Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 27, Number 4, 1 April 2010 — Bringing OHA's message to the continent [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Bringing OHA's message to the continent

LAS VEGAS Civic clubs weleome 0HA

By Aulani Apoliona 0HA Community Advocate forthe Continent

On the weekend of Feb. 20 and 2 1 , the Office of Hawaiian Affairs was privileged to participate in two meetings of Hawaiian organizations in Las Vegas. Tee Fnrtado nresident of the Mflin1and

Council of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, invited OHA to the Council's quarterly meeting on Feb. 20 at the Main Street Station in Las Vegas. Clyde W. Nāmu'o, OHA Chief Executive Officer; Stanton Enomoto, OHA Chief Operating Officer, Esther Kia'āina, OHA Chief Advocate, and I shared information with approximately 30 members and guests of the Mainland Council. Mr. Nāmu'o shared mueh information with the group regarding the content, status and outlook for passage of the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act, H.R. 2314, known as the Akaka Bill. During his presentation, Mr. Nāmu'o introduced Esther Kia'āina, who shared additional information on both federal and state legislation. To conclude the OHA

presentation, Stanton Enomoto, explained how the OHA Strategic Plan committee began the arduous task of identifying the major priorities that would guide OHA's efforts in the next six years, envisioning the outcomes that OHA will work to achieve in these areas and explaining the new OHA organizational structure that is being created to best accomplish the strate2ic outcomes.

Following the Mainland Council's business meeting, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs hosted a

more informal reception to provide the OHA team an opportunity to speak individually with more than 25 representatives of nine Hawaiian Civic Clubs across the Continent. Connecting with KS alumni On Feb. 21, Mr. Nāmu'o and I attended a meeting of the Kamehameha Schools Alumni Association-Intermountain Region at the invitation of its president, Owen Wong. As people in the room introduced themselves, it was very exciting to learn that several had never attended a Hawaiian informational meeting before. So congrat-

ulations to Owen and his Board for great "reaching out" to both the regulars and the "new" folks. It was also very uplifting to greet many kama'āina who now eall Las Vegas their home and to connect with some of our own relatives, for the first time. Most of Mr. Nāmu'o's presentation focused on the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act. Before leaving the meeting, many attendees signed up for their free subscriptions to OHA's Ka Wai Ola monthly newspaper and the midmonth electronic newspaper, Ka Wai Ola Loa - an affirmation of their eommhment to stay informed and engaged. ■

The author, on left, with 0HA's Chief Advocate Esther Kia'āina, Chief Operating OfficerStanton Enomoto and CE0 Clyde Nāmu'o in Las Vegas, where they updated the Mainland Council of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs on the Akaka Bill, pending

legislation at the state and federal levels, and 0HAs strategic plan. - Courtesy photo