 Lia O'Neill Keawe, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor at Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies in Hawai‘inuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Her research interests include comparative politics, indigenous studies and body politics of Kanaka Maoli identity and culture. Keawe earned a doctorate degree in political science in 2008 from the University of Hawai‘i Mānoa, where she also earned a bachelor’s degree in Hawaiian Studies and a master's degree in political science. Her dissertation, "Ki‘i Pāpālua: Imagery and colonialism in Hawai‘i" examines the appropriation, mis-re-presentation, commodification and expropriation of the Hawaiian hula girl image. Her research locates and exposes the structures of colonialism that are often hidden in plain sight. This research has been presented in local, national and international arenas. Her work with the Engaging Communities in Education project, focuses on communities located on the Leeward Coast of O‘ahu and on the growth and development of community partners in re-righting and re-writing the histories of these communities to realize social justice, self-determination and well-being. |
 Kaiwipuni Lipe is a native Hawaiian doctoral student in the Ms. Lipe’s international activity includes speaking at the United Nation’s Permanent Forum on Indigenous Peoples in |
 Jon Yasuda of ’Aiea, O’ahu is a student in the graduate program of Hawaiian language at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. He graduated with a B.A in Hawaiian language from the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa in the Spring of 2009. In November of 2009, Jon began work as a graduate assistant where he helped identify and translate weather and climate related articles found in Hawaiian language newspapers. His current projects as a graduate assistant work to facilitate the use of knowledge found in Hawaiian language newspapers and help to provide opportunities for the sharing of Hawaiian knowledge. Jon hopes to help revitalize and perpetuate the Hawaiian language and sustainable lifestyle of Hawai’i. |
 Kapena Shim is a graduate student pursing a master's degree in Library and Information Science at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and a research assistant for Hawai‘inuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge. As a research assistant, he works on a W.K. Kellogg Foundation initiative called Engaging Communities in Education where he provides technical assistance to community-based organizations. In addition, he also works with Hawai‘inuiākea's Knowledge Well, a digital database where he is focused on building two digital collections centered on Hawaiian-language newspapers and music. In 2010, he graduated from Hawai‘inuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge with a dual bachelor’s degree in Hawaiian Studies and Hawaiian Language. He is interested in researching the role of libraries in building communities capacity through the development of youth leadership and cultural literacy. He was born in Honolulu, Hawai‘i, raised in Southern California, and returned back home 6 years ago where he currently resides on the island of O‘ahu in Kailua. |
 Alicia Pérez is a graduate student pursuing a Masters degree in Hawaiian at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She is of Mexican and Okinawan descent and grew up in Kailua, on the island of Oahu. She is an Educational Specialist in the Hawaiian language Department at UH where she serves as an administrative assistant and a Hawaiian language liaison with the public. Alicia has been a student of Hawaiian language at UH since 2003 and was an educator in a Hawaiian language immersion school for 5 years before coming to the University. |
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