The Importance of the Micronesian Community in Hawaii

Due to social distancing guidelines, The Legal Clinic hosted a virtual benefit campaign and online live-stream event on Thursday, July 16, 2020. The event featured special guest video message questions with prizes, and speakers on current immigration topics such as DACA and COFA (the Compacts of Free Association between the United States and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and Republic of Palau). The Legal Clinic is a nonprofit organization based in Hawaii that offers free or low-cost legal services to our immigrant community. Featured speaker Senator Stanley Chang left this message for the attendees.
Filmmaker: Yasu Productions

[@xaviermaras1339]

Thank you Senator Chang for trying your best to educate others about Micronesians. God bless you.

[@basisiba3110]

Thank you Senator Chang for recognizing Micronesians 🌴🤙🏽

[@superkalafragilistic8289]

Dont listen with your ears, listen with your heart. He is not recognizing Micronesians as human beings that deserve respect and acknowledgement, what he is saying is how they can benefit from Micronesians because of the location of our islands (rich in natural marine resources, trade route to asia) and joinging Hawaii workforce (slaves 9-5 jobs, stuck paying rent).

[@its_just_marvlus]

Out of all the polynesians in hawaii i met 1 native hawaiian who accepted me. He spread that aloha, sharing love and i told him i was born in oahu but recieving hate for being a micronesian so i said i might as well be hawaiian because if i told my actual nationality i would get bullied again. He said be proud of who i am, if i accept you so will my family and i said thank you,he taught me what aloha was again. After that i felt better. Like just growing up its samoan vs micronesian. Not much of a childhood to have in kalihi.

[@goukhanakul]

.We all share common ancestor and are a large family that is connected by the ocean.

[@user-uk7ed3we1n]

God Bless you Senator Chang. Thank you for all you do

[@doroshii1432]

Your last words were spot-on for me. As a Micronesian, even though times look tough, Hawaii is proof that immigrants can definitely rise up and be bigger than they ever dreamed. I have always believed that! Last year I was asked in my college class once what my legacy would be. At first I was a little nervous to say but I just did it. I said my legacy is that I am part of the wave of Micronesian children that are slowly starting to become the first in their families to hold Masters and PhD's, which is more common than people think. I have a Marshallese friend getting an M.S in the math field, just recently there was a young Chuukese man who graduated Harvard Graduate School, a Chuukese high schooler in 2021 graduated Hilo High & is en route to Columbia University- an Ivy League. I knows lots of Micronesian women who hold nursing degrees now. My cousin is a software engineer and works for Amazon now. I guess my point is that I understand people have their experiences and it's okay. But I hope that your heart will stay open for those that embody the generosity and work ethic that Micronesian culture is all about. In the meantime, we'll be working hard in the background to lift us up.

[@Raiders691]

A very wise man and wish more Hawaiians share his vision. May God bless you and your family

[@GooneyJib]

thank you for your kind words sir🙏❤...

[@sylvesteryaiuglig2470]

Thank you for standing up for what you believe and witness at first hand.

[@user-rh8fl8qz2z]

Once AGAIN, THANKS to AMERICA!

[@Kingzman_808]

Without Micronesia, everyone can say goodbye to all of their belongings. Micronesia is the checkpoint for your businesses, the trade routes go through Micronesia, in order to reach the other countires because of how big the pacific is.

[@matthewmann8969]

Micronesians, Polynesians, Melenesians, Australian Aboriginals, And Papuans are all Native Oceanians and they should get along and not fight among themselves especially be wary of East Asians And Europeans who both try to put them in different rows, seats, numbers, countings, and findings

[@fancynika9559]

Im a product & proud!!! 💯💯💯💯

[@house_greyjoy]

If it was Hawaiian there would be no multiple communities, no segregation. There would be one community that's the Hawaiian community regardless of your race etc. A big problem is people want to identify with their heritage rather than their nationality. How about you work on that? Don't consistently call yourself asian, chinese, korean, tongan, japanese, etc how about consistently calling yourselves americans, not Asian-american just american. You dont see white ppl calling themselves european american do we? This I believe will unite and bring people closer to each other. In Hawaii only exception to this rule are hawaiians and those who have privilege and right of maintaining their foreign national identity.

[@palmtrees6228]

I lived in Hawaii from 2013-2014 I hope it’s better down there but I’m not fuckin going back there. People shit on Micros like it’s fashion. People make valid points here and there but for the most part I felt like I was Black in Mississippi or some shit. I’m rooting for all the micros that has to live there im fortunate enough to have other options. #MicroprideAllDay

[@zeinizim]

Hello, when you mean people, do you mean every other ethnic group or are there certain ones? Thank you

[@192OOIDJJ3]

​@@zeinizim TBH, it's pretty people who lived in Hawaii long enough to know and spread stereotypes.

[@annalik6332]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and ideas for the future of the Micronesian community in the USA government and other opportunities to help them with lots of opportunities like work , education, citizenship, etc.

[@petet5401]

Very well framed and explained.

[@yeoyeo5629]

Thank you senator for recognizing my people

[@maverickwilliam2208]

Thank you

[@alvindurochermtl]

So when they get angry is it microaggression?

[@Wowvod]

Im micronesian this is pretty funny.😂🤙🏾

[@kbnamnok9509]

very well explained,i surely hope that every other person understands your true words...ty

[@uleysuspeter2247]

Thank you sir God bless you and your family

[@haroldbray8463]

HERE IN HAWAII,RACE DOES'NT MATTER SO MUCH AS "HOW YOU REPRESENT YOUR CULTURE" IS WHAT MATTERS MOST.

[@pmbarro]

I have found Hawaiians to be the biggest cry babies I've ever met.

[@haroldbray8446]

@@pmbarro WELL,IF YOU WERE HAWAIIAN,YOUR "KINGDOM"GOT OVERTHROWN,AND YOUR PEOPLE WERE DECIMATED.I'M SURE YOU WOULD BE A "CRYBABY" TOO.I PERSONALLY KNOW MANY HAWAIIANS WHO ARE NOT CRYBABIES,THEY LITTERALLY WOULD BUST YOU UP FOR SAYING SO.FAIR WARNING BRO!ALOOOOHA!

[@pmbarro]

@@haroldbray8446 I'm sorry for hurting your feelings but Hawaii needs to move on. If Hawaii wasn't American territory, you guys would probably be Japan's or any other larger country. You'd be speaking Japanese. Btw, I can hold my own, I'm not scared of saying the truth. Stop crying and move on.

[@192OOIDJJ3]

​@I Smell Fresh Cash White man will always rule Hawaii and you can't sht about. 🤪

[@isangtao]

So- I saw this title and looked at the still. There is a severe disconnect with the title and image display. Seems self serving.

[@jackyama1624]

Believe me us can't let micronesia go especially in these days cause they know that if they do...China will make a move and when China takes over it has advantage it will take over micronesian shipping route which most of the countries used nowadays to shipped to Asian Countries and military bases that close to us main land and last but not the least micronesia is made of up 30% of us military personnel..so trust me it's huge loss and a stupid move.

[@wilsonlaiso5597]

Wise man talking all you in the back please listen good…. Mahalo❤❤❤❤

[@MUTUNTE-1]

I WOULD LOVE TO MEET YOU THANK YOU SIR!!

[@vonoiteuo]

Thats why we are not getting hands out my fellow micronesians.remember the united states owe us everything and as a micronesian we do not owe shit to usa.

[@jrechebei]

Wow, another human being

[@ricksonwichep7820]

True leader Thank you sir for recognizing the Micronesian community in hawaii. 👏👍✌

[@usernameisjonah]

Weird. When I was in Hawaii, 1990 - 1995, the essential workers and the butt of the community jokes were Filipinos and Polynesians islanders like Samoans. Congratulations Filipino and Samoans for making it over the hump. Now Micronesians must carry that banner proudly until the next cohort of migrants. Mexicans?

[@Rapture_Ready_Rabbit]

@@@@@ TIME HAS RUN OUT !! John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Don't ignore this message... REPENT NOW !! TRUST that God raised Him from the dead !! By FAITH accept JESUS's blood alone as payment for your sins unto Salvation, to escape what's about to happen !!

[@user-rh8fl8qz2z]

Yet NO Micronesians LIVE in his neighborhood! Bwa ha ha! Its too EXPENSIVE!

[@jameslukan6191]

I wonder what's so hard out coming back home..what to do here are endless too..I guess ones definition of success and life are the determining factors

[@lorettsaimon2648]

Please help us they really don't likes us and help us from the cop too

[@user-xl7kx7bi3l]

Bottom line our government made a agreement that must be upheld. They have rights to American medical treatment and all state resorces . They all live in other states . As we learned during pandemic many work for businesses that pay them under the table so reality they will not pay taxes or fund social security and they save the business money . 😢 sad to be exploited .

[@DavidCastro-ln6ty]

CHUUKESE ARE A GREAT PROBLEM FOR HAWAII AND GUAM

[@j.r.freeman9420]

Guam's government officals sell dope to its own people, so pls sit your big dagan down and be humble

[@brytonatalig4248]

@David Castro Hafa Adai,Chelu! Could u please elaborate more on why the Chuukese people(aka the micronesian brethren to the people of Guam and the Cnmi) are a great problem to Hawaii and Guam? Thanks

[@gutadin5]

@David Castro why are a great problem?

[@192OOIDJJ3]

If it's a problem then solve it yourself.