Nomination and blog post written by: Val LiHang Jacobo

Samoan progressives in the Bay turned out a record number of voters in the 2010 California mid term election  and helped catapult their candidate to Attorney General.

When Kamala Harris announced her candidacy for Attorney General, the Samoan community turned to San Francisco native, Manufou Liaiga Anoa'i to get the job done.

Known as a self starting go getter, Manufou swiftly organized collaboratives with organizations she helped found. Disaster relief driven non profit SF Samoa and SPIA, Samoan Parents in Action an education based initiative swiftly came together.  Manufou organized in the north and reached out to progressives in southern California to form a coalition.

The coalition took on voter education and registration drives in schools and churches across California.  They worked in partnership with Pacifika Vote, a national drive and turned out the grassroots vote for Kamala Harris.

To date, Kamala Harris serves as California's Attorney General and traditional Samoans are leaning more left of center thanks to friends like Manufou.

There is an old Samoan proverb, "O le ala i le pule o le tautua."  When interpreted, this signifies the respect Samoans have for servant-leaders and the work of progressives like Manufou in her community.

The fa'aSamoa or the Samoan way of turning out leaders is a slow, traditional process by way of service to family, church and village first.  Manufou is a highly regarded and beloved young Samoan American who through her deeds has more than earned her leadership role in the Bay area.  When she speaks, Samoans listen.

Successfully straddling multiple community facets, Manufou holds the key to turning out voters and the progressive transformation of the Samoan American community in this region and across the state of California.  

We applaud the work of Manufou and are pleased to name her as a recipient of the 2011 APA for Progress Unsung Hero award.