FEATURED Events - SPRING 2025
FEATURED Events - SPRING 2025
Embedded Files
volunteers NEEDED @ Pasifika steam fair
volunteers NEEDED @ Pasifika steam fair
Sign up to volunteer at the 4th Annual Bay Area Pasifika STEAM Fair on Saturday, April 12, 2025 sponsored by the PIEFEST (Pacific Islanders Encouraging Fun, Engineering, Science, and Technology) organization.
Why Volunteer?
Promote Access to STEAM Learning: Assist with interactive, hands-on activities.
Build Community Connections: Help create a welcoming and inclusive environment that brings together leaders, organizations, families, and students.
Empower Students and Families: Join a movement that boosts confidence and enthusiasm for STEAM learning while celebrating Pacific Islander heritage.
Event Details:
When: Saturday, April 12, 2025
Where: San Mateo County Event Center, Fiesta Hall—1346 Saratoga Dr., San Mateo, CA 94403
Who: We are looking for dedicated volunteers who share our passion for STEAM learning and community empowerment. No prior experience necessary.
Want to Volunteer?
Click here to sign up as a volunteer or share this URL (https://wearepiefest.org/events) with any Pasifika families in the Bay Area to join this amazing resource fair for our community.
PILOT 2025 - APPLY NOW
PILOT 2025 - APPLY NOW
Pacific Islander Leaders of Tomorrow (PILOT) Summer Institute is a 4-day program that offers a culturally-centered approach to leadership development training that is grounded in social justice. Guided by our values of kuleana, lototele, kommol and tauhi vā, we aim to cultivate the leadership of young Pacific Islanders who can be advocates in, and on behalf of our communities.
Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islander students who are 18 years or older, currently enrolled as an undergraduate student, or have just graduated within the last year from a university or community college, are encouraged to apply. This is a paid opportunity with an $800 stipend upon completion, and food, transportation, and lodging are provided!
PILOT will be hosted in California's capital at Sacramento State University in partnership with the Office of Inclusive Excellence, Full Circle Project, and the California State University Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander Student Achievement Program (CSU ASAP).
Application Deadline: March 21, 2025
Apply Now: https://form.jotform.com/250628000035139
Student & faculty dinner
Student & faculty dinner
10th Annual Student & Faculty Dinner
Wednesday, March 12th, 6:00 - 8:00pm (Doors Open at 5:45pm), Student Union Ballrooms
Join CAPISE and other sponsoring centers for an evening of meaningful dialogue and dinner with faculty from various disciplines at SJSU! This is an opportunity to share experiences, spark ideas, and strengthen community connections outside of the classroom. Make sure to RSVP by March 7th!
Student RSVP Form: bit.ly/SP25SFDINNER
Faculty RSVP Form: bit.ly/SP25FacultyRSVP
capise is hiring
capise is hiring
The Center for Asian Pacific Islander Student Empowerment is hiring undergraduate students for the 2025-2026 academic year! We have four positions available:
Community Organizers (3 positions available): Student staff who work CAPISE's front desk, develop and facilitate programs on various topics and issues relevant to Asian and Pacific Islander communities, and support various CAPISE activities.
Community Marketing Specialists (2 positions available): Student staff who work CAPISE's front desk, design and collaborate on CAPISE marketing outreach efforts via social media and in-person on campus (e.g. tabling, sitting on panels, and classroom visits), and support various CAPISE activities.
Community Operations Specialist (1 position available): Student staff who work CAPISE's front desk, assist professional staff with administrative and organizational tasks for CAPISE programs, and support various CAPISE activities.
Empower Mentors (10 positions available): Peer mentors who work within the Asian Pacific Islander Empower Mentorship (API EM) Program, mentoring small cohorts of first-time first-year students for the full academic year and attending API EM Program-related workshops and events.
The application and the full descriptions for each of the positions listed above can be found here.
THE PRIORITY HIRING APPLICATION DEADLINE IS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28TH AT 11:59 PM.
Voyager scholarship
Voyager scholarship
The Obama Foundation has opened applications for the fourth cohort of the Voyager Scholarship program. Applications will close on April 1, 2025. Please check it out and apply if interested.
The Voyager Team is hosting several information sessions about the Voyager Scholarship - Register Here!
Tues, Feb 4th, 5:00-6:00 PM ET
Fri, Feb 7th, 12:00-1:00 PM ET
Wed, Mar 12th, 6:00-7:00 PM ET
Mon, Mar 24th, 2:00-3:00 PM ET
Please share this info page about this opportunity with your friends and family! Thank you so much!
CENTER FOR ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDER STUDENT EMPOWERMENT (CAPISE)
CENTER FOR ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDER STUDENT EMPOWERMENT (CAPISE)
campus resources drop in hours
campus resources drop in hours
Check out the Spring 2025 Drop In guests from 3 departments to chat about mental health (CAPS), research and library resources (Library), and career advice (Career Center). All free.
Weekly on Tuesdays, 11am - 12pm from Jan. 28th: Let's Talk with Dr. Shikha Saggi from Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
2nd & 4th Tuesdays, 2-3pm from Feb. 11th: Library Resources/Support (Kako'o) Drop-In Hours with Neil Kepoʻo Ordinario, MLIS from the SJSU MLK Jr. Library
2nd & 4th on Thursdays, 1:30-2:30pm (starting from Mar. 13th): Career Center Drop-In Hours with Sandra De Leon from the Career Center
Monthly on Thursdays, 11am - 12pm (Feb. 20th, Mar. 20th, Apr. 24th): CAPISE Civic Chats: Empower Drop-in Hours with Nina Chuang from the Office of Community and Government Relations
faculty drop in hours
faculty drop in hours
Drop by CAPISE on Wednesdays, 3-4 pm starting Feb. 5th to chat with Dr. Trung Nguyen from the Asian American Studies Department about his research, your college experience, activism, etc.
Weekly on Wednesdays from 3-4pm from Feb. 5th: Dr. Trung Nguyen from Asian American Studies
civic chats empower hours
civic chats empower hours
Come by to chat with Nina Chuang, Assistant Director of Community Relations and SJSU alum to chat about government and civic relations, campus initiatives / events, networking and professional development advice.
Monthly on Thursdays, 11am - 12pm (Feb. 20th, Mar. 20th, Apr. 24th): CAPISE Civic Chats: Empower Drop-in Hours with Nina Chuang from the Office of Community and Government Relations
Rock Your resume
Rock Your resume
The Palo Alto Networks Recruiting Team is partnering with their Aloha ʻĀina Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Employee Network Group to host a Rock Your Resume Workshop designed for you!
What Can You Expect?
➡️ Resume Tips & Best Practices: Get advice curated by our recruiters to make your resume stand out in the hiring process.
➡️ Build Your Brand: Develop a professional presence that reflects your unique identity.
➡️ Engage With The Community: Meet members of the Palo Alto Networks team and NHPI community to explore career paths.
🗓️ Date: Tuesday, February 25th, 2025
⏰ Time: 4:00 - 5:00 PM Pacific Time
📍 Location: Zoom
Secure your spot and register here!
FEATURED Events - FALL 2024
FEATURED Events - FALL 2024
Get your discounted ticket ($23.09) here with the code, "PACIFIC24" - https://bit.ly/pasifika-night
Pacific islander night @ football vs unlv
Pacific islander night @ football vs unlv
Friday, November 22, 2024
7:00 pm, CEFCU Stadium
Get Your Tickets Here - use "PACIFIC24" code for 35% discount ($23.00)
SJSU will be honoring Pacific Islander students, coaches, players, faculty, staff and families at the home game against University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV). During the game, representatives of the Pacific Islander Student Association (PISA) along with leadership of the Center for Asian Pacific Islander Student Empowerment (CAPISE) will be brought on the field to be honored and recognized along with a special message from Coach Ken Niumatalolo, the first Pacific Islander head coach for the Spartan football program.
We invite all Pacific Islander families, friends, students in the Bay Area to join us in celebrating Pasifika Pride and cheer on the Bowl-eligible Spartans.
Pasifika Family & Friends Potluck Tailgate:
Update 11/21/2024: Due to the expected heavy downpour on Friday, we are canceling the planned tailgate in Parking Lot 3, but we will have an impromptu gathering to share potluck on the 2nd floor of the covered 10th Street Parking Structure opposite side of the stadium. Bring something to share, wear your island shirt or order your swag from our Pasifika Store.
Flag Bearers
We will seek volunteers (students, faculty, staff, family members) to carry a Pacific Island flag during the on-the-field honoring of the club and CAPISE which will happen toward the end of the 1st quarter. Gather at the North Gate ramp no later than 5 minutes left of the 1st quarter and the group will be escorted onto the field.
Food from home: comfort food and cultural capital
Food from home: comfort food and cultural capital
Wednesday, October 2nd, 1:30 - 2:30pm, Student Union Meeting Room 2A
We all have comfort foods, whether it be a cultural dish, or something our family always makes. As Asian and Pacific Islanders, our comfort foods can tell rich stories of our communities. They show wartime resilience through foods like budae jjigae, colonial influence through spam musubi, or culinary survival through tikka masala and chop suey. Join us in exchanging recipes and exploring why, how, and where we get our comfort foods! API Snacks will be provided.
Sponsored by the Center for Asian & Pacific Islander Student Empowerment.
KAVA CONNECTIONS
KAVA CONNECTIONS
Wednesday, September 25th, 4:30 - 6:00 pm, MOSAIC Cross Cultural Center
Join PISA on Wed. Sept. 25th at Mosaic Cross Cultural Center (located across from the SU Bookstore) from 4:30-6p for our first event of the semester: Kava and Connections !!
Come enjoy snacks, kava, and conversation with fellow PIs and our PISA board for the school year! Let’s connect, build community, and relax before midterm season starts!
CAPISE website: https://sjsu.edu/capise/
api WELCOME reception
api WELCOME reception
Welcome (back) Spartans! Celebrate the beginning of the school year with your SJSU Asian & Pacific Islander (API) community! Check out our API performances and speakers, connect with API student organizations, and commemorate the beginning of the school year with the Center for Asian Pacific Islander Student Empowerment (CAPISE). This event is free and open to all new and returning students.
Join PISA at this free event to meet the officers, get some free drinks and snacks, and enter a giveaway to win some awesome prizes!
Date: Thursday, September 5, 2024
Time: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Location: Student Union Ballrooms
Questions? Email capise@sjsu.edu
FEATURED Events - SPRING 2024
FEATURED Events - SPRING 2024
Coach Ken Niumatalolo and his wife Barbara.
Check out the official press conference and listen to his inspirational speech: https://sjsuspartans.com/welcome-coach-niumatalolo
(Photo: SJSU Athletics)
WELCOMING PARTY FOR coach ken niumatalolo
WELCOMING PARTY FOR coach ken niumatalolo
PISA, in collaboration with the President's Office, Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI), Center for Asian Pacific Islander Student Empowerment (CAPISE), the Asian Pacific Islander Faculty & Staff Association (APIFSA), and the Athletic Department, cordially invite all Pacific Islander students and other organizations to attend the Welcoming Ceremony for San Jose State's first Pacific Islander / Hawaiian football Head Coach, Ken Niumatalolo. This event promises to be an evening filled with cultural pride, camaraderie, and celebration as we honor Coach Niumatalolo's appointment.
Date: Friday, May 10th
Time: 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Location: SJSU CEFCU Stadium - South Campus (changed from SJSU's Tower Lawn)
Dress Code: Semi-casual attire, cultural attire highly encouraged
Photo Album: Pasifika Spartans - Welcoming Coach Ken Niumatalolo
ELECTIONS 2024-2025
ELECTIONS 2024-2025
Congratulations to our 2024-2025 Pasifika Leadership Team. We're stoked that 3 of our founding officers are returning to lead us the 2nd year and we welcome Adi who succeeds Aki as secretary. Congratulations to Aki for graduating next month.
President: Lute Finau
Treasurer: Caitlin Miller
Vice President: Jessica Jattan
Secretary: Adi Tuidelaibatiki
Advisor: Dr. Vidalino Raatior
Check out the leadership team's bios here.
SUPPORT PASIFIKA STEM FIELDS
SUPPORT PASIFIKA STEM FIELDS
Jenny Ly from Micron Foundation's Girls Going Tech in partnership with the Pacific Islanders Encouraging Fun, Engineering, Science and Technology (P.I.E.F.E.S.T.) is looking for Pacific Islanders in the STEM majors / fields to serve as mentors for Pacific Islander youth for an event in mid July. We encourage club members to get involved in this effort to support Pacific Islander youth. PIEFEST is a South San Francisco-based non-profit organization founded by Pacific Islander parents "dedicated to improving Pacific Islander representation and increasing access to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) related careers." Dr. Vid has contacted PIEFEST for possible future collaborations.
Contact: Jenny Ly, jennyly@micron.com
Pasifika planting @ filoli
Pasifika planting @ filoli
April 20, 2024 | 11:00 am | Filoli Historical House & Garden
Join Pasifika students and community members in the Bay Area to plant seeds and taro, eat together and talk story about connecting to the land and each other at Filoli Historical House & Garden, 86 Canada Road, Woodside, CA.
Bring food to share and be ready to introduce yourself in your island's language: name, parents' names, grandparents' names, village(s), and other ways of Indigenous introductions.
Contact: Loa Niumeitolu, (510) 253-9074
explore media representation
explore media representation
April 25, 2024 | 3:00 pm | Student Union - Room 2A
Join our club president Lute Finau and the Center for Asian Pacific Islander Student Empowerment (CAPISE) at this Cultural Commentary: Exploring Pacific Islander Representation in Media on April 25 from 3pm to 4pm at the Student Union in Meeting Room 2A. This program will focus on the misrepresentation of Pacific Islanders and the cultural stereotypes that are created in the media. Free snacks and drinks provided!
Contact: Lute Finau (lute.finau@sjsu.edu)
A History of SPARTAN ACTIVISM & advocacy
A History of SPARTAN ACTIVISM & advocacy
Monday, April 8, 2024, 2-4pm, Ballrooms
Monday, April 8, 2024, 2-4pm, Ballrooms
Cosponsored by CAPISE, MOSAIC, and the Student Union (SU) this event kicks off the Asian & Pacific Islander (API) and Arab American Heritage Months. You'll have opportunities to engage with interactive and reflective art panels from 2 - 3 PM, as well as the opportunity to attend a panel discussion from 3 - 4 PM on the topic of activism and advocacy, centering what belonging looks like for our API and Arab American communities.
making waves: asian & pacific islander grad
making waves: asian & pacific islander grad
Sunday, May 19, 2024, 2024, 4-6 pm, Ballrooms
Sunday, May 19, 2024, 2024, 4-6 pm, Ballrooms
Making Waves: Asian & Pacific Islander (API) Graduation is held at the end of the academic school year to honor our graduating Asian, Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Multiracial undergraduate and graduate students. This event highlights their triumphs, while also affirming the unique challenges Asian and Pacific Islander students experience in higher education. This graduation celebration is separate from SJSU Commencement.
API Heritage month @ sjsu (april)
API Heritage month @ sjsu (april)
April 1 - 30, 2024
April 1 - 30, 2024
Asian Pacific Islander (API) Heritage Month is an annual month-long celebration of Asian and Pacific Islanders in the United States. (Nationally, this month is celebrated in May.) Throughout the month, CAPISE and other campus partners will host programs and events highlighting and uplifting the stories, histories, and experiences of Asian and Pacific Islanders.
CLUB SPRING MEETINGS
CLUB SPRING MEETINGS
Tuesdays | 3:00 - 4:30 pm | MLK Library, Room 525 | Join us in Kings Library Room 525 for club meetings on Tuesdays during Spring semester from 3:00 - 4:30 pm alternating between officers meetings and general club meetings.
FEATURED Events - FALL 2023
FEATURED Events - FALL 2023
COALITION-building
COALITION-building
Coalition: Legacy of Filipino Farm Workers Movement (MOSAIC Cross Cultural Center collaboration with CAPISE)
Tuesday, October 10th, 11am - 1pm, Student Union Ballroom C
Come learn and discover the legacy of social justice and racial solidarity as we cover the untold stories of Filipino farm workers who have played pivotal roles in shaping the United Farm Workers (UFW) Movement. Let's unite for a future of fair labor practices and social justice that will transcend borders and echo with relevance! Featuring Dr. Joanne Rondilla (Asian American Studies) and Dr. Jonathan Gomez (Chicana and Chicano Studies). Free lunch provided!
Sponsors: MOSAIC Cross Cultural Center & CAPISE
Empower Yourself
Empower Yourself
Empower Yourself: Exploring API Cultures and Mental Health
Tuesday, October 10th, 3 - 4pm, Student Union Meeting Room 2A
Mental health can be difficult to talk about. Often there isn’t a true word for it, or the concept is almost taboo in most Asian and Pacific Islander (API) cultures. Growing up in such environments can affect our perceptions of our own mental health, or prevent us from accessing resources even though we know they exist. Let’s chat about our perceptions, figure out where to get API-specific resources, and settle down around some snacks!
Sponsor: CAPISE
Make money, raise funds @ 49erS games
Make money, raise funds @ 49erS games
We are excited to partner with Angela Pace, the CEO/Founder of Blue Line Pizza, a local, independent, woman-owned pizzeria with multiple locations throughout the Bay Area including the Levi's Stadium. Blue Line Pizza will train and hire up to 8 club members per game to earn $18 hourly wage as cashiers at the 49ers home games. You keep your hourly earnings and Blue Line Pizza will donate $5 to PISA for each hour you work...a win win win (Go Niners!! Win!! Win!!) situation...did we say win win? If you haven't officially joined PISA, JOIN NOW and then sign up for one of the available spots on our sign up sheet here. You have to be a member to sign up.
Tapa Designs: Exploring Pacific Islander Art
Tapa Designs: Exploring Pacific Islander Art
Thursday, October 5th, 1:30 - 2:30 pm, MLK Jr. Library, 2nd Floor, Meeting Room 225
Interested in learning more about the Pacific Islander (PI) culture? Tapa cloth is the oldest form of PI art and has been used to depict Pacific Islander identities through each Island’s significant designs. It comes from the bark of the mulberry tree and is heavily used in the Pacific Islander way of life. Join us to learn more about Pacific Islander Tapa cloth and even try designing your own! Free snacks and supplies will be provided to paint your own design!
Contact: capise@sjsu.edu
api welcome
api welcome
Thursday, September 14th, 5 - 7 pm, Student Union Ballrooms
Welcome (back) Spartans! Join the Center for Asian Pacific Islander Student Empowerment (CAPISE) to celebrate the beginning of the school year with your SJSU Asian & Pacific Islander (API) community! Check out our API performances and speakers, connect with API student organizations, and commemorate the beginning of the school year with the Center for Asian Pacific Islander Student Empowerment. This event is free and open to all new and returning students. Join us, get some free drinks and snacks, and enter a giveaway to win some awesome prizes!
Contact: capise@sjsu.edu
Fall 2023 Club Meetings
Fall 2023 Club Meetings
Every 1st & 3rd Thursdays | 3:30 - 5:30 pm | King's Library Room 525
Join the club meetings every 1st & 3rd Thursdays at the King's Library Room 525 to meet officers and members. Club officers meetings are open to all members.
August 18, 2023 | 2:00 - 3:00 pm | Zoom | Register Now
Join the Ohana Center of Excellence in this continuing dialogue on gender, sexuality, and mental health and focusing on the experiences of LGBTQ+ Afakasi! The session will feature Stanson Afoa and Li‘olemāsina "Li‘o” Pele Lubanski who will be hosted by Dr. Lesther Papa from SJSU. Throughout the session, they will explore a diverse range of topics, including navigating Afakasi/Queer identity, experiences with mental health, and messages for both members and providers of the Samoan community. More info
SPRING 2023 - FEATURED Events
SPRING 2023 - FEATURED Events
Spring 2023 Club Meetings
Spring 2023 Club Meetings
April 18, 2023 | 6:30 - 8:00 pm | Join on Zoom
Join the Pasifika Leaders at this meeting to finalize the by-laws and the club registration process. Club officers meetings are open to all members.
Graduating? Join the API Graduation
Graduating? Join the API Graduation
May 27, 2023 | 4:00 - 6:00 pm | Student Union Ballrooms | Register Now
Encouraging all graduating Pasifika Spartans to register to participate in the Making Waves: API Graduation on Sunday, May 21st, 4-6 pm in the Student Union Ballrooms. Register by April 27th to receive a FREE graduation stole.
Constellation of Liberation
Constellation of Liberation
April 20, 2023 | 12:00 pm | Student Union Room 4 | Register Now
Constellated across generations of resistance and solidarity, poets & musicians ʻIhilani Lasconia and D. Kauwila Mahi will offer a lecture and workshop with tools from Oceanic life-writing. Attendees will learn more about struggles for liberation in Hawai'i, the Pacific, and Turtle Island. With art as the north star for driving movements forward, participants will create their own "blackout" poem as an act of constructing power and ensuring well-being across oceans and continents. Sponsors: CAPISE & MOSAIC
API Heritage Month 2023
API Heritage Month 2023
April 2023 | View Calendar
Check out the full calendar of events celebrating 2023 Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month organized by the Center for Asian Pacific Islander Student Empowerment, MOSAIC Cross Cultural Center, and other partners. View Calendar
Connecting the API Experiences
Connecting the API Experiences
April 27, 2023 | 6-7 pm| Join Now
Join Dr. Vid Raatior and a panel of API folks from across the API communities, different generations and experiences who will share what it means to be API in the Bay Area, how our different identities affect how we are API, and what it means to thrive and not just survive in the larger stories of Asian and Pacific Islander communities. Sponsored by CAPISE and others.
Publish your Pasifika Story
Publish your Pasifika Story
Talanoa is a collection of true stories about Pasifika people from Pasifika people. Consider submitting a story or poem to be published in the Anthology. Learn More
Empowering Pasifika Youth
Empowering Pasifika Youth
July 24 - 28, 2023 | UC Davis | Apply Now
Apply to join this 4-day Summer Institute at UC Davis aimed at training Pasifika youth in college to be effective social justice advocates leaders for Pasifika community sponsored by Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC). Deadline Extended to apply: April 26, 2023
PILOT Summer Institute for Pasifika Youth Leaders
PILOT Summer Institute for Pasifika Youth Leaders
Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC) is excited to announce our annual PILOT Summer Institute applications are now open for 2023! This 4-day Summer Institute offers a unique approach to leadership development that centers Pacific Islander culture and social justice. PILOT is being hosted by EPIC in partnership with the Strategic Asian and Pacific Islander Retention Initiative (SAandPIRI) at UC Davis and the Pacific Islander Initiative at UC Berkeley.
We are looking for Pacific Islanders currently enrolled as an Undergraduate student at a Community College or 4 year University or have comparable experience working in and organizing the Pacific Islander communities. We are looking for Pacific Islanders passionate about serving and transforming their communities!
This year’s PILOT Summer Institute will be hosted in person at UC Davis from July 24th-28th, 2022. Participants will receive a $600 stipend upon completion of the program.
Applications are now open and will remain open until April 21st, 2023. Application and supporting documents must be received by this date for consideration.
For more information please visit the application form at Tinyurl.com/pilotsi23
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse