The Southern Utah Pacific Islander Coalition will celebrate its one-year anniversary this month. As a nonprofit organization, SUPIC was created in May 2014 in order to address needs that were not being met in the Pacific Islander community in southern Utah. Susi Lafaele is one of the cofounders of the coalition.
She said that education and healthcare are two of their biggest missions, but they also focus on youth development and cultural preservation.
“Polynesians are more prone to diabetes, heart disease and gout mostly because of our diet,” Lafaele said. “One of our missions and goals as a coalition is to raise awareness that you can stop the gout and prevent diabetes, especially in the children.”
According to the most recent numbers, 1 percent of Utahns identify as Pacific Islander in comparison to the just 0.2 percent who do nationally. However, Lafaele said that the coalition is not just for Pacific Islanders, but is open to anyone who has a love for the islands or Polynesian culture.
“We like to get together and party and have fun,” Lafaele said. “The Polynesian culture, you’ll notice, is very familial. So most, if not all of our events are centered around families. A lot of our events from our health fair, to our anniversary party, to our recognition event and dinner are all centered on families.”