Hawaiʻi residents are invited to hone high-demand creative industry skills with two production courses set for spring 2026, offered through the University of Hawaiʻi Community Colleges’ initiative, in collaboration with the Hawaiʻi Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) Creative Industries Division.

On-set safety, support for productions

Participants in foundational safety will learn specialized protocols, proficiencies and on-set practices for working with scaffolding, aerial lifts, forklifts and more—all key to supporting production needs and obtaining related unionized jobs in the industry. Space is limited, and for Level 1 training beginning January 12, 2026, at . Level 2 training will follow, after necessary Level 1 conditions are met.

Level 1 training will consist of five courses with 72 hours of instruction including scaffolding erection, fall protection, aerial lifts, OSHA 10 and CRP/First Aid/AED certifications. Once the first course bundle is successfully completed, an interview with a local entertainment industry partner will be scheduled.

If the participant is hired, union membership in the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees commences after 30 days of employment and the employed individual will be funded to progress to Level 2 training, including scaffolding use and telehandler certification. Instruction is offered across a variety of days and times to maximize community accessibility to the courses. Fully trained and employed unionized workers can expect to earn between $50–150 per hour.

“Good Jobs Hawaiʻi is expanding real opportunities for residents to enter well-paying, in-demand careers, and these courses show how the ����Vlog�ٷ� Community Colleges can quickly respond to the evolving needs of �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s creative sector,” said Della Teraoka, interim vice president for the ����Vlog�ٷ� Community Colleges. “By offering accessible training that leads to industry-recognized certifications and union eligibility, we’re helping local talent build long-term careers and supporting a stronger, more resilient economy for Hawaiʻi.”

Course dates for foundation safety Level 1 run January 12–February 7, 2026, with a tuition cost of $1,610. Level 2 tuition is $465. Eligible students can qualify to receive 100% tuition support. To apply and learn more, visit the or email questions to goodjobs@hawaii.edu.

More on Good Jobs Hawaiʻi

A variety of free and low-cost training classes are also available to explore across fields such as education, technology, skilled trades and healthcare, that can help open doors to jobs, paid internships and apprenticeships. More than 6,000 residents throughout the state have enrolled in specialized training classes since the Good Jobs Hawaiʻi program launched in 2023. Learn more at the .

The Art of Music Media Masterclass, recently hosted by the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu, offered local creatives—including working professionals, hobbyists and students—an intensive, free workshop merging film production and music industries. The masterclass, held two days in October, aimed to grow skills through real-world experience.

Nearly two dozen participants joined the workshop, including students from ����Vlog�ٷ� West Oʻahu, ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�, Honolulu Community College, and Kapiʻolani Community College. The goal was to build confidence and community through education.

Students learned technical skills, such as video lighting, shooting, editing and workflow, alongside professional aspects, such as backstage etiquette, ethics and professionalism. For the hands-on capstone, selected students shot content alongside real production teams during the Holo Holo Music Festival.

One student reflected, “Being part of a real working media team—whether in a studio setting or at a live concert—made the learning practical and unforgettable.”

Connected industry skills

Instructor Antonio J. Agosto, Visionize Media co-founder and a former ����Vlog�ٷ� West Oʻahu student, designed the program drawing on his 15 years of experience in concert and festival production.

Agosto explained the course focused on educating photographers, videographers and storytellers on how to work in live music environments while also giving musicians and performers the chance to understand how media plays a role in their careers.

“The Art of Music Media Masterclass was created to bring together two industries that are often connected but rarely taught side by side—film production and the music industry,” Agosto said.

Agosto also emphasized that the training was designed to foster local talent.

“It wasn’t just about teaching camera skills; it was about showing how creatives in Hawaiʻi can build sustainable careers without having to leave home,” he said. “This masterclass wasn’t just a class—it was a reminder that Hawaiʻi can lead in storytelling. We just need the right opportunities and a strong community to make it happen.”

The collaborative effort was launched by Visionize Media, and presented by International Cultural Arts Network (ICAN) in partnership with ����Vlog�ٷ� West Oʻahu, KS Kaiāulu, Zippy’s, Good Vibez Presents and Visionize Media.

For more visit .

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

Aspiring filmmakers are invited to submit a short film pitch for the Sustainability Pitch and Media Competition 2025. Hosted by the University of Hawaiʻi System Office of Sustainability and the ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� , this year’s theme is Local Food Production and Consumption.

The competition encourages filmmakers to turn their creativity into impact by using storytelling skills to pitch eye-catching short films that do good for the planet. Three pitches will be chosen. Winning pitches will earn $200 each. Those produced within the academic year will earn an additional $800.

online. Submissions are due November 20, at 11:55 p.m.

Application requirements

• Written pitch for a short film between 15 seconds and 2 minutes long.
• A written description of your idea (100–300 words max).
• A single PDF (4–8 images) showing your concept, visual style, and story progression.
• Pitches must be original (no overlap with class assignments).

Pitches will be judged by community professionals, and finished films will be shared with the ����Vlog�ٷ� community and beyond.

For more information, contact Associate Professor Laura Margulies at lmarguli@hawaii.edu.

Chris Lee, founder of the (ACM System), has been named emeritus faculty by University of Hawaiʻi President Wendy Hensel. Lee served as director of ACM for more than two decades. He led the ����Vlog�ٷ� ACM initiative, which spans all 10 campuses and continues to empower students to pursue careers in digital storytelling, with a strong emphasis on Indigenous narratives rooted in Hawaiʻi. Reflecting the state’s unique cultural diversity, ACM is the first majority Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander media school in the country.

Now, the Hollywood veteran is stepping down, leaving a legacy that expanded Hawaiʻi’s creative pipeline and opened doors for homegrown storytellers and creators.

Lee said, “There are so many people to mahalo for this honor. I am so grateful to the 2004 Board of Regents, which originally approved ACM as a system-wide initiative, key alumni like Roy and Hilda Takeyama who gave generously to both start and sustain us, legislators and governors who financially supported the build out of the program across the islands, the local production industry that has embraced our students, our exceptional faculty and, most of all, our talented graduates who are driving Hawaiʻi’s growing and vital creative economy.”

Under Lee’s leadership, the ACM System launched ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� ACM (now known as the ), , , and program. It also supported the creation of at ����Vlog�ٷ� West Oʻahu, ����Vlog�ٷ� Esports, and collaborated with ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�’s (ICS) department to develop . Lee enhanced existing media programs at , , Hawaiʻi CC, , and .

Many of them are earning a living doing what they love, right here in Hawaiʻi, telling their stories to the broadest possible audience. That was always the goal.
—Chris Lee

Uniquely, ACM fostered the first comprehensive articulation agreements between all seven community colleges and ����Vlog�ٷ� West Oʻahu, where Lee also led the development and funding of ACM’s state-of-the-art Student Production Center.

“Chris Lee’s foundational leadership and contributions have catalyzed creative media education across the ����Vlog�ٷ� System and elevated Hawaiʻi’s stories to a broader audience,” said ����Vlog�ٷ� President Wendy Hensel. “Drawing from his groundbreaking career in Hollywood, he helped build a thriving creative pipeline here at home. We thank him for his decades of service and are proud to honor him with emeritus status for his lasting influence at ����Vlog�ٷ� and our state.”

• Tributes and reflections on Chris Lee and his legacy at ����Vlog�ٷ�

A systemwide vision

Raised in Hawaiʻi and an alumnus of ʻIolani School, Lee graduated from Yale University before starting a successful career as a motion picture executive and film and television producer. The first person of Asian ancestry to lead a major Hollywood studio, serving as President of Production at TriStar Pictures and Columbia Pictures, he oversaw iconic films such as Jerry Maguire, Philadelphia, As Good As It Gets and more.

After returning to Hawaiʻi in the early 2000s, Lee was invited to “start a film school” at ����Vlog�ٷ�. He imagined a cross-campus network that could elevate creative media education statewide.

“Rather than just focusing on one campus at ����ԴDz�, I visited every campus in the ����Vlog�ٷ� System,” Lee said. “I met with faculty, staff and students and saw what already existed, including the animation program at Kapiʻolani CC and the TV studios at Leeward CC, and thought, ‘What if we built something that connected all of them?’”

In January, 2004, the ����Vlog�ٷ� Board of Regents formally established ACM, and Lee became its Founding Director. Over time, the initiative grew into a coordinated system offering specialized pathways in creative media, animation, gaming and digital content creation.

Empowering students and communities

At ����Vlog�ٷ� West Oʻahu, now the flagship for ACM, students can now pursue degrees in creative media, game design, communications and more. ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�’s School of Cinematic Arts focuses on narrative filmmaking, animation and Indigenous storytelling. The community colleges and ����Vlog�ٷ� Hilo offer strong foundations in production, media theory and animation.

“What made this possible was the advent of affordable digital technology,” Lee said. “Thanks to early support from donors and ����Vlog�ٷ� alumni, including Roy and Hilda Takayama and Jay Shidler, we gave students a ‘Digital Toolbelt’—Macs with editing software, cameras and sound equipment. It let them tell stories that were true to themselves and shareable with the world through online platforms.”

Creating an industry pathway

From the start, Lee emphasized that ACM wasn’t just about making films. “It was about preparing a workforce that could thrive in the future digital economy, in storytelling, animation, games, immersive media and beyond,” he said. Today ACM graduates from every ����Vlog�ٷ� campus are driving Hawaiʻiʻs growing creative economy.

Many of those early students have gone on to make significant contributions to film and television, including Daniel Ledoux Miller, co-director and co-writer of Moana 2; Bryson Kainoa Chun, a writer for Moana 2 and Doogie Kamealoha, M.D., who, along with fellow ����Vlog�ٷ� alumnus Alika Tengan, was named to the inaugural Indigenous List recognizing top Native screenwriters.

ACM graduates work for Pixar, Disney, HBO, NBC and Netflix, but most have stayed in Hawaiʻi to build production companies or lead communications teams in sectors far beyond entertainment.

“Every business now wants an in-house videographer and social media content,” Lee said. “While graduates from ����Vlog�ٷ� �Ѳ��ԴDz�’s ACM like Christopher Makoto Yogi and Alika Tengan debuted their features at the Sundance Film Festival, students coming out of ����Vlog�ٷ� West Oʻahu are making TikTok capstones and going on to run campaigns for companies like BMW/Mini and even Honolulu City Hall.”

A hub for the future

The $37-million ACM Student Production Center at ����Vlog�ٷ� West Oʻahu opened in 2022 and has already become a hub for content creation, film and student collaboration. Adjacent to the facility is the proposed site of a state-of-the-art motion picture and television studio, currently under development.

The project, spearheaded by the Island Film Group team in partnership with ����Vlog�ٷ�, will include modern sound stages, production facilities, and a town square with live-work, retail, dining and lodging. The studio is envisioned as a transformative center for the West Oʻahu region and the state’s growing media industry.

“This is the natural next step in ACM’s evolution,” Lee said. “Combined with the ����Vlog�ٷ�WO Student Production Center, this complex will help elevate ACM to a global level. One of the project requirements is integration with ACM, which means our local students will have real opportunities—paid internships, mentorship and jobs with living wages.”

Driving innovation across the ����Vlog�ٷ�

Even as he steps back, Lee is helping guide ACM’s evolution through new initiatives. Most recently, he has been actively involved with the Aloha AI Institute, a proposed ����Vlog�ٷ� initiative that, like ACM System, aims to unite all 10 ����Vlog�ٷ� campuses. The project will equip students with the tools and opportunities to explore AI’s role in creative fields, particularly in integrating Indigenous knowledge and cultural narratives.

Lee also helped create a new computational creative media degree at ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� ICS, launched in fall 2024, which prepares students to use AI tools in video games, animation and digital content. His push into esports led to Hawaiʻi’s largest tournament in 2024, the Hawaiʻi Esports Invitational, hosted at ����Vlog�ٷ� West Oʻahu. The event brought together six ����Vlog�ٷ� campuses, out-of-state universities such as Michigan State, and local high schools, showcasing how ACM initiatives are preparing students for future careers while supporting economic diversification.

A lasting impact

ACM’s transformation into a nationally recognized, culturally grounded media school stands as part of Lee’s enduring legacy—one that elevates Hawaiʻi’s stories and storytellers on the global stage.

“Everybody hopes they leave someplace better than how they found it,” Lee said. “Now we have hundreds of ACM graduates. Many of them are earning a living doing what they love, right here in Hawaiʻi, telling their stories to the broadest possible audience. That was always the goal.”

Reflections on Chris Lee

More than 900 people attended the , March 22 and 23 at the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu Academy for Creative Media (ACM) Facility. The esports event brought together collegiate teams from the continental U.S. and Hawaiʻi, including six ����Vlog�ٷ� campuses.

The Hawaiʻi Esports Invitational welcomed players from Boise State University and Michigan State University, who battled against local teams from ����Vlog�ٷ� Hilo, ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� and ����Vlog�ٷ� West Oʻahu; Kapiʻolani, Kauaʻi and Leeward Community Colleges; Chaminade University; and Hawaiʻi Pacific University. Players competed in “Valorant,” a tactical shooter game, and “Super Smash Bros.,” a platform fighter game.

The event was organized by Vanta, an inclusive youth esports platform and league that educates and inspires future esports leaders. High schools also competed, bringing out their “Valorant” teams to showcase their skills in front of potential scouts.

“The turnout far exceeded previous years, with players, families, and friends coming together from across the United States to celebrate esports in Hawaiʻi,” said Paul Todkill, Vanta director of marketing.

Hawaiʻi Esports Invitational overall winners:

• High school “Valorant” champions: McKinley High School
• Collegiate “Valorant” champions: Boise State University
• Open “Super Smash Bros.” competition: Rydra – Michigan State University
• Collegiate “Super Smash Bros.” crews battle: Michigan State University

����Vlog�ٷ� Esports Systems Leadership and Student Summit

����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� came in second place in the collegiate “Super Smash Bros.” crews battle and third in “Valorant.” In addition to the tournament, ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� Esports Program Director Nyle Sky Kauweloa highlighted the first-ever ����Vlog�ٷ� Esports Systems Leadership and Student Summit, which was hosted on March 21. The purpose of the summit was to share ideas, stories and histories of each club/team on the individual campuses. According to Kauweloa, the goal was to forge greater collaboration among ����Vlog�ٷ� campuses. The group also discussed a long-term plan for the ����Vlog�ٷ� Esports system as a whole, which included seeking more advisory support and rotating the ����Vlog�ٷ� Esports System tournament to other campuses.

Create(x), LAVA

The Hawaiʻi Esports Invitational utilized ����Vlog�ٷ� West Oʻahu’s Create(x) lab, which features immersive visualization environments such as a projection system that projects onto three walls and the floor for various augmented virtual environments. Create(x) and ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�’s Laboratory for Advanced Visualization and Applications, also known as LAVA, are some of the resources for students in the new and the . These programs are specifically designed to equip students with the skills to merge creative media with computing, preparing them for careers in fields such as video game development, movie special effects, digital media installations, museum exhibits, theme park design and digital marketing.

From yoga in outer space to interactive star-gazing, University of Hawaiʻi students created innovative and fun new virtual and augmented reality experiences through a class collaboration between the ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�’s (ICS) Department and the ����Vlog�ٷ� (ACM System).

The Creative Computational Media course allowed students to develop interactive and immersive experiences showcased in global exhibits such as Beyond Van Gogh, Beyond Monet, Disney Immersive and TeamLab Borderless.

“Even though these immersive experiences might seem like entertainment—which is a thriving industry—they teach valuable techniques for communicating complex data or ideas to broad audiences,” said ICS Professor Jason Leigh, who co-developed the course. “This is crucial for success as a scientist or engineer, as these experiences convey information in a visceral way, making it deeply felt and believed. In fact, we’re currently collaborating on projects with the Waikīkī Aquarium, NASA and the Hawaiʻi State Energy Office.”

More than 30 undergraduate and graduate students from multiple ����Vlog�ٷ� campuses joined the semester-long course taught at ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� and ����Vlog�ٷ� West Oʻahu’s state-of-the-art ACM Create(x) Lab—the only place in the state where students can access the necessary cutting-edge equipment, expertise and hands-on training in developing augmented reality (AR) applications, virtual reality (VR) environments and interactive projection-mapped experiences.

In about a month, student teams conceptualized ideas, and designed and developed prototypes for their immersive experiences. Projects included:

• Stargaze: A stunning and technically complex immersive projection experience tracing constellations across different cultures, including Native Hawaiian, Inuit, Japanese and Korean perspectives.
• Yoga in space: A pioneering project exploring the potential for immersive environments to new environments to support and enhance yoga practices.
• Fit the wall: A simple but dynamic video game where players must physically move their bodies to fit through holes in oncoming walls.
• Fantasy wonderland: A whimsical, interactive experience transporting users to a magical world of fantasy and wonder.
• Sparkles: A fantasy flower garden experience where users can interact with sparkles through movement.

“This was the first computer class that was more art and creative driven,” said Katelyn Sung, a junior creative computational media major. “It was interesting and fun. It opens up a lot of different aspects of what you can do in the computer science field other than just being a software engineer.”

Paving the way to the future

The class has not only allowed students to experiment with new technologies but also paved the way for future projects and collaborations. The Waikīkī Aquarium has already tapped into this innovative field by commissioning past students’ work to create immersive exhibits for their own visitors.

“This course highlights the importance of interdisciplinary learning, the relevance of combining creativity with technical skills, and is a shining example of the University of Hawaiʻi’s commitment to preparing students for the future in emerging technologies like AI and digital media,” said Vassilis L. Syrmos, ����Vlog�ٷ� System vice president for research and innovation.

This course is part of a new Creative Computational Media concentration within the ICS �ٱ�貹���ٳ���Գ�’s BS/BA degree program. This program is specifically designed to equip students with the skills to merge creative media with computing, preparing them for careers in fields such as video game development, movie special effects, digital media installations, museum exhibits, theme park design and digital marketing. For more information about the concentration and department, .

A professor at the at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is gaining international recognition for his critically-acclaimed screenwriting. Marc Moody has recently made waves in some of the most prestigious competitions worldwide, showcasing both his talent and the strength of the university’s cinematic arts program.

In a major accomplishment, Moody was a quarterfinalist in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Nicholl Fellowship International Screenwriting Competition. Considered the top global contest for emerging screenwriters, the Nicholl Fellowship received more than 5,500 entries this year, with Moody’s screenplay standing out as one of just 354 to advance.

“Marc is a great example of what we are so happy to have at SCA, faculty who are professionals in the field and continue to practice their craft,” said Christine Acham, a professor and chair at SCA.

Moody also proved his versatility and consistency in other renowned competitions. At Screencraft’s Best Feature International Screenwriting Contest, all four of his submitted screenplays reached the quarterfinals, with one advancing to the semifinals. In the Best Action and Adventure category, another of Moody’s scripts also made it to the quarterfinals.

Moody’s screenwriting talents was further validated at the Richmond International Film Festival, where Moody was named a finalist—no small feat in one of the Mid-Atlantic’s largest and most competitive festivals. Additionally, he was recognized as a finalist in Final Draft’s Big Break International Screenwriting Contest. The grand prize announcement is slated for this December. His success also extends to the WEScreenplay Diverse Voices competition, where he secured a semifinalist position.

This fall, Moody is teaching screenwriting and film history at The International College of Seville in Spain, part of the ����Vlog�ٷ� Mānoa . He will return to the Mānoa campus to teach screenwriting at SCA in spring 2025.

The School of Cinematic Arts is housed in the ����Vlog�ٷ� Mānoa .

The (SCA) at the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� is celebrating the impressive achievements of its faculty, alumni, and students at the 44th (HIFF). This year, their creative works earned prestigious awards, nominations, and widespread recognition, highlighting ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�’s influence on Hawaiʻi’s cinematic landscape.

“The faculty of SCA have done an amazing job throughout the years mentoring these talented students, so it is quite gratifying to see the success of the alumni and the level of talent in the upcoming group of students and recent graduates,” said Christine Acham, a professor and chair at SCA.

SCA alumni awards

SCA alumnus Alika Tengan made a remarkable impact at HIFF44 with his feature film Molokaʻi Bound, winning the coveted Made In Hawaiʻi award for Best Narrative Feature. Tengan’s work, which explores themes of family and redemption, also earned him the prestigious Kau Ka Hōkū award for Best Emerging Filmmaker.

SCA alumna Erin Lau was also honored with the Made In Hawaiʻi award for Best Documentary Feature for producing the powerful film Standing Above the Clouds. The documentary captures the resilience of Native Hawaiian women fighting to protect Maunakea.

SCA alumni Arsenio Salvante also earned a nomination for HIFF’s Made in Hawaiʻi Best Short for his film Victoria. The 12-minute Korean drama showcases a woman’s journey back home to Hawaiʻi to sell her late-father’s home. The film was co-written by SCA alumna Keana Alea, with fellow alumnus Vincent Bercasio as director of photography.

SCA alumnus Alexander Bocchieri also directed feature length documentary Shaka and SCA alumna Shaneika Aguilar directed a segment of Real Wāhine of Hawaiʻi (season 5) which also premiered at the festival.

Students make their mark

SCA student Alexander Cleary earned the HIFFxBMW Hawaiʻi Driven Student Filmmaker Award for his short film Stitches, securing a $3,000 cash scholarship.

Two more students, Steven Loya-Montoya and Josiah Castillo, received honorable mentions for their films Where Do Butterflies Go When They Die? and Anxious.

In total, seven short films from SCA were selected for HIFF’s University Showcase: Anxious (Castillo), Ikiryo (Ty Everheart), James (Anne Di Martino), Once in a Life Time (Rickey Brunty), Stitches (Cleary), The ʻĀina Within (Marcus Goh) and Where Do Butterflies Go When They Die? (Loya-Montoya).

Faculty excellence

SCA Professor Vilsoni Hereniko’s short film Woven made its world premiere at HIFF and was nominated for the Made In Hawaiʻi award for Best Short.

Student-developed Indigenous data visualization projects took center stage at the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu on September 27. The Indigenous Data Hub Fellows ��ōʻ�����, hosted by the (OIKI), showcased innovative works blending ancestral knowledge with modern data visualization.

Five students from and participated in the inaugural “Indigenous Data Hub Fellows” program, where they learned an equitable community-centered co-design practice, collaborated on place-based data visualization projects relevant to the Hawaiian community, and took advantage of the high-tech resources in the Create(x) lab housed in the Academy for Creative Media Building. The lab features immersive visualization environments such as a projection system that projects onto three walls and the floor for various augmented virtual environments.

“As a Native Hawaiian studying in the data science track at ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�, this experience has allowed me to integrate the practices of my culture as kānaka ʻō���ɾ� with the knowledge and skill set of a computer scientist, nurturing two critical parts of my identity,” said undergraduate student Shaelyn Loo. “It has been a transformative journey that has shaped my personal and professional growth in ways I never expected.”

OIKI Director Kamuela Enos said the Indigenous data hub’s goal is to provide contemporary data visualization technology to community practitioners to allow them to show the impact of their work, while training youth that live in their community the fundamentals of both ancestral and contemporary sciences.

“Our intention with this project is to equitably engage with both regional community organizations and students in pairing the ancestral sciences and technologies that have allowed our ancestors to be self-sufficient for millennia with contemporary technologies,” Enos said. “The Indigenous data hub model focuses on four key components: a named geography, the ancestral practices that still exist within that geography, the community organizations that are still holding on to these practices in that geography, and the next generation learners that live within that geography.”

Mapping, sailing, restoring

The students worked on three projects:

• Moʻolelo Mapper—An immersive visualization project intended to augment a classroom with illustrations to weave together place, story and ways to investigate lessons passed on from ancestors. This is in collaboration with Kumu Uʻi Keliʻikuli from Leeward CC.
• Hoʻokele Table—An augmented visualization table intended to supplement the curriculum around designing sail plans for non-instrumental navigation. The simulation allows for students to become familiar with the natural phenomena that need to be taken into account while navigation on the open ocean. This is in collaboration with Kumu Kekai Lee from Leeward CC.
• Kipuka o Kahinahina—An augmented visualization table intended to share the story of the restoration of kālua mahi (sinkholes) in Kalaeloa. These kālua mahi were originally used for agriculture, and archaeologist and kumu hula Ulukoa Duhaylonsod along with other community volunteers are restoring this practice to propagate and preserve endangered endemic species of plants such as ʻEwa Hinahina. The table visualizes observation data from the site over time.

“Working with these talented students has been incredibly rewarding,” said Create(x) Director Kari Noe. “Learning how to equitably co-design data science tools, visualization software, and any technology with community partners and faculty is a critical skill and practice, but it is challenging. These students have a passion to learn these skills to be able to create projects that will bring a positive impact to their communities. I’m happy we are able to give them the space to.”

Students also learned skills from mentors such as ��ū��ʻ�� Zane, Solomon Enos and Mikiʻala Lidstone who advised the fellows and taught them about Indigenous design, creative practice and community-centered design, respectively.

Along with Loo, other students who participated include Austin Cataluna (Leeward CC, engineering), Halaʻi Napulehua (Leeward CC, computer sciences), Leilehua Kila (Leeward CC, Hawaiian studies) and Kieren McKee (����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�, digital media).

The intention of the Indigenous Data Hub project is to expand its network to other locations around the state to provide access to this kind of programming to local students, starting with Leeward CC. The Indigenous Data Hub project was funded in part by the National Science Foundation EPSCoR award 2149133, the Academy for Creative Media System and Abundant Intelligences.