 I'm your host Beatrice Cantelmo. Millions of people across our nation are deeply concerned with the Trump administration's political agenda on education, health, criminal justice, immigration and refugee rights, as well as LGBTQAI-needed peoples' and women's rights. As a society, we find ourselves in the following paradox. So we continue to live in a culture where democracy and human rights are blatantly assaulted, or do embrace these challenges as invitations to bring our country to the next level of excellency, where justice, equity, peace and kindness are fostered and respected for all people. Today, we are graced with the presence of Emilia Northwick, and Emilia is our Chair of Women's March Hawaii Chapter, and we will converse about how Women's March Hawaii Chapter and Women's March chapters all over the country are standing together in solidarity with community partners and children with the protection of our rights and safety in our health and our families. As African-American writer, feminist, womanist and civil rights activist Audrey Lord used to say, it is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept and celebrate those differences. And on that note, a welcome to Prospectors of Global Justice Emilia. Thank you so much, Beatrice. Yes. It's a pleasure to be here. Thank you so much for inviting me. Absolutely. And I'm happy to be here, that I could be here from Molokai today, too. Well, thank you for taking a flight all the way from Molokai to Oahu on a Friday. On a Friday. How to do this, you know, shows the level of commitment that you have to the organization to the cause. So, before we start, would you mind telling our viewers a little bit of your background, you know, where were you raised, what's your educational background? Oh, sure. I'd love to. Well, my name is Emilia Nordhoek and I've lived on Molokai for the past 11 years. I have a background in art and art education and actually affordable housing and sustainable building. I was raised on a Navajo reservation in New Mexico and before I moved to Hawaii, I was raising my son in Portland, Oregon. Oh, my goodness. Welcome to Hawaii. Yeah. It's been 11 years already. It goes by quickly. It goes by so fast. I can't believe it. Yes, yes. What does the time go? I don't know. I don't know. Here we are. Here we are. So how did you get involved with Women's March? So I got involved with Women's March because after the election, I was just devastated. And I was actually in Japan. I had finished a conference in Fukushima, Japan, on energy and community-owned power. And it was a very powerful conference because it was in an area that had been deeply, no, traumatized by the nuclear power plant accident. So it was very powerful to me. And I had really, like, no sense that Hillary Clinton was not going to win the election. In fact, I was so sure that my birthday is the day after election day. And I was going to celebrate in front of the Golden Buddha in Nippo, Japan. And so I was like, OK, you know, because there's a time difference, right? So at that point, I thought, OK, it's great. Well, let's check the, you know, let's see the celebratory United States. And it was not anything that I had expected. And all of a sudden, it was obvious that Trump was going to win the election. And so after that, it was just, you know, I think with a lot of people that we felt this sense that it had been a really hard election, there had been a lot of ugliness and a lot of misogyny and a lot of anti-everything. And so, you know, how do you get over that type of ugliness, right? So how do you, it's not just that the person you didn't like won the election. It was like we had shifted a paradigm within our country. And we had allowed this really, you know, difficult and challenging time. We had allowed, like, to behave badly, I think, you know, on all levels throughout the culture. And so that was, I think, that was really harmful. Well, the net was to give you the fuel to say, I'm going to join Women's March. And a little bud told me that you, and I know that community leader actually applied for grant to go to Women's March in Washington, which I think also coincided with the same time that Women's March in Oahu and in Hawaii, I also started to develop the work here. So do you mind telling us a little bit about that? Sure. So what happened was, so after I came back from Japan, and I heard right away about Teresa Shook. So the woman in Hana who, you know, on election night also felt like we should do something. We should pull ourselves together and be powerful. Women's March on Washington. And so she put out that call to action. I saw it. I responded to it like thousands of other people across the world. And so immediately, you know, they set up like the National Women's March on Washington. And so we were part of that very beginning group to coordinate the Hawaii to DC. So at that point, we had no idea that there were going to be sister marches. And as the weeks were on, we saw that, you know, the momentum was just growing and growing. And so people were so excited because, you know, maybe they couldn't go to Washington, DC, but we were going to have sister marches, you know, all over. All over. And so it was super extraordinary. I must tell you, I was actually at the Women's March here in Oahu, and it was quite powerful. I think we got over a thousand people marching together around the capital. Yeah. And it was a rainy Saturday morning, but the sense that I got as a concerned citizen and as a fast generation immigrant to this country and as a constituent, it was really empowering where you turn despair and concern into something bigger as a catalyst to really, what do we do together to overturn this? And I think at least what I left the march with was this sense and sentiment of unity. And so how was it for you to be actually in Washington because it was quite large? It was so much larger than we had anticipated. So, you know, we would have weekly calls with the National Women's March and kind of pulling together like how many people were really going to turn up because they had buses coming from all the states. And I have to also just say a huge mahalo to those women who organized in Washington, D.C., and also on a state level, too. Everybody who worked so hard to pull off this extraordinary event, just, you know, not 1.3 million people in Washington, D.C. alone, but 6 million people around the world. Around the world, yes. So was it global. It was amazing. Yeah. And it continues to be, you know, some marches are smaller and larger, but I don't think it's really about the size per se, although it was a quite strong message. It's really about that ongoing commitment to be more civically engaged and to participate in your own community in your own way in matters that, you know, may speak to your heart and through that process that you find a new family and a new niche to be able to say, okay, we're going to get untangled, you know, from this situation and figure out ways to, you know, make that happen step by step. So on that note, to you mind telling our viewers, what does Women's March stand for? What's the vision and mission for Women's March? So I think that the Women's March stands for many things, right? So there's the unity principles, they're studied out for human rights and women's rights and workers' rights and, you know, and working for, I always try to think of it as working for something instead of against something, you know. So to me, it's, you know, working in favor of, you know, making sure that we have, you know, equal access and, you know, all of our health care and, I mean, so many things at this point, just like saving the democracy, it's coming down to brass tax. But I think Women's March Hawaii wants to make sure that women and men throughout this day know that, you know, this is a place where you can come and be engaged. And it's a grassroots movement and we welcome anyone and we need more marchers to make sure that our voices are heard and not just for the national landscape but for our local landscape. You know, like wherever you are, run for school board, like, you know, run for some office, run for county council, run for city council, run for dog catcher. You know, it's like, you know, just, you know, please, if you feel passionate about an issue, then go ahead and, you know, take it and be passionate about it. Absolutely. I think it's such a beautiful template to actually bring people together and also a way to unite and collaborate with all the organizations and to co-sponsor, you know, activities that we all like walking towards, you know, the same principle. I am very humbled and very supportive of Women's March. So as the Chair of the Poemness International Hawaii Chapter, I have co-sponsored two candlelight videos in the last month and a half here in Hawaii, because those work courses that we already have established as a global priority. So the first candlelight video was with regards to the Syrian gas attack and then the subsequent airstrike that the United States have made in Syrian territory three days later. And you know, it was so powerful to see people coming together and saying, you know, let's do this and let's really bring storm and let's unite forces and let's figure out ways that we have knowledge here locally, but that we can do something locally that can reflect elsewhere, you know. And so I hope there are more organizations and more individuals, you know, say, let's do this together. Because there's a lot of issues to work on. It just seems to be growing. It's like every day, it's like, oh, oh, so now there's that one, too. Oh, boy. So well, let me tell you one thing. I think you mentioned it briefly before, but we are working in partnership as a huddle. So a huddle is like a smaller group that like works on, you know, particular actions. And so this you can find on the website and you can sign up for a huddle. So one of our huddles is with the Seeds of Peace and Omidyar Fellows. And I really would like to talk a little bit more in depth about both partnerships, you know, after we take a little break from our program. And it's just really amazing to see that in such a short period of time, how much strength the movement has gained. So for all of the despair and the hope against hope and the outrage that we feel on a daily basis, not even on a weekly basis every day, it's like there are salt on basic human rights and democracy and everything that this nation stands for, that I think more and more people are saying, wait a minute, this is not what we signed up for and this cannot continue to happen at the speed it's happening. And so there's hope. And I really am a big fan of Seeds of Peace. And so we've got to take a quick break and then we're going to jump right in and talk about that. Okay, great. Back to Perspectives of Legal Justice, this is Via Cantello. And so talking about Women's March and the beautiful partnerships that have been created also with the Omidiar Foundation and Seeds for Peace. So don't mind telling a little bit more about these partnerships, but also to give our viewers a little overview of what the Omidiar Foundation stands for and also Seeds of Peace. Sure. So the Forum of Fellows is kind of like the receptor of the Omidiar Fellowship program. And so as we graduate, then we become part of this leadership group. And so as we figure out where we want to be and how we want to use our leadership, one of the things that three of us looked at when the Women's March appeared on the National Landscape was how do we from the state of Hawaii take the tools that we have and the skills that we have, not only to Washington, D.C., but how do we bring that back? And then how do we work with all of these people to build a positive, actionable steps? So the March, like you said, was really wonderful. And it was exactly what we needed to have happen to be hopeful. But after the March, there needs to be a movement. And every day, we have to get up and know that we need to continue to take action. So for me, that's a positive out of all this, is there's so much engagement than before the election. And even though we are like, you know, this is not the way I wanted to see it happen, but I'm really grateful that so many people have chosen to be engaged at this moment. And so that's something that we, as fellows, as the form of fellows, and with our mentors and with each other, Somal Gandhi and Kerri Yurosevich, who also co-founded Seeds of Peace. So we decided that Seeds of Peace would be a really beautiful place to take and to kind of build on, you know, the peace building and the action building through peace. Through peace, which is what we need. Exactly. We need a change, much needed change, but it has to be from a place of deep thought and transformation, not a reactionary response and place of heart and anger, which anger in itself is not bad, it's what you do with it. It can be an amazing fuel for big changes. We talked about that, we talked about the Dalai Lama saying, hey, you notice what you notice. It's very upsetting, some of the things that's happening, because it's causing so much suffering and unnecessary pain on so many people who don't deserve, period, and how do we relieve that suffering and that burden and that pain, and where does our responsibility, I think, as fellow human beings stand in that process to make sure that that happens. So whether you feel directly impacted or not, or even in a place of privilege away, it may not impact you personally, I think it's everyone's issue, and caring is a primary characteristic of human beings. We sing a big sense of distress and need right now, and so there's a little bit about this piece, and how that framework of the organization interwovens with women's march. So we're trying to figure that out, and that's one of the things that we're working on, is we don't have the answer, but together we can find the answer, and we can find the pathway in which to make this work for us all, and your strength will be someplace else than where my strength is. And I think that's really important to figure out where it is that you feel most confident and most valued, and to bring that value in. And so that's what we try to do with the seeds of peace framework, is to create, and we're still talking about how to build an action plan and how what to build it around, and how to primarily work with youth in the state of Hawaii, and maybe set forward a model of how to work with youth around the world nationally and globally, because that's what's really important, is to make sure that we, right now with all of the images that our youth are seeing, and it has to be, it's a scary time for us. Imagine being a child in this world right now. True, it's very difficult. On the other hand, I am very hopeful, because I think our youth, depending on what they exposed to, whether it's bad things, but also different realities, to counteract what they're seeing, that they react much quicker, and they recover much quicker than we do as adults. And so I think that planting those seeds right now, or not only two sides of the conversation, critical thinking, empathy, coming from a place of conflict transformation, not necessarily fueling to the fire in which we are constantly under right now. I'm very hopeful for our youth, for everyone really. I think in many ways what's happening can be a catalyst for resurrection and rebirth of our society, where we can help reshape and create new narratives that can have much deeper meaning and roots than what we currently have. And so that's really nice to know that you have women's march template with Omedia Foundation and leadership and also seeds of peace together to be able to craft this movement going forward. So what kind of activities women's march Hawaii are walking with right now in the recent past? So a lot. And so you have to keep in mind the seeds of peace is just one huddle. So we have a lot of different partnerships, because we have coordinators throughout the state of Hawaii. And of course, because Oahu happens to be where the federal buildings are, where the legislature is, there's a lot going on here with other groups like J20 and Amnesty International. And all of these other organizations that can help us bring different toolkits indivisible is another one too. And so I want to make sure that people know that there's many, many choices. If women's march is not primarily where you want to be, there are so many other ways to be engaged. And so please reach out to other groups. Absolutely. And so as the chair for women's march here in Hawaii, and I know you can't pick into this, OK, I really like this trend of data than others, but what really speaks to your heart right now, like for the next three months, aside from coordinating this big orchestra that is women's march and all of the organizers, what are the things that in your heart right now you say, I'm going to devote the extra hour a day, or my 26 hour day already. So I'm going to do this. Where is your heart at? At my heart. And I want to be clear that I'm the chair of the 501C4, which is primarily, the 501C3 chairs Sherry Capania, and so we have two separate boards. So the 501C4 board is going to be primarily concerned with raising money to help people run for office. So that is where my heart is, is I want to help people on a very grassroots level like run for office, and women especially feel confident about doing that. And we're looking for ways of bringing some tools that have worked in other states to help women prepare for office and campaign and start to feel that it's a possibility. Because we need to start on that state level, even below that. Like I said, you know, school board, run for school board, you know, wherever you feel neighborhood board and all of those very, they seem right now that that is the best way to effect change. Because sometimes on a national level, we may not be able to get there until 2018. But that would be then my other passion is to make sure that in 2018, we make sure that more people are registered to vote, more women are registered to vote, more youth are registered to vote, and that we turn out to vote. And that we change the landscape of the House and the Senate. So that would be like my biggest wish-dream passion right now. That's powerful change. Just gorgeous people. We're here, we're watching. We have a couple of pictures. Look at this. You're right at the cap. So that was the beginning of the March. We met at Statenin Green. And so we had these beautiful signs that one of our coordinators, Michael and Jennifer, put together. And they had them waiting for us in Washington DC, which was fantastic. So people just ran outside. So there we are. Maisie, Harono, and Brian Schott showed up to the very beginning of the March and marched with us. I love them both. They're so well-represented with our senators. Yeah, our senators are pretty great. I just heard Maisie the other day at a town hall meeting, and she was really wonderful, you know, unscripted. And she's very, oh, she's just so committed to women's rights and equal rights and human rights. Immigration. I mean, she really is a remarkable leader and so accessible to her constituents, you know. It's so wonderful. So we have very few minutes left, if I'm going to go through it quickly. I always like to ask my guests, if there's anything else you would like to emphasize to our viewers, you know, in these last minutes that we have. And I also hope that this is the faster of many times that you and all the members of Women's March come here to, you know, think that Hawaii and let us know how things are going. Yeah. How can people join, also, you know, the cause and the movement? Sure. Well, I think that that's how I'd like to end, is that now with the Women's March National had 10 actions in 100 days, and so we're past the 100 days. And in honor of Mother's Day, they're going to start the summer of resistance. If you go to thewomensmarchwashington.com, you can get the toolkit and you can see what the next three months are planned and how you could maybe be engaged on that, you know, within that discussion. And so I would definitely encourage people to do that and also to reach out to Women's March Hawaii and, you know, opt into our email list and please opt into Seeds of Peace as well. And any other organization that you feel drawn to, to, you know, be engaged as a citizen or, you know, as a member of this community. Absolutely. So I want to thank you so much for my heart, you know, for being here and for your wonderful leadership and for that drive, you know, that fueled you to say, I'm going to not only do something about it personally, but I'm going to share my strength and what I have learned on how to be a leader with older leaders who are as strong or who are emerging leaders. Because I feel in many ways that the only difference that we have between people who have not reached that level of leadership yet are opportunities. And this is a wonderful template, you know, for that to happen. It's a wonderful template. And there are many people just waiting to hold you up. So if you feel passionate and you feel called to run for office, reach out to us. Absolutely. On that note, thank you so very much. And well, my friends, this concludes our, you know, lovely program on Perspectives of Global Justice for this Friday. I wish Happy Mother's Day to every mother in our community and around the globe. And, you know, I think women's day is every day. So just remember that. Own your mother, own your roots, own the earth, own yourself, and unite it, we can, we hope.