When social conflicts arise within their communities, Pacific Islanders have a particular way of finding solutions. They sit in a circle and engage in informal storytelling to find the answers.

The tradition, called TalkStory, is one of many tools that leaders at South Seattle Community College (SSCC) use to engage Asian Pacific American students and their families in confronting their biggest challenges: English language acquisition, poverty, and cultural divides.

Students along with others sit together, sharing personal stories of struggle and triumph in an environment where most assume Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI), or Asian Pacific Americans (APA), are excelling. Yet, many are not.

Autasia Sagiao Jr. is one of them, a first-generation college student of Samoan and Filipino heritage. Having grown up in a low-income neighborhood in Seattle, Sagiao is not the prototypical AAPI success story.

College wasn’t even in his plans, Sagiao said, as he struggled to get through high school. His connection with teachers and class material disintegrated while he teetered on the verge of dropping out. Though he loathed his schooling experience, Sagiao “tried out” community college where he found others just like him.

“At SSCC, they understood my background and what I go through; they understand the hardships we face,” said Sagiao, who is now in his third year. “They helped and guided me through all the issues to keep me on track with school work.”

The support Sagiao received was part of a larger effort by the two-year school to target services to an AAPI community undermined by neglect and stereotypes about their success. With a grant from the federal government, SSCC leaders started programs to address the particular needs of a population that is mistakenly assumed to be overrepresented in higher education.

The Seattle community college school is one of eight institutions to receive the federal designation for Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), a new category that recognizes those schools where 10 percent or more of their student body are members of the AAPI community and where at least a quarter qualifies for financial aid.