♪
John: LONG BEFORE THERE WAS
TALK OF MULTICULTURALISM AND
DIVERSITY, HAWAI'I WAS CALLING
OUT TO PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE
WORLD.
Tannya: IMGRANTS FROM
PORTUGAL, PHILIPPINES, KOREA,
JAPAN AND CHINA CONTRIBUTING TO
THE MIX THE PLATE WE CALL LOCAL
CULTURE.
MICRONESIAN ARE THE LATEST TO
ARRIVE LOOKING FOR A PLACE AT
THE TABLE.
John: WE CONTINUE OUR
SPECIAL SERIES WITH A LOOK AT
HOW AND WHY MANY UNDERTAKE THE
LONG JOURNEY HERE.
John: MOST MICRONESIAN CAME
THROUGH A TREATY.
AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNITED
STATES AND THREE MICRONESIAN
MICRONESIA, REPUBLIC OF MARK
ISLANDS AND PALAU.
John: IT GIVES A STAT US
ALMOST IDENTICAL TO THAT OF
NATIVE BORN AMERICAN CITIZENS.
THEY MAY ENTER THE U.S. WITHOUT
VISAS.
THEY ARE ELIGIBLE FOR FEDERAL
SCHOLARSHIPS AND GRANT.
MANY RECEIVE BENEFITS FROM
LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL SOCIAL
SAFETY NETS.
Tannya: SINCE JOB
OPPORTUNITIES CAN BE SCARCE IN
MICRONESIA DUE TO LACK OF
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES, MANY COME
TO HAWAI'I.
THEY OFTEN AR ARRIVE LACKING
EDUCATIONAL AND FINANCE NEEDED
TO SUCCESS.
John: DESPITE CHALLENGES,
MANY MICRONESIAN IMMIGRANTS ARE
ABLE TO CHART A COURSE FOR
SUCCESSFUL.
Tannya: A GROWING NUMBER OF
PROGRAMS HEAD MI MICRONESIAN GET
AHEAD.
ALL WEEK LONG, LIVING808 IS
GETTING TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE
MICRONESIAN COMMUNITY.
A PLEASURE OF TALKING WITH A
CHUUKESE WOMAN.
WHO'S DOING GREAT THINGS.
WELCOME TO BEVERLY SIMINA.
THA THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
YOUR STORY BECAUSE WE LOVE
PROFILING DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF.
WELL, MY NAME IS BEVERLY
SIMINA.
I'M FROM CHUUK.
I MOVED TO HAWAI'I IN 2002.
AND I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE THEN.
TAKEN A GREAT ROLE IN EDUCATION.
TELL ME ABOUT THIS.
I KNOW YOU WENT TO LAW SCHOOL
AND YOU'VE u EN DOING THIS
DURING THE PANDEMIC.
TELL ME HOW THAT'S BEEN GOING
FOR YOU.
CURRENTLY I'M STUDYING FOR A
BAR.
I GRADUATED IN MAY.
I WENT TO LAW SCHOOL IN 2017.
WORKED AT VOLUNTEER LEGAL
SERVICES OF HAWAI'I, A LEGAL
NONPROFIT.
HELPS LOW-INCOME POPULATION.
WHILE WORKING THERE, I SEE THE
NEED THAT THE MICRONESIAN
COMMUNITY HAVE IN THE LEGAL
AREA.
THAT'S WHAT PUSHED ME TO GO TO
LAW SCHOOL.
Tannya: AND YOU BRING THE
PERSPECTIVE OF GROWING IN CHUUK.
TELL ME MORE ABOUT THE CULTURE.
♪
I HAVE TWO BROTHERS AND THREE
SISTERS.
TYPICAL CHUUKESE FAMILY.
I SPENT ELEMENTARY AND HIGH
SCHOOL AND ONE YEAR COLLEGE IN
CHUUK.
I'VE NEVER BEEN TO ANY OTHER
COUNTRY DESPITE MY OWN STATE.
Tannya: WHAT VALUES TO YOU
BRING THAT HAVE REALLY INSPIRED
YOU TO KEEP GOING WITH LAW
COMMUNITY?
BEFORE I LEFT FOR SCHOOL IN
2002, MY DAD ADVISED ME TO BE
INDEPENDENT.
BE INDEPENDENT, PERSIST.
AND HARD-WORKING.
HE TOLD ME IF I REALLY WANTED TO
THEM.
THE THOUGHT OF HELPING MY
PEOPLE, WHICH IS RESPECTING
THEM, AND REMEMBERG THE REASON
WHY I CAME HERE, WHICH IS
EDUCATION.
THAT'S WHAT REALLY HELPS ME.
♪
Tannya: YOU ALSO MANAGED TO
GET INVOLVED WITH THE HAWAI'I
NATIONAL GUARD.
TELL ME ABOUT THAT.
ARMY.
THE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD IS
ANOTHER AVENUE.
Tannya: YOU'RE CERTAINLY A
ROME MOD -- ROLE MODEL.
WOULD YOU HAVE ANY OTHER WORD OF
WISDOM?
TIPPED FOR THEM, TO LIFT OTHERS
UP?
I ALWAYS TO THE MY NEPHEWS
AND NIECES YOU ARE YOUR OWN
CAPTAIN OF YOUR SHIP.
THERE WILL BE OTHER PEOPLE
TELLING YOU WHAT YOU NEED TO DO,
WHERE TO GO BUT YOU WON'T BE
ABLE IT SET SAIL IF YOU DON'T DO
IT ON YOUR OWN.
Tannya: YOU'RE ON A BRIGHT
SHIP.
INSPIRING A LOT OF PEOPLE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARINGS
YOUR STORY WITH US.
THANK YOU.
Tannya: ALOHA.
SUCH A PLEASURE TO TALK TO HER.
YOU CLEARLY SEE HER PASSION FOR
WANTING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
THAT DETERMINATION AND GRIT TO
COMMUNITY.
John: WANTING TO BETTER
HERSELF AND WANT WANTING TO BETTER
OTHERS FROM WHERE SHE'S FROM IS
A GREAT GOAL AND PINEDSET TO --
MINDSET TO HAVE.
MADE POSSIBLE THANKS TO THE
SUPPORT OF U.S. CENSUS 2020.
Tannya: WE WANT TO STRESS
THAT THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
EVERY PERSON IN HAWAI'I IS
COUNTED SO COMMUNITIES RECEIVE
RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED TO HELP
BUILD A BETTER FUTURE.
John: GOAL OF THE CENSUS IS
A COMPLETE AND ACCURATE COUNT OF
EVERYONE LIVING IN THE UNITED
STATES AND IT'S BY TERRITORY.
Tannya: PROVIDES CRITICAL
DATA THAT THOUGH NEED TO BRING
SERVICE, SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY.
John: RESULTS ON HOW
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS ARE A
SNAPSHOT OF OUR STATE AND
NATION.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU
PARTICIPATE.
FILL OUT THE SURVEY FORM YOUR
RECEIVE IN THE MAIL.
John: YOU CAN SN SUBMIT YOUR
ANSWER BY PHONE, MAIL.