On the night of May 22, Pacific Islander Club held their first ever Pacific Islander Night at the Serna Center to bring families together to enjoy and share a special moment together from 5 PM to 8 PM.
Pacific Islander Club is a club of about 20 – 30 members who all have origins from the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoam or other Pacific Islands (including Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia). Pacific Islander Night, and the club, are here to celebrate Pacific Islander cultures, build community and increase awareness so students feel seen and valued.
JFK students may recognize this club from school rallies, since their club is one of the main performances almost every single time. But this is the club’s first ever Family Night in the history of JFK, making this a momentous day for the club.
Jaylen Pabelonia emphasizes the amount of Pacific Islander Nights JFK has hosted, citing this one as the first.
“This is our First ever Family Night,” Marilao said. “We have done many rallies but hosting our first family night will be an honor and tradition to hopefully have for the rest of the school years.”
The club’s vice president, Jocyah Marilao, explained the purpose of Pacific Islander Night and its significance.
“We have a Pacific Islander Night to bring the community together around the district to see our performance throughout the year,” Marilao said. “And our new ones to celebrate our last dances before school ends.”
As Pacific Islander Night was celebrated at the Serna Center, it was to inspire many pacific islanders generations to come.
