{"id":232138,"date":"2026-04-14T12:50:59","date_gmt":"2026-04-14T22:50:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=232138"},"modified":"2026-04-15T09:04:26","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T19:04:26","slug":"leeward-cc-grad-aloha-through-art","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/14\/leeward-cc-grad-aloha-through-art\/","title":{"rendered":"Leeward CC<\/abbr> grad shares aloha through art"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
\"Sasha\"
Sasha<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A Leeward Community College alumna who goes by Sasha is reconnecting with her roots through art, and shared a personal body of work at ARS<\/abbr><\/a> Cafe in April.<\/p>\n

Sasha, who earned an associate in arts in liberal arts with a focus on art and art history in 2017, said her time at Leeward CC<\/abbr> helped shape both her creative direction and career. From hands-on class projects to a study abroad trip in France, she was exposed to different perspectives that continue to influence her work today.<\/p>\n

\"Sasha
Sasha with retired art faculty Mike Harada in the Green Room<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“Through attending Leeward, doing many different projects in art classes, going on a study abroad trip to France with my classmates, I had so many opportunities to see and feel culture and art,” Sasha said. “Everything I learned has turned into my skill and profession.”<\/p>\n

After graduating, Sasha went straight into the workforce and now balances several roles, including work as a TV<\/abbr> personality and collaborations with travel media focused on Japan. She also promotes Hawaiʻi<\/span>-based small businesses and continues to build her presence as an artist. Her Instagram account @sashaloha<\/a>, which has nearly 38,000 followers, shares a mix of her artwork, travel experiences and everyday life in Hawaiʻi<\/span>, connecting with a local audience as well as those interested in island culture.<\/p>\n

M\u0101lama ʻ\u0101ina<\/span><\/h2>\n

Her art exhibit, centered on the theme m\u0101lama ʻ\u0101ina<\/span> (caring for the land), drew from her upbringing and her growing understanding of Hawaiʻi<\/span>\u2019s history and values.<\/p>\n

\"Sasha\u02bbs
Sasha’s artwork on postcards at ARS<\/abbr> Cafe<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“This really reflects the perspective and environment I grew up in,” she said. “The process of myself growing up and learning the history of Hawaiʻi<\/span>\u2026 came from my childhood and attending Leeward.”<\/p>\n

Sasha also credited her professors and early opportunities at Leeward CC<\/abbr>—such as painting murals in the campus theater—with giving her the foundation to take on larger creative projects.<\/p>\n

“I hope my art can inspire people in many different ways of thinking about how important m\u0101lama ʻ\u0101ina<\/span> is,” she said, “and your education can definitely benefit you in the future.”<\/p>\n

\"Sasha\u02bbs
Sasha’s artwork at ARS<\/abbr> Cafe<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

@sashaaloha seeks to inspire through television, digital media and painting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":232168,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[90,105,65,71],"class_list":["post-232138","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people","tag-alumni","tag-art","tag-leeward-community-college","tag-uh-community-colleges","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t