your gifts are planted! -...
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Change, Not Charity™
Summer Newsletter 2016949 Kapi‘olani Blvd. Suite 100
Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96814(808) 593-9969
Your Gifts Are Planted!
‘Aha Aloha ‘AinaA people’s process: open and transparent education, consultation, dialogue, consent and unity. It began with 12 members and already has nearly 500 members with 33 sponsoring groups and
organizations. They are providing a cultural process for community dialogue on every island, training new leaders and building community. ahaalohaaina.com
Chamber Music Hawaii (emergency)An emergency grant helped the first public concert (on Kaua‘i) of the Hawaiian-narrated version of Paka‘a Lanakila, a musical work written performed by the CMH Spring Wind Quintet.
The project includes lesson plans for mid-grade elementary school teachers, cultural educators, and the general public. chambermusichawaii.org
Comunidad Latina De Hawai‘iThis young organization is already creating diverse programs and opportunities for a sizeable immigrant community that has faced significant discrimination.
Comunidad Latina De Hawai‘i is building leadership, amplifying voices, and supporting equity for the Latino community on Hawai‘i Island. comunidadlatinadehawaii.org
Hanakehau Learning Farm“In addition to plants, we want to grow the consciousness of our lahui.” From creating traditional Hawaiian implements to hosting diverse political and social groups, Hanakehau has been providing learning projects since 2012.
The grant will assist with infrastructure for land restoration, food production, and classrooms to continue political education and activist organizing training. hanakehau.com
Hawai‘i People’s Fund has awarded nearly $45,000 in grants
so far in 2016. This is a reflection of community support
(yours) for progressive movement work in Hawai‘i.
Donors: thoughtful generosity + Grantmakers: sensitive collaboration +
Board: conscious responsibility =An alchemy that is intensely special.
Mahalo to all!
HAPA
Hawai‘i Alliance for Progressive Action has a strong commitment to supporting new leadership in public service with a strategic focus on social change.
This grant will support a new Boards and Commissions Leadership Institute. The intent is to build a pipeline of policymakers accountable to communities and strategically preparing advocates to serve on them. hapahi.org
Ho‘ola Hou Ia KalauaoLess than three years ago this organization began with a goal of restoring knowledge of Kalauao, preserving and protecting this space in an urbanized community known to most as Pearl Ridge. This project is part of a growing movement that
is transforming food systems throughout the islands.
Hui Malama I ke Ala ‘Ulili (HuiMAU)“…We see our efforts as a reawakening and reclamation of our kuleana (responsibilities and rights) to our ‘aina and to each other as kama‘aina, to cultivate healing, transformation, and social justice in Hamakua…” alaulili.com
IWIKUAThis is a new project with a big vision that combines food security, culture, and modern technology. The project will serve to create a living ahupua‘a system and
pu‘uhonua cultural center in the Kona and Mana areas of West Kaua‘i island. IWIKUA.org
Ka Lei Maile Ali‘i (emergency)Three ku‘e (resistance) warriors died within a week of each other in February: Kekuni Blaisdell, Puhipau, and Leandra Wai. On March 25 a joint celebration of life took place at the ahu on the grounds of Iolani Palace. “…they remind us all that while commitment is long, life is short. Each of us practices our kuleana until the torch must be passed to others.” kaleimailealii.org
Mauna Kea Education and AwarenessA year ago this organization was created by concerned community members who recognized an immediate and urgent need for Hawai‘i residents and visitors to have a deeper knowledge of Mauna a Wakea. Facebook: Idle No More Hawaii
Playbuilders of Hawai‘iCommunity circles are collecting stories from those within the foster youth system, From this work, they will develop a performance piece to educate and build support for foster youth. An
extended goal includes increasing the available number of foster homes. playbuilders.org
Grantee Highlights
Hawai‘i Alliance for Progressive Action
In early April, HAPA proudly graduated 21 emerging leaders from the 2016 inaugural Kuleana Academy, an intensive 3-month non-partisan leadership development program to educate and train potential leaders who have a desire to serve in public office.
Participants from five islands spent January through March immersed in intensive leadership development and candidate skills training.
They learned campaign fundamentals such as canvassing, campaign fundraising, and campaign finance reporting. Academy participants also undertook training in speech and debate, media interviews, and social media. In addition, they had the opportunity to hear from a diverse cross-section of elected officials on their experiences in running for, and serving in public office.
Former Governor John Waihe‘e spoke to Kuleana Academy participants (see photo pg. 2, upper left). They also heard from U.S. Senator Brian Schatz, State Representatives Chris Lee and Andrea Tupola, as well as State Senate Vice President Will Espero, and former Hawai‘i County Council Member Keiko Bonk. HAPAHI.org
Hawai‘i Women in Filmmaking Hawai‘i Women in Filmmaking is committed to achieving gender equity in filmmaking and other creative media arts.
By providing access to a broad network of resources, education, leadership, and support, women and girls are able to express themselves through the media of film; raise awareness and visibility of women’s and girls’ work in film; and promote a diverse and positive representation of girls and women in media.
Making Media That Matters is a program for girls (trans, cis, and non-binary). During the program, participants learn how to make a short film and develop film and critical-thinking skills by examining issues that affect them and their communities. Making Media That Matters provides a platform for girls to tell their stories and be agents of social change through film. Film for civic engagement and social justice.
HawaiiWomenInFilmmaking.org
World Can’t Wait Hawai‘iBuilding Resistance to Injustice
2016 Program Demographics
WHAT?Issue areas supported by Spring 2016 Hawai‘i People’s Fund grants:
Aloha Aina Cultural Practice Citizen Engagement & Transparent Government Youth Development Indigenous Rights Progressive Leadership Community Resilience
Amplification of Marginalized Voices Resistance to Injustice Outreach & Education
WHO?Who 2016 Hawai‘i People’s Fund program work engages:
Community OrganizersCultural PractitionersDecolonizersImmigrantsWorkersStudentsLand stewards, Farmers, and FishersPublic Health practitioners and HealersLesbian, Gay, Gender Nonconforming, and Transgender
Indigenous rights ActivistsArtists & PhilanthropistsTeachers and EducatorsParents VisitorsLabor Activists Food Safety ProtectorsLawyers who challenge injustice and violenceWarriors who challenge the impacts of militarism
HOW MANY?How many will benefit from the reach of 2016 Hawai‘i People’s Fund programs & grants:
World Can’t Wait Hawai‘i attempts to connect national policies to their effects in Hawai‘i and the larger Pacific through education and action.
Hawai‘i People’s Fund support helps them to produce leaflets, signs, and banners for events, marches and rallies as well as a weekly program on Olelo Community Media. Like most grassroots organizations (including Hawai‘i People’s Fund), WCW relies on scrounged and used materials and stretches their funding.
World Can’t Wait addresses issues including police murder and brutality, expanding wars, attacks on reproductive rights, climate change and more.
“Without active and visible resistance these crimes will only increase.”theworldcantwaithawaii.blogspot.com
An estimated 10,000-250,000 people are impacted through direct engagement.
Through publications, word of mouth, and social media,
another 500,000-1,000,000 are touched.
WHERE?Where do the resources come from?
Your Support!
You are giving to critical work throughout the islands! Please be generous.Envelope enclosed or donate online at HawaiiPeoplesFund.org.
We can’t do this without you!
Growing Transformative Movements
Grassroots organizations support a lot of their work out of the pockets of volunteers and leaders. Hawai‘i People’s Fund is often the only foundation that will even consider making a grant to these groups.
And we give a lot more than money!
Hawai‘i People’s Fund is a partner in making social change. In the spring of 2016, we hosted Embodied Leadership for Change, a three-day training intended to provide tools and building blocks for committed activists already working at the intersections of social justice issues.
Facilitated by trainers from generative somatics, 26 participants from 3 islands engaged in intersectional analysis and explorations of power, oppression, and privilege through personal and collective work. These understandings are necessary for the kind of leaders we need to advance systemic change.
Additional and generous support for this training came from the Ceres Trust and the Whitman Institute.
Not everything that is faced can be changed,
but nothing can be changed until it is faced.
—James Baldwin
Connectionsby Nancy Aleck
There’s a theory that everyone in the world is separated by no more than six degrees, that there’s a chain of connections between everyone. I’ve always said that in Hawaii, there’s only one and a half degrees between us.
During one week of February, our community lost three amazing warriors, nation-builders, resources, teachers, activists, and ohana. I wanted to share some of the connections between these three and the People’s Fund, which has been supporting progressive action and movement building work in Hawai‘i since 1972. And, of course, these links also connect them with each other, as well.
Though our early records are spotty, in the early 70s, the People’s Fund supported the filmmaking work of Victoria Keith, which included her film about the Sand Island evictions. One of the residents captured in this film was Abe Ahmad. Soon after, he himself became a filmmaker.
The People’s Fund supported the Hawai‘i chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility. Abe made a film for PSR about the threat of nuclear weapons and he took the name of that film, Puhipau. He partnered with Joan Lander, in work, life, love and together they documented the movement through the beautiful, insightful and powerful films by Na Maka o ka ‘Aina.
The People’s Fund supported the work of Na Maka o ka ‘Aina over the decades, either directly or by engagement with and promotion of the issues covered in their documentaries. Puhipau and Joan were honored at the Annual Dinner in 2004.
Kekuni Blaisdell was honored at the Annual Dinner in 1988 together with Marion Kelly. They were co-conspirators in hosting the Pro-Hawaiian Sovereignty Working Group, which was funded by the People’s Fund in 1992. At least one more grant was made to this group, but by then, it was called the Pro-Kanaka Maoli Independence Working Group.
Of course, during this period, Kekuni ma were also developing, implementing, and using the resulting tools of the Tribunal. The work of the Tribunal Komike was also supported by People’s Fund grants. The messages and impacts of the Tribunal continue to reverberate today. We can watch an amazing film of the Tribunal made by Na Maka o Ka ‘Aina and even purchase full transcripts of the meeting days on the website.
In 1992 a People’s Fund grant was made to the Coalition Concerned About Army Burning of Hazardous Materials in Makua Valley. I’m sure many remember the open burn, open detonation (OBOD) practiced by the Army there.
The story I heard back then was that in the 1970s a core group of activists concerned about military occupation and abuse of the aina, wanted to reclaim Makua, Pohakuloa and Kaho‘olawe. A strategic decision was made to start with one place. Thus, the struggle for Kaho‘olawe was launched and it was twenty years later that major efforts began to free Makua.
In the 80s and 90s, two rounds of evictions of people living at Makua Beach were seen as connected to military control and heightened visibility of the intersecting issues. Makua activists met Makua beach community residents and together learned about how militarism is connected to sovereignty, how occupation and colonialism are connected to economic injustice. In 1996 a People’s Fund grant was made to the Makua Community Council followed by support in the late 90s and into 2000s for Malama Makua.
In the 1990s is when I met Leandra Wai; she was creating an oasis on the beach in one of the hottest, driest places on the island. With loving grace, she invited me into her space and told its story, her story.
During that time, Leandra was not only changing the aina, it was changing her. She was becoming an activist and a fierce kanaka warrior. Leandra is quoted in a 1996 Star Bulletin article saying, “the state has forced us to become educated… We’re all waking up now.” She had a vision of Makua as a living pu‘uhonua and she never gave up creating this reality.
Leandra is featured in Na Maka o ka Aina’s film, Makua, to Heal a Nation.
One and a half degrees. Or less.
I am honored to have personally known Puhipau, Kekuni and Leandra. And I’m proud to have worked for an organization run for and by the people. I hope it will continue to thrive and support key work in ka pae ‘aina for generations to come.
We’re all connected to the kuleana these amazing individuals carried. Big torches are passed now into many small lights for us all to carry forward.
Save the Date!Hawai‘i People’s Fund Annual Dinner
Saturday November 12, 2016
Transitions
Stay tuned for the next big announcement! Board members have been hard at work on a soulful search process for a new Executive Director. If you are not signed up to receive our email, please check our website. By July 1, the new E.D. should be hired. We can’t wait to introduce them!
This has been such an amazing opportunity, a job that has been joyful, inspiring, educational, and gratifying every single day! After many years working for an organization that’s all about making change, it’s time for change in my own life, too! I am so thankful to all of you!
The next chapter is unknown, but I’m looking forward to it. One thing is sure:I am going to die. Not soon, I hope! But at some point. A couple years ago, I put Hawai‘i People’s Fund in my will.
Making a bequest in your will or living trust is a simple thing.
www.HawaiiPeoplesFund.org
A charitable bequest enables you to maintain control of your assets today and to support Hawai‘i People’s Fund after your lifetime.
Donors of all ages and all income levels are able to include Hawai‘i People’s Fund in their will or living trust.
A bequest enables you to make a charitable gift to Hawai‘i People’s Fund while ensuring that your family is taken care of first.
A bequest is flexible; you have the ability to change the provision at any time to address changing circumstances or priorities.
Some people name Hawai‘i People’s Fund as the beneficiary of a life insurance policy or IRA account.
We’re all going to go. Why not plan to leave a legacy for grassroots justice!
Thank you all for your support over the 13 years I have been at Hawai‘i People’s Fund! Please use the enclosed envelope and keep the fund going into the future. A hui hou,