M. Waiʻaleʻale Sarsona

Name M. Waiʻaleʻale Sarsona

Age 46

Town/Moku Waimānalo

Island Oʻahu

Social Media Handle @waialealenui

Nominated by Kainoa Keanaaina

Leadership Category Mauli Ola - Health, Personal & Family Development

Share with us a little about yourself and what you do.

Dr. Waiʻaleʻale Sarsona, was born and raised in Waimānalo, Oʻahu, where she lives today. She is married to John Sarsona and have three keiki - Waiʻaleʻale “Liʻi”, Kamanaʻo and Moani. She spent the past 22 years in Hawaiian Culture-based Education working in community-based nonprofits and in the Public Charter School system. She now serves as a Vice President at Kamehameha Schools, with the same focus. She is also a mauli ola practitioner under Ka Pā O Lonopūhā- Academy of Hawaiian Healing Traditions.

She volunteers as the chair of Hui Mauli Ola- a Native Hawaiian non-profit of multidisciplinary cultural practitioners committed to the perpetuation of our traditional healing practice. She is also the Vice-Chair of KAILOA, a Native Hawaiian non-profit dedicated to supporting the success of Ke Kula O Samuel M. Kamakau Public Charter School, where her keiki attends.

Why is the work that you do important to you? The community?

The perpetuation of our Hawaiian identity, culture, and language is beyond an equalizer, its decolonizing, its empowerment. Its Ea. Its where our history lives, where our truths are confirmed, and where our future is found. Whether who we are is perpetuated in Hawaiian Culture-based Education, through our cultural practice or other means, as a Hawaiian I have kuleana. Itʻs important to me because its important to my community. I have kuleana to do that with, for, and in support of our community.

Share with us the qualities of leadership you admire and how you express those in your life.

I recall my moe ʻuhane where I was told.... ok scolded.... “Donʻt replace/betray your kūpuna with western thought”. I woke up thinking wow that was handed to me. It hit me hard and I deserved it. I have this written on my phone and once in a while, I pull it up. The quality I admire is the commitment to always live in kuana ʻIke hawaiʻi, regardless of work, play, family, community, etc. Itʻs who you are all the time. My kūpuna knew how to remind me of that!

For many, myself included, we are rebuilding this part for ourselves and in our ʻohana. I commit to continual learning and daily practicing of kuana ʻike Hawaiʻi in my entire life and learning how to do it better each time.

Who has inspired you to do the work that you are doing?

It isn’t a single person, it was those role models that made me see what was possible and believed that I could. It was Kupuna Hale and Ms. Moana Akana – my next-door neighbors growing up on the homestead who were my first Native Hawaiian kumu at Blanche Pope Elementary. Joanne Kaʻakua at Kailua High School who helped me apply to college. Amazing mentors such as Sheryln Goo, Dr. Kathy Au and Dr. Alice Kawakami who believed in me. Last but not least, my ʻohana that put me through college, my husband that supports me and my keiki that gives me hope for the future. Who they are and their support inspires me

What is one word that describes something you are excited about for the lāhui?

Resilience- our inherited mana in resilience

What is one word that describes a pressing issue that is facing our lāhui?

ʻāina- controlling our ʻāina is controlling our future