A handful of attendees learned about Pacific Islander communities at the Pacific Islander Leaders of Tomorrow (PILOT) Semester Session in the Alondra Room and East Dining Room on Tuesday, May 18.

At one point, attendees participated in the main activity where they separated into three groups called “resistant circles”. Each circle had a name: “Moments”, “Resistors” and “Roots”.

In each circle, attendees were divided into another three groups where they were instructed to create a presentation about a topic related to their circle.

Nikki Martinez, 22, communications major, who was in the “Resistors” circle said her group learned about LGBTQ resistance within the Pacific Islander community.

“It broadened my horizons. I learned a little about a culture that I wasn’t very familiar with,” Martinez, who is Puerto Rican and Mexican, said.

The Chief Operating Officer of Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC), Alisi Tulau, hoped attendees who are not Pacific Islander left with an in-depth understanding of Pacific Islanders and appreciated building relationships with PI students.

The semester session was born out of PILOT, an intensive program that works with Pacific Islander students to help them reach academic success and learn leadership qualities.

Atheneus Ocampo shared with attendees data showing the lack of academic success in PI community and how PILOT wanted to change that.

Alexis Tulau, 23, a student at Long Beach City College, said she enrolled in PILOT.

Tulia, who is Samoan, said that it “gives her relief” to be a part of the Session.

Tulia said it is not normal in her family for someone to go to college and graduate. She hopes to break that cycle.

“For me, being here, is saying that I am worthy of higher education, I am worthy to be here and be in these spaces, and earn my degree and, you know, just represent the Pacific Islander community,” Tulia said.