United Territories Of Pacific Islanders Washington-Utopia Wa

ACTIVELY REPLACING SYSTEMS OF OPPRESSION WITH ECOSYSTEMS OF CARE AND SAFETY FOR ALL OUR COMMUNITIES THROUGH BLACK AND BROWN ORGANIZING, PRIORITIZING LAND AND BODILY AUTONOMY, AND RECLAIMING OUR CULTURAL NARRATIVES

MANA (MULTICULTURAL & GENERATIONAL APPROACH TO NAVIGATING ANCESTRY) MANA SPEAKS TO THE COLLECTIVE STRENGTH THAT WE HOLD AS A PEOPLE. WE UTILIZE MANA, OR OUR CULTURAL STRENGTH, TO PROVIDE A VOICE FOR OUR DIASPORIC QUEER AND TRANS PACIFIC ISLANDERS, WHO HAVE BEEN CULTURALLY DEPRIVED AND DISEMPOWERED BY SYSTEMIC OPPRESSION AND CULTURAL ERASURE. AS STEWARDS OF CULTURE, WE LOOK TO RECLAIM OUR NARRATIVES AND BRIDGE GENERATIONAL GAPS THROUGH PROGRAMS THAT OFFER CULTURAL COMPETENCY, LANGUAGE REVITALIZATION, AND DECOLONIZATION PRACTICES. WE ALSO UTILIZE THE TRADITIONAL PASIFIKA METHODS, WHICH INCLUDE STORYTELLING THROUGH TALANOA (THE TYING OF OUR STORIES), IN THE HOPES THAT OUR STORIES AND LIVED EXPERIENCES WILL WEAVE A RESILIENT CULTURAL MAT AND ENSURE THE CONTINUITY OF OUR CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. OUR PROGRAMS: 1) THE TAUTUA TRANS LEADERSHIP COHORT FOCUSES ON DEVELOPING THE LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCATE CAPACITY OF OUR LOCAL QUEER AND TRANS PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITY. THROUGH THIS WORK, THE NEXT GENERATION OF COMMUNITY LEADERS ARE STEWARDED THROUGH THE ACT OF TAUTUA OR BEING OF SERVICE. 2) OUR MANA YOUTH PROGRAM LOOKS TO CREATE A SAFE AND SACRED HEALING SPACE FOR ALL TWO-SPIRIT AND LGBTQIA+ YOUTH, YOUNG ADULTS, AND THEIR ALLIES. WE DO THIS BY RECLAIMING OUR INDIGENOUS QUEER CULTURE AND PRACTICES AND CELEBRATING YOUTH IN THE FULLNESS OF THEIR IDENTITIES. 3) THE TALANOA, ROOTED IN CULTURE, & TUGU AFTER DARK PROGRAMS OFFER US A SPACE TO SPEAK OPENLY AND HONESTLY ABOUT THE TOPIC, ISSUES, AND PRACTICES THAT CONCERN OUR PASIFIKA COMMUNITY. THROUGH THESE EVENTS WE DISPEL STIGMA AND LEARN WHAT IT IS TO BE PEOPLE OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS. 4) OUR ALA MAI PROGRAM ALLOWS US AS COMMUNITY TO RECONNECT WITH THE SACRED CULTURAL TRADITIONS OF THE PACIFIC. THROUGH SONG, DANCE, CRAFT AND FELLOWSHIP WE ARE REKINDLING OUR CONNECTION WITH OURSELVES, OUR DIASPORIC PEERS, AND OUR ANCESTORS IN A SAFE AND SACRED SPACE MADE ESPECIALLY FOR US.

SPEAC CHANGE: UTOPIA WASHINGTON SPEAC CHANGE PROGRAM STANDS FOR SYSTEMS, POLICY, ENVIRONMENT, AND CULTURAL CHANGE. IT EMERGED OUT OF A COMBINATION OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT WORK, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE WORK, AND REGIONAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZING WORK OF DIFFERENT BUT CONNECTED TEAMS. THIS PROGRAM SEEKS TO EFFECT CHANGE NOT JUST THROUGH INDIVIDUAL CHANGE BUT THROUGH LARGER ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES. WE DO THIS THROUGH VOTER REGISTRATION, COMMUNITY EDUCATION, CANDIDATE FORUMS, LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY, SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS, COALITION BUILDING, IMMIGRATION SUPPORT SERVICES, AND REGIONAL ORGANIZING. OUR PROGRAMS: 1) MALAMA I KA 'AINA FOCUSES ON THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND SUSTAINABLE ADVOCACY IN OUR COMMUNITIES - ESPECIALLY THOSE STILL RESIDING WITHIN THE PACIFIC. THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, WE CARE FOR THE LAND AND CREATE A MORE LIVABLE WORLD FOR ALL. 2022 SAW THE LAUNCH OF THE EVERGREEN INITIATIVE, WHICH SOUGHT IN IMPLEMENT ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PRACTICES THROUGHOUT OUR OFFICE. WE ALSO EXPANDED OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL GREEN ORGANIZATIONS, INCREASED OUR POLITICAL ADVOCACY AROUND SUSTAINABLE ENERGY PRACTICES, AND FURTHERED EDUCATION THROUGH EVENTS, INFOGRAPHICS, AND TALANOA. 2) THE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND POLICY PROGRAM CENTERS THE IMPORTANCE OF POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES. BY EMPOWERING VOTERS, INFORMING POLICY, AND MAKING OUR VOICES HEARD, WE CREATE A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR OUR COMMUNITIES. OUR TEAM CHAMPIONED THE PASSING OF ESHB 1956 IN EARLY 2022, WHICH ENSURES GREATER PROTECTIONS FOR THOSE IN THE CARCERAL SYSTEM. WE ALSO FURTHERED COMMUNITY EDUCATION THROUGH SEVERAL EVENTS, INCLUDING THOSE DISCUSSING AA/NHPI DISAGGREGATION, BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP, AND A COLLABORATIVE PHONE BANK EVENT COMBATTING VOTER SUPPRESSION. 3) THE REGIONAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZER WORKS TO CONNECT THE DISPARATE EXPERIENCES, PRACTICES, AND ACTIONS OF THE UTOPIA CHAPTERS, AS WELL AS FACILITATE GREATER CONNECTIVITY WITHIN OUR LOCAL PASIFIKA AND LGBTQIA+ COMMUNITIES. 2022 SAW THE FORMALIZATION OF THIS ROLE, AS WELL AS THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW LOCAL AND REGIONAL POLICY AGENDAS TO ENSURE THE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE OF UTOPIA. ADDITIONALLY, THROUGH THIS WORK WE HOSTED OUR FIRST QUEER AND TRANS PACIFIC ISLANDER RETREAT, WHICH CREATED A SPACE FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO CONNECT, BUILD ANALYSIS, AND DEVELOP ECOSYSTEMS OF COLLECTIVE CARE TOGETHER.

MAPU MAIA HEALTH CLINIC: THE MAPU MAIA HEALTH CLINIC WAS DESIGNED TO BE A PLACE OF REFUGE, AIMED AT PROVIDING THE 2SLGBTQIA+ COMMUNITY WITH QUALITY HEALTHCARE IN A SPACE THAT HONORS ALL FACETS OF THEIR IDENTITY. MAPU MAIA IS A SAMOAN PHRASE, WHICH REFERS TO INVITING SOMEONE OVER TO REST. THIS IS THE SENTIMENT WE WISH TO COMMUNICATE THROUGH THE PROGRAM, BY OFFERING GENDER AFFIRMING AND CULTURALLY=ALIGNED SERVICES AND SUPPORT CONGRUENT WITH OUR COMMUNITIES' WELLBEING. OUR PROGRAMS: 1) FOF SEEKS TO CONNECT OUR COMMUNITY WITH SAFE, ACCESSIBLE, AND CULTURALLY RELEVANT CARE FOR ALL ASPECTS OF THEIR LIVES. OUR CLINIC PROGRAM EXPANDED TO OCCUPY ITS OWN OFFICE, OFFERING STI AND HIV PREVENTION AND TREATMENT, PREP NAVIGATION, VACCINATIONS, AND DENTAL CARE TO OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY. WE ALSO EXPANDED OUR COMMUNITY CARE WORK PROVIDING RENTAL SUPPORT AND PEER GROUPS TO THOSE IN NEED. WE LAUNCHED OUR NEWEST FOOD SOVEREIGNTY PROGRAMS IN 2022, OPENING OUR VERY OWN IN-HOUSE MAKEKI. FROM HERE, WE DISTRIBUTED FRESH PRODUCE, CANNED GOODS, AND OTHER CULTURALLY RELEVANT FOODS TO THE COMMUNITY. WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH DOORDASH TO OFFER PROJECT DASH, WHICH ALLOWED COMMUNITY TO SHOP OUR FOOD PANTRY JUST LIKE THEY WOULD A STANDARD GROCERY STORE. THOSE FOOD ITEMS WERE THEN DELIVERED DIRECTLY TO COMMUNITY, SUPPORTING THOSE WITH LIMITED MOBILITY OR POOR ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION. 2) THE SEX WORKERS EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVE FOCUSES ON OUTREACH, CARE WORK, AND DECRIMINALIZATION WITHIN OUR LOCAL AND REGIONAL SEX WORKER COMMUNITIES. WE TRIPLED STREET OUTREACH EFFORTS IN 2022, DIVIDED INTO "MOONLIGHT" / "STARLIGHT" PHASES. OUR MOONLIGHT EFFORTS FOCUSES ON NIGHTTIME OUTREACH, WHILE STARLIGHT ALLOWED US TO CONNECT WITH SEX WORKERS OPERATING DURING THE DAY. THIS