Keiva Lei Fulks
Name Keiva Lei Fulks
Age 46
Town/Moku Puna
Island Hawaiʻi Island
Social Media Handle @Keivalani FB/ @ Keiva Lei Cadena
Nominated by Cathy Kapua
Leadership Category Mauli Ola - Health, Personal & Family Development
Share with us a little about yourself and what you do.
I am the Harm Reduction Services Manager at Kumukahi Health & Wellness on Hawaii Island. I manage programs designed to address sexual health and risks around HIV including substance use, sex work, and LGBTQ+ lifestyles. I was diagnosed with HIV in 2004 and found a lot of barriers to my own care. In 2010 I began working in HIV services and realized I had a kuleana to share my own life experiences to help others come to terms with HIV as well as educate other native Hawaiians around the risks of contracting HIV. As a mahuwahine in the community I realize it is important to make our presence impactful for the future well being and inclusion of native Hawaiian mahu. I sit on the Positively Trans National Advisory Board and am a member of the Positive Women's Network. I work in advocacy and capacity building across the US hoping to create safer and culturally inclusive spaces for other Transgender women, Native Hawaiians and people living with HIV. I have been a hula practitioner since I was 3 years old. Both my mother and grandmother were kumu hula under Uncle Joseph Kahauleleio. I am currently haumana under Kumu Stacey Kapua Ka'aua and Halau Unuokeahi. I hope to one day complete my training as hula 'olapa.
Why is the work that you do important to you? The community?
HIV and Transgender issues are not often talked about in Native Hawaiian spaces. Stigma and colonized ideology around sex and gender identity has prevented these important issues from being normalized amongst kanaka. With the lack of awareness and education, Native Hawaiians are more likely to be diagnosed at later stages of HIV (AIDS) leaving them at higher risk of succumbing to the virus. Data shows that 1 in 3 Native Hawaiians have never been tested for HIV. And, social determinants such as substance use, homophobia and transphobia, mental health challenges, poverty, incarceration, diaspora and lack of access leave Native Hawaiians 2.5 times more likely to be exposed to HIV than Caucasians. As a Native Hawaiian living with HIV I know first hand the challenges around stigma and accessing health care. I want to make these conversations and services more centered towards our own people in Hawaii.
Share with us the qualities of leadership you admire and how you express those in your life.
I think some important qualities in leadership come from values that we learn within our cultural spaces. Accountability. Know and understand the importance of serving others by leading alongside them, understanding that the right answers are created by a collective and not by just one persons contribution. Spiritual connection to your work and to the people or places you serve. Integrity. Walking your talk even when it may be inconvenient for you. Humility. Knowing when to hamau and when to ku. All too often, as Hawaiians many of us react to the injustices against us from our emotions. That is not always the smartest approach in the western world. Learning to be strategic with our voice and our actions is an extremely important quality in leadership in which I admire.
Who has inspired you to do the work that you are doing?
When I tested positive for HIV another Hawaiian mahu by the name Melenie Eleneke had committed herself to educating and supporting young mahu around health and wellness and specifically HIV.I thought she was so courageous when speaking about her own experiences. I wanted more mahu to speak up so that the others who could not, knew that there were people out there just like them to help.
What is one word that describes something you are excited about for the lāhui?
Connection - History, Land, Health, & Culture
What is one word that describes a pressing issue that is facing our lāhui?
Mauli ola