Summertime Environmental Justice Training Institute for Wai’anae Youth

Bonita, Kyle & Yoshi Kajihiro at Makua Beach.

Aloha Kakou

The AFSC Hawai’i Area Program in partnership with the Wai’anae Environmental Justice Working Group will sponsor Ka Makani Kaiaulu o Wai’anae - a summer youth environmental justice training institute for Wai’anae youth.

The goal is to provide an opportunity for Waianae youth who care about their community and their ‘aina to learn community organizing and environmental justice documentation skills that can be applied to conditions in their own communities.

Wai’anae is one of the communities most heavily affected by industrial, agriculture and military pollution, as well as many of the cultural, social and economic diseases of colonization.

At the same time, Wai’anae has been a leader in confronting these harmful policies and impacts. This is an opportunity to support the development of new, young leaders in the struggle for peace and justice.

We are now accepting applications for youth ages 14 – 19 for participation in the program. It will take place over four weeks June 22 to July 18, mostly at the Leeward Community College Wai’anae branch office, but also involving lots of field work.

There will be classroom learning, community outreach, field investigation, mapping of environmental threats and interviewing residents about conditions.

At the end of the course, participants will be given a stipend of $400.

Please share this with teachers, parents, youth, community workers who may know young people in Wai’anae who are interested in taking action for their community and the ‘aina. [Note: For more information, call the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) or email kkajihiro@afsc.org].


Mahalo

Kyle Kajihiro
Program Director, AFSC Hawai’i
kkajihiro@afsc.org