Amata Meets with Alaska’s Samoan Community

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Aumua Amata was privileged to meet late Monday with some of the Samoan and Polynesian community in Alaska, hosted by the Polynesian Association of Alaska, and discuss issues such as access to healthcare on the islands, immigration and visas, as well as the importance of maintaining a strong culture and communities.

Meeting Alaska's Samoan community with Congressman Don Young

"Samoan is the third most common language spoken in the Anchorage school district, Alaska's largest metropolitan area," said Aumua Amata. "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. I want to express my appreciation to Congressman Young for hosting us, and his focus on a broad array of important issues."

With Congressman Young and our hosts from the Polynesian Association of Alaska

"I really appreciate the warm welcome from Alaska's Samoan community because they made this trip so memorable," continued the Congresswoman. "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."

Speaking to the Samoan and Polynesian communities in Alaska

Aumua Amata is in Alaska as part of a Congressional Western Caucus visit hosted by Congressman Don Young of Alaska, along with Chairman Paul Gosar (AZ), Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA), Rep Bruce Westerman (AR), and other congressional personnel for an in-depth economic development and natural resources visit. In partnership with the Western Caucus Foundation, this delegation will participate in various meetings and site visits on such topics as Native affairs, natural resources, economic development, fisheries, timber and public lands.

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