CONNECTI Am Samoan Enough: Combatting Poverty Amongst Samoan Youth in Los Angeles County
With nearly one-third of the global Samoan populace in the U.S., and California (61,897), particularly Los Angeles (12,998), housing the largest concentration, LE GaFa, in partnership with LA2050, will: 1) implement 2025 Spring and Summer cohorts for SAM101(A), SAM101(B), and SAM102; 2) conduct Camp Tamai’iti, a four-week summer immersion with Long Beach City College faculty and Pacific Islander students; and 3) enhance our capacity to support staff and meet student needs, currently funded by class fees.
What is the primary issue area that your application will impact?
Mental health
In what stage of innovation is this project, program, or initiative?
Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)
What is your understanding of the issue that you are seeking to address?
11,497 Samoan children and youth in California live in poverty. According to the NHPI Data Policy Lab at UCLA, 62% of NHPI households are experiencing food insecurity compared to the national average of 39%. Additionally, 66% of Pacific Islander students come from low-income households, with 47% being linguistically isolated or having limited English proficiency.
LE GaFa combats poverty by leveraging culture and heritage to foster identity and belonging, fundamental for lifting communities out of poverty. Since 2017, LE GaFa has graduated 20 cohorts, serving 1,700 students across 155 cities, 32 states, and 6 countries. Our commitment began as in-person language lessons in Long Beach and evolved into a robust online platform with international enrollment. Our work is sustained through a network of cultural practitioners, community leaders, and volunteers dedicated to providing cultural enrichment and youth leadership development in greater Los Angeles.
Describe the project, program, or initiative this grant will support to address the issue.
With the generous support of the LA2050, LE GaFa will offer:
SAM101(A) and SAM101(B) Introductory Online Courses (Spring Quarter)
Enrollment: 50 students per course
Schedule: Two hours, twice a week for four weeks (8 sessions total)
Outcomes for SAM101(A):
Identify the Samoan alphabet and pronunciations
Build a vocabulary of approximately 400 words plus common expressions
Participate in basic conversations
Write in Samoan using proper orthography
Outcomes for SAM101(B):
Develop intermediate Samoan vocabulary
Read and critically analyze Samoan texts
Understand idiomatic nuances and cultural/historical aspects of Samoa
Learn about Samoan culture and history, including family/social organization, the matai system, traditional diet, religious influence, and interactions with colonial powers.
SAM102 Project-Based Online Course (Summer Quarter)
Enrollment: 50 students
Schedule: Two hours, twice a week for four weeks (8 sessions total)
Outcomes: Facilitate a presentation in Samoan, utilizing written and oral skills
Camp Tamai’iti Project-Based In-Person Summer Camp (Summer Quarter)
Location: Long Beach City College
Enrollment: 50 students, ages 5-17 years
Schedule: Four-week summer enrichment program
Outcomes:
Identify the alphabet, colors, days of the week, months of the year, and count in Samoan
Learn primary songs enjoyed by Samoan children
Gain hands-on experience with cultural dance, music, rhythm, and arts and crafts
Describe how Los Angeles County will be different if your work is successful.
Meet Sandra. Sandra served as a Deputy Sheriff for the Los Angeles Police Department, and is not Samoan, but completed LE GaFa courses because she served the Compton area where many Samoans live. One day, Sandra received a dispatch call of an 18 year old Samoan male drunk and causing a public disturbance. When Sandra arrived, she tried to calm him down but could not. Rather than following protocol to arrest him, Sandra knew there was another way. She drove the drunken teen to Park Village where he lived and when his mom answered the front door, Sandra was able to communicate to the boy’s mother about his behavior in Samoan tongue. The boy's mother scolded him, and the boy soberly apologized in shame and forgiveness. Sandra’s success was grounded in her knowledge of Samoan culture and language, which resulted in keeping families together. This student testimony is an anecdotal experience of how the impact of LE GaFa can shape the future of Los Angeles County.
What evidence do you have that this project, program, or initiative is or will be successful, and how will you define and measure success?
We have implemented pre and post surveys to all course offerings to measure and track developmental outcomes. With the support of this grant, we will develop a robust performance dashboard to better analyze and visualize data. This dashboard will help identify strengths and gaps in our programming, allowing us to make data-driven improvements and better serve our student community.
In Fall 2020, program evaluations assessed students' learning experiences. Out of 31 surveys, 49% found the classroom a "safe place for us all," without judgment in learning Samoan. Feedback highlighted the supportive atmosphere, where participants felt "encouraged" and emotionally connected through cultural knowledge. Gratitude was expressed towards LE GaFa faculty, with one noting they were the "right fit" to teach. These insights underscore our effective teaching approach and rapport with students, ensuring safe, supportive environments and enhanced Samoan language confidence in youth.
Approximately how many people will be impacted by this project, program, or initiative?
Direct Impact: 310.0
Indirect Impact: 3,100.0