ThoraJean Cuaresma
Name ThoraJean Cuaresma
Age 55
Town/Moku HALEIWA
Island Oʻahu
Social Media Handle T.J. CUARESMA (FB), TJ_CUARESMA (IG)
Nominated by Amy Perruso, Mike Almeida, Savy Makalena, Brandi Corpuz
Leadership Category Mauli Ola - Health, Personal & Family Development
Share with us a little about yourself and what you do.
I am a single mother of two and grandmother of a grandson who cares for this beautiful community that we live in. I help to be an advocate for those who are not able to help or advocate for themselves. Most notably, our kupuna, the unsheltered, and the keiki in our community are the ones who need our help. Together, our leo can be heard and changes can happen.
Why is the work that you do important to you? The community?
The work that I do in Haleiwa, Waialua and Wahiawa is important to me because it's a way for me to give back to this community that supported my sons and I when we left a violent situation and had no where to turn. These communities and the aloha we received helped to keep us together as family and then to heal as a family. As I rebuilt our lives after being in an abusive marriage for 13 years I learned to speak up, find resources and then plan for a new beginning. These same skills I honed to care for my sons and I are the same skills that I share with those in our communities that need a helping hand.
Share with us the qualities of leadership you admire and how you express those in your life.
The qualities of leadership I admire are honesty, transparency and compassion. In my life I do my best to be honest with whomever I am helping no matter how difficult the situation may be. Preparing for the path ahead is the best way to succeed and honesty is first and foremost. Compassion helps me to remember that unless we can walk in someone else's shoes we don't know their struggles. Transparency means that when we speak, we speak so that all who are listening can understand what is being said.
Who has inspired you to do the work that you are doing?
My grandmothers, Ruth Achiu Miner and Lily Sugawa Miram, have always inspired me to do and continue the work that I do. Both of these women put others before them and persevered. My grandmother Ruth was born in 1921 and was born with club feet. It wasn't until we were gathered at her death bed did I realize that for 82 years of her life she walked on the sides of her feet and not on the bottom flat side of her feet. She never complained of her feet being sore as she walked everywhere in Haleiwa. She did not drive so she walked everywhere. So no matter the pain I may go through in my life it pales in comparison to the life of pain she endured for her family as she helped to raise 10 children and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
My grandmother Lily worked as an accountant for the Federal Government during a time when most women were expected to be receptionists and secretaries. She instilled in me that I could achieve ANYTHING as long as I put forth honest effort no matter what I did.
What is one word that describes something you are excited about for the lāhui?
Leo
What is one word that describes a pressing issue that is facing our lāhui?
Housing