"Generating Oceania" is a transformative initiative to amplify the values of Oceania's cultural legacy here in Southern California. Inspired by the 2024 Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture (FestPAC) theme "Regenerating Oceania," we aim to create a lasting impact in Southern California?s non-profit space through art, community gatherings, and merchandise that brings our story to life.

By collaborating with artists and community leaders, we are launching exclusive, limited-edition merchandise collections, each representing one of the six core values we've identified from FestPAC: Care, Unity, Joy, Respect, Solidarity, and Love. These values are at the heart of our campaign, guiding our commitment to strengthening the Oceania diaspora and ensuring that our heritage thrives for future generations.

This initiative not only promotes cultural pride but also serves as a platform for change. We are using art and merchandise to connect, elevate, and inspire our community while supporting the sustainability of our organizational efforts. Each piece tells a story, each value ignites action, and together we are Generating Oceania for the generations to come.

Join us in celebrating the spirit of Oceania?where culture, creativity, and community converge to create a promising future.

Follow us on Instagram at @socalpicrt or our website at socalpicrt.org

JP / Jason Pereira is a muralist and designer of Samoan descent (with a lil? Portuguese!). Born and raised in Carson, he now resides in Garden Grove with his wife and son. JP has been an artist his entire life. As a kid he found inspiration in his father?s architectural work, and discovered his love for island culture during the summers he spent in American Samoa, attending cultural art workshops at the museum. As a teen and into adulthood, Jason?s creative interests gravitated towards graffiti art, but he always carried the artistry of his Pacific Island culture with him. Jason sought his education in Graphic Design and Murals, which led him to create his own apparel line JP South Pacific. Throughout that time to today, he has served the Pacific Islander communities as a resource in creating logos, t-shirt art, event branding, book cover design for the various non-profit, small business, and educational organizations.

Currently JP is the Artist-In-Residence at PIEAM (Pacific Island Ethnic Art Museum) in downtown Long Beach. There he participates as an artist in ongoing exhibits, he also holds art workshops and student talks, as well as works on his own creative projects, graphic design and commissioned works.

Contact: [email protected] / IG: @JPXINSTA 

Matua, the Samoan word for "parents", is a piece that expresses the idea of the many people who play the role of one's parents. In the Artist's family, the grandparents, the many aunties and uncles, older cousins, and a beloved fa'afafine nanny has cared for and contributed to his growth and development.

"ALOFA FA'AMATUA E OLA AI LE FANAU" translates, "Parental love gives life to the children". In Samoa and throughout Oceania, the coconut tree is often considered the tree of life. Through the love and provision of it's environment and those around it, a young coconut is able to grow, thrive and give life back to others.