Florence Tuakalau
3.17.23
Talofa! My name is Florence Tuakalau. I’m located in San Jose, CA. I’m happily married to my husband Latu and am a mother to four beautiful children: Nia, Hendrix, Nellie, and Uate. I’m half Samoan and half Irish - my mother is Samoan and comes from the village of Solosolo.
I’m the Employee Experience and DEI Program Manager at Next Insurance and also contract as an Instructional Designer in my downtime.
My favorite Polynesian food is probably suafa’i - especially on a cold, rainy day!
“It sounds cliche, but living on my own for the first time truly was a turning point in my life. It opened my eyes to the importance of finances, careers, essential skills, and prioritization. For instance - I grew up under the practice that every paycheck I made went straight to my parents until I left home. That, in turn, left me with no savings and unproductive habits when it came time for me to be out on my own and manage my own money.
Now that I’m a mother myself, my husband and I both do what we can to teach our kids about things like taxes, saving money, and even credit. We let our kids decide how they want to use whatever money they’ve earned or are given, and over time they’ve started to choose to save more than anything else. I’d call that progress! But beyond money, we try to teach them other important life skills too - the things we’ve realized as adults that we had to learn about the hard way. We talk them through different things we do in our daily life when they show interest - paying bills, checking the air in our tires, etc. and do our best to answer every question they bring to us.
So I’d say if anything my experience is something to learn from: teach our youth the basics that they need to know before they go out into the world, don’t expect that they’ll learn them when they’re thrown into it.”
How has being of Polynesian descent and culture shaped who you are today?
“The one word I think of primarily is community. It is no coincidence that Polynesians are always seen as welcoming, happy people. In our history, we have successfully proven time and time again that the strong Polynesian community base produces strong people. Strong leaders, strong navigators, strong hearts, and strong minds. And having that sense of community as almost a part of our DNA, allows us to create that for others wherever we go. I tap into this a lot when it comes to work - having a community-based mindset allows me to be more receptive and open to the insight of others, and also allows me the confidence to ask for help when I need it.”
What advice do you have for the upcoming Polynesian generations?
“Create a brand for yourself and be able to confidently speak to it. No matter where you go in life, you should always be firmly aware of the value you add, what skills you bring to the table and the problems you’re able to solve. In our Polynesian culture, we are taught that humility is of utmost importance. While I don’t disagree, I would advise that when it comes to your career and your success - you need to be able to advocate for yourself and your abilities, comfortably. Don’t downplay the hard work you’ve put in. By doing this, you’ll develop foundational relationships that can connect you to the right opportunities for success. If you are needing help understanding what your personal brand really is, send me a message - I have a few tips to get your wheels turning!”
"No matter where you go in life, you should always be firmly aware of the value you add, what skills you bring to the table, and the problems you're able to solve"