Today we’d like to introduce you to Lesieli Kasitati Maafu.
Hi Lesieli , thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Our story began long before there was a podcast, a foundation, or any formal organization. It started with our upbringing as children of parents who dedicated their lives to serving others and enriching the communities around them. Whether it was through ministry, outreach, or simply showing up for people, our parents believed deeply in making support, guidance, and opportunity accessible to the neighborhoods they served, including communities in Fiji where part of our story began.
My father attended Bible college, and growing up as one of the few families living in the dorms shaped our worldview in ways we didn’t fully understand at the time. Service wasn’t something separate from everyday life, it was woven into everything. We grew up watching people give what they could, help where they were needed, and pour into others even when resources were limited. That environment planted the seeds for who we would later become.
Moving to the United States became another defining chapter in our journey. Our family came here with very little besides hope, determination, and the belief that greater opportunities existed ahead. Starting over in a new country came with challenges, sacrifices, and uncertainty, but it also gave us a perspective that would later shape the mission behind everything we do today.
Growing up between two worlds allowed us to see life through a very unique lens. We experienced the contrast between the limitations many families faced back home and the abundance of opportunity available here in the United States. As we got older and began understanding those differences more deeply, we realized something important: the biggest barrier for many people in our community wasn’t lack of talent, ambition, or even work ethic. It was lack of information.
That realization changed everything for us.
We saw incredibly capable young people and families who simply didn’t know what opportunities existed, what resources were available to them, or what paths were even possible. We wanted to help bridge that gap by sharing information, creating access, and exposing our community to opportunities they may not have otherwise known were within reach.
We started without a blueprint. We didn’t fully know how we were going to accomplish it, but we knew exactly why we wanted to do it.
That purpose eventually became *What Anna Said Pod*, where my sisters and I began having honest conversations about life, culture, identity, growth, healing, and community. What started as simple conversations grew into a platform that connected deeply with people because it came from lived experience and authenticity.
From there, The Kasitati Foundation was born as a way to bring all of our community-centered work together under one umbrella. Today, that includes initiatives like *Lit’l Champs* and *Lit’l Steppers*, programs focused on youth development, leadership, confidence-building, culture, and personal growth.
We are still in the early stages of building and growing, but the heart behind everything remains the same: creating access, pouring into people, and helping our community realize what’s possible. Because once someone is exposed to opportunity and begins to believe that more is within reach, it can completely change the direction of their life.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely has not been a smooth road, and in many ways, we’re still very much in the middle of the journey. A lot of what people see now is the vision beginning to take shape, but behind that has been years of uncertainty, sacrifice, learning, and simply figuring things out as we go.
One of the biggest challenges was starting without really having a roadmap. We came from a background where passion and purpose were strong, but access to mentorship, networks, and information about how to actually build organizations, create programs, or navigate nonprofit work was limited. We knew what our community needed because we lived it ourselves, but turning that into something structured and sustainable was a completely different challenge.
There were also personal challenges that came with being children of immigrants and growing up between cultures. You carry a deep sense of responsibility, not just for yourself, but for your family and community. There’s pressure to succeed, pressure to represent your people well, and at times, pressure to pursue more traditional paths instead of building something unconventional and community-centered.
Financially, there were challenges too. A lot of what we built in the beginning came from simply using what we had, volunteering our time, learning through trial and error, and trusting the process even when resources were limited. People often see nonprofits or community organizations after they’ve grown, but they don’t always see the long nights, the self-doubt, the balancing of personal responsibilities, or the emotional weight that can come with carrying a vision you care deeply about.
Another challenge was overcoming the mindset barriers within our own community. When people haven’t been exposed to certain opportunities, it can sometimes feel difficult for them to imagine what’s possible. Part of our work has been helping people expand their perspective and believe that they belong in spaces they may have never seen themselves in before.
At the same time, every challenge reinforced why this work matters. The struggles taught us resilience, creativity, and patience. They also reminded us that meaningful impact usually starts small, through conversations, consistency, and simply continuing to show up even when the path forward isn’t fully clear.
We’re still learning every day, but that’s part of what makes the journey meaningful.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
At the heart of everything we do is community development through information, opportunity, and representation. The Kasitati Foundation was created to bridge gaps we personally experienced growing up, especially within Pacific Islander and underserved communities, by creating spaces where people feel seen, supported, and empowered to grow.
Our work focuses on youth development, education, leadership, cultural identity, mentorship, and family support. A big part of that is helping young people build confidence in who they are while also exposing them to opportunities they may not have otherwise known were available to them.
Through initiatives like *Lit’l Champs* and *Lit’l Steppers*, we invest in early childhood development, leadership, creativity, and personal growth, laying a foundation of confidence from a young age.
We also proudly award annual scholarships to high school and college students, supporting them as they pursue higher education and work toward their goals. For us, these scholarships are more than financial support. They are an investment in potential. Each year, we get to celebrate students at a pivotal point in their journey and remind them that their dreams are achievable and worth pursuing.
Another major part of our work is storytelling through What Anna Said Pod. What started as conversations between sisters has grown into a platform where we speak honestly about life, culture, identity, growth, and healing. It has become a space where people feel seen and understood in their own experiences.
What we’re most known for is creating connection. A lot of what we do comes from lived experience, so it’s deeply relational rather than transactional. People don’t just need resources. They need to feel understood and represented.
What I’m most proud of is that this all started from purpose, not position. We began with conversations and a desire to serve, and it’s grown into programs, scholarships, and community impact that we continue to build step by step.
What sets us apart is that we are our community. We are not looking in from the outside. We have lived the gaps we are trying to bridge. Everything we build comes from that lived understanding and a genuine desire to create opportunities we wish existed for us growing up.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is that clarity comes through action, not before it.
We didn’t start with a perfect plan or full understanding of how everything would come together. We started with a conviction about what our community needed and a willingness to simply begin. Along the way, we’ve had to learn as we go, adjust, rebuild, and grow through experience rather than waiting until everything felt ready.
I’ve also learned that impact is rarely immediate. When you’re doing work that is rooted in people, community, and long-term change, you have to be patient with the process. There were moments where we questioned whether what we were doing was enough or moving fast enough, but over time we began to see that consistency matters just as much as direction.
Another important lesson has been that your lived experience is not a limitation. For a long time, we thought we needed more credentials, more resources, or more structure to begin. But in reality, our lived experience became the foundation of everything we built. It gave us perspective, urgency, and a deep understanding of what our community actually needs.
Most of all, I’ve learned that purpose has a way of sustaining you through challenges that motivation alone cannot carry you through. When something is rooted in service and community, it keeps you grounded even when the path is uncertain.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://TheKasitatiFoundation.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatannasaidpod?igsh=dWFoY2gyeTN0OXo5
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1AhAxkieK2/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3m27pg5cMUjwDI9KJs37c3P2lSUvr5AS&si=5xaWPWqRZvRyLltr
- Other: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Hf25An1Q3/?mibextid=wwXIfr
