 Good afternoon and thank you for joining us here on non-profits mean business to on think tech Hawaii I have the privilege and the honor of interviewing a puny Jackson the director of kakua kakua Kalihi Valley KKV and She's gonna talk a little bit about her her mission statement now before we get to that I just want to say that the nature of the show essentially is to help the greater community understand the What's going on in the community as far as the non-profits how they serve the community as the gap between government and private entity so With that having been said, I'd like to introduce puny Jackson Aloha Thank you so much for welcoming me and I want to make just a tiny correction that I'm not the director of kakua Kalihi Valley I'm the director of holu aina, which is a project and program of kakua Kalihi Valley Thank you for making that clarification Sure, we have the most amazing executive director and his name is David DeRopp, but I couldn't never take his place That's awesome Well, I'm pretty. Thank you again for taking time out of your busy schedule I want to ask you a little bit about we'll start out with the mission same. So let's talk a little bit about The mission that you guys are doing Sure, I'm gonna go ahead and read the mission statement because it's one of those ones that hit deep in your heart But when you get to the end of the statement, you kind of have forgotten the beginning. It's really long I'm gonna read it out loud together We work toward healing reconciliation and the alleviation of suffering in Kalihi Valley by serving communities Families and individuals through strong relationships that honor culture and foster health and harmony Um, that's a statement a mission statement that we all hold very dear. It's something that's on all of our I don't have my badge on me, but that's on our name badges It's something that we use when we do any sort of organizational training that helps us to remember the why like why we do what we do really touches back to those initial team members that sat around the table in 1972 and And made the choice that this is what the community needed a community health center Somebody who is going to be able to look out for the diverse needs of our community And and you do do that You have a variety of services that you offer the community if you'd like to tell us a little bit more about that sure well Let me start with the our founding story that we always love to share and so When Cocoa Kalihi Valley was founded we had three super aunties we call them Elder women in the community that went door to door. Well, now they're elders at the time. I think they were quite young They went door to door in the community saying how are you feeling? How are you? What is it that you need and In many cases overwhelmingly the answer was health support. We need doctors. We need dentists and so our work started with Just a donated trailer in the parking lot of a church and Executive director at that time. His name is Jory Watland. He's still a community member here in Kalihi in the back and He just got don't Doctors and dentists and slow by slow in the 70s just responding to what was needed and in every wave Shifting that Kalihi Valley went through from that time forward Cocoa Kalihi Valley was listening and responding so we didn't ever move away from that sort of listening door to door a lot of times nowadays in You know academics teaches you you're gonna do the evaluation and then you're gonna implement Well, we are formative from the beginning and all the way through till now In the 80s, we were the first ones to have a domestic violence shelter I think somewhere in the late 80s, maybe early 90s We even had a Credit Union because we found that many of our community members were Facing the inequity of not being able to establish healthy banking and economic systems But we've responded in every new wave of Challenge that our community face and In from dentists to doctors. I'm personally. I'm the director of a nature preserve So in the back of Kalihi Valley is a 100 acre nature preserve called Hulu Aina and On that nature preserve we do everything from native forestry Community food production Laulapa native medicines We do everything that we can with community engagement. So who are I know this idea of sharing the land and friendship and Whether we're painting a structure or planting a row of Olena We want the community engaged and then we we also do a lot around culture and listening Evaluation making sure that the ways that Our community and the systems beyond this community are responding to needs Has to do with the indigenous values of this place and so that's part of what Hulu Aina is all about That's my kind of pre-pandemic Ongoing job and since the beginning of the COVID Pandemic here in Kalihi Valley, I've also taken on the Responsibility as director of Hui Hauaka, which is our response to the pandemic needs and so February and March that included Outreach calls and in-home deliveries food support cleaning supplies public health education all different kinds of things and as of late as many of us know Kalihi has One of the highest or the highest rate of COVID in the state currently And so Hui Hauaka is deep in the trenches of working with systems and developing systems and Interim implementing the systems to make sure that people are safe a lot of it has to do with economics and And so sometimes you don't necessarily think of a health center as responding to economic needs But we do all of the different facets and we always have And so Brandon, I'm really grateful that you wanted to start with our Mission because never have we gone deeper into our mission since the COVID crisis Yeah, I'd like to talk a little bit about that. That was part of the agenda was that we would get an opportunity to find out how COVID has affected how you your operations, of course and some of those challenges and What you've done to overcome those and then But you continue to serve the community nonetheless That's right. That's right. Um, if If anything, it's taken us back to our roots You know over time we started as a small nonprofit a small little health center in a trailer and now We're the largest employer in our community the largest employer in the valley and so we have I'm just like 220 maybe Staff members and but that's a that's a big Employer for Kalihi Valley. So most of our Communities members kind of leave the valley to to support Other industries Oh, yeah, no, that's great that that you guys still have you have the you have access to the resources continue to communicate and develop new resources as well as Finding ways to serve your community regardless of the challenge at hand and so Being in the situation that you are there's obviously some Challenges around code 19 within your own organization that you guys are no doubt addressing and that you're Taking that information the education out to the community. You want to talk a little bit about that? Sure, sure So in the very beginning we had many people were being shut down throughout the community and businesses and As we all remember and some of our care Services What we're also not able to be performed so some such as dental and lo me lo me That really intimate impact. We wanted to really protect against that You know the spread or any sort of contagion and so our dental Department got redeployed and they became farmers and cooks and food hub operators and Delivery teams and all of our different departments including dental but far beyond to we started to Integrate and support each other You know normally in a nonprofit as you have no granted that you have a grant you have deliverables You have the project you have the program and it's sort of siloed siloed by funding siloed by deliverables and Our actual Relationship with one another and with our community is much more integrated and so as we redeployed like responding to the challenge of Employment or you know shifting and employment within the organization We actually found that the network of support became much stronger People were connecting much deeper to their sort of why you know their their motivation behind being part of Kukua Kalihi Valley and serving the community in the most urgent ways and so yes, we responded and we reached out to many funders and support agencies and we had you know 48 years of Relationship building we had some really powerful cheerleaders on our side that stood up with resources and donations and volunteers and really making it happen and I think our position as a FQHC Also made it a lot easier for us to navigate with the Department of Health and be able to communicate Like this is what we really need. This is what we're hearing and seeing on the ground we recognize that government is not nearly ever as nimble as Community organizations or grassroots networks and so we were able to like pivot very quickly and then partner as The cup Capacity building on the government side became more ready and we're so grateful for some of our relationship building and some of the really challenging Tasks that leadership within both the city and the state took on The media was really rough on our community The media was rough on the state the media has been rough on the city And so it's been really hard to be able to say like look what we really want to do is tell a story of love and connection and Collaboration and everybody has the long-term outcome of equity and care and health for our community And I I feel good about the kinds of partnerships that we're seeing Rise up and unfold Did would you like to care care to elaborate on any of those partnerships or how they came to be and What they're doing and how you know how they're supporting you Well, we have I Word away and start so the whole community foundation is I would I would like to say that they have been Just amazing really really supporting and like getting in those parts of support where it's hard for You know, like for example the Kersic Act money or HRSA funding It's harder to to get into those little details, you know Like actually our community needs rice and Simon and can fish And her some money wasn't gonna cover that so HCF really stood up for that and our elders who were sheltering at home and having much a lot of challenges we were able to deliver Not only the fresh organic produce from our food hub that actually scaled up to this week I think we're over seven thousand pounds of fresh organic produce from Local farmers from this island So we're delivering fresh food but we also need those sort of dry goods food for the elders and the kupuna and those who are in the COVID-positive families who are in quarantine and Funders like HCF Bank of Hawaii The Consuelo Foundation. Those are partners that really like stood up and say, well, we'll fund the gap Well, we'll put forward for for those in-between spaces You know, Hawaii Dental Services was supportive So we we've had some amazing and you know this long and non-profit You know, you have this relationship and the funder and the accountability and the deliverable and the evaluation and all of that This is the first time that I felt like the return on investment got put on the side because they absolutely knew and trusted That Kokua Kalihi Valley knew what the community needed and was going to give everything we can to make sure it gets there And I would love for that to be the flavor of foundations and funding and even government relationships between Geos and NGOs moving forward that when you know that on the on the ground the grassroots guys that you know That they know the community deeply that every way that we can kind of get out of the way so that the resources flow in the right way I think that is what is Pono. That is Aloha and I felt that very strongly in the last six months from our partners Wow Foundation also was very I can't even I'm a little bit embarrassed that I should have a thorough this way I can't name Oh, that's okay That's all there's always a challenge with that and you know, I would just say that of course it Look, you know talking to you and get I get a feeling By talking to you about the passion that you have and that you're not just working there. You're living it It's part of who you are it is the very fact and not just a foundation of the organization, but it's it's You carry that with you everywhere you go And so you do a very effective job of communicating that and I'm sure that any of your partners, whoever they are will understand that and I just wanted to give you an opportunity to do a shout out to some of those organizations that have been there for you and the fact that you have these challenges of You know trying to they've given you a square peg and they've actually put it into a round hole and you're like well It doesn't all doesn't work that way So need to open up that conversation a little more and and talk about how we can bridge those gaps for For those various organizations. I think you guys are doing a great job. And I think I think you articulated that very well Thank you. I am very passionate about the work and that's the truth for all of KKV You know our staff members they live in this community their families are our patients, you know So the that interconnectedness it makes you really clear that This is not just my job where I go and get a paycheck and wait for the clock to be done Or you know, this is not that kind of job. It's not even a job. This is my life You know that I'm able to live every day what I was taught to do and what I was taught to be and I I'm Grateful also to be able to extend that to the staff members that I help That all of our staff members can truly live their best gifts and apply them to the kuleana that we feel here in Hawaii If there were anything in specific is it just I look is it just financial? Resources that you need or is what sort of things is it that that you find that you would need at this point in time or that you If You could use help with Yeah Well, there's all kinds of ways that people can help. I think the first thing and I I've been I've been asked this a lot of question times and I I'm a little I'm hesitant to say but I really truly believe this that within your circle of influence to bring love To be loving to be to bring aloha with absolute courage To your circle of influence and to make that relationship building a model for every other relationship I think that that is the best way that we can do The systemic change in our world I feel like we enter into professional space and we forget the way that our grandparents taught us You know, we enter into our business or nonprofit space and we become competitive or Extractive the way that our educational systems have designed our minds to work and nonprofit is that one place that native peoples and people of color across the whole world and people who care about the earth and People who care about the earth and People who remember values who care deeply about the values that they were raised with nonprofits is that really sharp tool where you can say Aloha matters our values matter my relationships matter that I'm not going to give up on something just because it's hard You know, not nonprofits the 501c3 is that sharp sword and so what I would love Yes, we need canned fish. I need volunteers to pack rice in bags. I need some delivery staff I need somebody to help me with some of the data. Yes, I need all of that. But the first thing is To be courageous enough to make choices with aloha And if you were raised that way that you can be influencing that way With people that look to you as a leader Because leaders are in this place in this place of Hawaii if we can make sure that our leaders are not looking at money before Love and care and humanness and long-term survival of our water system and our land It takes courage to make choices that come from aloha It takes courage to live that way and I think that that's the most important thing that we can do You know, I like I said we need stuff like a van to deliver the stuff and all of those things but Overwhelmingly, I need people to go to bat for what is right You know that we faced a lot of things a lot of stories in this last few months where People were blocked from getting really good care because of their ethnic background because of their economic status because of their inability to speak English maybe and There's no Reason why in every place that people who were raised with a certain value set of aloha That every seat every cubicle every bus seat that if you employ aloha and be courageous in that That we would really make a difference You know, I'm I love your passion. I've it's Even though this is a video take I feel like I'm sitting in the room with you You know, we got a question from a viewer and I'd like to address that and says how can individuals help KKB at this time? especially with the lockdown being extended With the lockdown and especially if you have any needs for your own, you know Protection we want to make sure to you stay stay at home. That's really helpful. It's heroic at this point to stay home You can donate online Cocoa Kalihi Valley has a COVID response. You can definitely donate online if you want to make it fun You can go to Hulu Aina's website and purchase objects There are you know, some we didn't have nobody has time for a go fund me But you can buy stuff that we make and that's helpful. So financially donations. That's really good if you have Relationship with people who have resources so that could be PPE that could be dry goods that could be Cleaning supplies then you can read you can advocate for those resources to be Shared with our delivery staff and with our fans here. If you know some people who are really great Really great workers with good hearts and great work ethic and maybe have a good mind for public health and social determinants of health have them apply online for Employment that we want to we we think that the best way to help the economy is to employ people And so we're going to continue to fight for that to happen you can go on to the KKV website and apply under Hui Hauaka advocate and that's what I'm talking about as far as Aloha I'm Employing that every person be an advocate if you hear or see Inequity in your community when it comes to resource or access be an advocate if you speak any other language than English That's really helpful. We are community speak 27 different languages So we need translators often I don't know I could go on and on frantic, you know, that's the whole purpose, you know We want to know more about what you're doing What your needs are to help you continue to serve the community in the way that you do One of the things that you mentioned early on that strikes a chord with me, of course is values even though one may come and Interface with your organization either in the form of providing resources or coming to work or volunteer the takeaway for them As they'll come to find is going to be several fold more than what it is that they actually give That's the thing that we talk about in the organization I volunteer my time to and you had indicated you are familiar with that organization and that's teaching the next generation We're teaching them the value system. We're teaching them what Aloha is. We're we're teaching them About caring for the community. We're teaching them all these different things that that we're not Outwardly in a classroom with books and pencils and paper We're doing it in a much more impactful way I think number one. We're doing it by example, right? We're leading by example We're showing them what's important, but not only showing them and telling them, but They're by doing it They get to embody it and then it cements it with them as far as carrying that forward in their own value system And they're a lot more likely in the future to be positioned to to want to give back to the community And they'll know how to do it Absolutely. Absolutely. You're you're totally true and we were taught that you put in the most and you take out the least You know, and I think that that that sort of shift is really important right now Remembering that that's how we were raised, you know, one of the Words that that I found on your website that struck me as if I were to you know, want to try to choose one word Which would be hard to do but it's reconciliation We hear that word used a lot, but I'd like you to explain to the viewers what it means To your organization, what does that mean? Yeah, reconciliation is one of the most powerful ways to think about Trauma historical trauma personal trauma Colonial trauma and then to make them right Make that trauma right. Hooponopono to make it clean again to make it correct again to make it healed and connected and whole again Reconciliation among two people that connection to others is when your relationship is good, but there's also internal reconciliation There's reconciliation between oneself and one's culture between oneself and one's land between oneself and one's ancestor those stories of reconciliation Like it takes courage for an organization not only to focus on what's good and awesome and aloha and fright But to be fierce about it that I acknowledge the pain that we've come through I acknowledge the sacrifice that has been made for me to be here and I'm here to make that right I'm here to invest my mana to that healing for me. That's what reconciliation is all about That's awesome and that's such a powerful word and One of the things that strikes me or struck me about the organization as well was the Hum our relationship to the land we hear people talk about that all the time and The reality is how very critical It is to nourish the land because the land nourishes us, right? So I mean I Think we forget that because we go to the store and we Ever there it is on the shelf or there it is in the freezer section or whatever Understanding where's all that come from and why is that even important and And you guys have a whole program built around that Yes, that's right because it's not a nice to have it's a must-have We don't survive without the earth the earth clearly can serve by without us And and so this idea of familial connection Family kin connection to land not that not only that my grandfather taught me about it But that the land herself is my grandmother That that is our Approach to land engagement and health on the idea that wholeness and that comes back also to reconciliation because our connection to land and our connection to The ways to Malama Aina and Aloha Aina to make sure that the Aina is leading our choice making around politics and economics and food systems and health systems Land should lead. She is first, you know And so sometimes people see like oh nature is nice, you know, I go for a walk and it's something superfluous, but in fact Nature is foundation. I know the earth. She is our foundation without her Human health is nothing You know, I just want to I'm gonna wrap up on that note No doubt we could go another hour and a half two hours I have so many questions for you. I just want to thank you so very much for coming on the show I want I'm so thankful for the contributions that you make to the community and Even by doing this show you're making a contribution in the community. So I just want to thank you for that Thank you. Mahalo