Lusiana “Lucy” Tuga Hansen

Lusiana “Lucy” Tuga Hansenwas born in Ta'u Manu'a, Pago Pago American Samoa in 1962. In 1985, she moved to Alaska to be close to family.

In the early 2000s, Hansen began teaching elders in the Pacific Islander community computer literacy courses. In 2005, she became the founder and CEO of the Polynesian Association of Alaska, a nonprofit organization with the mission to support individuals, improve families by promoting education, and instill cultural pride in youth. Hansen also started a Polynesian Culture Saturday School in partnership with the Anchorage School District and served as the vice president of Bridge Builders of Anchorage. In recognition of her advocacy for the Polynesian community, she was honored with a Chief Samoan Title Name, Muaimalae Tuga Hansen, as well as many other awards, including the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Women “Champions of Change” Award from the White House, the “Women of Achievement Award” from the YWCA of Alaska, and the Presidential Award from Bridge Builders of Anchorage.

Lucy lives in Anchorage with her husband, kids, and 11 grandkids. Her advice to other #ExtraToughWomenAK and girls is to play an important role in your community and stand with other women to strive for rights, protection, and a seat at the table where decisions are being made. She says, “We are equal and our voice is important!”

We’d love to know more about the powerful women in your life. Share your images and stories with us on Instagram and Facebook by tagging us (@anchoragemuseum and #ExtraToughWomenAK) and we’ll add them to our ongoing digital curation project. Stay tuned for more information about the exhibition and be sure to check back for new #ExtraToughWomenAK posts.

Special thanks to Lucy for providing photographs and sharing her story.