Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 38, Number 4, 1 April 2021 — E ala! E alu! E kuilima! Up! Together! Join Hands! [ARTICLE]

E ala! E alu! E kuilima! Up! Together! Join Hands!

A eall to eome together to tackle a given task. - 'Ōlelo No'eau Mana i Mauli Ola, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs' strategic plan for 2020-2035, sets the organization's focus for the next 15 years. OHA believes that Native Hawaiians should determine the worlc that is needed in their own communities, and how their resources should be applied to advance that work. Trustees, staff members and community stalceholders were engaged in the strategic planning process and the collective feedback was essential in the development of the plan. In May and June of 2019, OHA held eight community focus groups across the islands to share about the strategic planning process and gather community input on areas of greatest need. An extensive statewide media campaign utilized radio, tv, print and social media advertising and interviews to encourage beneficiaries and collaborators to attend the community focus groups in person, or provide mana'o via an online survey. All community feedback was compiled and presented to the Board of Trustees, helping to inform the design and integration of the strategic foundations and directions of the new strategic plan. Despite the continuing impacts of COVID19, in September 2020, the Board of Trustees affirmed the strategic foundations and directions and approved reworded strategies and outcomes. OHA would like to extend a sincere mahalo nui loa to the hundreds of individuals who took the time to participate and share their mana'o in setting the future direction of the organization. It is OHA's hope that the collaborative process that informed Mana i Mauli Ola honors the voices of our beneficiaries and eommunities, and moves us toward an abundant and thriving lāhui.