Column by University of Hawaiʻi Maui College Chancellor Lui Hokoana was published by The Maui News on August 26, 2023.
Like everyone on Maui, I and the entire staff, faculty and administration of UH-Maui College are mourning the tragic loss of life, livelihoods, property and the whole of the historic town of Lahaina. We stand firm and ready to support our campus ʻohana and our community at large as we face the future.
On Monday, we will welcome our new and returning students to our campus and provide a safe and secure environment for them as we all begin to travel down the very long road to recovery together. We will continue to provide as much mental health support as possible for students and faculty and staff for as long as those services are needed.
The Stupski Foundation through the University of Hawaiʻi Foundation has made a $1 million donation to establish a fund that will direct immediate cash payments to our students impacted by the Maui wildfires. This money is already being distributed to our students.
We are also making contact with our students via a quick and easy survey. So far, 32 students have responded that they lost their homes, 46 students responded that they lost their jobs. Students are in need of computers, stable internet connection and school supplies. We have a school supplies drive happening now at the UH-Maui College library on our campus. And UH-West Oʻahu has given us laptops to add to our resource pool of technology.
We were preparing our Paʻina Building (Culinary Arts) for the new semester when the wildfires roared through Lahaina, Kula and Kihei. The Chef Hui and Common Ground Collective instantly sprang into action and along with our Culinary Arts Program faculty and staff and many other members of our campus ʻohana, the building was transformed into a food preparation hub sending out up to 9,000 meals a day to shelters around the island. Feeding people good, lovingly prepared, familiar food provides at least a bit of comfort.
Our fall 2023 convocation had been scheduled, as usual, for the Paʻina Building on Aug. 14, but we gathered instead in our Student Lounge. It was important that as many of us as possible come together. And many did—more than 200 faculty and staff as well as seven members of our UH-MC ʻohana who joined virtually from our Molokaʻi and Lanaʻi Education Centers.
University of Hawaiʻi President David Lassner traveled to Maui to be with us and shared encouraging words.
“Please take care of yourselves, your families and those around you,” Lassner said. “It’s going to be really easy to get impatient as things get tough, and we will all get through this by caring for one another and remembering why we are here and who we rely on and who makes this place so special.”
We were also joined by Aukahi Austin Seabury, a licensed clinical psychologist and executive director of Ola Lahui, which provides culturally minded, evidence-based behavioral health care that is responsive to the needs of medically underserved, Native Hawaiian and rural communities. She had some excellent advice. She recommended that we limit our consumption of media.
“You guys are dealing with the real situation, with the real humans you love, know and care for, and yourselves,” she said. She also asked us to commit to the things we had already been doing to stay healthy and care for ourselves before the fires, such as running or swimming.
“When it comes to grief, you have to give yourself and everybody else a lot of grace,” Austin Seabury said.
We are, at this time, providing space on our campus to FEMA, the Small Business Administration, Maui United Way and the U.S. National Guard. Additional organizations may follow in time. Serving our community has always been and always will be in the DNA of UH-Maui College. That is never truer than in times of tragedy and dire need which our island is certainly experiencing right now. It’s incumbent upon all of us to do what we can to ease the pain.
I know that many people—especially our friends and family on the Mainland and beyond—have asked us how they can help. Our University of Hawaiʻi Foundation has set up four funds. Please go to www.uhfoundation.org/give/giving-opportunity/help-maui. You can choose Help Students, Help Faculty/Staff, Help Feed Maui and/or Immediate Cash Relief Fund. Of your gift, 100 percent will directly support those in need. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Maui Nui Strong. UH-Maui Strong.
