Rev. Dr. Cindy Paulos is a Maui radio personality, minister, artist, composer, lyricist, and author. Her CD, Practicing Aloha won the Hawaii Music Award in the Inspirational Category, and was nominated for a Hoku (her 6th nomination) by the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts. Recently, Paulos and composer Stephen Melillo won two gold medals at the Global Music Awards and the 2022 Hollywood Music in Media Award in the Epic/Orchestral category for their CD, Love Conquers All.
In Paulos’ latest book release, The Christmas Gift: When Heaven Merges with Earth, a companion for the latter CD, she brings the light and spirit of Christmas into the hearts of all people and all faiths. “The meaning of the holiday is a human one of experiences, tolerance, kindness and love,” she said. “The gift of Christmas transforms lives. When people live with more understanding of these qualities, they naturally bring more compassion into their daily lives. These are the kinds of gifts at Christmas which we need to relate to, every day of the year. I hope my book inspires others to see that ‘Love’ merges heaven and earth.”
After reading the book, Melillo said, “What would be the use of great accomplishment, success, degrees, massive output, or any measure of accolades and gifts without love and kindness? Paulos looks at the world and hears words, looks up to the stars and sees poetry. She congeals these messages with great tenderness and releases them into her music and books. Her flow of words spread much needed lovingkindness and goodwill into our world.”
Paulos added, “It seems so many do not understand the significance of all the elements represented in the Christmas story and the deeper meaning of them. There is a mystical perspective to the timeless story. It is a tale of light for all mankind. If we go within and find the symbolism and the true gift of Christmas we realize it is a celebration, a time for giving and not simply a day on which we exchange gifts. It is a day we think about others—a selfless time, when we forgive, take stock of what’s important, and become better versions of ourselves.”
Christmas, a time of promise, generosity and hospitality, is the Yuletide hope for peace on earth and goodwill to all.
Cindy Paulos, Author, The Christmas Gift: Where Heaven and Earth Merge
Ten-year-old Moorea Winter Feliciano is both a dancer and an Upcountry junior rodeo participant. Dancing ballet since she was three years old with the Alexander Academy of Performing Arts (AAPA), she is also a member of the nonprofit Maui Youth Rodeo Organization (MYRO). Ballet and rodeo make such a unique and unexpected combination. Yet, they have a few important similarities: both take time and dedication, both take a specific skill level, both take passion, both have levels of difficulty that humble you greatly, and both take hours of extra practice.
Feliciano explained, “I spend many hours after my schoolwork practicing both ballet and riding. I help clean the ballet studio in exchange for extra classes, and I am a teacher’s assistant to younger dancers. Also, I volunteer time to help set up for rodeo, and fundraise for both ballet and rodeo. For me, it is being part of something greater than myself. Also, the number of friends from ballet who are coming to my rodeo shows, and the rodeo friends who are coming to ballet shows, makes my heart so full.”
MYRO provides opportunities for children on Maui to participate in rodeo events throughout the year: riding, roping and more. Members practice good conduct, sportsmanship, and a commitment to good grades. Morag Rice Miranda, Maui District-Hawaii High School Rodeo Association representative, always announces Feliciano as, “an accomplished dancer, our ballerina rider.”
This year, Feliciano landed the ‘every little girl’s dream role’ of Clara in AAPA’s 2022 annual holiday tradition, The Nutcracker. She will dance the role on Saturday evening and the closing performance, besides other parts. “A lot of hard work must happen first,” she said. “Both dancing and rodeo help me to set big goals for myself and see them through. My motto is: If you believe you can, you will!”
Paul Janes-Brown, Maui Curtain Call, said, “At ten years old, Feliciano is a young lady to watch. She helped choregraph a wonderful contemporary dance performance in the 2022 AAPA performance of Sleeping Beauty. I look forward to seeing her perform the role of Clara in this year’s Nutcracker.”
I love the magic that happens onstage and at the rodeo!” The Nutcracker will be performed December 16-18 at Seabury Hall’s ‘A’ali’ikūhonua Creative Arts Center. Visit Eventbrite for Nutcracker tickets and www.mymyro.com for rodeo information.
Moorea Winter Feliciano, Member, AAPA and MYRO
A distinguished line-up of speakers and mentors joined the 5th annual EMER-GEN Program presented by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) at the 2022 Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies (AMOS) Conference. A joint initiative of AMOS and the Space Generation Advisory Council, over twenty leaders in the space industry supported the emerging generation of young professionals enthusiastic about careers in space. Forty-eight delegates met for EMER-GEN, with nearly half of these based in Hawaii, to help develop aerospace careers locally.
Maui resident Kalā Baybayan Tanaka offered the Celestial Navigation presentation. She is responsible for Education Direction and Program Implementation at Hui O Wa`a Kaulua, a sea-voyaging non-profit organization on Maui dedicated to the practice and perpetuation of Hawaiian canoe building, wayfinding and voyaging arts. She is also a UH Manoa STEMS^2 Masters student in Curriculum Studies. Tanaka introduced the EMER-GEN cohort to the Hawaiian Star Compass and other aspects of Hawaiian culture which pertain to leadership and communication. She inherited her love for the ocean and passion for sailing from her father, Pwo (master) Chad Kalepa Baybayan, who served as one of the lead captains and navigators of the Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage—Hōkūle`a.
“I shared Hawaiian lore, explored traditional navigational techniques and provided an intimate look at the relationship between the celestial bodies and history,” Tanaka explained. “Each of my own voyages taught me to be more in sync with my environment. I shared my passion for wayfinding and told the cohort stories of the stars that have led my way forward, and always guided my way home.”
Cohort member Rishin Aggarwal, Indian Space Research Organization, said, “Tanaka has a way of breaking down navigation so we could all understand it and also feel empowered by it. She said you do not have to be Hawaiian to be wayfinders and learn voyaging. You simply need a deep desire to learn. She also stressed the importance of teamwork, skills much needed by our EMER-GEN cohort, in our space industry careers, and daily life.”
Frances Zhu, UH Assistant Professor, Hawaii Space Flight Laboratory, added, “Tanaka shows the spiritual side of astronomy, wayfaring and voyaging. I am so inspired by her.”
In 2016, as captain and co-navigator alongside my father on the Hikianalia, I learned so much while sailing from Hawaii to Tahiti, thousands of miles, without modern instruments.
Kalā Baybayan Tanaka, Hui O Wa`a Kaulua
An inaugural evening event at the 23rd annual Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies (AMOS) Conference, Women & Allies in Space Domain Awareness (SDA), was presented by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB). The featured speaker, Dr. Ezinne Uzo-Okoro, is Assistant Director for Space Policy, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The goal was to empower the community of women and non-gender-specific SDA professionals and heighten the awareness of gender disparity within space-related careers. The technology industry has certainly diversified in recent years, but there is much more to be done before the space industry is completely inclusive.
“Only one in five space professionals identify as female or non-gender specific,” said Leslie Wilkins, MEDB President and CEO. “This statistic has only minimally fluctuated in the last 30 years. Change often starts with community advocacy and amplification of the issue. The Women & Allies SDA celebration seeks to achieve this goal.”
Uzo-Okoro noted, “Space is a source of innovation and opportunity for all Americans and our international partners. It is thrilling that a women’s group in SDA and Space Sustainability gathered at the AMOS Conference. On December 1, 2021, the Biden-Harris Administration released its Space Priorities Framework at its inaugural National Space Council meeting which prioritizes U.S. benefits from space activities. We explained how our nation and all nations and people around the world benefit from space programs and missions.”
“We think about all the ways that space activities enable the U.S. and global economy,” Uzo-Okoro continued. “It provide us with data to enable everyday activities, weather prediction, preparedness, and response to natural disasters; track our space debris; and expand our international partnerships. Space sustainability affects all Americans, so equitable access and opportunity in the space sector is important. It is wonderful to see women leaders and future women leaders who enable and will continue to enable U.S. leadership in space science and technology around the world.”
Wilkins added, “MEDB is proud to offer this new event at the AMOS Conference. The promise of a shared experience and supportive career progression for previously underrepresented groups will be transformative for the space industry’s diverse future.”
Today, as we stand on the threshold of returning to the moon and exploring deep space, we need to ensure women and allies can contribute to making progress on both fronts.
Leslie Wilkins, MEDB President and CEO
As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, we are reminded of the grassroots community project started to reduce hunger during Covid-19 and beyond. Co-founded by Brad Kukral and Steven Calkins, the Hungry Homeless Heroes Hawaii (HHHH) uses quality excess food to fill the stomachs and hearts of Maui’s hungry rather than the landfills. Kukral and Calkins set up a food redistribution organization that receives food from community members and farms with surplus, besides growing their own food at Anuhea Chapel in Pukalani. Additionally, they have put together an all-volunteer team who garden, prepare nourishing meals and personally deliver them to the unsheltered on Maui.
In the midst of the pandemic, Kukral witnessed a homeless man get into trouble while trying to obtain food from a local grocery store. “This incident was the impetus of the project,” he explained. “The man was hungry and just wanted to eat, and was begging for help. So, the next day my friend Steven and I decided to cook and distribute meals. The operation increased literally overnight.”
Kukral continued, “The pandemic impacted the unsheltered community in its own unique way in terms of limited restroom facilities, the inability to comply with stay-at-home orders, and difficulties obtaining food. Through a Facebook network on Maui, we were able to collect donations and supplies. As the program grew, so did the area of response. Volunteers and donations rolled in from a variety of area businesses, organizations, and private citizens.”
Currently, the program can produce as many as 200 meals a day. However, a main ingredient that the homeless need is the feeling of not being abandoned. Kindness is as appreciated as food. “HHHH works with compassion to bring hope to the hopeless,” Calkins said. “Our future vision would be to take another step toward a permanent solution by galvanizing the community around this most dire issue. Ideally, we would like to find a self-sustaining property where families could come on a work-trade basis.”
In the meantime, the HHHH purpose is to feed the hungry with hope, one meal at a time. The staff have been mindful of sustainability and work to create an environment that recognizes, validates and enhances the dignity of everyone experiencing homelessness.
MEDB applauds all those in the community who serve to make sure no one goes hungry. We wish a Happy Thanksgiving to all.
Dr. Leonard Sakai of Kula was recently honored by the Maui Non-Profit Directors Association. Nominated by Habitat for Humanity, Sakai was named 2022 Humanitarian of the Year. The citation reads, “Dr. Sakai earned this award for his volunteerism and dedication to give back to our community. Mahalo Leonard, for all of your hard work and helping families build strength and stability through shelter.”
Sakai is a retired general surgeon with concentration in colorectal disorders including colon cancer, and was affiliated with several hospitals in the area including Maui Memorial Medical Center and Kaiser Permanente Moanalua Medical Center. He received his medical degree from the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine and was in practice for more than 20 years.
Recognized for his ‘can-do’ attitude and positive personality, Sakai is the guy everyone working at Habitat for Humanity enjoys being around. He regularly volunteers each week on construction sites. To date, he has contributed over 600 hours of his time across Maui, helping families at both the Kahoma Residential builds in Lahainaand Hawaiian Homelands in Kula.
Humbled, Sakai said, “I truly appreciate this award. However, I get back even more than I put in. I have been working with Habitat for Humanity for over five years. And I’ll try whatever jobs come my way. There are so many different jobs to work on while building a house. In a certain way, it reminds me of surgery: a crew of five or six people and a work crew accomplish what they are supposed to get done, together. At Habitat, we also need to work as a team. At the end of the day, building houses is a different kind of exhaustion than doing surgery, but also a rewarding one. Habitat for Humanity has been on Maui for over 2 decades. It is an amazing organization.”
Sakai added, “So now, I am a beginning carpenter! I am learning a whole new and useful trade. Besides, I read in AARP that it is useful for old people to learn new skills.”
People talk a lot about affordable housing. The business model that Habitat has works very well. It actually created the affordable housing model.
Dr. Leonard Sakai, Maui Non-Profit Directors Association ‘Humanitarian of the Year’
One hundred and fifty middle school students and their STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) educators were welcomed by the Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies (AMOS) Conference on September 30 at the Wailea Beach Resort-Marriott. The conference and the Space Exploration Student Session, presented by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) thrilled attendees who got to meet astronaut Scott “Scooter” Altman and experience hands-on, space-related presentations by the AMOS exhibitors.
Altman, a retired United States Navy Captain and naval aviator, engineer, test pilot and former NASA astronaut, is a veteran of four Space Shuttle missions. Before retiring from NASA, his final mission was servicing the Hubble Space Telescope. He is also known for his aerial acrobatics in the 1986 Top Gun movie with Tom Cruise.
“It is an honor to be here at AMOS,” Altman said. “I like to engage with students because it’s important that we connect with the next generation and get them interested in space-related issues. The students in this age group are our future. Maybe someone here today will be the first one on Mars.”
‘Iolani Kuoha, Vice-Principal of Molokai Middle School, noted, “To greet astronaut Altman, our students performed an oli lei presentation traditionally given to honor visitors. They enjoyed all of the different companies at AMOS, and the various careers they represent. They will go back to the classroom so inspired by all of today’s activities.”
Healohameleleināhōkū Merino, Moloka’i Middle School 8th grade, said, “The exhibits and experiments inspired me to learn more about the world and what I can do to improve it. I really enjoyed the flight simulator at Civil Air Patrol too!”
Kaimalie Stone, Molokai Middle School student, added, “Astronaut Altman showed us a video of his time in space and explained how dangerous space debris is for the Space Station and other satellites. At the SAIC STEM Project in the exhibit hall, we learned there is so much man-made debris floating around that can cause problems for astronauts, satellites, and other important pieces of equipment circling Earth. It made me realize my generation is also responsible for making space safe.”
From space, the earth is an incredible organism. I saw the edge of the horizon. The thin blue line, the atmosphere, holding everything that keeps us alive. It brought on feelings of stewardship, sustainability, and respect for the planet.
Scott Altman, U.S. Navy Capt., NASA Astronaut, retired
Hawaii residents contributed to key space-related discussions at the 5th annual EMER-GEN® Conference held at the Wailea Beach Resort-Marriott. The program, presented by the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) in a joint initiative of the Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies Conference (AMOS) and the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC), represents young professionals and university students (ages 18-35) who are enthusiastic about careers in space. SGAC, a global non-governmental organization partners with the United Nation and organizations from around the world to nurture the next generation of space leaders.
Excellent speakers and mentors joined the EMER-GEN event on September 7th with a series of pre-event webinars with a focus on fostering innovation and entrepreneurship among the cohort. The group met in-person on September 26-27 for the main program that featured sessions in Celestial Navigation, Space Traffic Management, Mentoring, Consensus Building and a Hack-A-Thon. Teams of participants were challenged to find innovative ways to apply space-based technologies.
“This year’s EMER-GEN program welcomed 47 young space professionals, half of whom call Hawaii home, and the rest were from all over, as far away as India,” said Annette Lynch, MEDB Program Manager. “Scholarships were available for Hawaii residents as the program looks to help build the Hawaii aerospace sector.”
Four young professionals on the planning committee helped the MEDB organizers shape the program. Two representatives nominated by SGAC, Rishin Aggarwal, Indian Space Research Organization, and Eniko Molnar, Satellite Applications Catapult (UK), were joined by 2021 alumnus Zachary Stein of The Boeing Company, a resident of Maui. A 2020 alumnus, Quentin Verspieren of the University of Tokyo, returned to the committee to provide his experience and knowledge of space policy and consensus building.
Hackathon Mentor Tom Kubancik, founder and Executive Vice President of Trusted Space, Inc., said, “EMER-GEN employs the creativity and vigor of our youth in advancing humanity through the peaceful uses of space. It is vital for the future generation to develop methods to operate spacecraft safely in the increasingly congested and contested space environment.”
Christianne Young, Hawaii Space Flight Laboratory, said, “I have been working on launching cube satellites at the University of Hawaii. EMER-GEN opened my eyes to the need for international policy and cooperation for space safety.”
Discussion topics ranged from effective multi-cultural communication and leadership qualities to international cooperation in space and the long-term sustainability of the space environment.
On September 27-30, the 23rd annual Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies (AMOS) Conference, a program of the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB), had its highest-ever registration of 1,212 in-person attendees at the Wailea Beach Resort-Marriott─ Maui. An additional 259 participants viewed the livestream of the premier technical conference in the nation devoted to Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and Space Domain Awareness (SDA).
The conference represented a cross-section of government, military, industry, and academic participation that fueled important discussion on space sustainability at local, national, and international scales. Keynote presentations, SSA Policy Forums coordinated with Secure World Foundation, invited talks, poster presentations, exhibits, technical sessions and short courses were featured in the program.
“The AMOS Conference is experiencing astronomical growth on all fronts: attendance in-person from around the world, partnerships with our sponsors and exhibitors, and the technical contributions by our authors and presenters,” said Leslie Wilkins, MEDB President and CEO. “This year’s gathering mirrors the growth we have seen in the space economy across the globe. Our international participants, from 23 countries, included our neighbors from the Indo-Pacific region as well as Europe and Central America. Additionally, MEDB continues to support the Air Force’s mission on Maui which, in turn, supports our mission of economic diversification.”
Victoria Samson, Washington Office Director for Secure World Foundation (SWF) and an AMOS Conference panel moderator, noted, “AMOS provides the opportunity for networking and knowledge-sharing within the SSA community. The keynotes and SSA policy forums at AMOS offered collaboration on space security and stability by looking at how SSA can promote space safety among all nations. Space has become an increasingly complicated domain and it is vital to have a cooperative approach for space sustainability in order to benefit all people.”
Conference Technical Chair Paul Kervin, Air Force Research Laboratory (retired), noted, “In collaboration with the American Astronautical Society (AAS), the AMOS Conference provided participating authors the opportunity to be published in a well-respected peer-reviewed Journal of Astronautical Sciences. At the close of the conference, AAS also recognized outstanding efforts by presenting awards for Best Paper and Best Student Paper.”
The continued growth in attendance and participating countries at AMOS reflects the growing interest in space sustainability and space commerce initiatives.
Nationwide and on Maui, October is observed as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This health campaign, organized by major breast cancer charities and non-profits, was developed to increase awareness of the disease and raise funds for research on its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure.
Various Maui hotels, businesses, schools, and organizations, including the Maui Police Department, band together to educate the community. Their message emphasizes early screenings for cancer, currently the most effective way of dealing with the disease before it becomes too advanced to control. Awareness of the signs and finding help after a diagnosis are a vital part of this education.
Two Maui nonprofits, Mana’olana Pink Paddlers and Maui Cancer Resources (MCR) have joined forces in their efforts to assist cancer patients and survivors. Dr. Bridget Bongaard, Maui Cancer Resources Medical Director, founded MCR to offer Integrative Oncology consultations.
“Our goal is to create a comprehensive cancer support program and grow outreach services to support Maui cancer patients to achieve maximum positive outcomes,” said Bongaard. “By providing survivors with a personal cancer journey guide, we walk them step-by-step through the challenges that arise from diagnosis and treatment to recovery. In addition, MCR offers weekly on-line support groups, mindfulness training, cooking and nutritional education, self-care consults and quarterly day-long workshops which share different effective-movement strategies.”
Medical research shows the importance of physical activity in cancer prevention and survival. Findings demonstrate that those with high physical activity have a 40-50 percent reduction in the risk of cancer. Dr. Bongaard collaborated with the Pink Paddlers, Maui’s only nonprofit paddling club, to help cancer survivors regain health and fitness through outrigger paddling. Mana’olana’s paddling programs are open to persons with any type of cancer, both men and women. Mary Dungans, Mana’olana President noted, “Our program works magic for survivors wanting to regain mental and physical health after the grueling effects of cancer treatment. Paddling together builds confidence as we become part of something bigger than ourselves. Working with MCR, our mission is to create a comprehensive cancer support program and outreach service to help Maui cancer patients achieve the best possible results.”
MCR and Mana’olana Pink Paddlers are collaborating to help Maui cancer survivors achieve lifestyle changes that make a difference as well as lifelong friendships.
Dr. Bridget Bongaard, Maui Cancer Resources, Medical Director
