Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 23, Number 10, 1 October 2006 — LEONA MAPUANA KAUMA [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

LEONA MAPUANA KAUMA

Mahalo Ke Akua; my parents, Paul and Mildred (Naeole) Ng; Popo; Ah Goong; children;

grandchildren; and extended 'ohana, for without them, I would not be the person I am today. A graduate of Sacred Hearts Academy and Brigham Young LIniversity - Paralegal Studies, I have been mentored by professors in the līeld of social work, conflict resolution, counseling and geophysical phenomenon, and I am a haku ho'oponopono through kūpuna. Employed at OHA for over 1 1 years, I know the functions of OHA operations. With decades of community work, I have listened to my people's needs. I will be a vigorous, working trustee, taking all issues, concerns and funding requests from the community to the OHA boardroom. I propose reinstituting a statewide advisory eouneil that will be the "kia'i (guardian) of the people." We will work together to improve, empower, protect: • Alternative education • Cultural impacts • Employment and job training • Hawaiian intellectual properties • Land ownership issues: lee, kuleana, homestead and acquisition • Medically uninsured and prescription needs • The drug epidemic with our youth • Transfers of ceded land without notice or revenues Community-driven empowerment will assist the social, eeonomie issues. Developing a "Hawaiian Style" economy, this will benefit all. Self-determination is germane to all Native Hawaiians. Whether it be through signing up to show an interest in rebuilding the nation, federal recognition/ nation-within-a-nation model, free association or independence. We must OWN the future of our people. It is OLIR path, OLIR destiny. It will be an honor to represent our people in one of the most important and perilous times in our Hawaiian history. With study on the data statistics of our people, we must continue to improve our conditions and keep this dream in our hearts. This will strengthen us as a people from within. We must, for the survival of our beloved civilization, our uniqueness of being a Kanaka Maoli. In retrospect of our ancestors, we all have ownership of the Kū'ē Petition, and we must stand united. Huki like - to pull together, Hana like - to do together; we must eome together to plan our future. Whatever that nation will look like, it is ours to build. We have everything to lose and nothing to gain, separated by different philosophies, differing beliefs, hidden agendas - is this worth our beloved Hawaiian nation? Is

not the nation the most prized, the most cherished? Do we have it in us? I must believe YES. The nation will certainly have more than we have today. This will improve our social and eeonomie statistics and improve our living standards at the very least. The separation between the haves and have-nots is increasing. The demographics have changed forever. We cannot afford to let it continue without our involvement - if not for ourselves, it will affect our future generations. Now is the time. I am a realist when I say OHA must do more for the maka'āinana. OHA funding must get down to our people. I hope to put a "moa" in every pot. On a personal level to all: in your respective jobs, if you were the boss, would you change a few things to make it better? That's what I am asking you to do for me, for us. I am asking for one of your three votes to make this happen. I believe I ean make a difference. My advocacy involvement has included: • Assisting in the courts opening adoption records; • Individual claims class action lawsuit - Kalima v. State ofHawai'i, positive opinion from the Hawai'i Supreme Court; • Homelessness; • Hawaiian issues on sovereignty; • And more. Mahalo in advance for your vote ... God bless you all.

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