Local Partnerships
STEP- Saturday Tongan Education Program
Weekly @ Pomona College, Claremont CA
The Saturday Tongan Education Program is an Inland Empire collaboration between MALO and Pomona College’s Asian American Resource Center (AARC). Through weekly workshops and discussions at the Pomona College campus, participants support each other in their own journeys. STEP volunteers provide Tongan American youth with support in school, cultural preservation, leadership growth, and personal identity exploration. At the same time, college students associated with the AARC and from community engagement courses learn about the issues that affect their companions’ communities. They can engage directly with a community that historically has been under-served and underrepresented.
STEP fosters a mutually beneficial relationship between Tongan youth and the university institution to create unique learning opportunities on both ends.
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IDAAS Community Creations
MALO is in continual collaboration with the Claremont Colleges to produce educational materials like zines, articles, and images for the community. In the Intercollegiate Department of Asian American Studies (est. 1998) at the Claremont Colleges, students can take Community Engagement classes to participate in STEP workshops and sessions. These following creations are the products of their work and partnership with Tongan youth.
CASA Pitzer Collaborations
Presented @ Pitzer College, Claremont CA
MALO’s partnerships with the City of Ontario and CASA Pitzer has formed connections that highlight the historical significance Tongan Americans have had throughout the Inland Empire. From cultural festivals in Downtown Ontario to professional development skillshares hosted by CASA, our partnerships encourage visibility and education around Tongan American cultural presence in the Inland Empire.
