote for healthcare reform today.

Celebrate girls

Ginger ale and ginger cookies for breakfast, any one?

You're sure to find such bold choices at places where the hardcore of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women convene. Where women dealing with life threatening issues come to let their hair down and speak their soul. Women who have taken ownership of their own lives, their families, their community, their country, their world.

You will find such a place on the 2nd floor of the Church Center, opposite UN Headquarters at the IWTC (International Women's Tribune Center).

Women like Vicky, who runs the center with the utmost respect for every woman that walks through her door. A place where the norm is going out of your way to create space for all. It's crowded in the small center. It smells of dark-roast Columbian coffeebeans or the pungent ginger of the Jamaicas. It's full of color, vibrance, beauty, and women, many of whom the lectures from the panels don't make sense to.

These are the statistics in real form. Women who come from conflict, violence, obstructed care, social isolation and the inequities that are still pervasive for many of us, 15 years post Beijing. I ate apples with these women, laughed and cried with them and simply listened.

Women are strongest in our most vulnerable moment and our tears are a manifestation of the internal power that allows us to connect. So let's cry all we want, and laugh all we want... Who the hell cares because I am one of the 536,000 women who died in pregnancy or childbirth, one every minute. I am from Uganda, Ethiopia and Samoa because I am a woman who lives because of the breath of life that I've received today from my sisters. We all come from Mother earth, dont we?

We must take care of ourselves and each other and if the CSW is the key to the change that we seek, then let's just keep partying here, at someone else's party, for another 54 years.

But if you're like me, uniterested in matters of state, oblivious to officials and their cronies, then let's just crack open this nut, figure out what's good for us now, what we can preserve for later and share this as wide and as fast as we possibly can with other women who need us just as much as we need them.

What time is it, New York?

Day One of this blog; Day One in New York City.

"We'll be ascending at the JFK international airport in New York 20 minutes early," says the Captain over the loudspeaker. We beat the bad weather just as he hoped.

My best friend and business partner, 'Amelia and I hustled out the plane to get our 5 lugz full of LA gear; video cameras, laptops, speakers, tripods, all the filming equipment ready to hit the ground running.

We're here for the United Nation's Commission on the Status of Women's (CSW) 54th session. Meeting our WAVE media partners on a global collaborative opportunity that was flagged just 72 hours ago.

We made it.

One pit-stop, two teenagers on stilettos and three big gulps of semi-stale water later, we made our way out to an apple-crisp New York morning. Then we almost got hustled by the "gypsy-taxi" rides...Good thing 'Amz used to live here, otherwise, we would've been ripped off for $60 bucks to the eastside.

We got a cool cabby, Pravash from south India. He told us about his three kids back home. Small chat on the improved weather conditions, a glum tour of the Queens borough, some unsuccessful phone calls to the hotel for early check in options, and before I knew it, Pravash had zipped us straight to the curb of the Ramada on Lexington.

Ahhh, welcome to the big apple, so far so good. Although, it did look more like bananas than apples with all them taxis, but I digress. LA ain't that much different.

At the front desk we met up with Julie, she stressed the 3pm check-in, didn't seem too eager to accommodate us and then asked us to leave and come back at noon, as if doing us a favor. We were starved and given that Virgin America didn't serve us a meal, I asked her to show us the breakfast room where we could grab a bite. [Ramada offers free continental breakfasts] Some hesitation and then came Julie's Big Apple welcome, "Im sorry, you cant eat there, its for guests"

'Amz and I were speechless.

I noticed that Julie had her back against a Ramada clock and the logo of the apple core hotel chain. Interestingly enough, the inscription had "You do your thing, leave the rest to us." It didn't surprise me that Julie turned her back on that.

Is this really the core of the Big Apple i traveled thousands of miles for?

We ended up going downstairs for breakfast in spite of Julie, met up with our girl Lisa Williams Lahari, who flew in last night from Dunedin, New Zealand. We talked about the core of women like Julie in the context of CSW and other challenges women in media have, set up some assignments and off she went.

'Amz and I spent the next 5 hours in the business center setting things up and working the social net around the guests coming in and out of the office.

Around noon, we finally make our way up to the lobby. This, after checking in with Julie a few times prior. Of course, she then hassles me for some AAA paperwork. I said, "Julie, we've been waiting for 5 hours."

To add insult to injury at the front desk, the male bag handler who pulled our luggage from storage, suggested that we, tired and hungry travellers, take the roll-away carrier stacked 4 tiers high up a narrow elevator to our room because he was tied up.

I just wanna know one thing about New York, what time it is at the Ramada Eastside on Lexington? I dont think they've made it to 2010, and doubt that I'll ever 'do my thing' here again.

Can you show some love? Please just show people some love.