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In our ten years as an organization the LGBT Legacy Foundation has never experienced a year like 2017. A seismic cultural and political shift prompted deep questioning and urgent dialogue within the LGBTQ+ community. Where are we? How did we get here? Where are we going next? In some ways it’s been our most challenging year; but it has also been our most active, productive and impactful.
It’s been a year of unexpected changes and new challenges; but it has also been a year of affirmation and solidarity, and the Hawaii LGBT Legacy Foundation continues to evolve. Thanks to our sponsors, volunteers, donors and our community we continue to grow in our mission of empowering and unifying LGBTQ+ people, and strengthening our bonds with families, friends and the larger community. We are especially grateful to our Visionary Sponsors: Veronica Gail Worth, Hula’s Bar & Lei Stand, Alaska Airlines, Sheraton Waikiki, and Hawaiian Airlines.
In 2017 we added several new board members, creating an expanded, more diverse board that brings valuable new perspectives and capabilities to the organization. We’ve also increased our partnerships with a diversity of groups–locally and nationally–generating intersectional dialogue and collaboration. For example, we’ve joined forces with Friends of Youth Outreach as we continue to press forward toward our long-term goal of providing safe space for homeless LGBTQ+ youth.
Participation in our events grew significantly in 2017, and the annual Honolulu Pride™ Parade + Festival is becoming a true destination event; a celebration for the larger community–hosted by Hawaii’s LGBTQ+ people–welcoming everyone who supports equality (and wants to join in the fun).
The LGBT Center-Waikiki continues to be a crucial gathering place for our community, and we plan to offer expanded hours and additional services in 2018. And our community meetings throughout the year and our recent Pau Hana With A Purpose and LGBTQ+ Community Survey project are guiding us as we shape our future strategies and priorities to best meet the needs of our communities.
We hope you’ll join us. We look forward to moving forward together as a happy, healthy and thriving LGBTQ+ community.
Mahalo,
Jim Miller, Will Coleman, Joe Bock, David Brustein
The Hawaii LGBT Legacy Foundation Executive Team
Board of Directors
Joe Bock | David Brustein | Will Coleman | D.J. Dole | Luke Elick | Melvin Jadulang | Randall Jadulang | Cathy Kiana Keiko Kapua | Scott Larimer | David McEwan, M.D. | Jim Miller | Monoiki Ah Nee-Bahn | Lawrence Ozoa | William J. Sabel | Baijnauth J. (Tony) Singh
Advisory Council
William Char | Puakea Nogelmeier | Blake Oshiro | Kaleo Tevaitea Ramos
Very special mahalo to:
Veronica Gail Worth | Cathy Becker | Kelly Sanders
Featured Events + Projects
Family Acceptance Workshop
As part of our continuing collaborations with local and national partners, the Hawaii LGBT Legacy Foundation brought the touring “Family Acceptance Workshop” to Honolulu.
Developed by the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance in conjunction with their national PSA campaign “Family Is Still Family”, the workshop featured parents of LGBTQ children in a talk story format offering guidance and support to other parents of Asian American and Pacific Islander (APIO) children.
Facilitated by Monoiki Ah Nee-Bahn (Foundation) and Glen Magpantay (NQAPIA), the event featured Laurin Mayeno, Marsha Aizumi and Noralynn Mae Samalaulu Schubert, each a parent of an LGBTQ child who shared their stories of moving beyond anger and confusion.
The intimate event, held at the LGBT Center-Waikiki, was attended by more than 30 parents who shared an evening of open dialogue, emotional honesty and a path toward love and acceptance.
Celebrating National Pride Month
The Hawaii LGBT Legacy Foundation is working to make Honolulu Pride™ a true destination event, and we host our Pride celebrations in the Fall–the last two weeks in October–to allow the mainland LGBTQ+ community to join us after their hometown Prides have taken place.
But that doesn’t mean National Pride Month and summertime aren’t very special to us. In fact, it’s when we host two of our largest community fundraising events: The Pride Picnic at Queen Surf Beach and SPLASH at Wet ‘n’ Wild Hawaii. Thanks to over 20 community partners, 2017’s Pride Picnic was a free event attended by more than 300 LGBTQ+ people, their friends and families. With complimentary food and beverages, and lots of fun beach games and prizes, it was an old-fashioned family picnic in the heart of paradise.
SPLASH is our LGBTQ+ Day at Wet ‘n’ Hawaii Water Park. It’s one of our key fundraisers and it’s a party unlike any other! For 2017’s bash we reserved Cutter’s Island, offered special cocktails and pupus, danced to some sweet and sweaty tunes by DJ Joey Luna, and of course, spent a lot of time making a SPLASH. Good clean fun for over 250 sun kissed and water drenched revelers.
Save the dates for 2018: Picnic | June 2 and SPLASH | July 22.
Click here to take the LGBTQ+ Community Survey. Let us know how we can best meet the changing needs of our communities. Mahalo.
Collaborating with the Community
In 2017 we initiated a series of community talk story events to gather feedback, foster dialogue and to help us envision our future role.
We began with several open, very well attended meetings to evaluate the 2016 Pride™ Parade + Festival, and brainstorm ways to increase accessibility and diversity. The second phase of these meetings focused on planning 2017 Pride, and again, there was great interest in shaping Pride to respond to and anticipate the changing cultural and political climate. These community meetings had a real impact on 2017 Pride, which had the highest attendance and most diverse participation ever.
More recently we hosted the Pau Hana With A Purpose and the follow up LGBTQ+ Community Survey project to examine the Hawaii LGBT Legacy Foundation itself: is the Foundation’s mission and vision clearly communicated? Do our projects resonate with our community? How can we best meet our communities’ needs? We’ll release a full report on this community collaboration project and its impact on our organization in early 2018.
We’re inspired by the passion, creativity and commitment shown by those who have participated in this process, which is helping to shape our projects and priorities going forward. We hope you’ll contact and be part of this exciting dialogue.
Annual Benefit Gala + Visionary Award
Our Annual Benefit Gala isn’t just our most important fundraiser for the year. It is that, since it helps raise the dollars needed to keep the LGBT Center-Waikiki as a free resource to the community.
But it’s also an opportunity for the community to gather to honor and celebrate the leaders who have supported us through the years. Those courageous individuals who saw beyond current struggles and setbacks to envision a brighter future for LGBTQ+ people and their families. People who walked the talk and were sometimes unfairly criticized or marginalized by the mainstream for their progressive and inclusive ideas and work.
Honoring those who helped us get where we are today creates continuity from our history to our future. It’s an inspirational event, both for the old guard and for the next wave of LGBTQ+ leaders, bonding us together in knowledge and strength and solidarity.
Contact us. We’d love to hear from you.
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Please consider making a contribution to support our work.
The Hawaii LGBT Legacy Foundation is an all-volunteer organization that depends on the support of our community.
We produce Honolulu Pride™, host the LGBT Center as a free resource and contribute to dozens of community events and programs throughout the year. If you’d like to help us continue our work, click here to make a recurring or one-time donation. Thank you!
Mahalo to our 2017 Sponsors