Articles by Jean Melesaine

Samoan dances hold history of the islands, passed down for centuries and centuries. Amongst heavy violence in the Bayview Hunters Point neighborhood, Nise is still passing those stories down through Samoan "siva"(dance) in front of her home, the same place she's witnessed her community/family members killed.

While in Aotearoa(New Zealand) for a month and a half, I was grateful to be in a place of what I call the Pasifika Arts mecca. As a Samoan artist born and raised in America, reshaping the way I think about art and navigating our culture through America makes you think.

There are moments in life that remind me of things I've forgotten, like my parents immigration journey in intricate detail. "The Factory", the first Samoan musical was like finding the secret I knew best, my parents story.

"Island time" is a concept in the islands that things get done whenever they get done, aka this posting about my second week in Auckland is getting posted late but all with the greatness of the Pasifika artists that have been inspiring me this last week.

There are some things I don't question especially when it comes to my life, even with all the heavyness I have no complaints, good and bad it has led me to "Aotearoa", The Land of The Long White Cloud, the place where my grandfather has rest his life, people call it New Zealand.

De-Bug went to the Fresno Fairgrounds where we chronicled the stories of some of the over 8,000 people who were in attendance to learn how they can sign on for health insurance.

I was blessed to be in Oahu for a week, there is only 18% of native hawaiians left on island and 40% of the homeless population are kanaka maoli. Kanaka Maoli, the natives of the land still exist

Photos from last nights celebration in Downtown San Francisco after Giants sweep the Detroit Tigers and win the World Series

Photographer Jean Melesaine follows 21 year old Alex "Merc" Matua, a young father who tells De-Bug why that extra two dollars proposed to voters in this years ballot(Measure D) would change his life for him and his family.

Earlier this year De-Bug had the opportunity to travel to the home of The Civil Rights Movement; Birmingham, Alabama and build with Birmingham's "Women of Power" an incredible group transforming lives in the South that is growing into a national network.