Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Websites
Languages
Timeline
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'Amelia Leafaitulagi Niumeitolu

Salt Lake City,UT

Summary

An Indigenous daughter of Moana (Oceania) born in Tonga. Raised by the waters and communities of Paa-Katetan (Utah Lake) and Piapaa (Great Salt Lake). I have returned from years of work in multimedia, film, organizing, lobbying, climate justice, social justice work and service in Harlem-NYC, La Mission-Sa Francisco, Tonga, Sāmoa,Viti (Fiji), Tongva (Los Angeles County) to Pia Okwai (Jordan River) to build and heal Utah with community.

Overview

13
13
years of professional experience

Work History

Community Director, Matriarch

Carry The Water
01.2021 - Current
  • Indigenous centered garden in Glendale-Salt Lake City
  • Glendale is made of Black, Indigenous, Asian and Refugee communities.
  • Creating space for cultural practices and art.
  • Relatives feeding relatives, Neighbors feeding neighbors
  • Organize, fundraise and write

Founder, Director

'Aikona
09.2011 - Current
  • Indigenous and community centered environmental-media-mental wellness company.
  • Community partnership wins and growth.
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLTdTbDuIYM&t=243s
  • www.aikona.live
  • Win! Halted Billionaire ,Warren Buffett's (Berkshire Hathaway, BNSF) Southern California International Gateway (SCIG) development. Created media packet for "The New York Times" and multimedia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nG8TtFoNbJU

  • Win! Living Wage for Hospitality workers. Our city came together!
  • Win! "Community Alternative 7 included in I-710 EIR
  • Win! After 30 years, Toll truck drivers win union contract at Port of Long Beach and LA
  • Win! Language Access Bill, Long Beach, Ca City Council Language accessibility available for 911 and LB City forms in Khmer, Español and Sāmoan.
  • "Air We Breathe" Black, Khmer, Samoan, Thai, Latinx play
  • "Every Student Matters" Campaign launched
  • Win! "Backstop Rule" adopted, regulating Long Beach and Los Angeles ports to reduce emissions
  • Win! Hyatt hotel workers form union and end 3 year boycott
  • DREAMers (DACA students) Filmmaker, Birth of organizing

Harvard Oceania Collections Fellow

Harvard University
09.2021 - 08.2024
  • https://peabody.harvard.edu/asoso-resting-collectively-and-rising-collectively
  • Asoso: Resting Collectively: Rising Collectively
  • Partnership with School for Cultural and Social Transformation- University of Utah, Utah Museum of Fine Arts, Harvard University and Pacific Island Studies

An intergenerational, multi- Oceania, queer, and community led art exhibit held at the largest Moana-Pasifika community event, Tongan Festival 2022.

Reviving the joyous and sacred practice of rest like our ancestors.

Cultural and Wellness Facilitator

Kaimanaintervention.com
09.2018 - 06.2023
  • Graduated 25 elementary and junior high students through 4 week intensive cultural and mental health group. Students learned cultural and ancestral methods for healing and building.
  • Graduated 50 children and adults from Tongan Methodist church in mental health, cultural practices and communications. Intensive 6 weeks of learning.
  • Graduated, Adult group of 15 over 8 weeks.
  • Graduate, Cultural and Wellness Facilitator, 2022
  • Graduate, Kaimana, First Class, 2018

Education

Master of Arts - Creative Writing, Screenwriting

Institute of American Indian And Alaska Native Culture And Arts Development
Santa Fe, NM
05.2024

Bachelor of Arts - Cinema, Arts And Technology

California State University - Northridge
Northridge, CA
09.2010

No Degree -

University of Utah
Salt Lake City, UT
2005

Skills

  • In community and engaged with Black, Indigenous, Differently Abled, LGBTQ, Asian, Refugees and Pasifika Islanders
  • Climate change and Environmental Justice Warrior
  • Filmmaker & Mediamaker
  • Community Organizer : Bay Area, Harlem, Tonga, Sāmoa, Rapa Nui, Chinatown -NYC, Salt Lake City
  • Community Lobbying
  • Social Justice Movements
  • Indigenous and Moana (Oceania) Cultural Practitioner
  • Project Management
  • Organizational support
  • Contracts and Calendaring
  • Internship and Volunteer Engagement

Languages

Spanish
Tongan
Limited Working
Samoan
Elementary

Timeline

Harvard Oceania Collections Fellow

Harvard University
09.2021 - 08.2024

Community Director, Matriarch

Carry The Water
01.2021 - Current

Cultural and Wellness Facilitator

Kaimanaintervention.com
09.2018 - 06.2023

Founder, Director

'Aikona
09.2011 - Current

Master of Arts - Creative Writing, Screenwriting

Institute of American Indian And Alaska Native Culture And Arts Development

Bachelor of Arts - Cinema, Arts And Technology

California State University - Northridge

No Degree -

University of Utah
'Amelia Leafaitulagi Niumeitolu