Which makes the road ahead in 2026 and beyond unique for her and the organization she champions. In fact, the first-generation Tongan American-born leader is ready to take MALO to the next level. 

“We’re a movement,” Soakai said. “MALO is fighting for social justice in any way possible, and that’s by making sure that we stay strong, because if we stay strong, that’s us showing that we are fighting against any systems that may have been put in place for us not to thrive.” 

MALO launched as a non-profit organization nearly 10 years ago, springing from Soakai’s dedication to family and her education. Her father was a founder of the First United Methodist Church in Ontario, a place where MALO now holds its meetings.  

But back in the 1970s, Soakai’s home was a haven for many Tongan immigrants looking for a safe place to live while they established their own homes in the region. These early days planted the seeds of what would later grow into a bona fide change agent. 

When a Master’s in Ethical Leadership project emerged, Soakai saw it as a chance to expand her work and ideals. MALO sprang to life thereafter, serving the Tongan and Pacific Islander community in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. Its primary focus revolves around empowering through youth mentorship, health initiatives, cultural preservation, and job readiness.  

Soakai stressed that the organization wants to bridge the space between the Tongan community’s youth and elders. Connecting people with vital local resources and promoting cultural heritage through various activities and events factors into the mix. 

Recent grants from Inland Empire Community Foundation through the Gates Educational Advancement Grant and Youth Grantmakers will further fuel MALO’s efforts in the coming months. 

“The grant allows us to continue dreaming big about what we can do with our youth, and what youth leadership looks like,” Soakai said. “We have the backing of a very big organization, and getting funding allows us to give our youth space to dream, then implement those dreams.” 

“Instead of dreaming up and waiting for more funding, the resources we received allow us to move forward with the kids and the project they’re working on right now,” she added. 

That project is being kept under wraps for now, but Soakai calls it “one of a kind,” adding that, “it will be a four-year project that gives youth the space to see the potential of what can be done when we put it our hands onto something.” 

Elsewhere, the nonprofit offers a broad range of programs—from health initiatives, cultural heritage efforts, and leadership development to education and local partnerships with organizations like Pomona College’s Asian American Resource Center (AARC). 

Today, the nonprofit is a rare entity. It’s the only Tongan-led, Tongan-serving organization in the Inland Empire that actively assists the Tongan, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders (NHPIs) community, linking them to local resources within San Bernardino and Riverside counties. 

“We need more,” Soakai stressed. “There’s just more that needs to happen for our community. Unfortunately, we thought that it was already out there. But what we found is that we’re the ones that have to create what works for our community.” 

Learn more at malotongaie.org. 

This story originally appeared in the Press Enterprise, November 2025.

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