Design + Culture + Intentionality + Learning with Empathy = Change in Practice

The Hawaiʻi Worker Equity Fellowship reflects what’s possible when design, culture, and employer practice are intentionally connected.

Launched by the Chamber of Commerce Hawaiʻi in January 2025, the Fellowship builds on earlier human-centered design work led through our Hawaiʻi Worker Equity Lab in 2023-2024. Convened by the Hawaiʻi Workforce Funders Collaborative, the initial design phase brought together partners from We Are Oceania, City & County of Honolulu’s American Job Center – DCS WorkHawaiʻi Division, and University of Hawaiʻi, to explore how Pacific Islander values intersect—and at times clash—with Western workplace norms. A clear message emerged from employers: awareness alone wasn’t enough. They needed space to learn, reflect, and test change in real time.

From January to May 2025, the Fellowship created that space. Healthcare employers and industry partners participated in a five-month, hybrid learning experience grounded in cultural practice, peer exchange, and practical application. Participants left with greater confidence to lead change, stronger advocacy for inclusive practices, and a deeper understanding of Pacific Islander values—insights that translated into tangible, employer-led workplace initiatives.

Mahalo to our funders—this work was made possible through pooled funding from the National Fund for Workforce Solutions and member organizations of the Hawaiʻi Workforce Funders Collaborative, and continues to inform future learning, alumni engagement, and sector expansion.

Mahalo to our on-the-ground partners and Fellowship participants, including the Chamber of Commerce Hawai’i, Kapolei High School, We Are Oceania, Healthcare Association of Hawaiʻi, EPIC ʻOhana, and Matafel LLC, whose engagement, cultural leadership, facilitation, and partnership shaped the Fellowship experience. We also extend our appreciation to the Fellows representing healthcare organizations across Hawaiʻi who showed up with openness, curiosity, and a willingness to reflect, learn, and lead change within their own workplaces: Hawai’i Pacific Health, Maui Health, Kaiser Permanente, Shriners Children’s Hawai’i, HI Frequency Imaging, Physicals Solution LLC, Spill The Tea Cafe, Manoa Cottage, and the City & County of Honolulu’s Office of Economic Revitalization.