Homeland: Chuuk / Pohnpei / Hawaii High School: Waiakea High School College: Honolulu Community College Major: Liberal Arts Status: 2nd Year Pursuing: Associate Degree
Biography
Davis Rofino Martin comes from a multi-cultural family background. His biological father hails from a small island known as Kuttu in the Mortlock Islands in Chuuk State, F.S.M, but his adopted stepfather who raised him after the passing of his dad and for whom he refers to as “Dad” is Pohnpeian. Both were amongst the first wave of COFA migrants who traveled to Hawai’i in the late 80s/early 90s to seek higher education opportunities. His mom is of European/Asian descent. While Davis embraces his multi-racial status, he takes utmost pride in his Micronesian heritage.
Davis considers Hilo and Puna on the Big Island as well as Kalihi-Kapalama on O’ahu as his “home.” He is a graduate of Waiakea High School.
He first attended Hawaii CC from 2013-14 where he was an active member of the Chuukese Student Association (CSA) and performed in UH Hilo’s 2014 International Night. Life pulled him in a different direction and he moved to O’ahu before finishing his education. That move enabled him to connect for the first time with his Mortlockese family members on O’ahu which has been a new and beautiful journey of discovering his Micronesian heritage and identity.
On O’ahu, he joined the workforce and learned the value of good work ethic. For the next seven years, he worked his way up from being a cart attendant to a high-end retail Manager. Outside of work, Davis was involved in family and community activities. He became a member of the Chuukese Catholic Community of Hawaii (CCCH) as a “serafo” (youth), and became Vice President of Kuttu Subparish all while he helped his family as a caretaker for his grandparents.
Since the pandemic, Davis realized that it was time to go back to school and further his education. In Fall 2021 he enrolled at Honolulu Community College with the goal of finishing his AA degree in Liberal Arts which he started in Hilo. Determined to make up for lost time, he registered for 17 credits and successfully concluded the semester with straight A’s and a 4.0 GPA. Since then, Davis has appeared on the Dean’s List twice: once during Fall 2021, and once during Fall 2022.
Currently, Davis is a member of Student Government, Phi Theta Kappa, President and founder of Micronesian Wayfinders club at Honolulu Community College while holding down two on-campus jobs and taking a full load of 15 credits. His goal is to complete his AA degree and transfer to UH Manoa to pursue a BBA degree in Ethnic Studies and Business Entrepreneurship.
Jojo’s Inspiration
I first learned about Dr. Jojo Peter through a YouTube video addressing the issue of discrimination against Micronesians in the aloha state. I would occasionally see Dr. Jojo Peter make appearances in various events where he’d share announcements and words of encouragement to everyone around. In 2020, I bought a copy of his book “Coconut Ratz & Kung Fu Cowboys”. His story had an influence on my decision to return to college and complete my degree. I was moved by his determination, success, and community service. Despite the challenges he faced with his disability, and being a COFA migrant in Hawai’i, he had numerous accomplishments under his belt. I was inspired by the fact that he achieved two master’s degrees and a Ph.D., became the first Micronesian to serve on the Hawaii State Civil Rights Commission, and cofounded the nonprofit “We Are Oceania” (WAO). Most of all, he advocated with passion, spread awareness to the local community, and empowered Micronesians across Hawaii and Guam. I wish to help in continuing his work and his legacy.
Legacy Project
An issue that I recently observed with our Micronesian youth is a lack of self-awareness, historical knowledge, and cultural identity. I would like to do a project that will contribute to teaching young Micronesians about who we are as a people, and what our purpose is here in the U.S. I firmly believe that having a sense of place and self-identity are fundamentals in navigating success, especially for Pacific Islanders. I think that it’s important to teach our youth about their roots, and help them understand the amount of courage and sacrifices our parents and grandparents had to make. They left their home islands and traveled thousands of miles to come to these new lands for us to have better opportunities. An appreciation for those who came before us can be a motivation for young Micronesians to strive higher for success.
Davis Martin
Meet the Scholars
Sponsor a Scholar
Homeland: Chuuk / Pohnpei / Hawaii
High School: Waiakea High School
College: Honolulu Community College
Major: Liberal Arts
Status: 2nd Year
Pursuing: Associate Degree
Biography
Davis Rofino Martin comes from a multi-cultural family background. His biological father hails from a small island known as Kuttu in the Mortlock Islands in Chuuk State, F.S.M, but his adopted stepfather who raised him after the passing of his dad and for whom he refers to as “Dad” is Pohnpeian. Both were amongst the first wave of COFA migrants who traveled to Hawai’i in the late 80s/early 90s to seek higher education opportunities. His mom is of European/Asian descent. While Davis embraces his multi-racial status, he takes utmost pride in his Micronesian heritage.
Davis considers Hilo and Puna on the Big Island as well as Kalihi-Kapalama on O’ahu as his “home.” He is a graduate of Waiakea High School.
He first attended Hawaii CC from 2013-14 where he was an active member of the Chuukese Student Association (CSA) and performed in UH Hilo’s 2014 International Night. Life pulled him in a different direction and he moved to O’ahu before finishing his education. That move enabled him to connect for the first time with his Mortlockese family members on O’ahu which has been a new and beautiful journey of discovering his Micronesian heritage and identity.
On O’ahu, he joined the workforce and learned the value of good work ethic. For the next seven years, he worked his way up from being a cart attendant to a high-end retail Manager. Outside of work, Davis was involved in family and community activities. He became a member of the Chuukese Catholic Community of Hawaii (CCCH) as a “serafo” (youth), and became Vice President of Kuttu Subparish all while he helped his family as a caretaker for his grandparents.
Since the pandemic, Davis realized that it was time to go back to school and further his education. In Fall 2021 he enrolled at Honolulu Community College with the goal of finishing his AA degree in Liberal Arts which he started in Hilo. Determined to make up for lost time, he registered for 17 credits and successfully concluded the semester with straight A’s and a 4.0 GPA. Since then, Davis has appeared on the Dean’s List twice: once during Fall 2021, and once during Fall 2022.
Currently, Davis is a member of Student Government, Phi Theta Kappa, President and founder of Micronesian Wayfinders club at Honolulu Community College while holding down two on-campus jobs and taking a full load of 15 credits. His goal is to complete his AA degree and transfer to UH Manoa to pursue a BBA degree in Ethnic Studies and Business Entrepreneurship.
Jojo’s Inspiration
I first learned about Dr. Jojo Peter through a YouTube video addressing the issue of discrimination against Micronesians in the aloha state. I would occasionally see Dr. Jojo Peter make appearances in various events where he’d share announcements and words of encouragement to everyone around. In 2020, I bought a copy of his book “Coconut Ratz & Kung Fu Cowboys”. His story had an influence on my decision to return to college and complete my degree. I was moved by his determination, success, and community service. Despite the challenges he faced with his disability, and being a COFA migrant in Hawai’i, he had numerous accomplishments under his belt. I was inspired by the fact that he achieved two master’s degrees and a Ph.D., became the first Micronesian to serve on the Hawaii State Civil Rights Commission, and cofounded the nonprofit “We Are Oceania” (WAO). Most of all, he advocated with passion, spread awareness to the local community, and empowered Micronesians across Hawaii and Guam. I wish to help in continuing his work and his legacy.
Legacy Project
An issue that I recently observed with our Micronesian youth is a lack of self-awareness, historical knowledge, and cultural identity. I would like to do a project that will contribute to teaching young Micronesians about who we are as a people, and what our purpose is here in the U.S. I firmly believe that having a sense of place and self-identity are fundamentals in navigating success, especially for Pacific Islanders. I think that it’s important to teach our youth about their roots, and help them understand the amount of courage and sacrifices our parents and grandparents had to make. They left their home islands and traveled thousands of miles to come to these new lands for us to have better opportunities. An appreciation for those who came before us can be a motivation for young Micronesians to strive higher for success.