Along with UH Manoa’s Native Hawaiian Affairs Program Officer Dr. Kaiwipuni Lipe, I co-chair the UH Manoa Campus Climate Committee. The Committee – charged by the UH President and comprised of administrators, staff, faculty and students – provides guidance and programming to the campus community to help us stay engaged and connected, even during polarizing times.
The Campus Climate Committee strives to answer the question of how we, as a Manoa community, continue to engage in respectful discourse even when we may passionately disagree? How do we provide each other the space and grace to challenge each other, strengthen our opinions, and grow? How do we help ensure that everyone feels safe and supported to bring their whole selves to our community? And how do we help cultivate a culture of resilience for our Manoa ‘ohana?
Since its inception in 2017, the Committee has sought to continue to build and develop Manoa as a “beloved community.”
As explained by The King Center, the beloved community can be understood as one where:
All people can share in the wealth of the earth. In the Beloved Community, poverty, hunger and homelessness will not be tolerated because international standards of human decency will not allow it. Racism and all forms of discrimination, bigotry and prejudice will be replaced by an all-inclusive spirit of sisterhood and brotherhood.
The Campus Climate Committee works in partnership with Campus Climate Initiatives, as well as many offices and organizations across campus.