Meet Jeremiah Sataraka

Whitworth Cadre Three
'09 Sociology Major
Henry Foss High School '05

Hungry for more language

Jeremiah Sataraka, half Korean and half Samoan, has attended a Christian church his whole life. At times, his family attended a service in which his Samoan father's language was spoken, and at other times the family joined his Korean mother for service in his own native language. "Even though there was a cultural difference, God was always present," Jeremiah remembers. But even with a strong spiritual foundation and exposure to both tongues of his ethnicity, Jeremiah didn't always have the right words to begin tackling the issues his heart desired to call out. "I knew something was wrong, but I couldn't express it," he says.

Having fun and serving Christ

As a student at Foss High School, Jeremiah was "mostly thinking about having fun and trying to live a Christian life," he says. He was attracted to Foss by the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, and he knew that he would one day go to college, but he didn't think much about his long term goals. The future, for him, at times meant Homecoming, and as a member of student government, his main concern was getting posters up on time. Young and excited about Christianity, Jeremiah helped form a Christian club at his school called FISH Club. "I wanted to let people know about God," he says. The club involved youth from a variety of church backgrounds and served to support Christian students on campus. He also continued to serve God in church through the youth and music ministries, recalling that "I wanted to be a youth music pastor."

Christianity in action

As a part of Act Six, Jeremiah came to the see how the biblical foundation of the Act Six program was in line with his own beliefs. "It helped me think through more of what I want to do with my life," he says. At Whitworth, Jeremiah's involvement has included membership in Whitworth Choir and Exceptional Praise Gospel Choir. He has held campus leadership positions such as Cultural Diversity Advocate, Resident Assistant, Black Student Union Secretary, and International Club Coordinator. "I do it because I want to make a difference," Jeremiah says. "I want to make a positive change for this campus."

Extending the vision

Jeremiah not only wants to see change on the Whitworth campus, but his vision extends toward the future of the city, to urban youth, minorities, and other voiceless populations. "It [Act Six] has provided language and theories to what I was feeling," he says. This new lingo, introduced by the Act Six program, has helped sharpen Jeremiah's vision for his future and his community.

Championing for the need for people from his community to participate in the leadership of this country he says, "I want to see more Samoans in college and in political positions." "I may want to be one of them," he adds possibly foreshadowing his own future. Whether Jeremiah eventually becomes a powerful political figure, fulfills the dream of his younger days of being a youth music pastor, or both, he will surely continue making a difference in his community and sharing his love for God.

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