CoVID Hits Pacific Islanders Hardest: 1-in-5 CoVID Deaths in Hawai‘i

News Release from Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement  Nov 9, 2020

A mother contracted CoVID-19 and was forced to quarantine in a tiny one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment. Her small children and other relatives, including kupuna (elders) forced to remain in the living room. There were 12 of them; and to make it worse, the bathroom was in the bedroom. This dire situation is common for our Chuukese, Samoan, Marshallese communities. Pacific Islanders are 4% of Hawai‘i’s population but a whopping 27% of CoVID-19 cases. As of November 6, the same people groups account for 45 deaths in Hawai‘i due to CoVID-19. That’s 20%, in other words one in five CoVID-19 deaths are Pacific Islanders, a stunning tragedy.

“We’re scrambling on many levels for help, answers and much-needed resources,” said Dr. Tina Tauasosi-Posiulai of the Pacific Islander Hawai‘i COVID-19 Response Team. “But with a resilient spirit of aloha, we are fighting back!”

“I’m shocked that our native people are dying for lack of resources right here in America, right here in Hawai‘i!” added team member, Tony “Da Braddahs” Silva. “This is a call for everyone to come together to lōkahi and laulima, to work together for the lives of our island ‘ohana!”

That’s exactly what has happened as a dozen different organizations and non-profits related to Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders have collaborated to produce PSAs in native languages, a hotline, social media posts, and now an epic 3-hour concert to promote awareness, advocacy and action. “Pasefika Su‘i Fefiloi” Virtual Concert is on November 21, 2020 with all-stars Rebel SoulJahz, Josh Tatofi, Kapena, John Akapo, Kelandy and Da Braddahs. It will be live-streamed on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube and available free to all islanders worldwide.

WHAT: “Pasefika Su‘i Fefiloi” Virtual Concert

WHEN: Saturday, November 21, 2020 @ 4:30-8 PM

WHERE: Virtual on Facebook @DaBraddahsHI

WHO: Open to public