Malo e lelei, I’m ‘Atalina Pasi. My family comes from Ha‘alaufuli and Koloa on the island of Vava‘u. Also from Ha‘apai, Ha‘afeva, and Tongatapu on Tonga island. My mom came to Hawai‘i pursuing higher education at BYU-Hawaii. My mom put her education on hold and worked 2 full-time jobs to bring her 6 brothers, 3 sisters and parents here. My mom then met my dad and settled in Kahuku, Hawai‘i where I was raised. I live in Kahuku with my husband, my 6 children and my mom in the house I was raised in. I work at Papa Ola Lōkahi as a population health specialist over chronic disease.

I am honored to be part of this project to ensure that Pacific Islander voices are represented and heard throughout our engagement with Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities. I hope to accomplish equity and inclusion as we build a repository for behavioral health resources that are culturally centered and in-language.