MEDB and Hawaii have lost a dear friend and inspiring leader with the passing of Pono Shim. The President and CEO of our sister organization, Oahu Economic Development Board, Pono was a gifted and respected visionary and storyteller. We were honored to share his presentation on True Aloha at the Hawaii Small Business Conference where he said, “A true leader works to bridge the members of the community, giving dignity to whom they are and what they have to offer” – words he inspired through his own actions.
Pono shared Aloha insights with many an audience over the years where he would provide techniques he learned at a young age from Lahaina-born Auntie Pilahi Paki. Auntie Pilahi wrote the Aloha Spirit Law (Hawaii Revised Statutes, Section 5-7.5) that was passed by Hawaii lawmakers in 1986. “According to the Aloha Spirit Law, all Hawaii citizens and government officials must conduct themselves with aloha, which is a real commitment to accepting others,” said Pono. Auntie Pilahi explained that the five values that make up the Aloha Spirit Law are: A: Akahai, meaning kindness, expressed with tenderness; L: Lokahi, meaning unity, expressed with harmony; O: ‘Olu’olu, meaning agreeable, expressed with pleasantness; H: Ha’aha’a, meaning humility, expressed with modesty; and A: Ahonui, meaning patience, waiting for the moment, expressed with perseverance.
Pono noted, “A person cannot do one of the principles without truly doing all. If you are not doing one you are not doing any. So, to be living Aloha is to live all of the principles.”
Pono served in leadership on many boards in Hawaii (Friends of Iolani Place, Economic Development Alliance of Hawaii, Hawaii Green Growth, Hawaii Public Housing Authority and Small Business Development Corporation) with his knowledge and skills sought by every sector of Hawaii.
In the words of Auntie Pilahi who knew the world would look to Hawaii for healing. “Aloha would be its remedy,” she said. We send strength and healing to Pono’s family and his vast circle of friends and colleagues.
Pono’s Celebration of Life will take place at 10.30am on May 7th at Bishop Memorial Chapel of the Kamehameha Schools Kapalama Campus on Oahu. Masks will be required.
Maui residents Stephen Reyes and Savannah Forbeck started Tartaria Juice Company during the pandemic to stay healthy, share their knowledge of wholesome juicing, and grow their business. Once the community opened up again they were eager to get out and offer their nutritious and organic juices. “Our goal is to share the wealth of health with as many people as possible while supporting local and organic agriculture,” said Forbeck. “Our juices, 100% cold-pressed for premium quality, maintain their nutritional value and anti-inflammatory health benefits. We feel it is important to be fully transparent about our ingredients and where we source them. Grown locally on Maui, our ingredients are either certified organic, organically grown, or grown without the use of chemical pesticides and herbicides.”
Tartaria Juice came about as Reyes and Forbeck dove deeper into uncovering a healthy lifestyle for themselves. Starting the company aligned with their passion for removing obstruction from the body, especially in the time of Covid-19. “Juice became a center point for our own healing journey as we found it to be a very powerful tool in pulling lymphatic waste from our bodies as well as aiding in digestion and healing,” Reyes explained. “Our bodies finally had a well-deserved break. Cold-pressed juicing has become an integral part of our daily life and now we want to share its power.”
The method of extracting cold-pressed juice uses significantly less friction and heat than traditional forms of removal. Cold-press juicers are gentle in their extraction, leaving nutrients intact, with dramatically increased flavor and longer refrigerator life. “Most of the juice that you buy at supermarkets is pasteurized, meaning it has been cooked or heated to a certain temperature which eliminates most of the nutrients you need,” Forbeck noted. “The cold- pressed process boosts your energy levels, and improves your immune system while it retains more vitamins, enzymes, minerals, and antioxidants. Cold-pressed juice—liquid love—is a simple form of energy, a way to rehydrate and heal the body. Most importantly, this method of juicing helps us live in balance with nature and one another to stay healthy and happy.”
The benefits of cold-pressed juice are boundless. The nutrients immediately enter the body and provide a kick of energy!
Stephen Reyes and Savannah Forbeck, Tartaria Juice Company
The 9th Annual Hawaii Energy Conference revisits the challenges of electrifying the grid and transportation – current successes, potential pitfalls, and future opportunities. There is no doubt that the push to Electrification will affect our way of life.
A study by Princeton University predicts that by 2050 electrifying transport and buildings could double the amount of electricity consumption in the U.S. Amy Myers Jaffe, a research professor at Tuft’s University, boldly declares in the Wall Street Journal, “The electrification of (almost) everything is coming, and we’re just not ready for it.” Our communities will need to develop disciplined, proportional responses to the challenges Electrification poses. Strategies for energy efficiency and the equitable distribution of Electrification’s benefits must balance building capacity for increased consumption.
Join us at the Hawaii Energy Conference for a two-day discussion that will review the issues surrounding electrification with the following thoughts in mind:
* How do we define “electrification” and is it the same everywhere?
* How are the community’s needs and concerns being addressed as the infrastructure for electrification become more prevalent?
* How is resilience being brought into the equation of electrification?
* What has been and will be the impact of COVID-19 on customers of the utility?
* What should the climate goals of electrification be – net zero carbon, net negative carbon, or zero emissions?
* What is the role of energy efficiency in electrification? …and more
The 2022 Hawaii Energy Conference is on May 10 and 12. Learn more and register at https://hawaiienergyconference.com. Use code FMNHEC to save.
The 13th Annual Hawaii STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) Conference is almost here! After two years of hosting the Conference virtually, Maui Economic Development Board, (MEDB) is extremely excited to be returning to the Hawaii Convention Center for the 13th iteration of their celebration of ‘All Things STEM’. The event, being held on Friday, April 29th , is open to all STEMworks™ facilitators and high school students.
“MEDB is thrilled to see the students in-person this year,” said Leslie Wilkins, MEDB President and CEO. “We are easing back into an in-person event as we continue to help build career readiness skills. Our hope is that by equipping our youth with the right skills, tools, and opportunities, we can inspire the next generation of innovators, ensuring a bright future for our community and our world.”
MEDB’s STEMworks students and teachers, along with community and business leaders across the state, are invited to celebrate the student’s service-learning projects, hear stories of inspiration, engage with some of the biggest names in the STEM field, and experience the excitement of a regional technology conference. The students will showcase their analytical thinking skills and apply the latest high-tech industry tools in an innovative approach to environmental and cultural issues.
Katie Taladay, MEDB Director of Education and Workforce Development, STEMworks, noted, “We will have hands-on professional development opportunities for teachers and students, industry networking sessions, and a STEM Playground. We welcome our teachers, students, and industry professionals back in-person for a full day of hands-on training opportunities, mentoring and networking with leading industry professionals. This year, we will bring folks together from many sectors including Computer Science, IT, Cybersecurity, Augmented and Virtual Reality, Creative Media, including Film and Video Game Design, Geospatial Sciences, Engineering, Energy Science, Health Sciences, and much more. There will also be time to celebrate and honor our STEM talent from across the state by awarding the coveted STEMMYS.”
Wilkins added, “STEM education has the power to improve all of our lives. The Hawaii STEM Conference creates meaningful learning experiences to enrich the lives of Hawaii’s students today and into the future.”
STEMworks initiatives focus on empowering students with 21st century skills to prepare them for the jobs of tomorrow.
Through April 16th, Viewpoints Gallery in Makawao is presenting Celebration of Hawaii 2022, an annual invitational exhibit featuring work from more than 60 artists. “The entire Viewpoints Gallery is redesigned around this presentation,” said Oliver and Joelle Perz, Viewpoints Gallery and Art Directors. “We are showing artwork of significance by some of the best artists coming from around the state. Every piece portrays diversity. craftmanship, and visual beauty, all focused on the theme of honoring our extraordinary Hawaiian islands and culture.
As part of an on-going program started by Joelle, called the ‘Reaching Out Project’, artists were asked to collaborate with someone from the community to create a piece for the exhibit. Maui artist Jeanne Bitz worked with the Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe Voyaging Society (HOCVS), whose mission is to promote sustainability and respect for the earth, humanity, and the Hawaiian culture through voyaging and the way of life on the canoe. Bitz’s collaboration with HOCVS and her experience of paddling into the full moon proved uniquely inspirational for expressing the Hawaiian culture artistically.
Bitz explained, “My work, titled Hina, an oil on gallery-wrapped linen, 96 x 48 inches, follows the story of Mahina as I learned it while searching for wisdom from ancestors, and listening to the present need of others, myself included. Throughout the Oceanic cultures, Hina has represented a fluid, powerful, extremely diverse woman who faces challenges, makes her own path going forward, destroys barriers to equality, and works to make the world a better place. Every woman in that canoe has faced and overcome challenges that seemed insurmountable at the time. If not for the canoe, our paths might never have crossed. We come together to be stronger, to learn, to grow, to embark on grand adventures, and sometimes we come together to be the change we want to see in the world. Beyond that, when we work together, that feeling of the canoe taking flight and gliding over the water is visual poetry. Mahalo nui loa for my chance to collaborate with HOCVS, and those shared moments that allowed our stories to intertwine on this grand adventure.”
Mahalo to Viewpoints Gallery for providing a space and a nurturing spirit that truly celebrates the rich culture of Hawaii.
