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ʻŌpio Alliance for Kuleana Advancement
Amplifying youth leadership through civic engagement
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ʻŌpio Alliance for Kuleana Advancement
ʻOAKA is designed for youth and led by youth ages 15-24 to ensure equitable opportunities for youth to develop a strong work ethic, build capacity as civic change agents through mentorship, and gain employability skills through application of knowledge in community based, real world environments.
Collectively, ʻOAKA’s Core Team represents all districts of Hawaiʻi Island, with a majority of youth representing rural, Native Hawaiian communities.
The Strategy
ʻOAKA aims to address the opportunity gap that exists for many Hawaiʻi Island youth that hinder employment mobility, reduce civic engagement, and deepen inequity. ʻOAKA offers experiences that empower Hawaiʻi Island youth to embrace their kuleana, and lead with aloha, turning today's ʻōpio into tomorrow's alakaʻi.
ʻOaka means to open, sprout, and flash. It signifies new beginnings; an upheaval of energetic motion like that of lightning. ʻOAKA is also an acronym for ʻŌpio Alliance for Kuleana Advancement.
Vibrant Hawaiʻi Ambassadors
Hemi Martinez
Vibrant Hawaiʻi Ambassador
Nyka-Rae Laeda
Vibrant Hawaiʻi Ambassador
Articles for ʻŌpio
Throughout June and July, our 'OAKA team visited the districts of Puna, Hilo, Hāmākua and North Kohala - reaching a total of 40 ʻōpio.
Resilience Academies are a 3-day workshop series designed to prepare youth with essential skills for navigating challenges and fostering community resilience by equipping them with knowledge and confidence to navigate and thrive in the face of various challenges: from personal and peer distress to natural disasters and medical emergencies.
Take a look at our achievements this year.
Each workshop is designed to teach essential life skills and explore topics that are not typically offered in traditional academic settings.
Workshops include:
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Acing your first 90 Days
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The Art of Interviews
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Designing a Professional Profile: Resumes, Cover Letters, and CVs
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Hands-Only CPR & AED Training
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Stroke Awareness
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Fentanyl Awareness
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Transition to Healthcare
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Financial Resilience
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Mālamalama (A Guide for Active and Compassionate Listening)
To learn more or to schedule a workshop for your school, group, or organization, email oaka@vibranthawaii.org.
ʻOAKA Art Fellowship
With 12 youth artists from around the island, this
5-month fellowship will support early career artists in building foundations for a community-driven practice. With monthly gatherings, fellows engage in activities and presentations to increase fellows’ business acumen as entrepreneurs, support their mental health and wellbeing, and develop social cohesion with their peers. Artists will contribute toward collective art pieces to be gifted to the communities that host the gathering and displayed for the public to enjoy.
The Best and
The Brightest
Written by Hawaiʻi Island youth, this article addresses the perception that Hawaiʻi's brightest individuals are leaving the state and explores its impact on the youth who choose to stay or return. It highlights personal stories of individuals who found valuable opportunities for education and career development in Hawaiʻi. The article emphasizes the importance of reframing the narrative, supporting those who stay or return, and redefining success to strengthen their commitment to their Island home. Click here to read the article.
Get Involved with ʻOAKA – We Want You!
Whether you're looking to volunteer, collaborate, or learn more about our initiatives, there are plenty of ways to engage and contribute.
For more information, please reach out to us at oaka@vibranthawaii.org.