OFFICE OF SAMOAN AFFAIRS (OSA COMMUNITY)
20715 S. Avalon Blvd, Carson, California 90745 • 310.538.0555 / 310.538.8099
© 2007 OSA Community. All Rights Reserved.
OFFICE OF SAMOAN AFFAIRS
Incorporated: July 1976
State: California
Executive Director: Pat H. Luce
Director: June Pouesi
Fiscal Officer: Anita Mondares
OSA Community:
20715 S. Avalon Blvd.
Carson, California 90746
Telephone:
310.538.0555
310.538.8099
Fax: 310.538.1960
osacommunity.com
SOME OF OUR PAST PROJECTS
First major study funded
by the Department of HEW
to deal with education and employment among Samoans
English as a Second Language
Program for Samoans
Service Providers Handbook
on Child Abuse and Neglect
Pacific Islander Leadership
trained Pacific Islanders (Hawaiians, Guamanians, Samoans and Tongans) in advocacy. This led to AB3366,
the Pacific Islander identification bill.
Pacific Islander Excellence
in Education
Pacific Education Network
Funded by the Corporation
for Public Broadcasting
Mental Health Paraprofessional Training Program for Samoans
Native American Samoan
Job Training Program (DOL)
The Samoan Weaving Circle
to revive indigenous arts
Tobacco Control Program
First NCI Cancer Control
Research on Samoans
NCI “Pacific Islander Cancer Control Network.”
Among the 200 leaders invited were Rev. Suitonu, David Solomon, Chief Tuiteleleapaga, and Al Sotoa, from San Diego, Rev. Tuiofu Foisia, Rev. Bert Williams Tofaeono, Rev. Leuma Maluia, and Chief Loi Teo from Los Angeles, and Saaga Levi, Ario Tagoai, and Vaita Utu from the San Francisco Bay Area.
September 8, 1976, the infamous Herb Caen incident brought OSA to the forefront. In a “Dear Diary” story for the San Francisco Chronicle, columnist Caen wrote of the daughter of a high society family in the Bay Area dating a Samoan man. Wrote he: “This perfectly LOVELY girl (emphasis Caen’s) the daughter of one of our best families, is in love with a 300-pound SAMOAN!” Caen went on to say, “When I first heard this dreadful tale, I thought a 300-pound Samoan was some kind of dog, maybe, like a Samoyed, but this is a PERSON.”
The story aroused high emotions at an OSA meeting, and on Luce’s recommendation, members agreed to call a community meeting and asked Utu to lead it. Through Utu’s guidance, the Samoan Community sent a delegation, led by Luce, to meet with Herb Caen and his representatives. Shortly after, Caen issued a formal apology.
The Caen incident brought Samoans together for the first time to address an affront to them as a people and made board members realize how essential OSA was as an advocate for the people.
Today, OSA helps not only the Pacific Islanders but the economically disadvantage and at-risk population of the greater community.
