College : Fresno City College Career goal : Teacher / cultural activist

About Sālote : Growing up , Sālote Kumā felt disconnected from her Pacific Islander heritage . She didn ’ t know any other Tongans , and although she grew up dancing , drumming and playing bass guitar in her family ’ s Polynesian dance studio , she always longed to connect with her own culture , until one day she realized she had been connected all along . This realization did not come to light until she started noticing the little things , like her mannerisms and the way she speaks . She said that “ Faa ’ i Kavei Koula ,” the Tongan pillars of passion , nurturing connections , humility and respect had always been a part of her mindset and who she is .

Sālote has experienced more hardship than many students during her high school years . Her mother was diagnosed with cancer in in 2020 and as she was recovering , her father died of COVD-19 . For several years , Sālote and her siblings were the only ones providing income for the family .

During high school , Sālote mourned the loss of my father , aunt and grandfather , all in the span of a year . But she said the losses have shaped her mindset and encouraged her to focus on her mental health and work towards achieving her goals .

In Sālote ’ s words : “ I would like to think that my father ’ s light continues to shine on me , guiding me out of the darkness . There are some who bring a light so great to the world that even after they have gone the light still remains .”

From Steffeni J . Oliver , counselor at Fresno High School : “ Sālote is an awesome young lady . She is extremely talented , intelligent , responsible , respectful and most of all , resilient . I admire the passion that she has for her culture , as well as the respect that she has for her foundational values . I am excited to see what she will achieve in her life and how she will be a beautiful being of light in the world .”

14 FACES