Tutu Fa'atasi

The Tutu Fa'atasi Podcast wishes to express our heartfelt appreciation to all of our incredible guests who joined us on our podcast. Thank you for taking the time to share your stories and thoughts about your experiences with COVID-19 during the global pandemic.

Tutu Fa’atasi Podcast features store manager for COST U Less Marvin Raps. He makes sure that Cost U Less always has fresh groceries, more of their one-stop bulk-size goods, and just the modern home goods you need to run your home or business. Don't miss this interview, where Marvin talks about what they did during the COVID-19 lockdown and how COVID-19 is now.

Episode 16th features special guest Isaac Afoa. He has spent the last two years working as the Flying Fox Gastropub’s chef. He comes from the village of Taputimu and has been serving the Flying Fox Gastropub’s customers delicious food. Isaac will be sharing about the impact the COVID-19 lock down had on both his personal and professional life. If you liked what they served at Flying Fox Gastropub, you won't want to miss this interview.

This week's episode features Mona Uli, who leads non-profit organization, Back on Track in American Samoa. Back on Track helps people with their addictions by setting up peer support groups where people can share their stories and encourage each other. They are a trauma-informed care organization with a Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) to help people get the support their needs to be successful and overcome their additions. Join us this Thursday as Mona Uli talks about Back on Track and what they offer and how WRAP can help during and after COVID's lockdown.

In this week's Tutu Faatasi podcast, Episode 14, the guest is a clinical psychologist, Dr. Jueta McCutchan-Tofaeono.

Join us as Dr. McCutchan-Tofaeono will discuss in this podcast what mental health is, why we need to be aware of it, when it happens, and how to deal with it. She also shares how our emotional, mental, and social well-being is affected by our mental health. She gives support and advice to help people deal with the stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Don't miss this great interview!

Episode 13, the Tutu Faatasi Podcast team interviewed Physical Therapist and founder of Parents of Children with Special Needs Network (PCSN), Sandy Scanlan. Join us as Sandy shares the success and the services PCSN has provided over the years. She explains how other parents can become involved in the lives of their children, by gaining support and solutions as we all become experts in their disability. With the COVID-19 virus on the island and limited support for children with special needs, PCSN can teach and offer help to parents and families during this pandemic. Join us for another episode, this Wednesday, June 8 at 9 am.

In partnership with UCEDD, we invite you to join us on for Episode 12 of the Tutu Fa'atasi Podcast as we honor educators and those who have improved the lives of our children. Join our panel discussion with 2022 Territorial Teacher of the Year and Tafuna High School Teacher, Christian Wright-Sa'alea, Private Schools Special Education Specialist, Tonya Tuigamala, and Veterans Affairs Clinical Psychologist Dr. Jueta McCutchan-Tofaeono as they discuss the challenges and experiences they have had with their students, and how their students have dealt with the COVID-19 lockdown in schools and at home.

Episode 11 of Tutu Fa'atasi Podcast interviews Leone Highschool educator, Mrs. Vera Peck and two of her senior students. They'll talk about how COVID-19 has influenced their education and how they've adjusted to the challenges of learning in a pandemic.

Episode 10 features State Director Jason Betham Sr. of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC). Listen in on how the SBDC has adapted their workforce to the pandemic and the services their office provides to assist small businesses especially during this time. 

Episode 9 is now available featuring our interview with our special guest, Mrs. Taimalelagi Minnie Tuia, Executive Director of the American Samoa Visitor Bureau. Listen in on how the pandemic has impacted the tourism industry and how ASVB has adapted to living COVIDSafe. 

Episode 8 on the Tutu Fa'atasi Podcast feature special guest the Lt. Governor of American Samoa, the Honorable Talauega Elesalo Ale. Lt. Governor Ale plays a significant role as the Governor Authorized Representative (GAR) for the COVID-19 Task Force and response. Check out this intimate interview, as our guest shares insight on his perspective on the COVID-19 response and more.   

Joining Sheila Tupua-Sulu on Tutu Fa'atasi Podcast, we'd like to introduce her co-host, LJ Solo. 

Tune in to Tutu Fa'atasi Podcast tomorrow, Wednesday, March 2, 2022 for Episode 6 featuring special guests Chelsea Nicholas and Mila Sapolu Jr. Our guests contribute to the COVID-19 relief efforts for those impacted by the global pandemic on the island of Oahu. They each have a unique position in our community  to encourage people to be tested and educate them about the critical role testing plays in containing this pandemic. Listen in to hear these amazing individuals discuss their fields and what they have to share about COVID-19.

On this episode, we have Store General Manager of Neil’s ACE Home Center, Nadine Solofa Taufa’asau, who recently celebrated her 20 years of service with the company.

Locally owned with 110 employees and  servicing our community for over 37 years, Neil’s ACE Home Center is known as one of the major retailers here on island. On behalf of CEO Ngaire Ho-Ching & the Scratch family, Nadine gives us insight on how COVID-19 has impacted the business and how they are doing the best they can to continue to provide for our community. She explains how the supply chain has been affected and how the ripple effect of the pandemic is impacting their business.

Dr. Aifili John Tufa is the Territorial Epidemiologist for the American Samoa Department of Health. Dr. Tufa shares what a potential COVID-19 outbreak would look like on island, and educates us on what we can do now to best prepare ourselves. He has done an excellent job at helping our island stay COVID safe. Don’t miss out on what Dr. Aifili has to share with our community!

Join us on our third episode with our special guest Reverend Pausa Kaio Thompson. Rev. Thompson is from the villages of Vaitogi, Utulei, Fagasa, Ofu, Manu'a and Aunu'u. 

ReverendThompson is a Samoan clergy/faifeau, activist and theologian; which are all secondary to his role as husband to wife Meilyn, and father to their 3 daughters, Asenati, Fonoa, and A.J. He is an alum of the Kanana Fou Theological Seminary in American Samoa, and holds Masters degrees from Union Theological Seminary in the city of New York and Boston University in Massachusetts. He is currently a Ph.D. student at Claremont School of Theology in Claremont, CA.; while also serving as Head Pastor of the Dominguez Samoan Congregational Christian Church EFKS in Compton, CA. His scholarly work accentuates the theological discourse, indigenous culture and wisdom, and social justice issues of Samoa, and Samoans in diaspora. His ministry encourages people to be change agents in the world by invoking a more socially conscious ethic of Christian practice.

Be sure to tune in and listen to Reverend Thompson share how he utilized his role to help his congregation stay COVID-19 safe!

Our guest for Episode 2 is Psychologist, Dr. Faafetai Faaleava. Born in Moto'otua, Samoa, Dr. Faaleava comes from the villages of Vaiusu, Lano, Samata-i-tai and Fagaloa. He has lived in multiple locations including Jamaica, New Zealand, and later America. 

In April of 2020, Dr. Faaleava tested positive for COVID-19 while living in Illinois and then again in December 2020 when he moved back to California. During the pandemic, he has offered mental health services within the prison systems surges of inmates testing positive for COVID-19. Tune in on Tutu Fa'atasi, as Dr. Faaleava shares his experience contracting COVID-19 while assisting others throughout the pandemic. 

On our first episode, we have one of our own from American Samoa, Anastacia Le'au Sala. She is a Registered Nurse of 20 years in California and since COVID-19, Stacia has been working frontline of the panademic.