Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 6, Number 2, 1 February 1989 — E Ola Mau Elects New Officers [ARTICLE]

E Ola Mau Elects New Officers

E Ola Mau, an organization of Native Hawaiian health professionals, held its annual membership and elections meeting last month at Mabel Smythe Auditorium. With more than 60 members present and voting, Dr. Naleen Andrade was elected president, Nanette Judd was returned as vice president, Dr. Cedric Akau was unopposed for another term as treasurer, and Noreen Akau and Jo Ann Tsark were respectively named corresponding and recording secretary.

Devoted to a mission of better health services for Native Hawaiians, membership in E Ola Mau is allowed in several categories. Voting members are Native Hawaiians engaged in the field of health care, a group described by new president Naleen Andrade as including not only physicians and nurses, but also "the janitor who closes the health center at night and the secretary struggling to read a doctor's handwriting." Non-voting associate members may include either Hawaiians who are not in the health field, or non-Hawaiian health professionals. Other categories are student memberships and friends who support the organization but do not fit into any other category.

Native Hawaiian is defined as any individual who is a descendant of the original people of Hawai'i, without a specific blood quantum requirement. The full range of E Ola Mau's membership was present. Among those directly working in the health field were a radiologist, opthalmologist, cancer research specialist, maternal child care nurses, and nutrition specialists. Also well-repre-sented were hospital personnel including an emergency room administrator, records section staff, and teaching faculty from the University of Hawai'i School of Medicine. As noted by Dr. Andrade, the members of E Ola Mau bridge many professions and many possible differences because as Hawaiians we are "bonded by our eommon ancestry, and share a eommon

responsibility to challenge injustice, unfairness, and ignorance." Kanani Mariano, former administrator of Moloka'i Hospital, was recently named the executive director of E Ola Mau. Anyone interested in joining the organization may contact her by calling 5331628 for information.