Episode 18: Home is Where the Islands are

Oakland x Asian x Mom Podcast

We invite Natalie, a work colleague of Cheryl's, to share about her Samoan culture and background and how she ended up in the prevention and mental health field. Natalie, who leads the Pacific Islander Wellness Initiative (PIWI), speaks proudly about her Samoan heritage: how her identity is so interwoven with her sense of home and how growing up in the islands made an impact on her view of community and connection. Natalie also talks about the Samoan values of love, listening, and reverence. She also shares the joys of being a mom of two young adults and the quirks of being able to communicate in Samoan at home. We appreciate Natalie's commitment to uplift Pacific Islander needs and strengths in her work towards wellness and the way she embodies the warmth and beauty of her people where ever she goes. If you are interested in learning about the Pacific Islander Wellness Initiative (PIWI) that Natalie mentions, check them out here: https://ramsinc.org/prevention/