“Poetry,” as the late Maui resident W.S. Merwin said, “is a way of looking at the world for the first time.” These oft-quoted words have come alive again for Sonnet Kekilia Coggins, Executive Director of The Merwin Conservancy. In recent days she has come to think of The Conservancy as a poem, a space distinct and discrete in form, elusive and inexhaustible in content. The Merwin Conservancy inspires innovation in the arts and sciences by advancing the ideas of W.S. Merwin and his palm forest── as fearless and graceful examples of the power of imagination and renewal. “It is a place of agency, evolution, and possibilities beyond its own imagining,” Coggins said. “A walk here in this poetic place, particularly in the company of the writers, artists, and scientists who come to dwell here for a time, is most certainly a way of looking at the world anew.”
The Green Room Series, offering sparking conversations about language, nature, and imagination, are back in-person at the Hui No’eau Visual Arts Center in Makawao after a long hiatus. Thanks in part to funding from the Hawaii Council for the Humanities, The Conservancy also produced a virtual walk through W.S. Merwin’s palm garden. Moreover, the garden is now open again once a month to the public. The Conservancy has hosted creative writing classes from UH and looks forward to hosting Maui County school groups again.
“We are happy to share the experience of this place across the islands, the continent, and the world,” Coggins noted. “As we are mid-way through 2023, I look back at the first full year of The Artists in Residency Program. It has been such a great way to continue the vibrant creative life of the house and garden that Merwin created here. It is not only for writers, but all kinds of people who, like Merwin, can see beyond the present moment and see into things that are possible. The imagination is an essential key to solve problems and envision new ways for the future, so it is natural that this program supports the people who do that across all aspects of the arts and sciences.”
We are grateful to all our special guests. May this place open the world around you, ahead of you, and under your feet.
Sonnet Kekilia Coggins, Executive Director, W.S. Merwin Conservancy
Sean Na’auao, multiple time winner of the prestigious Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award, is the concert headliner on Friday, June 30 at The Shops at Wailea. The live performance will take place from 5:30-7pm to benefit Hospice Maui, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing care to local families experiencing a bereavement state. Na’auao, a multi-talented performer, is one of Hawaii’s most beloved artists. A singer, musician, producer and composer, he started his professional musical career following high school, as part of Mana‘o Company. His solo career started with two releases, “Giving Something Back” and “Hawaiian Living,” in the mid-1990s.
“I always remember where I came from and keep to my roots,” Na’auao said. “Life is about learning and celebrating wisdom through experiences and kupuna. I find inspiration through my ancestors, while perpetuating the Hawaiian music for all generations. Hospice Maui provides an extraordinary service in our community and I am happy to perform a concert to benefit them. It’s truly about giving something back.”
Diana Whitt, General Manager and Vice President for Property Management of The Festival Companies, said, “We are excited that the one-and-only Sean Na‘auao will help us celebrate the start of summer with an incredible performance. We also want to invite our guests to meet the Hospice Maui team and learn how together, we can continue to make a difference in our community.”
At the concert, guests will have the opportunity to learn more about Hospice Maui, the variety of resources they offer, and ways to give back to the organization; including Hospice Maui Hale and palliative and bereavement support. The Hospice Maui team will also discuss community outreach opportunities where interested guests can receive educational support, be part of the discussion on how to provide compassionate care through volunteering, or make a donation.
“We are so grateful for the support of our community, the inspiring dedication of our entire Hospice Maui team, and The Shops at Wailea for being a trusted platform for us to share our efforts,” said Melanie Dwyer, CEO of Hospice Maui. “Together, we will continue to provide compassionate, high quality hospice and palliative care services to those in need.”
I dedicate my music to the people of Hawaii with the hope that it can inspire a love of their origin and roots. Let’s support Hospice Maui together.
Sean Na’auao, Multi-Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award Winner
Daniel ‘Danny’ Weiss, Akakū’s new Maui Community Media Marketing Manager, is a team player with a passion for building community relationships. With an arts and sciences outlook, Weiss, a mulit-media storyteller and dedicated environmentalist, conservationist, endangered animal rights documentarian, and social justice advocate, is a perfect fit for Akakū.
An independent, non-profit corporation established in 1992, Akakū promotes the creation of media by, for, and about the community. They are staffed with a highly trained group of veteran media professionals and technicians in the film, video, television and radio fields. Programing three local cable television channels, 53, 54, and 55, Akakū serves its audiences on Maui, Molokai and Lanai. Additionally, their public radio station, KAKU 88.5 FM, ‘The Voice of Maui’, is a vital community resource for independent news, commentaries and music.
“Akakū is the place where every Maui Nui resident can have a voice and showcase the diversity of our islands,” Weiss said. “It’s a place to discuss, to innovate, and to bring media literacy and civic engagement to the people. Our mission, to ‘Empower the Community’s Voice Through Access to Media’, is more important now than ever to preserve and enhance our culture and heritage.”
A beacon of free speech, Akakū provides production services, facility and equipment rentals, education and training initiatives, and information to residents on topical issues with Maui Nui’s only televised (and award-winning) news program, The Maui Daily. “On the best islands in the world, where anyone can come and talk story, Akakū is the place people go to produce and submit video on just about anything,” said Weiss. “Most of it is local. All of it is non-discriminatory, non-commercial, uncensored and unfiltered.”
The popular community event Akakū Upstairs is an ongoing public engagement, held in their second-floor suite in Kahului. Weiss explained, “By featuring a variety of events with speakers, screenings, panels, and workshops, our goal is to elevate community and conversation through this free salon series every Third Thursday of the month. There is no admission fee, but with our limited seating, registration is required. We hope members of the community will continue to join us.”
Akakū, meaning ‘reflection’, as in a mirror, is a vital resource serving all the communities of Maui Nui.” Email danny@akaku.org for more information.
Danny Weiss, Akakū Marketing Manager
The latest Maui TechOhana meeting about AI (artificial intelligence) filled the venue with a discussion on one of the most currently talked-about subjects, a theme the community found worth exploring. Organized by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) and supported by the County of Maui, the event provided an informal networking opportunity open to those interested in Maui County’s technology industry. Each invited speaker includes a short presentation on a relevant topic in business or technology, followed by the opportunity to talk with others having similar professional interests.
Maui-based guest speaker Mark Williams, keen to connect with participants, comes from a technology consulting background and has worked across multiple industries with clients such as Microsoft, Mercedes Benz R&D, NASA, AT&T, and T-Mobile. His interests include blockchain, artificial intelligence, and how emerging technologies can improve our lives. Williams talked story about his career journey in tech and explored some real-world examples of blockchain and Web3, including an exploration of AI and its potential impacts, good and bad. Williams has spent the last four years as VP of Infrastructure at BrainTrust Network, a marketplace that connects organizations directly to top technology talents. The company’s first hire, he helped catapult BrainTrust into a $100M+ Web3 juggernaut.
“Founded in 2018 and based in San Francisco, BrainTrust operates as a user-controlled talent network,” Williams explained. “The network aligns the interests of both experts and enterprises. We aim to help the best-qualified realize all of their potential, with access to high-paying jobs, ownership through the BTRST token, transparency, and opportunities for learning and growth. Through AI, a human-programmed system designed to operate within specific perimeters and perform specific tasks to enable problem-solving, there is a burgeoning of new technologies; used not only at BrainTrust, but throughout society in various fields.”
Maui resident and participant Rachel Campbell reflected, “We learned in a very clear way how the internet enables new ways of doing business, ways most people have not thought of yet. One of those ways is allowing general access to AI tools. AI is easy to misunderstand, so seminars like TechOhana are very valuable. Thank you MEDB!”
AI is a new wave of technology, encompassing sub-fields of machine learning and deep learning, which is becoming more routinely available to entrepreneurs using the internet.
Mark Williams, BrainTrust Network, VP of Infrastructure
Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) recently presented a triple session in their popular Women in Business Seminar Series. In partnership with the Women’s Business Enterprise Council (WBEC) and supported by a SBA Community Navigator Pilot Program Grant and the County of Maui, two seminars and a networking session were held consecutively on one day. The event covered information about getting certified as a 51% woman-owned small business, (WOSB), veteran-owned (VOSB), or minority-owned small business (MOSB) to qualify for special consideration in government and private contracts. According to Leslie Wilkins, MEDB President and CEO, “These workshops help business owners understand the numerous benefits of becoming certified.”
The day began with Dr. Pamela Williamson, President and CEO of WBEC West, who offered vital tips, coaching, and technical assistance to minority business owners on how certification can expand their business. In this fast-paced and interactive session, entitled ‘Elevate Your Pitch’, participants learned how to create an elevator pitch that is tailored to their organization’s key competencies.The panel of professionals from Sony, Visa, Disney, Walmart and Chase Bank offered participants the best ways to connect with large corporations and tips on how to leverage their small-business status. The panel also voted for the best elevator pitch, naming Donna Davis, Esq., for her affordable, sustainable housing proposal.
“Having a WOSB, MOSB, or VOSB certification helps to gain competitive advantages,” Williamson explained. “Certification is still a best-kept secret that needs to get out and be shared. Once certified, a person has many advantages available to help them succeed.”
After the second workshop, ‘Why Being Certified Matters’, presenter Maria Boykin, WBEC West Certification Program Manager, reflected, “Today’s MEDB workshops were significant for us as an organization because we got to connect with women in businesses that can actually impact the economic vitality of Maui. That is what WBEC is about. We not only want to see women’s businesses grow; we want to see the community where they reside grow.”
Maui resident and participant Carolynn Guy noted, “What an informative day! We learned why and how to get certified, and the professional representatives gave such incredible feedback to the people who pitched their business ideas. This information is priceless.”
All opinions, conclusions, and/or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA.
It is through these kinds of partnerships with MEDB, SBA, and today’s team of professionals, that we are able to tell about the programs available to 51% minority-owned businesses.
Pamela Williamson, PhD, WBEC West President & CEO
