Congresswoman Aumua Amata met yesterday with members of the Samoan and Polynesian community in Alaska and was hosted by the Polynesian Association of Alaska.
A press release from the Congresswoman said those attending raised issues such as access to healthcare on the islands, immigration and visas, as well as the importance of maintaining a strong culture an
d communities.
The congresswoman is in Alaska as part of a Congressional Western Caucus visit hosted by Congressman Don Young of Alaska looking at economic development and natural resources.
Congresswoman Aumua Amata welcomed the opportunity to meet with the Samoan Community in Alaska.
She notes that, “Samoan is the third most common language spoken in the Anchorage school district, Alaska’s largest metropolitan area.
“It was a real pleasure to be greeted by Samoan dancers in Alaska, and update the local Samoan and Polynesian communities on all our efforts in American Samoa and Washington,” she said.
“I really appreciate the warm welcome from Alaska’s Samoan community because they made this trip so memorable.
“Despite the difference in weather, Alaska and American Samoa share similarities in our distance from the rest of the United States, and it’s valuable to see how this remote state operates.
“I take every chance I can to describe the unique challenges of economic and geographic isolation in American Samoa to my colleagues in Washington, and through activities like this one, that important message continues to be heard.”
Aumua thanked Congressman Young for hosting the delegation, and his focus on a broad array of important issues.
