CALDWELL, Idaho — May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage (AAPI) month. To celebrate, we are spotlighting some members in our community who are of Asian or Pacific Islander descent, bringing you their stories and the difference they're making in the Treasure Valley.
"I am Samoan, my mom's Hawaiian. And then she's also Chinese. So, a lot of different things wrapped up in there," Caldwell Deputy Police Chief Shawn Sopoaga said.
Born in Hawaii, Sopoaga and his family later moved to the Bay Area in California when he was seven years old.
It was there that he learned to play football, eventually earning a scholarship to play football at university.
"I actually ended up at Idaho State. So, I played there for a year. But it didn't work out, went back to junior college, and then I ended up playing football at the University of Northern Colorado," Sopoaga said.
While he had hoped to play in the NFL, Sopoaga later realized that his path wasn't playing professional football. "I wanted a job where I could help people."
That's when Sopoaga was led to law enforcement.
A wife and three children later, Sopoaga said that he and his wife had decided to leave California and opted for a move to the Gem State.
"We had a lot of people, a lot of friends in Idaho. I put in for a position with the Boise Police Department as a lieutenant and I was selected. So, you know, it was a great opportunity for me, I met a lot of great people there. And I learned a lot," Sopoaga said.
He was introduced to Caldwell Police Chief Rex Ingram in 2019. A friendship ensued and following Ingram's appointment as chief, he asked Sopoaga if he would be interested in joining the Caldwell Police Department.
"So that's kind of how I got here," Sopoaga said. He was sworn into the department in October of 2022.
Even though new roots have been planted in Idaho, Sopoaga still makes sure that his kids know where those roots originated.
"The way it was explained to me growing up is, you know, the saying is that: we are one, you know, we are one people, and that we understand each other," Sopoaga said. "The way I grew up, the things that my parents taught me, I just pass it on down to my children."
He said that in the Samoan culture, a lot of things revolve around family; "For me, being Samoan or just Polynesian, in general, is something that's very dear and important to me."
"We're a very small culture that has, in my opinion, made a kind of a fairly large impact throughout the world," Sopoaga said.
When asked of the importance of Asian American representation in Idaho, specifically in Caldwell, Sopoaga's response was none other than that of a community leader.
"I'm a representation of myself, but also our culture. And so, I want to make sure that, you know, what I do and how I portray myself and how I carry myself...you know, I want to make sure I do it to the best of my ability," he said.
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