Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 35, Number 11, 1 November 2018 — Native Hawaiian chambers of commerce announee new allianee [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Native Hawaiian chambers of commerce announee new allianee

HO'OKAHUAWAĪWAI ^ ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY /

Submitted by the Maui Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce The state's four Native Hawaiian Chambers of Commerce have entered into an allianee. State Senator Brickwood Galuteria made the announcement at the 12th Annual Hui Holomua Business Fest presented by the Maui Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce (MNHCoC) in Waikapū, Maui on October 17. The four NHCC presidents spoke together publicly for the first time during a panel discussion about the Business of Food as part of the conference program. "I've been encouraging them to join efforts for quite a while," explained Galuteria. "So to see them seated on this stage together is a truly historic moment."

This past May, Richard Fernandez, immediate past president of 0'ahu's Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce (NHCoC), initiated a formal Memorandum of Agreement between the Native Hawaiian ehambers of O'ahu, Maui and Kaua'i. News of the agreement prompted Big Island farmer and businessman Richard Ha to reconstitute the former Hawai'i Island Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce (HNCoC), whieh has agreed to join the allianee while formalizing a new charter. In late September, at the invitation of 0'ahu's NHCoC, representatives of the four organizations met in Honolulu for an exploratory meeting. The half-day summit was facilitated by Fernandez and Kumu Ramsay Taum of LEI of the Paeihe,

LLC. As a result of that meeting, all four chambers agreed to adopt the Aloha Spirit Law (HRS §5-7.5) as their collective code of conduct. During their Maui panel presentation, the four presidents discussed how their differences are actually strengths. "Eaeh Hawaiian chamber strives to assist Hawaiian-owned and managed businesses," said NHCoC president Ioseph Lapilio. "But as Hawaiians, we also care about the 'āina and the lāhui as mueh as eeonomie success." KNHCoC president John Kaohauli'i agreed. "Eaeh island chamber has its own issues, but we all share the same desire: to make sure Hawaiians ean afford to stay in Hawai'i, not just to survive, but to thrive." Acting president of the develop-

ing HNCoC, Richard Ha, believes the new allianee will broaden discussions about Hawaiian issues throughout the state. "Sometimes people think the loudest voices represent the majority, when in fact there are more thoughtful, but softer, voices that should be heard as well. We ean help to amplify their voice." MNHCoC president Teri Freitas

Gorman shares their view. "The state's political leadership and corporate offices are in Honolulu, so the O'ahu folks ean share that perspective with us. The neighbor island chambers bring deep relationships with educational, cultural, and community organizations. Together we ean be a force for good for Native Hawaiians and everyone else who calls Hawai'i home." ■

Native Hawaiian Chambers of Commerce presidents, (L-R) Richard Ha, John Kaohauli'i, Teri Freitas Gorman, Joseph Lapilio and Sen. Brickwood Galuateria. - Photo: Bryan Berkowitz