I come from the humble islands of the Marshall Islands but was raised in Maine, USA for 11 years. At school, I felt out of place as I was the only one with brown skin, and I was bullied by classmates because I couldn’t speak English. But there was no need for me to be ashamed of my identity. I realized that sticking out wouldn’t always be bad because I could use the moment to shine a light on issues. I gained a passion for activism when I learned about the Civil Rights Movement in middle school.
In high school, I returned from Maine to the Marshall Islands—from evergreen forests to beaches that expanded out from each side of the road. I had noticed a drastic change in my surroundings and it was a wake-up call to my country and culture.
Like many developing countries, my country has inequality and few places for young people to speak up and lead. I want to challenge the social norms here, and I have tried many times to improve my country’s problems. In high school, I noticed growing teen pregnancy, so I promoted the awareness of safe sex, using condoms and brochures from a local NGO, JNJIE.*1 After that, I launched Brighten the Rainbow, the islands’ first LGBT+ youth equality project, created an anti-nuclear film, and hosted a workshop to teach youths how to combat climate change with the UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM). For the event called Youth National Dialogue, my students and I prepared a proposal for the government that proposed the youth have access to opportunities and join decisions regarding climate change.
My dream is to create a future where youth can engage in decision-making processes. So, I will continue to challenge my island’s social norms as well as embrace intergenerational dialogue. And I extend my vision to our island neighbors, bringing legitimacy for all Pacific youth.