What’s In Your Kete? Melodie Turori

Imagine being raised on Luiseño land in California and finding out at the tende age of 16 years old, that you were from a group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean that you didn't even know existed - the beautiful Cook Islands 🌊🌊🌊

Melodie Turori joins us for episode four and shares her story about returning to the Cook Islands with her family for the first time; connecting to the land, feeling her tupuna and reflecting on her time in Aotearoa. She also shares highlights from her Pasifika Transmissions documentary project 'The Future Behind Us' and explains the importance of the Pacific festivals like Pacific Islands Festival Association (PIFA) and Festival of Pacifica Arts and Culture (festPAC) for the US diaspora.

Melodie Turori - circa 2006

What’s In Your Kete? Leilani Faaiuaso🎙️

🌺 Meet Leilani Faaiuaso – Proud 🇼🇸Samoan and passionate advocate

From her roots in Manurewa to her home in Palmy, Leilani’s journey is all about embracing culture, overcoming doubts, and inspiring her people.

Whether she’s smashing it on the TEDx stage, repping Aotearoa worldwide, or uplifting her community, Leilani is changing the game. ✨

Her story reminds us: our culture is our superpower. It’s not about feeling “not enough”—it’s about owning your identity with pride. 💪🏽

🎥 Watch her journey and get inspired to own your identity!