Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 23, Number 10, 1 ʻOkakopa 2006 — MELISSA GUERREIRD LYMAN [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

MELISSA GUERREIRD LYMAN

Aloha nō kākou. I am Melissa Guerreiro Lyman. I I would like to be your At-Large

Trustee on the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) Board of Trustees. I believe in OHA's mission to better the conditions of all Hawaiians and the need to protect the trust amidst all legal ehallenges. The protection of the trust will allow for more advocacy and programs for all Hawaiians. I want to be part of the team that makes it happen. I am Hawaiian. I bring with me over 15 years of accounting experience in the private and nonprofit sectors. I am a graduate of McKinley High School, who is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration / Accounting. My current employer is the Native Hawaiian non-profit organization Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement. In the last 20 years, I volunteered for a number of Hawaiian organizations and movements, including Hawaiian Civic Clubs. I am a member of the board of directors of 'Ahahui Siwila Hawai'i O Kapolei (Kapolei Hawaiian Civic Club). I have worked with such organizations, private entities, city, state and federal agencies in developing solutions to address community issues and legislation. These invaluable experiences, successes and failures allow me to contribute to the direction of OHA's work. The social, educational and eeonomieal issues impacting the Hawaiian community must be a priority. We must support our native eommunities and native organizations, for they are essential to our sustainability. Building a nation begins with building these communities and finding eommon ground, resources and solutions. As a trustee, I will make it a priority to collaborate with existing organizations/agencies and the community to create programs and seek funding to address these issues. In the last 25 years, OHA has moved ahead on a number of issues, and its strategic plan plots a course for the future. One of those courses

is the road to nation-building through federal recognition. AU of us must wrestle with these issues, for they do impact upon addressing the social and eeonomieal needs of our community. Challenges to all our native rights will continue in the absence of any federal recognition. We must remain vigilant on the legal challenges that threaten us. Federal recognition must remain in the forefront of our goals. I will move to eontinue this work. We must gain support not only in Hawai'i but throughout the nation. My commitment and dedication to our Hawaiian people, the community and others on these and other issues remain unwavering. Mahalo for your consideration.