Ke Ali`i Victoria Ka`iulani Hawaiian Civic Club

4833 W. School St
Chicago Ill 60641

Date Organized: October 16, 2005
Date Chartered: October 27, 2005
Pua: Pikake
Waiho‘olu‘u: White & Royal Blue
Mele: He Inoa No Ka‘iulani
Po‘e ‘Ōlelo: Mai Po‘ina‘ole
Po‘e Ha‘ole: We will never forget

Pelekikena: Leonard Mendiola
Pu‘uku: Leilani Pao
Mālama Puka: Keenan Kamae
Papa Alaka‘i: Kehaulani Lum
Papa Alaka‘i: Lanialoha Lee

Aloha Kākou to the members-at-large of the Association of the Hawaiian Civic Clubs and would like to congratulate the Kaua‘i Council on their own efforts of organizing this year’s convention on Kaua‘i island. The KVKHCC-Chicago focused on initiatives that would inform, educate, and empower the constituents of the Midwest as a whole. The sum of our activities included Nurturing the Growth, Raising Public Awareness, and addressing Health Issues sensitive to Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders, including delivery of newly acquired critical knowledge, and Policy & Legislative Advocacy.

In supporting the community effort of the Oak Park ‘Ukulele Club, founded by Charter member Gigi Wong-Monaco, Hope Pelekikena Lanialoha Lee offered on behalf of the KVKHCC a touring workshop called ‘Ukulize it! Power Strums 101 in April of this year. This program was created & developed by Lanialoha and maintained throughout the year exclusively at the Old Town School of Folk Music (OTS) located in Lincoln Square.

In May sister organizations Pacific Soundz Productions (PSP), joined by haumana of Ke Kula Kupa‘a O Ka Pakipika, collaborated with the OTS’ first World Music Concert Series. This event marked the first performance in 50 years of OTS’ existence where Midwest artists of Pacific Island culture were featured. This inaugural performance was called “Voyage The Pacific”. The theatre performance showcased and recognized generations of Chicago-based Polynesian artists who were among the first to migrate to the Midwest, and who played great roles in the development of our Midwest Pacific Island Communities. PSP Artistic Director & OTS Faculty Teacher, Lanialoha Lee, customized this program to also highlight and present Hula that honored the Midwest’s first Hawaiian Civic Club. Highlighted pieces that were presented were Na ‘Oiwi ‘Olino, ‘oli shared through an OHA initiative, & Ua Nani O Waimea I Ka Waikea, hula that was choreographed and recorded by Lanialoha in conjunction with a four year project spearheaded by Kulia I Ka Punawai. The Punawai project resulted in an audio CD called Kapi‘olani which was produced by Na Hoku Hanohano award winner Daniel Ho & Dr. Amy Ku‘uleialoha Stillman. The Kapi‘olani CD is currently distributed through Borders Bookstores nationwide. This sold out performance of Voyage the Pacific was captured live on Chicago’s CANTV local cable public access station. The cablecast began airing June 21st and continues to air multiple times, reaching 1 million cable viewers in Chicago.

As a recipient for scholarships, KVKHCC sent three members to the Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander Cancer and Survivorship Conference for a 3 day health conference focusing on cancer survivorship. The conference was held in San Francisco, California. The three members who attended were Lanialoha Lee, and newest members Chandra Y. Osborn, Ph.D., M.P.H., and Micole LosBanes, RN. During the health conference all three members had sent letters to both Senator Obama’s and Senator Durbin’s offices urging them to support S2790, the Comprehensive Cancer Care Improvement Act. Immediately following this conference, Chandra Osborn met with a targeted group of families who worked in the field of agriculture for generations in California. A group of 80+pp consisting of Asian Americans and other Pacific Islanders from all over the Pacific and Mainland has met annually for the past 20 years to honor family members by spreading their ashes. This group deeply believes that the common cancers plaguing this family are due to the pesticides utilized within their trade. Aside from the workshop itself, Chandra was empowered with a variety of pertinent brochures which were distributed, and evidence-based data was collected as a result of having attended this health conference.

As I, Lanialoha Lee, step down from the position of Hope Pelekikena of the KVKHCC-Chicago & Gateway of the Midwest, I am also proud to announce and welcome our club’s new Pelekikena, Leonard Mendiola. I know and believe that in his capable hands he will move this club forward into a future with a vision that includes all Native Hawaiians everywhere, guided by the spirit and wisdom of our Küpuna who first migrated to the Midwest. At this 2008 convention, the torch is passed.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 30 March 2010 22:27