Growing up in the multiracial, working class neighborhood of White Center on Coast Salish land, Sili Savusa (Samoan) learned from a young age that her role in life was to take care of her people. Now, as Executive Director of White Center Community Development Association in Seattle, Washington, she works to create places where working class communities of color can live their dreams. In conversation with an islander from the Caribbean, Seedcast’s Felipe Contreras, Sili explains how she held onto Samoan values against the “Big Mack truck of racism” and why humility is a strong element of good community development work. 

Guest Host and Lead Producer: Felipe Contreras. Story editor: Jenny Asarnow. 

Content warning: this episode contains strong language at 15:24, 19:48, 25:59, 26:24.

Seedcast is a production of Nia Tero, a global nonprofit which supports Indigenous land guardianship around the world through policy, partnership, and storytelling initiatives.

Enjoy the Seedcast podcast on the Nia Tero website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and your other favorite podcast platforms.

Keep up with Seedcast on Instagram and use the hashtag #Seedcast.