 Happy Aloha Friday and welcome to Perspectives on Global Justice Program. This is your host Beatrice Cantelmo. Today we have a very special guest, Josie Harwood. Josie is a program director for the We Are Oceania. We will be discussing COFA, Compact of Free Association Treaty and Migrant Issues, learn more about fabulous We Are Oceania organization and about the first youth Micronesian Summit, which happened on April 15th. However, before we start our show today, I would like to remind our viewers about the very painful part of American history, and in my opinion one of the biggest human rights injustices of our modern times. Most people are aware of how Hiroshima and Nagasaki were destroyed by American-made nuclear bombs. However, very little attention has been given to the Micronesians and the French Polynesians and how they were impacted by the disastrous consequences of the US military nuclear testing that occurred over the course of 30 years. 180 nuclear bombs were launched in these regions. The first nuclear testing beginning our talk program was a series of 23 nuclear devices which were detonated by the US between 1946 and 1958 at seven sites over the reef itself and on the sea and the air and underwater. The second series of nuclear tests in 1954 was named the Operation Castle. The first detonation castle Bravo happened on March 1st, 1954. The explosion had a destructive capability of more than 1,000 times of the Hiroshima bomb. It was so powerful that they vaporized several small islands. These nuclear tests did in fact cause significant environmental and human damage. The people of Micronesia, Palau and Marshall Islands pay the ultimate price and have sacrificed a lot of them, their lands, air, ocean and health, their culture, their ability to live sustainable lives back home and they were severely compromised by American-made nuclear bombs military practices. Seventeen years later, the story still remains the same. The people who came from these regions continue to so far and pay the ultimate price and their health is very impacted. They suffer from cancer, miscarriages, tumors and bad defects. With on that note, I would like to welcome you, Josie, to our program. So honored that you're here. Thank you very much, Patrice. So Josie, for our viewers that don't know about you, would you mind introducing yourself and telling us a little bit about where you come from and your background? Okay, sure I can do that. My name is Josie Howard. I actually come to Hawaii in 1989 from Chuuk, from a small part of Chuuk called Namanui Te Ato, particularly the island of Onon. So I came to further my education, my college education and after that I've been here since I got my bachelor's degree from the University of Hawaii at Hilo. Moved to Oahu, have raised a family and went back for my master's in social work. So I'm a social worker by profession. That's wonderful. What a fitting profession for you and for the people of Micronesia that you serve. So what is your current role right now professionally? So right now I am the program director of this initiative to build a non-profit by Micronesians called We Are Oceania. So do you mind telling our viewers a little bit about We Are Oceania but also in the context of why it is necessary to really create an organization that can support Micronesians and also to link that with the Kofa Migration Treaty where most people don't understand about Kofa and how it became a fact and they're worried about it today. For me first of all, Kofa is an acronym for the Compact of Free Association and it is a treaty between Micronesia, these three nations in Micronesia, Republic of Palau, Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia with the United States. So there are three separate treaties that are called Kofa or Compact of Free Association. So we are Oceania, I mean we've been here for two years going on our third year but prior to that and thank you for asking that question because prior to that I mentioned that I came to Hawaii in 1989, 1986 our Compact of Free Association was signed and went into effect. So I came here shortly after the Compact of Free Association was established and what that means for me was it gave me free access to come to Hawaii or come to the United States without a FISA, just using a passport. Also I was able to seek higher education here, able to apply for Belcran, there are certain things that I cannot access as a Kofa citizen, like for example student loan but I was able to work and I was able to apply for the Belcran to be able to support myself and get my education. And since then we were probably like one of the first big group of Micronesians going to UH Halo for school. One of the first things that I noticed was us running into a different way of life that was new to us and that was very different and that we were clashing or like there were certain things that we did that was not supposed to be allowed. For example, you know like driving without a driver's license or driving with a seat belt on, that was really new for me because back home you don't wear a seat belt or as long as you know how to drive, you can drive. It's not the law, it's not as strict as here where you will get pulled over here and you'll get a ticket or even show up in court. But those were the things that I started realizing that people were having cultural shock as they were coming to Hawaii. So that was something that I kind of, it was a passion of mine because I was also going through the same thing so I felt I can help other people because I went through the same process. So I became very involved in helping my new community, Hawaii, the professionals like teachers and administrators and social workers, social service providers to understand how to work better with our Micronesian population. So cultural competence, so entrancing so people could understand both sides of the story. Yes, because I totally saw a total misunderstanding, could be a total misinterpretation of behavior. People might interpret that oh they're so rude, why they act this certain way or why they wear this certain clothes when you know, but it's because of not knowing. Yeah, and so that became my passion and I just started to really, I mean as I tried to make a living here I found myself ending up on the other side trying to help my people. I even left a very secure job to become a part-time teacher so I can help the kids at the school. And do you mind telling me what are the barriers that the children of Micronesian bias then and where do you see the improvements and need for more support nowadays? I think the biggest barrier for our children who move to Hawaii and you know are seeking education or better education in Hawaii, it's the environment, the difference is in environment. You know the classrooms here, the education system here, even though we follow a US education standard, our classrooms, our environment is very different from the environment that they come to find here at the schools. For example, back home our communities are small so the schools are run or teachers in the schools are our own community members so their families or sometimes we joke about it like oh yeah we couldn't get away with anything because our uncle the teacher will you know like when we exactly like after school they come to us at home hey you were really bad in school whereas here some of the complaints or some of the questions the teachers were seeking was you know you guys talk a lot about respect but these kids they don't seem to respect and I don't think it's not I don't think it's it's about respect I think it's about you know like being not connected because they don't have any relation with this person who's teaching them they don't know this person this person come from a totally different cultural background so there's no connecting and I so that's then and I think now what I see is especially with our youth summit that just happened this past Saturday I mean the schools were helping the kids come and I feel the kids are now feeling part of it feeling connected feeling a sense of belonging feeling a sense of there's a space and we belong in that space that's so wonderful to hear that in so many years you know you already have that sense of belonging and acceptance so there's the part of equity and diversity not only in the school body in terms of the teachers but also the curriculum development which hopefully that has also included is more inclusive now to have Micronesian children feel that they have an identity there with and I think part of that was when I first started out in helping the schools there were no Micronesians working in the schools so one of the suggestions I suggested was to hire Micronesians because just a face can totally make the child feel connected or the language can make the child feel connected and I will never forget this story or experience I had at the school I worked at there was a student who was very new and that was his very first date at school they called because this student would not stop crying and throwing a tantrum and so the teachers were like oh these kids that you know we're going to control him and so I showed up at the scene I walked over the student was faced away from me but when I came from the back and I I said hi may I help you what's going on why are you crying in in Chuki's language he stopped totally I mean like from exhalation to you know de-exhalation and just like he stopped and he turned and looked at me and he goes he goes you know like his face you can see that he was calmed and he was he felt secure and reassured and I asked and then I followed with another question I said I said why are you crying and he said oh because she spoke to me and I didn't understand what she was telling me simple that was it but he was throwing a tantrum but yeah his inability to be able to really express himself and I was still in that part of social emotional development you know as a child yes I think even as an adult you know that you know anyone who has tried to learn a foreign language or to have any kind of emerging program had had moments of wanting to throw a tantrum of frustrated because we're trying our best exactly and and and sometimes that's not enough because there's not enough time enough longevity to be able to really assimilate all of the cultural norms and the language in the way that we can express ourselves so that's really a very powerful story and you know you lived through that you were one of the fast members groups that came here from Micronesia and look at you now as a beautiful amazing leader and you know one of the things I want to ask you we might have to elaborate that a little further later it's the misconception that I think American culture and some people from the state of Hawaii may have about Micronesia that they don't understand the resiliency and the beauty and the similarities between Pacific Island culture and Hawaiian culture and actually to even go back trace back history that the seafarers you know from Micronesia and from that region of the Pacific Island actually arrived here so our loha spirit comes from you know a different route and I mean there are many but I think one that stood out to me is like that we're not not driving people we you know like we don't it's like we're we're not we're here but we're not trying our best to be you know to do better or we're we don't have you know like skills like for example work skills and I think that's such a misconception because like our people they have so much skills and they have so much work ethics but it's in our own different way it's on it's on it's in our own cultural way and the way I see it is that we were like the Hawaiians how many years ago but let's let's pause really quickly for a little break and I want to start our show the second segment to talk more about that okay and we're we're gonna dive right in right so aloha you can join the hawaii farmer series every Thursday from four to five on think tech and I'm your close Matthew Johnson here with Justine Espirito and we are so thankful to have this show to use as a forum to get to know all the movers and shakers in agriculture in hawaii and hear kind of their background in history as well as their perspective on what they're doing and also the future for agriculture in hawaii so join us every Thursday you can tweet in your own comments and suggestions and be a part of the conversation at think tech high and we hope to see you every single Thursday so welcome back to perspectives of global justice and then here we're back with Josie so Josie we were talking about the misconceptions that a lot of people carry about the culture and the people of Micronesia and also the resentment of the kofa treaty the history that's not well known and so you were talking about the woke ethics and the strength and the resiliency of Micronesia people and how they function way back home so maybe the level of development where we come from in terms of like you know becoming westernized or modernized I also see you know people think that we just come here to you know to leave off the welfare and but actually a lot of us don't want to be here we'd rather be home but because of the sicknesses that people are getting from the nuclear testing from our food and we also I think just the fact that we see or we're seen as different and not known that's a really big thing because our story is the same all across with any indigenous group of people with any minorities you know like our the history of the Pacific is the same it's just different way in in different areas like for example Hawaii was was overthrown whereas for us you know different different powerful countries came over and took over our islands some bought out our islands some just came in and just you know got in and took over the whole island and the whole system our relationship with United States you know that's all you know very much the same but it's just in a different way our lifestyle was disturbed over time I mean we talk about cultural trauma we also go through our own cultural trauma and I think those are things that we're starting to see the effect of but I think that that misconception of that my clinicians are just here to you know take advantage of the system and they're they're lazy and they dirty their backward I think it's it's just a matter of differences in culture differences in time absolutely and you know I arrived in Hawaii two and a half years ago and my first year I had a lot of connection with the Micronesian community unfortunately through Kakako through the houseless encampments and I must say that I really learned Aloha from the cultural perspective of the first generation immigrants from Micronesia they were so kind and so given and they had so much wisdom and how they cared for each other and their children and the way that they saw the world and that you know that really has moved my heart in a beautiful way and and I really think that we that's our that's the asset and that you know for us it's an exodus for us you know it this is like like over time I've been wondering why do we exit in like why is this happening to us you look at the Bible you see you know like people you know being removed from their places to become a better people and come back and make make the place a better place I feel the same ways happening to us um and that wherever we go we are an asset we bring that strength to this existing culture here you know coming to Hawaii and I think what I found really um when I learned from my friends when I met my Hawaiian friends that's when I started to respect and and understand what's going on in the land of Hawaii my image of Waikiki and everything changed of course and I began to value my own and I began to value my own own history and I started to get interested into why are we here why you know so I changed my major because I had realized that this is more meaningful to me and it's it's more meaningful to my the future generation of my family than to be a medical doctor yeah and that that part of really recognizing the cultural roots and the indigenous identity which I think in many ways um all over the globe you know with the the colonization and the whitening uh movements that you know it's so suppressed and yet I think in Hawaii you know from very few places on earth that you see the good the bad and the ugly over that and uh to those who come from indigenous roots like yourself myself yes that you may understand that um you know rationally but you really feel it in the heart and I think that the call to be able to preserve that and to not only help all those understand and respect but teach the children yes uh so that there is continuity and you know that there is this reverence and the respect that's necessary the revival exactly that's what I really hope you know to see happening not just for Hawaii but for all of the indigenous people and the people of Micronesia yes and I mean if you look at today um I think people are moving back when you talk about sustainability when you talk about global warming it then you started to value things that sustains us naturally for example uh you know we're moving into like back home we move from our canoes to motor boats and so we need gasoline for the motor boats uh so what I'm trying to say is there are cultural values that are so critical to our existence in the Pacific and our our you know ourselves that we need to carry on and that's my fear and my concern that if we lose grip on that because of uh you know like you know because there's so much uh the impact like fast changing world that we will lose that and we will not be able to revive it uh and so the canoe is a really good example the canoe you can make it out of any any natural material every part of the canoe you don't need any imported material for it and when you go in the water you or when you use it in the water it may be slow but it will take you to your destination and you know and you can turn it if it I mean if it capsize you can turn it up yeah and you know how to work it so it it is sustainable whereas a boat when it sinks that's it the machine is gone and you cannot reach land you know to mention the environmental impact for the crew exactly the destruction that happens exactly and so back to we are oceania tell us uh vision and mission okay vision and mission uh really we are oceania the vision the mission of we are ocean is to empower Micronesians in Hawaii to navigate success while honoring the the uh integrity of our diverse heritage Micronesia is such a diverse area culturally uh you know how many islands are there in the third there are seven major nations in Micronesia Marshall Islands alone I think there are over 229 islands these are like islands you know uh so there's uh there's many many islands yeah yeah maybe over a thousand yes there are there are small islands but our our region our area is is big it's actually bigger than the united states but it's it's a community of ocean it's an ocean that connects us yeah and so our core values for we are oceania is uh compassion unity um respect empowerment and serving with humility uh and these are the things that we feel is it identifies who we are and it uh it helps us to succeed in navigating success we have very few minutes left I can't believe how quickly I show come to an end but uh I wanted to uh talk a little bit about the assets of the fast youth summit that we just had for my prediction uh shouldn't end of the lessons on the 15th the youth summit we our target was 200 students and 100 volunteers plus service providers they were over 300 students showed up when they showed up they were charged I mean like their energy level was so high uh it was amazing it was incredible it was beyond our imagination it was beyond what we expected but I think when I asked the kids what do you feel from this a lot of them said unity and that was great for them uh some people would say you know these kids they don't show up to class on time but they were early today it really gave me a good feeling or like it gave me that an idea that when you create something that is so great and it's so empowering they will come so the kids made it powerful and they made it they made it great they made it they made it happen they did it because without them the youth summit would have been no meaning no use but they they made it yeah and may this be the faster of many amazing youth summits and that our youth of Micronesia will be our new leaders yes our teachers yes our beautiful neighbors yes our doctors our lawyers our legislatures our fathers and mothers and that makes this community vibrant Josie thank you so very much for your presence here and I hope to have you many times and I want to thank our viewers for being here today on Perspectives on Global Justice we'll be back next Friday at four four o'clock so until then