Tell us about Palama Settlement.

Palama Settlement is celebrating 125 years of service to the Kalihi- Palama community and beyond. We serve more than 1,000 people through a multitude of programs, which include sports/recreation, community services, senior enrichment programs, computer education and other programs aimed to empower those in our neighborhood who have the greatest needs.

With summer here, and COVID still lingering, do you have any concerns? What kind of safety measures are you implementing?

Safety of our participants is paramount at Palama Settlement. We continue to practice COVID safety measures indoors while still welcoming back participants this summer for Pakolea sports, our Summer Enrichment and Summer Trades Programs, the Leland Blackfield Youth Activity Center, and computer education classes including animation, LEGO robotics and graphic design. We‘re receiving positive feedback from participants; many are thrilled to be back on the Palama Settlement campus, participating in activities they missed.

Palama Settlement serves a range of people, different ages and needs. What trends has Palama Settlement seen in recent years? Where is the highest demand for services?

Hawaii has a long history of welcoming immigrants and integrating them into our community. Palama Settlement has long been at the forefront of this assimilation, as we continue to welcome newcomers to Hawaii — in this case our friends from the Compact of Free Association nations in the Pacific. Acculturation has always been in high demand at Palama Settlement, and we are currently looking for social service personnel to assist with our Micronesian community.

What are Palama Settlement’s achievements over the past year? What are your highest, immediate priorities for action or change?

Our biggest success this year is reopening our campus and hearing the voices of kids playing volleyball, swimming in the pool or playing in Leland Blackfield Youth Activity Center. Success is measured by each student’s ability to further themselves in life and become better citizens. We can measure our success by the number of people who participate (close to 1,000), the revenues we generate (like the $590,000 we received from the state Legislature) or the awards we have received (for our Digital Arts Academy).

Nothing compares to helping a child with holistic child development, whenever and wherever we can. We know we can’t do it alone so we constantly seek experts, such as behavioral health specialists and case managers who can assist our kids become better stewards of society. One-by-one, day-by-day, we work to maintain the integrity and historical significance of Palama Settlement, so that generations of kids from Kalihi-Palama will be proud to call this place home. If you are interested in learning more, please visit our website, palamasettlement.org.

Palama Settlement is celebrating its 125th anniversary, a year later because of the COVID-19 pandemic. What is planned, and what accomplishments will you be celebrating?

Our 125th anniversary celebration is an opportunity to honor, respect and celebrate the past while looking forward to a great future ahead. Many people have told me “Palama Settlement saved my life” as a youngster and it is that mindset which we are celebrating. But as we look to the next 125 years, there’s a lot to be done. First and foremost, we are in the process of planning programs for the new age. We are also figuring out what to do with our 98-year-old buildings. The anniversary celebration is an opportunity for us to launch our capital campaign and raise funds to renovate our entire campus. We are excited to work with the community to create the new Palama Settlement.

Bonus Question

Over the past year or so, you have forged a productive relationship with Pow! Wow! Hawaii co-founder Jasper Wong, establishing a Digital Academy at Palama Settlement. You are also working with the University of Hawaii School of Architecture. What is happening there?

We must meet demands of the present and future, and our Digital Arts Academy is doing just that. With Jasper Wong’s help, we are creating an academy where students will be able to learn and think about where we are in the digital age, with graphic design, animation, coding and LEGO robotic classes.

Professor Bundit Kanisthakhon and his students at the School of Architecture are also helping us plan for the future by working on solutions for our center’s design issues and helping our organization visualize the potential of our 6.2-acre campus. We may be 125 years old, but we are definitely a vibrant organization working towards the future and helping our kids advance in this ever-changing world.

THE BIO FILE

>> Title: Executive director, Palama Settlement

>> Professional: Joined Palama Settlement in January 2022; previously a loan specialist, Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corp.; former director, state Office of Community Services

>> Community: Board member, Hawaii Public Housing Authority, Catholic Charities Hawaii; HOPE Services; Friends of the Missing Child Center.

>> Family: Wife, Cherrie; two daughters, Emily and Julia

>> One more thing: “When people come to Palama Settlement they are often surprised at the many things we have to offer and did not know about our facilities even though they have passed us on the freeway or Vineyard Boulevard. E komo mai — come visit us and see what we do to make Palama a better place. Pickleball, anyone?”