We invite you to join a 5-day in-person professional development opportunity for students, staff, employees, community partners and UHF liaisons in a Cohort Kumukahi unit, as listed above. Our time together will be a deep dive into the Native Hawaiian principles outlined in the UH Mānoa Strategic Plan. You do not need to have a background in Hawaiian language, history, or culture and you do not need to be Native Hawaiian to join. This is open to anyone who is interested in learning more about the Native Hawaiian principles for your professional and personal life. 

*Note: priority will be given to hui members in preparation for Fall 2024 offerings. 

A note on the name Kumukahi:

Kumukahi is the name of the easternmost point of Hawai‘i Island and thus the easternmost point of the Hawaiian archipelago. Because of this, Kumukahi is often referred to poetically when speaking of beginnings, of something new. Since this is the first cohort of its kind, we thought Kumukahi was particularly fitting.

Time Commitment

We recognize how busy everyone is and that this work requires a high level of presence and commitment. This 5-day in-person professional development opportunity is designed to be immersive, and therefore, you are required to be present for the entire time. We are offering this experience twice in the Fall 2024 semester to be as inclusive as possible of the various schedules you all hold. The dates include:

• August 12-16, 2024 from 9am – 4pm (2 weeks before the academic year starts)
• October 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th and November 1, 2024 from 9am – 4pm (5 consecutive Fridays Oct-Nov)

We ask for your availability for both sets of dates, but you would only attend one of these weeks. Please note that the 9am-4pm is a firm time commitment. Exceptions will not be made because we want you to benefit from the full experience, and we want your fellow participants to fully benefit from your presence.

The Commitment to Engage

First and foremost, the invitation Google Form link provided below is meant to help you understand the time and energy that will be expected of all participants and the content of the experience. A high level of commitment is important so that you and your fellow participants can have the most meaningful experience possible. After you fill out the form, the team who is designing your experience will review your responses to ensure that you will be able to fully engage. If we have any questions, we will reach out to you.  If there is not space in your life right now, we encourage you to be honest with yourself and with us, knowing that you can join this work in the future. Everyone who fills out the form will hear back from us by June 2024.

Directly below you will find the Google Gorm link for you to complete indicating your interest and availability to participate in the 5-day professional development opportunity. Please read below to gain an understanding of the intentionality behind it.

Google Form to Commit

We estimate 45-60 minutes will be required to complete this form. Please fill out this form by Friday, May 17, 2024 at 10 pm. *Note: For October 2024 the new deadline is August 30, 2024 at 5 pm. 

Please read/watch/listen to the foundational resources. These resources will be referenced in the form. They are also listed here for your convenience (we suggest you review them in the order we have shared them):

1. UH Mānoa Strategic Plan (pages 7-14)
2. Read “Our Hawai‘i Grown Truth” (4 pages) or listen to it here (14 minutes)
3. Watch TRHT Vision Video  (9 minutes)

The resources are short but hold quite a bit of information. 

Nothing in the form is a test, so please do not review these resources in that context. Instead, we invite you to be present with the resources. The questions in the form related to these resources are purely reflective; there are no right or wrong answers. 

Importantly, these resources are meant to invite you to spend time with the Native Hawaiian principles described in the strategic plan (Resource #1). The next two resources give some context for why and how they are relevant today given all of our current complexities and realities. You will see/hear reference to our Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation ™ (TRHT) work. Our TRHT work is integral to everything we do. As you will see, it helps us honor the complexities of today while focusing on the Native Hawaiian principles.