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Congratulations on this important and well-deserved milestone! Thank you for everything, it was a great experience working at the department. I am who I am today because of the foundations that I laid at UH Manoa, especially at ES. With much love, Lily

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I'd like to mahalo ES for being my foundation to finding myself and for continuing to preserve and perpetuate local identity in Hawaiʻi through academia, practice, and personal life.

Marc J. Malate; 2012

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Forever grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow here. Being surrounded by leaders while working for social justice and change has been life-changing. Here's to another 50 years! <3

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Mahalo nui to the Ethic Studies Department for supporting me in my academic journey. My favorite memory in Ethnic Studies was the first ever ES Open House I attended. I immediately knew that I was a part of a wonderful ʻohana and chose the right major. I look forward to 50 more years!!!! :) -Kahōkū

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I’m new to the Ethnic Studies Department but I am so excited to be able to participate in this opportunity. Since transferring to UH Manoa I have gained a greater knowledge and have been interested in knowing what I can do to create a better change along with sharing our communities voice. Joining the ES Department has allowed me to meet great people. I am so thankful for the ES Department!🥳

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I worked as a GA with Marion Kelly waaayyyy back in the day. Fond memories working with her and all the other faculty of ES. Congrats on your 50th.

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Happy 50th anniversary ES department! If it weren’t for ES I wouldn’t be where I am. ES department and service learning allowed me, an international student, to learn deeply about Hawaii and to think what I as a foreigner can do for Hawaii. I wish there were Es graduate program when I was an undergrad, but I’m on my way to pursuit PhD here in Japan. Mahalo for everyone for inspiring me! -Kiki

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Professor Ibrahim is the best! Shoutout to his show, Island Connections. 

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Professor Ibrahim is the best! Shoutout to his show, Island Connections. 

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Aloha mai kākou,
I'm Erin Kahunawaikaʻala Wright and I’m an associate professor of educational administration in the College of Education. It’s an honor to participate in the 50th anniversary of ethnic studies at Mānoa. As an alumna of ethnic studies (and a lab leader for Freshman Seminar with Noel), I couldn’t be more proud to be part of our BAM partnership. I’d like to thank Professors Rod Labrador & Monisha Das Gupta for their vision and diligence in bringing this partnership to life. Not only does our BAM program center our students by providing them a clear, efficient pathway to earn a bachelor's and master's degree, it also ensures that the critical knowledges, perspectives,and skills gained from an ethnic studies education continues to be a significant and relevant part of educational leadership. Our current BAM students, Kahōkū, Robby, ʻIhi, and Donavan, represent BEST part of our partnership - they are critical, creative, thoughtful, collaborative, and compassionate. They make me hopeful for our future and their excellence is due, in no small part, to the education and mentorship they received in ethnic studies. Hoʻomaikaʻi iā ʻoukou, e Ethnic Studies for 50 years of showing us what it means to love Hawaiʻi. E ola!

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Congratulations and thank you for being a shining light for this university and for all your contributions to the communities of Hawai'i. ES faculty and students show us all how to be present in the world as scholars and activists. Thank you thank you thank you!
<3
--Cindy Franklin

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Mahalo Ethnic Studies! It is such a honor to be an alum of this program. I can never thank you all enough. Mahalo nui!

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Mahalo Ethnic Studies! It is such a honor to be an alum of this program. I can never thank you all enough. Mahalo nui!

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- Eve Millett

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Yay ES!

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Kanaloa Kahoʻolawe plays a significant role in the history of Ethnic Studies. Photo by Momi Wheeler.

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Love from the Alegado-Kong ‘Ohana! I have been so privileged to grow up in ethnic studies, surrounded by people who taught me that minoritized scholars can survive and thrive in the western academy. Dad was so incredibly proud of all the accomplishments of his colleagues and students in ES. This program has grounded and shaped my entire perspective on how to be an educator and scholar in the university - no ka poʻe.

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Hoʻomaikaʻi loa to everyone at Ethnic Studies—all who built the department and program and all who continue to contribute to all the ES amazing-ness.  Mahalo a piha to all of you for everything you do and for the urgent and necessary discussions and activism you foster at UHM and in our communities.

Nui ke aloha nō,
Brandy Nālani McDougall & Craig Santos Perez

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Ethnic Studies department, you set me on a foundation rooted in social justice, advocacy, education, and a desire to make Hawaiʻi better. To the late Dr. Alegado, thank you for believing in me and pushing me to apply for the Smithsonian Sogi Fellow scholarship. That was a life-changing experience. Mahalo Ulla for engaging me in service-learning! Mahalo nui to you ALL for everything. Kuʻulani Keohokalole (Miyashiro) ES ʻ06

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The Department of Ethnic Studies at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa focuses on comparative analyses of racial and ethnic groups and inequalities among them through the lens of social justice. We take an ʻāina (land) and ocean-based approach to our four focal areas-migration, social justice, oceanic connections, and engagement. Our research and teaching are interdisciplinary and transnational. As ethnic studies scholars, we specialize in race and ethnicity as they intersect with indigeneity, class, gender, and sexuality in Hawaiʻi, the United States, and Oceania.

Our department offers a major (BA) and a certificate in ethnic studies as well as a combined Bachelor's & Master's Degree (BAM) in ethnic studies and education Our undergraduate program foregrounds civic engagement and service learning to foster thoughtful and compassionate leaders and stewards of the ʻāina. We train our students to imagine and craft responsible and sustainable alternatives to local, regional, national, and global problems.

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The Department of Ethnic Studies at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa focuses on comparative analyses of racial and ethnic groups and inequalities among them through the lens of social justice. We take an ʻāina (land) and ocean-based approach to our four focal areas-migration, social justice, oceanic connections, and engagement.

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Congratulations Ethnic Studies!  I’m so proud of your 50 years of accomplishments. Denise Konan

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congratulations on 50 years of education & liberation! 

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congratulations on 50 years of education & liberation! 

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so excited for all the that UH Mānoa ethnic studies has done and will do <3 Sarah Michal Hamid

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Mahalo to our legislators, Provost Bruno and Dean Konan for envisioning our future as a department at UHM 🖖🏽

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Happy 50th Anniversary ES!!! I remember taking ES 221 & ES 340 from Aunty Davi. I really wished I added Ethnic Studies to my major. But I had some fun times in my ES 221 lab section. Looking forward to the future of ES!

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HPF’s ROOTS‼️‼️‼️MAHALO to the amazing ES ‘ohana for changing the world‼️‼️‼️

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HPF’s ROOTS‼️‼️‼️MAHALO to the amazing ES ‘ohana for changing the world‼️‼️‼️

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Congrats on 50 years of amazing work!

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Aloha nui kākou! Nice to be here.

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Cheers! Happy 50th anniversary!

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It was amazing to watch ethnic studies professors engage with the community and encourage students creativity