thatWritten by:  Jennifer Tofaeono 
Domestic violence and sexual assault are pervasive and challenging social issues in American Samoa.  Both Domestic violence and sexual assault have tremendous impact on both victims, as well as family members.  It creates devastating physical, emotional, psychological, and economic consequences for victims. Two out of every three Pacific Island women have been faced with domestic violence, and sexual assault stories litter our Samoan Newspaper every month.  We know domestic violence and sexual assault exist in our workplace, in our schools, in our community, and in our family.   
                Over the past two years the Board of Directors, and staff of the Alliance have developed a strategic plan that creates the framework in which we do our work.  Our strategic plan provides a roadmap to connect how we think about a problem, and the activities.  Our methods are supported by our activities and practices involved to address the problem.  We evaluate our outcomes to ensure they meet our desired goals.  The pieces of a strategic plan, including activities, and outcomes is the way we communicate and define what we do, and why we do it.  Every community engagement, every webinar, every podcast, every newsletter is designed to meet our strategic plan.  This framework creates accountability.  The mission of the Alliance is to empower individuals, and communities in American Samoa through collaboration, promoting resiliency, and strengthening capacity to eliminate Domestic and Sexual Violence.
                We realize that we cannot do this alone.  Our organization is reliant on our partnerships, and the alliances we form.  Over the next few months, we will be highlighting member organizations who carry the load of the work to fight domestic violence and sexual assault.  It is their hearts to help make a change in our community, as well as lend a helping hand that creates change.  We will ask them about their challenges, as well as the successes of working in our community.  This month we will highlight Mana Support Services, led, and founded by Elizabeth “Liz” Mailo.  Please join us every month to learn or hear more about the challenges our community advocates face, as well as their successes.  

Written by:  Gabrielle Langkilde
​In early June, as Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests were breaking out all over the US mainland and abroad, there seemed to be a disconnect between how the protests that were happening off-island related to us here in American Samoa. General comments I often heard in reference to BLM protests were, “Isn’t it so sad what’s going on off-island?” or “Good thing we don’t have those types of problems [read “racial issues”] here in American Samoa.” Even when a few protests happened here in our very own territory, there seemed to be confusion amongst the general public about why BLM protests were even being held in American Samoa, since it just didn’t seem like “our issue” to be protesting about.
 
In response to this, the American Samoa Alliance against Domestic and Sexual Violence hosted the first ever “Unpacking Anti-Blackness in American Samoa” open workshop event in American Samoa on July 2nd, 2020. As a summer intern at the Alliance, I had approached Director Jennifer Tofaeono with the idea for hosting this workshop in early June. And even though it was not a part of the deliverables in my original contract, Jennifer was not only gracious enough to adjust my contract accordingly, but also she was just as excited at the idea as I was and wholeheartedly prepared to support me in any way possible. With her and the rest of the Alliance team’s support, I was able to design and develop an educational, interactive workshop event to engage participants in thinking critically about anti-Blackness, the ways it manifests in American Samoa, its consequences, and what steps we can take individually and collectively toward combating it in our community.
 
While our main goal was to try to help participants understand the gravity of BLM protests and why issues of anti-Blackness were also extremely relevant to us living here in American Samoa, we also recognized the importance of just being able to provide a brave space for our people here to learn and engage with these concepts in the first place. Having grown up in American Samoa, I don’t remember a time in my primary and secondary schooling where I was empowered to speak about issues of race, gender, class, sexuality, etc. In fact, I was never given the language to express my feelings about those issues. For example, I was not equipped with vocabulary like “white privilege”, “anti-Blackness”, “colorism”, “heteronormativity”, “intersectionality”, etc. before having gone off to college and taken Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies courses or critical race theory classes. And I’m sure that this is the case for most people who’ve been raised here in American Samoa. 
 
At the workshop, I was glad to see participants from different backgrounds, regarding age range and educational background. As I led the workshop, I watched in awe as participants quickly picked up on concepts such as “privilege”, “intersectionality”, and “anti-Blackness”, and already began applying them in our discussions. We discussed what anti-Blackness is and how we ourselves might perpetuate it in the language we use, the beauty standards we hold ourselves too, and the ways in which we appropriate Black culture. Perhaps what I was most proud of was to see participants apply an intersectional lens in our discussions, recognizing the multi-dimensional complexity of their identities and how anti-Blackness affects people differently.
While the workshop was a success and participants walked away feeling prepared to discuss and challenge anti-Blackness in their own communities, the work towards dismantling anti-Blackness in our community is far from done. In fact, this is just the beginning. Before we can even begin to tackle systemic racism and anti-Blackness in institutions, we must first educate ourselves and tackle it within our own families, friend groups, work environments, and other smaller communities. I must also recognize that I too still have so much work to do, but that’s the thing about anti-racist work. It’s a lifelong dedication.

Written by:  Jennifer Tofaeono 
Conversation with Mana Community Support Services founder and community advocate, Elizabeth “Liz” Mailo:
 
            In 2011 Mana Community Support Services, a 501C3 Nonprofit organization was established.  It is a volunteer-based organization with strong work agreements and partnerships with Office of Protection for AD, and Department of Human Social Services.  Referrals work closely with Liz Mailo, Community Advocate who provides various services for victims of violence and those afflicted with mana (mental) health issues.  “Many times, I will advocate for clients by connecting with their doctors for their meds, if they cannot go to the hospital,” shared Liz, “I work closely with Dr. Biukoto, as we share the same clientele.  We work together to identify what works best for the client and families.”
           
            Mana Community Support services offer advocacy, peer support mentoring, counseling for dual diagnosis individuals (those who suffer from both Mana Health and substance abuse), family support and education about Mana Health.  When asked to describe challenges of clients, Liz shared, “I work with families on strategies to de-escalate stressful situations”, versus immediate contact with police officers who may not know the mana health needs.  “When episodes are violent  families will call the police to intervene, and most cases they will send the individual to Tafuna Correction Facility,” shared Liz, “but if I am there I work with the officers to place the individual at Behavioral Health Unit, this allows us to work with the physicians to meet the clients medical needs.”  Many times, she will meet them at the home, or hospital to help transition the client to the hospital.
 
            Additional services provided, peer support for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.  Groups meet every Thursday 9am to 10am.  The group determines a “safe space”, where survivors facilitate and lead the discussions based on need.  Any participants who express the desire to harm themselves, or need additional assistance, are immediately connected to Department of Human Social Services or hospital for assessment.  Mana Strong Group Support sessions are for individuals with mana health and substance abuse issues, are held online with others from across the country.  Meetings are Thursday. Participants learn about triggers and coping skills, as well as how to support each other using “I” sentences, versus “We”, to refocus on the individual, making it about them, not anyone else.  “We continue to learn, share and discuss ways to feel safe and secure, providing support to move forward,” stated Liz Mailo, “learning to let go things not in their control.”  All these services are free.
 
The biggest challenges Liz shared, “Is lack of understanding from service providers, and confidentiality in the community.” Mana Support ensures to gain permission from the clients first.  Confidentiality forms are provided if the client requests.  Mailo confirms, “What the person wants to keep secret, remains secret, until they say otherwise.” Another challenge can be working with service providers who work in silos.  “They will only work with one provider, versus coordinating care, using a group with many tools and support versus one, can be a barrier,” shares Ms. Mailo.  She looks forward to being part of the solution to eliminate the barriers for clients and the community.
 
When asked to provide an example of the “best” change in our community for Mana Health clientele and survivors Liz stated,  “Families are getting to be more acceptable of the needs of their loved ones suffering from Mana Health and substance abuse issue.”  They are working as a team to help the individual. More often she sees families who listen, and know when to step away, and provide clientele leeway to advocate for themselves, giving them confidence. She feels, it is about having a voice, and being heard by the family, not being treated only as a person with a disability and poses a challenge to the community/family.     
 
If you would like more information please contact Liz Mailo at email:   mailo02324@gmail.com or by phone: 684-252-1285.