Honolulu Community College fosters responsible civic engagement

Students will hear from OHA candidates at forum

Honolulu Community College
Contact:
Billie Lueder, (808) 845-9187
Communications and External Affairs, Honolulu Community College
Posted: Oct 5, 2012

Honolulu CC students hear from the candidates.
Honolulu CC students hear from the candidates.
WHAT:
Honolulu Community College’s Native Hawaiian Center, Po‘i Nā Nalu, and Hui ‘Ōiwi will be hosting an Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) candidate forum for the students and employees of the college.
 
WHEN/WHERE:
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Norman W.H. Loui Conference Center, Building 2, Room 201, 874 Dillingham Blvd.
 
WHY:
“The purpose of this forum is to foster responsible civic engagement by providing an accessible platform for candidates to meet with students. Candidates will be able to share more about who they are and what their stance is on important issues. Students and the community at large will be able to learn more about issues that directly affect our community encouraging critical thinking and allowing them to make informed decisions,” shares Ka‘iulani Akamine, Principal Investigator of Po'i Nā Nalu, a Native Hawaiian Career and Technical Education Program.
 
Voter turn out in Hawai‘i continues to be one of the lowest in the nation with only about 56 percent of registered voters turning out for the general election in 2010. This year’s primary election returns show about 42.3 percent, or 290,653 of the state’s 687,500 registered voters, cast ballots.
 
OHA recently announced their new voter registration campaign, “Hawaiian Voice, Hawaiian Vote” to include more than 20 registration drives on college campuses and community events to encourage Native Hawaiians to exercise their right to vote.
 
“Twenty-six (26) percent of our student population is comprised of Hawaiians or part Hawaiians. We hope to empower not only our Native Hawaiian students but our entire student and campus community about the candidates and the issues that will directly impact our state’s future,” Akamine said.
 
PARTICIPATING CANDIDATES:
The following candidates will be present at the forum:
 
AT LARGE
AKINA, Keli‘i
APOLIONA, Haunani
MAKEKAU, Kealii
RITTE, Walter
 
KAUA‘I
ALALEM WORTHINGTON, Keola
ALBAO, Liberta Hussey
BURKE, Jackie Kahookele
PACHECO, Haunani
POMROY, Sharon
 
HAWAI‘I
LINDSEY, Robert
MEYERS, William