Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 31, Number 12, 1 December 2014 — ʻŌlelo a ka luna hoʻokele Message from the Ka Pouhana/Chief Executive Officer [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

ʻŌlelo a ka luna hoʻokele Message from the Ka Pouhana/Chief Executive Officer

Aloha mai kakou, In 2014, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs launched an ambitious plan to build a Hawai- ! ian Nation. We launched the effort in March and have spent our time trying to make i sure we get it right. We have brought on a consortium of groups - the Lunalilo Trust, Hale O Na Ali'i and the ' Ahahui Ka'ahumanu - to be the decision-makers. It's not about what the Office of Hawaiian Affairs wants; it's not what the Federal Government wants; it's not what the State of Hawai'i wants. This is about what Native Hawaiians want. OHA was in the unique position to start this process and bring people together to find common ground. We have the resources to contribute to making this a success. But now, I it is time for us to take the next step. We will consult and provide technical assistance on conducting an election for delegates and a Native Hawaiian 'Aha, but otherwise we plan on stepping back. Our role now is to support the consortium and provide it with technical help if they want or need it. Otherwise, we will support them financially, but we won 'the shaping the process or the outcome so this is truly a reflection of what the Native Hawaiian people want. But building a Hawaiian Nation is just one of the many activities of OHA. As usual, we have published highlights of the fiscal year that ran from July 1, 2013, until June 30, 2014. We tell you where the money was spent. Most importantly, we report on our | progress in the past year. This year, we also give you a snapshot of how we're addressing OHA's 2010-2018 Strategic Plan. These snapshots show how we're addressing our strategic priorities and how many people we affect. In addition, we hear from some of our grantees on how our programs are affecting the Lgf lives of real people. It's our way of showing you how we are living up to our mission: to malama Hawai'i's people and our environment to perpetuate the culture and improve the lives of Native Hawaiians. We tmly feel that if we build a strong Hawaiian people, everyone in Hawai'i P* will benefit. ¦

'O au iho no me ke aloha a me ka 'oia'i'o, ^ Kamana'opono M. Crabbe, Ph.D. Ka Pouhana, Chief Executive Officer