Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 29, Number 8, 1 August 2012 — Why I registered [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Why I registered

Theodora "Tee" Furtado calls San Diego home. But Hawai'i - and being a Native Hawaiian - is always close to her heart. Furtado registered online the day after the Kana'iolowalu launeh. "It was very easy to do and very, very quick," said Furtado, president of the Mainland Council of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, whieh renre-

sents 22 clubs and about 700 members across 16 states on the continent. "As a leader in the civic club movement and especially as pelekikena (president) of the Mainland

Council, the best way to lead is to lead by example," she said, explaining her reason to take part in the roll. "It's a ehoiee that I made and it's a ehoiee that I will encourage, not just all of our civic club members but all Native Hawaiians to enroll, to be a part of this is process." Furtado's actions coincided with a July 21 and 22 registration drive in Los Angeles, where roll commission representatives, assisted by civic club members, enrolled about 125 Hawaiians over two days at the annual ho'olaule'a at Alondra Park. Civic club members will also help register Hawaiians at a ho'olaule'a in Beaumont City, California, in August and in Las Vegas and San Diego in September. "We plan to take the message of the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission," Furtado said. For Hawaiians living on the continent, having their voices recognized or heard isn't always a given, she said, making registering even more important. "It's a privilege that we are being asked to do this," Furtado said. "It's time for us to step up and be a part of helping to shape the government for Hawai'i for the future of our mo 'opuna that eome after us, because they're the ones who are going to reap the benefits." — LisaAsato

Tee Furtado