Sha Merirei

Sha Merirei is the handle used by Palauan-American artist and activist Sha Merirei Ongelungel.[1] She was one of the earliest known Palauans to have an internet presence, promoting art, Palauan culture, and Palauan music in the late 1990s.[2] In December 2014, she launched the first Palauan online radio station called Native ExPat Radio.[3] That same month, she was named Miss LGBTQ by the Palau Humanities Project.[4] She is the daughter of Palauan artist, Hans Ongelungel.[5]

Graphic from Sha Merirei's #BeingMicronesian Twitter thread.

#BeingMicronesian

In September 2018, Sha Merirei started a Twitter thread using the hashtag "#BeingMicronesian." The thread featured screenshots of anti-Micronesian sentiment, mainly from residents of Hawai'i, and was covered by a local news outlet.[6] The news story captured some attention internationally, growing awareness of the Compacts of Free Association and plight of Micronesians through outlets such as Radio New Zealand,[7] Al Jazeera,[8] and The Guardian.[9] Around that same time, the Hawaii Advisory Committee to the U.S.Civil Rights Commission was conducting its second hearing on concerns associated with barriers to equal opportunities for Micronesians within the state. The hearings resulted in a report,[10] published in October 2019, noting that "[t]here is widespread negative public perception of COFA migrants in Hawaii... This group continues to be scapegoated as a drain on resources, particularly in healthcare. COFA migrants also face discrimination in access to housing and employment."[11]

References
  1. "Introduction". I'm Sha Merirei.
  2. Hawisher, Gail E.; Selfe, Cynthia L. (2000). Global Literacies and the World-Wide Web. Psychology Press. p. 106. ISBN 9780415189415.
  3. "Pacific Note Homepage". Pacific Note Homepage. Retrieved 2018-03-09.
  4. Variety, Marianas. "Ongelungel is Miss LGBTQ for December 2014". Marianas Variety. Retrieved 2018-03-09.
  5. "ARTISTS". Ongelungel Arts. Retrieved 2018-07-31.
  6. "#BeingMicronesian in Hawaii Means Lots Of Online Hate". Honolulu Civil Beat. 2018-09-19. Retrieved 2021-01-27.
  7. "Online movement exposes discrimination faced by Micronesians". RNZ. 2018-10-16. Retrieved 2021-01-27.
  8. "#BeingMicronesian: What is life like for immigrants to Hawaii?". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2021-01-27.
  9. "#BeingMicronesian: online hatred spurs positive fightback". the Guardian. 2018-10-06. Retrieved 2021-01-27.
  10. Hawaii Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. "Micronesians in Hawaii: Migrant Group Faces Barriers to Equal Opportunity" (PDF). U.S Commission on Civil Rights.
  11. "Report: Battling Discrimination Against Micronesians Requires Policy Changes". Honolulu Civil Beat. 2019-10-15. Retrieved 2021-01-27.


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