EVENTS & PRogRAMS
UPCOMING EVENTS
Moʻokuʻauhau Workshop: Beyond the Basics
Moʻokūʻauhau: Beyond the Basics, a hands-on genealogy workshop in partnership with Papa Ola Lōkahi . This workshop will provide a deeper, interactive experience to help you explore your family history and ancestry through online resources and research techniques.
Workshop Details:
Date: Saturday, May 3
⏰ Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
📍 Location: Carlsbad Senior Center
🖥 What to Bring: Laptop or tablet for online research
This workshop is perfect for those who attended Moʻokūʻauhau 101or anyone starting their genealogy journey. Lunch will be provided.
Lei Aloha: A Series Honoring the Art of Lei
In collaboration with Alliance for California Traditional Arts (ACTA), ‘Umeke is proud to invite you to learn, connect, and create together. Guided by experienced cultural practitioners, each session will introduce a different traditional style of lei making—from lei kui (strung together) to lei haku (braided ti leaf)—alongside the cultural stories, values, and etiquette that make this practice so meaningful.
In Hawaiian culture, the act of giving and receiving a lei is more than a gesture—it's an offering of aloha, a symbol of connection, and an embodiment of thoughtfulness and care. Today, many lei are mass-produced and gifted without awareness of their origins. This series is part of a larger effort to reclaim the practice of lei making as a cultural and spiritual tradition, rather than a commercial product.
Workshops are open to all and materials are provided. Participants will leave each session with a handmade lei and a deeper appreciation for the cultural significance behind this beautiful practice, rooted in living culture.
**This project has been made possible in part by a grant from the Alliance for California Traditional Arts, in partnership with the California Arts Coucil, a state agency, the Walter & Elise Haas Fund, and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.**
PAST EVENTS
Hoʻomau: To carry on, persevere.
Our Cultural Scholarship invites individuals committed to celebrating and honoring Hawaiian heritage to apply for financial assistance. At our core, we believe that finances should not be a barrier to entry for cultural learning. Scholarship applications are accepted on a quarterly basis, offering multiple chances throughout the year to secure support for your educational and cultural endeavors.
SCHOLARSHIP GOALS
1
Cultural Preservation
Our scholarship offers a chance to reconnect with ancestral traditions, language, and practices, contributing to the ongoing preservation of Native Hawaiian culture. Through participation in cultural programs and activities funded by the scholarship, recipients will have the chance to learn from kūpuna (elders) and cultural practitioners, ensuring the transmission of ancestral knowledge and traditions to future generations.
2
Sense of Identity
By engaging in cultural learning supported by the scholarship, recipients will strengthen connections to Hawaiʻi as a land-base and culture, fostering a deeper sense of identity and belonging within the Native Hawaiian community. By providing opportunities for cross-cultural understanding fosters harmony and unity among people from various backgrounds.
3
Community Building
Through shared experiences and education, scholarship recipients form bonds and connections that strengthen the pilina (relationships) of their community. By investing in cultural education and experiences, the scholarship empowers individuals to become leaders and advocates for Hawaiian environmental and cultural preservation.
UPDATES
June 1, 2024
Sunset Soirée
To celebrate the close of Asian-Pacific Islander (API) Month and the beginning of Pride Month, Umeke co-sponsored a “Sunset Soirée” event in collaboration with San Diego Pride, Cal State San Marcos, and the Queer Asian Pacific Islander Middle Eastern Desi American (QAPIMEDA) Coalition, in part to elevate awareness around mental health and identity issues in these communities. This Sunset Soiree event drew out nearly 100 people from throughout Riverside and San Diego Counties.
June 1, 2024
Mālama Maui Fire Relief
In the aftermath of the recent devastating fires on our beloved Maui Island, we initiated an opportunity for people to donate, and amplify their support to the residents and community most impacted. Through the "Mālama Maui” Matching Funds Fire Relief, contributions were matched by 'Umeke, effectively doubling the impact of donator's generosity to provide crucial aid to those affected by the fires. 100% of funds raised went directly towards providing shelter, food, medical supplies, and essential resources to the individuals and families who needed it most. We were able to raise $13,149.43.
May 28, 2024
Proclamation
City of Vista honors 'Umeke with Proclamation, acknowledging its contribution to the AANHPI community.
October 25, 2023
By Madeline Lee,
U-ACT Co-Investigator
Unifying APIDA Communities Together
(U-ACT) at CSUSM
It is refreshing that we’re coming together in this unified way.
In response to the dramatic surge in hate crimes, an interdisciplinary team of CSUSM faculty led by Dr. Theresa Suarez (Sociology) and joined by Dr. Madeline Lee (Social Work) and Dr. Christina Holub (Public Health), has been awarded one of 173 Stop the Hate Program grants from the California Department of Social Services.
With $600,000 awarded over two years, the team—named Unifying APIDA (Asian Pacific Islander Desi American) Communities Together (U-ACT)—aims to better position CSUSM to address anti-Asian tension, hate, bias, and discrimination, as well as their consequences. U-ACT will provide needs assessment research, and consultation services, and facilitate support for prevention and intervention services primarily in Northern San Diego County through a collaboration with three community partners: 'UMEKE; Save Our Streets (SOS)/ Youth Opportunites Network, Inc.; and OCA Asian Pacific Americans Advocates - San Diego Chapter.
As the grant activities are getting underway, Leah Tsao, president of OCA APA shared that she is “inspired, energized, and looks forward to keeping the momentum going.” The grant partnership will help build their organizational capacity. Wayne Godinet, founder and director of SOS, expressed, “It is refreshing that we’re coming together in this unified way.” He recognizes this grant is uniquely bringing community organizations together with CSUSM, and it provides SOS with an opportunity to amplify their efforts to address community violence and fair and equitable access to public spaces. For founder and board president of ‘UMEKE and CSUSM alumna, Ilima Kam Martinez, being a partner for this grant has brought her full circle in her passion to preserve and perpetuate the culture and traditions of Hawai'i.
This collective work with community partners as U-ACT is an international expression of CSUSM's commitment to work with and for underserved priority populations in our midst—namely intergenerational Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities, as well as Asian, Filipino, Vietnamese, and Southeast Asian communities. Ultimately, the goal is to build sustainable and sustaining cross-racial alliances and promote solidarity work.
August 13, 2022
Certificate of Recognition
'Umeke receives Certificate of Recognition from Assembly member, Tasha Born Hotvath, recognizing 'Umekeʻs new designation as a non-profit organization and its commitment to cultural and community education.
