The (CLEAR) at the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu is celebrating a major milestone this year: its 50th anniversary. Established in 1976 by state law, CLEAR has spent the last five decades serving as Hawaiʻi‘s CLEARinghouse for labor education—empowering workers, unions and the general public through advocacy, training and maintaining the state’s award-winning labor history archive.

To commemorate this 50th anniversary and honor International Workers Day on May 1, CLEAR has partnered with the 东精影业 Professional Assembly (东精影业PA), International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 142, International Brotherhood of Electrical Works (IBEW) Local 1186, and the Hawaii Employees Lifeline Program to host a special historical performance.

The one-person play, From Wharf Rats to Lords of the Dock, was written and will be performed by actor Ian Ruskin. The performance chronicles the life and times of Australian immigrant Harry Bridges, exploring his pivotal role in empowering workers through the ILWU.

“For 50 years, CLEAR has proudly served as Hawaiʻi鈥檚 CLEARinghouse for labor education,” said Dion Dizon, director of CLEAR. “When we teach labor law and history, we connect then and now to remind workers today that the rights and privileges we enjoy as a matter of law were hard fought and won—not freely given. Education with action is what empowers our unions, our teachers and the working people of our state.”

The community is invited to participate in the May 1 celebration through two events:

• Meet the Artist Gathering: 12–1 p.m. at the 东精影业 West Oʻahu Library.
• Live Performance: 5 p.m. at IBEW 1186, 1935 Hau Street, Room 306.

Seating for the events is limited. Those interested in attending are encouraged to .

The mobile exhibit, , which features a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., is coming to Oʻahu. It will be on display January 14–19 at the Great Lawn of the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu in Kapolei. The exhibit, which also includes a mobile Education Center, honors the more than 3 million Americans who served and bears the names of the 58,281 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in the Vietnam War. The exhibit will be open 24 hours a day until it is dismantled on January 19.

“After 30 years displaying in communities throughout the United States, few communities have worked as hard as Kapolei to host The Wall That Heals,” said Jim Knotts, president and CEO of Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF), the nonprofit that founded The Wall. “Our events in Hilo and Maui were incredible, and we鈥檙e excited to bring the exhibit to Oʻahu.”

Community impact

Local efforts were championed by Vietnam veteran Eddie Freeman, co-chair of The Wall That Heals 鈥� Oʻahu. He noted that his past experience on other islands “deepened my resolve to bring this powerful memorial to Oʻahu. The selection of Kapolei, Hawaiʻi, by VVMF stands as one of the most significant events for the community in 2026.”

A related showing of “Ah Quon McElrath: The Struggle Never Ends” will be held 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. on January 16, at the ʻUluʻulu film screening room in the James & Abigail Campbell Library. Presented by the Center for Labor Education and Research, the event will include comments from filmmakers Chris Conybeare and Joy Chong-Stannard on the film’s connection to the Vietnam War and today, along with a historical exhibit.

For more visit .

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

Hawaiʻi labor leader and social activist Ah Quon McElrath is the focus of a new documentary that will air on on October 17, at 8:30 p.m. Ah Quon McElrath: The Struggle Never Ends! will re-air on October 20 at 1 p.m.

McElrath, a 东精影业 M膩noa alumna who earned her degree in sociology, helped found the at 东精影业 M膩noa and also served on the 东精影业 Board of Regents. In 2004, she was given the 东精影业 Founders Alumni Association Lifetime Achievement Award for her leadership in advocating social change in education and improving social conditions throughout Hawaiʻi.

McElrath was a pivotal force in 贬补飞补颈ʻ颈鈥檚 labor movement and a champion for social justice.

The documentary is a production of the Center for Labor Education and Research (CLEAR) at the 东精影业 West Oʻahu. One of the leading donors was at the .

“We are thrilled to sponsor this program about AQ鈥檚 life,” said Kathryn L. Braun, Barbara Cox Anthony Endowed Chair of Aging. “This important female leader not only helped democratize the state of Hawaiʻi, but also demonstrated a lifelong commitment to education. We鈥檙e so proud to count her as an alumna and recognize her service on the University of 贬补飞补颈ʻ颈鈥檚 Board of Regents.”

McElrath was born in 1915 and died in 2008, yet her legacy lives on as her contributions extended far beyond the labor movement, advocating for healthcare, education, fair housing, and civil and human rights throughout Hawaiʻi.

By exploring McElrath鈥檚 life, The Struggle Never Ends! documents some of 贬补飞补颈ʻ颈鈥檚 most important history and how her work continues to inspire future generations. The documentary is part of the Ah Quon McElrath Project, which preserves her legacy through rare footage, interviews and educational materials.

U.S. Sen. Mazie K. Hirono visited the on January 12, and spoke with students, alumni, faculty, staff and administrators about initiatives in sustainable food and agriculture, food security, digital media, labor education and research, and more.

As part of her visit, Hirono toured , , and the new .

“For the last decade, 东精影业 West Oʻahu has steadily worked to expand the programs, resources, and support available to its students,” Hirono said in a release. “They have demonstrated their commitment to creating opportunities to enable all students—particularly underrepresented students—to receive a quality post-secondary education.”

• Related 东精影业 News story: U.S. Sen. Hirono visits 东精影业 West Oʻahu, meets students, November 18, 2022

During Hirono鈥檚 tour of the m膩la (garden), she met with Albie Miles, assistant professor of , and discussed the program, which prepares students for jobs in the sustainable food and agriculture sector. Hirono also spoke to Manulani Aluli Meyer, Konohiki of K奴lana o Kapolei (director of Indigenous education), and Indrajit Gunasekara, financial aid officer, about their NiU NOW!/Uluniu Project movement, and planted an ʻulu (breadfruit) tree in the Uluniu Grove beside the m膩la.

Her next meeting was with William Puette, director of the (CLEAR), which is designed to provide labor education, research and labor-related programs to workers, their organizations and the general public. CLEAR recently established a .

Hirono then visited ʻUluʻulu, the state鈥檚 official archive for moving images, where she spoke with staff about the digital preservation work they do with audiovisual materials sharing Hawaiʻi鈥檚 culture, traditions and collective memory.

Finally, Hirono toured the new ACM Student Production Center with Chris Lee, founder and director of the ACM System; Sharla Hanaoka, director of ; and students and alumni, who shared the work they are doing within the hub for creative media education throughout the ACM System.

Hirono also stopped by and briefly spoke at two events on campus: a board meeting for Pacific Islanders in Communications, a national nonprofit media arts organization whose board of directors represent Hawaiʻi, Guam, American Samoa and public television entities; and the Hawaiʻi Food Systems Summit, where participants brainstormed ideas for food system transformation and policy ideas for implementation during the 2023 state legislative session.

“东精影业 West Oʻahu offers diverse programs in promising fields that can contribute to Hawaiʻi鈥檚 economy, such as creative media and agriculture, and I enjoyed learning more about these initiatives,” Hirono said. “I will continue working to support Hawaiʻi鈥檚 colleges and universities, as well as the students they serve.”

For more, go to .
—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

Amazon Labor Union President Chris Smalls will discuss the growing trend of independent labor unions at the 10th annual LaborFest Hawaiʻi event. The (CLEAR) and at the are helping to organize the event along with other union cosponsors.

This year鈥檚 LaborFest Hawaiʻi event, “Organize Hawaii,” will be live streamed on Thursday, September 15, 6–7 p.m. on the LaborFest Hawaiʻi and pages. There will also be a stream link during the live broadcast via .

According to 东精影业 West Oʻahu faculty specialist in labor education and event co-organizer Leslie Lopez, the purpose of the event is to discuss the current wave of independent labor unions—such as Amazon, Chipotle, Starbucks and Target—and the obstacles workers face when trying to organize an independent union in their workplace.

The event will feature a panel discussion including Smalls and CLEAR Director William Puette. Lyla Berg from the National Council for Learning and Civic Engagement will moderate the panel.

Other panelists will include:

• Amy Perruso, Hawaiʻi state representative
• Kalani Werner, UPW state director
• Eric Gill, Unite HERE Local 5 financial secretary and treasurer
• Chris West, ILWU Local 142 president
• Kawenaʻulaokalā Kapahua, graduate worker at Academic Labor United

“We hope attendees learn about the invaluable role organized labor plays in workplace safety, wage standards and healthcare in society, particularly in Hawaiʻi,” Lopez said. “We hope working people learn how important it is to vote for legislators who support organized labor, and how labor laws that protect working people also protect the general public.”

National labor leader Sara Nelson discussed the safety and health of workers through the example of Hawaiʻi鈥檚 transportation workers during a virtual event hosted by the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu鈥檚 (CLEAR) in September.

Named by the New York Times, Nelson is the international president of the Association of Flight 东精影业ants-CWA, AFL-CIO, which represents nearly 50,000 flight attendants at 20 airlines.

“As the great labor organizer Mother Jones (Mary G. Harris Jones) said, ‘Mourn the dead and fight like hell for the living,’ and we are doing that right now,” Nelson said at the beginning of her presentation, following a moment of silence for workers who lost their lives during the course of the pandemic. “We鈥檙e doing that by coming together today, honoring the people who have come before us, honoring the people who gave up their lives to give us the rights that we have.”

CLEAR, LaborFest Hawaiʻi, and the Hawaiʻi State AFL-CIO collaborated to co-sponsor the event, which drew 170 participants to the live Zoom meeting and more than 900 views to the recorded presentation on .

On the , the event description stated, “Awareness and respect for workers鈥� rights and responsibilities combined with action by individuals is needed because the resilience and soundness of the community is directly connected to our well-being as workers.”

“Our rights that we have as labor do not exist because they were just bestowed upon us…,” Nelson said. “They were won because people thought it was important enough to stand up for each other and to fight against all odds for a better day for ourselves, and for our families, and for our fellow co-workers.”

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

An effort to rescue, restore and install labor murals by noted Hawaiʻi ceramic artist Isami Enomoto has earned University of Hawaiʻi鈥揥别蝉迟 Oʻahu鈥檚 (CLEAR) a Preservation Award from the . Enomoto鈥檚 work graces several mid-century buildings.

The award will be presented to William Puette, CLEAR director, along with and Bank of Hawaiʻi, during the Preservation Honor Awards Ceremony on May 23.

CLEAR helped raise approximately $43,000 for the restoration and installation, and secured wall space in the James and Abigail Campbell Library to display the murals. The murals were installed in December 2017.

“The murals were meticulously restored and relocated to a meaningful and publicly accessible location,” noted Kirsten Faulkner, Historic Hawaiʻi executive director, in a letter to Puette. “We congratulate you and your exemplary preservation efforts.”

Faulkner also noted that the Preservation Honor Awards are Hawaiʻi鈥檚 highest recognition of preservation projects that perpetuate, rehabilitate, restore or interpret the state鈥檚 architectural, archaeological and/or cultural heritage.

The award caps off the multi-year mural restoration project. Enomoto鈥檚 five murals, which depict Hawaiʻi labor scenes in the early 1960s, hung above teller stations at the Bank of Hawaiʻi branch on Kapahulu Avenue until 2015 when the location was sold.

At Bank of Hawaiʻi鈥檚 request, Docomomo US–Hawaiʻi agreed to warehouse the large pieces while it searched for their new home. Docomomo US is a non-profit group dedicated to understanding, preserving and documenting the modern movement in planning, architecture, landscapes and public art.

From .

—By Greg Wiles

Canefield Songs: Holehole Bushi,听a fascinating documentary peering into the lives of Japanese plantation workers in Hawaiʻi, was screened at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History on Thursday, June 22. The half-hour film was co-produced by University of Hawaiʻi-West Oʻahu’s (CLEAR) and .

The showing at the museum’s S.C. Johnson Conference Center was accompanied by a talk by Chris Conybeare, CLEAR faculty member and the documentary’s writer and 听producer, and Franklin Odo, former 东精影业 West Oʻahu Distinguished Visiting Scholar and former professor of sociology and ethnic studies at 东精影业 M膩noa. Odo is also a founding director of the Smithsonian’s Asian Pacific American Center.

Canefield Songs: Holehole Bushi听focuses on the folk songs sung by Japanese plantation workers and tells the story of music teacher Harry Urata and his efforts at preserving musical oral histories. The film is part of The Canefields Songs Project, which explores the songs and stories of Japanese immigrants who came to work in sugar cane fields in the late 19th and 20th听centuries. In addition to the half-hour documentary narrated by noted ukulele player Jake Shimabukuro, the canefields project includes听, a 272-page book by Odo and a听听designed by 东精影业 West Oʻahu creative media students.

• Related 东精影业 News story: Songs of Japanese plantation workers focus of 东精影业 West Oahu documentary, September 9, 2015

Filmaker Joy Chong-Stannard also served as producer, director and editor, while 东精影业 West Oʻahu Assistant Professor served as music advisor for the project. Brandin Soquena, a 东精影业 West Oʻahu music and creative media student, composed the documentary’s original music.

The documentary premiered听in July 2015 at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, and was followed by its Hawaiʻi debut in September 2015 on PBS Hawaiʻi. It was rebroadcast on PBS Hawaiʻi in February 2016.

Preserving Olympic Dreams and Plantation Memories, presented by the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu听, is playing at the听 (HIFF) on November 6, 2 p.m. at the Regal Dole Cannery Stadium 18 theaters.

Preserving Olympic Dreams and Plantation Memories, a听restored and digitized edition of the 1984 documentary, Coach,听was originally produced by the听 (CLEAR)听as part of the center’s听 television series. The half hour program tells the story of how Maui plantation kids, banned from the whites-only swimming pool, trained in irrigation ditches in the 1930s. Finding strength and determination through the sport, the group went on to win national and even Olympic championships under Coach Soichi Sakamoto.

This special HIFF program highlights a collaborative preservation and digitization effort (the Rice and Roses Digitization Project), sponsored by ʻUluʻulu, (HCH) and CLEAR that will provide public access to hundreds of hours of never-before-seen film, videos and full length interviews that document Hawaiʻi’s plantation era. The digital files will be available to educators, students and researchers to bring images of a bygone era to life and enrich the understanding of Hawaiʻi plantation and swimming history.

The Coach collection has full length interviews with Coach Sakamoto and champion swimmers such as Olympic Gold medal winner Bill Smith, National champions Keo Nakama, Fujiko “Fudge” Katsutani, Chieko “Chic” Miyamoto and more. Also featured are scenes of competition at the Honolulu Natatorium, Maui’s Camp Five Pool, and national swim meets in the 30s and 40s. There are nostalgic moments of the swimmers leaving Honolulu on the liner Matsonia and their adventures on the mainland. Outtake excerpts from this collection will follow the screening of the 30-minute documentary.

Showing also features panel discussion

Preserving Olympic Dreams and Plantation Memories, is part of an initial preservation and digitization grant from HCH. This free screening event will be followed by a special panel discussion presented by ʻUluʻulu.

The panel discussion will include commentary on the never-before-seen footage听narrated by Julie Checkoway, writer of the New York Times bestseller, . Other panelists include ʻUluʻulu Head Archivist and Coach听director Joy Chong-Stannard.

Tickets for the free screening can be reserved through the website.

For more information, read the story.

—By Leila Wai Shimokawa

The University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu won the 2016 Reference and User Services Association honoring libraries that recognize the history and contributions of the labor movement in the United States.

Located in the 东精影业 West Oʻahu Library, the Center for Labor Education and Research maintains a research collection and archive of labor history and law containing clipping files on local unions in Hawaiʻi, as well as an ever-growing collection of contracts, union newsletters, books and pamphlets focusing on Hawaiʻi’s rich labor history.

In addition, the archive houses the Rice and Roses television series about Hawaiʻi’s labor movement and rare books and texts including the Na Lula Halawai text translating 1854 pre-territorial parliamentary procedures from Native Hawaiian to English.

Preserving history for future generations

“The mission of the labor archive at the Center for Labor Education and Research is to preserve labor history materials for future generations, protect the artifacts and make them accessible for public use, and defend the importance of working class history,” said Kate Kosturski, award committee chair.

The 东精影业 West Oʻahu Center for Labor Education and Research will be honored with an award plaque sponsored by the Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO at the Reference and User Services Association Achievement Awards Ceremony and Reception in Orlando this June.

About the Center for Labor Research and Education

The Center for Labor Education and Research is an endowed, outreach program established in 1976 that provides labor education, research and labor-related programs to workers, their organizations, university students and the general public through a variety of methods including classroom instruction, seminars, workshops, publications and the use of the public media.

—From

—By Julie Funasaki Yuen