The Native American Journalists Association and the Asian American Journalists Association are excited to announce the recipients of the first annual NAJA-AAJA Pacific Islander Journalism Scholarship.
Amee Hi‘ilawe Neves is a University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa student pursuing a degree in broadcast journalism. She was valedictorian of Wai‘anae High School in 2020, and is passionate about amplifying stories about her Kanaka Maoli community.
Sera Tikotikoivatu-Sefeti is a University of the South Pacific student pursuing a degree in journalism who also works as a freelance correspondent at Islands Business. She is passionate about telling stories about how climate change is affecting her home of Fiji.
Each recipient will receive $5,000 to support their journalism careers. The money can be used for tuition, student loans, or other journalism professional development and training.
The NAJA-AAJA Pacific Islander Journalism Scholarship was launched in 2022 with support from The Omidyar Group and is administered by the Native American Journalists Association.
It was created in partnership with the Asian American Journalists Association’s Pacific Islander Task Force as part of the group’s commitment to supporting Pacific Islanders in journalism.
The funding is intended to help Indigenous peoples of the Pacific, including Polynesians, Micronesians and Melanesians, pursue careers in journalism, especially in the U.S. and U.S.-affiliated Pacific islands. The goal is to improve Oceania representation and storytelling in the news media industry.
To support the journalism fund, or learn about how to apply in 2023, contact Sheena Roetman at sroetman@naja.com. The Native American Journalists Association is a 501c3 nonprofit and donations are tax-deductible.