Wayfinding Community-Campus Vā

Wayfinding Community-Campus Vā is a mixed media collection curated by U-ACT (Unifying APIDA Communities Together(Link is external)) that imagines how an “oceanic orientation” promotes cultural education, sustains community relationships and engagements, and advances social justice. With a basis in the ancient foundation of Austronesian language families, Vā is ‘connecting space’ that link islands and ocean together as an interconnected worldview. Indeed, never separated or open-ended; always connected and nurtured together through tautua, ʻservice’.

Since 2023, campus partnerships with two local grassroots organizations/programs based in Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) communities have expanded how to tautua the vā through thoughtful service in the region.

The collection includes traditional wooden instruments, a double-hulled canoe, community-created murals, linguistic maps, and a series of language and cultural workshop videos. Interactive panels, historical timelines, and lei-making activities further contextualize the meaningful development of the community-campus vā over time.

Most importantly, the collection highlights the ‘āiga ‘inclusive family’ of relatives, neighbors, community members, and campus friends that thrives with greater resources to tautua the vā for the entire region, and especially those who may need the most care.

This exhibition invites viewers to experience the community-campus vā in an “oceanic orientation” led by grassroots collaborations with local NHPI communities in North County San Diego.

Visit the exhibition from January 20th to July 31st, 2026, in the library's third-floor exhibit space. 

For more information:

Muāgututiʻa, G., Suarez, T., & Lee, M. (2026). Empowering and sustaining vā sā in community-campus partnerships: A neighborhood study of Sāmoan community in Oceanside, CA. In Vincent, C. & Moore, S. (Eds.) Equitable community engagement with colleges and universities: Exploring equity in community-campus relationships. Routledge.

Acknowledgements  

‘Āiga Taua Moi 

CA Civil Rights Dept 

CA Stop the Hate 

Catalyst of San Diego and Imperial Counties 

CSU ASAP 

CSUSM APIDA FSA 

CSUSM Library Outreach 

CSUSM PISA 

CSUSM University Store 

Empowering Pacific Islander Communities 

Faiva the Band 

FedEx in San Marcos 

Grace Full Gospel Ministries 

Guahan Grill in Oceanside 

Islands Fabric in Carson 

Jarod Pasene 

L&L Hawaiian Barbecue in Oceanside 

Leilani’s Attic in San Diego 

Lita’s Fish Market in Oceanside 

MiraCosta MANA 

Nate DeYoung Workhorse Signs 

National Conflict Resolution Center 

Kristian Carreon Photography 

Pacific Arts Movement 

Pacific Islander Community Health 

Pasifika Drums 

Regal Cinemas 

San Diego Asian Film Festival 

Seamstresses 

Start to Finish Media Company 

Sticker Mule 

Tabernacle of Workship 

Ta’u Tiare 

Taupou Sāmoa 

Teamwork Promotional Advertising 

Thraxx Services 

Tokio Flava in Oceanside 

Trining’s Bakery and Café in Mira Mesa 

Tupua Productions 

Vista Samoan Assembly of God