Doris Tulifau
5.2.2023
Our feature this week is Doris Tulifau!
Her full name is Maluseu Doris Tulifau. She was born to Faatino Tuliau and Emily Cowley Tulifau. She has two siblings- Mathew and Min. Doris is the founder and president of Brown Girl Woke. She works as a consultant in youth advocacy. She is currently working on her Ph.D. Doris’s favorite Polynesian food is palusami!
“I’m first generation Samoan American. My parents both migrated from New Zealand to America for a better life for us. I’m also the first to graduate from university in my family. I am the founder and president of Brown Girl Woke ngo, which recruits, educated, and trains young university students on issues in our community.
There is a picture of a quote I said in 2012 that I will one day move to Samoa and American Samoa to do conferences and I actually have.”
“I started telling my story about being sexually abused and the resources I found to make sure it doesn’t happen to anyone else in our community.
This started conferences and took me to Samoa to do research on sexual abuse and how culture and religion silence us on sexual violence.
I’ve been in Samoa for 5 years doing the work and going into primary schools, high schools, and universities adding safety programs against abuse into the curriculum.”
What advice do you have for the upcoming Polynesian generations?
“Young people need to know their identity. Research about our people and know we were voyagers, warriors and kings, and queens!”
- Doris Tulifau
“Young people need to know their identity. Research about our people and know we were voyagers, warriors, kings, and queens."