ISLE Class of 2020: Pasifika Excellence Edition

Aysha Nanai-Leifi launches her first-ever print issue as Editor-In-Chief of ISLE Magazine. In only a few days the first batch of pre-orders for the magazine has sold out and the in-demand restock is running out fast. The new print issue is based around the CLASS OF 2020: ISLES School of Pasifika Excellence. The class presents 21 rising stars ranging from Actors, Activists, Rappers, DJs, Film Directors and so much more. ISLE Magazine is a new independent online and print publication. Its mission is to spotlight and empower Pasifika excellence. 

Editor-In-Chief Aysha Nanai-Leifi is a 23-year-old artist and activist of Māori and Sāmoan descent. She was born in Wellington and raised in Melbourne. In the past year, Aysha has been featured in VOGUE Magazine and has even presented on online broadcasts with big American stars like Issa Rae. That is just the tip of the iceberg of work and projects that this rising star has done. 

Our coco team connected with Aysha and got to hear about the success that has been ISLE Magazine.

What was the inspiration behind the ISLE Yearbook Issue?

The inspiration for the Class of 2020 came from our Creative Director, April Maposua who was in charge of concept and direction. I worked very closely with April and also our photographer Jade Damico, who was in charge of executing our vision. If we go back to our initial drawing board, we had references to the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Sister Act 2, Clueless.. a very 90s scholastic look we were trying to achieve. Overall, I would definitely say this issue would be absolutely nothing without my team, Jade and April.

The Isle Class of 2020 includes 21 Pacific rising stars, from actors to DJs. You've also included activists in this list of stars. We also know that Magazines rarely put activists in the same bunch as you would rappers or models. Why did you make the decision to do so? 

This decision was super important to us, so often our strongest leaders and our hardest fighters are left out of the narrative and don’t receive the recognition they deserve. April and I decided pretty early that we’d find climate change activists to be in our Class of 2020. It was a natural decision, we didn’t even think twice about it. I found Isaac Nasedra through a call-out tweet I posted and Lua I met through an internship we did together at VICE. 

 

Included in your yearbook line-up is a mix of Polynesians, Melanesians, and Micronesians. In a world that tends to be more Poly-centric when talking about the Pacific, how important is it for you that ISLE includes Micronesian and Melanesian voices?

This is super important to me! I actually rebranded in mid-last year because of this exact reason. ISLE Magazine initially began in March 2019, and we started as a platform called PolyConnection. I set out with a goal to promote Pasifika representation, but our name had already excluded entire regions from doing that. I remained inactive for a few months while I brainstormed what I needed to do to change that and be as inclusive as possible.

Come around to June of 2020, we rebranded under ISLE Magazine, ISLE meaning Island, and a clear mission statement to promote ALL Pasifika. It’s something I monitor very closely, in making sure I show equal representation for all regions because the erasure of our Melanesian and Micronesian brothers and sisters in the media is something that needs to change and if my small independent magazine can help do that, I’m gonna do it.

You're a young editor-in-chief in this modern age of media. What do you feel the world can learn from this new wave of young Pasifika storytellers?

I feel like the world could learn so much from young Pasifika. If there’s one thing I know about us, it’s that we are multi-faceted and multi-talented storytellers. Whether it’s Fia Pelesasa creating TV shows or even Mateo Afa Pouhila and his clothing brand. We have a story to tell and we are not going anywhere.

I hope one day it becomes easier and more accessible for us to be funded and supported as we move forward. We have all the damn talent but sometimes we just need that assistance from external bodies.

What is your vision for ISLE Magazine going into the future?

I hope for ISLE Magazine to be a hub of inspiration to show Young Pasifika that we can literally do anything we want. Not to get too deep, but I grew up in Australia and it was tough to grow up with no reflection of yourself or what you look like in the media or on TV… I rarely saw any islanders in the media and when I did, it was the Australian media pushing our people in a negative light. 

I just want to hold space for us and show Young Pasifika that it’s possible and hopefully become the representation that I wish I had when I was younger.

ISLE is described to be a platform to spotlight and empower Pasifika excellence all over the world. What advice would you give to any young Pacific Islanders not yet aware of their Pasifika excellence just yet?

I would say that being Pasifika is synonymous with being excellent, so just know you never have to prove yourself to anyone. I would also say, don’t let anyone put you in a box and take up as much space as you can.

How can people support ISLE and your mission to uplift Pasifika voices?

Honestly, any kind of support helps ISLE. I would say sharing, liking, following, spreading the word or even just visiting the website means just as much to us as actually buying the magazine. I’m grateful for all forms of support in the end.