A Focus on Our AAPI Community
As we kick off Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, I wanted to share something exciting about the future of Pacific Islander and Asian American Studies at Portland State.
One of the first pieces of good news I was able to celebrate as Portland State’s new president in 2023 was word that, thanks to the hard work of a dedicated group of faculty, staff and students, PSU had been awarded an official federal designation as an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution, or AANAPISI.
The designation came with a $2 million grant that is helping PSU develop services and academic programs to assist in attracting, retaining and supporting Asian American and Pacific Islander students.
I’m thrilled to share that Dr. Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson, an Indigenous climate journalist and scholar from Samoa in the South Pacific, will join PSU starting this summer as a visiting Pacific Islander Studies Scholar-in-Residence. Dr. Jackson will spend two years helping us to develop the Pacific Islander and Asian American Studies curriculum. She will be based in the Indigenous Nations Studies Department in the School of Gender, Race and Nations.
A matai — or Somoan chieftess — from the island of Savai'i, Dr. Jackson has over two decades of teaching experience, as a guest speaker, visiting scholar, lecturer, and adjunct professor at institutions including the National University of Samoa, the University of the South Pacific, Waikato University, Oceania University of Medicine, Otago University, University of Sydney, University of Melbourne, University of Oxford, University of Helsinki, University of Washington, MIT, and Rutgers University, among others.
Her work highlights the unique challenges of covering climate issues in the Pacific Islands and the gaps in international narratives that often overlook the special circumstances faced by Pacific Islanders.
Pacific Islanders are among the fastest growing populations in Oregon. Between 2010 and 2020, this population grew by 54%. We’re starting to see a growing number of students from those backgrounds as well and recruiting and retaining faculty who can understand and holistically support those students is more important than ever.
I’m grateful to the dedicated students, staff and faculty who have helped us nurture this community and are overseeing our efforts as a minority serving AANAPISI university. You can learn more about events planned this month, including Pacific Islanders Week starting on May 19, by visiting the Pacific Islander, Asian & Asian American Student Center.