It’s happening! We are excited to share the news with you that we have finally achieved our goal for We Are Oceania (WAO) to establish itself as an independent 501(c)3, and to thank all of our many funders and partners who helped lay the foundation and empower success in support of the Micronesian Community.

In our kuaʻana relationship as older and younger sibling mentorship, our organizations both have the privilege of working with and learning from each other as ʻohana members. Now the kaikaina/younger sibling is growing up and we celebrate this transition to independence with full confidence in WAO’s future and success. As the need for a One Stop Center was identified by the Micronesian community, we began working together in 2015 through a grant awarded to support COFA families from the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs.  Because WAO didn’t have a 501(c)3 to receive funding, PIDF, with their excellent history record of receiving and managing federal funds, was asked to kōkua in mentoring the new entity, with a shared vision to build resilience, advocacy, and a range of diverse support services. 

Fast forward to this month as we celebrate WAO’s growth and progress from the opening of Hālau Ola, the onestop center to guide and navigate the Micronesian community with resources, to the annual cultural celebration, Micronesian Youth Summit, and conversations with Micronesian leaders, youth, grassroot organizations, and allies in the community.

In recent months, WAO was able to scale up efforts to alleviate the impact of Covid-19 within the Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander communities, the hardest-hit group within the state. WAO’s launch of a live helpline, increased food distributions, and strategic relief services provided much-needed support to many families. 

As a 501(c)3 nonprofit, WAO will continue to operate its navigational services and also sees an opportunity for growth in impacting the self-sustainability of the community. WAO hopes to amplify the voices of Micronesians  through continued education, develop employment opportunities by offering job readiness, civic engagement, and supporting leadership and capacity development. 

Now as independent entities, we look forward to working collaboratively to strengthen our communities. We will continue to partner on projects and efforts like our work with the Residential Youth Services and Empowerment (RYSE) to support opportunity youth with mentorship to help with various jobs in the social service sector. 

As ʻohana members , we honor each others’ differences as well as our shared values and beliefs, like the power of partnership, evidenced by the effort to steadily develop a deep network of partners locally, nationally, and with its COFA citizens’ home countries. We know that by empowering all of our people, they, in turn, can be a support to others in weaving stronger networks of success. 

From all of us at PIDF and WAO, mahalo a nui loa!

Josie Howard

Executive Director,
We Are Oceania

During surges of COVID-19 in the Islands last year, Jocelyn “Josie” Howard and another We Are Oceania staff member took food, masks, dignity bags and other personal necessities to more than 100 Pacific Islander families every month.

Then the nonprofit added staff and increased donations to more than 200 food boxes and 600 hot meals every week.

The efforts were just Howard’s latest in a lifetime spent supporting her fellow Micronesians in Hawai‘i – who at times throughout last year suffered more than a quarter of all confirmed coronavirus cases while being just 4% of the local population.

“I believe this is my calling and my purpose,” Howard says. “From a young age I left home and sacrificed a lot to be educated so that I can learn how to care for my community.”

Howard says she left her Chuuk home on Onoun Island, in the Namonweito Atoll, at 13 for high school on another Micronesian island; at 20 she came to Hawai‘i for advanced college, hoping to train as a physician and then take her expertise home.

But with no hospital or electricity on her island, she rethought her plan and decided to focus on making life better for Micronesians who had come to Hawai‘i seeking better jobs, health care and lives.

“There was such a great need for service providers to understand how to work specifically with our people, and we realized at the same time that our people needed help to navigate the system.”

Howard has also worked in Department of Education schools as a cultural resource for Pacific Islander students and families, and also at Goodwill Industries. Her community often turns to her for help.

“Navigation is not only for the ocean, it’s for life,” she explains. “You navigate the currents of life. My grandfather told me that to be home, and to be able to be whole, you have to be palu: a master navigator in navigating life. At home they know how to navigate, but when they come here they don’t, so having a onestop is a start.”

That’s what We Are Oceania has become: a one-stop center that guides Pacific Islanders through whatever needs or concerns they have.

Lillian Segal, who serves on We Are Oceania’s board, says Howard is a constant source of inspiration.

“I’m always learning from Josie,” writes Segal in an email. “Josie is a strong, compassionate and dedicated leader who works tirelessly for her community on a daily basis.”

For some, it’s not easy to isolate or quarantine after being exposed to or testing positive for Covid-19. In Hawaiʻi, the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) communities are the hardest hit by the virus, largely because many ʻohana live in multigenerational homes.

That’s why the Partners in Development Foundation partnered with the Department of Health to minimize the impact and spread of Covid-19 with Open Arms Harbor, an iso-qurantine hotel that provides a safe and compassionate place for healing, with staff who perform daily wellness checks, meals, and case management care to connect guests with resources within the community.

To support our efforts or for more information on Covid-19 response and resources, visit our Covid Response page. Mahalo nui for your support in helping us create healthy and resilient communities.

The Behaviorial Health & Homelessness Statewide Unified Response Group featured our Open Arms Harbor Case Managers and Staff for this issue’s BHHSURG: Provider Hero—Iso/Qar Hotels Case Managers.

“In response to the need for individuals and families to have a safe place to isolate and quarantine in the midst of COVID-19, the Department of Health (DOH) partnered with the City and County of Honolulu (C&C) to provide intake and support services for isolation and quarantine. This includes the use of over 300 hotel rooms in Honolulu for people who are unable to isolate themselves due to their living conditions or other constraints. DOH provides case management and wrap-around services to support individuals and families who need resources and social services during their 14-day isolation or quarantine. 

A group of outstanding case management teams stepped up to become service providers for the isolation and quarantine sites to provide support during this overwhelming, stressful, and frightening time. BHHSURG would like to recognize these outstanding teams from Care Hawaiʻi, Community Empowerment Resource, Hawaiʻi Health and Harm Reduction Center, Institute for Human Services, North Shore Mental Health, and Partners in Development Foundation. Mahalo for suiting up and showing up in response to the community’s need!

The dedication and work of these unsung health heroes have been featured in KHON2’s Living808 segments:

• Recognizing Health Heroes Who Help COVID Patients Through Quarantine
• Unsung Health Heroes Help COVID Positive People Through Quarantine & Isolation
• Department of Health Isolation and Quarantine Program

For 24/7 local support, call Hawai‘i CARES at 832-3100 or 1-800-753-6879 or text ALOHA to 741741. Caring, local staff are standing by to provide help during isolation and quarantine, crisis support, mental health resources, and substance use treatment services to anyone who needs it.

Those living on the neighbor islands requesting COVID-19 assistance are encouraged to call their District Health Offices for information and guidance (hours may vary).

• Hawaiʻi County
  • Hilo (808) 974-6006
  • Kona (808) 322-4880
  • Waimea (808) 887-8114
• Maui County
  • Monday-Friday 7:45 AM to 4:30 PM: (808) 984-8200
  • After hours: 1 (800) 360-2575
• Kauaʻi County:
  • Monday-Friday 7:45 AM – 4:30 PM: (808) 241-3495
  • After hours: 1 (800) 241-3496″

Tucked between two churches in Kalihi, running alongside North King Street and Kanoa street, is an easy-to-miss building where Micronesians and Pacific Islanders go for help.

Since the spread of the pandemic in Hawaiʻi, the We Are Oceania office became stacks of donation boxes, echoes of helpline phone calls rattling the cubicle dividers, shuffles of community members’ paperwork, and a whirlwind of five different spoken Pacific Island languages.

The Micronesian and Pacific Island community of Hawaiʻi has been the hardest hit by Coronavirus. State data reported that Pacific Islanders account for 27% of Hawaiʻi’s coronavirus cases, yet only 4% of the state population. It’s no wonder WAO became a recipient of the City and County of Honolulu Coronavirus Relief Fund. The Hawaiʻi Community Foundation administered the commitment of up to $2 million from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

The high percentage of coronavirus cases among the Micronesian and Pacific Islander community is due in part to the lack of accessibility for them. That’s when WAO decided to take the lead in addressing these issues. For individuals interested in receiving support, WAO will be providing the following personalized support:

• Helpline
  • Live helpline open daily from 7 a.m. – 10 p.m.
  • Available in five Pacific languages
  • Reachable at (808) 913-1364
• Culturally and linguistically-tailored COVID-19 education and awareness efforts
• Assisting individuals and their families in accessing state quarantine and isolation facilities, training, testing and contact tracing
• Social service support in housing, health, food, supplies, and other needs

What’s more, is the community and media’s unending support to get these resources known and available. WAO has since produced Public Service Announcements that have been airing on TV and various social media platforms in five different Pacific Island languages.

“Our collective community efforts will hopefully help to slow down the spread of the virus statewide and bridge the gap between available resources and who has access to them,” said Josie Howard, We Are Oceania Program Director. 

Before the pandemic hit, the one-stop-Micronesian center has been providing services such as language access, health connections, pre-employment training, and service referrals from federal, state and local government resources.

Though the WAO team of very few juggles many hats, they’ve worked day in and day out, hustling between meetings and gathering donations, their mission remains true: to serve, support, and stand with the many voices of Oceania while honoring the integrity of their diverse heritage.

To donate, collaborate, or other ways to support WAO, visit weareoceania.org or call (808) 754-7303.

MYS is put on by We Are Oceania (WAO), our mentee organization serving the Micronesian community across the state. WAO has helped over a thousand Micronesian individuals and families access vital resources like housing, employment, education, healthcare, and more.

This year’s summit featured multiple keynote speakers including Hawaiʻi State Department of Education Superintendent Christina Kishimoto and returning speaker Relley Araceley. One individual that especially excited the youth was Disney star Ethan Wacker, who spoke to the students about hard work and following your dreams.

“I never thought I would be where I am today,” he told the packed auditorium. “Don’t give up. Don’t ask for permission. Work hard and apply yourself, and don’t give up on your dreams.”

Put on in part by the U.S. Census Bureau, the Hawaii Community Foundation, Pacific Resource Partnership, Hawaii Executive Collaborative, and the Hawaiʻi Government Complete Count Committee, the free event featured a short program, live entertainment, and bento lunches.

Some of our partners and other local organizations were also there to table and present information about how the census impacts us all. Census recruiters informed participants about the benefits of working with the Census Bureau to facilitate an accurate count in their communities.

We mahalo all the organizations and people involved in making this event possible, and were grateful to be part of it!

For more information, visit https://census.hawaii.gov/

On Wednesday, October 2nd, staff and supporters from businesses across Hawaiʻi bundled up to have some cold hard fun at the Ice Palace in Honolulu. 

American Savings Bank (ASB) put on their 7th annual Hawaiʻi Curling Club Charity Classic, and this year the recipient of the fundraiser was our mentee organization, We Are Oceania.

“At American Savings Bank, part of our vision is to make a real impact on the community,” said Michelle Bartell, Director of Community Advancement at ASB. “We were really inspired by the work We Are Oceania is doing with Micronesian families… we knew that we wanted to have them be the beneficiary of this year’s curling event.”

For the last four years, Partners in Development Foundation has been mentoring We Are Oceania on their path to non-profit 501(c)(3) status. We are proud to see how quickly they have become such a successful fixture serving thousands of Micronesian families. 

“To be a beneficiary of the event this year is almost hard to believe,” said Josie Howard, WAO’s Program Director. “The support we get from American Savings Bank and all the donors out there is going to further the work we do, and we’re going to be able to continue to […] serve the people.”

The curling event included demonstrations and talks from USA Curling Olympian Tyler George and Paralympian Steve Emt, who inspired the participants, staff and volunteers with his story of resilience and perseverance. 

We are grateful to partner with such a community-minded organization that is dedicated to giving back. Mahalo nui loa to ASB for all of their incredible hard work in making this year’s curling classic such a success! 

For the last four years, We Are Oceania (WAO) has put on an annual summit bringing together Micronesian youth from across the state. It has been a way to bring middle and high school students together to get them college ready and help them to embrace their culture.

WAO’s Micronesian Youth Summit has helped hundreds of youth reconnect to their diverse heritages, prepare for future success, and just enjoy time with one another. 

“The Micronesian Youth Summit is a space that was created to allow the students to be free of discrimination and be free of whatever struggles they experience in their school,” says Josie Howard, WAO’s Program Director. 

The Summit offers networking opportunities between the youth and local Micronesian college students, community leaders, and professionals. The 2019 Micronesian Youth Summit featured keynote speakers like Kandhi A. Elieisar, the Consul General for Micronesia in Honolulu, and 

Relley Araceley was another one of this year’s speakers. Relley currently works for the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, and previously worked for the mayor of Oʻahu as a Community Relations Specialist.

“I think it’s probably the biggest thing for Micronesian youth,” says Relley. “To be able to say with pride who you are. I think that’s the biggest thing for any youth regardless of where you’re from.”

Austin Haleyalpiy is a Bachelor’s of Social Work student at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and was the emcee for the 2019 Summit. He previously volunteered at the Summit as a chaperone, and says that he is always proud to go to events like the Micronesian Youth Summit. 

“We need more Micronesians in higher education to be filling these positions, to be more aware of the situations, the issues that we’re facing so that the next generation coming up can do something about it,” says Austin. 

“I just want to hopefully ignite something in somebody to get them motivated to want to make change or be a part of change instead of settling or being complacent.” 

The Summit is made possible by the generous contributions of WAO’s partners and sponsors like Matson, the Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work, the U.S. Department of the Interior, the East West Center, Micronesian United Oʻahu, the Marshallese Consulate office, Marshallese Education Day, Micronesian Cultural Awareness Program, and the Micronesian Health Advisory Coalition. 

We mahalo all of the sponsors, partners, volunteers, and WAO staff that ensure the quality and success of every Micronesian Youth Summit! We look forward to the next summit on Saturday, March 7, 2020. 

For more information, contact We Are Oceania at (808) 754-7303 or visit their website today. 

The group discussed the 2020 census, including what our Native Hawaiian and Micronesian communities can expect and why an accurate census count is so important.

“We appreciate the opportunity to work together,” said Director of the U.S. Census Bureau Steven Dillingham. “We need an understanding of what the communities around the country are facing.”

One area of concern brought up by We Are Oceania staff was the worry that data collected by the census would be turned over to authorities, especially regarding housing or numbers of families in households.

The representatives assured that the data is not turned over to authorities, and that what is collected (name, age, address) can just as easily be found on the internet. There was no mention of the current contested citizenship question.

Joske Bautista, Special Assistant to the Director, emphasized the need to learn from communities. Echoing the sentiments of his colleagues, he described the immense value in setting up partnerships with organizations “on the ground” who work with local populations every day — organizations like We Are Oceania and Partners in Development Foundation.

To learn more about the census, visit census.gov.

A native of Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Jojo lived and studied here in Hawaiʻi for five years in the 1990s. He earned two Master’s degrees, one in Pacific Island Studies and one in History. Jojo published several articles through the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

After completing his Master’s degrees, Jojo returned home to Micronesia and worked at the College of Micronesia- FSM for 15 years. He served as Cultural and Education Specialist and was Director of the Chuuk campus.

Jojo returned to Hawaiʻi in 2011 to pursue higher studies, and earned his doctorate at U.H. Mānoa in Special Education with a focus on special needs children of immigrant families. From 2013 to 2017 he served as Outreach Liaison with the Legal Aid Society of Hawaiʻi, supporting Honolulu’s Micronesian diaspora communities and other homeless populations.

In 2017, Jojo became Hawaiʻi’s first Micronesian Commissioner, being appointed by Governor David Ige to serve on the Hawaiʻi State Civil Rights Commission. He also served as a Senior Specialist for Community Engagement and Educational Equity with Pacific Resources in Education and Learning (PREL).

Along with other community advocates, Jojo co-founded the COFA Community and Advocacy Network (COFA-CAN), which raises awareness of and provides support for crucial legislative initiatives that affect the lives of the Freely- Associated States’ (FAS) citizens living in Hawaiʻi and the rest of the United States.

A champion of civil rights, Jojo was extremely involved in promoting the rights and opportunities of disabled individuals in FSM. He was an advocate for the Chuuk Disabled Persons Organization, and was worked with the national government to help ratify a United Nations Convention to protect the rights of disabled persons.

We celebrate Dr. Jojo Peter’s life and community impact, and join together to mourn his passing. Arrangements will be announced by We Are Oceania this week. May he rest in peace.

“You are our future,” announced Kandhi A. Elieisar, the Consul General for Micronesia in Honolulu. “You are the torchbearers of our Micronesian nations.”

Elieisar was one of several Micronesian leaders to speak to the youth. His was a message about the youth and for the youth, explaining the importance of their welfare for overall society, and even the evolving role of women in what he called our “male-dominated society.”

This year’s theme was “Navigating Success,” paying homage to both the gathering’s purpose and the heritage of those present. “This summit can help you strengthen the rudders of your canoe to help you navigate success,” went on Elieisar.

A myriad of cultural performances were given by both the youth and other Micronesian groups, such as Kosraean* stick dancers from Chaminade University of Honolulu’s Micronesian Club.

Jocelyn Howard is the Program Director of We Are Oceania, and was the primary organizer of the event. “One thing we added on this year that’s different is a whole session called ‘My Micronesia’. [It gives] the youth an opportunity to look within,” she explained.

For “My Micronesia,” the youth broke into groups by country and prepared short presentations. Ranging from frank discussions to chants and dancing, the participants encouraged and supported one another.

The keynote speaker was the Community Relations Specialist for the mayor of Oʻahu, Relley Araceley. He gave an energetic but sincere speech to the youth, talking about his own experiences growing up Micronesian in Hawaiʻi – the good and the bad – and touched on an issue felt by all in the room: a feeling of belonging.

“There’s a humility inside of us, and sometimes it’s hard to feel proud of who we are,” Araceley said.

Partners in Development Foundation and We Are Oceania would like to extend our warmest aloha to Matson, the Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work, the U.S. Department of the Interior, the East West Center, Micronesian United Oʻahu, the Marshallese Consulate office, Marshallese Education Day, Micronesian Cultural Awareness Program, and the Micronesian Health Advisory Coalition. Without the kind and generous partnership from these sponsors, the 2019 Micronesian Youth Summit would not have been possible.

*This corrects an earlier version that incorrectly identified the Chaminade University stick dance as Chuukese. We apologize for the error and mahalo those who brought it to our attention. We will always strive for accuracy and transparency, and honor the unique cultures of our many diverse peoples.