Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 37, Number 7, 1 Iulai 2020 — ALMEIDA, [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

ALMEIDA,

Kauilani Nonpartisan Special AGE: 64 © Community Developer © KauilaniforGHA@gmail.com © www.KauilaniforOHA.org

1. Family - All kanaka maoli 'ohana must have their basic needs for living (shelter, food, and good heahh). Community-based leadership - OHA ean assist communities develop communitydriven programs that

benefit kanaka maoli. We need to strengthen community-based leadership. Communitybased leadership should act as a catalyst for the 'ohana to access services. Social Justice - We must build the infrastructure for multi-complex heahh and wellness centers, where the native Hawaiian trusts and agencies are located, allowing direct access to obtain services. 2. 1 am trained and experienced to lead, and manage social service and eommu-nity-based agencies in order to effectively assist native Hawaiian communities. My strengths are in organizational and leadership skills, and I have decades of experience working with various levels of service on large-scale community development projects to completion. I adopted a wise saying from Hilo's kupuna Tony Taniguchi. He said, "The difference between quality and high quality service is when the product exceeds the expectation of the customer. That is high quality." I continue to strive for excellence in all my endeavors. 3. The purpose of OHA includes: "Assessing the policies and practices of other agencies impacting on native Hawaiians and Hawaiians, and conducting advocacy efforts for native Hawaiians and Hawaiians." There are widely known and accepted kanawai that apply to Mauna A Wakea, starting from Wao Akua and above. OHA should eonhnue to support the protectors that are dedicated to upholding these kanawai. By protecting them, the cultural and environmental integrity of the mauna will be protected. It is important for OHA to continue to advocate for those that stand for Hawaiian traditional values, and find eommon ground within the native Hawaiian community. If our cultural integrity is to be protected, there cannot be a Thirty Meter Telescope in or above the Wao Akua of Mauna A Wakea.