Abstract: "Moving Here Wasn't Easy": Pasifika Women's Perspectives on Racism and Experiences with Public Assistance Programs in California (Society for Social Work and Research 29th Annual Conference)
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153P "Moving Here Wasn't Easy": Pasifika Women's Perspectives on Racism and Experiences with Public Assistance Programs in California

Schedule:
Friday, January 17, 2025
Grand Ballroom C, Level 2 (Sheraton Grand Seattle)
* noted as presenting author
Monica De La Cruz, MPH, Doctoral Candidate, University of California, Berkeley, CA
Miracle Te'o, Community Researcher, University of California, Berkeley, CA
Fine Tuitupou, Undergraduate Researcher, University of California, Berkeley
Ruta Lauleva Lua’iufi Aiono, Community Advisory Board Member, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Papali’i Manūfou Liaiga-Anoa’i, Community Advisory Board Member, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Malie Chand, Community Advisory Board Member, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Anna Mahina, Community Advisory Board Member, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Fatima Oliver, Community Advisory Board Member, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Sophia Tupuola, Community Advisory Board Member, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Nani Wilson, Community Advisory Board Member, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Cassondra Marshall, DrPH, MPH, Assistant Professor, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Deborah Karasek, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, OR
Tina Sacks, PhD, Associate Professor, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Anu Manchikanti Gomez, PhD, Associate Professor, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Background and Purpose

The experiences of Pasifika (or Pacific Islander) people as a small population in the U.S. often are “invisible” because they are categorized in the larger (and arbitrary) racial category of “Asian Pacific Islander.” Indeed, the economic challenges Pasifika families experience are masked by this aggregation. In 2021 the poverty rate for Asian and Pacific Islanders was 9.4%, but disaggregation reveals wide disparities, with 17.6% of Pasifika people living in poverty. Structural racism and discrimination contribute to poverty in the Pasifika community through segregation and limited access to resources. Furthermore, while people of other ethnicities’ experiences when seeking public assistance have been studied, there is a dearth of information about Pasifika people’s experiences.The current study explores Pasifika women’s perspectives on how racism impacts them and their community and their experiences when accessing the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).

Methods

Using a semi-structured interview guide, we interviewed 20 participants between the ages of 18-46 years old who identified as Pasifika women who had used TANF, SNAP, or WIC programs in California in the last five years about their perspectives on how racism impacts them and their community and experiences seeking out public assistance. Interviews occurred either on Zoom or by phone, were audio-recorded and transcribed. We used reflexive thematic analysis to guide coding and theme development.

Results

The majority of participants were second-generation immigrants (95%). In preliminary analyses, many participants described their families’ economic challenges as rooted in the migrant experience, often facing multiple systemic barriers to integration and stability in the U.S. These barriers included challenges related to language, access to essential services like healthcare and education, and a general lack of resources that are culturally attuned to the needs of Pasifika communities. While participants described the goal of their families in moving to the US was to seek a “better life” for themselves, they recognized that life as an immigrant in the US was challenging because of systemic inequities.

When seeking public assistance, participants’ experiences mirrored prior research on people of other ethnicities’ experiences with public assistance. Participants detailed challenges in the application and verification process, despite appreciating the support provided by the public assistance programs. Participants also experienced forms of discrimination when seeking services, describing both explicit and subtle experiences of racism.

When asked about resources available to the Pasifika community to cope with racism and discrimination they have experienced, the importance of community organizations and Pasifika-centered advocacy in navigating these challenges was highlighted.

Conclusions and Implications

The findings of this study add to the limited literature on Pasifika women’s experiences of racism and experiences of accessing public assistance programs such as TANF, SNAP, and WIC. Prior research has indicated that public assistance programs like SNAP are underutilized by eligible Pasifika people. Findings from this study provide possible reasons behind underutilization that can be used by public assistance programs to inform strategies to engage Pasifika communities.

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