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Mackey Lecture Explores Racism

Father Alapaki Kim knows a thing or two about racism. His paternal grandfather emigrated to Hawaii from Korea to work on the pineapple plantations. His paternal grandmother arrived as a mail order bride. Together they had eight children, one of whom was his father who married his Native Hawaiian mother.

He identifies as half Korean and half Hawaiian and he is the pastor of the largest Hawaiian parish, St. Rita’s Parish. His parish is on Hawaiian Homelands in Nanakuli, Oahu and celebrates both Hawaiian culture and Catholicism. They’ve found a way to seamlessly integrate the two.

Father Kim focused on his Hawaiian heritage as this year’s Mackey Lecture speaker, a lecture series that continues the legacy of Father Robert Mackey, founder and first president of Chaminade University.

This year’s lecture focused on racism in Hawaii, a timely discussion given current national events and sentiments. Chaminade students, faculty and staff joined St. Louis School, the Marianist Center of Hawaii and the general public to view the lecture, streamed as a YouTube video because of pandemic social distancing requirements.

Kapono Ryan, a lay community member, set the stage for an open and honest exploration of racism by sharing a prayer of humility and hope. “All of us have our personal ignorances and arrogances,” said Ryan. “Forgive us. We humbly ask for your mercy and for your discernment, understanding and wisdom. May this session awaken in us a new way…such a way that we can respond to each other with greater humility and greater love.”

Right off the bat, Fr. Kim created common ground by acknowledging that throughout history racism has affected people of all skin colors.

“In the U.S., it’s not just people of color who have suffered racism. The Irish did when they first came. The Italians did. The Jews did. The Chinese came to build railroads, and Chinese children weren’t able to receive an education until priests and nuns violated laws in San Francisco.”

But, he says, people of Native American and African American heritage have experienced the worst of it. He followed with an example of the horrific treatment of the people of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe who protested the Dakota Access Pipeline.

Despite so many ethnic communities having similar histories based on discrimination, we struggle to find common ground when discussing systemic racism. “If we don’t have the same experiences, we have a hard time understanding,” says Fr. Kim.

But to Fr. Kim, the key to understanding is through education. That was what inspired him during this year’s Mackey Lecture about racism in Hawaii.

Fr. Kim took participants on a journey through Native Hawaiian history. Because, as he mentioned during the question and answer session at the end, “If we don’t know, we cannot empathize.”

Along the way, he used poignant examples to help everyone relate to Native Hawaiian experiences.

For example, when describing Hawaii’s first constitution in 1843, he explained that the constitution introduced division of land for the first time in Hawaii. “Hawaiians didn’t own land, they believed land was their grandmother,” he explains. “How can you sell your grandmother?”

Throughout the lecture, Fr. Kim spoke from experience. He has experienced racism and has seen it in his community throughout his whole life. And his upbringing was shaped by the racism his mother experienced as a child.

His mother grew up in a household that only spoke Hawaiian. By the time she went to grade school in the 1920s, Hawaiian was her primary language. One day, after speaking in Hawaiian with her cousin on the playground, a teacher called them over.

“She called them ignorant and stupid in front of all the kids,” says Fr. Kim. “Hawaiians were not rugged individualists at the time, and did not like to be singled out for praise or to be chastised. My mother was horrified.” The teacher then began to beat the two girls in front of the whole school.

The trauma his mother carried as a result was lasting. She hardly ever spoke in Hawaiian when he was young. His grandmother was the one that taught him his native language. She would come and stay at their home for a while and speak only in Hawaiian. But as soon as she left, his mother would pull him aside and say ‘you don’t talk that, it’s bad luck.’

As a young priest on the Big Island of Hawaii, Fr. Kim witnessed a family be evicted from lands they had lived on since before the arrival of Captain Cook. Their land had become Hawaiian Kingdom government lands earlier in history, but they were still allowed to live on it. Eventually, the lands became part of a seeded land trust which came under jurisdiction of the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), and when they found the deed they handed it over to the National Park Service.

Suddenly, the National Park Service was telling the ‘ohana what they could and couldn’t do with their land. For centuries they had relied on a loi kalo and a fish pond for food. But the park service said that was no longer allowed.

“They ignored it, because it was how they got their food,” explains Fr. Kim. “Eventually the DLNR police came and evicted the family in riot gear. Now, the National Park Service brings tourists there to show them how Hawaiians used to live.”

With systemic racism dominating conversations across the U.S., Fr. Kim says the first step we can take is to educate ourselves. Once we understand the historical context of what is happening, then we can determine how we best fit in to tackling the issue of racism. And as Christians, it’s our duty to do the work.

“As Christians, we are called to stand for equal rights in racial issues and religious issues,” says Fr. Kim. “Jesus tells us that the greatest commandments are to love God and to love one another. He also says if you say you love God but you hate your neighbor, you’re a liar. God chose to become human…therefore we must love our brothers and sisters, that’s a requirement. If we don’t love them, we can’t love God.”

Mackey Marianist Lecture: “Racism in Hawaii: A Faith Response”

Economics, Democracy and Entrepreneurship

Over decades of work as an educator and activist, Li Schoolland ’88 has appeared before young professionals in fledgling democracies around the globe to underscore the importance of cherishing—and fighting to preserve—freedom and to offer a path forward in crafting a free market future.

She counts among her former students the mayor of Vilnius, Lithuania, along with countless policymakers, advocates and leaders of non-governmental organizations across Eastern Europe, China, the Middle East and elsewhere. Last year, she was on the road for 200 days—traveling to 24 countries.

Schoolland, speaking from her Waipahu home on a recent day, says she’s driven by two passions in life.

“One is God,” she says. “One is liberty.”

And even amid the pandemic, with traveling out of the question, she’s continued her work. In September, she was preparing to speak to virtual classrooms in Africa, China and Europe via Zoom, a medium that she admits took some getting used to but that she’s proud to have since mastered.

Schoolland accomplishes her work thanks to loose affiliations with a number of international organizations and strong relationships with an army of economists worldwide. She says she doesn’t ask for speaking fees—and kindly requests that they all do the same.

In return, she says, she gets to see the positive impact of her work.

“Coming from a Communist country inspired me to help,” she said.

Schoolland grew up in China, the daughter of a surgeon and a professor, and says she saw the cruel injustices of authoritarian Communist rule firsthand. When she moved to the United States in the 1980s, she vowed to do whatever she could to promote liberal economics and do some good in the world.

After completing a Master’s degree in Japanese literature at the University of Minnesota, Schoolland made her way to the islands to enroll in Chaminade’s Master’s degree in Japanese Business Studies. She describes the program, which was offered through a corporate partnership, as “intense” and immersive.

“The experience was very valuable,” she said. “Six days of classes and a lot of homework.”

As part of the degree, she was able to complete a three-month internship in Japan. She was interested in retail so sought an internship at a department store. During her time there, she helped the merchandising department develop a new brand that launched in the store.

After graduation, Schoolland remained in retail, working with Duty Free and then starting her own business as an art dealer. She also worked with a Japanese development company into the early 1990s.

The crash of the Japanese economy in 1991, though, changed the course of her life.

The business she worked for had to liquidate and Schoolland found herself with a new purpose: as the caregiver to elderly relatives. She went back into the workplace seven years later, as a teacher. By then, she wasn’t interested in the hectic, round-the-clock world of development or retail. She wanted a position that would allow her to spend time, especially the holidays, with her family.

Schoolland found a teaching position at Punahou, where her daughter was attending school.

And during breaks, she and her daughter would try to squeeze in as much travel as they could.

At every destination, Schoolland would wear her teaching hat, sharing what she knew with others.

That wanderlust grew into a mission: Schoolland and her husband, also an economist, started coordinating educational camps and conferences for young professionals. Oftentimes, the events were in partnership with local universities. The topics: Free market economics and democracy.

Schoolland’s work has taken her across Eastern Europe, from Lithuania to Latvia to Estonia to Poland.

About 10 years ago, she was delighted to finally set up an event in China. She partnered with Northeastern University there and developed a summer school program with about 100 students. Last year, more than 200 students attended to hear well-known economists from around the world.

The speakers, she said, “sacrifice and they don’t get paid” to attend the events.

So far this year, Schoolland has had to cancel more than seven trips internationally. That hasn’t discouraged her. If anything, it has redoubled her resolve to promote market economics, democracy and entrepreneurship. She said she can’t wait to get back on the road (and in the air) when she’s able to.

Lifelong Learner

By the time Lysa Rutledge decided to go back to school, she already had an extensive career under her belt and was approaching retirement. But getting her master’s was the perfect gateway to her long-time dream: becoming a teacher.

Lysa Rutledge, MSCJA '20

Rutledge first attended Chaminade as an undergraduate student over 20 years ago. She was in the Army at the time, stationed at Schofield Barracks, and enrolled for Chaminade’s on-base program. She graduated in 2000 with a degree in psychology and a minor in criminal justice.

At the time, Rutledge wanted to become a probation officer. She has family members that work in corrections in her home state of California, and she wanted a career that would make a difference. Her first job after graduating was as a case manager with the Federal Bureau of Prisons in California. And from there, her passion grew.

“My initial motivation was to get case management experience,” says Rutledge. “I wanted to be a probation officer and in federal probation they want you to have at least three years of case management experience. I ended up really enjoying working for the Bureau so I stayed with it. I’ve had a great career.”

As a case manager, Rutledge felt like she could really have an impact on the lives of the individuals she worked with. Her job was to work with inmates, review their progress and help them prepare for release and reentry into society. Essentially, she was a social worker in a prison setting. She’s always had an interest in social work and being a case manager was a way for her to tap into that passion.

“I was a case manager for ten years,” says Rutledge. “All of my inmates were females…they are eventually going to get out and go into our communities, and it was just a sense of responsibility to help these women come out and be better citizens in society. I would come across these women who have never had opportunities, and it’s really rewarding. It’s just very rewarding.”

Rutledge worked for the Federal Bureau of Prisons in California for 16 years. But in 2016, when an opportunity to return to Hawaii presented itself, Rutledge jumped at the chance.

“I came here on a promotion,” says Rutledge. “When I had the opportunity to come back, I kind of jumped at it. I love living here.”

Lysa Rutledge, MSCJA '20

Rutledge now works at the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Hawaii. She’s a case management coordinator and is part of the management team. She oversees the receiving and discharge department and supervises all of the case managers.

It’s a hard time to work in federal law enforcement with so much divisiveness in communities across the country. But being in Hawaii and working in corrections, Rutledge has felt fairly removed from a lot of that.

“It does affect us, what happens on the streets every day with the police officers, but what affects us more are the policy changes,” says Rutledge. “Fortunately, in Hawaii, we don’t see as much of what goes on in the mainland. I have heard different things about what goes on with different parts of the country, some people feel they can’t wear their uniform to and from work. I haven’t found that here in Hawaii.”

If anything, Rutledge has encountered a more welcoming and supportive community in Hawaii. There’s also more support for those with a criminal past.

“I feel like there’s so much community support and so many resources for ex-offenders here,” she says. “It’s just part of the Hawaiian culture of helping out. All of the resources we can get in the community definitely help these inmates with reentry and make my job a lot easier.”

She’s also noticed a difference in the inmates she works with—they’re less aggressive in Hawaii than what she encountered on the mainland.

She enrolled in the Chaminade’s Master of Science in Criminal Justice Administration program in 2017, and will graduate in December. Her motivation was mostly one of self-improvement—after an extensive career, she wasn’t looking for job growth. She was looking to learn and to expand her knowledge so that she could one day teach criminal justice.

“I feel like I have so much experience in corrections that I would like to teach undergraduates,” says Rutledge. “That’s what motivated me to get my master’s degree.”

But the program also helped give her a better understanding of her role at the Bureau and the policies they abide by.

“It has helped me with my writing skills and just kind of opening my eyes to what’s out there in the new age of corrections and law enforcement,” describes Rutledge. “With a lot of things that we do at the Bureau, I really see how they come out from laws that have passed or grievances that have gone to the supreme court. It’s neat to see where the policies and the laws have come from. For me, that’s been really interesting.” 

It hasn’t been easy to go back to school after 20 years in the workforce. She’s had to retrain herself to be a student and reestablish her study skills. But having a core group of supportive and knowledgeable professors has really helped. And even though most of her classmates are a lot younger and are just starting their careers, Rutledge has enjoyed hearing their perspectives.

“It was really nice to see and interact with that young perspective,” says Rutledge. “And I think they enjoyed picking my brain as well. There are actually two Chaminade students that just became corrections officers and joined the Bureau because I helped guide them. It’s nice to be able to recruit people in.”

Rutledge plans to retire from the Federal Bureau of Prisons in four years, and when she does, she’d love to come back to Chaminade—this time as a professor.

Race Relations in Hawaii

As part of Chaminade University’s Mackey Marianist Lecture series, a virtual presentation on racism in Hawaii will be available for public viewing beginning Sunday, October 11. “Racism in Hawaii: A Faith Response,” with native Hawaiian priest Fr. Alapaki Kim from St. Rita’s Parish in Nanakuli, sheds light on systemic racism and the commonalities and differences in issues of race as it pertains to the Mainland and Hawaii.

As the pastor of a parish located on Hawaiian Homelands, Fr. Kim integrates in his teachings the wisdom and practices of his Native Hawaiian spirituality and culture. He also proposes how people of faith can respond to racial inequalities.

Due to social distancing guidelines, Fr. Alapaki’s recent presentation was made via Zoom with a group of invited students, staff and faculty from Chaminade University and Saint Louis School. The students then posed questions after the initial presentation.

“Racism in Hawaii: A Faith Response” will premiere on the Marianist Center of Hawaii’s YouTube channel on Sunday, October 11, 2020. The recording of this Zoom presentation can be viewed here. The recorded presentation is free and registration is not needed.

This is the 25th anniversary of the Mackey Marianist Lectures, which is sponsored by the Marianist Center at Chaminade University. The Society of Mary (Marianists) founded Chaminade University in 1955 and continues as its sponsor.

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Chaminade University of Honolulu provides a collaborative and innovative learning environment that prepares graduate and undergraduate students for life, service and successful careers. Established in 1955, the university is guided by its Catholic, Marianist and liberal arts educational traditions, which include a commitment to serving the Native Hawaiian population. Chaminade offers an inclusive setting where students, faculty and staff collectively pursue a more just and peaceful society. For more information, visit chaminade.edu.

NASPA Undergraduate Fellows Program

Two Chaminade students, Eri Leong ’23 and Andrew Ancheta ’21 were accepted into the 2020–2021 class of NASPA Undergraduate Fellows Program (NUFP). Hosted by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) in Higher Education, the highly competitive fellowship gives students from traditionally underrepresented and historically disenfranchised communities a chance to learn more about careers in student affairs and higher education.

Eri Leong '23, 2020–2021 class of NASPA Undergraduate Fellows Program
Eri Leong ’23

Students apply together with a mentor from their home university, and spend one year participating in on-campus mentorship, professional development events and scholarship opportunities.

For her mentor, Leong chose Allison Jerome, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students at Chaminade. “She seems to be brilliant at everything she does, and if I were to become a student affairs professional, I would want to embody that brilliance of hers as much as possible” says Leong when asked about her decision. “I chose Dean Allison because I look up to her immensely and I know she has an incredible amount of information to guide me with.”

Ancheta had similar praise for the mentor he selected, Joseph Granado, Chaminade’s Director of Student Activities and Leadership. “It is easy to tell that Joseph genuinely wants to see all of his students succeed,” says Ancheta. “He knows how to connect with them, how to understand them, and most importantly, how to challenge them to reach for the stars that they desire. He is a great inspiration to many.”

Leong and Ancheta both felt connected to the organization’s mission: to increase the number of historically disenfranchised and underrepresented professionals in student affairs and/or higher education, including but not limited to those of racial and ethnic-minority background; those having a disability; and those identifying as LGBTQ. And they both see student affairs as a potential long-term career path.

“I’ve always loved helping people and student affairs is a profession that has the joy of getting to do that everyday,” says Leong. “I’m drawn to the possibility of having a profession that allows me to assist the next generation in flourishing into the best possible versions of themselves.”

Andrew Ancheta '21, 2020–2021 class of NASPA Undergraduate Fellows Program (NUFP)
Andrew Ancheta ’21

“My lifelong journey is one of self-improvement,” explains Ancheta. “I am really just hoping to gain the tools and skills that will help me be successful in improving lives. I want to walk with others on their journey toward self-discovery, internal reflection and professional development.”

Leong and Ancheta will have access to the entire Student Affairs division at Chaminade and gain a better understanding of what a profession in student affairs entails. They’ll also participate in the regional NASPA conference that will be held in November.

Although the conference will be virtual, they’re both excited about the networks they’ll create with students from other universities.

“I’m looking forward to meeting and connecting with other NUFP members,” says Leong. “People-oriented is a characteristic I heavily consider myself to have, so with every new experience I’m always looking forward to the people I get to meet and learn from.”

Similarly, Ancheta says: “As someone who was born and raised in the beautiful state of Hawaii, it is not too often that I hear fresh perspectives. Hearing new stories from new people is a great way to continue the development of my own personal outlook on life situations, social issues, etc.”

In the meantime, they’re just excited to continue learning from their mentors and gaining new insight into student affairs as a profession.

“As [Joseph’s] NUFP mentee, I am looking forward to learning more about all of the skills, techniques, and methods that he has picked up throughout his years as a student affairs professional,” says Ancheta. “I have absolute confidence that I will continue to learn from him.”

US-China Relations: Duel or Duet

“The Chinese government, over the several years, has started to try and change its development model quite substantially, and COVID-19 has put these efforts on steroids,” stated Chaminade Professor Dr. Chris McNally during the opening of The Annual Dr. N.H. Paul Chung Memorial Lecture.

Dr. N.H. Paul Chung Memorial Lecture. Panelists, Dr. Chris McNally along with Professor Charles Booth from the William S. Richardson School of Law at UH Manoa, Senior Instructor Ji Chen from University of Colorado at Denver, and Emeritus Professor Stephen C. Thomas also from the University of Colorado at Denver

The lecture, presented by the Pacific Asian Management Institute and the University of Hawaii Center for Chinese Studies on September 11, consisted of a panel of experts that explored the U.S.’s relations with China. Panelists included McNally along with Professor Charles Booth from the William S. Richardson School of Law at UH Manoa, Senior Instructor Ji Chen from University of Colorado at Denver, and Emeritus Professor Stephen C. Thomas also from the University of Colorado at Denver.

The panel offered a fascinating glimpse into the intricacies and complexities that surround the U.S.’s relationship with China amidst an ongoing trade war and a tumultuous global pandemic. The hour-long discussion briefly touched on a plethora of topics, including the recent change in China’s relationship with Hong Kong, human rights, economic sustainability and development, technology infrastructure, COVID-19 and the upcoming U.S. election.

A large question loomed over whether China would surpass the U.S. as an economic leader in coming years, particularly when it comes to technology and the development of artificial intelligence. “Whether or not they will be ahead of us by 2030 is very difficult to judge,” says McNally. “How much China is able to leapfrog us, that is still really a question for the future.”

But he did concede that China’s economy had fared far better than the U.S.’s during the COVID-19 pandemic. “There is no doubt now that the Chinese have fared a lot better economically during this COVID-19 pandemic than most other large economies,” says McNally. “In terms of manufacturing, the economy has recovered very rapidly. But in terms of consumption the Chinese economy is still lagging.”

According to McNally, that is bad news for the U.S. “That basically portends some rather dire futures for us, because we look at the Chinese as having recovered much more rapidly than other economies, yet their consumption power is still lacking.” says McNally. “So for the U.S. and Europe, this means we will have real difficulties getting our consumption fully back up.”

McNally also warned of the potential long-term damage of the Trump administration’s approach to trade. “It’s not just the Chinese, it’s many other countries and industries that are looking at U.S. supplies and saying ‘Can we trust them in the future?’ and ‘Should we diversify?’” says McNally. “All you’re doing is basically incentivizing the rest of the world to try to become less dependent on the United States.”

For McNally, that could have devastating effects for the U.S. economy and threaten our position as a global economic leader. “The whole idea of decoupling is not so much the U.S. decoupling from China, it’s the rest of the world decoupling from the United States,” says McNally. “And that is not something you want to happen…you don’t even want to put that idea into people’s heads.”

As for the upcoming election, McNally says it’s anyone’s guess who the Chinese would prefer to win. “For the Chinese, another four years of Trump would mean another four years of chaos and another four years of delegitimizing the U.S., which would help China in the long term,” predicts McNally. He believes a Biden administration would mean more stability, and the Chinese value stability. “But a Biden administration is likely to rally allies and try to create a united front to face the Chinese. That would tell the Chinese they need to play by certain rules of the game.”

At the end, the panelists were each asked to give a short summary of what they wanted the biggest takeaway to be, as well as a word or phrase to end on. Most speakers sided with McNally’s political lean. Professor Booth took the opportunity to stress just how important this upcoming election was, while Ji Chen emphasized McNally’s point that decoupling is not the solution. “Historically, China is not the enemy,” says Ji Chen who is originally from China. “The only thing the Chinese want is a better way of life.” McNally took that one step further by declaring that “China is not Russia.”

“Yes, China is a massive challenge to the United States, no doubt,” concluded McNally. “But the Chinese have an enormous stake in keeping the international order intact, at least the parts they like…they’re not intent on destroying it as the Russians are, clearly. And we seem to have, quite deliberately in my opinion, confused that and made China the enemy…And that, as Ji Chen mentioned, is not the case.”