Grass Roots on Capitol Hill

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Saturday, 30 July 2011 08:46

Grass Roots on Capitol Hill

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Sefa Aina-Grass Roots on Capitol Hill

Upon my arrival to the home of Iosefa (Sefa) Aina to interview him, I heard beautiful music being played on the piano.The music stopped and the door was opened by a large handsome 6’3” tough looking young man named Ben who always sports a big bushy ponytail and a great smile.“I didn’t know you played the piano” I said.“Yeah, a little” was his humble reply.Who would have thought? “Uncle Sefa!Cynthia is here!”

Sefa came down the stairs, and I thought to myself, if someone were walking down the street they might be a little nervous if they saw Sefa walking towards them, because he’s a big guy. But, I also knew that within a minute of talking with him, anyone would be totally disarmed. And, if they gave him 15 minutes of their time, they would be brought on board with whatever current good cause he would want them to join him in.Such is the nature of the man that President Barack Obama appointed and was sworn in on Capitol Hill as a member of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) on September 21,2010.

When I asked Sefa how this all came to be, he told me that several colleagues, including a college friend who was one of the first organizers of the Commission initiated during the Clinton presidency, encouraged Sefa to apply for the position.It was a long, and very complicated process.Out of over 2000 applications, Sefa was one, of only 17 individuals, to be appointed by President Barack Obama to this committee.

“How exciting that all must have been” I commented.“It was bittersweet”, he explained.“My mom passed part way through the process… I wish she could have seen it all happen.”

After going through a checklist to see how everyone in his family was doing, I asked Sefa to explain to me about what this position entails.He explained to me that the purpose of the commissioners is to be the “voice of the community”.To inform the President as to what issues or initiatives are needed in the community, and to bring information back to the people on federal programs that are available to help people in the communities individually and as a whole.One example is a Small Business Entrepreneur Summit that is in the works, which would highlight small business loan availability and procedures.

In April of this year the Commission hosted a “Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Health and Fitness Day” which featured exercise, healthy eating and routine health check-ups in line with the First Lady’s “Let’s Move!” campaign. Sefa and Heinz Ward (Super Bowl MVP/Dancing with the Stars winner) chaired the event focusing on childhood obesity at the UCLA campus.To ensure easier accessibility to the event for those living outside of LA County, several buses were sent to locations in Riverside, San Diego, L.A. and Ventura counties.Over 1500 pacific islands attended the event, including several well-known individuals such as Troy Polamalu and Jillian Michaels.

Considered more of a “Grass Roots” person Sefa says that it has been interesting seeing the “other side” of politics.For example 75% of their initial commission training was learning how to deal with the media, because of the media’s way of twisting things around at times. While representing the Commission, he admits that people are surprised at his mellow nature. Although extremely passionate about his views and causes, he has a way of expressing his viewpoint in a way that makes people really “feel” what he is saying, and people are very responsive to him.Sefa has a really great sense of humor as well.I laughed when he was telling me how if he has enough time with someone, he can get them to “flip over to my side, just like that”.

Two of Sefa’s passions are the First Start and Free Lunch Programs.“We had the free lunch and really needed that growing up.Someone had to sacrifice to make that possible for me.”To keep needed programs like these in place he continues,” we need a joint sacrifice… so pay your taxes.”We can’t let good programs like this get cut.

Education is another passion.Being 8^th out of 9 children in his family, it was tough growing up in a home that tried to balance Samoan culture with the “American Way”.“Everyone had a different way of dealing with our experience growing up.I was lucky that education saved my life.It (education) was a silver bullet for me…. It gave me the tools to think through my problems and to figure out how the world works and how history impacts the way life is lived today as an individual and as a group.”

“In Samoa if you see a family from a different village that is struggling, you go help them.”Sefa explains that it needs to be like that here in the U.S., whether it’s supporting the needs of the people living in Quail Valley or supporting the people going through difficulties on other side of the nation.We need to help each other.And we need to “recognize each other as “people”, not as different races.People need to say “HI” when they pass each other on the street.”I totally agree.

Friends and associates living in Carson (from where the Aina family moved 5 years ago) still try to get Sefa to move back because they want him to run for public office.Not to be considered however, “My family loves living in Menifee.When I was young I dreamed of living in a house like this.I dreamed of living close to a beautiful lake like we have (Heritage Lake) with the birds and ducks and rabbits.I dreamed of someday raising a family in a place like this.My wife and kids are happy here.”When I asked him about politics and Menifee, “Menifee has the opportunity to be in ‘that progressive space’.”With people moving here from OC, LA and Riverside counties, “Menifee isn’t molded yet… it’s a young place that hasn’t yet made up its mind.”

Sefa graduated in 1997 from UCLA with a B.A. in History. Upon graduation, Sefa was hired by the UCLA Asian American Studies Center (AASC) Student/Community Projects (S/CP) Unit. S/CP serves as the liaison between the UCLA AASC and the local Asian American and Pacific Islander community. Aside from creating relationships with Los Angeles API non-profits, Sefa also advised various Asian American and Pacific Islander student organizations at UCLA. He was also the Instructor for a service learning course titled, "Asian Pacific American Leadership Development Project (APALDP)".

In 2005, Sefa became the Associate Director for the Asian American Resource Center at Pomona College. He continues to work with students to foster leadership and participation in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community on campus and off. He is also working on the Pomona College Connections to the Community task force which seeks to strengthen relationships between the College and the larger community.

Sefa has also served as an Instructor for Asian American Studies at CSU Fullerton (Pacific Islander Experience course), has also been a trainer for the APIA-U Program (Organization of Chinese Americans) and has sat on the Boards of many community based organization.

Sefa’s wife, Belinda, is a first grade teacher at Valley View Elementary School.They have three beautiful children.

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