Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 33, Number 11, 1 November 2016 — Aloha mai kākou, [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Aloha mai kākou,

As my daughter drifted off to sleep last night, I noticed the healthy glow of her cheeks and the peaceful rhythm of her breathing and I began to wonder. . . What will Hawai'i be like when she grows up? Will she have to move away to find work, affordable housing and heahh care? Will there be fish and poi, or will all our agricultural land be gone? Recently, I was fortunate enough to co-host Healthcare 3.0 with The Queen's Medical Center and the Asian & Paeihe Islander American Heahh Forum. Among the many topics discussed, one that stood out for me involved the narrowing middle class in the U.S. It's an issue of grave eoneem because in countries whh only a wealthy upper class and a struggling lower class, opportunities for upward mobility are rare and heahh disparities are great. National and international leaders say the most important factors in individual and populahon heahh and well-being include the circumstances in whieh people are born, grow up, live, work and age, and the systems in plaee to deal with heahh - known collectively as the social determinants of heahh. At the Heahh 3.0 forum, experts from Hawai'i to the East Coast also talked about how community planning ean impact social determinants of heahh, not just at an individual level, but encompassing 'ohana, community and 'āina.

Native Hawaiians face a high risk for several chronic conditions, but they were onee a healthy thriving race. Traditionally, Native Hawaiians had a holistic view of heahh, incorporating pōno and lōkahi for physical, mental, spiritual and emotional well-being, nurtured by 'ohana, strong community ties and subsistence living as seen in the ahupua'a land and resource management practices. The strategic plan that guides OHA's work targets social determinants like education, ineome, land and water, recognizing that action in one area ean positively impact another. In education, OHA grants are helping to raise proficiency in math and reading scores statewide, and our scholarship programs are increasing the number of people whh a bachelor's degree or higher. To increase the ineome of Native Hawaiian families, OHA has an entrepreneurial program and offers education and business loans with hnaneial literacy education and technical assistance to help people continue to advance. This month we celebrate Native Hawaiian business owners and all that they do - to promote cultural activities, offer loeal employment opportunities, share Hawaiian-made products and services and support their communities to name a few things. To show our appreciation, we have offered them free advertising in this issue of Ka Wai Ola, as well as mentioned several of their products in the "Things We Aloha" section on page 18. Research has found that Native Hawaiian family median annual ineome was $7,554 lower than the state

median family ineome. That's not pono. Let's make it right and elevate Hawaiians by supporting Native Hawaiian-owned businesses instead of supporting big box corporations. Patronizing small busi-

nesses will also strengthen our middle class. In this month of Thanksgiving, I am i thankful for the Asian & Paeihe Islander ' American Health Forum, whieh is eel- 1 ebrating its 30th anniversary and the Native Hawaiian Health Consortium, whieh includes The Queen's Heahh Systems for their dedication to the heahh and well-being of our community, I am grateful for the

hard working innovative staff here at OHA, and third, I appreciate all of our partners, friends and Native Hawaiian j businesses - It is because of you that | as I watch my daughter sleep, I rest I assured that together we are taking m steps in the right direction, working H to make Hawai'i a better plaee for future generations. ^

'O au iho no me ke aloha a me ka 'oia'i'o,

V- -- ■ ' • Kamana'opono M. Crabbe, Ph.D. I Ka Pouhana/Chief Executive 0fficer 1

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