By Dr. Victor Thompson, President
THE NATIONAL PACIFIC ISLANDER EDUCATOR NETWORK (NPIEN)
4425 Pixie Ave. Lakewood, CA 90712 (562) 496-2319
[email protected]
�Don�t forget the PI in the API�
May is the annual Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in the United States, but don�t forget the �PI in the API.� Pacific Islanders (PI) tend to become invisible within the API designation due to a smaller population. As we celebrate the achievements of Asians and Pacific Islanders, let us �unite the village,� the entire village to work together to meet the needs of Pacific Islander students. Pacific Islanders suffer from stereotypes of being labeled �entertainers, athletes, and delinquents.� We are not considered �academic material,� by some due to these stereotypes.
When the Pacific Islanders Association (PIA) of California State University, Long Beach and the National Pacific Islander Educator Network (NPIEN) co-sponsored their first education conference recently, over 200 students, parents, educators, and community members heard inspiring keynote addresses by Pacific Islander professors Dr. Amy Stillman, Dr. Vince Diaz, and Dr. Damon Salesa of the University of Michigan and other professionals and educators, all Pacific Islanders. We know that Pacific Islander mentors exist for our youth, and we challenge you to participate in our 2003 conference, so that they may know that alternatives exist to the stereotypes.
