2023 HLA CONFERENCE
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Early Bird Rates End October 27
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About This Year's Conference Theme

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Identity: Nurturing Growth and Connections

E hana mua a pa‘a ke kahua mamua o ke a‘o ana aku ia ha‘i. 
​Build yourself a firm foundation before teaching others.
(ʻŌlelo Noʻeau: Hawaiian Proverbs & Poetical Sayings, Mary Kawena Pukui, #276)

It is with great joy that we celebrate our 101st year as the Hawaiʻi Library Association with this year’s conference theme, Identity: Nurturing Growth and Connections. The year 2023 marks the beginning of a new centennial for the Hawaiʻi Library Association; it is an opportunity to reimagine and reinforce the foundation we have collectively built to support the librarians and libraries of Hawaiʻi nei. Awakening post-pandemic, we are infused with new knowledge about and a deeper appreciation for the diverse communities we serve and live in. Facing a fierce onslaught of political and social challenges to our profession and to the human rights of our communities, we continue to use our deep-rooted foundation to stand firm and provide services to all.

So let us use this moment to consider our identity — on personal and professional, plus individual and mutual fronts. We are shaped by the internal and external factors that make us who we are: a unique entity that has its own voice, personality, moral compass, and skill-set. Our identities are an accumulation of all of the tiny fragments that comprise our selves — our dreams, memories, fears, goals, insecurities, and motivations. As an individual, how do you define yourself and your worth? As a member of our collective group, what constellation of beliefs, values, experiences, and ambitions do we share?

This year’s theme is encapsulated by the imagery of a spiral. In many cultures, spirals have long represented evolution, creativity, spiritual development, and harmony between opposing forces. It captures the vortex that life can sometimes feel like — showcasing the relationship between where we have been, where we are currently positioned, and where we are headed. As we embark on the next centennial, let us remember and renew our foundation so that our spirals have a positive and widespread impact throughout the world. We invite you to share your unique stories of programs, services, and initiatives that represent your own evolving journeys.​
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The 2023 annual conference is being hosted jointly in collaboration with our sister organization, the Hawaiʻi Association of School Librarians (HASL). This joint conference will be a combination of online sessions and two in-person events: an immersive workshop and a social celebration. We are so excited to engage in conversations with you and to grow together as we strengthen our individual and collective foundations. 
꩜ - Carina Chernisky
​(on behalf of the 2023 HLA/HASL Conference Planning Committee)

Meet Our Keynotes

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Puni Jackson

Hoʻoulu ‘Āina Director 

Puni is a Native Hawaiian cultural practitioner and accomplished kanaka maoli artist who has led Hawaiian health and ‘āina-based educational programming for over 20 years. She helped to establish Hoʻoulu ʻĀina a 100-acre nature preserve in Kalihi, supporting youth, families, and individuals including Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander healers and cultural practitioners sustain their connection to land. As part of Kōkua Kalihi Valley's leadership, Puni is a co-designer of the indigenous health framework Pilinahā: The Four Connections which has been used across the nation to demonstrate connectedness as health and wellbeing.
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Kim Coco Iwamoto

Attorney & Activist

Kim Coco Iwamoto is a civil rights attorney, small business owner, and social change philanthropist. Kim Coco went to law school with the goal of expanding civil rights laws to protect more people, including LGBT persons. She began her career coordinating free legal clinics in homeless shelters and community centers across the state.

Kim Coco has served on the State Board of Education and the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission. She is a founding funder of Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action (HAPA) and the Chamber of Sustainable Commerce. Kim Coco is a proud mother of a Queen Kaahumanu Elementary School student. 

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  • Home
  • Submit a Proposal
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