Pasifika Bay Area Artist Launches Social Justice Collection, Proceeds Go To Nonprofits Fighting Against Systemic Racism

SpotlightUpdates

Jul 23

Courtesy of Afakasi Prints.

Afakasi Prints founder, Amanda Stowers, creates a Social Justice Collection to continue the fight against the social injustices and systemic racism faced by BIPOC communities. 100% of profits from these designs will be donated to two nonprofits: South Pacific Islander Organization and Zinn Education Project.

Could you tell us about your background and where you grew up?

I grew up in a town on the central coast of California, with my parents and three older brothers. I identify as Sāmoan, but I also identify as mixed race, specifically Afakasi, meaning I am half Sāmoan. My Dad is from New Zealand, where he was a first generation New Zealander, born to Sāmoan immigrants who traveled to New Zealand during the surge of Pasifika immigration of the 1950’s and 1960’s.

What was your experience navigating the education system? Do you have any thoughts on Pasifika representation in higher education?

My personal experiences were rough. Throughout high school I didn’t quite have a thorough understanding of what it took to obtain a higher education, and I did not have any form of a support system or resources provided to me from my school. While I believe navigating our education system is a mutual relationship, and I take responsibility for my lack of drive and determination to educate myself, the system itself was also not there for me. I truly believe because of this, the relationship perpetuated itself. Because I did not have the resources, I did not try, and because I did not try, my teachers and staff did not put as much effort into my future. Because of this I tried, 4 separate times, at 3 different institutions to obtain a college degree, but ultimately I never did.

I think it’s very important for there to be Pasifika representation in higher education. Globally, Pasifika communities have been told by society that they don’t belong in higher education, in scholarly roles, or in places like STEM. Instead our communities are told that we are exclusively blue collar, that we are second-rate citizens, that we are only good for our labor, and unless we're skilled in Rugby or Football then we can’t escape our fate. Although I’d like to clarify that there is no shame in working in these roles, that we can also work in these sectors with pride. It’s the stigma that these roles are “less than” that creates the shame, and it’s important to unlearn this stigma. I think it’s important to note that having Pasifika representation in higher education is not mutually exclusive to also having Pasifika peoples working blue collar roles with pride. I also think it’s important that our educational system normalizes providing support and resources to Pasifika students, just as much as they would for a well-performing white student. Having experienced this deficit first hand, I know that if our system made these changes towards treating students of all races with equity, our Pasifika students would have a much higher success rate.

What motivated you to create Afakasi Prints?

Growing up, my family was the only Sāmoan family in my small town. If there was another Sāmoan family, I never knew them or met them. Because of this, I grew up with essentially zero representation of my culture beyond my own household, and I desperately yearned for it. Representation is the core reason why I created Afakasi Prints, not only because I think there are others out there in the diaspora like me, needing to connect with their culture, but also because so much of the representation we do have here in the states is inaccurate and misinformed. My entire life, everywhere I went, I was the only person in the room like me. I also never saw myself or my culture represented publicly in things like art, television or movies. These things can be incredibly isolating and damaging. Ayesha Siddiqi once said, “Be the person you needed when you were younger”, and this is exactly what I am trying to do with Afakasi Prints. I want young Sāmoan kids to be able to walk down the street and see themselves represented in public street art, I want them to be able to see themselves in more than just tiki bars and “Palm Springs” themed parties. I also want non-Pasifika people to better understand our cultures, traditions, art and beliefs, so that their only exposure isn’t just the “Hawai’i” section of the party store, or the racist tropes of Pasifika people represented in mainstream television and movies.

What inspired you to create a Social Justice Collection?

The stance behind this collection has been brewing inside of me for a very long time, as I have grown into who I am and my identity, I have also grown my beliefs and the things that I stand for. I faced a lot of racism growing up, but my experiences are mild compared to what a lot of others face every day, especially here in America. The systemic racism and social injustices faced by BIPOC can lead to feelings of hopelessness and despair, and I wanted to find a way to use these feelings for good, and to bring them purpose. Recently the world, myself included, finally opened their eyes to see the Black Lives Matter movement and everything it stands for, and this collection was born out of wanting to be an ally for BIPOC injustices long term. I know that the media will move on, and I want to ensure that I am able to provide support and awareness for as long as I can. While this collection launched with only two designs and organizations, I plan to add more over time.

Any tips for Pacific scholars and aspiring artists?

Do not give up! Don’t be afraid to chase your dreams. Do not let others get you down or discourage you from fighting for what you believe in. You will run into people who don’t believe in you, who don’t want you to succeed, who don’t want you in the spaces that you are fighting to be in, but use that as fuel to keep fighting for your dreams. Don’t be afraid of failure, as sometimes our failures are our biggest teachers, and will lead us to greater successes in the future. Don’t be afraid to jump out there. Reach out to that contact and make yourself known.

Say yes to an event you might not be ready for. Whenever I'm afraid to do something I always imagine - what’s the worst that can happen? Like truly, I sit down and imagine the absolute worst case scenario and then I think “is it really THAT bad? If that were to happen, would I come out on the other side ok? Would it still have been worth it?" 99% of the time, the answer is yes, I’ll be fine, it was still worth it. Honestly, that “ worst case scenario” won’t actually happen, so anything else that might actually happen is something you’ll survive just fine.