Project Description

West Maui residents identified healing and gathering as key and foundational components to economic recovery, and this project plans regular community convenings with mental health and healing services, retail, food, entertainment, something like The Garden for reflection and quiet time, and gathering spaces for displaced families and community members.   

These convenings will promote healing through gathering and relationships, offer well-being and mental health support, and provide opportunities for both keiki and kupuna to reconnect with their culture and community.

Purpose

This project curates and envisions community events deeply rooted in Lahaina's unique and diverse culture and seeks to build capacity among local community organizers and eventually establish a local event planner to pool resources from across the state. 

The goal is to produce two years of seasonal convenings serving Lahaina. Beginning in August, the funding will be utilized to develop the plan, with the first community event targeted for Fall 2024.

Some desired outcomes include:

• Sustainability:
  • Communities hosting their own events (e.g., in their own rec parks)
  • People motivated and inspired to continue this work in their own communities 
• Healing through community, healed together and capacity to move forward into the future
  • Less heaviness because people have been heard, have resources and the community to move forward
  • People enjoying spending time together and making own plans (re: connections in neighborhood spaces)
  • Community relationships established and reestablished–people you can count on because you’ve spent time together
  • SMILES
  • More connectivity, shared, clear, dependable information 

• Support for the healers:  space and exchange 
• Destigmatize help for healing
• Instill confidence and trust in collaboration