Interfaith organization and community leaders celebrate signing of an action covenant to help resolve major issues on Maui. “This is a new beginning for all of us.”Faith Action for Community Equity (FACE) Maui held its founding covenant celebration on Saturday, Nov. 15, at the Christ the King Church in Kahului. The Maui sun glistened through the church’s stained-glass windows as nearly 300 enthusiastic attendees warmly welcomed each other.
The meeting was attended by numerous Maui congregations, FACE Hawai‘i and a familiar cast of political leaders, including Sen. Roz Baker and Rep. Joe Souki. Rev. Gary Colton of Maria Lanakila Church stressed the importance of public official involvement, and thanked Rep. Joe Bertram III for his help in orchestrating the event. Mayor Charmaine Tavares was unable to attend.
FACE Maui is an interfaith grassroots community organization formed for the purpose of working for justice and equity on Maui. Created in June 2007, FACE Maui is currently made up of 19 churches and temples, three social service agencies, two labor organizations and one environmental group. With many of Maui’s top political leaders supporting FACE Maui, the organization intends to resolve some of the island’s top issues.
The group organized with the support of FACE Hawai‘i of O‘ahu, which has been successful in influencing critical public policies—such as obtaining $25 million in federal money to support Hawai‘i’s public hospitals.
FACE is a Gamaliel Foundation affiliate, a Chicago-based community organization; the same organization that trained President-Elect Barack Obama.
Last September, FACE Maui identified issues and organized task force groups. On Saturday, final actions were formally discussed and members signed a covenant of support.
“His fingerprints are all over the goodness of Maui,” said moderator Joyce Afalla of Ala Lani Church, as she introduced keynote speaker Deacon Stan Franco of St. Theresa’s Church of Kihei.
“I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time,” said Deacon Franco. Also known as “Stan the Man,” a social worker, and a chaplain at Maui Memorial Medical Center, he stated that he believes FACE Maui is a “can” and not a “no can” organization. The audience replied with a resounding “can!”
“Many on this island have given up on finding justice on issues,” Deacon Franco continued. He said too often in our society we look to one leader—referring to Obama’s recent victory—and warned us to not make him our “superhero” and do nothing ourselves. Franco sees a “better life by us working together with a common vision and covenant.”
The entire room stood and joined together to recite the affirmation of the covenant, their written agreement to tackle three core issues on Maui in the next year: better and more diversified jobs, affordable housing-land use and immigration matters. FACE Maui plans to tackle three issues a year.
A long-time hotel worker told how she was laid off three times in three years. She is tired of big, Mainland corporations trying to run it “their way,” she said. “Yes, we can fight for our rights, jobs,” she said, as signatures accumulated on the poster-sized letter headed to the president of Diamond Resorts stating grievances about layoffs.
Addressing the housing, a single mother of two said, “If I can’t afford to pay rent, where do I go? I know I’m not the only one, but it was a problem when I was young and still is. What needs to be done?”
When Lori Tsuhako of the Maui County Department of Housing and Human Services, a representative from the Mayor’s Office, was asked if she will work with FACE on developing solutions for housing, she replied with an enthusiastic, “Can!”
“It’s obvious that as a community you have the wisdom and voice to make change,” said Dwayne Marsh, director of policy engagement for PolicyLink, a Mainland community policy company. He spoke of people, partnerships and power to integrate policies that “can.” “I’m here to say PolicyLink is a partner to go forward with FACE Maui,” said Marsh.
Maui resident Roberto Sanchez spoke of a Tongan man who lost his birth certificate, had no identification and was unable to leave due to strict immigration rules.
“He can’t go home and can’t leave Hawai‘i,” said Sanchez. “That’s a problem.”
“The current system [immigration] is interfering with our way of life,” said Rev. Tasha Kama of Christian Ministry Church. “We need to reduce wait-time for potential citizens and help those trying to correct system problems.”
Kama asked U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie if he would help, and he firmly responded, “Yes. I can! Yes, we can!”
The most exuberant oration of the morning came from Congressman Abercrombie, bringing people to their feet with heartfelt applause. He spoke powerfully about the importance of faith, action, community and “the courage to be.”
“Courage to not be skeptical or cynical,” he said. “Promises are easy to make, hard to keep. Our hopes and dreams are alive in FACE Maui, and I have a feeling there’ll be change in progress next time we meet.”
Rev. Ed Gazmen of New Life Community Church applauded Abercrombie for his fervent “sermon.” “Perhaps you have missed your calling in the church,” he said.
The diversity and camaraderie within the church was underscored as neighbors joined hands for a prayer at the end of the celebration.
“We are eager to take our faith into action,” he said. Rev. Gazmen revealed plans for an upcoming spring housing summit and Rev. Colton spoke of immigration classes.
Rev. Gazmen described the celebration as “a message of the hope and enthusiasm that FACE needs to succeed. If what we saw today is a symbol of future effectiveness, I’m very excited,” he said. “There are organizations that attempt to penetrate the political world and don’t. We have.”
“This is just one of many steps to bring the community together,” said County Councilman Michael Victorino. “I’m very happy to see the various faiths getting back in the forefront of resolving issues and fully support them.”
“Yes, we can build an organization of people caring about each other and working together for the common good of all Maui’s people,” said Franco.
“This is a new beginning for us all,” said Rev. Efren Tomas of Christ the King Church.