COMMUNITY OUTREACH UPDATE: SHARING NATIVE HAWAIIAN LAW WITH HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS

by Kelli Keahiahi Lee

Welina Mai! I am Kelli Keahiahi Lee and I have been recently hired to serve as the Community Outreach Coordinator for the Center for Excellence in Native Hawaiian Law. It is our goal here at the Center to assist the Hawaiian community in understanding the legal system and the complexities of the lawsuits that continue to impact Native Hawaiian rights. As Community Outreach Coordinator, it is my job to see that this goal is realized through educational workshops and seminars.

Since becoming a member of the team here at the Center, I have had the privilege of participating in the September 2006 Constitutional workshop at Leeward Community College. In this workshop, members of the Center were asked to discuss the United States Constitution and how the courts have interpreted and applied the Constitution to both Native Hawaiian people and Native Hawaiian initiatives. I spoke about the history of the Constitution, Director and Professor Melody MacKenzie discussed the 14th and 15th Amendments of the Constitution, and Professor Carl Christensen explained the relationship Native American tribes have to the United States government. It was wonderful to meet with the students of Leeward Community College, and to address some of their concerns about Hawaiian issues and the law.

On October 20, 2006, the Center assisted the Nā Pua No‘eau Program with Super High Day. Super High Day was created by Nā Pua No‘eau to provide Native Hawaiian students from across the state with the opportunity to learn about professional fields of their interest. At Super High Day, the Center conducted a workshop for students who would like to know more about the legal field, and introduced students to issues affecting the Native Hawaiian community. Our workshop was designed to familiarize students with the law, and to teach the students the art of legal analysis through team projects and simulated courtroom exercises. In particular, students who attended our workshop at this year’s Super High Day were introduced to the issues surrounding Doe v. Kamehameha Schools as well as other current cases, and had the opportunity to present their legal arguments in front of the group. We are very excited about partnering with Nā Pua No‘eau and look forward to future collaborations.

In upcoming months, the Center hopes to expand its outreach program to include guest lectures and workshops in classrooms around the state. Teachers of high school students or community groups interested in participating in our Native Hawaiian legal education program may contact me directly at leekelli@hawaii.edu.

Thank you for your interest in the Center for Excellence in Native Hawaiian Law and our community outreach program. A hui hou.