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CNHALetterheadTop1207

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

July 26, 2010

The White House Engages Native Hawaiians

Honolulu, Hawaii – The White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders(WHIAAPI), established by President Obama through a Presidential ExecutiveOrder in October 2009, is reaching out to Native Hawaiians. Focused onconnecting community organizations to administration decision makers, theWHIAAPI is an incredible opportunity to work directly with some of the mostknowledgeable and genuine advocates of community work in the ObamaAdministration.

The Native Hawaiian Policy Center, administered by the Council for Native HawaiianAdvancement (CNHA) dedicated its July policy teleconference convening to thetopic of the WHIAAPI, and to share information with Native Hawaiian communityorganizations from across the state of Hawaii and theU.S.

“Making sure that our community is engaged and has the opportunity to become aware of theWhite House Initiative is important to us,” said Michelle Kauhane, CNHA boardmember and Policy Committee Chair. “This is truly an amazing initiative,which gives us a chance to directly share our challenges, solutions andexperiences we have developed as community organizations to better serve ourpeople.”

WHIAAPI is dedicated to increasing Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) access andparticipation in federal programs and policies. Established at the WhiteHouse in 2009, the Initiative is comprised of two collaborativeentities: a Federal interagency working group co-chaired by theSecretaries of the Department of Education and the Department of Commerce, anda 20-member commission appointed by the President representing communityleaders from around the country.

“The July policy call was verypopular among our member organizations and partners,” said Robin PuananiDanner, CNHA President and CEO. “Our community leaders are clearlyinterested and what’s terrific is that our Native Hawaiian nonprofits havesome outstanding solutions to share with the WHIAAPI. It cannot beoverstated how much the WHIAAPI is able to advance the work of communitypractitioners.”

Discussions included a six-point plan for the next two years to be implemented by NativeHawaiian organizations in Hawaii and throughout the continent. As awhole, the plan presented specific and concrete objectives to work towardswith the WHIAAPI and the Obama Administration. During the call, TanyaJoshua, an associate at the WHIAAPI joined the call, readily answeredquestions and interacted with participants. She indicated that thepolicy memo produced by the Native Hawaiian Policy Center was one of the mostcomprehensive and impactful memos receivedby the WHIAAPI in providing a road map on how the initiative can supportNative Hawaiian priorities.

Joshua also extended her welcome to the Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders while in DCand expressed that every member of the Initiative is focused on inclusion,transparency and impact for communities.

To conclude the policy call, Kamaki Kanahele, Chairman of the Sovereign Councils of theHawaiian Homelands Assembly, gave a blessing for Joshua and the WHIAAPI’sExecutive Director Kiran Ahuja towards “strengthening our relations, ourresolve and partnerships to serve the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islandpeoples.

The Native Hawaiian Policy Center coordinates twelve policy calls throughout the yearheld on the first Friday of every month, as well as periodic summits andforums. “These monthly policy calls, along with our periodic policyforums, really serve to inform and engage our members without making itdifficult to participate,” Michelle Kauhane remarked. “Community leadersare able to participate on policy topics most important to them, and ourpolicy work at CNHA is guided by the work of our member organizations.”

The next policy call will be on Friday, August 6th to update members on theAnnual Native Hawaiian Convention happening in October, which will include aPacific Islanders Policy Forum scheduledfor October 14, 2010. CNHA is pleased to announce that the WHIAAPIExecutive Director Kiran Ahuja, Deputy Director Christina Lagdameo and TanyaJoshua have been invited and agreed to visit Hawaii to participate in dialoguesessions at the annual convention with numerous leaders attending theforum.

CNHA also invited a number of representatives from various federal agencies to attendconvention, which the WHIAAPI is actively working to support andencourage. Invitees include officials such as the U.S. Department ofAgriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, U.S. Department of Energy Secretary StevenChu and Administration for Native Americans Commissioner Lillian Sparks.More details will be provided on the August call.

For more information about the White House Initiative on AAPIs or CNHA’s Monthly PolicyCall Initiative, please call 808.596.8155 or e-mail policy@hawaiiancouncil.org. CNHAis a national network of Native Hawaiian Organizations, providing assistancein accessing capital and technical resources, and is a policy voice on issuesimportant to Native Hawaiian communities. Its mission is to enhance thewell-being of Hawaii through the cultural, economic, and community developmentof Native Hawaiians. For more information about CNHA please contact usat 808.596.8155, toll-free at 1.800.709.2642, by e-mail at info@hawaiiancouncil.org, or visit ourwebsite at www.hawaiiancouncil.org.

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  • ALOHA Kakou, e Hawaii, "Hawaiian Homes Commission supports the AKaKa BILL. More "Traitors" of their own people of their Blood coming out. Pehea Na Apples? Man Your Battle Stations.....
    Long Live The Hawaiian Kingdom, o Pomaikaiokalani, Hawaiian Kingdom National Royalist 1993
  • ALOHA Kakou, e Hawaii, "Hawaiian Homes Commission supports the AKaKa BILL." More "Traitors" of their own people of their Blood coming out. Pehea Na Apples?
    Long Live The Hawaiian Kingdom, o Pomaikaiokalani, Hawaiian Kingdom National Royalist 1993
  • As each day arrives more and more "Traitors of their Own People of their Blood" are told to all. Keep on talking of them, Apples.
    Long Live The Hawaiian Kingdom, o Pomaikaiokalani, Hawaiian Kingdom National Royalist 1993
  • Another factor of what Kaohi brought up is the fact that Makua has quite a few of endangered species of fauna and flora that is unique on Oahu. The other factor is invasive species allowed to over-run Makua; a few that has been introduced by the military. The fact that there have been Hawaiians that have been displaced under U.S. Marshall Law during the war years and the land has not been returned to those that lived there.

    All in all, the U.S. has contaminated the 'aina with no remorse or concern but have exhibited indifference. The sacred areas have been knowingly and purposely devastated and regarded inconsequential to the U.S. dominant WASP society. Makua area is also burials of ali'i and other family burial caves which have been intentionally concealed. Some of these caves have been exposed by the fires set by the U.S. military.

    Mauna Ka'ala, therefore is a sacred mountain contaminated and desecrated by the U.S. military which demonstrates the highest disrespect to Hawaii and its people. Mainly, this is a major violation against the international neutrality law of the Hawaiian Kingdom and the law of occupation. It's also an affront of our human rights.

    God bless the Hawaiian Kingdom forever. The Satanist U.S.A. can follow its master and go home.

    Tane
  • I just did a quick drive through what seems to have happened from my perspective is a control burning without alarming the public that it was such at Makua. A control burning regardless of what ever reasons is not a smart even 'if' there was a need for it because of the 'die back' for dying flora.

    Today the winds went from mauka to makai. The fire went from makai to mauka. The visible fire lane leading from makai to mauka on any satellite shot will show that it worked. What's not understood is the fire lanes were built on the surface with contaminated toxic waste from military bases on the Island of Oahu and deposited in Makua to build a so-called fire lane. The up chuck is that the burnt area contains poison dust.

    This was against NRC rules. The Pentagon acted on their own planning and permitting with malice. The State of Hawaii changed offices from 'Health' to DLNR to enforce the NRC rules. All in all Malama Makua gave consent and so did a whole lot of other people in Waianae. Part of the covenant agreement for 14 points, so that live fire military exercise can commence in August 2010

    The fire area has poison dust that has a high probability of 'isotopes' that has a life of 4.5 million years. Dangerous isotopes cannot be destroyed by fire, nor shredded. The fire was a political campaign for waste streaming. So where are the real scientist? Does it matter to know that the fire was done with intent, yes and no. Yes one should know all aspects of dust flow in Makua. No cause from an ariel it seems justifiable, if you are not smart--that the fire lanes stopped the 100 acre fire.

    Truckers trucked these isotopes from different parts of the Island mainly military bases through the length of Farrington Highway on up to Makua from Oct 2009 and it continues until today. We the people of Waianae are all downwinders with no exit plan. The truckers trucked into Makua 'isotopes' U 234, U235 and U238 all in one surface dump.
  • These "Traitors" have No Shame. KUE, o Pomai

  • Traitors to their Own People of their Blood.
    Long Live The Hawaiian Kingdom, o Pomaikaiokalani, Hawaiian Kingdom National Royalist 1993
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