Welcome

Talofa lava, Hafa Adai, Malo e lelei, hello and welcome to my blog. If you don’t know, my name is Harrison Togia and this is a space where I will be posting my daily insights and experiences while interning with the congressman from the U.S. territory of American Samoa, Eni Faleomavaega. So the idea of this blog is; every day I will create a post discussing one, or more, of the issues that I have encountered that day in the office. Now some discussion topics will last more than one day, but each blog will end with a different question, for which I will ask you to respond to with your ideas or opinions on the matter. I ask that you refrain from using curse words or fowl language in your blogs as well as not using them as a platform to attack or put down other people’s ideas. Thank you for your participation and enjoy.

So before we begin, in case you don't already know, I would like to give you all some info as to who I am and why I have created this blog. First off my name is Harrison Togia and I was born and raised in Tacoma Washington. In 2007 I graduated from Washington High School and I am now studying mechanical engineering at the University of Washington. While my first passion has and always will be engineering, I have recently become increasingly interested in political social justice issues regarding the pacific islands. Over the past year I have taken a number of classes focused on topics such as decolonization, community empowerment, environmental injustices, and cultural diaspora related to Pacific Islands. These classes, along with my professors, have inspired me to take a more active role in political issues concerning the Pacific Islands, specifically American Samoa. My Grandfather and his family immigrated from the islands of American Samoa in search of a better life. Now, a generation later, I look to use the gifts of education and representation that my family has worked so hard to afford me and share my fortune with the people of the Pacific. However I am not full Samoan, I am also a quarter Black and a quarter German, so while my intentions target the Pacific Islands my goals are to help all people with my work. A mixture of my developing goals and personal drive have led me to where I am today, which is interning in the Congressional office of Representative Eni Faleomavaega of American Samoa. From this internship I hope to gain a better understanding of the political system of the United, of the political strength of the Pacific Islands in the United States, and of the manner in which political progress is made.

Now that you know a little bit about me let’s get going on our little journey.