In the wake of unprecedented challenges faced by Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) communities, the Native Hawaiian Education Council (NHEC) has presented priority recommendations to the U.S. Department of Education in its 2023 annual report, focusing on crucial aspects of education for Native Hawaiian learners in kula kaiapuni communities. These recommendations aim to address the unique challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, historical contexts, and recent catastrophes, offering a pathway to strengthen Native Hawaiian education.

Prioritizing Hawaiian Language-Medium Instruction and Culture-Based Education Programs

The first and foremost recommendation underscores the urgency of prioritizing Hawaiian language-medium instruction and culture-based education programs. With the heightened vulnerability of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) communities to emerging COVID variants in 2023, stabilizing a learning continuum and preserving cultural practices becomes paramount. The devastating impact of the Aug. 8, 2023, Maui wildfires further highlights the need for targeted efforts to bridge learning gaps and address trauma-informed approaches to student wellbeing.

Recognizing the historical context of population decimation and cultural loss due to American imperialism, the NHEC emphasizes the importance of addressing mistrust and vaccination hesitancy among NHPIs. Culture-based programs, such as the Community Based Subsistence Fishing Area, serve as models for integrating cultural practices with public health initiatives, offering a holistic approach to navigating the challenges posed by the pandemic.

Strengthening Connection to ʻĀina, Culture, and Language

Native Hawaiians’ deep ties to ʻāina, culture, and language have a profound impact on their social and cultural wellbeing. The pandemic has underscored the significance of these connections, as reflected in community consultations. Participants stressed the need for cultural programming, values, learning ʻōlelo Hawai‘i and ʻāina work for success, signaling a shift in perspective brought about by the pandemic.

Exploring Community-Driven Definitions of Student Achievement

The examination of the achievement gap reveals the influence of colonialism and the inadequacy of English-based standardized tests for assessing the capabilities of Native Hawaiian learners. The NHEC recommends a shift from Western achievement gap measurement and standards to community-driven definitions of student achievement. Emphasis is placed on prioritizing kula-specific standards aligned with the unique context, curriculum, and approach of Native Hawaiian education. Community feedback highlights the need for clarity regarding assessment measures and standards, particularly in closing achievement gaps.

Focusing on Implementation and Mastery of Skills

To maximize the impact of Native Hawaiian education, the NHEC advocates prioritizing the initial stages of Hawaiian language-medium instruction and culture-based education. Honing proficiency in these areas before considering broader outcomes ensures a strong foundation for achieving broader educational objectives. This approach aligns with community feedback, emphasizing the importance of effective implementation and mastery of skills.

In conclusion, the priority recommendations presented by the Native Hawaiian Education Council provide a comprehensive framework for addressing the unique challenges faced by Native Hawaiian learners. By focusing on language, culture, community-driven definitions of achievement, and skill mastery, these recommendations pave the way for a resilient and culturally responsive education system that empowers Native Hawaiian students to thrive in the face of adversity.

NHEC’s annual report will be made digitally available via our website at nhec.org in Spring 2024.

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Absolute Priorities for Community

NHEP is more than a grant competition; it’s a powerful instrument for change in the education landscape of Hawaiʻi. Its mission is to support the development of innovative education programs that assist Native Hawaiians while also supplementing and expanding existing programs and authorities in the field of education.

The significance of the 2023 fiscal year lies in its absolute priorities. Unlike in previous years, the 2023 competition incorporates absolute priorities based on the authorized program activities outlined in the Native Hawaiian Education Act, a part of Title VI, Part B of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). This innovative approach to grant allocation ensures that resources are strategically directed to address key areas of educational development for Native Hawaiians.

NHEC’s Pioneering Advocacy

A notable development in the 2023 NHEP grant competition is the inclusion of Absolute Priority II, in addition to the authorized program activities. This priority, inspired by Title III of division H of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, serves as a testament to the concerted efforts of the Native Hawaiian Education Council (NHEC) in advocating for Native Hawaiian students’ educational needs.

Absolute Priority II specifically designates funds to be used for renovating or modernizing existing public elementary or secondary schools, as well as structures related to these schools. To qualify for this funding, proposals must demonstrate that the structure in question predominantly serves Native Hawaiian students. This ambitious priority aims to enhance the learning environments of Native Hawaiian students across the state, fostering a brighter future for generations to come.

Mālama Honua PCS Foundation: A Shining Example

As the September 2023 announcement of NHEP awardees by the U.S. Department of Education rolled in, the education community had reason to celebrate. Among the 24 new grantees, the Mālama Honua Public Charter School Foundation stood out for its dedication to the cause. The Foundation received a significant grant of $2 million for Absolute Priority II, which will be used to construct a single classroom “pod” facility and restrooms to support sixth- to eighth-grade students on the main campus.

This funding will not only create state-of-the-art facilities but will also provide Native Hawaiian students with a conducive and inspiring environment for their education. It’s a testament to the impact that advocacy, innovation, and collaborative efforts can have on Native Hawaiian education.

The 2023 NHEP grant competition and its Absolute Priorities represent a significant step forward in the journey to provide equitable and enriching education opportunities for Native Hawaiians. As these programs are set into motion, the future holds promise for the transformation of educational landscapes and the empowerment of generations to come.

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We have never seen a disaster like this. Even the continent has never seen a more deadly wildfire in over a century. Still, there are schools and communities who have experienced similar loss and have risen from the ashes.

The road to recovery seems arduous, but drawing wisdom from the experiences of other communities, such as Sonoma County and Santa Rosa after the 2017 Tubbs fire, can restore the way for Maui’s schools to reopen and rise as beacons of resilience; a malu (peaceful shelter) of community compassion.

Trauma-Informed Care: The Foundation of Healing. In a disaster, the emotional and psychological toll on students and educators can be profound. In Sonoma and Butte counties, students who survived the fire reported anxiety triggers and trauma symptoms just from the sight or smell of smoke or fire – even when it was far away – according to a 2020 EdSource article.

Trauma-informed care recognizes that everyone responds differently to traumatic events and that an empathetic approach is crucial in fostering healing. Implementing such care in schools means understanding the signs of trauma, providing emotional support, strengthening familial and social ties, and creating a safe space for expression that frames student experiences in a way that emphasizes resilience.

Our State of Hawaiʻi Department of Education can explore lessons from Sonoma County’s approach – one that not only aided students in their recovery journey but also empowered teachers to process their own feelings, enabling them to better support their students.

Lessons from Sonoma County and Santa Rosa. The Tubbs fire that ravaged Sonoma County in 2017 left indelible scars, but it also illuminated a path to recovery that Maui’s schools can follow. In the aftermath of the tragedy, educational leaders joined forces to create an 84-page guide was developed to help schools navigate recovery from natural disasters.

Additionally, Sonoma County and Santa Rosa exemplified the transformative potential of schools as community hubs. Schools are often the heart of a community and these districts leveraged their facilities for resilient recovery as after-hours wellness centers. This included providing counseling services, distributing essential resources, and hosting communal gatherings to foster connection and support.

The Maui Model: Blending Compassion and Resilience. As Maui navigates its journey of recovery, you will not be alone. We are here with you. Together, we have a unique opportunity to weave the wisdom gained from Sonoma County and Santa Rosa into a new blueprint for resilience that makes sense for Maui and its people need. By embracing trauma-informed care, Maui schools can create an environment that not only focuses on academic growth but also prioritizes long-term emotional wellbeing.

Looking Ahead. The wildfires that swept across Maui will not damper the resounding spirit of community. Our lāhui stands as a galvanized, reckoning force of resilience and compassion that can drive the recovery process. As schools reopen their doors, remember that healing takes time, and it will take all of us together. Trauma-informed care, guided by the lessons of others who have faced similar challenges, can be the cornerstone of Maui’s educational recovery.

May our beloved Lahaina rise and find restoration in its inoa, “ka malu ʻulu o Lele,” the breadfruit preserve of Lele that was once planted as an offering of shelter, shade, and protection from the barren heat. We love you, Maui.

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Just as a patient’s heart rate serves as a crucial indicator of their overall health, the pulse of a community reflects the priorities and focus areas of education.

The Native Hawaiian Education Council (NHEC) deeply values its mutually beneficial and inclusive relationships with our community and grantee programs. Without these relationships, data might just be data.

These key relationships help us see beyond the data. Data dialogue conversations draw us to see the deeper stories, knowledge growth, and education as living systems in our community pulse.

This past year, NHEC held two grantee gatherings for 2020 Native Hawaiian Education Program grantees to collaborate on a portfolio-level logic model and ground-truth aggregated data we have been gathering about their programs for the past two and half years. Our findings show a majority of 2020 grantee programs serve at-promise youth showing a commitment to serving these vulnerable populations. Further, our conversations reaffirmed the importance of trauma-informed care and social-emotional learning has been underlined as priority funding areas for the U.S. Department of Education’s competitive grant.

Supporting At-Promise Youth

At-promise youth in Native Hawaiian communities face unique challenges that hinder their educational progress. Recognizing this, NHEC data dialogues have shed light on the commendable efforts of grantee programs to address these issues. By focusing on the needs of at-promise youth, these programs are working to provide them with the support and resources they may or may not get from in-school programs that they require to thrive academically, emotionally, and culturally.

Reaffirming Trauma-Informed Care

One significant finding from the data dialogues is the emphasis on trauma-informed care as a priority funding area. Native Hawaiian communities have long endured historical trauma and cultural oppression, resulting in adverse experiences that impact their wellbeing and educational outcomes. Grantee programs are actively integrating trauma-informed practices into their strategies and, emerging from the pandemic, seek increased support to address our most vulnerable population proactively.

Elevating Social-Emotional Learning

Social-emotional learning (SEL) is another key focus area for which NHEC has maintained a consistent advocacy push since 2017. Our council and grantee data dialogues have highlighted the significance of SEL as a vital component of education with values in alignment with Nā Hopena Aʻo (HĀ) BOE Policy E-3. With community and grantee support and compelling data collected by NHEC, we will continue to advocate for SEL as a priority funding area for the NHEP federal grant.

We are grateful for the collaborative effort between NHEC and grantee programs in helping to benchmark our data with community pulse and allowing us to tell our collective stories of impact for Native Hawaiian Education programs.

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This article explores the connection between the NHEC’s advocacy and proposed updates to the Amendments to Respect Traditional Indigenous Skill and Talent (ARTIST) Act of 2023 to The Indian Arts and Crafts Act (IACA), specifically focusing on the expanded protections, definitions, and authorities for violations against traditional Indigenous skills and talent that would include Native Hawaiian artisans.

Coordinating Education Programs and Assessing Effectiveness. NHEC actively coordinates, assesses, and reports on existing education programs for Native Hawaiians to make recommendations for priority funding and support to state and federal entities, including the U.S. Department of Education. By doing so, we play a pivotal role in preserving and revitalizing Native Hawaiian culture through education.

Cultural Intellectual Property Rights and the Amendments to the Indian Arts and Craft Act. Updates to The ARTIST Act would “ensure Native Hawaiian artisans can define, develop, and support their own economies by including their arts and crafts in the definition of ʻNative-made’ products captured by IACA.” IACA prohibits misrepresentation in marketing Indigenous art sold in the U.S. Violators face civil or criminal penalties including fines of up to one million dollars or a five-year prison term.

Connection between NHEC Advocacy and Proposed Updates. By coordinating and assessing education programs, NHEC can identify areas where cultural intellectual property (IP), traditional knowledge, and traditional cultural expressions are integral to the medium of instruction and curriculum development and advocate for federal protections of IP detrimental to Native Hawaiian education. NHEC collaborates with Native Hawaiian-serving organizations and policymakers through coordinated efforts to ensure that cultural expressions, traditional skills, and talents are protected and preserved.

Strengthening Cultural Identity and Educational Outcomes. When Native Hawaiian students are provided with educational programs that honor and integrate their cultural heritage, their overall educational experience improves. Recognizing and respecting traditional skills and talents not only strengthens their cultural identity but also enhances self-esteem, motivation, and educational engagement. By linking education and cultural IP rights, NHEC and The ARTIST Act foster an environment conducive to positive educational outcomes for Native Hawaiian students.

Enhancing Cultural Tourism and Economic Opportunities. Protecting traditional Indigenous skills and talent can also generate economic opportunities. By expanding legal protections, The ARTIST Act enables Indigenous artists, artisans, and cultural practitioners to thrive, preserving and sharing their cultural heritage while benefiting economically. This intersection of cultural preservation and economic growth serves as a powerful catalyst for Native Hawaiian communities’ empowerment and sustainable development.

By coordinating, assessing, and reporting on education programs, NHEC contributes to the preservation and revitalization of Native Hawaiian culture. Simultaneously, the proposed updates to The ARTIST Act expand legal protections for traditional Indigenous skills and talent, benefiting Native Hawaiian cultural IP rights. Together, these efforts pave the way for a more inclusive and culturally responsive education system, strengthening communities and preserving our rich heritage for generations to come.

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But this year, we’re doing things a bit different. We’re sharing the data we’ve collected from the community over the past three years and asking them to help us ground-truth the data we’re seeing. Why? Because our same philosophy for community also extends to the data about the community: if it’s about them, it should include them.

How we do it

Community data dialogues are interactive participatory events designed to share open data with community in a way that is digestible, prompts deeper conversations about topics of mutual interest, and supports expanding understanding through meaningful feedback. With this in mind, we’ve not only changed our community engagement format to be data-driven dialogues, but also focused in on a specific community priority: ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi.

Why we do it

The Native Hawaiian Education Council (NHEC) has a long-standing history of advocating to the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to prioritize funding for programs that assert Hawaiian language as a medium of instruction. Data to underline why this is important points to the 2020 Native Hawaiian Education Program grant awardees where 24 programs were awarded, but only four programs indicated Hawaiian language as a medium of instruction. So, to understand this better we are taking our community data dialogues to our kaiapuni communities (kumu, haumāna, ʻohana) across our island home with our partners, ʻAʻaliʻi Alliance.

Where we do it

Sharing open data with community is just one step in our journey together. NHEC must also contextualize data dialogues for accountability as diverse and equal partners with our community to make sense of our work in a way that is appropriate, meaningful and equitable. This means meeting community where they are at and hosting dialogues in spaces that are familiar, accessible, and comfortable.

Enter, Merrie Monarch.

Yes, we did that! Our first community data dialogue was hosted on Moku O Keawe during Mele Manaka at Ka ʻUmeke Kāʻeo school where over 100 mākua and haumāna engaged with us and shared their feedback.

We understood the assignment that this one-day event in a fair atmosphere would need to look different than our standard sit-down, curated consultations. We designed this data dialogue to be interactive and inclusive. Community were given dot stickers and invited to place their stickers on a poster-sized display of our priority recommendations. The stickers provided an accessible and interactive way for both students and adults alike to indicate their agreement or their push-back on the priorities presented. Conversations were also sparked about standards, data, and learner outcomes.

How to get involved

During May, our community data dialogues continued with our kaiapuni communities on Oʻahu (Pūʻōhala Elementary) and Molokaʻi (Kualapuʻu Charter School). We are still in the process of securing a kaiapuni community group for Lānaʻi. We encourage program staff or ʻohana connected to these kaiapuni communities to please join us in data dialogue events.

For more information about NHEC and our priority recommendation advocacy efforts, please visit us at nhec.org.

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At the heart of the Native Hawaiian Education Council (NHEC) lives an annual commitment to engage community across the pae ʻāina in diverse and meaningful dialogue. We do this to listen, learn, and lean in on achievements and barriers in education that form powerful recommendations on education to the U.S. Department of Education (ED) for priority funding and support.

This year, ED will solicit applications for the Native Hawaiian Education Program (NHEP) grant competition and these priority recommendations are important in shaping decisions about what types of programs ED should prioritize, fund, and support for success.

NHEC is focusing this month’s column on our third of three priority recommendations to ED on mental health and wellbeing. The follow excerpt is taken from our annual report. To view the full report or learn more about our annual community consultation events coming up, please visit our website at: www.nhec.org/

PRIORITY FUNDING RECOMMENDATION: Address mental health and social emotional well-being as essential for Native Hawaiian learner outcomes, increased academic performance, behavior, social integration, resiliency, identity, and self-efficacy.

Mental health and wellbeing are paramount for student academic achievement and life. The COVID-19 impacts of social and physical isolation, loss of routines, increased anxiety or pessimism of an unsure future impacted youth. At the onset of the pandemic in 2020, the Center for Disease Control reported a 24% increase in children’s mental health related emergency room visits for youth ages 5-11, with a 31% increase for adolescents ages 12-17 (Leeb, et al., 2020).

The Council’s engagement with the community through the 2022 consultations reaffirms that mental health issues among students are an important public health concern as everyone continues to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic. Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) competencies in relation to student wellbeing continue to be reinforced as a priority by the community. “Staff who are well-trained, experienced, and know how to deal with traumatized kids are essential,” states a participant from a Molokaʻi community consultation. In NHEC’s 2017-2018 annual report, SEL recommendations were also provided to ED to consider for adoption as a new Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) measure: “Hawaiian values and practices have served as guiding principles for Kānaka Maoli for innumerable generations. Findings from this project show that the wisdom of Hawaiian culture is expressed in values and practices that more recently have been identified as SEL competencies. This congruence between Hawaiian value systems and SEL principles reveals the possibility of identifying specific measures of student success that resonate with the Native Hawaiian community that simultaneously reflect the rigorous standard of GPRA.”

Priority and funding for programming that addresses increased mental health professionals in schools and communities including trauma-informed care training for all persons in contact with learners in the next NHEP grant competition is imperative to the mental health and wellbeing of Native Hawaiian learners.

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These recommendations are born from and for the community. NHEC works annually in community consultations and engagement sessions, diverse dialogue, and ongoing education research and advocacy in existing educational programs addressing Native Hawaiians in our process to raise forward these annual recommendations.

This year, we anticipate a Native Hawaiian Education Program (NHEP) grant competition and these priority recommendations are important in shaping decisions in what types of programs ED should fund and support.

NHEC is focusing this month’s column on our second of three priority recommendations to ED on ʻāina-based learning programs. The following excerpt is taken from our annual report:

“PRIORITY FUNDING RECOMMENDATION: Expand ʻāina-based programs and initiatives to address place-based inequities and increase educational opportunities.

“Participants of NHEC’s community consultations shared experiences of food insecurity as stressors of the pandemic, which in turn underlines the incredible importance ʻāina-based learning or ʻteaching and learning through ʻāina so our people, communities, and lands thrive’ (Ledward, 2013). Nationally, 21% of Native Hawaiian Pacific Islanders, as compared to non-Hispanic White counterparts (8%), experience food insecurity that directly and indirectly contribute to related factors such as increased healthcare costs, limited access to resources and income, and a correlation to poor physical health (Nguyen, Pham, Jackson, Ellison, & Sinclair, 2022).

“The relational value to food, to one another, and to the environment remains a priority for Native Hawaiian communities. A participant who attended NHEC’s community consultation session for Out of School and ʻĀina reflects on the importance of ʻāina-based programming options in the community if traditional schools did not provide resources. ‘[Traditional schools] don’t see the rigor in ʻāina-based learning. I think that’s the disconnect. I think that’s why out-of-school programs are so important. It reminds our haumāna that learning continues after the school bell rings.’

“The increased value of and access to ʻāina-based learning and education programs generated greater attention on Hawaiian-focused charter schools (HFCS), which have a long-established core pedagogy on cultivating purposeful and responsible relationships between learners and culture, language, and land (Rogers, Awo Chun, Keehne & Houglum, 2020). The impact of the pandemic jolted urgent opportunity for HFCS and ʻāina-based programs to adapt hybrid and/or virtual delivery for whole family engagement to meet the needs of ʻāina learning and feeding communities. Hawaiian culture-based education principles are values-based, place-based, and land-based (Dragon Smith, 2020).

“Priority funding for expansion and support of ʻāina-based program reinforces the value of traditional wisdom in ʻāina as an educational priority to cultivate critical skills for learners, as well as an inclusive recovery approach for communities. NHEC strongly recommends ʻāina-based programming as a priority area for funding in the next NHEP grant competition.”

The work that goes into producing these priority recommendations each year is a labor of love.

To see the full report and priority recommendations, please visit our website at www.nhec.org.

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NHEC works annually in community consultations and engagement sessions, diverse dialogue, and ongoing education research and advocacy in existing educational programs addressing Native Hawaiians in our process to bring forward these annual recommendations.

The stories and data gathered from the community are synthesized by combining multiple data sources into major findings to understand commonalities between individual data points, analyzed against trends including previous priority recommendations on education by NHEC, and benchmarked with external research sources in education and community wellbeing.

NHEC is focusing this month’s column on our first priority of Hawaiian language- medium instruction. Here is our full priority recommendation write-up from our annual report:

“PRIORITY FUNDING RECOMMENDATION: Assert Hawaiian language-medium instruction and culture-based education programs, frameworks, and values as principal in addressing equity, resiliency, and social-emotional wellbeing for increased Native Hawaiian learner outcomes and closing achievement gaps.

“The ability for a stabilized learning continuum and connection for Native Hawaiian communities to engage in cultural practices in a pandemic crisis of emerging COVID variants remains critical. This is critical to life as Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders (NHPI) have the highest death rates from COVID-19 compared with any other racial group (Hofschneider, 2020). This is also critical to healthcare access as NHPIs have the highest rate of COVID-19 cases compared to other racial and ethnic groups (UH News, 2020).

“The pandemic put a historical context of disease population decimation of Native Hawaiians due to American imperialism and its impact on loss of cultural practices, language, and land (NHEA, 2015). Ramifications of this – directly and indirectly – adversely affect long-standing mistrust of government institutions and increased vaccination hesitancy of NHPIs in the pandemic (UH News, 2022). To address this crisis, the Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander COVID-19 Response, Recovery, and Resilience Team was formed. This multi-agency team understood that culture-based programs and cultural belief systems and practices are powerful tools for helping Native Hawaiian communities make sense of and interpret the pandemic and its effects. For example, the team supported the creation of a Community-Based Subsistence Fishing Area to connect culturally based practices, sustainable food systems, and public health benefits for NHPI communities (Kamaka, et al., 2021).

“Native Hawaiians have strong connections to ʻāina (land, place), culture, and language and thus are socially and culturally impacted by the pandemic (Kaholokula, Samoa, Miyamoto, Palafox, & Daniels, 2020). Participants of NHEC’s 2022 community consultations reported a strong connection to culture and language in order to be successful. ʻCultural programming, values, learning ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, ‘āina work is all so necessary,’ reflected an Oʻahu participant, ʻand that’s not what I used to say, but this pandemic has completely changed my perspective.’ (Native Hawaiian Education Council, 2022)

“Priority funding for Hawaiian language-medium education and Hawaiian culture-based education programs in the next NHEP grant competition is paramount for supporting Native Hawaiian learner outcomes including resiliency and social-emotional wellbeing.”

The work that goes into producing these priority recommendations each year is a labor of love. To see our full report and priority recommendations, please visit our website at nhec.org

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History lives not in books, but in the very lining of our skin and blood.

The longer my journey in the Native Hawaiian Education Council (NHEC), the more I come to understand my larger and deeper connection to our language and to one another. This might be a given in your immediate circle of relations, but I’m referring to the interwoven stories of multiple layers of relations that can happen over time and space. Often these woven connections are revealed to us when we step back and are able to fully see all the tiny miracles that had to happen in order for us to be standing exactly where we are. Here.

This is my open love letter to the Native Hawaiian Education Act for my identity and knowledge journey.

1994: CREATION OF A COUNCIL

In 1994, I am now a freshman in college and the first of my family to pursue a college degree. The state of Native Hawaiian educational attainment during this time has somewhat improved. Nine percent of Native Hawaiians now hold a college degree and19.2% earned a high school diploma.

In this same year, the Native Hawaiian Education Act (NHEA) was up for reauthorization. New language was included that reflected the needs shared by current grantee programs for a coordinating entity “to ensure quality, accountability, coordination and self-determination in all educational efforts for Native Hawaiians.” During the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing with NHEP grantee representatives of David Sing, Nāmaka Rawlins, and Robert Springer, Chairman Inouye asks if the grantees are opposed to the creation of a council.

Nāmaka Rawlins responds:

Is anybody opposed? No, Iʻm not opposed…however, I think there is the language in making sure that the representation, how they are selected, and if we can be reassured that the council is made up of so many percent of Native Hawaiians are on it…We need to have speakers on the council too so that as we are growing, our needs need to be reflected on the council.

And growing we are – in our work, in our advocacy, and in our language! In coming to NHEC I would then have the opportunity to work and learn from Nāmaka as a council member, along with many others who have placed the pōhaku on this kahua. As I continue to grow with and within the organization, I know I am weaving more strands and stories for the next NHEC generation. My hope is that one day they will find this article and know that this love letter is also for them. To the next generation, there is a whole lāhui that has been preparing for your arrival and your success even before your birth. You, Kanaka, are destined for the highest achievements!

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