Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 28, Number 6, 1 June 2011 — OHA KICKS OFF SERIES OF NEIGHBOR ISLAND MEETINGS, HEADS TO LĀNAʻI IN JUNE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA KICKS OFF SERIES OF NEIGHBOR ISLAND MEETINGS, HEADS TO LĀNAʻI IN JUNE

By Harold Nedd KAUA'I - The Board of Trustees for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs traveled to Kaua'i for the first in a series of five eommunity meetings with Native Hawaiians on the Neighbor Islands. The conununity meeting - hosted by Trustee Donald B. Cataluna - drew a crowd of nearly 40 people to the King Kaumuali'i School cafeteria. Introducing herself to the crowd, OHA Chairperson Colette Machado said that Lāna'i will be the next stop for the Trustees, who will meet with Native Hawaiians on that island lune 15-16 before heading to Moloka'i in Iuly, Maui in August, then the Big Island in September. Helping set the tone for the community meeting on Kaua 'i, OH A Chief Executive Of ficer C lyde W. Nāmu 'o called on the two executive team members accompanying him to brief the coimnunity on OHA's legislative priorities and grants program. Esther Kia'āina, OHA's Chief Advocate, provided an overview of this year's legislative session. Among the achievements cited was the Legislature's passage of a bill that would declare the state's recognition of Native Hawaiians as the indigenous people of Hawai'i. In addition, she noted that three bills from OHA's Legislative Package were approved by lawmakers and now await the Govemor's signature. (For an overview of the 201 1 Legislative Session, please see page 11.) Denise Iseri-Matsubara, Director of Connnunity Relations at OHA, highlighted key changes to OHA's grants program, whieh awarded nearly $7

million in the past year to 66 community-based programs. More funds for community-based programs will heeome available beginning lune 1. Among the points she stressed at the meeting is that coimnunity-based programs must be directly linked to any of OHA's 10 Strategic Results to qualify for funding. In addition, attendance at grant-training workshops is now a condition of ehgibility for funding from OHA. Community member Alroy Enos, who is President of Ka Hale Pono, expressed appreciation for the $10,000 grant OHA awarded his organization to fund the first-ever parade in Anahola to mark Prince Kūhiō Day. Liberta Hussey-Albao, a 42-year Kaua'i resident who has taken up genealogy as a hobby, offered her gratitude for the Papakilo Database, whieh she praised for assisting her efforts to trace family roots since OHA unveiled it in April. Perhaps the most poignant moment eame during a joint presentation by Rowena Contrades-Pangan and Anela Pā, the co-Directors of Ho'omana, whieh was created eight years ago with a $50,000 grant from OHA for such efforts as moving Native Hawaiians and others from welfare to work and providing imnates with a fighting ehanee when they get out of jail. One of the program's tough-to-employ clients fought back tears as she told the Tmstees about recently completing a five-year prison sentence and receiving hope for her future from the program, whieh stepped in to provide her with job training and clothing at a time when family members and others gave up on her. ■

OHA Chief Advocate Esther Kia'āina updates Native Hawaiians on Kaua'i on the successes and disappointments of the 201 1 Legislative Session. - Photo: Harold Nedd