Tusia:  Monica Ve’ave’a
O faaupuga nei ‘o faiga tutusa’ ma ‘faiga lelei ma le le faaituau’,  e masani ona fesuisuia’i lona faaaogaina.  O lea la lona eseesega – ae aisea fo’i e taua ai le tatou malamalama i ai, faailoa ma faatauaina?  Se’i tatou tilotilo la i lona faauigaina faigofie.
O le uiga ‘o faiga tutusa’ o le mafai lea ona maua e tagata ta’itasi po’o le toatele ia alaga oa po’o avanoa tutusa.  O ‘faiga lelei ma le le faaituau’ o le mafai lea ona iloa e eseese tulaga o tagata ta’itoatasi, ma e tatau ona maua ia alaga oa ma avanoa e manaomia ina ia ausia ai e tagata uma se taunuuga tutusa. 
O ‘faiga lelei ma le le faaituau’ e mafai ona faauigaina i le avatu lea i tagata uma mea latou te manaomia ina ia faamanuiaina ai latou.  O lona uiga, e le’o le avatu i tagata uma le mea e tutusa lelei.  Afai o le a avatu i tagata uma avanoa e tutusa lelei, ma le faamoemoe e ono tutusa ai tagata uma, o lae e faapea na amata tagata uma i le mea e tasi – e tele se le fetaui o lea tulaga ona e le tutusa tagata uma.
I nisi o taimi e mafai ona fesea’i le faauigaina o ‘faiga tutusa’, ona e faapea nisi e tatau ona faia faiga tutusa e tutusa ai iuga e maua e tagata uma.  O talitonuga nei ua tatou masani ai mai le tatou tuputupu ifo ma aoaoina ai tatou i faiga tutusa, ae o le mea moni lava, o iuga tutusa e maua pe afai na tutusa mai le amataga.
O le faaaogaina o ‘faiga lelei ma le le faaituau’ mo le agai i luma o taumafaiga a tamaitai – o faiga tutusa e taula’i i le maua e itupa uma o avanoa tutusa, e pei o le aia a tamaitai e palota ai. Peitai, e tele nisi o tulaga e manaomia e tamaitai e ese mai i le mafai ona palota.  E manaomia ona latou auai atu i ni faiga masani e faatupulaia ai le lagolagoina o I latou I vaega uma o le latou soifuaaga, mai lava I aoaoga e o’o atu i galuega faapea ma le itu tau le soifua maloloina.  O le mataupu tau i itupa e tele ona magaala, ma o tamaitai o se vaega e tele ni ona eseesega, mo se faataitaiga, o nisi o tulafono e faamanuiaina ai nisi o tamaitai, atonu e le faamanuiaina ai nisi.  E manaomia se suiga mai i faiga tutusa i itupa i faiga lelei ma le le faaituau i itupa mo se aga’iga’i lelei i luma.
 
 

Written by:  Karallyn Fitisone
In American Samoa, several women have celebrated and posted to social media about International Women’s Day and Month. Throughout the Rural Grant Project we bring awareness to gender-based violence particularly that which is against our fa’afafine community. We have gathered insight about their experiences of violence and experiences of accessing services with the ultimate hope to create awareness and advocacy for our fa’afafine that might in turn decrease discrepancies or barriers to care for fa’afafine. We recognize and understand that there are still areas for improvement to cater to the needs of women and fa’afafine on island but are hopeful that through projects such as these, we can continue to have important conversations that can lead to positive change and more equity and inclusion for ALL Women (including our fa’afafine sisters). Follow along to the Alliance Social Media Pages or on the Alliance website to keep updated on Rural Project progress. As we continue to celebrate women this month, may we also honor our fa’afafine sisters!

Sources : https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/01/04/fight-womens-rights-fight-against-authoritarianism

• https://www.dw.com/en/international-womens-day-a-fight-for-freedom/a-64920145
• https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/07/gender-where-feminist-movements-and-lgbti-movements-meet/
• https://www.aclu.org/news/womens-rights/how-womens-rights-paved-the-way-for-gender-justice-at-the-acl u For More Information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PzWnljCpL0 , https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/womens-history-month, https://nationalwomenshistoryalliance.org/2023-theme/

Written by:  Karallyn Fitisone
During this month honoring Women’s History, we reflect on all of the women and individuals who came before us to fight for our rights. On March 8th there was a global celebration or recognition of International Women’s Day. On this day we celebrate the social, cultural, political, and economic achievements of women and rally to promote gender equity, and show support for women who are still fighting for their rights. All throughout the world we see many instances of women fighting for their rights:

Worldwide, Women consistently fight for their rights: Some Examples

• Chinese Govt. Population policies: forced abortions or forced pregnancies based on countries needs
• Qatar criminalizing extramarital sex - primarily targeting women
• Russia and Turkey limiting/decreasing protections against domestic violence
• Mexico - government data showing more than 10 females are slain on average everyday in Mexico

 
What can we do about it?
Educate ourselves and stay informed on the challenges that women face throughout the world. We can also learn about their rights and how we can take action and or help in their fights for their rights.

• Countries with the top crises for women’s rights: Afghanistan, Iran, Yemes, Chad, Syria, South Sudan, Pakistan, Somalia
• Donate to groups that work toward equity (fighting for the protection of women’s rights)

Make sure your fight for women’s rights includes trans women! Trans women (especially trans women of color) are subject to some of the most violence and restrictive legislation throughout the world and it is important that we include ALL women in important conversations about women’s rights- cisgender, transgender, and women of color. (PC: James Daniel, ACLU)

With approximately 2 and a half months into the year of 2023, there have been numerous legislative efforts in the United States that aim to limit the rights of women and even legislation targeting and harming trans-women. It has been explored and discussed before, the relationship and intersections of LGBTQ+ and feminist movements. They exist from similar root causes which are the ill-treatment of individuals because of their gender orientation and sexual orientation. These similarly rooted causes have contributed to the movements often being jointly fought. It is our hope that we continue to dismantle harmful beliefs of gender defining our roles and worth in society.

Written by:  Merlva A  Betham, Jennifer Tofaeono, MBA
Every March women are recognized and celebrated for their contributions to history, culture, and society.  It is a month-long celebration that began in 1982 when President Ronald Regan proclaimed March 7, as “Women’s History Week”. It is a chance to acknowledge women’s contributions, and accomplishments, which are undervalued.  We celebrate this month for the women who have fought and continue to fight for equality, justice, and opportunity in our island.  As a female I would like to honor the women in my life who have made an impression on me. That have motivated me, and continued to cheer me on.   
My Aunt Sae’uteuga Le’au Scanlan, daughter of Saipele S. Le’au and mother Suluama Lea’ai born in 1937 in the village of Fagatogo.  She was the fourth of twelve children.  My grandfather Le’au expected great things from his daughter.  At a time when it was uncommon for Samoan females to attend college, he sent her to attend San Francisco State College where she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree. When she returned to American Samoa, she married her husband who later became High Chief Fanene Morris Scanlan and had two children.  She was an educator in American Samoa for several years before pursuing a Master’s degree at the University of Hawaii, followed by a Ph.D from Brigham Young University in 1975. American Samoa Community College, a tertiary educational institute, hired her as a Dean, and was quickly promoted as the school's Vice President, and eventually the President where she served for over a decade.  In my family she encouraged us to pursue higher education and celebrated with each of us when we graduated--she applauded as I graduated with my Bachelor of Arts, and Masters. My Aunt currently lives a quiet life, but she continues to be a force in Samoan history.
Seuva’ai Mere Tuiasosopo Betham, daughter of High Chief Orator Mariota Tiumalu Tuiasosopo. and mother Venise Pulefa’asisina-Tuiasosopo, was born to do great things.  Mere was the first woman to be appointed as the Director of Education in American Samoa.  Her father, High Talking Chief Mariota Tiumalu Tuiasosopo encouraged Mere to attend US college, and gain her Bachelors of Arts.  As a Samoan Teacher, who later became vice principal,  principal, before becoming the Director of Education.  In 1978 she was one of few Samoans to hold an administrative position.  When she became Director of Education, she was a trailblazer.  She once said. “for every child to be able to learn well, he must be taught well…our people are our greatest and only valuable natural resource, it is imperative that we invest heavily in their development at all levels.  In doing so, we invest in our country’s future stability, growth, health, and security.”   She held that position for many years.  She encouraged and supported a bicultural educational system ensuring Samoans would maintain our cultural identity.  In later years, 1991, she was initiated into her village council of chiefs and became the sole female out of seven Samoan associate judges. As the mother of six children, they were encouraged to strive for academic excellence, as each attended college and obtained their degrees. Unfortunately, she passed at the young age of sixty-five after she lost her battle to cancer. I deeply miss my aunt who provided me love and support.  She always knew that as Samoan women we could accomplish anything. 
It would be remiss of me not to mention other female leaders who have since passed, Dr. Adele Satele Galeai, and High Chief Tiumalu Telesia Lagarejos Scanlan. We honor our  first female U.S. Congress woman, Amata Coleman Radewagen, previous ASCC President Dr. Salu Hunkin-Finau, and current ASCC President, Dr. Rosevonne Pato.  The list of names does not stop there. I invite our community to celebrate the females who were trailblazers in your family or has made an impression to you and honor them.  Remember to celebrate their achievements!
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References:
Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 108 (1997) Tribute to the Late Seuva’ai Mere Tuiasosopo-Betham retrieved from:  https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CREC-1997-07-28/html/CREC-1997-07-28-pt1-PgS8204-2.htm