Chairman, distinguished members of the American Samoa Democratic Party, family, and friends—
I stand before you deeply humbled and profoundly grateful to accept the endorsement of the American Samoa Democratic Party, as its candidate for Delegate to the United States Congress.
I accept this endorsement with gratitude, and with a deep sense of responsibility. Your endorsement is more than an expression of confidence—it is a solemn trust placed in someone you believe, can faithfully represent the people of American Samoa.
To every member of this Party, thank you. I pledge to earn your trust every day through
Tonight, our work truly begins. I will explain the issues that matter to me over the next several weeks but it is enough to say at this point, my top priorities are Medicaid, Medicare and Deep Sea Mining or safeguarding our environment.
It is said that our life experiences shape who we become. Every challenge we overcome, every success we celebrate, every disappointment we endure, and every lesson we learn forms our character and defines our purpose. I want to share a little of that journey, so you understand why I stand before you today.
I was raised by a hardworking mother who believed that education and opportunity could change a family's future. At seventeen, I left home for college in California. Those first years were difficult. I struggled, doubted myself, and often wondered if I would succeed. But I learned that perseverance and resilience is often born in adversity.
When I returned home, I was blessed to begin my career in the Attorney General's Office under the mentorship of the late Deputy Attorney General, Afa Ripley. Yet I soon realized that if I wanted to make a greater contribution to my homeland, I needed broader experience.
That journey took me to Washington, D.C., through the American Samoa Internship Program in the office of the late Senator Daniel K. Inouye. There, I had opportunities I never imagined possible. I became a policy specialist, served in President Clinton's Administration, and worked for Vice President Al Gore—all before the age of thirty.
When that chapter ended, I remembered a promise I had made to my parents: give me ten years to learn, to grow, and to gain the experience needed to make a difference back home. I returned to American Samoa determined to keep that promise, exactly within the 10 years I promised. Sadly, my father was long one and my mother passed away before I could give her the life she deserved. After my mom passed, I felt there was no reason to stay when I could make a life in the United States. But I remembered my promise to my parents, and I stayed to give me the life and education that American Samoa gave me.
Since then, my life's work has not been about building a political career. It has been about building capacity for our people.
Through PiCED, I worked to create educational opportunities for our young people because I believe every child deserves the chance to dream beyond the limits of circumstance.
As Medicaid Director, I worked to strengthen our healthcare system because every family deserves access to quality healthcare and every child deserves the opportunity to grow up healthy.
For more than twenty-five years, my focus has been on building institutions that will outlast any one individual.
Today, I stand before you because I believe that experience has prepared me for a different calling.
I love this territory with all my heart. It gave me a future. I believe our future deserves strong leadership, thoughtful leadership, and leadership willing to ask difficult questions and stand up for our people.
We are living in uncertain times. Families are feeling the pressure of rising costs. Federal decisions increasingly shape our future. New challenges—from healthcare funding to the protection of our natural resources—require experienced leadership that understands both Washington and American Samoa. We must be the ones to decide the future that we want, not have it dictated from Washington, D.C. It is perhaps time, to have that conversation on revisiting our Deeds of Cession and our political relationship with the United States.
This campaign is not about one person. It is not about one political party. It is about the future of our people and all the complexities that come with it.
Leadership is not about titles; it is what you do with that title while you hold it temporarily. It is about service and uplifting our people while you have the authority and the power to do so.
Throughout my career I have also learned that leadership is not always rewarded. Sometimes it is misunderstood. Sometimes it is criticized. Sometimes false narratives become louder than the truth.
But I have never allowed the noise to define who I am.
My parents taught me that integrity is measured not by what others say about us, but by the principles we refuse to abandon. They taught me to respect the freedom of speech, the freedom of the press, and the right of our people to hold their leaders accountable even if it through harsh criticism.
Those values continue to guide my life. If we are to build a more secure future, we must reject the politics of division. We must choose truth over rumor. Solutions over slogans. Service over self-interest.
Government does not exist to serve the powerful. It exists to improve the lives of the people. Good leadership listens before it speaks, plans before it acts, and always places people before politics.
Development should strengthen—not replace—the values that have sustained us for generations. Our traditions teach us respect before argument, humility before pride, listening before speaking, and reconciliation before conflict.
I ask for your support, not because I have all the answers. I ask for your support because I know that when good people come together with mutual respect, shared purpose, and a commitment to serve, there is no challenge American Samoa cannot overcome.
Together, let us restore confidence in our government, strengthen our communities, preserve the values of fa'aSamoa that define us and at the same time, allow them to navigate this modern world. We can` build a more secure future for every child and every family in American Samoa.
Thank you for your trust. Thank you for your confidence. I will work every day to earn it.
May God bless each of you, may He bless our beloved American Samoa, and may God continue to bless the United States of America.