In Hawaiʻi County, a new Extension Master Food Volunteers program is filling a void in community food education by training volunteers to deliver practical, research-based food education to keiki, adults, families and kūpuna. A team of Extension agents at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa finished training 15 community members in May.

“The reason we did it was that we could not meet the demand for cooking and nutrition education in the community, especially after federal funding for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) ended,” said Marielle Hampton, a ������Ƶ Extension agent who leads the initiative along with Extension Agents Heather Greenwood and Hallie Cristobal. “There was so much interest in it and so much need for it, both for adults and for kids as a life skill.”

The program uses curriculum adapted from North Carolina State University and connects Hawaiʻi with a growing national network of Master Food Volunteer programs. This pilot project was supported by an impact grant from the County of Hawaiʻi Department of Research and Development.

Meeting communities where they are

The program provides culturally relevant, realistic guidance rather than rigid diets. Instead of asking families to eliminate traditional foods or adopt unfamiliar diets, volunteers teach manageable, nutritious changes.

“White rice is a great example,” she said. “We’re not going to come in and tell people they need to stop eating white rice. What we might suggest instead is, ‘Oh, could you add edamame to your white rice to add a little bit more fiber and protein?’”

Hampton added that in an era dominated by internet nutrition trends and misinformation, providing science- and evidence-based education helps community members wisely evaluate their food choices.

Reaching keiki, families, kūpuna

Greenwood brings expertise in working with kūpuna while Hampton and Cristobal focus on families and youth, with an emphasis on teens who can build lifelong cooking skills. Building on the early success of the Hawaiʻi Island pilot, the team has submitted a federal grant application to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture with plans to expand the program to Maui and Kauaʻi.

When talking about �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s food security, the conversation often focuses on physical infrastructure — warehouses, cold storage, and doubling crop production to combat importing 90% of our food. A new by a University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa researcher contends that physical infrastructure and production are essential, but incomplete when looking at the challenges.

Published in Food Policy by Sothy Eng, an associate professor in the (CTAHR), the article emphasizes that cultural and social capital are under-recognized parts of achieving food self-sufficiency.

Cultural capital refers to the tastes, knowledge, and familiarity that influence what people value and consume; social capital refers to networks of trust, cooperation, and connection.

Eng, who teaches in CTAHR’s Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, states that expanding food production requires deliberate attention to culture, inclusion, and trust. His draws on a statewide survey of 313 farmers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather than asking for fertilizer, soil, or fencing, local growers identified peer-to-peer networks, resource sharing, and community engagement as their most critical needs to sustain operations and morale.

Strongest driver of farming efficiency

Global data indicate that social capital is often the strongest driver of farming efficiency, outweighing both human and natural capital. Trust is vital for coordination, inclusion, and resilience across farmers, institutions, and consumers. Cultural and social capital help explain why production alone may not translate into local food consumption or stronger food security.

To bridge the gap between what Hawaiʻi grows and what its communities actually eat, Eng advocates for investing in “relationship/symbolic infrastructure.” Practical solutions include expanding university campus farmers’ markets and recipe-sharing programs. These initiatives serve as cultural classrooms that build familiarity with local crops such as taro leaves and moringa, naturally driving local demand.

To achieve true food security, Eng concluded, food policy should grow relationships alongside crops. As he writes in the article, “Cultural and social capital are not substitutes for technology or infrastructure; they are the relational soil in which sustainability takes root.”

Many aspiring mental health practitioners in Hawaiʻi begin their career journey thinking they are embarking on a straightforward path toward helping their community, only to find themselves walking into many regulations and bureaucratic red tape.

John Souza, Jr., an assistant professor in the at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, is working to change that with his “Do You Know the Way to Licensure?” project. The goal is to fix the critical disconnects in the state’s mental health workforce pipeline, leading to more fully licensed providers for local families.

Hidden hurdles

Souza’s preliminary research reveals that the transition from graduation to full licensure is where many practitioners get lost, often because of administrative and financial burden of accruing post-graduate supervised hours.

“Instead of being sure that people are ready to sit with individuals, couples and families and help them heal, we’re seeing that the licensure process is testing people’s ability to withstand financial hardship,” said Souza.

The initiative, part of the Marriage and Family Therapy Lab at the , is collecting data from four different routes—undergraduates, current graduate students, pre-licensed graduates and licensed providers. Souza wants to advocate for policy changes that will streamline the path to practice.

For more information or to participate in the study, contact Souza at john.souza@hawaii.edu.

A rainy Saturday couldn’t stop warm hearts and the aloha spirit as University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa students and community members gathered for the annual pre-Valentine’s Day flower arranging event on February 7. Held at Kuykendall Hall, the event offered a creative outlet for the community to connect and give back.

Participants followed a “one-for-me, one-for-you” model; one bouquet was kept by the creator, while the second was donated to the Palolo Chinese home and Palolo Hongwanji Temple, which distributed the flowers to people and families in need of a seasonal lift.

The workshop is a collaborative effort between the nonprofit Family Education Centers of Hawaiʻi (FECH) and the Home Garden Network, part of the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences in the ������Ƶ Mānoa .

Norman Tansey, president of FECH, noted that several dedicated community members have attended every year. “It’s something that has really picked up and snowballed, and we’re happy to hold it every year.”

Resilient mental health, well-being

Now in its fifth year, the event was designed to promote mental health awareness by encouraging participants to slow down and surround themselves with the beauty of nature.

“It’s important just to take some time, surround yourself with good people, and let the colors of the flowers speak to you,” said Tansey. “It’s hard to be in a mindset that isn’t positive when you’re surrounded by colors and working with different textures. It’s all about building community and putting smiles on faces.”

A learning lab

“We have refined the programming using participant feedback, and each year we apply what we learn to improve the event,” said Sothy Eng, associate professor of human development and family science and founder of the Home Garden Network. “With support from our student interns, including Makayla Sharp and several alumni who come back every year to volunteer, the project has even resulted in a peer-reviewed article in the Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences co-authored with students.”

Eng noted that the program provides real-world training in community engagement. “Students see how a program is developed, implemented and refined, and then learn how to translate that experience into research that can inform extension programming across the United States.”

In recognition of exceptional teaching and mentoring in family science, Sothy Eng, an associate professor in the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� , was honored with the Ernest G. Osborne Award from the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR).

The award is given to only one educator in the U.S. every two years and celebrates a teacher’s commitment to student success, inside and outside the classroom.

Building trust

Eng’s approach to teaching comes from his innovative Critical, Empathetic and Mindful Relations framework. It helps students create practical tools to build stronger interpersonal connections and resilience. In turn, students use their own set of tools to bring empathy, mindfulness and intentionality to their relationships—whether parent and child, romantic partners or professional.

“Earlier in my career, I thought teaching meant being in full control of the class and directing what students learned,” Eng said. “But students have shown me that good teaching is about trust: trusting their experiences, their values and their motivation. It’s also about recognizing that each student carries challenges that we may not see. When I trust that reality, empathy comes more naturally, and it reminds me to be mindful before every interaction and reaction.”

“That realization is what led me to develop the Critical, Empathetic, and Mindful Relations (CEMR) framework. It guides my research, how I teach, how I relate to students, and how I try to live my own life,” said Eng.

Eng believes that by making an intentional investment in human connection, relationships become powerful “engines for healing, learning, and growth.” The model helps students identify and strengthen the often invisible relationships that shape human development.

Eng also earned second place in the NCFR’s Cognella Innovation in Teaching Award for Family Science in 2022. He is recognized for his distinguished service to families through teaching at all levels.

The Department of Family and Consumer Sciences is housed in the .

Fashion students at the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� are designing the future, literally. In the spring 2025 semester, students in Associate Professor Ju-Young Kang’s took a bold step forward. They didn’t just use 3D design software to create fashion, they teamed up with artificial intelligence (AI) to push their creativity further than ever before.

The class, part of the FDM program in the , has been producing 3D virtual fashion shows since 2015. However this year marked a first. Students used AI tools alongside 3D software to create lifelike fashion designs and videos. They learned how to guide AI in generating images and videos, then refined those results into complete digital looks.

“I’m so proud of our students for their commitment and the effort they put into their 2D/3D CAD projects, integrating 3D software with AI-driven virtual catwalks,” said Kang. “It was incredibly rewarding to help our students explore new and creative ways to use digital design software and AI technologies.”

Tech-driven design

The class projects were a mix of art and innovation. From realistic outfit renderings to full-on virtual runway shows, the results showed what happens when fashion and technology come together.

Fifty-four students shared their work at the 59th Lasting Legacies fashion exhibition on May 2, at the ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� Campus Center Ballroom. More than 190 guests came to see how students used both AI and software to bring their visions to life.

FDM student Samantha Maeda expressed her fascination with exploring new creative possibilities.

“U�����Բ� AI platforms in the FDM 338 fashion CAD project gave me a sense of creative freedom, speed, and enhanced visual storytelling,” Maeda said. “The most motivating factor was being able to generate professional-looking visuals efficiently, which made the design process more dynamic, inspiring, and accessible.

FDM is housed in the .

For nearly six decades, the annual fashion exhibition at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa has been a signature showcase of creativity and craft. This year’s show, Lasting Legacies, marked the 59th—and final—edition of the traditional format, as the (FDM) looks ahead to a new chapter.

Held on May 2, the student-led event brought 12 senior mini-collections, two group lines by juniors, and nearly 90 models to the runway at the ������Ƶ Mānoa Campus Center Ballroom. Each piece told a story of heritage, resilience and personal growth.

“Many of our students are going to work in the fashion industry, and this gives them the experience of creating a collection 100% by themselves,” said FDM instructor and student mentor Minako McCarthy. “They find their inspirations, set up their storyboards and then move into designs, making a garment, and staging their models.”

Designing every detail

From concept to catwalk, students handled it all: design, construction, media production and event logistics.

Elliana (Yana) Abcede, the production lead, managed the massive effort behind the scenes.

“I became more assertive and decisive. You cannot be a people pleaser in this position. You learn when to say no, when to say yes, and to trust your decisions,” Abcede said.

Senior designer Hniang Sung based her line of clothing, Chin Legacy, on her upbringing in Burma’s Chin State.

“I took inspiration from traditions, cultural symbols, and childhood memories. It is a way to showcase my cultural background and uplift the people of Myanmar,” she shared.

Student designers Eleanor Osterloh and Marisa Kim also made bold statements on the runway with their collections, Bone House and Grit and Glitz.

A new chapter

“Fashion changes, but style endures,” said iconic clothing designer Coco Chanel. And so change has come for the long-running fashion exhibition at FDM. With a long and proud history within FDM, the and , organizers said next year it will return, revised and refreshed.

Undergraduate interns from the at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s (CTAHR) helped organize a hands-on family friendly event in honor of Earth Day in April.

“This is our fourth time hosting an Earth Day event. It’s a day to be mindful—by growing plants that nourish us, recycling to reduce waste, and making small choices that protect the Earth’s beauty for generations to come,” said Sothy Eng, associate professor of (HDFS), and faculty advisor of student honor society Phi Upsilon Omicron.

Held at Mānoa Marketplace, the event brought together participants of all ages including lots of keiki. It featured booths hosted by student groups and community partners, including ������Ƶ Mānoa (HGN) and , Family Education Centers of Hawaii (FECH), Phi Upsilon Omicron.

Keiki planters, microgreens

Student leadership powered this year’s event. Makayla Sharp, an HGN intern and HDFS student, helped coordinate a clay pot painting activity. Using donated pots and recycled materials, keiki picked their own planters and brought them to life with vibrant designs—each one ready to be filled with seeds and soil.

“It was amazing seeing the kids’ smiles as they painted their pots and expressed themselves through art. Plus, it’s sustainable—we reused materials we already had instead of buying new,” said Sharp.

Sariah Hernandez, an intern with FECH and a HDFS undergraduate, introduced attendees to the world of microgreens. Participants assembled take-home kits using repurposed plastic containers, planting seeds that would grow into nutritious greens ready for harvest in just eight days.

“Our microgreen station showed people that you don’t need a backyard garden to grow food—you can do it even in a small apartment,” Hernandez explained.

Students from Phi Upsilon Omicron also contributed by preparing seed packets and soil kits for distribution. The ������Ƶ Master Gardener Program was on hand to share information about native plants and gardening tips.

Blending local knowledge with ecological conservation efforts by engaging young adults aged 18–25 in oral history documentation is the focus of a University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa project that was awarded $114,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, International Program Office and U.S. Agency for International Development.

The project “Enlivening Forest Landscapes in Hawaiʻi and Indonesia,” will be led by Thao Le, principal investigator, professor and chair in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, alongside Micah Fisher, co-principal investigator and assistant professor at the , which is housed in the .The Project also partners with Ming Li Yong at the East-West Center Research Program.

“We hope that this grant helps a group of students from Hawaiʻi and Indonesia learn and experience humility by honoring and respecting the wisdom of our elders, kupuna, who really knew what it means and what it takes to care for the land, and by land, we mean all the elements that sustain a community,” said Le.

Learning from elders, community leaders

Students will interview elders and community leaders in both Hawaiʻi and Indonesia, deepening their understanding of the cultural significance of landscapes. The initiative is a collaboration with Hasanuddin University in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, providing students from both institutions with hands-on experience in place-based oral history documentation.

“I’ve always believed in the power of field-based learning and its transformative opportunities,” said Fisher. ”It allows us to learn in different ways, from different people, different places, and through the sharing of experiences across cultures, environments, and backgrounds. Having this sort of grounded context also helps to deepen learning opportunities in the classroom after students return.“

The project will take ������Ƶ students to the Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park in Sulawesi. Participants will gain insights into climate change, environmental governance, and social justice histories. The experience will culminate with an exhibition and video documentation of the oral histories collected at ������Ƶ Mānoa.

In spring 2025, students will delve into environmental ethics and governance, with Indonesian students invited to ������Ƶ Mānoa to facilitate an exchange of ideas and knowledge.

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources has officially changed its name to the (CTAHR), in a step that CTAHR Dean Parwinder Grewal said will better reflect the college’s mission and vision (below).

“This update embodies our college’s commitment to fostering resilience across individuals, communities, economies and ecosystems, emphasizing its focus on sustainable agriculture, climate change adaptation, and family and community well-being,” said Grewal. “We at CTAHR define human resilience as building individual, community and environmental endurance in the face of challenges such as climate change.”

CTAHR aims to lead research and educational initiatives that help prepare Hawaiʻi and the Pacific region to respond to and recover from climate-driven impacts to agriculture and communities.

“Our programs are centered on enhancing the human condition through a comprehensive approach to building resilience in agricultural and natural systems in the face of climate change,” said Grewal.

The process to change the name, which retains the college’s well known acronym, CTAHR, began shortly after Grewal started as dean of the college in March 2024. He had a series of meetings with faculty, students, staff, and alumni who all supported the name change proposal. A survey conducted among CTAHR faculty, staff, students, alumni and stakeholders found that more than 67% of respondents endorsed the change, with more than 72% agreeing that “human resilience” better captures the college’s mission and values.

The mission of several of CTAHR‘s departments already reflect the name change such as the , which conducts research and teaching programs on individual and family resiliency. The focuses on research and academic programs in human nutrition and dietetics, to enhance nutritional health of individuals, children and families. The explores human dimensions research through the relationships between humans and the natural environment for improved human management decisions and policy creation. CTAHR‘s extension programs focus on improving economic, social, and health and wellbeing of individuals, families and communities and offer youth development programs such as 4-H to build teenage resiliency.

The school will be changing its signage and webpages over the coming months to reflect the name change. “Human Resources” was added to the then “College of Tropical Agriculture” in 1978 when the college merged with the ������Ƶ Hawaiʻi Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, which was dissolved in 1999. The meaning of “human resources” has since shifted from resources for people, like healthy food and clean water, to primarily being associated with business and personnel management.

CTAHR was the very first college at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa when it was founded in 1907 under the Morrill Act as a land-grant college of agriculture and mechanic arts. The flagship campus now has 17 colleges and schools.

CTAHR Mission

CTAHR creates and delivers knowledge that supports and strengthens families, agricultural and food systems, and the natural environment. We educate and serve the people of Hawaiʻi and those from around the world with integrity and excellence.

CTAHR Vision

CTAHR provides exceptional education, research, and extension programs in tropical agriculture and food systems, family and consumer science, and natural resource management for Hawaiʻi and the international community. We cultivate innovative scientific inquiry, solve real world challenges, and provide experiential learning in an interdisciplinary setting with global impacts.

Middle school students across the state learned to cook dishes such as manapua and kalua pork as part of “4-H Camp Kau Kau,” a week-long culinary camp from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa ’s (CTAHR) 4-H Youth Development Program this summer. Recipes and lessons focused on the context and diversity of local food in Hawaiʻi, with hands-on cooking experiences and educational activities about �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s food and agricultural history.

The camp reached 47 students at sites on Oʻahu, Maui, Lānaʻi, Hawaiʻi Island and Kauaʻi. In kitchens and gardens across the state, youth learned how to properly measure wet and dry ingredients, practiced their knife skills preparing pickled cucumbers, and cooked kalua pork in an electric pressure cooker. They also built their understanding of themselves and their community through written activities, such as poetry and family recipes.

As one participant shared, “I feel like I can actually cook something for myself and my family.”

Students played games including “Mix Plate Match-up” and worked in teams to prepare dishes such as saimin, lumpia and Portuguese bean soup. Almost half of surveyed students reported they were more interested in a career related to local food because of the camp, and 83% said they will cook the recipes they learned at home.

Host sites included Mālaʻai, Urban Garden Center, Hoʻola Lahui Hawaiʻi and ������Ƶ Mānoa’s Food Lab. Funding for the camp was provided by the and University of �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s .

The team, which included CTAHR extension agents Marielle Hampton, Nancy Ooki, Tina Mueller, Hallie Cristobal and Christine Hanakawa, is preparing for next year’s camp in 2025. For more information, contact Hampton at hamptonm@hawaii.edu.

Nearly 50% of farmers in Hawaiʻi under the age of 46 have suffered from experiences of depression, and nearly 14% with suicidal thoughts, according to a study published in 2023 by the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (CTAHR). Agriculture is a high-stress enterprise with lots of risks and uncertainties, including volatile markets, fluctuating weather, invasive species and other stressors that agriculture producers must contend with on a daily and seasonal basis.

Due to high rates of stress, depression and suicide among this demographic, CTAHR developed (SOW) with original funding support from the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture/USDA–NIFA in fall 2021 to promote better mental health for those who work in the agriculture industry. SOW provides workshops and educational materials in multiple languages to equip individuals with practical skills for managing stress and promoting mental well-being. SOW also conducts cutting-edge research, producing podcasts that have garnered more than 2,000 downloads, and 1,000 Instagram followers.

For its efforts, SOW was honored with the Outstanding Community Mental Health Leader award by Mental Health America Hawaiʻi in May.

“This award validates our dedication and commitment to promoting mental health awareness and support within Hawaiʻi’s agricultural communities,” said Thao Le, CTAHR professor and chair of the Family Consumer Sciences department, and SOW director. “This recognition highlights the effectiveness of our initiatives from the community in addressing mental health challenges and fostering resilience for our farmers and ranchers.”

Building social connection to address mental health challenges

SOW developed the which has trained more than 60 ag mentors to serve as community connector and ag mental health navigator, and is seeking additional funding to expand its program and across the Pacific. Guam, for instance, has reached out and is also interested in replicating SOW’s efforts.

“We remain steadfast in destigmatizing mental challenges by bolstering social connection and social capital,” said Le.

SOW collaborates with the Western Region Agricultural Stress Assistance Program, a partnership with 13 states and four territories, Safe States Alliance, and Hawaiʻi Department of Health, Emergency Medical Services and Injury Prevention System Branch, along with other organizations to leverage resources and expertise.

“The effectiveness of what we do depends on the relationships we build, cultivate, and nurture, so that no one feels alone in their struggles,” said Le.

A haute couture gown (hand-made and custom-fitted for the client) by the late Japanese fashion designer Hanae Mori has been donated to the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (CTAHR) Historic Costume Collection.

The gown is made of silk chiffon and features sequins and beads sewn on to look like bamboo, fans, leaves and three-dimensional flowers. Mori’s motif was the butterfly, which was incorporated into many of her creations, and this gown features a draped butterfly wing in the front.

Mori was the only Asian person in her lifetime to be accepted by the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode—the French organization that governs haute couture fashion.

“This donation will complement other Hanae Mori creations we have in the collection, and its history is a nice link between fashion, agriculture (plants), and philanthropy,” said Andy Reilly, a professor in the . “The collection represents the history of Hawaiʻi as told through clothing, and I am very thankful that the gown will remain in Hawaiʻi.”

The donor, Fredrica Cassiday, had originally considered gifting it to the Met in New York, Reilly explained, but wanted it to remain in Hawaiʻi and chose CTAHR instead.

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A University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� research team presented their ideas to improve fire-resistant gear currently on the market for firefighters to NASA experts who study fire shelters that are deployed during forest fire emergency situations.

Led by Shu-Hwa Lin from the ’ (CTAHR) , program, the team presented their innovations during NASA’s (MITTIC) held at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, from November 29 to December 1.

The team, called Inferno Tech, consists of ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� students: team leader Chester Leoso, Matthew Kirimitsu, Johnathan Hollis, Alexander Castillo, Johnell Ladera, Jason Merlander, Louis Jeffers-Fabro and Rio Chappot. They are the first Hawaiʻi group to participate in the federal space agency’s contest, and competed against nine other university teams across the country.

MITTIC is similar to Shark Tank, where, in front of Space Tank Judges (business coaches), students were given the #SpaceToPitch their innovative ideas for new technologies that can benefit their campus, community and the world. MITTIC offers monetary awards for selected teams, with the winning team receiving $20,000 and the second team receiving $10,000. Additionally, students receive better opportunities for MITTIC internships.

Although the team did not receive the winning prizes, they received inspiration and motivation to make changes in their community.

“It was inspiring to see so many people at NASA working hard to make changes in the world. Each change may be small, but make a significant difference for all of mankind,” said Kirimitsu, the team’s manager of public affairs. “That is why NASA needs university students to start making these changes to impact their generation. We want to eventually start working with other accelerators and competitions here in Hawaiʻi to start a movement of entrepreneurship here at ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�.&�����ܴ�;

The opportunity to make a change

Firefighting is associated with various cancers, as they work in and around dangerous environments and carcinogens. In addition, fire suits typically contain perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances known as PFAS, or forever chemicals, which are toxic to humans.

“We are researching sustainable materials that can be manufactured to create chemical-free turnout gear for firefighters,” said Kirimitsu. “We hope to take our research to the next level by collaborating with NASA to get feedback, and be an inspiration to other ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� students who want to start their careers with NASA.”

After interviewing local firefighters, the team concluded that fire personal protective equipment desperately needs to change, and they felt obligated to create a solution that could maintain firefighters’ long-term health.

“Firefighters deserve protection that keeps them safe from fires, as well as later illnesses that can result from being a firefighter. It can [also] help protect our community from toxic chemicals that are released in high-danger environments,” Kirimitsu said. “Fires are not going away anytime soon, and we want to keep our firefighters and our ʻohana safe. NASA is allowing us an opportunity to make a change, and I am excited to meet some of these highly intelligent individuals.”

Although Hawaiʻi is known for iconic Aloha shirts and muʻumuʻu, Professor Andy Reilly from the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�’s ’ (CTAHR) believes that palaka and rice bag clothes could be next in line to becoming a worldwide phenomenon in fashion.

With humble beginnings in plantations across the islands, rice bag clothing designed by Japanese immigrants and the nostalgic checkered-print palaka fabric are deeply embedded in Hawaiʻi’s history. Once embraced as the unofficial uniform of plantation workers, palaka and rice bag clothing have resurged in popularity in Hawaiʻi and have even made their way onto the world stage in recent years.

“Hawaiʻi is rich with clothing history that tells the story of the people of Hawaiʻi and has influenced the global fashion industry.”
—Andy Reilly

“We are just at the beginning of seeing a major adoption trend in palaka and clothing inspired by rice bags—and the stories of the people who wore them before they were a fashion item will really impact that,” said Reilly.

Reilly aims to share the stories of palaka and rice bags and track how these fabrics have shaped the people of Hawaiʻi. His upcoming research project details the history of fashion in our state, and you can be a part of telling stories about this rich history.

“I am interested in researching the stories and histories of clothing in Hawaiʻi that has not received as much attention as other garments, such as the Hawaiian shirt,” said Reilly. “Hawaiʻi is rich with clothing history that tells the story of the people of Hawaiʻi and has influenced the global fashion industry.”

Still, much remains to be learned about the significance of the fabrics to the people who wore them in the past. Reilly is determined to understand how palaka and rice bag clothes have transformed from being a plantation worker’s attire to becoming a fashion statement and symbol of Hawaiʻi’s history.

“Palaka and rice bag clothing did not start out as fashion—they were fabrics used to make clothing for laborers, or out of necessity, as in the case of rice bags when fabric was limited,” said Reilly. “Recently, palaka has been marketed as the fabric of Hawaiʻi and I’m curious to learn how a European cloth imported to Hawaiʻi has achieved that status.”

Share your story

Reilly is gathering information from those who wear or remember palaka and rice bag clothing. If you or someone you know has a story to tell, contribute to Reilly’s study by contacting him at areilly@hawaii.edu or (808) 956-5061.

Every year Hawaiʻi’s houseless crisis continues to grow. To better understand its root causes, and how close some people might be to actually living on the street, Brooke Fisher, an undergraduate student in the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�’s ’ Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS), produced Bridging the Gap. The documentary investigates how to help prevent the deeply rooted issue.

“This project helped me understand the importance of Human Development and Family Studies to support our families and children as a form of preventative work,” said Fisher, who also works in mental health and addiction services. “Society cannot function effectively and efficiently when such a large percentage of the population is either experiencing homelessness or facing multiple risk factors that lead to this status, such as inadequate wages and the high cost of living.”

Her hope is viewers will gain a better understanding of this problem to pave a path that will lead to more support for this population.

“The material I learned in the classroom, combined with the hands-on experience working alongside this population, allowed me to recognize the cause and effect that occurs due to a challenging upbringing,” Fisher added.

“I am so proud of Brooke, who worked tirelessly to create an informative and meaningful film to help us understand the potential root causes of Hawaiʻi‘s houseless crisis,” added HDFS Assistant Professor Sothy Eng. “As she points out, if we don’t spend more time investing in our families and our children, we will never be able to overcome this crisis.”

Fisher’s project was funded via a ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� award.

This is an example of ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�’s goal of (PDF), one of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

The (ITAA) has given its highest honor to a University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� professor for “outstanding contributions to the textile and apparel discipline and for service to ITAA.” The lifelong designation also includes membership in ITAA’s Legacy Group.

Andy Reilly, a professor in the fashion design and merchandising program of the in the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, was granted the honor for “teaching excellence, professional development, significant research contributions, scope and breadth of professional presentations, exceptional ITAA service, and significant contribution to the field of textiles and clothing.”

He previously served ITAA as conference co-chair, vice president for scholarship, and most recently as president of the Textile and Apparel Programs Accrediting Commission, an organization created by ITAA. Reilly has taught 22 different courses at ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� with the two staple courses being Introduction to the Fashion Industry and Culture, Gender and Appearance. He also co-produces and hosts a local television show, Hawaiʻi Fashion Now.

“I am humbled to receive this award,” said Reilly. “I had no idea how much ITAA would change my life when I joined as a graduate student.”

This work is an example of ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�’s goal of (PDF), one of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

A new children’s book Mindfulness with Aloha Breath serves as a resiliency resource for Hawaiʻi’s keiki. Thao Le, from the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�’s (CTAHR) has created a tool to help children practice mindfulness with the incorporation of Hawaiian values of aloha.

Le, a professor in the Department of , partnered with the Hawaiʻi Department of Human Services’ (DHS) Office of Youth Services to deliver 3,000 copies to six Hawaiʻi Department of Education area complexes on Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi Island, as well as 1,000 copies to nonprofit organizations serving youth and families throughout the islands.

Using her new book as a springboard, Le is currently conducting professional training sessions for Hawaiʻi DHS staff to cultivate resiliency in children across the state.

“I’m so grateful and excited for this opportunity,” she said. “It is a challenging time for all of us to focus on the here and now with patience and kindness. Learning to practice mindfulness by being in touch with one’s feelings and thoughts, to understand how and why they arise and to regulate them, can help reduce the anxiety, increase focus and rejuvenate one’s brain to move forward.”

Mindfulness with Aloha Breath is available directly from or on .

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Hawaiian Women’s Fashions: Kapa, Cotton and Silk, a book by an alumna of the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�’s (CTAHR), shares the beauty of Hawaiʻi with the world.

Written by Agnes Terao-Guiala, the book takes readers back in time to the roots of traditional kapa paʻu (wrap-around garments made from fabric of pounded tree fibers), the muʻumuʻu and the aloha shirt that we all know and love. The book features current designs of Hawaiiana fashion that have been seen on runways in Milan, Paris, London and New York, and historic photos of nearly 200 authentic garments.

In addition to her home economics major, now known as the department at CTAHR, and connections to CTAHR’s program, Terao-Guiala was inspired to publish the book after seeing a lack of information on the topic of Hawaiian women’s fashion. What really motivated her, however, was an article about Richard Goodwin, one of the main designers for Alfred Shaheen, who died before creating a book about Hawaiian women’s fashion with links to the history of Hawaiʻi.

“The article inspired me to start researching Hawaiian women’s fashion and the Hawaiian women who were the fashion leaders in the islands,” Terao-Guiala said.

Her book is and at the , where 10% of sales are donated to the Wailuku Museum.

—By Marissa Nash, FDM undergraduate and CTAHR Student Ambassador

Adapting to the pandemic is tough all around, especially for frustrated parents trying to homeschool their children through the crisis, but teaching at home comes a little easier with the assistance of the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�’s (CTAHR).

The Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) program has developed a series of online guided gardening lessons that both parents and keiki can enjoy. Dubbed a homeschool edition of the HDFS’ Home Garden Network (HGN), the videos use activities—conducted by parents—that teach and demonstrate to their keiki the basic concept and understanding of seeds.

Since most parents need simple guidance to teach their kids, HDFS interns Tiana Brennan and Jarett Shiu have incorporated helpful print and online tools aimed at adults.

“HDFS faculty Lynn Yamashita has worked tirelessly to locate intern placement, and our interns have been so helpful, competent and passionate in our home gardening activities,” said Assistant Professor Sothy Eng. “I am so fortunate to be able to work with and learn from the interns, their strengths and expertise in family and community development in Hawaiʻi.”

HGN started in fall 2018 with four Oʻahu families and has since expanded. The network was developed to inspire and educate Hawaiʻi families to start their own edible home gardens. Through gardening activities, the participating families are growing, learning and healing together. For more information, visit .