The featured guest was Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa talking about the addition of a Native Hawaiian plank to the National Democratic Party Platform. Photos: Blaine Fergerstrom
Democratic Party Platform Committee Unanimously Passes Native Hawaiian Section
Democrat Colleen Hanabusa, Hawai‘i representative to the National Platform Committee, just advised via email: “The Caucus’ proposed language, with the following amendment to your first sentence, ‘Democrats also support efforts for self-governance and self-determination of Native Hawaiians. Native Hawaiians are the indigenous, aboriginal people of Hawai‘i whose values and culture are the foundation of the Hawaiian Islands. We support proactive actions by the federal government to enhance Native Hawaiian culture, health, language, and education. We recognize and honor the contributions and sacrifices made in sevice to our country by Native Hawaiians,’ passed unanimously, just now.”
“We are grateful to Colleen Hanabusa for championing our proposal and to the 197 Platform Committee Members who voted unanimously to adopt it. Mahalo, mahalo nui loa.”
The Hawaiian Affairs Caucus will be holding its quarterly general membership meeting on Wednesday, July 13, 2016, 6:00 p.m., at ILWU (451 Atkinson Drive).
Members are urged to attend. Amongst other agenda items, we will be electing county at-large officers to the HAC executive committee. If interested, contact Secretary Rhonda Roldan by responding to this email. The meeting will begin promptly at 6:00 p.m., followed by a Meet & Greet Social featuring Democrats running for political office at 7:00 p.m. For additional information, please see the below flyer. So that we may have a sense on the number of members planning to attend the meeting, please RSVP by July 10 to, hawaiian.affairs.caucus@gmail.com. If you are also available to help with setup and cleanup, please contact Raytan Vares (raytanv@gmail.com) or Pohai Ryan (pohaikaua@gmail.com).
Mahalo,
Hawaiian Affairs Caucus
2016 Democratic Candidates
Meet & Greet
Hosted by:
Wednesday, July 13, 2016, 7:00 p.m.
International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Office
451 Atkinson Dr., Honolulu, HI 96814
Refreshments will be served. Please join us!
*HAC general membership business will precede the Meet & Greet
OHA and Kamehameha Schools have partnered to launch the Native Hawaiian Federal Service Fellowship. Fellows will spend 9-months in Washington, DC, working within a U.S. Congressional office on federal policy affecting Native Hawaiians and others. In addition to the opportunity to make an immediate impact on national policy, fellows will gain practical insight into the inner workings of the Federal Government and influence over decisions that affect the Native Hawaiian community.
The program consists of three components: 1) immersion through work on Capitol Hill, 2) individual mentoring from senior aides, and 3) seminars on topics proposed by the fellowship cohort. The program will last up to nine months, beginning in September 2016 and ending in May 2017. Fellows will be compensated via a $30,000 stipend. The ideal candidate is a recent college graduate and/or graduate student available to work full time in DC for 9-months. Candidates should have a demonstrated commitment to the wellbeing of the Native Hawaiian community and show the capacity to work successfully in an office setting. The deadline to apply is 11:59 PM HST, July 1, 2016. More information, including details on how to submit an application, can be found at www.oha.org/DCinternships.
The Hawaiian Affairs Caucus is looking to fill county at-large positions on our executive committee. As a statewide organization, it is imperative that we have representation from community voices all across our pae ʻāina. The county at-large positions were established in 2013 to increase community participation in the leadership of the Hawaiian Affairs Caucus, be inclusive of the diversity of perspectives in our Hawaiian communities, and bring greater awareness to the range of issues effecting Native Hawaiians. A detailed description of the duties and authorities of the Executive Committee can be found at the HAC website: www.hawaiianaffairs.org.
Election to fill four positions will take place at the next general membership meeting on Wednesday, July 13 at 6:00 p.m. Location to be announced. The positions are as follows:
One (1) At-Large Member from O‘ahu County
One (1) At-Large Member from Hawai‘i County
One (1) At-Large Member from Maui County
One (1) At-Large Member from Kauaʻi County
To be eligible, you must be a registered member of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi and be a member of the Hawaiian Affairs Caucus for at least six months. As an executive committee member, you will be expected to attend executive committee and general membership meetings, demonstrate involvement in Caucus activities, and fully subscribe to the purpose, mission, and values of the Caucus. A written statement to this effect must accompany your interest as a candidate for an at-large position.
Please also indicate your county of residence. Email to the HAC Secretary Rhonda Roldan, at hawaiian.affairs.caucus@gmail.com by not later than July 5, 2016.Upon her receipt of your email, she will then verify your membership status with the Party and the Caucus. Nominations will also be taken at the meeting (note that it is more convenient for us to verify you beforehand).
A description of the duties and authorities of the Executive Committee can be found at the HAC website, www.hawaiianaffairs.org.
Please share this with your friends and ʻohana. Mahalo and we look forward to hearing from you!
The Democratic Party of Hawai’i (DPH) came together last month in Waikiki to hold an energized and productive State Convention. It reflected a broad diversity of character and experience and featured passionate debate that was possible only because of the hard work of our leaders, volunteers, and members who care deeply for this Party and our island home.
Mahalo to Chair Stephanie Ohigashi, the DPH Executive Committee, State Central Committee, County Chairs, staff and members who served and advanced our community the past two years. Special thanks to Convention Chairs Donna Domingo and Ikaika Mahoe, the Convention Planning Committees, volunteer support team, and all those who labored so hard under intense time deadlines to include tens of thousands of new members in our Party’s rolls.
The other candidates for Party Chair: Flo Kong Kee, Tyler Dos Santos-Tam, and Jacce Mikulanec also deserve our respect and appreciation for running principled campaigns and for reaching out to stay involved. There is need for their leadership and no single individual can make the Democratic Party fulfill it’s highest potential.
Governor David Ige addresses the 2016 Democratic Party of Hawaii Convention.
Our Party has been and continues to be a revered platform and tool for the expression of our community values and the greater interests of our society. Democrats have historically been strong and influential because of our principled focus and ability to achieve unity.
All cultures change in time and, to move forward and find solutions to current needs, we are called as an organization to positively adapt. The broader Democrat community is looking to us for a renewed and expanded vigor. However, this is not a unilateral mandate to discount or dismiss the people or experience that helped shape our Party. We stand on the shoulders of our host culture, ancestors, labor unions, elected politicians and community organizations that give us this opportunity.
In Hawai’i, we have always been defined by our diversity. It has been through accepting and celebrating our differences that we have found common ground to unite us and move forward together. I am humbled by the opportunity to serve the whole of our community and have set goals to expand communication and participation.
To that end, please join our DPH Facebook page and share this message to your county’s community and issue pages. Let us increase our networking, dialogue and outreach to help bring us all closer and strengthen our ability to act as one party. We will catch up on our primary expanded database, improve our use of technology, make it easier for members to regularly participate, and look to our communities and around the world for innovative ways to advance our Democratic values and deepen our service.
Democratic Party of Hawai’i 2016 Chair Tim Vandeveer and outgoing Chair Stephanie Cambra Ohigashi.
In the coming weeks, I hope to continue the discussion on how we can more specifically evolve to accomplish our goals. Our first step though, begins with basic appreciation and respect for the people that have made the Democratic Party a place of honor and hope.
Mahalo to each and every one of you for the good will to unify our party.
Holomua kākou, Tim Vandeveer
Chair, Democratic Party of Hawai’i
#DPHChairsMessage
Democratic Party
State Chair: Tim Vandeveer
County Chair: Reena Rabago
Region 5 Chair: Gary Saito
District 31 Chair: Debbie Shimizu
Precinct 3 President: Lennard Pepper
NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY PLATFORM NATIVE HAWAIIANS
The Executive Committee of the Hawaiian Affairs Caucus has called upon the National Democratic Party Platform Committee to expand the language in its platform relating to Native Hawaiians. If adopted, our unique history and quest for self-determination and sovereignty will be further clarified at the national level.
The current Platform mentions Native Hawaiians but once. Under a paragraph titled, “Tribal Sovereignty” that contains provisions addressing Native American Indians and Alaska Natives, it states, “Democrats support maximizing tribal self- governance, including efforts for self-determination and sovereignty of Native Hawaiians.”
The Hawaiian Affairs Caucus Executive Committee has requested that this Platform be expanded to separate out Native Hawaiians and new Platform language would state: “Native Hawaiians: Democrats support maximizing indigenous self-governance, self-determination and sovereignty of Native Hawaiians. Native Hawaiians are the indigenous, aboriginal people of Hawaiʻi whose values and culture are the foundation of the Hawaiian Islands. We support proactive actions by the federal government to enhance Native Hawaiian culture, health, language, education, and housing. We recognize and honor the contributions and the sacrifices made in service to our country by Native Hawaiians.
The Platform will be a critical component at the Democratic Party convention in Philadelphia being held on July 25-28. Hawai‘i will be represented by 34 delegates.
Our goals with this new website is to provide members and visitors with information about Caucus activities, to share diverse views about Native Hawaiian issues, to educate, and to serve as a candidate forum during elections. We have also included links to key Hawaiian organizations.
Amongst the new features, the site contains a button to sign up for caucus emails. We will be constantly updating our content with helpful information, articles, blogs, news, etc.
We hope you find the new website with a fresh look easy to access information.
We would also like to thank Blaine Fergerstrom for designing and setting up the website.
The Hawaiian Affairs Caucus has launched a place on its website for posting Candidate Profiles with the intended purpose to provide information to our membership and the electorate on candidates running in this year’s election. https://www.hawaiianaffairs.org/candidate-forum/ All candidates are being invited to participate. We have asked candidates to respond to three questions:
Why are you running for office?
What are your views about Hawaiian self-governance? In your capacity as a legislator, what action, if any, would you advocate in support of Hawaiian self-governance?
When it comes to Native Hawaiian issues, what do you perceive your role as a legislator to be? What ways can you, if elected, support Native Hawaiian concerns through your legislative abilities? If elected, describe specific Native Hawaiian bill ideas that you would be willing to propose or support for the advancement of Native Hawaiians.
The City’s Historic Parks and Projects office is holding another public information presentation on the Mayor’s planned revitalization of Thomas Square. Encourage your attendance. As part of the renovation, the City currently plans on including a statue of Kamehameha III and the Hawaiian Flag. The renovation takes place in several phases. The City Council has not approved funding for all phases. In terms of priorities, some in the community have expressed these concerns: 1) The park is for recreational purposes, not a museum. 2) If funds should be made available, priority should be given to recreational items, not the Kamehameha statue. 3) Why not a statue of Admiral Thomas? 4) What will the City do with the comments of community members during these informational presentations, or is this a done deal? 5) Should the fountain be retained or replaced with something more environmentally and recreation friendly?
Thomas Square Renovation Public Meeting
Tuesday, July 5, 2016
5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Mission Memorial Hearings Room
(550 South King Street, 1st floor, enter from mauka side of red brick building)
* Free parking at the Fasi Municipal parking structure, enter from Beretania Street
Please forward this invite to any others who may be interested in attending, and bring a friend with you.
Contact Chris Dacus, Executive Assistant, Historic Parks and Projects with further questions at (808)768-4946. RSVP by email to cdacus@honolulu.gov
IUCN World Conservation Congress Hawai’i 2016
VOLUNTEERS WANTED!
Volunteers are needed to support the IUCN World Conservation Congress (IUCN Congress) being held September 1-10, 2016, at the Hawaii Convention Center. Held once every four years, the IUCN Congress brings together several thousand leaders and decision-makers from government, NGOs, science, business and academia with the goal of conserving the environment and harnessing the solutions nature offers to answer global challenges.
As a volunteer, you will play an important role in creating a welcoming atmosphere for delegates and visitors while assisting the IUCN to deliver a professionally run Congress. Help is needed in a variety of roles including delegate greeters, room monitors, reception assistants, retail sales and other event duties.
If you have the time, commitment, enthusiasm and experience to help us create this once in a lifetime event here in Hawaii, then we want you!
Minimum Requirements
Volunteers must:
be at least 18 years of age
be available to volunteer between September 1-10, 2016, in Honolulu
attend volunteer training prior to the Congress (in August)
be able to take care of your own travel arrangements, accommodations, meals and parking
be professional , committed, hard-working, reliable and culturally sensitive.
Benefits
Volunteers must work three (3) five-hour shifts to receive access to four (4) days of the Congress.
Volunteers must work 30 hours or more to receive access to the full ten (10) days of the Congress.
Timing
Volunteer schedules and positions will be announced in late June/early July by email.
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