Apply Now: Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander Futures Project Working Group
Access the application: BIT.LY/NHPIFPWGapp2024?R=QR
HONOLULU, HI (June 3, 2024) – Led by Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC) and Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC), and facilitated by Pasifika Impact, the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) Futures Project is launching a nationwide research initiative to explore media representation of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities in the U.S.
“The NHPI Futures Project is in direct alignment with our mission to advance the understanding of Pacific Island history, culture, and contemporary challenges.” said Cheryl Hirasa, Executive Director of Pacific Islanders in Communications. “We are committed to this extensive process in collaboration with our partners EPIC and Pasifika Impact to identify forward-thinking strategies that address the evolving challenges in the media landscape.”
The project will encompass four critical phases aimed at understanding prevailing narratives about Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders. During the first phase, a diverse Working Group will collaborate on a national survey and a series of NHPI listening sessions emphasizing cultural protocols for data collection, that will seek to uncover perceptions of NHPI people and explore NHPI individuals' views on media representation. The collected data will be analyzed, leading to a comprehensive report, narrative framework, and action guide, rigorously tested through focus groups.
“This collaboration promises to aggregate rich, informative results that will significantly shape our narratives moving forward,” said Pasifika Impact Founder Manumalo Ala‘ilima. “By embracing a multitude of perspectives, we are committed to creating impactful, inclusive stories that resonate with and reflect the diverse world we live in.”
PIC, EPIC and Pasifika Impact are seeking eight (8) individuals from a cross section of NHPI communities for the working group, which will be tasked work with data scientists and a research consultant to develop a general public national survey and best practices for conducting and collecting data, followed by using cultural protocols to design a series of listening sessions with NHPI communities across the country. This collaborative effort will involve three in-person and two virtual convenings facilitated by Pasifika Impact, with participants receiving stipends for their invaluable contributions.
“Our intention is to include as many groups as possible in order to garner comprehensive results from the communities that we serve,” said EPIC Co-Executive Directors Estella Owoimaha-Church and Karla Thomas. “The objective of our research work is to collect and disseminate knowledge about NHPIs that is driven by and centered on the lived experiences of the people of Oceania.”
The NHPI Futures Project endeavors to understand prevailing narratives to guide strategies for better understanding and appreciation of NHPI communities, amplify voices, and pave the way for a future where the richness of NHPI communities is celebrated on a national scale.
For more information on The NHPI Project or to apply for the working group, contact info@pasifikaimpact.org.
About Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC):
Established in 1991, Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC) is the only national public media organization that supports media content and its makers to work together to promote a deeper understanding of Pacific Islander history, culture and contemporary issues that define our communities. As part of the National Multicultural Alliance, PIC addresses the need for media content that reflects America’s growing ethnic and cultural diversity by funding independently produced films and by providing over 200 hours of innovative content by and about Pacific Islanders to American public television including its flagship series Pacific Heartbeat. PIC defines “Pacific Islander” as one whose ancestors were the Indigenous people of Polynesia, Micronesia, Melanesia and Australia. For more information about Pacific Islanders in Communications, visit www.piccom.org and follow us on social media: facebook.com/piccom | Instagram: @picpacific
About Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC):
Empowering Pacific Islander Communities–also known as EPIC–is a pro-Black, pro-Indigenous and anti-racist national organization based on Tongva land in Los Angeles that was established in 2009 to advance social justice through culture-centered advocacy, leadership development, and research in education, health, and immigration. Our organization was established by a group of young Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) leaders who recognized the urgency to address the growing needs of NHPI families. EPIC advances social justice by engaging Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islanders in culture-centered advocacy, leadership development, and research. To learn more, visit www.empoweredpi.org.
About Pasifika Impact:
Pasifika Impact is a Pacific Islander and 2STQLGBIA+ led consulting firm with just over two years in business operating and over 20+ years of nonprofit leadership and community organizing experience. Pasifika Impact helps small emerging organizations build their infrastructure; assists municipalities to develop culturally responsive methods to secure and distribute funding and resources for under-served communities; and trains municipality agencies, companies, and organizations on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging and Justice principles and best practices. Pasifika Impact can be reached via e-mail at info@pasifikaimpact.org or on the interwebs at www.pasifikaimpact.org.
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MEDIA CONTACTS:
Pacific Islanders In Communications
Polani Mo‘okini | Under My Umbrella, Inc.
Categories: Projects