Asian Pacific Islanders and Hawaiians finding unity in new civility organization

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - Aside from Honolulu, Las Vegas has the largest population of native Hawaiians and other pacific islanders and a new initiative is empowering and educating them to work together.

“Our Hawaiians, our Pacific Islanders our native our Asian community and Hispanics as well to go ahead and help people that need it,” said Stacen Makaiwi a member of the Las Vegas Hawaiian Civic Club and chief training officer for the new civility global initiative.

The goal is simply to connect the API community together to talk about important issues from Asian hate crimes to health and wellness.

“We’re wanting to create conversation, especially throughout different generations, I’m 26 we have elders we want to create a conversation as well,” said Makaiwi.

The organization is setting some pretty big goals, “With the curriculum, we’re creating we’re gonna go ahead and train our different ambassadors or roundtable group discussion within our community if people want to be heard we have a safe space to do so,” said Makaiwi.

The goal of the organization is straightforward, “We’re bringing civility for all and not just for the Hawaiian people and businesses,” said Makaiwi.

Making way just this month of September, he said there’s still a lot to be done. He recalls finding community within the Hawaiians civic club of Las Vegas, Doreen Hall says the city feels like home for many native islanders.

“Through language, our language is important… through music.. through dance through hula the things we do within our culture is important, we know historically and culturally that Hawaiians back home comprise of 8 major islands our Kapunas remind us but we’re called the ninth island because Vegas emulates Hawaii.

If you’d like more information on the organization or would like to get involved visit the Hawaiian Civic Club of Las Vegas’ Facebook page.