PILOT Summer Institute
Photo Story by Alesi Meyers-Tuimavave
This summer I had the opportunity to participate in the annual PILOT summer institute, held by Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC), a national organization. PILOT stands for Pacific Islander Leaders of Tomorrow, where a group of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) students are selected to participate in a four-day program of bonding, workshops, and other leadership development and social justice-related activities. Each PILOT institute is held at a college campus, this years being at Cal State University of San Marcos.
More information on EPIC and PILOT can be found at their website: https://www.empoweredpi.org
Students' visual of what Oceania looks like to them
Projector screen reading "PILOT Graduation Ceremony 2024"
Bai, Cassidy, Leighani and Alesi working on lifelines in the mana room
Malia making a ti leaf lei in the mana room
Alesi and Craig Santos-Perez throwing up their shakas at the PILOT 16' graduation
(Back row, left to right) Daja, T.M., Nani, Cassidy, Bainivalu, Aiyiana, Hector, Mele, Tane. (Middle row, left to right) Fehi, Leighani, Malia, Alesi, Mercy, LindaMae, Melia. (Front row, left to right) Craig Santos-Perez, Jada, Taelani, Jimina, Tanya.
Nani and Hector making a ti leaf lei together