NPIEN In the News
Falanai Ala Guest Speaker and Mentor Series concluded with 2,283 students and 16 Speakers:
Schools: Urbita Elementary School, Martin Luther King Middle School in San Bernardino, Heritage High School in Brentwood, Paramount High School, Dominguez High School, Hayward High School, Chrisman High School in Missouri, Will Rogers Middle School Career Day in Lawndale, CA, Compton High School, CSULA, Del Amo Elementary School Career Day, Morse High School (Includes High School Conference), Buena Vista High School (Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Event), Odyssey STEM Academy, Lakewood High School for Pacific Islanders Education Voyage Graduate Celebration.
Speakers: Dr. Juliann Anesi, Assistant Professor, UCLA, Dr. Keith Camacho, Professor, UCLA, Francine Blacksher, PI Program Specialist, San Bernardino City Unified School District, Isabella Collas, Senior Admissions Counselor, UC Irvine, Estella Owoimaha-Church, Executive Director, EPIC, Kalani Heinz, Graduate Student and Archaeologist, UCLA, Amaris Leiataua, Law Student, PI Law Student Association, Tana Lepule, NHPI Researcher/Advocate, Dorinda Nicholson, The Pearl Harbor Child, Dr. Kawika Liu, Physician, Attorney, Lorraine Tuala Logoai, Program Manager, Social Worker, SoCal PI Community Response Team, Jason Pereira, Visual Artist, JP Design Company, Ben Raju, Director of Program Management, US Small Business Administration, Kiki Rivera, Storyteller, Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC), Maria Reynoso, Administrative Clerk II, Cerritos College, Dr. Thompson, Executive Director NPIEN, Lupe Moe, Retired Social Worker, NPIEN Secretary
Thanks from Del Amo Elementary School, LAUSD
Support the Maui Schools
FROM EPIC: Our aloha and our prayers go out to the families impacted by the wildfires in Maui.
There are many ways to support. See the list below.
Local
Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement
“Thanks to additional support from Kamehameha Schools, Alaska Airlines, King Charles Lunalilo Trust, and others organizations, we have increased our matching campaign to $1,000,000. Every dollar donated will be matched up to that amount.
Mahalo to Alakaʻina Foundation Family of Companies for helping to kickstart this campaign in support of our 'ohana impacted by the devastating wildfires on Maui.
Together we can make a difference. Let's rally around our community in this time of need. Your donation can help provide immediate relief to those affected by this tragedy.
Your generosity will not only help them rebuild but also show the strength of our unity and aloha spirit. 100% of proceeds will go to Maui organizations to support relief efforts.
In addition to accepting monetary donations on-line, CNHA is also accepting other donations from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday at our headquarters at 91-1270 Kinoʻiki St. Kapolei, HI 96707. Please e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.”
Hawaiʻi Community Foundation
“The Maui Strong Fund was created to provide community resilience with resources for disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. The fund is currently being used to support communities affected by the wildfires on Maui.”
Maui Rapid Response
“An ahupuaʻa based citizen disaster response team.” Contribute:
Needs and Contributions FormNeeds and Contributions Form:
Maui Red Cross
Kākoʻo Haleakala
Link to resources in IG bio, including ongoing family search document:
Address to donate items from Amazon:
Kākoʻo Haleakā
28 Lino Pl.
Makawao, HI 96768
Pūnana Leo o Lahaina
“All donations accepted on our site throughout the month of August will be directed towards the Pūnana Leo o Lahaina. Please consider joining our efforts to uplift these members of our ʻohana Pūnana Leo by making a tax-deductible donation to support the critical needs in the coming months, including supplies and materials, ʻohana support and programming, financial support for limahana, renovation expenses, etc. Your contribution, regardless of the amount, will make a tangible difference in our ability to support our limahana and ʻohana.”
Papa Ola Lokahi
Linktree- Support Our Maui OhanaLinktree- Support Our Maui Ohana
Hawaiʻi People’s Fund
“Funds raised through this effort will move critical resources to past, present, and future community partners committed to seeing our beloved community through this storm.”
Maui United Way
“Providing immediate financial assistance through grants to nonprofits at the forefront of relief efforts, directly to households that have been deeply affected.”
Federal
POTUS HI Disaster DeclarationPOTUS HI Disaster Declaration
FEMA
After a disaster, people come together to help. To make the most of your contributions, it’s important to follow guidelines for donating and volunteering responsibly. Please visit Volunteer and Donate | FEMA.gov for tried and true best practices will give you a starting point. If you have items to donate, time to volunteer in support of a nonprofit, or cash to give and have questions, email the FEMA Donations Unit. We would love to help you, help others. To find a list of trusted organizations, additional information on donations and other resources, visit National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster. (Source for this messaging is Volunteer and Donate | FEMA.gov)
For those affected, start the process now to receive assistance:
The 14th Annual Conference took place at the Delta Hotels by Marriott in Anaheim. July 12th-14th. Qb Keju, NPIEN Events Staff Member and Dr. Thompson were at our table plus played the ukulele at the reception. We provided information on the Aloha Leadership Project and NPIEN Membership and our other programs to the more than 600 educators, law enforcement and probation officers, social workers, and mental health professionals who attended.
We also distributed some book information from Olympic Ice Dancing medallists Alex and Maia Shibutani and the Make Us Visible organization. We are collaborating with them to combat Asian Hate and also make Pacific Islanders more visible. Keynotes included Dr. Stephen Sroka, “The Power of One and the Power of Many,” Jeffrey Cugno of the FBI, and a panel discussion on “The Fentanyl Crisis” including Amy Neville, whose 14-year-old son Alex tragically died from Fentanyl use. Our School Talk Story Show was broadcast at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday from the Conference.
Watch us in this video.
NATIONAL PACIFIC ISLANDER EDUCATION NETWORK (NPIEN)
*Aloha*Alii*Bula*Fakaalofa lahi atu*Hafa adai*Iokwe*Ia ora na*Iorana*Kia Ora*Ko na Mauri*Malo e lelei*Mogethin*Talofa
Also Visit Aloha World.com for a copy of this report plus Events, and a Directory of Services from Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander friends!
- Happy Birthday to Falana’I Ala, NPIEN Past President, Tui Letuli, NPIEN Keynote, Eugene Mafi, NPIEN Founding Board Member, Dan Varner, NPIEN Sponsor, Wendy Blanco Smith, NPIEN Sponsor, Manny Crisostomo, Pulitzer Price Winner in Photo Journalism, David Brown, LA Island Radio, Tana Lepule, NPIEN Mentor, Rank, CEO, Habitat for Humanity, Audrey Alo, President, Pacific Islander Health Partnership
- Lesona Ukulele Class was held on November 21 at Ohana Hawaiian BBQ at 6:00 p.m. 5316 Clark Ave., Lakewood, CA 90712. The next Lesona Ukulele Class will take place on January 16th at 6:00 p.m. at Ohana Hawaiian BBQ.
- The December 14th Ohana Night Concert was streamed on Twitch as a part of the part of our NPIEN Holiday Party and Board Meeting. Over 400 watched the stream. Thanks to musicians Robert Graham and Wilma Kung for performing! Toys were collected for the California Credit Union Toy Drive. Our next Ohana Night is on January 11th at 7:00 p.m. at Ohana Hawaiian BBQ.
- The Aloha Ukulele Ensemble Concert at the California Credit Union (CCU) took place on 12/15/23 at 5:00 p.m. and more toys were donated.
- Welcome to All new members and renewing members who are also eligible for a scholarship from Grand Canyon University! from #GivingTuesday and HundredX: Dr. Alfred Flores, Dr. Juliann Anesi, Rynette Labostrie Barr, Dr, Kehaulani Kauanui, Bruce Reichenbacher, Dr. Lauren Bowman, Bopha Cobarrubias, Alofaifo Faleono, Teena Logo, Faalagilagi Olameva. Fatisisina Olameva, Alix Politanoff, Fani and Sapeti Sooialo, Gwen Spicer, Olivia Tali, Toetu Tali, Amelia Tupua, Lakay Paige, Fiapito Faiai, Verna Castro.
- Dr. Thompson was recognized by Congresswoman Michelle Steel as Asian Pacific Islander Person of Distinction for 2023.
- Dr. and Mrs. Thompson attended the FAIVA Concert at Loara High School in Anaheim and met Tini and Angela Grey and the legendary Jerome Grey who sponsored the Gala two years ago.