Salt Lake City, UT (Fox13 News) — The Nafanua Foundation was founded to honor women's strength and their ancestors' stories.

They currently run two programs, The Nafanua Leadership Fellows and The Miss Tausala America Pageant.

The Nafanua Leadership Fellows program empowers Samoan women and youth to become community leaders and change makers.

The program equips fellows to address community challenges while honoring and preserving Samoan traditions by integrating cultural preservation, leadership development, and project management skills.

There are fundraisers coming up to help the Fellows get to American Samoa, where they will carry out service projects that focus on mental health, autism resources, and physical health and wellness.

An important fund raiser is the Miss Tausala America Pageant on May 10 at the Midvale Middle School.

The pageant showcases beauty, poise, intelligence, service and authenticity.

Each contestant embarks on a transformative journey that blends personal growth with public impact.

Through leadership, public speaking, and cultural engagement workshops, participants are guided to deepen their confidence and connection to their heritage.

The winner of the Miss Tausala America pageant goes on to compete in the Miss American Samoa pageant in June in American Samoa.