Emerging Leaders Pacific Dialogue 2010!!!!!

We are seeking high calibre men and women who are already on a path to senior leadership to apply for the Emerging Pacific Leaders’ Dialogue (EPLD) 2010 that is scheduled to take March 2010.

This intensive, exciting and intellectually demanding program will bring together 120 individuals to examine, discuss and report on current strategic issues across the Pacific.

Leaders in the Pacific region need to have clear vision and strong skills to address the complex challenges of globalization and interdependence and be mindful of the importance of preserving the values that bind people and communities.

The Emerging Pacific Leaders’ Dialogue is committed to inspire and uplift outstanding individuals with proven leadership experience or high leadership potential so that they may contribute to

* leadership and governance in the Pacific region

* the long term development and stability of the region

* promotion of regional understanding and co-operation through an improved network of key relationships across sectors and nations

The Emerging Pacific Leaders’ Dialogue (EPLD) 2010 is an event of national and regional significance scheduled to take place in March 2010 which will strengthen the capacity of the region’s future leaders to manage challenges collaboratively, positively and creatively.

Participants will come from: Australia, Cook Islands, East Timor, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. Other Pacific countries and territories may also be invited to participate.

More info: www.epld2.com

May 09' Pasifika Woman of the Day: Jamaica Osorio

Jamaica Osorio

As she walks up to the mic, she chants about the old Hawaii and what it use to be. Generating the voices of the past through the essence of her presence. Jamaica Osorio, a competitor in the new hit TV series "HBO: Brave New Voices" represents Team Hawaii. Growing up she learned the ways of living the island life from learning hula everyday to working in the taro patch at her school.

As a young girl, Jamaica gives credit to her father for gaining a cultural identity with being Hawaiian. "He's the reason I went to Hawaiian immersion school and learned about Hawaiian things," she says. "He's the one who pushed me to write about Hawaiian issues and these wrong things that are happening. Like the housing market—Hawai'i is really expensive and it's really sad that so many Hawaiians can't afford to live here."

From the raw emotion that she brings on stage, she also brings the essence of the mana that every Polynesian woman has. Thank you Jamaica for being a young woman with a voice so passionate about the current issues in Hawaii and being an advocate in these issues by addressing it with spoken word. You are a strong Pasifika woman never afraid in stepping down but always rising above it all.

Malo Aupito Jamaica!

Ofa Lahi Atu

Elisiva Gallardo

Meeting Miss South Pacific 2009!!!

Fakaalofa lahi atu!!!

For those of you who don't know, this year in Alaska we are hosting the First Indigenous Peoples' Global Summit on Climate Change. I was able to meet the delegates of the South Pacific from Fiji, American Samoa, Western Samoa, Tokelau, Niue and a few others. It was an honor and a privilege to meet the reigning Miss South Pacific for 2009 Miss Vanessa Marsh who was here on the behalf of Niue to talk about the current issues in regards to climate change. She has been actively involved in getting things going in Niue. This year she will be involved in the first ever Youth Parliament in Niue that will help the youth in addressing issues the youth feel are concerned. This will help the youth recognize their voice in being more involved and active in issues surrounding their government. I thank Ms. Marsh for her support in our upcoming event: Strength+Beauty: The Empowerment of Young Polynesian Women and I wish her all the love their is we can give her from Alaska in all her endeavors!!! Malo Vanessa!!!

Siva

Oh and go to http://www.indigenoussummit.com/servlet/content/alaska.html for more information on the summit!

2009 Changing Faces Women's Leadership Program!

Aloha!

Check out the 2009 Changing Faces Women's Leadership Program that will be held in Honolulu, Hawai'i. I encourage for eligible applicants to apply now! This is a great opportunity for many young women across the globe to activate their interest in strengthening their own communities and developing business that can help the communities grow. See description below for further information.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Theme: Women as Entrepreneurs

Fostering Economic Growth and Strengthening Communities

The 2009 program will focus on the important role that entrepreneurship plays in contributing to the development of local economies. Participants will discuss how they can use their entrepreneurial skills, experience, knowledge, and lessons learned to promote community growth and broader linkages between business and the community. The purposes of this program are to:
Expand participant knowledge base on the thematic content of the program, through discussion sessions with locally-based experts and field visits.
Provide participants with information and skills useful for the enhancement of their own leadership abilities in areas such as communication, strategic planning and negotiation.
Promote regional awareness among participants through interaction and exposure to new ideas and viewpoints.
Create opportunities to think creatively and strategically about future directions for themselves and their organizations and to formulate action plans to address issues of concern for their communities.
Program Dates: August 23 - September 1, 2009
Program Location: Honolulu, Hawai'i
Who Can Apply: Women from Asia, the Pacific Islands and the United States from all relevant professional backgrounds, including business owners, government and industry regulators and funders, and civil society organization leaders. Successful candidates will have 5-12 years of work experience with the potential to move into positions of greater responsibility and influence. Applicants must have the ability to communicate in English in a professional, multi-cultural setting. Preference will be given to candidates without significant previous international travel experience.
Application Deadline: Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Check Out Upcoming Event at UC Berkeley!

Please Join Us:
CENTER FOR RACE & GENDER'S PACIFIC ISLANDS RESEARCH WORKING GROUP presents:
"FIGHTING FOR THE HAWAIIAN 'CEDED LANDS': HISTORY & CONSEQUENCES OF HAWAIIVs OHA et al (2009)"

This workshop will examine the latest land struggle in the Hawaiian Islands. We will trace the history of the “ceded lands” and the events leading up to the March 31 U.S. Supreme Court decision in State of Hawaiiv. Office of Hawaiian Affairs et al, No. 07–1372 (2009). At issue is the State of Hawaii’s ability to sell portions of the “ceded lands” which Hawaiian activists remind us were seized, not ceded. This workshop will pay particular attention to questions that remain open since the 1893 overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawai'i, including who is the “public” of the Hawaiian Islands and what are the legal interrelationships between today’s State of Hawai'i and the Kingdom of Hawai'i.

When & Where : WEDS APRIL 29 @ 5:00-8:00PM. Center for Race & Gender, 6th Floor Barrows, University of California,Berkeley.

SPEAKER BIOS:
*JESSIE K. KEOLA MINIER-is an attorney in Silicon Valley, with a practicethat focuses on compliance with federal and state corporate and securitieslaws. In addition, he has conducted research and prepared analyses oflegal issues confronting Native Hawaiians and kama’aina of Hawai'i.

*DR. LAURA LEHUA YIM- is an Assistant Professor in the Department ofEnglish at San Francisco State University. Her research and teaching workfocuses on Renaissance English literature and culture, especially domesticand colonial reformulations of epistemology, notions of the person, andland and water law. Her other academic and activist work includesstrategic analyses of political, economic and social institutions inHawai'i.

**Food will be provided.-This workshop is organized by the Pacific Islands Research Working Groupand it is generously sponsored by a grant from The Center for Race & Gender at the University of California, Berkeley.

For more info fuifuilupe@berkeley.edu

Who We Are: Strength+Beauty

Project Overview
This project is geared towards the empowerment of young Polynesian women in this community in addressing the real life issues that they face and examining the historical roles of women in their culture. The program curriculum will weave the real life struggle of young Polynesian women in balancing cultural and generational differences in a Polynesian Woman's role in society with the historical role of Pacific Islander Monarchs and the leadership and educational examples they set in an effort to broaden the young women's perceptions of the opportunities of higher education and to inspire all Polynesian women to fulfill their dreams and become leaders in this community.

The inspiration to begin this proposal stems from my own life experiences and the stories of my grandmothers. My life experiences of being torn between two cultures left me with a life filled with much pain and affliction. But it was the power of education that led me to a path of a life unknown to many young Polynesian women. Many Polynesian families within our community struggle to make ends meet making it impossible to allow their children to pursue higher education. Financial hardships for school are not the only problems plaguing our community but the responsibility we hold through our culture to help support and provide for our families. As a young woman starting out at the University of Alaska Anchorage I found myself helpless and alone. At the time of attending UAA my family and I lived in a house that had only 3 rooms for a family of nine. My parents worked hours of overtime to help provide and support our family. As an older sibiling, I knew I had to accept my responisbilities and find a job. I was blessed by getting a job with the Bureau of Land Management as an intern at their office downtown. This job allowed me to work the hours that I could do which gave me more room to focus more on school. The money I got from this job not only helped me support myself in getting my books for school but also helped put food on the table and pay bills. Both my parents held jobs that had long hours making it seem almost impossible to even give me a ride to school or work. Determined as I was I would wake up every morning to get ready to catch the bus for work then take the bus from work to school. This routine lasted for more than half my years at the univiersity. It was a privilege to learn how to appreciate the smaller things in order to work my way up. It was through education that I have been able to shape my life in ways that I can see many other young women achieve. The struggle is short-lived but a life lived by education is a life long lived. My struggle to fight the battle of domestic abuse and depression made me stronger as an individual and as a young woman to empower myself through higher education and culture. My grandmothers stood as my role models in my life always being an example to me to be a strong woman and to have the faith to believe I can make something of myself. They reminded me not only to be humble of my beginnings but also become inspired achieving my dreams and goals in life and to always work hard. Achieving this education I received from UAA allowed me to discover the strengths I had to in me only to overcome through the hardships which motivated me to do the impossible. With education I was able to create a path of new opportunities, ones that I would have never thought would be available to me before. I want to share my personal testimony with other young Polynesian women to share and encourage them that they are not alone in this and that they are capable of achieving their highest dreams in life and being an inspiration unto themselves.


From Hawaii to Tonga to Samoa there was one thing in common that these neighboring South Pacific islands had and it was the strength and courage that graces the identity of all Polynesian women. Our inspiration as young Polynesian women came not from what we are made of but of the women that came before us establishing our character through our values in family and culture. Through times of adversity Polynesian women were always known to fight through challenges and hardships yet still stand and remain humble and grateful in all that they have accomplished. Throughout family bloodlines of all nations in the South Pacific, Polynesian women were born with the gifts of inner strength and beauty, sacrificing more than just their lives but giving birth to a generation of women that would continue their legacy and establish a trail of hope and faith for all women to become inspired and empowered. In times of male dominance there were those few women who stood out amongst the rest defying the odds and changing history. Described as women of great humility and respect, they were women given the titles as queens but ruled with the rights and the power of a king. These queens would make a lasting impression on their kingdoms and impact its people and culture throughout the generations. This began a new era of womanhood in which this event will showcase the strengths of Pacific Islander women not only from the past but also the present day.


The legacies and stories of their accomplishments live on in many Polynesian women of today’s generation. In today's media they do not recognize Polynesian women for their accomplishments or achievements but through research and technology we are able to bring the resources needed to help reach out to our generation of Polynesian women in encouraging and empowering them through education and culture. The goal of this event is to establish a place for Polynesian women to be inspired, pursue education and learn to become young leaders in the Polynesian community.